1. The render system on the farm will recognize user's Houdini version of the project automatically, since it will check the last saved version of the .hip scene file, and choose the most adaptive version based on the farm's Houdini version list.
For example, if the project file is saved using Houdini version 15.5.480 at user’s side, then the farm system will try to find version 15.5.480 for the user automatically, if there is no version 15.5.480 on the farm's Houdini version list, the system will then try to use the most accurate higher version 15.5.523 or other useful version instead.
And please note that the farm only equips the Production Build version of Houdini.
2. For the project variation reference of Houdini, it is best to use the keyword “$HIP" to do the reference for external asset resource, like texture, cache or other assets. Disk mapping and customized Variables are also allowed. However, if user is using customized variables, please contact our Customer Service to inform our TD department to set up the environment first.
3. About Houdini plugin setting, for the otl part, the user only need to put the otl plugin file or files into "otl" or "otls" folder inside Houdini root directory. (User can check the description for the root folder under this document's "Upload/Render project" screenshot)
4. As for cross-platform rendering, like rendering project made by Linux or Unix OS in Windows based operating system, the user should put all contents or assets in the same root directory first, then inform our Customer Service to contact our TD department to set up the environment variation.
Step 1: Click “Houdini Render”
Step 2: Create your own project
1. Click “Create New Project”, input the project name and select the render system (Windows or Linux), then press “Next”. After this operation, a folder whose name is the same like the project name that the user has named before will be created under the Houdini Root directory, for user to put all the render project files in it.
2. Please notice that the project "Name" part is required, but the "Remark" section is optional.
3. After creating project or projects, the user can then choose the "project name" that the user wants to use under the project list menu.
4. Click "Next" button to go into the "Upload and select render files" page (Please ensure that the user have chosen the right project before).
Step 3: Upload all the assets you need
1. Click “Upload folder” to upload your scene folder.
2. Download and install the plugin for the browser.
3. Refresh the page, click “Upload folder” again. All file path on Fox Renderfarm storage will be the same as your local path, including drives.
Attention: Do not use A, B, C & D drive if you are using absolute path in your scene files.
The use of IP path of your file, such as \\192.168.0.2\..\\computer name\.. is not supported.
Example: The whole project path on the local path is: E:\my_project\, after the uploading is finished, refresh the page and the path on storage will also be: E:\my_project\.
4. Refresh the website when the uploading is done.
Step 3: Submit render task
1. Tick your scene file, then click “Next”.
2. Configure the render software and plugin, fill in the pre-rendering parameters.
i. Render setting: You have to configure Houdini software and plugins before rendering
ii. Project path: if your file and texture paths are relative paths, please fill in your paths.
3. The task which is successfully submitted with be shown in the “Running Task” list. The current status of all running task can be seen and wait for the rendering to be completed.
4. After a couple minutes, the analysis process will be finished, then the user can refresh the web page to monitor where the file is analyzed. If everything goes well, there will be a "Render" button at the right side of the analysed task, by clicking the "Render" button, the scene file will officially be submitted into final rendering, the system will assign render node to render this scene file now.
Step 4: Download your completed task
1. Tick your task which you wish to download, then click “Download”.
2. Set the path that you wish your output files to be downloaded, then click “OK”.