A "render node" is a machine which renders the scene and sends the rendered data to the master. The data rendered on all render nodes is sent to the master machine and merged there, together with the data rendered by the master machine itself. To contribute to distributed rendering all render nodes must be running the Chaos Corona DR Server application which is bundled with Corona. 3ds Max is running on render nodes in command-line mode, without its user interface visible.
UI Text Box
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note
Since a render node machine is only rendering the scene, with no 3ds Max user interface visible, it only requires one render node license.
UI Text Box
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info
By default, the Chaos Corona DR Server application is installed into C:\Program Files\Corona\Corona Renderer for 3ds Max\DR Server
Slave
Status – Shows the current status of the render node (e.g. "waiting for render start").
Memory usage – Shows the current render node memory usage. The numbers are Committed/Physical RAM installed in the system.
Master
Status – Shows the current status of the master machine (e.g. "parsing scene").
IP address – Shows the IP address of the master machine.
Settings
Name of the computer – Displays the name of the render node. It can be changed using the button next to the text field. This name will appear on the list of available render nodes on the master machine.
Local IP address – Displays the IP address of the render node.
Restart 3ds Max after each render – When enabled, restarts 3ds Max on the render node after each rendering is completed. This option was added to mitigate a specific issue which affected a small group of users, where the DR Server window had to be manually restarted to continue working correctly after finishing a rendering. Normally there is no need to enable it.
Image data
Working directory – Shows the path to the folder where Corona is storing temporary files during distributed rendering. This path can be changed using the button next to the text field. This is useful, for example, if there is not enough free space on the C: partition which is used by default.
Max directory size – Upper limit for the size of the working directory of DrServer. When reached, the oldest files are automatically deleted.
[DEBUG] Save sent images – When enabled, saves all images sent from this render node in the DR server folder for debugging.
3ds Max Versions
Available versions – Selects a default version of 3ds Max which is spawned when DR Server starts.
Currently running – Shows which version of 3ds Max is currently running on the render node.
Log
Press the arrow to expand the following Log options.
Show errors only – When enabled, adds a filter to the log so that it only shows error messages.
DR Log – Opens the Corona DR Log. By default it is located in C:\Users\_username_\AppData\CoronaRenderer\DrData\DrLog.txt
Max Log – Opens the 3ds Max Log. By default it is located in C:\Users\_username_\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\20XX - 64bit\ENU\Network\Max.log
Corona Log – Opens the Corona Log. By default it is located in C:\Users\_username_\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\20XX - 64bit\ENU\en-US\plugcfg\corona\CoronaMax20XX.log
