Re: 6.x rendermanager

["Morten Bartholdy" <xsi(at)colorshopvfx.dk>]

You should rewrite the documentation for Montreal, Kim :)

 

Thanks for taking the time to explain. I am quite sure you are right my problems stem from unfamiliarity - only the pre 6.x way it was straight forward and now it isn't... I dont only measure the quality of an app by its effectiveness only but also very much user friendliness. That, I guess, we all have different views on ;)

 

- MB

 

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: kim aldis

To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM

Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 5:51 PM

Subject: RE: 6.x rendermanager

Work only from the render manager, you?ll be less confused:

 

From the render manager, click the renderer tab. From there the tabs are much as you?re used to with the exception of the settings for filters, which are under the framebuffer tab. First time you open this it?s a set of parameters that are global to all passes. You can localise these using the make local button.

 

Globals is where you set output *path*, not the full name, just the location where you want to dump shots. There?s a browser there. You can set frame ranges globally here, or force them to be local to passes using the drop-down ?scene frame settings?, subsequently setting pass frames in the output tab. You can also set global number padding here ? a major improvement in itself.

 

The Output section is where you specify actual file names. You can use tokens ? [Pass], for example will dump as the pass name in the output directory (globals tab) and you can set this identically in *all* your passes and know that it?s correct, even when duplicating passes. This is a *massive* plus to setting output and very much worth coming to grips with. Used wisely you can set this to a set of tokens and never have to touch it again, for any pass. If you put, say [scene]/[pass] a directory will be created for you, named for your scene. Beautifull. Right click on an output name in that spreadsheet and you can either flip it or open a browser in its output directory.

 

Format you set in the scene render options, all passes will use this. You can override this if you wish but probably won?t ever need to.

 

Changing the current pass drop down at the top will update the display below. If you want to check, say, all your outputs for all passes then hit the output tab then shuffle through the passes using this dropdown.

 

That?s more or less it, I think. Take ten minutes out to study it; it?s massively logical, carefully thought out and I think most of your problems stem from unfamiliarity.

 

From: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] On Behalf Of Morten Bartholdy
Sent: 22 August 2007 16:08
To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM
Subject: Re: 6.x rendermanager

 

Actually Kim, I am frantically searching through all three PPG's and the Render Manager to try and make sure all passes render with the setings I want and wind up in each their output folder - the latter seems the most difficult now. This is of course because it is the first time I really use these PPG's i 6.x and I am in a big hurry because of looming deadlines. I am sure Kris is right I will get the hang of it and eventually appreciate the improved functionality but I still think there is some merit in having PPG's for stuff like this that I can grasp the second time I look at them, and in this implementation that is not the case.

 

I hear you Francois - it looks better prepared for several renderers than in pre 6.x but the UI is still a mess IMHO. Personally I would like all renderer options to be available in the same PPG popping up when a particular renderer is selected. Actually I found my self trying to edit the parameters in the Summary tab because of the good overview there.

 

- MB

 

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: kim aldis

To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM

Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 4:08 PM

Subject: RE: 6.x rendermanager

 

Are you using the render manager?

 

From: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] On Behalf Of Morten Bartholdy
Sent: 22 August 2007 14:28
To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM
Subject: Re: 6.x rendermanager

 

I do understand the good parts Kim - I am sure the intentions and functionality are a big plus. My gripe is the spreading of global and pass specific parameters over 3-4 PPG's. I keep searching for where to set filter type or padding etc. - that sucks.

 

I have no idea what tokens you are talking about!?

 

- MB

 

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: kim aldis

To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM

Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 1:54 PM

Subject: RE: 6.x rendermanager

 

I?m going to jump in and disagree once more. Just to level the playfield. J

 

I?ve nothing but good to say about the way this works. I had to drop back to 5.11 on one job and the difference in the amount of time it took me to set up for rendering doesn?t even bear thinking about. I just love it.

 

Are you using the tokens for your output paths Morten? That?s a good place to start making life easier.

 

From: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] On Behalf Of Morten Bartholdy
Sent: 22 August 2007 10:09
To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM
Subject: 6.x rendermanager

 

This is my first production with 6.0x rendering and I just have to get it off my chest - it just sucks how messy it is now! I can see the virtues of the global stuff but damn it is hard to make sure I render with a specific filename per pass, padding and specific output path >:/

 

I remember the long thread about this back when 6. was released and I guess I have to second those that said it was a serious UI regression!

 

Morten Bartholdy
3D & VFX Artist