Help! Arnold renderer is not working!

[Anonymous]

Anyone expert please help me to solve this problem out, this is driving me crazy...

Basically I couldn't load Arnold plugin in my Maya2017, no matter how many times I uninstall & install still get the same result, it shows the error information below.

onSetCurrentLayout "Maya Classic";
file -f -new;
preferredRenderer -makeCurrent;
// Warning: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2017/scripts/startup/rememberViewportSettings.mel line 29: Active stereo does not work with Aero enabled. Active stereo has been disabled. //
// untitled //
commandPort -securityWarning -name commandportDefault;
[Error 123] The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect: 'C:/Users/Kody1/OneDrive/??'
// AbcExport v1.0 using Alembic 1.5.8 (built Dec 24 2015 17:28:19)
// AbcImport v1.0 using Alembic 1.5.8 (built Dec 24 2015 17:28:19)
updateRendererUI;
// Warning: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2017/scripts/others/supportRenderers.mel line 64: The renderer "arnold" used by this scene, is not currently available. The "mayaSoftware" renderer will be used instead. //
evalDeferred "shaderBallRendererMenuUpdate";
# Error: line 1: IOError: file C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Maya2017\bin\python27.zip\logging\__init__.py line 935: 22 #
# Error: line 1: IOError: file C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Maya2017\bin\python27.zip\logging\__init__.py line 935: 22 #
# Error: line 1: IOError: file C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Maya2017\bin\python27.zip\logging\__init__.py line 935: 22 #
# Error: line 1: IOError: file C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Maya2017\bin\python27.zip\logging\__init__.py line 935: 22 #
import arnold
// Successfully imported python module 'arnold' //
import mtoa
// Successfully imported python module 'mtoa' //
import mtoa.cmds.registerArnoldRenderer;mtoa.cmds.registerArnoldRenderer.registerArnoldRenderer()
# Error: line 1: IOError: file C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Maya2017\bin\python27.zip\logging\__init__.py line 935: 22 #
// Error: Failed to register renderer 'arnold' //
// Error: line 1: initializePlugin function failed (mtoa) //

[Stephen.Blair]

The trick is to google the error message, and add "mtoa" to the search string.

https://arnoldsupport.com/2016/10/08/mtoa-the-curse-of-pymel-log/

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for your reply Stephen!

I have read that article, and I tried to delete the pymel.log file, but unfortunately PyMel never create a new log file under my document folder. I have tried uninstall & install Maya2017 as same as arnolg, but the log file just can't be created. What should I do now?

[Stephen.Blair]

What are the permissions on your Documents folder? Is it writable?

If you run this Python in the Maya Script Editor, that shows where PyMel wants to create its log file:

import os
os.path.expanduser('~/pymel.log')

[Anonymous]

Thanks again for your help!

The Documents's general attributes is Read-only, but the permissions for my account is full control.

After I run the Python command, it shows # C:/Users/Kody1/OneDrive/??/pymel.log #

But from the error information below you can see somehow the folder name is invalid.

[Stephen.Blair]

Hi

Does C:/Users/Kody1/OneDrive/ exist? It looks like that is your home directory.

I'd check the environment settings. In the Maya script editor, run this MEL:

system( "set" )

That will print all the environment variable settings to the script history.

You can PM me that output if you want.

[Anonymous]

Thank you Stephen, you are very helpful!

The Pymel log file was actually under C:/Users/Kody1/Documents/...when I deleted it. My one drive folder does under my username, but apparently there is something wrong with the home directory path. I think the photo below will give you some information about one drive and my documents directory.

[Stephen.Blair]

Yes, that's a bit strange.

That's why I would look at the environment. Is there an env var pointing to OneDrive?

Off the top of my head, I see a few options for resolving this problem:

• Fix the environment so that OneDrive is not considered your home directory.
  or
• Change the permissions on that OneDrive folder so that PyMel can create pymel log.
  or
• Edit C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Maya2017\Python\Lib\site-packages\pymel\pymel.conf (line 79) to specify a location for the pymel.log file.
  If you don't want to mess around in the Maya install folder, set PYMEL_CONF and copy pymel.conf somewhere else before you edit it.

[Anonymous]

Hi Stephen, the problem is solved!

Your tips keep me thinking what's wrong with one drive folder, finally I find out the clew.

I just bought this laptop a couple weeks ago, so when I set up the system, Microsoft has one setting that to choose back up our documents and pictures folder with our one drive account, which also could be Microsoft account. This is the first clew. Secondly, after I set up the system, installed those applications which I use, include Maya everything, I realized that my security verification of Microsoft account has to be associated to my new phone number, and this request process last for 1mth, as a result, I can't do any Microsoft account settings, I believe one drive folder was somehow affected by the same reason, because they are under the same account.

So, I think this is why my Maya home directory point to one drive folder, but Maya not able to verify the folder, because Maya couldn't get write permission, in the meanwhile Pymel.log file couldn't be created.

After everything is clear, then I try to change my one drive settings and unlink one drive to this computer, then I uninstall Maya + Mtoa plugin & install them again, it worked! Arnold come back to Maya again! And Pymel.log file was created under documents folder successfully.

I'm so happy everything finally back to normal, and I'm really appreciate for your help Stephen!

[Anonymous]

I'm having the same issue that the person you helped had. When I enter this:

import os
os.path.expanduser('~/pymel.log')

i get this:

os.path.expanduser('~/pymel.log')
import os
os.path.expanduser('~/pymel.log');
// Error: os.path.expanduser('~/pymel.log'); //
// Error: Line 2.20: Syntax error //

It doesnt tell me where its trying to save the file to. I deleted the pymel.log that was found in the documents folder prior to this step. But it is not creating a new file.

[denny.syj]

Hey, I came up with this error (IOError in line 935)  when I wanted to execute a python script in batch mode.

The root cause of my case is, one file path string in my python script is not valid!

For this error "[Error 123] The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect: 'C:/Users/Kody1/OneDrive/??'"
I guess you can check whether there are non-alphanumeric characters in subpath of "C:/Users/Kody1/OneDrive/".