Can't Batch Render Mental Ray

[Anonymous]

It's not a scene setup issue, because when I'm using Maya Software to render, the batch renderer works.  I'm batch rendering from within the software.  If I ask it to batch render using Mental Ray, I get a message stating it's rendering, then it waits a while and tells me my render is complete, but there are no frames in the designated directory.  I've browsed the "solutions" in the forum for others having the same issue, and I'm not liking any of the suggestions.  Wondering if it's worth it to render one frame at a time to get my mental ray quality.  

[mspeer]

Hi!

Please upload a scene-file that shows this behavior.

What Maya Version are you using?

[Anonymous]

maya 2016.5


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[mspeer]

Hi!

I need a scene-file to check render settings, object and material settings, file paths...

You can remove most stuff from the scene for upload and tests, as long as the scene shows the same behavior with batch render.

[Anonymous]

sorry about that.  I thought I sent an attachment in the last reply.  Also, when trying to batch from a command line, getting an error message:

"render is not recognized as an internal or external command"

I just tried adding my bin folder path to my Environment variables, restarting my computer to see if that changes anything.

[Anonymous]

update to this....after changing Environment variables to include maya bin path, seem to be making some progress in the command window, BUT now I'm running into this:

Warning: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2016.5/scripts/others/mayaBatchRend
erProcedure.mel line 604: Renderer returned an error while rendering 'defaultRen
derLayer', please verify the output image.
Scene mirrors.mb completed

I'll attach the full text from my command line experiment in case there's something useful in there.  I find it to be mostly confusing!

[mspeer]

Hi!

Here in Maya 2017 it renders fine, but there are some things i noticed.

Before proceed, please keep a backup of your original file before trying anything suggested below

1. In Outliner: Display -> Dag Object Only (deactivate), you have 2 "defaultRenderLayer". You may delete the pasted one (or import the whole scene into a new one).

2. There are a lot of nodes in your file. You may delete some or all history.

3. There is only one file node, but the path is absolute (should not be a problem) and contains 2 slashes before "sourceimages". You may correct this.

The following could be done to get additional information:

1. Create a new Scene, create a Polygon Cube and a Light and Batch Render a short sequence with Mental Ray. If it works, the problem with your file is scene-dependent.

2. Upload content from your "mayaRenderLog.txt" related to your rendering with the problematic scene.

http://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2017/ENU/?guid=GUID-228CCA33-4AFE-4380-8C3D-18D23F7EAC72

[Anonymous]

Thank you for all your help so far.  I tried a test file to see if it would work with a very simple scene, like you suggested, and I'm getting the same results.  Hmmm....not sure what to do now.

[mspeer]

Hi!

If the preview rendering inside Maya with Mental Ray works, you should be using the right Mental Ray Version for your Maya.

It seems that there is path problem when using Batch Render.

1. Could you please upload the mayaRenderLog.txt (clear it first) after test-rendering "testcube.mb".

Before In Batch Render Options set Verbosity Level to "Detailed Messages".

What you may do meanwhile:

Try a reset of your preferences.
Rename the folder prefs in folder 2017 to something like prefs_backup, or to reset everything, the folder 2017 to 2017_backup. Maya creates new folders. Detailed at:
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Reset-May...

[Anonymous]

My problem sounds very similar to your problem. I did actually hand render a short clip to get around the problem. I too have scanned the forums and altered pref and script files etc - but absolutely no solution works.

[cornelh · Accepted solution]

@Anonymous@Anonymous@mspeer

Hi guys, 

Thank you everyone for all the great posts and helping each other out.  So as far as Maya 2016.5 (Ext 2) is concerned, please make sure you update to the latest build.  

As we have had a bug in Maya 2016.5 and even Maya 2017 (initial release) in which the Mayabatch.exe will not actually render if you have not used the new Render Setup system.  Please create a new layer with the new (Render Setup) module and add a collection to that layer, select your object and add them to that collection (lights included please) now do a batch render.. it works!!  or it should at this point.  I do apologize for this inconvenience, yet this doesn't happen to all machines, it was very hard to bug to deal with, as none of the Developers could reproduce, yet I had this on my machine.  As I know it has been cured in Maya 2017 Update 1 and forward.  I have not checked Maya 2016.6 builds to see if the latest SP solves it, yet it is worth a test.  For now the above workaround will get you through with any version.  Please let me know if this helps.  Cheers!

[Anonymous]

It's working, it's working, it's working!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  you don't know how happy I am!  Thank you for that workaround!

[Anonymous]

YEP!   ALL GOOD. Works now!

[Anonymous]

Same problem in MAYA 2017 update 4. Anyone knows how to fix this?

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for your article. 

I'm facing this problem from last 3 months, but now I got this article.

Thanks for your expensive article.

thank you so much button of my heart.