Single Mac Screamernet LW10

[JonW]

I’m only using 1 Mac with 4 gb ram. Here are the paths for LW10 on my Mac Mini. ScreamerNet is very useful if you are short on ram, in this case you would only start 1 node. If you have enough ram by using 2 or more nodes you can have 100% CPU usage, it can be quicker than an F10 render for frames. Also you don’t need to load the scene in Layout & this saves a lot of ram. When your scene is ready & it works as an F10 render, & the scene saves to some folder on your HD. It will be ready for ScreamerNet.

I have done the standard LW install, so LW10 is in the NewTek folder, in the Applications folder.

Just edit the ScreamerNet nodes attached with TextEdit if required, eg change paths for your set-up.


/Applications/NewTek/LightWave3D10.0/bin/lwsn -2 -c/Applications/NewTek/LightWave3D10.0/Configs -d/LightWave -q -t20 /LightWave/Commands/job1 /LightWave/Commands/ack1


I have put a folder named “Configs” in the “Lightwave3D10.0” folder. The “-c” path points to this folder.

I also have a folder named “LightWave” on my main HD. In this folder I have separate folders for Images, Objects & Scenes etc, & a folder for each project within each of these folders. I have created another folder named “Commands”. This is where the “job” & “ack” files are written to. Matt’s tutorial elaborates on this file hierarchy.

When you start Network Rendering. You will need to change the “Command Directory” to the new “Commands” folder within the “LightWave” folder.

Once you have done that you will need Re launch Lightwave.

Then fire up ScreamerNet. Fire up 1 or more nodes. Click on “Screamer Init” & your node/s should be ready.


The above is based on Matt’s tutorial for PCs. http://www.newtek.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26572 It’s worth reading as the same principals apply to a Mac.

[dsol]

I created an OSX screamernet tutorial too a while back. I think there's some erroneous info in there, but you might find it of use: http://www.digitaldistortion.net/rsrc_screamernetForUB.html

Thanks for letting me know where to find the LWSN app on OSX - I was just looking for that!

[Scazzino]

I'll also be updating my ScreamerNet Mac tutorial for LW10 as soon as I get a chance... http://dreamlight.com/insights/10/welcome.html

[dsol]

I've just heard back from Bruce Rayne - creator of Renderfarm Commander. He's finally gotten hold of a new copy of LW and he's currently updating RFC to support the UB/Cocoa versions of LW on Mac.

He didn't give me an ETA, but it sounds like it's not far off - W00t!!! :)
http://www.brucerayne.com/renderfarm.html

Also - I just managed to get screamernet working again - after much gnashing of teeth! This was using Mike's SNUB launcher. SNUB is a great utility, but limited in its scope - and requires quite a bit of user setup for the nodes/network etc. I'm really hoping the new version of RFC takes away (almost) all of the pain. Either that, or Butterfly Net render is ported to OSX too!

[eblu]

easy still works, as far as I know:
http://web.me.com/eblu/bkTools/Blog/Entries/2009/12/16_easy.html

theres no quicker way to setup and get rendering w/ screamernet on a single mac.

[dsol]

I've updated my Screamernet for OSX guide. I think this one's pretty bulletproof, but do let me know if you spot any mistakes!

http://www.digitaldistortion.net/rsrc_screamernetForUB.html

[djlithium]

We are also working on a rendering control solution over at Liberty3d that should allow for easy set up and render across multiple OS types. More details about this will be available when we get the thing out of alpha and can start to show it a bit more.

[Mr_Q]

This is what I get when I send a render off. LWSN launches and seems fine but then kicks this message after loading a scene

LightWave command: render.
sendack: Rendering frame 1
/Users/Q/Documents/FREELANCE/command/ScreamerNet-1: line 1: 11296 Segmentation fault /Applications/NewTek/LightWave3D10.1/bin/lwsn -2 -c/Users/Q/Documents/FREELANCE/command/ -d/Users/Q/Documents/FREELANCE -q -t20 /Users/Q/Documents/FREELANCE/command/job1 /Users/Q/Documents/FREELANCE/command/ack1
logout

[Process completed]

[wesleycorgi]

I've been using the cannibalized attached AppleScript (I think it originated from the NT forums). It has worked for me quite well with 9.x, 10 (even 10.1) with minor modifications. I've used it on my 4 year old MB Pro with up to 4 nodes in Batch mode (-2), a 2 year old Mac Mini up to 4 nodes, a new mac mini up to 4 nodes, and an i7 MB Pro up to 8 nodes.

When I forget what the script is doing (like when I needed to change the configs because LW 10 changed its directory structure), I refer to Scazzino's web site, which covers almost all possible combinations of ScreamerNet renders you would want to do on a Mac.

I think this is a great LW feature, much like Adobe's AErender, where once the rendering process is under way, I can actually do some other work while the renders are chugging along in the background.

[archijam]

easy still works, as far as I know:
http://web.me.com/eblu/bkTools/Blog/Entries/2009/12/16_easy.html

theres no quicker way to setup and get rendering w/ screamernet on a single mac.

I love it. And the logo MORE :thumbsup:

Have not tried it recently tho, must do that ..

[Scazzino]

I've tested DLI_SNUB-Launcher (http://dreamlight.com/webshop/utilities/snublauncher.html) with LW10/Snow Leopard and updated the instructions for LW10 since LW10 changed the name and location of LWSN.

For single Mac rendering just drag and drop a scene on it... doesn't get much easier... ;-)

I'll be updating my more in-depth white paper, Mastering LightWave ScreamerNet for Mac OS X (http://dreamlight.com/insights/10/welcome.html), shortly with new information for LW 10 as well as setting up and rendering across the Internet based on some information that I had included in my book: Creating a 3D Animated CGI Short (TheAutitonArchives.com/book.html).

[finaldetail]

Probably not the question you want to hear Scazz, but are there any adjustments needed if I were to potentially upgrade to Lion? I have been trying to hold off for compatibility reasons, but there are almost too many positives to stay put right now. Very tempted.