Why do we need "Simulate Local Path" feature?
During preparing the "package" 3D project, almost the assets/setting paths can be used with relative paths, but in some cases, it requires you to use an absolute path. For example, projects with Anima plugin; Substance assets; some type of alembic cache in Maya; Corona 4k cache in Cinema 4D; etc. Which are required to use absolute paths?
SuperRenders farm provides a feature named "Simulate Local Path" which helps you simulate the absolute paths and solves the issue when rendering on a cloud render farm.
A specific example is your 3DS Max project named "my_project_test", you placed all of my assets into the folder named "my_project_test" but Corona 4K Cache required an absolute path to "D:\projects\mybuilding\my_project_test\my_uhd.4k". In this case, to make rendering successful on SuperRenders farm, you have to simulate this absolute path on the farm.
How to simulate an absolute path on the farm?
To simulate an absolute path is to create the corresponding folder on the farm, then upload files/folders into the folder. There are 2 ways to upload files/folders with the absolute path to SuperRenders Farm
Method # 1. Upload absolute path to SuperRenders Farm with SuperRenders Client App:
- After installing SuperRenders Client App, please log in to your account
- Go to the SRF Spaces tab and Click the Upload button (refer to image below)
- Make sure you check the "Auto keep local path" checkbox
- Select Add Files / Add Folders to open files/folders selection windows to upload
- Then your files/folders will be uploaded to the farm with the exactly absolute path on your computer.
Method # 2. Upload the absolute path to SuperRenders Farm via the Website:
For example: in this tutorial, you wanna upload the absolute path folder "D:\projects\mybuilding\my_project_test" on your computer to the render farm.
- Go to the SRF Spaces page, then click on the "Create Folder" button (refer to image below)
- Enter your local directory which you wanna create an absolute path on our farm. For example in this tutorial named "D:\projects\mybuilding"
- After that, go to D:\projects\mybuilding folder in SRF Spaces (refer to the image below)
- Click the Upload button, then upload your files / sub-folders on that. In this tutorial, you drag and drop "my_project_test" from your computer to the render farm.
- Then your files/folders will be uploaded to the farm under the path you've just created. In this tutorial is the "D:\projects\mybuilding\my_project_test" folder. (refer to the image below)
Limitations:
- Simulate Local Path feature support simulates Windows path only.
- The absolute path under C hard drive (Windows installation hard drive) is not supported.