Hi,

So I'm getting started with arnold through lops. The solaris workshop from sidefx is great but since we use arnold I'm missing a few pieces of the puzzle.

1. Aovs, is it correct that I need to create one “rendervar” node per AOV I want to export? I have tried both Raw type with “RGBA”, “N” etc. in the source filed and LPEs: “C<RD>A” but don't get any output. The name shows up in the “render output” drop down, next to the viewport, but is black. Also the default “color” disappear when I add a new rendervar, so I know I'm doing something wrong.

2. Is it correct that after the rendervars are defined we add a renderproduct node to reference all the rendervars, and give the image a name. Is this where we add frame padding and fileformat, .exr?

3. I have one question about rendering with arnold standalone on the farm. After the “renderproduct” we add “rendersettings” and “usdrender_rop”, none of those has any settings for exporting .ass files.
Do we render the final shot-usd file directly?
And in that case what do we submit to deadline, a husk-job?
If so what sort of licenses are used to pick up husk jobs?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Martin Törnestedt2
1. Aovs, is it correct that I need to create one “rendervar” node per AOV I want to export? I have tried both Raw type with “RGBA”, “N” etc. in the source filed and LPEs: “C<RD>A” but don't get any output. The name shows up in the “render output” drop down, next to the viewport, but is black. Also the default “color” disappear when I add a new rendervar, so I know I'm doing something wrong.

It's up to the render delegate to support render vars. I don't know the status of Arnold with support, but maybe check with the vendor on that one.

Martin Törnestedt2
2. Is it correct that after the rendervars are defined we add a renderproduct node to reference all the rendervars, and give the image a name. Is this where we add frame padding and fileformat, .exr?

Yes, that is correct. The Karma node serves as a good example of how the parts interact.

Martin Törnestedt2
3. I have one question about rendering with arnold standalone on the farm. After the “renderproduct” we add “rendersettings” and “usdrender_rop”, none of those has any settings for exporting .ass files.
Do we render the final shot-usd file directly?
And in that case what do we submit to deadline, a husk-job?
If so what sort of licenses are used to pick up husk jobs?

There's no options for translating to other scene formats, because Houdini works in pure USD. The husk command accepts the usd file as input, and generates the images. Although it's not out of the question for a render delegate to produce a scene file in another format instead of/in addition to the image. I don't think any renderers ship with that functionality though.
I'm not sure about deadline support, but in the general sense, yes you would submit a usd output job followed by a husk job. Although a generic houdini job that executes the usdrender node would work too, although it would consume a houdini license. Husk does not consume a Houdini license at this time that I know of.

Thank you for the answers!

1. As far as I can gather from the docs it's supposed to be supported. But I must be missing something. I'll attach a file with how I have the nodes connected and written the LPEs, if anyone got time to check it.

2. Thanks I'll have a look in those hda's and see if I can spot the error.

3. Sounds straightforward enough.

Regards,

Ok I got it working now after looking at the karma hdas(which for the most part even works with arnold). I think my mistake was wrong data types and a couple of wrong names for the sources.

Could u b so kind to post a working setup ?
I'm also struggling with this.

I`m on 19 though.

Espesially with cryptomatte not being in there as far as i can c.