Freddy Render - User contributions [en]

Contribute

2021-12-03T10:34:47Z

Mike:

There are several ways you can help Freddy Render:

== Helping to Improve Freddy Render ==

* Submit bug reports and feature requests. Find more information on the [[Support#Reporting_Bugs|Reporting Bugs]] section of the [[Support|Support]] page.
* Head over to the [[Donate|Donate]] page. Donating helps show [[Mike|Mike]] that free projects that benefit the community are worth the effort.

== Helping the Community ==

* Hang out in the [[Support#Support_Forum|Support Forum]] and try to answer questions.
* Hang out in the [[Support#Discord_Server|Discord Server]] and try to help others with questions and troubleshooting.
* Check out [https://www.MikePeralta.com Mike's Personal Music Website].

Donate

2021-12-03T10:34:35Z

Mike:

It takes many hours to create, update, and generally maintain Freddy Render and all you see here. If you enjoy Freddy Render, your contribution or support would be much appreciated!

== Direct Donations ==

At the moment, I don't have any traditional ''direct donation'' accounts setup. But I do enjoy writing music. You can support me by purchasing my digital music, subscribing, and telling your friends!

== Support My Music ==

I have original music and cover songs digitally distributed to many places. Just search for ''Mike Peralta'' on your favorite music streaming platform, and see what comes up.

Additionally, here are a few places you can start:

* [https://open.spotify.com/artist/360YBP9yCPISp38hwxqwHG Mike Peralta @ Spotify]
* [https://www.youtube.com/MikePeraltaMusic Mike Peralta @ Youtube]
* [https://music.amazon.com/artists/B001MYHWYK/mike-peralta Mike Peralta @ Amazon Music]
* [https://www.mikeperalta.com/ or just poke around my main WWW]

Download

2021-12-03T10:34:22Z

Mike:

The latest version of Freddy Render can be downloaded here: [https://stash.mikeperalta.com/FreddyRender-2.2.1.jar FreddyRender-2.2.1.jar]

Freddy License

2021-12-03T10:34:07Z

Mike:

== Freddy Render License ==

By using Freddy Render, you agree to the terms of the license built into the software. The software's license can be viewed in Freddy Render's web interface, but the basic ideas are:

# You are responsible for everything.
# Mike is responsible for nothing.
# You are free to use the software as long as you don't modify it, claim it as your own, or sell it.

See the actual software for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

2021-12-03T10:33:47Z

Mike:

== General Freddy Render Questions ==

=== Does Freddy Render support .blend project files with external dependencies? ===

Yes, as long as all dependencies are in the same folder (or lower) as the main .blend file.

== Master Mode ==

TODO

== Client Mode ==

TODO

== Slave Mode ==
TODO

Installation

2021-12-03T10:33:32Z

Mike:

This page will help you understand how to install Freddy Render before usage.

== Requirements ==

Freddy Render requires Java 11 to run, and depends on [https://www.blender.org/download/ Blender] version 2.93.4.

=== Java 11 on Linux ===

Install Java 11 on Ubuntu/Debian based systems with the following command:

<nowiki>
sudo apt install openjdk-11-jre</nowiki>

For Fedora based systems, try:

<nowiki>
sudo dnf install java-11-openjdk</nowiki>

=== Java 11 on Windows and Mac ===

TODO; But you can find more information at [https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/javase-jdk11-downloads.html Oracle's Website]

== Putting the JAR file somewhere ==

Freddy Render doesn't have an installer. You simply copy the main JAR file somewhere and you're done. For Linux users, this might be some typical location, like:

<nowiki>
/usr/local/bin/FreddyRender.jar</nowiki>

But you can place the JAR file anywhere you want, really.

Main Page

2021-12-03T10:33:14Z

Mike:

<strong>Welcome to the Freddy Render Wiki.</strong>

== About Freddy Render ==

Freddy Render is free [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Render_farm ''Render Farm''] software for [https://blender.org Blender], written by [https://www.MikePeralta.com Mike Peralta]. It can coordinate multiple machines to render a Blender animation much more quickly than using only one machine. The entire program is packed into a single JAR file and invoked on each participating machine with simple command lines. Because the program works in JAVA, it is compatible with multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and probably Mac.

Freddy Render is pretty simple, works well, and has a slick web interface to help you manage your projects.

== Getting Freddy Render ==

You can download Freddy Render at this page: [[Download|Download]]

== How to Use Freddy Render ==

Check out the following pages for more information:

* [[Installation|Installation]]
* [[Usage|Using Freddy Render]]
* [[Web_Interface|Using the Web Interface]]
* [[Frequently_Asked_Questions|Frequently Asked Questions]]

== Getting Help, and Supporting Freddy Render ==

You can use the [[Support|Support]] page to find ways of getting help using Freddy Render.

If you enjoy using Freddy Render and wish to contribute, head over to the [[Contribute|Contribute]] and [[Donate|Donate]] pages.

== Author and License ==

For more information, check out these links: [[Mike|Author]] and [[Freddy_License|License]]

== Screenshots ==

Check out the screenshots below to get an idea of what using Freddy Render is like.

=== Web Interface Screenshots ===

[[File:Screenshot-Web-Overview.png|thumb|center|Web Interface (Overview)]]
[[File:Screenshot-Web-JobSummary.png|thumb|center|Web Interface (Job Summary)]]

=== Client Screenshots ===

[[File:Screenshot-Client-SelectFile.png|thumb|center|Client Mode (Uploading)]]

[[File:Screenshot-Client-Finished.png|thumb|center|Client Mode (Finished Uploading)]]

Mike

2021-12-03T10:32:57Z

Mike:

Mike Peralta is the author of Freddy Render. You can show your support by visiting his [https://www.MikePeralta.com website] or the [[Donate|Donate]] page.

Not much else to say!

Support

2021-12-03T10:32:41Z

Mike:

This page outlines some ways you can get help and support using Freddy Render.

== Reporting Bugs ==

If you've found a bug with Freddy Render, you can report it here: [https://git.mikeperalta.com/projects/freddy-render Freddy Render Repository Page].

After registering an account, click the ''Issues'' tab on that page, click the ''New Issue'' button, and describe the issue you think you're seeing.

== Where to Get Support ==

There are several places to learn Freddy Render and get support.

=== This Wiki ===

If you're having trouble understanding how to setup or use any part of Freddy Render, make sure to read every part of this Wiki thoroughly. Many questions have already been answered here, and new information can be added at any time.

=== Discord Server ===

If you're a user of Discord, feel free to join our main discord server here: [https://discord.gg/QYb62Qu Freddy Render @ Discord].

=== Support Forum ===

Right now the forums at [https://www.MikePeralta.com MikePeralta.com] are offline until I can decide what to do about them.

For awhile, the forums were run by custom code written from scratch, but became too bothersome to maintain. At the moment I'm trying to decide which pre-made forum software to switch to. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! The main characteristics I'm looking for in forum software right now are:

* Self-Hostable, Free Open Source Software (FOSS)

* Ability to integrate with existing user database

* Ability to easily apply custom style sheets (CSS)

* Flexible plugin/addon system, so I can customize as needed

=== Email ===

No email support is provided, per-say. But if you have a question or problem that hasn't been addressed in this Wiki, and lots of other users are likely to share your problem, I may just update the Wiki with an answer.

=== Personal Support ===

If you have the cash to spare and would like to get one-on-one support directly, send me an email. I'm open to email support, chat support, VoIP support, and live video support.

== Requesting Custom Features or Upgrades ==

Freddy Render is a hobby project of mine, and thus requests for custom features or general upgrades are not likely to be serviced. However, there are some situations where I may consider suggestions. Your suggestion is more likely to be taken seriously if:

* It's a really, really cool idea and likely to greatly benefit most users without a ton of work on my end.

* You're willing to hire me to implement the upgrade.

== Troubleshooting ==

If you've done all you can to learn Freddy Render and still have issues, try the following:

# First make sure you've read this entire Wiki, including the FAQ page.
# If that doesn't help, try asking for help in the discord server or forum.
# If that doesn't help, read the [[#Email|Email]] section above and see if that might work for you.
# If all else fails, see the [[#Personal_Support|Personal Support]] section above.

Usage

2021-12-03T10:32:23Z

Mike:

== Overview ==

[[File:FreddyRender-Overview (Diagram).svg|thumb|right|Freddy Render Overview (Diagram)]]

Freddy Render has three distinct modes: '''Master''', '''Slave''', and '''Client'''. You can launch all three modes on the same machine, if you'd like. But typically in a renderfarm-like setup, you'd want something like this:

* One machine running '''Master''' mode, to control everything and expose a nifty web interface.
* One or more machines running '''Slave''' mode, to do all the rendering.
* Your personal workstation running '''Client''' mode, only when you need to submit a new job to the ''Master''.

Each of these three modes is started with a simple command line.

The subsections below will go into the modes in a bit more detail, as well as tell you how to launch them. You can see a general overview of the flow of control by viewing the image to the right.

In all examples, suppose '''MASTER_IP''' represents the IP address of the machine running Freddy Render in '''Master''' mode, and '''MASTER_PORT''' represents the port you'd like the '''Master''' to listen on (an integer usually between 1025 and 65535).

== Master Mode ==

In '''Master''' mode, Freddy Render coordinates all activities and allows you to manage your jobs through a nifty web interface. You typically should only run 1 machine as the '''Master'''.

=== Life Cycle ===

A typical life cycle of your master might look like:

# Install to some server that you can keep running 24/7 forever.
# Configure '''Master''' mode to boot with that machine.
# Launch the '''Master''' for the first time (directly or by rebooting the machine).
# Leave running forever.

=== Invocation ===

Invocation of the '''Master''' is as simple as:

<nowiki>
java -jar /path/to/FreddyRender.jar --master --port MASTER_PORT</nowiki>

=== Web Interface ===

[[File:Screenshot-Web-Overview.png|thumb|right|Master Web Interface]]

To access the web interface, just open your browser and punch in the address of your '''Master'''. To tell your browser what port to connect to, use a colon (:) followed by the port number. The general form is:
<nowiki>
http://MASTER_IP:MASTER_PORT/</nowiki>

Depending on your own personal network configuration and the port you chose for your '''Master''', an example of the URL in your browser might look something like the following:
<nowiki>http://192.168.1.100:8000</nowiki>

Also see the page [[Web_Interface|Web Interface]] for more information on using the Web Interface.

=== Always-On ===

The '''Master''' would typically run 24/7, or at least until your project finishes rendering. The machine running your '''Master''' doesn't have to be very powerful, because it won't do any rendering. A simple Raspberry Pi 4 or old laptop would probably be fine.

However, it is acceptable to power off the '''Master''' sometimes, if you really need to. The next time you start the '''Master''', it will scan the local file system and try to recover where it left off. Be aware though, that powering off the '''Master''' has some significant drawbacks:

* Whenever you start the '''Master''' again, it will cost some time to recover your previous jobs. If you have many jobs with many frames each, this could be a significant time delay where the '''Master''' seems unresponsive while starting.

* None of your '''Slave''' machines will be able to render anything when the '''Master''' isn't running. They'll sit idle while they endlessly try to contact the '''Master''' for instructions.

* No '''Clients''' will be able to submit new jobs.

=== Security ===

'''Master''' mode has no security as of yet, so you should only run this on a private network that you trust. It's also possible to run the '''Master''' behind Apache with a reverse proxy running SSL and some sort of authentication. If you run '''Master''' mode as-is on an untrusted network (e.g., the Internet), you might get random people submitting offensive jobs or deleting yours, just to troll you. Also, because development of Freddy Render hasn't focused on security concerns thus far, it's possible an evil Internet person could find a way to exploit '''Master''' mode to hack the entire machine. In other words, it's not worth making public; Just keep it safe on your own network.

==== Slaves On Different Networks ====

If you must utilize some '''Slave''' machines that reside on different networks than the '''Master''', one potential idea is to run a VPN server/client configuration to securely connect the networks together. You should still be sure all networks can be trusted.

One free and popular VPN implementation you may want to try is [https://openvpn.net/ OpenVPN].

== Slave Mode ==

'''Slave''' mode is where all your jobs actually get rendered. You'll want to run as many machines in '''Slave''' mode, as you can get your hands on. '''Slave''' machines will continuously ask the '''Master''' for a frame to render, render the frame, then send the rendered frame back to the '''Master'''. When there is no work to do, a '''Slave''' will sit mostly idle until the '''Master''' finally has work it can do.

=== Life Cycle ===

A typical lifecycle for a '''Slave''' might be:

# Start the slave
# Keep it on endlessly
# Occasionally turn it off when you really need to, or when you're not rendering any Blender jobs.

=== Invocation ===

Invocation of '''Slave''' mode is also fairly simple:

<nowiki>java -jar /path/to/FreddyRender.jar --slave --host MASTER_IP --port MASTER_PORT</nowiki>

=== Shutting Down Slaves ===

'''Slaves''' can be shut down and started again whenever you need. When a '''Slave''' is shut down while rendering a frame, the '''Master''' will eventually realize what has happened and send the frame to a different '''Slave''' (if any). There are no other significant adverse effects of shutting down a '''Slave''' without warning.

If no '''Slaves''' are running, the '''Master''' will wait patiently until one comes online.

== Client Mode ==

[[File:Screenshot-Client-Finished.png|thumb|right|Client Mode]]

'''Client''' mode is responsible for submitting new jobs to the '''Master'''. You don't need to run '''Client''' mode unless you need to submit a new job to the '''Master'''.

=== Life Cycle ===

A typical life cycle for using '''Client''' mode would be:

# Launch the '''Client''' on your Blender workstation.
# Use the '''Client''' window to submit a Blender project to the '''Master'''.
# Close the '''Client'''.

'''Client''' mode can be launched on any machine with a graphical desktop, but this would usually be the machine you do your Blender design on since that's where your project files would be.

=== Invocation ===

In '''Client''' mode, Freddy Render will launch a window you can use to submit jobs to the '''Master'''. Invocation is as follows:

<nowiki>java -jar /path/to/FreddyRender.jar --client --host MASTER_IP --port MASTER_PORT</nowiki>

In fact the "--host" and "--port" arguments are totally optional. All they do is initialize some fields in the window that spawns.

=== Submitting a Job ===

[[File:Screenshot-Client-SelectFile.png|thumb|right|Client Mode (Uploading)]]

The only purpose of '''Client''' mode is to submit new jobs. The process is very simple:

# Make sure the '''Server Address''' and '''Server Port''' fields both point to your '''Master''' instance.
# Make sure SSL is checked if-and-only-if you have the '''Master''' sitting behind SSL.
# Click the only visible button: ''Choose a .blend file to submit''.
# On the dialog that pops up, locate and select the ''.blend'' project file you wish to upload.
# Click the '''Open''' button on the dialog.
# Watch the progress bar and log window for an indication that your project has finished uploading.

== Security ==

Freddy Render has no real security as of yet, so you should only run your render farm on a private network that you trust. If you run '''Master''' mode as-is on an untrusted network (e.g., the Internet), you might get random people submitting offensive jobs or deleting yours, just to troll you. Also, because development of Freddy Render hasn't focused on security concerns thus far, it's possible an evil Internet person could find a way to exploit '''Master''' mode to hack the entire machine. In other words, it's not worth making public; Just keep it safe on your own network.

A tiny amount of privacy could be gained by running the '''Master''' behind Apache with a reverse proxy running SSL and some sort of authentication. But as of 2020-May-31, Freddy Render doesn't have any built in authentication, so a malicious Internet-person could still take control at any time.

== Common Arguments ==

Some command line arguments aren't specific to only one mode, so they're listed here.

=== Host and Port ===

The ''--host'' argument specifies the hostname or address of the '''Master''', and can be used on '''Client''' and '''Slaves''' modes.

The ''--port'' argument specifies the '''Master''' port, and is used on all three modes.

=== Connecting via SSL ===

If you have setup your '''Master''' behind an SSL server (e.g., using an Apache Reverse Proxy with SSL enabled), you can also use the command line argument "--ssl" when you invoke your '''Client''' or '''Slave''' machines, like so:

<nowiki>
# Invoke a Client
java -jar /path/to/FreddyRender.jar --client --host MASTER_IP --port MASTER_PORT --ssl

# Invoke a Slave
java -jar /path/to/FreddyRender.jar --slave --host MASTER_IP --port MASTER_PORT --ssl</nowiki>

This essentially has the effect of having your machine connect with the ''https'' protocol instead of ''http''.

=== Specifying a Blender Binary ===

The '''Master''' and '''Slave''' modes should use the same version of Blender that you used to create your Blender project file. If the default blender installation for each machine is the same version, you don't need to specify which blender binary to use (i.e., this argument is optional).

However, if that is not the case, you may want to specify a path to a Blender binary somewhere. You can do this with a simple argument "--blender-binary", like so:

<nowiki>
# Invoke the Master
java -jar /path/to/FreddyRender.jar --master --port MASTER_PORT --blender-binary=/path/to/your/blender

# Invoke a Slave
java -jar /path/to/FreddyRender.jar --slave --host MASTER_IP --port MASTER_PORT --blender-binary=/path/to/your/blender</nowiki>

=== Temporary Directory ===

You can specify a temporary directory for the '''Master''' and '''Slave''' modes with the option "--temp-dir", like so:

<nowiki>
# Invoke the Master
java -jar /path/to/FreddyRender.jar --master --port MASTER_PORT --temp-dir=/path/to/some/temp/directory

# Invoke a Slave
java -jar /path/to/FreddyRender.jar --slave --host MASTER_IP --port MASTER_PORT --temp-dir=/path</nowiki>

Web Interface

2021-12-03T10:31:46Z

Mike:

TODO.

File:FreddyRender-Overview (Diagram).svg

2020-09-26T23:21:29Z

Mike: Mike uploaded a new version of File:FreddyRender-Overview (Diagram).svg

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2020-05-31T09:55:43Z

Mike:

File:Screenshot-Client-SelectFile.png

2020-05-31T08:18:45Z

Mike: Mike moved page File:Client-SelectingFile.png to File:Screenshot-Client-SelectFile.png without leaving a redirect

File:Screenshot-Web-Overview.png

2020-05-31T07:24:02Z

Mike: Mike moved page File:Screenshot-Overview.png to File:Screenshot-Web-Overview.png without leaving a redirect

File:Screenshot-Web-JobSummary.png

2020-05-31T07:17:02Z

Mike: Mike moved page File:Screenshot 2020-05-31 00-05-49.png to File:Screenshot-Web-JobSummary.png without leaving a redirect

File:Screenshot-Client-Finished.png

2020-05-31T06:59:06Z

Mike: Mike moved page File:Screenshot-Client-FInished.png to File:Screenshot-Client-Finished.png without leaving a redirect

File:Logo-resized.jpeg

2020-05-31T01:28:49Z

Mike:

File:Logo-freddy.jpg

2020-05-31T01:26:05Z

Mike: