Submission plugin: install, update, and troubleshoot per DCC

The SuperRenders submission plugin is a small extension inside your 3D software that adds a "SuperRenders" menu or shelf button, so you can submit a render job to our farm without leaving your DCC. The plugin packages your scene, runs a pre-flight asset and version check, and hands the job to the farm queue in a single step.

Most users install the submission plugin from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App: the App detects each supported DCC on your workstation and installs the matching plugin. The sections below cover install per DCC, updates, the missing-menu fix, and how to remove the plugin cleanly.

This page covers what the submission plugin does, supported DCCs and engines, install per DCC from the SuperRenders App, the update procedure, the missing-shelf / missing-menu fix, how to remove the plugin cleanly, and a feature matrix.

For job-submission workflow once the plugin is installed, see Quick start guide and the relevant DCC setup doc for renderer-specific notes. For Client App installation, see Client App.

Plugin overview

The submission plugin is the DCC-side companion to the Client App. The Client App handles upload, job tracking, and download on the desktop; the plugin handles "scene → job" inside the DCC.

What the plugin does inside your DCC:

• Adds a SuperRenders menu or shelf button so you can launch the submission dialog without leaving the DCC.
• Reads the active scene — frame range, output path, render settings, referenced assets — and pre-fills the job form.
• Runs a pre-submit asset check to flag missing textures, missing references, and broken file paths before upload starts.
• Versions the scene file alongside its assets so the farm renders exactly the scene state you submitted, not a later edit.
• Hands the packaged job to the Client App (the Client App must be running — it can sit in the system tray or menu bar) for upload.

This page documents the submission plugins that install from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App: 3ds Max (2023 and newer), Maya (2022–2027), Cinema 4D (2023–2026), Houdini, and Blender (4.2 LTS and newer). Each DCC section below covers its install path and version coverage.

Before you install

A few things to confirm before you install the plugin from the App:

• Use the same user account that runs the DCC. The plugin installs into the user's DCC scripts folder, not into the DCC's program-files directory. If you install while logged in as a different user (for example, an administrator account used only for software installs), the plugin will not appear when your normal user opens the DCC. Sign in as the user that actually opens the DCC and rerun the installer.
• Run the DCC at least once before installing. Most DCCs create their user-specific scripts folder on first launch. Installing before that folder exists silently fails on some Maya and 3ds Max versions.
• Close the DCC during install. The plugin's startup script is read when the DCC loads. If the DCC is running during install, restart it after install so the script is picked up.
• Have a SuperRenders account ready. The plugin prompts for sign-in on first launch.

If your studio runs a locked-down workstation image where users cannot write to their own Documents folder, contact support — the plugin requires write access to the standard DCC scripts directory.

Installation per DCC

To install the plugin in any DCC: install the Client App, open the Plugins panel, and click Scan to update. The Client App detects your installed DCCs and pushes the correct plugin into each one. If scan-to-update does not pick up your DCC, file a ticket with your DCC version and OS.

3ds Max

The 3ds Max plugin installs from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App.

1. Install the SuperRenders App and open the PLUGIN tab.
2. Install the 3ds Max plugin. The App installs it into each 3ds Max version it detects.
3. Restart 3ds Max if the SuperRenders menu does not appear. Some 3ds Max versions only re-read top-level menu definitions on launch.

3ds Max version coverage. The farm supports 3ds Max 2013–2027. The plugin that installs from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App covers 3ds Max 2023 and newer.

A note on PySide / Qt versions in 3ds Max 2026: Autodesk changed Qt versions across recent 3ds Max releases, which has historically affected plugin GUIs. If the SuperRenders menu appears but the submission dialog opens blank or throws a Python error, please file a ticket — we will confirm whether a plugin-side patch is needed.

Maya

The Maya plugin installs from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App into each detected Maya version from 2022 through 2027.

To install:

1. Install the SuperRenders App and open the PLUGIN tab.
2. Install the Maya plugin. The App installs it into each Maya version it detects.
3. Restart Maya. The SuperRenders shelf appears.

Maya version coverage. The farm supports Maya 2014–2027. The plugin that installs from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App covers Maya 2022 through 2027.

Cinema 4D

The Cinema 4D plugin installs from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App.

To install:

1. Install the SuperRenders Client App.
2. Open the Plugins panel inside the Client App.
3. Click Scan to update. The Client App detects each installed Cinema 4D version on the workstation and installs the matching plugin into the C4D plugins directory.
4. Restart Cinema 4D. The SuperRenders submission entry appears in the C4D Extensions menu.

If scan-to-update reports your Cinema 4D version as "not supported," file a ticket with your C4D version and OS. We extend the plugin to new Cinema 4D releases on a rolling cadence as Maxon ships them.

Cinema 4D version coverage. The plugin that installs from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App covers Cinema 4D 2023 through 2026. The farm itself supports Cinema 4D R14–2027; for a Cinema 4D 2027 scene, contact us to confirm before you upload.

Blender

Blender 4.2 LTS and newer has a SuperRenders submission add-on. It installs from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App (the Client App). After you restart Blender, a SuperRenders menu appears; use it to submit the open scene.

For Blender versions older than 4.2, or if you prefer not to install the add-on, submit through the Client App's drag-and-drop upload flow or the web dashboard. The .blend file's metadata is parsed on upload; the Client App pre-fills most submission fields automatically.

If the SuperRenders menu does not appear after the restart, confirm that Blender is version 4.2 or newer, then contact support with your Blender version and OS.

Other DCCs

Houdini also has a submission plugin, installed from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App. For After Effects and other DCCs supported by the farm itself, the submission flow runs through:

• the web dashboard (Quick start guide) — works for every DCC the farm renders,
• the Client App's drag-and-drop upload (Client App) — works for every DCC, with the benefits of resumable upload and auto-download.

For Houdini-specific submission tips see Setting up Houdini; for After Effects see Setting up After Effects. After Effects does not have a SuperRenders submission plugin; its setup doc covers how to package and submit a project without one.

Update procedure

The SuperRenders App keeps the plugin up to date automatically. When SuperRenders ships an update (a new DCC version, a fix to the asset re-linker), the App fetches the new plugin and offers to install it on next launch.

To run an update manually:

1. Close your 3D software. DCCs lock plugin files while running and can silently block the update.
2. Open the Client App's Plugins panel and click Scan to update. The Client App compares installed plugin versions to the latest and installs newer ones where available.
3. Wait for each row to show "Up to date."
4. Restart the DCC. The new plugin version is read on next launch.

If "Scan to update" fails for a specific DCC, the usual causes are: the DCC is still running and holding a file lock; the user account running the Client App lacks write permission to the DCC's scripts folder (run the Client App as the same Windows user that runs the DCC); or a previous failed install left a partial plugin folder (remove it per Removing the plugin and re-scan).

If the App cannot update the plugin for a DCC, remove the plugin (see Removing the plugin) and run Scan to update again.

Missing plugin menu or shelf (troubleshooting)

If the plugin installs without errors but the SuperRenders menu or shelf icon never appears, the underlying cause is almost always one of two things: the plugin landed in the wrong directory, or a third-party tool corrupted the DCC's startup preferences.

Cause 1 — Plugin installed in the wrong scripts directory.

The plugin must live in the user-specific scripts folder for the running DCC version. If it lands somewhere else — a different Maya version's folder, or a different Windows user's profile — the DCC will not find it on startup.

Confirm in Maya by opening the Script Editor and running:

import superrenders_runner
superrenders_runner.init()

If the SuperRenders submission window opens, the plugin is correctly installed and the shelf issue is a UI problem (Cause 2). If you get ImportError: No module named superrenders_runner, the plugin is not on Maya's Python path. Remove the plugin (see Removing the plugin) and install it again from the App, then check:

• The Maya version in the path matches the Maya you launch (e.g., maya/2023/scripts/superrenders for Maya 2023).
• The Windows user in the path matches the user who launches Maya.
• The path inside userSetup.mel uses forward slashes, not backslashes.

The same logic applies to 3ds Max and Cinema 4D — install path must match the running user account and DCC version.

Cause 2 — Third-party tool corrupted the DCC's shelf preferences.

If the Script Editor confirms superrenders_runner imports but the shelf icon is still missing, the DCC's saved shelf preferences are usually corrupt — typically because another plugin rewrote them.

In Maya:

1. Quit Maya.
2. Locate userPrefs.mel: - Windows: C:\Users\<YourWindowsUser>\Documents\maya\<MayaVersion>\prefs\userPrefs.mel - macOS: ~/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya/<MayaVersion>/prefs/userPrefs.mel
3. Rename userPrefs.mel to userPrefs.mel.backup (don't delete — preserve custom shelf layouts in case you want to merge them back).
4. Restart Maya. Maya regenerates a fresh userPrefs.mel and the SuperRenders shelf should appear.

You will lose custom shelf customizations and recent-file lists; merge them back from the backup if they matter.

In 3ds Max, the equivalent fix is Customize → Revert to Startup UI Layout, then reinstall the plugin from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App.

If neither cause matches, file a support ticket with: DCC name and version, OS and user account, the full error text from the script editor / MAXScript Listener, and the contents of userSetup.mel (Maya) or the MAXScript install log (3ds Max).

Removing the plugin

To uninstall the plugin (for a clean reinstall or a shared-workstation cleanup), the procedure is per-DCC.

Maya:

1. Quit Maya.
2. Delete the superrenders folder under Maya's scripts directory: - Windows: C:\Users\<YourWindowsUser>\Documents\maya\<MayaVersion>\scripts\superrenders - macOS: ~/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya/<MayaVersion>/scripts/superrenders
3. Open userSetup.mel and remove the block between /***superrenders_begin***/ and /***superrenders_end***/. Save.
4. Restart Maya. Repeat for each Maya version on the workstation.

3ds Max:

1. Close 3ds Max.
2. Reset the UI to defaults from Customize → Revert to Startup UI Layout on next launch, or delete the SuperRenders macroscript files from C:\Users\<YourWindowsUser>\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\<Version>\ENU\usermacros\ (files starting with SuperRenders_).
3. Restart 3ds Max.

Cinema 4D: close Cinema 4D, delete the SuperRenders plugin folder under the C4D plugins directory for that C4D version, and restart Cinema 4D. The Client App does not currently expose a per-DCC uninstall button.

After removal, the Client App and the web dashboard still submit jobs without the plugin.

Submission plugin supported features matrix

The matrix below summarizes the submission plugin's capabilities per DCC. The version row reflects the plugin that installs from the SuperRenders App today. The other 3ds Max, Maya and Cinema 4D rows come from the feature lists documented for the earlier plugin generation (2023–2024) and have not been re-confirmed one by one for the current plugin. The Blender add-on (Blender 4.2 LTS and newer) installs from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App and submits the open scene; its other capabilities are not yet documented here. The Houdini plugin also installs from the SuperRenders App and is not yet covered by this matrix.

The matrix tracks what the plugin handles inside the DCC. The farm-side engine support (which engines actually render your job) is broader and tracked per the relevant DCC setup doc. The plugin packages the scene; the renderer (Arnold, V-Ray, Redshift, etc.) runs farm-side.

Currency note

The SuperRenders App installs the plugin for 3ds Max 2023 and newer, Maya 2022–2027, Cinema 4D 2023–2026 and Blender 4.2 LTS and newer. The farm's own support range is wider. If you hit a plugin issue on a newer DCC, please file a ticket; we treat that as P1.

When the plugin is not the right path

Some workflows are better served without the plugin even when it is installed and working:

• One-off submissions where you do not want to install anything in the DCC. Use the web dashboard.
• Locked-down studio workstations where users do not have write access to their own scripts folder. Use the web dashboard.
• Headless render-prep machines with no GUI to click through the plugin's submission dialog. Use the Client App's drag-and-drop.
• DCCs without a submission plugin (for example After Effects), and Blender versions older than 4.2. Submit via Client App or web dashboard.

The Client App, web dashboard, and submission plugin are not mutually exclusive — a single project can be uploaded via Client App and submitted via plugin, or uploaded via web and submitted via the plugin. Pick the path that fits the workstation.

Cross-references

• Client App — desktop wrapper for upload, submit, and download
• Quick start guide — browser submission flow without the plugin
• Web submit — browser-based submission details
• Upload and download — comparison of upload methods
• Setting up Maya — Maya-specific submission notes
• Setting up 3ds Max — 3ds Max-specific submission notes
• Setting up Cinema 4D — Cinema 4D-specific submission notes
• Setting up Blender — Blender submission via Client App / web
• Common errors — cross-DCC troubleshooting

FAQ

Q: Do I have to install the submission plugin, or can I submit jobs without it? A: The plugin is optional. The Client App and the web dashboard both submit jobs without a DCC plugin. The plugin is a convenience for users who prefer to submit from inside their 3D software in one click.

Q: Which 3D applications have a SuperRenders submission plugin? A: The plugins that install from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App cover 3ds Max (2023 and newer), Maya, Cinema 4D, Houdini and Blender (4.2 LTS and newer). After Effects does not have a submission plugin; After Effects jobs are submitted via the Client App or the web dashboard.

Q: Why doesn't the SuperRenders menu appear after installing? A: Most common causes: the plugin landed in the wrong scripts folder (often because you installed as a different user than the one who runs the DCC), or the DCC's saved shelf preferences are corrupt. See Missing plugin menu or shelf for the full diagnostic flow.

Q: How do I update the plugin? A: Open the Client App's Plugins panel, click "Scan to update," and restart your DCC. The new version overwrites the old in place.

Q: Does the plugin work on Maya 2024+, 3ds Max 2025+, or the latest Cinema 4D? A: The plugin that installs from the SuperRenders App covers 3ds Max 2023 and newer, Maya 2022–2027 and Cinema 4D 2023–2026. The farm itself supports 3ds Max 2013–2027, Maya 2014–2027 and Cinema 4D R14–2027; for a Cinema 4D 2027 scene, contact us to confirm before you upload. File a ticket if you hit an issue on a newer DCC; we treat that as P1.

Q: Can I install the plugin without installing the Client App? A: No. The submission plugins install from the PLUGIN tab of the SuperRenders App. If you prefer not to install the App, submit through the web dashboard, which works for every DCC the farm renders.

Q: The plugin opens but submission fails. Where do I look? A: Submission-time errors usually mean the scene packaged correctly but the farm rejected something — a missing asset, a renderer / engine version the farm does not support, or an account billing issue. Check the error text against Common errors. If the message isn't listed, file a ticket with the error text and the job ID.

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