[2016.5] Problem with render layers when batch rendering

[marcus]

I´m having some trouble when batchrendering layers in 2016.5 with both the render setup and the Legacy Render Layers.
Everything looks ok if i render in the render view but when doing a batch render one layer gets a corrupt image if i turn off the masterLayer.(see top part of attached image)
Actually it corrupts the image of the first renderble layer above the masterLayer. Turning off that layer just corrupts the image of the next layer above it.

Did my testing with the legacy render layers since I have not been able to experience the Render setup without this issue.

When rendering the scene with masterLayer OFF and Layer_1 ON I get this warning in the renderlog.
Warning: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2016.5/scripts/others/mayaBatchRenderProcedure.mel line 604: Renderer returned an error while rendering 'Layer_1', please verify the output image.

Rendering the same scene again with both masterLayer and Layer_1 ON results in correct image layers but with this warning in the renderlog.
Warning: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2016.5/scripts/others/mayaBatchRenderProcedure.mel line 604: Renderer returned an error while rendering 'defaultRenderLayer', please verify the output image.

What confuses me is when testing the scene file on two other computers, one gets the same layer problem and warning but the other one renders just fine without any warning.(bottom of attached image)

All three had fresh 2016.5 and latest mr. A complete reinstall with new user settings didn´t solve it.

Anyone experiencing the same issues or might have a sollution to this problem?

[santd]

Hello @marcus,

Thank you for posting to the Area forums. I understand that you are seeing some errors when rendering using the Legacy Render setting in Maya 2016 Ext 2.

Thanks for posting the images. I have tested this on my end. Here is what I am doing:

1. New Scene.

2. Create a pSphere, a pCube, a pPlane, and a directional light.

3. Select all and create a two new render layers: Layer1 and Layer2.
4. I turn off the renderability of masterLayer.
5. Batch render.

Attached are my results.

Since you state that this issue seems to be only on this machine I would recommend clearing the Maya preferences:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Reset-May...

Then switch again to the legacy render layers and restarting Maya to try again.

I hope that helps.

Cheers,

[marcus]

Hi and thanks for looking in to this.

Problem is not just on one machine, tested this on three machines and two of them got this error and one worked just fine.

I have cleared the Maya preferences and also done a fresh install of both Maya and the mr-plugin together with new maya preferences and that didn´t solve it.

The problem is not just when batch rendering with legacy render layers, using Render setup and turning off the master layer gives the same result.

Maya 2016 is not suffering from this error on any machine so there must be something when installing or using 2016 ext2(not the procedure or files since it was the same on all three machines).

Update:

Installed sp6 + mr-plugin for the Maya 2016 today just to see if the layers worked in the latest sp on that version, and it did.

Was going to write about a simple workaround for the ext2 problem that is to create an empy layer in the bottom so that layer corrupts instead.

But first I wanted to test if it also applied to the Render setup. And then, for some reason, the batchrender worked and with the result of no corupted layer(legacy also working). Tested the same scene on the other machine and there I still got the corrupted layer.

The only thing that was diffrent now between the machines was the installation of sp6 + mr-plugin for maya 2016. Installed them on the other machine that was also giving me problems and volia, all computers now have working render layers in maya 2016 ext2.

I have no clue why this was happening since they are diffrent versions and installs? I mean nothing regarding ext2 files, settings or install fixed it.

But if someone is experiencing this problem and also have an older version of maya installed, only thing I can say is to try and install the latest sp for that version and cross your fingers! 🙂

[santd]

Wow @marcus! That is definitely very strange. I am going to do some uninstalling and reinstalling on my end to see if I can replicate the issue and if I am, I will be sure that our development team is aware of it.

I usually have the latest version plus 3 versions back installed on my machine with the latest service packs so that is most likely why I was not able to replicate the issue.

Thank you for replying with how you were able to get it working I hope that others find it useful.

Cheers,

[arcon76]

Its still not working.

Basically I imported a maya scene from 2016 into Ext 2 which had layer information, and it now can't batch render. I've tried installing SP6 for 2016 as above, no change. I have also installed the latest SP1 for Ext 2.

I can't believe Autodesk managed to screw up batch rendering so hard... but this needs to be fixed ASAP.

Error: This file contains legacy render layers and Maya is currently in Render Setup mode. This combination is unsupported.  You can switch to Legacy Render Layers mode from the Preferred Render Setup system drop-down list in the Rendering section of the Preferences window.
Warning: line 1: Errors have occurred while reading this scene that may result in data loss.
File read in  0.5 seconds.
Result: D:/projects/housing/ashcroft/scenes/augusta_02.mb
Warning: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2016.5/scripts/others
makeCameraRenderable.mel line 45: Found camera cameraShape1.
Warning: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2016.5/scripts/others/mayaBatchRenderProcedure.mel line 604: Renderer returned an error while rendering 'defaultRenderLayer', please verify the output image.
Scene augusta_02.mb completed.

[marcus]

Looks like you are not having the same issue.

Think you just need to enable the Legacy render layers in Settings > Preferences > Rendering and change the Preferred Render Setup system.
And then restart maya.

Hopefully that solves it.

[arcon76]

No I am still getting the error on batch render from command prompt, as below:

Result: D:/projects/housing/ashcroft/scenes/augusta_02.mb
Warning: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2016.5/scripts/others/makeCameraRenderable.mel line 45: Found camera cameraShape1.
Warning: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2016.5/scripts/others/mayaBatchRenderProcedure.mel line 604: Renderer returned an error while rendering 'defaultRen
derLayer', please verify the output image.
Scene augusta_02.mb completed.

So after changing the preferences there seem to be less errors, but its still not working and saying something about defaultrenderlayer.

[Anonymous]

I'm having a similar issue but rendering with Vray. My problem is that the cloud render farm I use has 2016.5 set to its default, which is the new render system, so there's no way for me to switch back to legacy layers. And when I DO switch back on my end, the only render layer I have is the default layer which cannot be deleted, and yet it causes the renders to fail when set to the new render system.

No matter what I do, I get the "Error: This file contains legacy render layers and Maya is currently in render setup mode."

In other words, 2016.5 has totally mangled the rendering of existing scenes.

[Anonymous]

Are you guys just going to let this issue hang with no resolution? It's been a month.

[Anifex09]

I have been using Maya for 15+ years now - you find several ways to break it.  You learn from it and create alternative solutions.  I had several project files become corrupt due to render layers in large scenes.  Having to start from scratch - working 18 hour days to catch up and meet the deadlines, convinced me that I needed to just save out individual files for different types of layers - this requires some planning on how files need to be referenced but I have yet wanted to even try and create a renderlayer in a complex scene since.   I was excited to see Autodesk take a new approach at managing objects within a layer but judging by some of the comments I think I will just stick with my current path for now.

[Anonymous]

I hear you, but in this case I'm not even trying to do ANYTHING with render layers. The new system basically forces you to create at least one render layer and collection, but for some reason doing so does not disable the legacy render layer that is present in files created in Maya 2016 or earlier.

It's like they created this new system but didn't bother to set it up so Maya would recognize and appropriately handle the legacy render layers. The result is that batch renders fail and all manner of other problems are popping up. Some people experience this with Mental Ray but I'm using Vray so it's not the render engine, it's the render layer system.

[arcon76]

You're using the latest Vray 3.4 correct? Anything earlier won't support EXT 2 render layers.

The way render layers was integrated in EXT2 has been clumsy as hell & has caused a lot of issues. I only got EXT2 working after installing MR SP6 and rendering again from EXT1... I have no idea how that's related to EXT2 rendering lol.

I'm not sure if this is an issue with your scenes but a current bug is for EXT2 to create extra legacy layer nodes from earlier scene - you can remove these duplicate legacy render layer nodes from the outliner by unchecking Display > DAG Objects Only, finding the extra layer node & deleting it.

[Anonymous]

Yeah I'm on 3.40.02. I am not expecting any meaningful answer from Autodesk, so I'm experimenting with just abandoning the new render system but still using EXT2.

[Anonymous]

This fix works:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/shading-lighting-and-rendering/2016-5mod-new-and-legacy-layers-coexist...