Location: [RR]\render_apps\_submitplugins

Plugins to submit jobs within your render application are located in this folder.

You can install them with the rrWorkstation Installer.

Version:

The rrWorkstationInstaller uses the version information to install different plugins for different versions of your render application.

Example:

You two files

a) rrSubmit_Maya_8.5.py

b) rrSubmit_Maya_2011.py

Your Maya installation gets plugin..

Naming:

The file names have to start with rrSubmit_[renderApp]_[version]_...anythingYouLike....

The renderApp name of the file has to be exactly the same as the Name= XXXX in your render config. 

Modify plugin files

All plugin files are written in a script language.

They are text-based and not compiled.

So you can change/dublicate the plugin for your needs.

If you change a plugin file, you have to re-install (=re-copy) it on the workstation.

Plugins that are not copied to the local drive (e.g. Maya) do not require to be re-installed.

Create new plugin

You can dublicate or create new plugin for your needs.

Python script:

If you want to create your own xml file via python, please take a look in the python script:

RR\render_apps\_submitplugins\rrSubmit_Nuke_5.py

The file include some functions that will help you to create .xml files.

You will need these two sections:

##############################################

# JOB CLASS #

##############################################

.

.

.

##############################################

# GLOBAL FUNCTIONS #

############################################## 

.

.

.

File naming

The format of the plugin file name is:

rrSubmit_[render application]_[min supported version]_[...anything you like...]

Note: most RR plugins have a + at the end of the version. This is not required. The version is always the minimum supported version.

(The + was added to (hopefully) remove the FAQ question "I do not have a plugin for version 7.0, I only see plugin version 6.0, what should I do?" )

Header

Each plugin file has one or more header lines that tells the rrWorkstationInstaller how to install the plugin.

Note: Paths used in the header are realtive to the render application install location.

The header lines for the Installer can have following format:

• rrInstall_Copy: [Relative path]

      Copies this file into the path specified.

• rrInstall_Env: [Variable], [Option]

      Creates an Environment variable named [Variable] and sets it to the value [Option].

      Supported values for [Option] are:

      - Directory: sets the environment variable to the value of the RR plugin folder.

• rrInstall_Change_File: [File], [Position] "[SearchText]" , "[AddText]" [File]: File to change.

      [Position]: Tells the Installer to where to install the new text relative to the SearchText. Possible Values are:

      before

      [SearchText]: Text to search for in the file you want to change. The Search Text has to be in " ".

      [AddText]: New Text to add to the file. The Add Text has to be in " ".

      Note:

      If you want to use " inside SearchText or AddText, use \" instead.

      If you want to use a new line indicator inside SearchText or AddText, use \n. 

XML rrSubmit

The submission plugin needs to create a .xml file.

Please see next help file.

Local Texture Copy

       

To use a local texture copy, you have to follow these steps:

Create .localtex file

The submission plugin has to collect all texture paths and place them into a xml formatted file.

The extension of the xml file has to be .localtex (or .localtex_in as explained later)

The best location of this file is probably right beside your scene file.

The layout of the file is:

<RR_LocalTextures syntax_version="6.0">

<DatabaseDir> SceneProjectPath </DatabaseDir>

<SceneOS> win </SceneOS>

<Software> Softimage </Software>

<File>

<Original> \\fileserver\share\projectX\images\myImage.tga </Original>

</File>

<File>

<Original> \\fileserver\share\projectX\images\PlayOut[1..100;3].tga </Original>

</File>

.

.

.

</RR_LocalTextures>

<Software> is the name od the render application

<DatabaseDir> is required if you have used relative texture paths in your scene file.

<SceneOS> Is optional, otherwise RR gets the OS from the Image/DatabaseDir paths. Only required if you render cross-platform. Values can be win, lx or mac. 

Modify by rrSubmitter

Start [RR]\bin\os\rrSubmitterconsole with the .localtex/.localtex_in as parameter.

If it is a .localtex file, then the submitter changes the file itself.

If it is a .localtex_in file, then the submitter writes a new file named .localtex_out.

This way your submission plugin is able to wait until the submitter has converted the file.

Just check if the out file exists (and wait perhaps 250 ms to be sure it is completely written). 

Change your scene file

This is optional if you need to change the paths in your scene file.

Read the .localtex_out file and change all necessary paths in your scene.

Otherwise, RR uses the job options "Local Scene Copy" and the "Local Texture Conversion" to change all paths at render time.

Note: This is not possible with all render applications!

Please check the render config file for a line TexReplaceFormat=.

If it exists, then RR can convert the textures in the file.

Submit the Scene File

Submit the Scene file as usual with the .xml including all scene information.

Additionally, define the parameter <LocalTexturesFile> </LocalTexturesFile> with the full path and name of the .localtex/.localtex_out file.