ccRender 1.0.1

Cloud-based Blender rendering addon

An addon for Blender that renders a blend file to the cloud. This uses paramiko libraries to SSH into an HPC scheduler node, copy over the file, and evoke a job to execute Blender rendering all nodes.

Python requirements

Operating System’s Python environment must match with Blender’s Python environment. Currently this addon supports Python 3.5 or later. Depending on the operating system would determine the following methods for installation or verifying of Python and pip:

Ubuntu 16.04 or later

Python 3.x (depending what version of Ubuntu you are using) should be included by default along with pip. If pip is not installed onto your python environment, install pip onto your Python3 (not Python) using the following command:

wget https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py
sudo python3 get-pip.py

Ubuntu 16.04 or later (Multiple Python Environments)

You can also install a different python version given it matches the version your Blender’s python environment uses:

Add the repository and install the python 3.x packages (replace x to the specific version of python)

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:fkrull/deadsnakes
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install python3.x

and then download and install to the specific Python version

wget https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py
sudo python3.x get-pip.py

Ubuntu 14.04

Python 3.4 is included with this version and requires an upgrade to use the addon. The installation is the same as you would for multiple environments but designate your python packages to 3.5 or later.

Windows

Python 3.5 or later can be download and install directly from Python.org. When installing, make sure that PATH option is enabled or manually add python’s main directory and scripts subfolder to the PATH in the Environment Variables.

Pip should be included with Python’s installation. If you wish to install it, download get-pip.py to a folder on your computer.

Open a command prompt window, preferably as Administrator, and navigate to the folder containing get-pip.py.

Then run python get-pip.py.

Paramiko & Pyperclip requirements

Paramiko and Pyperclip has to be included into Blender’s Python environment. This package includes the installation needed for both of the modules. Ubuntu’s installation differs than Windows in terms of dependencies though the installation is the same.

Ubuntu 14.04 & 16.04 or later (pip installation)

Install the following dependencies first (replace python3.x with whatever version of python you’re using if it’s a later version than python 3.5) in the terminal:

sudo apt-get install build-essential libffi-dev libssl-dev python3.x-dev

Create a script folder for the modules and addons, blenderscripts for example. Inside the <blenderscripts> folder, create the following folders:

addons
modules
startup

Then go back to the terminal and use the following command to install the modules to the script modules folder:

pip3 install --target=/home/<user>/<blenderscripts>/modules/ ccRender

If you are using Ubuntu 14.04 or using a different environment, the process is the same except use pip3.x instead of pip3 to ensure that the package is installing to the right python version.

Ubuntu 14.04 & 16.04 or later (Github installation)

If you wish to install the modules through Github, the process is similar. Install the same dependencies as it is for pip, but include the following dependency:

git-core

Then use the following command after creating the folders (pip3.x instead of pip3 if using Ubuntu 14.04 or later version with different environment):

pip3 install --target=/home/<user>/blenderscripts/modules/ git+https://github.com/omnibond/ccRender

Windows (Github installation)

Before installing the package from GitHub, Git must be installed. You can download and install the latest version on from Git website under Git for Windows.

Create a blender script folder, preferably in the Documents folder, and create the following folders inside <blenderscripts>:

addons
modules
startup

Then open up command panel as Administrator and pip install ccRender into the modules folder

pip install --target=C:\Users\<username>\Documents\blenderscripts\modules\ git+https://github.com/omnibond/ccRender

Windows (PyPi installation)

If you wish to install the modules using PyPi, the process is the same. use this command in the command panel as Administrator:

pip install --target=C:\Users\<username>\Documents\blenderscripts\modules\ ccRender

Windows 10 & 11 (Bash Method)

Windows 10 and 11 users that have Linux Bash Shell enabled, can follow the instructions listed for Ubuntu. The pip installation process is similar, make note towards the directory path such as the example below:

pip install --target=/mnt/c/Users/<username>/Documents/<blenderscripts>/modules/ ccRender

Those who wish to install the addon through Github instead of PyPi, will need to make sure that Git is installed. Installing the addon onto Blender is the same as the other Windows installations.

Setup Blender addon

An additional folder, called ccrender will be installed to the same location as Paramiko and Pyperclip. This folder can be moved to addons. If it’s not there, download it from Github, and move it to the addons folder in <blenderscripts>. Before installing the python file, you’ll need to set the script directory to your <blenderscripts> folder.

Blender 2.80 or later

To set the script folder, open Blender. Then find the scripts directory field in Edit -> Preferences -> File Paths and set the value to the path to your <blenderscripts> folder.

Then to install the addon to Blender, install the python file in Edit -> Preferences -> Add-ons-> Install and find the addon called ccSimple.py in the ccRender folder in your <blenderscripts> folder (preferably in the addons).

Once the addon is installed, enable the addon. Your setting will be saved automatically

Return to the main screen, make sure you are in 3D Viewport and enable the sidebar under View.

Blender 2.78

To set the script folder, open Blender. Then find the scripts directory field in preferences -> file -> scripts and set the value to the path to your <blenderscripts> folder.

Restart Blender and install the python file in preferences -> addon -> install to file and find the addon called ccSimple.py in the ccRender folder in your <blenderscripts> folder (preferably in the addons).

Once the addon is installed, enable the addon and save user settings.