Introduction

RenderMan for Maya and the other applications that comprise RenderMan Studio use a sequence of startup files to initialize preferences and Tcl based extensions. The primary reason behind having a sequence of multiple startup files is to help establish a set of program-specific parameters that are configurable among a multitude of different setups. Namely, this allows a site to specify different preferences based on group, project, user, machine, et cetera, and to share these preferences among all users of the system. By searching for and sourcing the same filename that appears in different paths one can control which settings are administrator- configurable and which can be changed based on individual user's needs. This idea is further refined by the inclusion of the LockPref and LockExtension commands. Using these guarantees that certain program settings can always be counted on at the beginning of program execution.

Initialization Files

RenderMan for Maya relies on several different files to ensure proper configuration:

RenderMan_for_Maya.ini

This is the primary initialization file, containing the fundamental settings.

RMS.ini

This initialization file is essential for establishing shared initialization states between the various tools included with RenderMan Studio, but it also sets the “asset strategy” for RfM, defining the directory structure for RenderMan data, shaders, textures, and outputs.

RMSExpression.tcl

This script is references by the RMS.ini file and does the bulk of the hard work for defining the aforementioned initialization state.

RenderMan Studio (Maya Edition) throws a few more files into the equation:

RenderMan_for_Maya_Pro.ini

This is essentially a supplement to the RenderMan_for_Maya.ini file, containing the initialization settings for the “Pro” features of the plugin, e.g. RIB generation, protocols for the accompanying tools, et cetera.

RAT.ini

The RAT.ini file is used to set certain shared preferences that are not handled by the RfM and RfM Pro ini files, including, most inmportantly, licensing preferences.

Slim.ini

The Slim.ini controls Slim-specific preferences.

alfred.ini

The alfred.ini provides configuration settings and default user preferences for Alfred.

it.ini

The it.ini sets your it-specific preferences.

All of these settings and files are site-configurable, but we highly recommend that, rather than editing the file in your installation directory ($RMSTREE/etc), you create a duplicate file containing your site-specific overrides and place it in a separate directory, referenced via an $RMS_SCRIPT_PATHS environment variable.

All RenderMan_for_Maya.ini files are loaded, followed by all RenderMan_for_Maya_Pro.ini and RMS.ini files, and finally all appname.ini files.

Initialization Commands

General Commands:

• RATGetDir dir — returns the path of a subdirectory: dir{lib, etc, resource, home}
• GetHostName — get host machine name
• GetUserName — get current users name
• GetAppName — get name of currently running application
• GetVersion — get program version
• GetPlatform — return platform name
• GetEnv var {default {}} — returns settings of system environment variable; takes an optional 2nd argument specifying default value.

Initialization Commands:

• SetPref name value — Sets application preference name with value
• LockPref name value — Sets application pref with value and locks out any additional attempts to change its value
• LoadExtension type filename — loads the extension defined in filename into the current application
• GetPref name {value {}} — gets value of named pref with option default value
• LockExtension — locks out any addition calls to LoadExtension
• LogMsg level msg — logs a message at given level: level {COPIOUS, INFO, NOTICE, WARNING, ERROR}

Sample ini File

Brief sections of the $RMSTREE/etc/slim.ini file are illustrated below as examples of setting up .ini files.

LoadExtension tcl [file join [RATGetDir etc] SlimExpression.tcl]

loads the "tcl" extension "SlimExpression.tcl" into SLIM; uses the RATGetDir command to get the location of "SlimExpression.tcl"

	if {[GetEnv SLIM_RUNMODE artist] == "developer"}
		SetPref ShaderCompiler "shader -I%I %f"
	} else {
		SetPref ShaderCompiler "shader -I%I -nolint %f"

checks the system environment variable SLIM_RUNMODE to determine user specific settings of preferences for ShaderCompiler.

SetPref ExpertMenus 0

sets the pref ExpertMenus to 0 (this setting will be overridden by any subsequent call to SetPref ExpertMenus

LockPref ROColor #8080a0

set and lock the value of ROColor to #8080a0. This will be the value of ROColor upon start of the application

During the initialization process, the same preference can be set multiple times (possibly using different values). As long as the preference is not set with LockPref, then the value of the preference will be that of the last call to SetPref. If the preference is set with LockPref somewhere within the hierarchy of files, all modifications after that setting will be ignored.