Baking on another computer: folder sharing + remote desktop

1

As a response to @tim’s question here is a guide on how to bake a scene on another computer in the same local network using folder sharing and remote desktop.

The guide will be extended if questions or issues arise.

Assumptions

  • Both computers are running Windows 10. (However, the procedure for older versions of Windows is very similar.)
  • The computers are in the same local network.
  • The local network is set to private on both computers.
  • Let’s call the PC you work on a workstation, and the remote PC that will do the baking a server.
  • Shapespark is installed on the workstation for the user named workstation-user, and on the server for the user called server-user. These may be the same: workstation-user = server-user.

Part 1. Share Shapespark scenes' folder from server to workstation.

On the server, logged in as server-user:

  1. Check and remember the name of the computer as given in Control Panel > System and Security > System. Let’s assume it’s simply SERVER.
  2. In File Explorer open the Properties dialog from the right-click context menu for the Shapespark scenes’ folder: Documents\Shapespark.
  3. From the Sharing tab open the Advanced Sharing dialog.
  4. Enable the Share this folder option and open the Permissions dialog.
    advanced-sharing
  5. Remove the Everyone group and add the user called server-user with Change and Read permissions set.
    permissions

Now, on your workstation you are able to remotely access the Shapespark scenes’ folder in File Explorer:

remote-folder-access
remote-folder-access1123×591 33.2 KB
You will have to use the server-user credentials to access this folder.

Part 2. Connect to server's desktop from workstation.

If the server has Pro or higher version of Windows you can use Windows Remote Desktop to connect to server’s desktop from your workstation (logging in as server-user). Otherwise, you can use a free remote control software like TightVNC.

After connecting to the server desktop you can launch and control Shapespark on the server.

Part 3. Baking a scene on the server

  1. Copy the scene folder from Documents\Shapespark folder on your workstation to the Shapespark folder shared from the server.
  2. On the server’s remote desktop, refresh the list of scenes in Shapespark (Ctrl+R) and bake the copied scene.
  3. Copy the baked scene back to the workstation.
2

Wojciech, thank you for this guide. I had a look and have two questions.

  1. So, there is actually no way to avoid copying the shapespark scene to the render-PC?
  2. If I have a user-pc and a server-pc, do I need 2 licenses to run shapespark on them?

Tim

3

No, currently there is no good way to avoid it.

No, the license entitles you to use Shapespark on up to 3 computers.

4

Three computers and multiple users?

5

No, the license allows to install Shapespark on up to 3 computers, but since the license is single-user, only one user can use these three Shapespark installations.