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Overview
A PDG service is a long-running process that acts as a server for cooking work items. When a node is configured to use a PDG service, a cooking work item will submit the job to a pool of services. The first service that is available will retrieve the work item and perform its work.
PDG services avoids the overhead associated with starting a new process. Services can also perform optimizations specific to their jobs (for example, the HDA Processor service can create the necessary nodes exactly once, reusing the same nodes for each job and avoiding the time associated with creating the network). As a result, PDG services can vastly increase the speed of your jobs.
Supported nodes
PDG Services window
In the TOPs Tasks menu, select PDG Services to open the PDG Services window:
PDG Services list
Lists all available, registered services and whether or not they are currently running. You can select, add, or remove registered PDG services from this list.
Add Service
Opens the Add PDG Service window.
Delete Service
This RMB menu removes a registered service. See Delete a registered PDG service.
Start
Starts the selected PDG service.
Stop
Stops the selected PDG service.
Automatic
When on, the selected service is automatically started by the first PDG graph cook where the service is used (if the service is not already running).
Status
Shows whether the selected service is running or stopped.
Label
Specifies the service node type for the selected PDG service.
Name
Specifies the name of the selected PDG service.
Pool Size
Sets the number of instances that will be created for the service pool. More instances will result in faster cook times because more items will be able to be cooked in parallel.
Owner
Shows the owner of the service. Currently, a service can only be owned by the Houdini session.
Scheduler Type
Shows the name of the scheduler type that the service is associated with.
Scheduler
For some scheduler types, a service must be run with respect to a specific scheduler node. You can specify the scheduler node with this field.
MQ Server Log Level
Shows the logging level of the MQ server associated with the service.
MQ Server Log Directory
Shows the directory where the logging file for the MQ server will be stored.
Client Log Directory
Specifies the folder where service pool clients will write their log files.
Add PDG Service window
Type
The service type associated with the registered service. Each service type can only be registered once.
Owner
Controls the owner of the service. Currently, the service can only be owned by the Houdini session. This means that the lifetime of the service is associated with the current Houdini session. If the service is still running when Houdini is exited, the service will be shut down automatically.
Automatically Start Service
When on, the service is automatically started (if it’s not already running) during the first PDG cook where the service is used.
Pool Size
The number of clients that are created by the service.
Port
The defined port configuration.
Automatic
The port that the service will use is determined automatically.
Custom
The port that the service will use is a custom port you need to specify.
MQ Server Log Level
Controls what type of information is written to the MQ server’s log file.
None
No information will be logged.
Errors
Only errors will be logged.
Warnings
Warnings and errors will be logged.
All
General status messages, warnings, and errors will be logged.
MQ Server Log Directory
Specifies the logging directory in which the MQ server will create its log file.
Client Logging Directory
Specifies the logging directory in which Clients within the service pool will create their log files.
Add
Registers the service.
Cancel
Cancels the service registration operation.
How-to
The are the steps for using a PDG service with one of the supported node types.
Add a PDG service
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In the PDG Services window, click Add Service located in the PDG Services list.
The Add PDG Service window appears.
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In the Add PDG Service window, specify all the service details you want for the new service including configuring any nodes that you want to use the service.
For this step, please consult the node’s documentation for information on configuring the node to use the service.
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Click Add.
The new registered service appears in the PDG Services list.
Also now when any associated configured nodes cook, they will use the new PDG services pool to cook their work items.
Start a PDG service
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In the PDG Services window, select the service you want to start from the PDG Services list list.
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Click Start.
Stop a PDG service
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In the PDG Services window, select the service you want to stop from the PDG Services list list.
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Click Stop.
Remove a PDG service
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In the PDG Services window, RMB-click+hold on the name of the service you want to remove.
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Click the Remove Service RMB option that appears.
The selected service is removed from the PDG Services list.
Tip
You can re-register a PDG service at any time.