Mental Ray Batch rendering in Maya 2015 on a Mac

[soulbender88]

My MR batch rendering problems won't end. When I was using SP3 MR would stop rendering after 50 frames or so (like all other Mac users) So now I'm using SP5 and MR won't even start. My boss, who is also running Mavericks, has no issues. So I figured Autodesk has solved the issue with SP5 which means I have other issues. I've re-installed, dumped all the prefs, flushed the DNS cache and still nothing. So I tried starting a command line render (my 1st time doing so) Below is what happened in the Terminal:

8core:~ Bender$ Render -r file Untitled1.mb

Starting "/Applications/Autodesk/maya2015/Maya.app/Contents/bin/maya"

Initialized VP2.0 renderer {
  Version : 5.3.1.0. Feature Level 3.1.
  Adapter : ATI Radeon HD 5770 OpenGL Engine
  Vendor ID: 4098. Device ID : 0x68B8
  Driver : 2.1 ATI-1.24.38.
  API : OpenGL V.2.
  Max texture size : 16384 * 16384.
  Max tex coords : 8
  Shader versions supported (Vertex: 3, Geometry: 3, Pixel 3).
  Shader compiler profile : (Best card profile)
  Active stereo support available : 1
  GPU Memory Limit : 1024 MB.
  CPU Memory Limit: 21401.6 MB.
}
mental ray for Maya 2015 
mental ray: version 3.12.1.18, Jul 30 2014, revision 224509
1 error generated.
Error while processing /Applications/Autodesk/maya2015/plug-ins/bifrost/db/presets/__rootincludeall__.h.
Error: file: /Users/Shared/Autodesk/ApplicationAddins/MayaBonusTools/Contents/scripts-2015/bonusToolsMenu.mel line 1544: UI commands can't be run in batch mode.
Error: file: /Users/Shared/Autodesk/maya/2015/scripts/BodypaintExchangeLoadPlugin.mel line 11: Plug-in, "BodypaintExchange", was not found on MAYA_PLUG_IN_PATH.

----------------------------------------------------------
Time: 2014/10/30 21:19:02
----------------------------------------------------------

File read in  0.59 seconds.
Result: /Volumes/SITH/Maya/Default 2015/scenes/Untitled1.mb

 First off, did I do the command line render correctly?

2nd, isn't that MR version a little old for SP5?

3rd Are those errors serious enough to cause MR to not open?

[steve_r]

Looking at your log, all of these errors are primarily Maya issues that are unrelated to mental ray.

However, if your Maya scene does not load error-free it might impact mental ray rendering of that scene seriously.

Your command should specify mental ray as the renderer to use

> Render -r mr ...

The mental ray version/revision tells you about the integrated mental ray core, and that may not change in a servive pack.

[soulbender88]

Thanks Steve,

So I deleted the items out of my shared folder that were giving me errors and I re-installed again and tried to do a command line render. When I started it, I guess it made a new folder inside my project folder named "default" with all the usual folders inside it. It wasnt rendering so I forse quit Maya (which wasn't responding) and in the terminal window I got this:

Welcome to the Autodesk Maya 2015 shell
8core:~ Bender$ Render -r mr Untitled1.mb

Starting "/Applications/Autodesk/maya2015/Maya.app/Contents/bin/maya"

mental ray for Maya 2015 
mental ray: version 3.12.1.18, Jul 30 2014, revision 224509
File read in  0.57 seconds.
Result: /Volumes/SITH/Maya/Default 2015/scenes/Untitled1.mb
Stack trace:
  4   libsystem_kernel.dylib              0x00007fff9124fb72 semop + 10
  5   libadlmint_libFNP.dylib             0x00000001458cca02 TRR_Fixup + 335078
  6   libadlmint_libFNP.dylib             0x000000014585e9ee libadlmint_libFNP.dylib + 2787822
  7   libadlmint_libFNP.dylib             0x000000014586001b libadlmint_libFNP.dylib + 2793499
  8   libadlmint_libFNP.dylib             0x000000014585d511 libadlmint_libFNP.dylib + 2782481
  9   libadlmint_libFNP.dylib             0x00000001455c3afb libadlmint_libFNP.dylib + 56059
  10  libadlmint_libFNP.dylib             0x00000001455c4a5d libadlmint_libFNP.dylib + 59997
  11  libadlmint_libFNP.dylib             0x000000014560665f libadlmint_libFNP.dylib + 329311
  12  libadlmint.dylib                    0x00000001163a7221 fnpActManLoadStorage + 79
  13  libadlmint.dylib                    0x00000001163abe5a sFlxActLicSpcPopulate + 257
  14  libadlmint.dylib                    0x00000001163abfd3 flxActCommonLicSpcPopulateFromTS + 42
  15  libadlmint.dylib                    0x0000000116368286 CAdlmIntSATSLicense::hasExportedLicense(TStr const&, TStr const&) + 422
  16  libadlmint.dylib                    0x00000001163701e5 CAdlmIntSATSLicense::checkoutLicense(adlmPRODKEY const*, adlmPRODKEY const*, adlmBOOLEAN, adlmLICENSEINFO*) + 629
  17  libadlmint.dylib                    0x00000001163812ff CAdlmIntSATSSessionHandle::checkoutLicense(void*, adlmPRODKEY const*, adlmPRODKEY const*, adlmBOOLEAN, adlmLICENSEINFO*) + 447
  18  libadlmint.dylib                    0x00000001163770e9 CAdlmIntLicenseMgr::checkoutLicense(void*, adlmPRODKEY const*, adlmPRODKEY const*, adlmBOOLEAN, adlmLICENSEINFO*) + 89
  19  libadlmint.dylib                    0x000000011634f658 impoflldadtleonys + 104
  20  libFoundation.dylib                 0x000000010f545cbb madlm_product_request + 1099
  21  libFoundation.dylib                 0x000000010f5461cc madlm_subfeature_request + 876
  22  libFoundation.dylib                 0x000000010f542cca kGrainTextureSimul + 362
  23  libOpenMaya.dylib                   0x000000012e880a44 alAudioInit(MProductID) + 84
  24  Mayatomr.bundle                     0x000000013214bab2 uninitializePlugin(MObject) + 11490
  25  Mayatomr.bundle                     0x000000013214b40c uninitializePlugin(MObject) + 9788
  26  libOpenMaya.dylib                   0x000000012e70c432 THcommandObject::doIt(TargList&) + 210
  27  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f888513 TmetaCommand::doCommand(TargList&) + 99
  28  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f88721b Mel_Command_Dispatch(SphNode*) + 731
  29  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f8d6216 f_function_entry_node + 422
  30  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f8a6015 node_exec + 245
  31  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f8a5ec0 sophia_call_executable + 80
  32  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f8d41b4 SophiaExecutable::evaluate(void*) + 100
  33  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f88f7e5 TcommandEngine::executeCommand(SophiaExecutable*, void*) + 117
  34  libExtensionLayer.dylib             0x000000011023e2a3 TelfEvalCmd::doCommand(TargList&) + 83
  35  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f88721b Mel_Command_Dispatch(SphNode*) + 731
  36  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f8a6015 node_exec + 245
  37  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f8d689f f_function_entry_node + 2095
  38  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f8a6015 node_exec + 245
  39  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f8d689f f_function_entry_node + 2095
  40  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f8a6015 node_exec + 245
  41  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f8d689f f_function_entry_node + 2095
  42  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f8a6015 node_exec + 245
  43  libCommandEngine.dylib              0x000000010f8a5ec0 sophia_call_executable + 80

Result: /Volumes/SITH/Maya/Default 2015/scenes/Untitled1.ma
Fatal Error. Attempting to save in /var/folders/ll/zcy64r8c8xl1b9008k8wqdfr0000gn/T/Bender.20141031.2303.maWriting crash report in /var/folders/ll/zcy64r8c8xl1b9008k8wqdfr0000gn/T/Bender.20141031.2303.crash
// Maya exited with status 1
8core:~ Bender$ 

 And nothing rendered by the way.....

[jchristiansen]

Soulbender88 - are you still having issues? If so, I'm willing to help you with the file, if you are willing to share it via Dropbox. At a minimum, if I can get it rendering, I can render the frames for you and upload them via Dropbox to help you meet your deadline.

Let me know, and I'll setup a Dropbox folder for you.

We have both Mac and PC in production and in the renderfarm, and have had our fair share of issues with the last few builds... This is what a lack of competition does to the software developer - all these ridiculous issues.

[soulbender88]

Thanks jchristianson,

Yes I'm still having the problem but I have nothing pressing as far as work go's at the moment. But that will probably change next week lol.

But thanks for the offer.

The issue isnt with a single scene, its with ANY scene. A simple ball bouncing is the scene I made up for testing my issue. I've deleted everything I know of and reinstalled, I've moved the project folder to different drive's etc. and Mental Ray simply won't start a batch render.

I did have a similar issue with Maya 2014 in which MR was batch rendering and I figured out I had to unplug my ethernet cable before I started the render and after it started I could plug it back. If I didnt, I got a port error message.

I'm just wondering if all the other people that were having problems a few months ago are still having them.

Question, when you start a batch render, do you get an extra Maya icon I the dock right next to the render monitor?

[mamann77]

Annoying isn't it! I couldn't figure out why I kept getting a socket error that prevented mental ray rendering on my Mac. I found a quick fix, not perfect, but it works.

Open the terminal and type in: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache

Enter you password (it's invisible)

Close Maya if it's open

Unplug your ethernet cable (you don't need it)

Now try it.

The bouncing second icon is the render running so don't stop it.

I know it's a pain, but Mac doesn't want to share the socket proxy.

[soulbender88]

Thanks mamann77,

I tried flushing the RSN cache without luck on both '14 and '15 But 2015 is my concern at the moment.

------------

I'm curious, is anybody Batch rendering with Mental Ray in Maya 2015 SP5?

Please chime in yes or no

[soulbender88]

Sigh

wow

[geoffhecht]

I'm in the same boat as you guys. Maya 2015 Mac OS X Mavericks. I can batch render inside of maya, but command line using terminal it errors out about the same as above. Because command line is not working, I cannot add my machine to render over a render farm with other machines. Have tested PC and Linux. Had some problems on those OS as well, but the problems went away after ext 1. But for mac the problems persist. So it's isolated to Maya 2015 on Mavericks I think.

[steve_r]

Just with mental ray, or in general ? Works perfectly fine for me when rendering a simple scene. I am on Mavericks with Maya 2015 using the Render command. There were issues that rendering "hangs" but they should have been resolved with SP4.

[soulbender88]

It depends on which Mavericks your using.

My boss is using OS 10.9.4 and he can batch render with Maya 2015. But I have OS 10.9.5 and I can not batch render with Maya 2015.

Autodesk is very quick to blame Apple for changing the OS and causing Mental Ray problems. But I would like Autodesk to explain why I can batch render with Mental Ray in Maya 2014 on OS 10.9.5

So the question really is, what did Autodesk change in Mental Ray to make it stop working? 

Its almost like Autodesk is thinking, well its Apples fault so you gotta wait till we get around to fixing it. Those Mac users will have to wait and pay another $4,000 for Maya 2016 if they want to make a living from using our software.

[geoffhecht]

Hmm... I'm on 10.9.5

Maya 2013 also works on 10.9.5 btw. Never touched 2014, just went to 2015.

We had a weird error on one PC, only one, where mental ray would not load the plugin at all for 2015. Got this link from Autodesk:

http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Mental-ray...

That solved it for the PC. I'm thinking of looking up the same 

mentalray.mod file

..to change these lines:

+ LOCALE:en_US mayatomr 3.12.1.12 <MENTALRAY_DIR>
+ LOCALE:zh_CN mayatomr 3.12.1.12 <MENTALRAY_DIR>
+ LOCALE:ja_JP mayatomr 3.12.1.12 <MENTALRAY_DIR>

...to

+ LOCALE:en_US mayatomr 3.12.1.12 C:\Program Files\Autodesk\mentalrayForMaya2015\
+ LOCALE:zh_CN mayatomr 3.12.1.12 C:\Program Files\Autodesk\mentalrayForMaya2015\
+ LOCALE:ja_JP mayatomr 3.12.1.12 C:\Program Files\Autodesk\mentalrayForMaya2015\

Will let you know if it works later today.

--------------

Btw. If you are on subscription, which Autodesk pretty much forces you to be on, it doesn't cost $4,000 to get to Maya 2016. It costs $600 per year. You just have to pay the $4,000+ dollars the first time, and then maintain subscription every year.

[geoffhecht]

Hey... So actually I installed SP5, and it worked for me. A couple people had mentioned that it didn't work, so that discouraged me, but I decided to try it, and SP5. Worked.

It was released 10/15. So Only a couple days ago. I'm on 10.9.5.

[soulbender88]

So you did a batch render using Mental Ray in Maya 2015 SP5 on a Mac running 10.9.5?

and it actually rendered the images to the image folder? Because for me at least, it will say: "Rendering with Mental Ray......" but it never renders anything.

You said, "It was released 10/15. So Only a couple days ago. I'm on 10.9.5." but that was last month

[mamann77]

I have too many other programs that might have issues without knowing if Maverick is going to work. Until I get confirmation, I am still running 10.8.5, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i7 with 16 GB memory. Autodesk and Apple blame each other for this rendering problem so I don't expect either to address the problem.

Yes, once I unplug the ethernet, I can render in Maya Software and Mental Ray. As for upgrade, if this persists, it's back to the old PC to run this one program.

[geoffhecht]

Yes. I did 3 different methods of batch rendering sucessfully on 2010 Mac Pro running 10.9.5 OSX Mavericks with Maya 2015 SP5. The files did render to the image folder. The same tests failed for me with Maya Ex1 (which includes SP4).

The tests I ran were:

1) Terminal command line render

2) Within Maya> Render>Batch Render

3) Our render management software Thinkbox Deadline.

All three work.

On terminal I did get the following errors:

Error: line 1: Unknown Maya file version: 2015ff05.

Maya binary file parse error:  : (6) corrupted file structure

But I checked the frames compared to ones rendered on PC and Linux, and they seemed to be the same.

I think those errors are because my Mac is on SP5, and the other machines are on Ext1 of 2015.

Deadline will error out becuase of these errors, unless "Strict Error checking" is turned off. Once turned off it renders fine.

I saved over the maya file in SP5, and opened on PC with Ex1. Seemed to open fine. Did get the warning you sometimes get in maya where is says "errors have occured" but no error is actually listed. Rendered fine on the PC, so the structure of the file didn't damage.

May just change all the machines to SP5 so that they line up.

------------------

Sorry about the confusion over the 10/15 date. I guess I forgot what month I'm in : )

[geoffhecht]

I should mention there is still an anoying bug that I reported to autodesk. If you terminal Batch render, a Maya icon opens up. And Activity monitor says Maya working. But there is no UI, because of course you are using terminal.

When you go to load Maya, it says it can't be opened. It will not open without first killing your render. So....annoying.

If maya UI was already open before terminal command line rendering, then you're fine. But you'll get 2 Maya icons.

With Deadline, I'll get as many as 7 maya icons listed in open programs. Super annoying.

[soulbender88]

Maybe "Deadline" has opened up ports for you to let Mental ray through.

mamann77 reminded me of something I found interesting. All last year when using 2014 I would have to unplug my eithernet to batch render with MR. But now that I've switched back to using 2014 agian, I don't have to do that anymore. Did 10.9.5 fix that?

This is all very screwed up

[mamann77]

Sorry it didn't work for you. I had all kinds of problems until I uninstalled SP3 and reinstalled SP5, actually works a bit better.

According to 'Apple', if you get socket errors that means your airport card (wi-fi) has failed. Course, I don't use wi-fi and everything else works on the network, go figure.