Arnold rendering on two systems with one license

[shawn]

I have a single Arnold floating license, jumping between a PC and an aging Mac Pro. I'm currently rendering an animation with R20 on the PC that will take around 12 hours to finish.

I also want to set up some textures and lighting on a different scene on the Mac Pro in R21. I'd like to use the IPR to facilitate this, and since I'm just setting up the scene it doesn't matter whether there's a watermark.

I know the license checks the license server (running on the Mac Pro) to allocate the license, but how exactly does that work during the long, 350-frame render on the PC? Is there a chance some of those frames could end up with a watermark if I happen to launch the IPR on the Mac Pro while the Render Queue is between frames (preparing clones in the scene, for instance, before the rendering actually starts)?

Thanks.

Shawn Marshall

[peter.horvath6V6K3 · Accepted solution]

Yes, it can happen. Each frame is basically a separate render with separate license checkout.

I recommend turning off license check on the Mac Pro while working in the IPR. See https://docs.arnoldrenderer.com/display/A5AFCUG/Licensing

[shawn]

Great, thanks for the quick reply and the tip. I'm glad this control is easy to access.

Cheers!

Shawn

[Stephen.Blair]

Also, the IPR keeps the license checked out until you stop the IPR.

So you could end up with multiple watermarked frames, not just one. Imagine if you left the IPR open and went to bed...

[shawn]

Good to know, thanks. Normally I'd have Pixel Plow take on such a job, but I'm feeling particularly cheap, and it's cold and rainy here in Portland, so the Xeons in the PC are keeping our home office warm.