NXtRender Batch

nXtRender Batch

nXtRender Batch

Batch Rendering is a rendering mode which exports the model to a file, and then renders the file in a separate process.

It has 3 main uses and benefits.

  1. Large Models - Models which are too large to render directly from SketchUp can be rendered in batch mode.
  2. Animation - Batch mode is used for animation, because animations need to load and reload the model when there are layer changes, and because animations typically take a long time to render.
  3. Network Rendering - The entire folder containing the rendering information and files can be accessed across a network, or copied to a thumb drive or another machine and used to render the model.


nXtRender Batch Rendering exports the model to a file, and then renders the file in a separate process.

It has 3 main uses and benefits.

  1. Large Models - Models which are too large to render directly from SketchUp can be rendered in batch mode. Batch Rendering can process models which are 2 to 5 times larger than Direct Rendering.
  2. Animation - Batch mode is used for animation, because animations need to load and reload the model when there are layer changes, and because animations typically take a long time to render.
  3. Network Rendering - The entire folder containing the rendering information and files can be accessed across a network, or copied to a thumb drive or another machine and used to render the model.


Contents

nXtRender Toolbar Functions

Nxac batch toolbar.jpg


These are the functions for each of the buttons on the Render Dialog Toolbar:

Rp logo button.png - Load the About dialog
Filters.png - Image Filters and Tone Operator - Adjust Image Brightness, Contrast, Burn, and Saturation or apply other filters.
Brightness slider.png - [[[Brightness Slider]]] - Adjust the brightness without loading the Tone Operator dialog
Revit save image button.png - Save the rendered image to a JPEG or PNG file. See: Saving Rendered Image
Save to clipboard button.png - Copy rendered image to clipboard
Zoom all button.png - Zoom All - This button will toggle the render display between showing the actual pixels and filling the current window.
View rotate.png - View Rotate - Change View and re-render.
Revit setup.png - Render Setup Dialog - Change Setup Options before restarting the renderer.
Revit materials.png - Render Material Dialog - Change Materials before restarting the renderer.
After changing Setup Options or Materials, use the Start Render button Revit render.png to see the changes.
Lighting-Channels--icon.png - Lighting Channels - adjust the intensity of sun, sky or groups of lights directly.
FX-icon.png - Image Effects - Switch to nXtImage Format for special effects - Real Time Haze , Depth Blur and Glare
Refresh render.png - Resume Rendering - Use the Resume button to add more passes to a rendering which has been completed. See: Resume Rendering .
Revit render.png - Start Rendering - This button is red while the renderer is processing. It will turn green when the rendering in finished. Click on the red button to stop the rendering. Click on the green button to restart the rendering.



Settings

Click Batch Rendering Settings pn the Render Setup Wizard to change the default folder or behavior. Batch Rendering Settings - load.jpg

Batch Rendering Settings.jpg

Folder to Use

Batch Rendering stores everything needed to render the drawing in a folder on your disk. This lets you render the drawing from a network machine, or render it later if desired.

  • Standard - the standard folder is stored in your Windows temporary folder. It is reused every time you start a Batch Rendering. The folder is nXt_Batch.
  • Model Name - the Batch Rendering folder name is based on the name of the current SketchUp model.
  • Custom - you can enter your own name and location for the Batch Rendering folder.

For Batch Rendering on a Network Computer, select Custom and save the rendering information on a drive on your computer which is accessible by the network computer, or save it directly onto the network computer.

Action to tak when batch data complete

The second two options cause a pause in the rendering process so that you can start the rendering on a separate network machine, or delay the start of the rendering, if desired.

  • Start batch rendering - the rendering is automatically started after the data is extracted from your SketchUp model.
  • Load this dialog before rendering - this dialog is re-loaded before rendering so that you can set the Batch Rendering folder.
  • Notify me that data is ready - A message box is loaded to show that the data is ready.

Import option changes from Batch Rendering Window

When you make changes to your rendering settings, materials, etc. from the Rendering window, these can be reloaded back into SketchUp. (Assuming you are still working on the same model in SketchUp).

  • Load dialog to ask - Sketchup will load a dialog asking if you want to import any changes made while renderings.
  • Always load changes - Always load the changes into the SketchUp model without asking first.
  • Never Load changes - Do not load the dialog and do not load any changes back into SketchUp.


Network Rendering

This message will appear if you check: Notify me that data is ready on the Batch Rendering Setup Dialog.

Remote Rendering

External Rendering exports the model to a file, and then renders the file in a separate process.

This allows you to make changes to the SketchUp model wihtout having to wait for the rendering to complete


After extracting the data from the SketchUp model, you can access the entire folder containing the rendering information and files across a network, or copy the folder to a thumb drive or another machine and use it to render the model.

If you check: Notify me that data is ready on the Batch Rendering Setup Dialog you will be prompted when the batch data is read, and you can start the rendering on the remote machine. a DOS .BAT file is created in the batch rendering folder which will start the rendering for you.

Installations

nXtRender: You must install nXtRender in the same location on a network machine if you want to render from the network machine. You do not need to install SketchUp and you do not need to authorize nXtRender for the batch rendering network machine.
SketchUp: You do not need to install SketchUp on the remote machine.
RPC:: If you are using RPC objects, you will need to install the ArchVision Content Manager on the network machine.

Licensing

nXtRender: You do not need to license nXtRender of the Remote Machine.

Batch Rendering Editor

You can edit materials or options in the Batch Renderer, and re-render the model without returning to SketchUp and then reload the changes back into SketchUp.

Licensing for Batch Rendering

You do not need a license for a Batch Rendering machine.

You need a license for each machine which is running the 3D Modeller and wants to access nXtRender from within the 3D Model.

You do not need a license for machines which are used only to perform the renderings using the Batch Rendering process. As long as these machines do not need to access nXtRender from within AutoCAD, SketchUp or Revit - they do not need a license.

Render Farms

A Render Farm consists of a group of networked computers working together to complete large rendering tasks. Render farms proceed silently, without graphically displaying the renderings as they progress, or you can run the Render Farm Display tool to display parts of the image as they are completed. Using the Render Farm allows you to use more compute power for lengthy tasks at the expense of some interactivity.

See: Render Farm

See also