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From: [e-mail] (robert hood)
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Subject: Batch Rendering ala BML!
To: [e-mail]
Date: Sun, 29 Oct 1995 11:54:38 -0800 (PST)
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Here is a BML script (long) that batch renders one or more scene files using
ScreamerNet II.  Sorry for the length.  =|^)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// BATCH.BML
//
// An interface script to batch scene rendering with ScreamerNet II.  This is
// not intended to be use by a render farm as it currently exists, but rather
// as a demonstration.
//
// It expects a text file to reside in the root directory called "batch.txt"
// that contains one line for each scene to be rendered, in the following
// format:
//
//    <scene file name> <first frame> <last frame> [<RGB name> [<Alpha name>]]
//
// for example,
//
//    \lw\atom\atom.lws 1 3 \atom
//    \lw\curtain\curtain.lws 1 1 \curt
//
// It also manually invokes ScreamerNet on the local machine.  In the real
// world, SNII would already be running on one or more machines, and the
// script would only have to interface with the SNII job/reply files.
//
// (this script actually works, by the way. =|^)

// we must specify 'asyncspawn' so that SNII runs in parallel with us

#pragma asyncspawn

// these variables must be global because they could potentially be
// referenced by the ONERROR handler below

var commandFile,replyFile;
var batchFile,snID;
var tmp = getenv("TMP");

main
{
    var batchItems[5];
    var commandName = string(tmp,"\snii.job");
    var str;
    var timeout;

    batchItems[] = nil;     // initialize the array

    filedelete(commandName);
    filedelete(tmp,"\snii.rpl");

    commandFile = file(commandName,"w");
    if(commandFile == nil)
    {
        error("Cannot create ScreamerNet job file");
        return;
    }
    commandFile.writeln("init");
    commandFile.close();

    str = string(tmp,"\snii.rpl");
    replyFile = file(str,"w");
    replyFile.close();

    replyFile.open(str,"r");
    if(replyFile.isOpen() == false)
    {
        error("Cannot create ScreamerNet reply file");
        filedelete(tmp,"\snii.job");
        return;
    }

    // now open the batch file

    batchFile = file("\batch.txt","r");
    if(batchFile == nil)
    {
        error("Cannot open batch file");

        replyFile.close();

        filedelete(tmp,"\snii.job");
        filedelete(tmp,"\snii.rpl");

        return;
    }

    // ideally, ScreamerNet would already be running on one or
    // more machines.  we'll run it locally just for purposes of
    // making this script work.

    snID = spawn("\windows\apps\newtek\programs\lwsn -2 ",
                 tmp,"\snii.job ",
                 tmp,"\snii.rpl");
    if(snID == nil)
    {
        error("Cannot create ScreamerNet process");
        replyFile.close();

        filedelete(tmp,"\snii.job");
        filedelete(tmp,"\snii.rpl");

        return;
    }

    // Ok, ScreamerNet II is running in parallel with us, watching
    // 'snii.job' for commands.  We will watch 'snii.rpl' for its replies

    timeout = 6;
    replyFile.rewind();
    while(replyFile.read() != "Initializing" && timeout)
    {
        sleep(10);           // sleep for 10 seconds
        --timeout;
    }

    if(timeout == 0)
    {
        error("Communication error with ScreamerNet process");
        replyFile.close();

        filedelete(tmp,"\snii.job");
        filedelete(tmp,"\snii.rpl");

        return;
    }

    moninit(batchFile.lines() + 1,"Rendering scenes...");

    monstep();  // try to get the monitor dialog up sooner

    batchItems = batchFile.parse(" ");

    while(batchFile.eof() == false)
    {
        commandFile.open(commandName,"w");
        commandFile.writeln("load ",batchItems[1]);
        commandFile.close();

        sleep(2);           // sleep for 2 seconds

        replyFile.rewind();
        if(replyFile.read() != "Loading")
        {
            error("Communication error with ScreamerNet process");
            replyFile.close();
            batchFile.close();

            filedelete(tmp,"\snii.job");
            filedelete(tmp,"\snii.rpl");

            terminate(snID);    // kill ScreamerNet

            return;
        }

        // issue the SN "output" command if parameters have been specified

        if(batchItems[4] != nil)
        {
            commandFile.open(commandName,"w");

            // is the Alpha channel indicated also?

            if(batchItems[5] != nil)
                commandFile.writeln("output ",batchItems[4]," ",batchItems[5]);
            else
                commandFile.writeln("output ",batchItems[4]," (none)");
            commandFile.close();

            timeout = 6;        // wait up to 30 seconds
            replyFile.rewind();
            while(replyFile.read() != "Setting output file options" && timeout)
            {
                sleep(5);       // sleep 5 seconds
                --timeout;
                replyFile.rewind();
            }
        }

        commandFile.open(commandName,"w");
        commandFile.writeln("render ",batchItems[2]," ",batchItems[3]," 1");
        commandFile.close();

        sleep(5);           // give it a chance to pick up the command

        // Excuse me, but why can't SNII tell us when it is finished
        // rendering?

        commandFile.open(commandName,"w");
        commandFile.writeln("init");
        commandFile.close();

        replyFile.rewind();
        while(replyFile.read() != "Initializing")
        {
            sleep(60);       // sleep 1 minute
            replyFile.rewind();
        }

        if(monstep())
            break;

        batchItems = batchFile.parse(" ");
    }

    monend();

    terminate(snID);    // shut down ScreamerNet

    replyFile.close();
    batchFile.close();

    filedelete(commandName);
    filedelete(tmp,"\snii.rpl");
}

// cleanup handler -- we need this because BML is not aware
// of processes spawned by it's scripts

// ONERROR is an automatic function invoked by BML, if it
// is defined, when run-time errors occur.  Run-time errors
// such as accessing uninitialized variables and the like that
// the programmer introduces.  If 'autoerror' is specified,
// then command/function errors will also invoke this function.

ONERROR
{
    commandFile.close();
    replyFile.close();
    batchFile.close();

    filedelete(tmp,"\snii.job");
    filedelete(tmp,"\snii.rpl");

    terminate(snID);    // shut down ScreamerNet
}
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Render me gone,               |||
Bob                         ^(===)^
-------------------------oOO--(_)--OOo--------------------------------------
Bob Hood            | Bureaucracy destroys initiative.  There is little that
                    | bureaucrats hate more than innovation, especially
Work: 303-730-1324  | innovation that produces better results than the old
Home: 303-980-8392  | routines.  Improvements always make those at the top
[e-mail]    | of the heap look inept.  Who enjoys appearing inept?
[e-mail]      |                               - Frank Herbert
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