AfterBurn 4.2.2 Install Hassles

[Mike Truly]

Win7/MAX2014

I am returning to using AB after a long absence. I am having some problems with AB and decided to check for updates. I was running version 4.1.something and saw there was a 4.2.2 update. I decided to install the latest version to see if it resolved my problems.

(In years past, I thought the updates were in easy EXE installers). Using Control Panel>Programs, I uninstalled the Afterburn 4.1.something version.

I downloaded the 4.2.2 zipfile and extracted it. I saw a TXT file with instructions indicating copy these files here, those files there, etc. I did that.

Now when I start the AfterFLICS_tools.exe, it shows a license for AfterBurn 4.1.3 (shouldn't it show 4.2.2?).

I start MAX2014 and create some AB stuff... all seems to work fine and shows AB 4.2.2. But when I go to try to open the AB tutorials... they are now gone. And AB no longer shows as installed in Programs.

How do I get all my AB tutorials and sample files back? Do I have to install the older AB 4.1.something version EXE again and then do the 4.2.2 update without uninstalling the 4.1.?

What do I need to do on all the render nodes to get the 4.2.2 installed?... just the copying described in the TXT file?

Thanks!

Mike Truly

[Mike Truly]

OK, I got most of it sorted.

I ran the AB 4.1.? EXE installer again and this installed AB automatically and also installed all the tutorial/sample files. Then I copied the AB 4.2.2 update stuff over (while stopping the AFLICS service and later re-starting). Now AB is running and shows as 4.2.2, etc.

License server still says 4.1.3 but I guess that is OK. So I must copy the AB 4.2.2 update stuff to all the render nodes.

Thanks!

Mike Truly

[sitnisati]

Hello,

All our plug-ins have an automatic .exe installer that is used by the vast majority of users.
Unfortunately, you have downloaded the zip file that some users have asked for in order to make network deployment easier and I'm sorry that you had to go through all the troubles.

The license server displayes the version of the plugin at the time of authorization.
AfterBurn version can be checked from its About box.

Best regards,
Kresimir Tkalcec

[Mike Truly]

Wait... still have a problem.

The Particle Flow AfterBurn node is gone.

How do I add this AB node back to PFLOW?

[sitnisati]

Hello,

The AB Pflow is obsolete as you can now select PFlow events directly from the AfterBurn.

Regards,
Kresimir Tkalcec

[Mike Truly]

Kresimir,

Thank you! I should have known it was 'operator error'. I found and downloaded the link to the AB 4.2.2 installer EXE file.

Thanks again.

Mike Truly

[sitnisati]

Hello Mike,

You're welcome. That's why we're here.

Regards,
Kresimir Tkalcec

[Mike Truly]

OK, (Netrender) Install Hassles Part II

I have AB 4.2.2 installed on my main workstation.

I have a render farm with slaves consisting of 3 kinds... Win7_64 slaves, XPx64 slaves and one Win2003 Server slave. All slaves are running MAX2014_64.

All slaves have been running AB 4.1.2 in MAX2014_64 just fine. AB was previously installed on each of these slaves using the AB 4.1.2 EXE installer. Now I want to install AB 4.2.2 (EXE) on all the slaves but I am getting errors when running the 4.2.2 EXE installer.

O2 shows error when trying to run the EXE installer on an XPx64 slave.

01 shows error when trying to run the AfterFLICS_tools.exe manually on an XPx64 slave.

Any ideas why these errors are thrown?

Thanks!

Mike Truly

[sitnisati]

Hello,

Yes, the problem is that Windows XP are not supported anymore.
We can try to build AfterFLICS tools that will work on it, but it will be no officiallyt supported version.

Thank you.

Regards,
Kresimir Tkalcec

[Mike Truly]

The install errored because it couldn't run the 4.2.2 AfterFLICS_tools.exe file... but the install of all files actually succeeded. I got it sorted by using the old (1/5/2013) 4.1.2 AfterFLICS_tools.exe which installs/runs the services just fine on all XPx64 slaves.


I would be happy to test a revision of the 'new' 4.2.2 installer/AfterFLICS_tools.exe which would run on XPx64 (like the 1/5/13 version).

The old pipeline continues to work fine without all the costs/lost time/hassles of upgrading the entire farm to 'new' OSs & apps.

Thanks.

[sitnisati]

Hello,

Please find the update in the attachment.
Unfortunately, we do not have any XP machine to do the proper testing so please let us know if this one works.

I completely understand - we have the win7 machine for similar purpose and we also don't plan to change it as long as it runs.

Thank you.

Regards,
Kresimir Tkalcec