Houdini File Cache node render

[Francois Kruger]

Hi,

I'm trying to send a job to the farm to render a Houdini "File Cache" node. I literally just have a cube geometry as the input, so nothing is wrong in the scene. I'd like to ask what renderer I need to use because I don't see a "File Cache" type of render in the _config folder.

I tried Software:Houdini and Renderer:Alembic, but of course that doesn't work because the node seems incorrect. RR complains that it can't find the right now. Which makes sense.

I tried reading through the older RR questions here but I don't really see something about the "File Cache" node right away.

I can also of course write our own cfg submitter for this. But the part I'm not sure about is the "keep scene open" concept, as well as the "share frames among nodes" concept.

Anyways, any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

Francois Kruger

[RR, Schoenberger]

Hi

 

The file cache node contains a geometry ROP.

(The old submitter is not able to read the contents of external .hda files)

 

So you can submit that ROP node if you use your own submitter.

 

 

Otherwise:
Afaik the new beta scripted submitter recognizes the geo ROP inside the File Cache.

http://www.royalrender.de/help/Scripted.html

 

 

 

> I can also of course write our own cfg submitter for this.

You have two options if you want to submit the file cache node directly.

1. Write your own render script and your own rrSubmitter  cfg.
2. Dublicate the Houdini Geometry cfg file and change the renderer (in the commandline as well)
   Edit the kso_houdini.py script.
   Dublicate/rename  applyRendererOptions_geometry() and make sure it is called later in the script.
   
   Afaik the renderFrames_sub function opens the filecache subnet and renders the first ROP found.
   So that part should be working.

 

 

> But the part I'm not sure about is the "keep scene open" concept

If you want to use your own render script, then do not use the KSO nor Tile Frame it.
(Tile frame does not work for non-image files anyway)

KSO requires to implement a TCP server into your render script.

 

 

 

PS:

I can log a ticket to support file cache nodes with the old submitter.

Perhaps it can be implemented into the next unofficial update, but that takes at least a week.

 

regards,
Holger Schönberger

 

Please use the rrKnights Tavern
or our support system for new questions.

[Francois Kruger]

Hi Holger,

Thanks for all the info. Always appreciated!

It would be awesome if you could submit a ticket. I believe the "File Cache" node is something a lot of Houdini users would want to use so I think adding it can only be beneficial. I can wait a week or so to implement it.

I'm curious about what you are referring to as the "old submitter"? Are we using the old submitter?

Regards,

Francois Kruger

[RR, Schoenberger]

Hi

 

There is the „old“ or better „current“ submitter.

It sends the scene name to the rrSubmitter.

And the rrSubmitter has a file parser to reads the .hip file.
It relies on the name of the ROP nodes as it cannot check for the node type.

 

Then there is the new beta submitter.

It is a scripted plugin that reads the scene inside Houdini.

Therefore it supports reading the contents of external .hda/asset files like the file cache node.

And offers some other functionalities like PDG/TOP, dependency setup, scripted file output names.

(And in an upcoming version distributed/splitted fluid simulations and Houdini Gallery submissions)

Please take a look at the help page:

http://www.royalrender.de/help/Scripted.htm

 

 

>awesome if you could submit a ticket.

Done.

[RR, Schoenberger]

Hi

 

I copied the plugin from the current daily build.

Please replace the .dll file in /plugins64/sceneparser with the one in the zip file:

www.RoyalRender.de/download/220309_houdini.zip

[Francois Kruger]

Hi,

Sorry once again, we are using the XML submission way. Not through the rrSubmitter. I'll make this clear in the future. But yeah, if I go the XML route, what do I then supply or setup for a File Cache node to render? Check my first message on this thread, but I tried Software:Houdini and Renderer:Alembic and that didn't seem to work. Not sure what else to try?

Regards

[RR, Schoenberger]

Hi

 

The file cache node uses a geometry ROP and not a Alembic ROP inside.

So you have to use the renderer „geometry“.

 

 

PS:

If you want to write your own submitter and are not sure about the parameters, then submit a job via RR.

In the case of Houdini: Use the Houdini menu Render/Submit

or start the rrSubmitter and load the Houdini scene file (this second way will not set the version of the renderer like Arnold or Redshift )

Submit the job.

Select the job in rrControl and right-click to export a submisson .xml file.