--- title: "Distributed Rendering" canonical: "https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VC4D/116851098/Distributed%20Rendering" format: markdown --- This page provides information on Distributed Rendering (DR2) in V-Ray for Cinema 4D. ## **Overview** --- ## **Distributed Rendering Setup** --- *For information on Distributed rendering settings in Cinema 4D, please see the **[Common tab](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VC4D/pages/116856080)** page*. The complete setup follows these steps: --- 2. Now that everything is set and ready to go, we need the additional computers to start listening for render jobs on the network. - On Windows, you can start the executable by navigating to the **Start** menu and selecting the **Launch V-Ray render server **tool for V-Ray for Cinema 4D. Alternatively, enter the command: ``` C:\Program Files\Maxon Cinema 4D XXXX\plugins\V-Ray\res\libs\win64\vray.exe -server ``` Replace XXXX with your version of Cinema 4D. - On macOS, you can start the executable from /Applications/Chaos/V-Ray/Cinema 4D XXXX/vray/bin/vrayserver. Alternatively, enter the followind command in Terminal: ``` /Applications/Maxon Cinema 4D XXXX/plugins/V-Ray/res/libs/osx/vray.bin -server ``` Replace XXXX with your versions of V-Ray and Cinema 4D. --- 3. Set the Render Dispatcher. The Dispatcher can be the localhost or another machine. In principle, the Client doesn't participate in rendering. Depending on the setting (if Remote Dispatcher is enabled or not), only the Dispatcher and the Servers do. If you want to run the Dispatcher headless on a separate machine from the Client machine, use the following command: - For Windows: ``` C:\Program Files\Maxon Cinema 4D XXXX\plugins\V-Ray\res\libs\win64\vray.exe -run-dispatcher=2 ``` - For macOS: ``` /Applications/Maxon Cinema 4D XXXX/plugins/V-Ray/res/libs/osx/vray.bin -run=dispatcher=2 ``` Value of 1 starts in server mode with the ability to act as a DR Dispatcher. A value of 2 uses the Dispatcher to also help with the actual rendering as a server. This host, however, cannot be used as a server with someone else's Dispatcher. If you want your local machine to act as both the Dispatcher and the Client, you don’t need to do any extra steps. Everything can be done on the Client side. The Dispatcher can’t be changed during rendering. --- ## **DR Check tool** --- The DR Check tool can be used to query the state of render servers, the number of processors on the server machine and the V-Ray version of the server. **Location**: Depending on your OS, the **vraydr_check** executable is located as follows: **Windows** –  **Start Menu** > **All Programs** > **Chaos Group** > **V-Ray for Cinema 4D** *nn* > **Tools** or alternatively start the .exe in a command-prompt from** C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\Cinema 4D** *nnnn****\*****bin** *Note:**** ****nn is the Cinema 4D version* **Usage**: ``` vraydr_check -host=IP -port=num ``` *Note:**** IP**** *is the IP address of the machine that is running a V-Ray render server and *num* is the number of the port (by default it's 20207). Example: **vraydr_check -host=10.0.0.100 -port=20207** ** ** **Return values**: - The state of the server: * ****busy**** * or * ****ready***, depending on whether the server machine is currently rendering or it's available for new render tasks. - The number of CPU threads on the server machine. Example: * ****Num processors: 8****.* - The version of V-Ray installed on the server machine. Example: * ****V-Ray version info: Rev 26840 Jun 29 2016.**** * - The V-Ray core version. Example: * ****V-ray core version: 3.25.01.**** * In case a connection cannot be established with the server, the tool prints this message: * ****Failed to connect to server 1.0.0.100:20207*** This could mean that either something is blocking the connection, or the server is not running at all on the specified IP address. ## **Notes** --- - When you cancel a DR rendering, it might take some time for the render servers to finish working and they might not be immediately available for another render.