DS on two computers
marble
Posts: 7,500
In another discussion, I was thinking of buying a new PC to replace my iMac but it was suggested that I could use both. I have an older PC which will take more memory and, for example, a GTX970 GPU - so that would be a cheaper option than buying a whole new PC and I could keep my beloved iMac (which can't have a GPU upgrade). I would run the PC in headless mode with a remote destop application from the iMac.
So my question is: what would be the best way to create scenes on the Mac and render them on the PC? Would I need DAZ Studio with a mirrored content or could I save a scene with its content and render it on the PC? My guess is the former and I would need to mirror the library every time it changes (when I buy additional content).
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You will need the content on both machines for the scene to load properly. So yes on the mirror and yes on the updates.
Thanks. The more I thought about it, the more obvious it was that I would need the same content on both.
Note that DUF scene files are designed to be used this way as long as all the content used to create the scene on the first computer is properly installed on the second computer. Note it doesn't have to be installed exactly the same, it just has to be properly installed, into mapped directories.
If I made a mirror of my library on the second computer, that should work, yes? I use DIM for everything from Genesis onwards but I have a Poser style runtime for V4/M4. I also like to put things in folders within the DIM Content - for example, I'll put all outside scenes and props under one folder tree and all interiors under another. I don't use smart content nor do I use the default DAZ install directories (on a Mac that is in public folders and I don't like that).
It shouldn't matter. You could even use Daz Connect on the second computer for installs, DIM on the first computer and it will work.
So, just to certain, do I need to have precisely the same folder structure or does the content just need to be installed where DAZ Studio would expec to find content folders. E.g. so long as Victoria 6 is under "People/Genesis 2 Female" she will be found?
Compound question, which can get confusing. :)
For example if your scene from your first computer has V7 in it, and your second computer can load V7 without prompts, then the scene made on the first computer with V7 will load on the second computer.
The folder structure does not need to be the same, the content just has to work on both computers, as long as you are not hacking files. :)
OK - that makes sense.
... I think :)
Yeah, as long as the path within a mapped folder matches the same path reference in the scene file it'll work just fine.
For example, my main computer I create scenes on uses folders on D:\ (an internally mounted SD card) for all my runtimes and content folders. On the system I use to actually render things, everything except one specific runtime is in the Daz Studio/DIM default paths and I have no issues moving scenes between systems :)
Simply, the folder structure, number of content directories you use, even the difference between how DM installs vs. Daz Connect installs, etc. none of that matters as long as the pieces of content in the scene work on both computers.
(As long as you haven't broken the files during your "custom install" and then hacked them to work after that, I have to add that condition, because, while I presume that most people don't do that, some do.)
I'm pretty sure I have no broken files. The custom folder trees are just for convenience - I don't hack files. I ought to use categories more but I'm so used to looking in the main content folders.
Right. I didn't expect you to have done anything to break the files, that was more for people reading the thread that may have.
No problem. Thanks for confirming the possibilities. One advantage of this idea is that I could send a scene over to the second computer for rendering and then get to work on the next scene. This is possible on a single computer with Reality/Luxrender but not, I believe, with IRay.
One further question: can I have 4.8 on one computer and 4.9 on the other? Will the scenes work/render in either version?
I ask because I'm happy with 4.8 on my iMac (I know where everything is and I don't want smart content or Connect deciding where things should go). But If I download DS for the second computer, it will, of necessity, be 4.9 (DAZ have removed 4.8 from the downloads).
Yes, scenes will still work, even if the content is installed by Connect on the 4.9 machine and by DIM/manual on the other.
Thanks - that's good to know.
This is not the thread to discuss DAZ Connect, etc. but what you say is reassuring. So many of the complaints have been about Connect deciding where content should go but if I can choose to use the updated graphics in 4.9 while choosing not to go with Connect, then I might put it on both computers.
EDIT: Am I right in thinking that I have to buy specific shaders for IRay? Luxrender has them built-in (I'm talking glass, cloth, stone, skin, etc.) and I can tweak them to my preference in Reality. But I see the store is awash with IRay shaders which could turn out to be quite expensive to collect them.
Lost?
More like blatantly ignored, trampled to the ground, run over by a train and then buried at the bottom of the Marianas Trench...
Hi Marble, I use an iMac for my main computer and I design files for render on a windows computer. I'm connected via a wire at both computers, and have found just mapping the iMac's runtime(s) on my windows computer works almost as fast (give or take just a second or two). I save the files to a shared directory as well and I have no real problems between the two.
I also used robocopy to copy my runtime from the mac to the windows computer (this is part of recent windows) (though, for me, it didn't improve things enough to be worth making a full copy).
Also, encrypted content can't be mapped from one computer to the next. So, you'll have to install all of your encrypted content twice, which I consider to be a horrible design flaw (and don't plan to use it until they fix that).
4.8 vs 4.9 is a bit hit or miss. If you have some of the newer G3 characters, their shaders can vary quite a bit between the two. So, it's probably best to use the same version across the board. I think you'll find that switching between local and remote is enough hassle to endure some short test renders (i.e. just letting your mac render for a couple of minutes) to assess lighting and whatnot. You will not want to have variations between renderers making that part even more complicated.
It's all a bit moot now as I decided to return the GTX970. Either my old PC was not up to date enough to take advantage of it or I am just not getting the idea with IRay but my attempts to render a simple scene failed miserably. IRay was still painfuly slow as I discussed in the other thread. Even Luxrender in GPU mode showed no imrovement in speed over CPU accelerated mode. So I decided that spening all that money for no benefit in speed was pointless and I returned the GPU to Amazon while it was still possible according to their terms.
I am using the second PC now because I upgraded the RAM too which makes it possible to run Luxrender in Network Mode. That cuts my render times by about 40%.