Serious network rendering problems Fusion 8 Studio

I have been using Fusion 8 (free version) on two Windows 7 Professional computers for the past 12 months. Now since I wanted to get into network rendering I did purchase a Studio version, installed it on m ymain achine, did install the render node on the other machine (sure downloaded the latest 8.2.1 update before doing all this, also I did deinstall the free Fusion version on my main box beforehand ot have a clean machine).

After follwing the recommendations for network pathes and setup (user manual) I have my render manager setup with assigned and idle nodes: the local box and the one extra machine.

This is what happens;
1) when I use the network render for a flipbook preview - it all works prefect, teh job gets distributed and I do get a fast preview back onto my main machine.
2) When I try ot render a job (saver sure set to my network path drive) teh render manager starts distributing, it is renering the frames (also on the 2nd box) but looks like it is going way to fast, and tehn the render job finishes in hte manger with "ok", but the file (taht was set in the comp´s saver) is not saved at the destinated location OR - after rendering again - it is saved but it is corrupt (cannot be opened, tried many firle formats, frame sequnces, quicktime movies or any else: always the same).

As a double check I did rener those exact same comps without network rendering (all still set on the network pathets though, so also the saver) and it renders and writes a perfect file.

PLEASE HELP. At this point the Fusion 8 Studio version and the network rendering is not doing anythign for me - worse - I already lost 2 days trying to fix it. Calling Blackmagic Hotline (in the US) multiple times only brought me into a long waitign line and I tehn gave up (3 times) since I never got thru after beeing connected form teh front desk girl to wherever....

thanks,
Martin Hausler

Hi.

1. Are you rendering to an image sequence as your output? You can't network distribute the process of rendering to a QuickTime movie file among multiple render nodes.

If you want to have multiple computers rendering the same saver node output to a movie format you will have to render your composite to an image sequence first. Then you can transcode that image sequence into a movie as a secondary step, or use a tool like FFMPEG/Compressor/Media Encoder/etc... to process it.

2. If you are rendering to an MP4 movie file on a single render node you have to make sure your frame size is is valid and doesn't exceed the standard MP4 frame size specification which is close to 4K UHD.

Fusion & QuickTime won't let you to render an MP4 file that is giant like 6K or 8K in size. If you want to render out a larger movie frame size you will need to use a QuickTime .mov movie set to a video codec like ProRes 422.

3. Have you manually written in the frame number padding digits (like 0000) and the file extension in the saver node? Eg: "C:\Media\animated_titles.0000.tif".

4. Can you try renaming the image sequence file that is corrupted to .bmp and see if it opens up correctly? In previous Fusion versions I seem to remember something about setting up an unknown frame format would result in a .bmp image being saved? I'm not 100% sure on this as it has been a while since I've had that happen.

5. Not every Pathmap is set up on a Fusion Render Node automatically. Things like the Comp:/ pathmap don't translate correctly across a render farm, and you would manually have to add an entry for Macro:/ if required in the Render Node's settings window.

6. To track down your current issue, you might want to open the Render Manager Window. Then in the Misc Menu select the Show Render Log option. You should be able to see more detailed notes about the rendering job.

Show Render Log

Show Render Log.png (187.03 KiB) Viewed 4874 times

Did you try opening the comp on the render node machine using Fusion Studio and then rendering it? I use this as a debug when my netowrk render fails as often you will see what is going wrong in the console or otherwise.

Are you running any plugins that are not installed on the other machine?

All good suggestions, but for any of them, the render should fail, not complete. They might be what's not working here, but the lack of a critical error seems problematic.

Thanks gents for all your replies.

@ Kel:
I do not have Fusion 8 Studio instlle on my render node machine (only have 1 studio license) but I do have Fusion 8 installed on the rendernode machine: When I do open the comp from there (via my network drive) i can opena dn render everythign just fine.

@ Andrew:
Understood teh mater of Quicktime not possible. But I also did try to render image sequences (tif, tga etc).

Here´s an update to what I found out today by try and error:
I did make my render manager to render and write correct. But only "accidently" and it wil now only render to one specific folder on my network drive:
> if I creat a new folder at the same path: render manager refuses to render (render manager stops and there is no explanation in the log file why - just says stopped after frame 1)
> if i even rename the folder that I can render in: now render manager does still render but does not write any files (folder remains empty even after render manager says job succesfully completed)
> if i check all permissions and security settings of this specific folder: 100% the same as for any other folder
> also I did try to create a folde on root level of this network drive: same problem. Won´t render
> It doesn´t make a difference what comp I try to render: whenever I do render in this specific folder it´s a "go" and anywher else. fail or fail to write any files.

So this all looks very weird to me. It looks like Fusion somewhat "remembers" this one folder only.

I am totally lost.

Martin ;=)

One addition I forgot to mention:
When not using the render manager (so rendering either form my main machine with fusion 8 studio or from the remote machine with Fusion 8) I can render into this folder without any problems.

try to set the saver path to f.E. C:\temp\ so that the renderclients writing the files on their local drive.
if the files okay, there is a problem with your network write permissen, maybe...

but , it is very curious, that u dindt get an error or fail in the manager

Hello guys,

thanks for all your comments. I had answered with a rerply earlier today but just saw it didn´t go thru - maybe I am doing soemtihgn wrong here in the Forum - hope this one goes thru:

@Andrew: Understood teh factor of not beeing able tow render quicktimes on network platform - but I also had tried TGA adn TIF with the same errors

@Stefan: local renderpass will not write - just tried...

@Kel: I only have Fusion (not Studio) on the render node machine as standalone: If i open any comp ther (via the network drive from the main xomputer) I can render and write without any problems

UPDATE:
I have in vestigated fro a few hours today and made progress, but this makes the errors even more weird to me, here´s where I am at now:

I can render via the network. Any comp. But ONLY if I output in one specific folder that I did create yesterday on my network drive:
> If i render there: all works fine - 100%.
> If I render to any differnt folder: the render manager either fails or rendersbut does not write to the otehr selected saver output folder
> If i rename the render-folder (that works) rendering also fails

It looks like (for whatever reason) my render manager only accepts one path as output. So I thought it´s a windows permission issue - sure. Checked everything. Permissions, Firewall, Secureity etc: all the same on every folder I create.

Now it´s getting even more weird: If I select a different folder to render at - sometimes ithe render starts - and it is writing files: but not to the selected forlder, no. but to this one render folder that works (even though itß´s not selected as putput folder!!!!).
To me it looks like the render manager or any pref that comes with it has this one path/folder baked and the only one that works.

Yes. Super-weird. Ther eis another problem with my Fusion 8 Studio installation and I get the felling both issues are somewhat connected: The Fusion.prefs file: I can change settings (eg in the path map...) and close Fusion. if I check the prefs file C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Blackmagic Design\Fusion\Profiles\Default\Fusion.prefs) the changes are made to the file. If i restart Fusion all setings (as well as the prefs file) are reset to default.

Somehow Fusion has a problem with pathes, prefs to store etc. - I did have Fusion 8, before this Fusion 7, before this Fusion 6.4 (with a dongle) installed on this machine before. Uninstaled all clean. THEN installed Fusion 8 Studio. Maabe there is something weird happening/set to the registry or elsewhere.

i am in hte middle of production so cannot "flatten" my PCs here.

Any idea?

Thanks guys,
Martin Hausler

Hello guys,
if I check the prefs file C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Blackmagic Design\Fusion\Profiles\Default\Fusion.prefs) the changes are made to the file. If i restart Fusion all setings (as well as the prefs file) are reset to default.)

Are you willing to temporarily move your existing "C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Blackmagic Design\Fusion" folder somewhere else so this folder is regenerated the next time you start Fusion? This would let you see if you have preference file corruption as an issue.

Hello Andrew,

sure I would try to moove this folder. Can you advice "how to do this" procedure?

Thanks,
Martin

Hello Andrew,

sure I would try to moove this folder. Can you advice "how to do this" procedure?

Thanks,
Martin

You can either delete it outright, or drag the folder to your desktop, etc.. if you want to save a copy of it.

Then double click on the Fusion program icon to re-launch the program. The Fusion preference folder and its contents will be re-created automatically.

Hello Andrew,

I did this. Aftere restarting Fusion the folder was recreated: didi not solve anythign unfortunatlely: Any changes I do make in Fusion (prefs File) disappear after restarting Fusion, rendering issues are still the same ;(

Best,
Martin

How are you mapping your network drives in the Render Node?

Almost sounds like your prefs file does not have modify permission?

Hi Kel

It's not a permission issue - thsi is all checked (fusion does write the changes I make into thebprefs files - when I restart Fusion it kills thise prefs files and replaces then with default prefs file) .

The Render node is accessing the render files via a network drive: this also all works fine.

Thanks for replying,

Martin