Adding post rendering tasks?

[syson16]

First of all, thank you for such a great application. This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate it so much and I would like to contribute this project in the future.

I have a question. After following your instructions, I was able to render my project with render node & the api-server with a request from front-end. From the description #9 on wiki, it says that I could add post rendering tasks after rendering node finishes its job. I would like to upload the video on youtube after rendering. How can I do that? Should I modify the render node code? Can you help me navigate where that is? Thank you!

[inlife]

Hello,

Thank you! Im very pleased to hear that. :)

post rendering tasks

This option was planned. And was even kind-of made, until i striped it from the project. Because i did not find a way to do this properly. And now its kinda frozen :p

Anyways, i see a few different ways or doing that:

1. Launch rendernode from some kind of host, which will listen to changes in console, and as soon as it'll see "project finished" or smth. like this, it will trigger new actions.
2. Launch a 3rd app, which will be running on the same server as rendernode, and listening using nexrender api to talk to api server. And as soon as it'll see api finished rendering - it will take actions.
3. Launch rendernode in serverless mode (like in inlife/nexrender-boilerplate), and listen to finished callback.

[syson16]

Hello,

I guess I will either go with the option 2 or 3. It looks like the option 3 is the easiest. If I go with the option 3, what will be the disadvantages? Can you have multiple instances using 3?

I am planning to do something like this below.

'use strict';

var Project   = require('nexrender').Project;
var renderer  = require('nexrender').renderer;

var project = new Project({
    'template': 'MyTemplate.aepx',
    'composition': 'MainComp',
    'settings': {
        'outputModule': 'JPEG', // check your AE for existing output module
        'outputExt': 'jpg'
    },
    'assets': [
        {
            'type': 'project',
            'src': 'http://127.0.0.1:31999/MyTemplate.aepx',
            'name': 'MyTemplate.aepx'
        }, {
            'type': 'image',
            'src': 'http://127.0.0.1:31999/HotAirBalloon.png',
            'name': 'HotAirBalloon.png'
        }, {
            'type': 'script',
            'src': 'http://127.0.0.1:31999/test.js',
            'name': 'test.js'
        }
    ]
});

// start rendering
// NOTE: i inserted path to my aerender binary
// if you are on windows, your path might look like:
// 'C:\\Program Files\Adobe\After Effects CC 2015\aerender.exe'
var rendered = renderer.render('/Applications/Adobe After Effects CC 2015.3/aerender', project);

rendered.then(function() {
    // successfully rendered
    console.log('yay!');
});

[inlife]

Yea, you can have multiple instances with 3rd option. Whatever quantity of aerender processes will your system support. (same like multiple After Effects rendering rendering at the same time)

what will be the disadvantages

you'll dont have ability to monitor current projects via api, and mostly thats it :p

[syson16]

Thank you, I will go with the 3rd option to test things out.

Just one more question.
If I wanted to scale it up, it should be structured as below, right?

[inlife]

Hm, if all this network will be set up on different machines (like real network), then it'll be hard for you to make web/api server responsive for uploading vids to youtube. Considering fact that rendered file will be stored on the particular rendernode.

Its either you move file after the render succeeded to a web/api server via some rsync/p2p file transfer. Or, upload right from the rendernode (which in most cases will be easier and faster).

P.S. Also, you can modify 3rd option, to work with an api server, like it does with rendernode itself.
So it will be like a override customization for rendernode defaullt behaviour, where youll be able to add your custom steps.

This can be achieved by combining these 2 code examples:
API-Wrapper
Custom Node

[syson16]

I am sorry, can you explain this part in more detail?

P.S. Also, you can modify 3rd option, to work with an api server, like it does with rendernode itself.
So it will be like a override customization for rendernode defaullt behaviour, where youll be able to add your custom steps.

[syson16]

Yep, I think I understood what you meant. Thank you so much!!

[inlife]

somewhere, maybe from your desktop event, you create the project via api (like it shown in the example)

var api = require('nexrender').api;

// Configure api connection
api.config({
    host: "localhost",
    port: 3000
});

// Define project properties
var assets = [{
    type: 'image',
    src: 'https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28013196/avatar/mario.jpeg',
    name: 'image.jpg'
}];

// Create project
api.create({
    template: 'template1.aepx',
    composition: 'base',
    assets: assets
}).then((project) => {

    console.log('project saved');

    project.on('rendering', function(err, project) {
        console.log('project rendering started');
    });

    project.on('finished', function(err, project) {
        console.log('project rendering finished')
    });

    project.on('failure', function(err, project) {
        console.log('project rendering error')
    });
});

and custom rendernode code exmaple:

var api = require('nexrender').api;
var renderer  = require('nexrender').renderer;

// Configure api connection
api.config({
    host: "localhost",
    port: 3000
});

// connect to api, fetch queued projects, and start rendering
api.get().then(function(results) {
    // iterate, find queued
    for (let project of results) {
        if (project.state === 'queued') {
            return startRendering(project);
        }
    }
});

function startRendering(project) {
    var rendered = renderer.render('/Applications/Adobe After Effects CC 2015.3/aerender', project);
    rendered.then(function(project) {
        // apply some custom steps, upload to youtube from there, for example

        // and mark project as finished (updates api state, and triggers remote callbacks)
        project.finish();
    });
}

[inlife]

also, you always can create projects via POST requests to the api from any convenient tool with json
even via curl :D

[syson16]

Wow, you are awesome!! Thank you!!

[syson16]

I will create a demo app with a simple front-end like uploading an image. If you are interested, I will let you know when that is done. Thank you again!

[inlife]

Yea, that would be great !)
Kinda interesting too see what people can do with this thingy :D

You are very welcome! )