Assigning and Auto Assigning Output Paths:

Each pass you setup in RPM is typically intended to be rendered at some stage (although using the passes as a system to control object visibility in the scene to help general workflow is not unheard of), and this requires that a unique output path is set for each pass.

As setting path outputs manually for multiple passes can be a tedious process, RPM can if you want automatically generate all your paths based on two pieces of information:

1. a root path under which the various pass paths will be created

2. a user defined path structure to control path depth and folder names

There are two ways to define the root path:

1. pick it each time you are building your output paths - use this method if your output paths are not changing, ie rendering over the sequence for subsequent renders.

2. define it either globally or locally per pass just once, and RPM will reuse this root path for all subsequent output path generation for the current RPM setup - use this method if your output paths need to be different every time a network submission/render is triggered. The user defined output structure can include elements of the max scene name itself (among others) allowing you to automatically have output paths update with no user interaction if the scene has been incrementally saved.

Defining the Auto Output path structure and output filename:

The basic steps are:

1. Open the Output Preferences dialog from the 'Output' menu
2. Use the dropdowns to define the structure of the path as well as the output filename - a sample path is dynamically displayed to aid in setting the path correctly. You can use filters on the dropdown result, user strings, as well as inserting information like username or machinename, and current date/time.
3. Accept changes

These steps are demonstrated here:

Quicktime Movie demonstrating setting up the user defined output path structure. 1.4meg (zip 229k)

Auto building all passes paths or just selected passes paths can be done at any time by using the Output menus 'Auto Build All Paths...' or 'Auto Build Selected Passes Paths...' menuitems, or by using the 'Auto' button next to the Browse button in the Pass Output Path group of the Per Pass Common Parameters rollout. Demonstrated here:

Quicktime Movie demonstrating auto creating paths picking the root as needed. 1.8meg (zip 360k)

Setting up auto generation on pass submission/local render based on the scene name is demonstrated here:

Quicktime Movie demonstrating auto creating paths from a predefined root path. 2.4meg (zip 495k)