Smedge and Net Render compatibility

[JoelOtron]

Just thought I'd bump.

[JoelOtron]

Talking to myself here...

Anyway--I discovered that Smedge 3 now seems to handle cinema 4d network rendering.
Might be an alternative to "over the internet/web browser" style net rendering?

http://www.uberware.net/smedge3/features.php

Anyone ever tried?
Might actually be a better solution for me in my studio situation as the intenret connection method seems to be causing us problems.

[AdamT]

Can't help, but you might try contacting Dan at Render King. I seem to recall that he runs, or has run, multiple apps on his farm.

[QuakeMarine1]

why still using BB and Net when having smedge?

**confused

[JoelOtron]

Hi Adam--I did talk briefly with Dann Stubbs to get his advice.

@ QuakeMarine1:

There are 3 teams here--the Max team uses backburner, the maya team uses smedge--and the c4d side is c4dnet of course. All running parrallel on one farm.

@ srek, Dann, or oher net gurus:

Are all processes in NET running through the internet--(file distribution, etc) or is it just the management/and commands? We are trying to hone in on what the issue is here.

Thanks

[QuakeMarine1]

why not forcing all 3 groups to use smedge?
smedge can handle all 3 apps
comparing to netrender is smedge lightyears better
and all BB setting are manageable in smedge as well

KO is the price per node but if you ask gentel the developer for discounts ....

[JoelOtron]

why not forcing all 3 groups to use smedge?
smedge can handle all 3 apps
comparing to netrender is smedge lightyears better
and all BB setting are manageable in smedge as well

KO is the price per node but if you ask gentel the developer for discounts ....

Well--if you read my post--i was asking if anyone had ever actually used smedge with c4d. HAve you? I have only just discovered that this was actually possible...today. We are still running smedge 2 not 3 yet. Im on a mac--I dont know if its available on mac just yet.

You also have to understand that a studio cant just jump into new waters without testing first. The max guys here already have a tried and true solution that they are comfortable with and works.
I would say that other than the problems I am having--Net has been good to work with--and its what I know.

When you say smedge is "lightyears" better then NET--what do you mean? Could you list the benefits over net?
From what I know about smedge, there are more remote controls over the "engines" (NET client equivalent) then we have with net. For example you can shut down and start up the engines remotely (Net only offers the option to reset the net clients--so if they are not running you need to get them stared manually)

I'd appreciate any productive feedback you have.
thanks

[Srek]

Are all processes in NET running through the internet--(file distribution, etc) or is it just the management/and commands? We are trying to hone in on what the issue is here.
Only IP is used for all purposes and that only with the two ports you set for server and client.
The main issues that repeatedly pop up with Net are firewalls or other applications trying to use the same ports. The later is easy to identify, if an application is already using a port CINEMA 4D Net will give an error in the console on startup. If the client tries to connect to a server port and another app but Net Server answers it will show in the console that the server is not a Net server.
Beside this i have no idea what might cause your problems.
Cheers
Björn

[JoelOtron]

Only IP is used for all purposes and that only with the two ports you set for server and client.
The main issues that repeatedly pop up with Net are firewalls or other applications trying to use the same ports. The later is easy to identify, if an application is already using a port CINEMA 4D Net will give an error in the console on startup. If the client tries to connect to a server port and another app but Net Server answers it will show in the console that the server is not a Net server.
Beside this i have no idea what might cause your problems.
Cheers
Björn

Hi Srek
The problem is less of an issue on my end--but its how NET seems to be affecting the other render queue apps. I havent actually had any problem rendering or connecting at all.
One thing that was happenning is that if I shut off the NET Server--this seems to cause the other render apps to lose their IP connection. It appears as if NET is doing something there. Anyway--thanks for the feedback srek. If I figure it out I'll post here.

I noticed this piece of info in the help manager:

clientaddress (Client address) – Specifies the TCP/IP address of the computer running the client. Normally the Client is configured to react to all messages and therefore the default value is 0 (use all addresses). But if you have multiple TCP/IP addresses installed on your local machine you can instead specify a particular address. The C4DN Client then ignores messages from other addresses

I am wondering if not having the individual client IP adrresses entered is allowing the client to interfere with other tcp/IP activivty. Will give it a try tomorrow.

[Srek]

I am wondering if not having the individual client IP adrresses entered is allowing the client to interfere with other tcp/IP activivty. Will give it a try tomorrow.
If you have a render slave with two IPs and you haven't entered an IP for the Net client the client will try to use it's port on both IPs. If there is another app on the client that tries to use the same port on one of those IPs you get a conflict.
Either specify which IP to use in the Net client or use a different port.
Cheers
Björn

[QuakeMarine1]

I am still in beta testing smedge for C4D LW 3Ds ++
so far I am very glad to have that tool
I know that noone like to chance a running system but since I use netRender I miss
- sort clients by name
- see witch client is absent
- define user output path
- you need to render in C4d9.1 and 9.6 and 10.1 -- u need to run for each version the current manager and server = 3 server, each have separat port and listen each X seconds for new command from the manager - thats a big overhead in the LAN
- c4d file contains render setup from 0-8888 frame --I need to (re)render only 200-450
via netrender I am forced to open the scene and setup a new renderrange + uploading to the manager -- in smedge just 2 clicks
- try rendering a scene with more then 10k frames in a raw via netrender ;)


--- backburner
- all settings avaliable in smedge as BB
plus
- "continue on error" -- a obj. misses uvw or there is a non used plugin in the scene, that causes BB to stop rendering because that option dosnt exist -- smedge have

----maya
- no ideas so far
- but in the beginning smedge was made for maya

in generall
-you have a problem or bug in smedge = 12 hour until Robin the chef programmer do an update for you - try that @autodesk
- no more remote login to see whats up on node X - just one click and u see the renderlog of X
and many more dirty little helpers


long story short
get the demotrail and investigate smedge or any other manager app.
I run here 4 different 3Dappl. with 3 renderer and did the same as u do
for each appl. the specified net render tool
thats too stressy so I switch to smedge (after more hardcore testen)


btw:
the smedge cinema modul have a bug
go to smedge forum - I did a posting about

[JoelOtron]

@Quakemarine1

HAve you done more experimenting with smedge 3 for c4d?

We have the demo here but so far no luck getting it working for c4d (or max). Maya its fine.

So-if I understand corectly, then smedge runs the actual c4d app--not the net client? This would mean that the full c4d installation would need to be installed on each node with serials etc--which wont work for us. MAybe thats why smedge isnt running. If you have any info on your set up process that would be great.

[Srek]

The Net render client can only be used by CINEMA 4D Net Server. Every other Network rendering solution that is not using Net Server will need to start and use CINEMA 4D from the commandline, using parameters to determine what scene and what frames to render.
Cheers
Björn

[AAAron]

Just of curiosity. Does that mean that you need a separate c4d licence for each node or does cinema behave differently if you launch it in commandline mode.

[Srek]

You only need a normal CINEMA 4D license to start multiple instances for commandline rendering.
Cheers
Björn

[JoelOtron]

You only need a normal CINEMA 4D license to start multiple instances for commandline rendering.
Cheers
Björn

Thanks for the info Srek.

We have a mac license but we would run the c4d nodes on windows boxes.
Would we need to purchase a PC serial. we would want to purchase it--not transfer.
I suppose we would need to buy another license altogether.

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