Microsoft KB Archive/153439

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

BUG: mental ray Cannot Find Shaders and Hangs
Last reviewed: July 10, 1996

Article ID: Q153439

The information in this article applies to:


 * Softimage 3D for IRIX, version 3.50

SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to render a scene with mental ray, you notice that although the shaders you have selected still appear to be selected, mental ray cannot find the shaders; mental ray hangs.

Here is an example to illustrate this bug:

NOTE: Shaders can be 2D Global, 3D Global, 2D Local, 3D Local, post-render shaders or any other shader.

For this example, the shader is applied from the 2D Texture File box in the Softimage 3D Matter module.

Complete the following steps:


 * 1) In the Texture menu cell select 2D Global.
 * 2) In the 2D Texture File dialogue box verify that the shader is still selected.
 * 3) Click Edit. You cannot access the edit function for the shader. What should you do now?

RESOLUTION
To work around this bug:

Exit Softimage 3D all the way to the user account. Launch Softimage 3D again. For this example, complete the following steps:

 Go to the Matter module. Open the Texture menu cell and select 2D Global. In the 2D Texture File dialog box, delete the shader file name you had previously selected. Click Select to access the shader browser (the Load window pops up) and reselect the shader file. Click the Load button to reload the shader, and click Edit. In the editor, click the Save button. Click the Db List button in the Save pop-up, select the database that applies to the scene you want to render, and change the name of the shader. You have just reminded mental ray that this shader belongs to this database.  Return to the 2D Texture File dialog box, and select the renamed shader as follows: a. Click Select. b. Select the renamed shader. c. Click Okay to exit the 2D Texture File. </li></ol>

Now you can render at will.

NOTE: The example takes place in the Softimage 3D Matter module, but this workaround applies to shaders in any Softimage 3D module.

STATUS
Softimage has confirmed this to be a bug in the Softimage product(s) listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this bug and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

NOTE: Softimage Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation.