Maya and Redshift, how to split render layers into separate tasks?

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DonnieAlex
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Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2020 1:16 pm

Maya and Redshift, how to split render layers into separate tasks?

Post by DonnieAlex »

Hello everyone.
We're facing some issues with the above mentioned combination.
First, the specs
Maya 2017, cgru 3.10, windows 10 os.

From the job launcher outside of Maya, we're unable to set up a job that would split the render layers into separate tasks. Whenever we launch a job, it's one single event with the layers listed underneath, and those would run sequentially as in a queue. We would prefer to have each render layer in a separate task so that Afanasy could assign them to the first available machine, and complete a shot render distributing the layers in parallel.

What is the work flow in the job launcher to achieve that result, or combination of options?
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timurhai
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Re: Maya and Redshift, how to split render layers into separate tasks?

Post by timurhai »

Hi!
What is "the job launcher outside of Maya"?
Is it an Afstarter: https://cgru.readthedocs.io/en/latest/a ... arter.html?
Timur Hairulin
CGRU 3.3.1, Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, MS Windows 10 (clients only).
DonnieAlex
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Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2020 1:16 pm

Re: Maya and Redshift, how to split render layers into separate tasks?

Post by DonnieAlex »

Hi Timur! Yes I just checked, the option Submit Job from the desktop tray, that's afstarter. That's exactly what I meant. Can you shed some light about my issue?
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timurhai
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Re: Maya and Redshift, how to split render layers into separate tasks?

Post by timurhai »

I am not a Maya user.
But i can say, that afstarted does not analyzes 3d scene.
Only in-app submission scripts, that runs within application internal Python with an opened scene can check for some layers and other options.
User should specify all and any options himself when using a stand-alone application (afstarter).

Afstarter (as you can noticed it in the dialog) constructs a command to launch other command line tool (python script) afjob.py.
afjob.py constructs a job using afanasy python api and sends it to server.

So you can fix Afstarter (it is a Python+PySide script) to add some extra options that user should specify manually, and fix afjob.py to understand it.
Timur Hairulin
CGRU 3.3.1, Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, MS Windows 10 (clients only).
DonnieAlex
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Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2020 1:16 pm

Re: Maya and Redshift, how to split render layers into separate tasks?

Post by DonnieAlex »

Alright, got it, thanks!
I have another question yet, though. In the row of fields concerning the frames, we have frame start, end, (so far so good) and then a "by" value. This is unclear to us what this specific one does and no tooltip appears on all our machines.
Then there is FramesPerTask, which is clear, but then "Seq" is unclear what it refers to: "solve task with this step at first" is the tooltip, changing that value what does it actually entail?

Thank you for your help so far!
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timurhai
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Re: Maya and Redshift, how to split render layers into separate tasks?

Post by timurhai »

Timur Hairulin
CGRU 3.3.1, Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, MS Windows 10 (clients only).
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