Network processing Windows and Mac

[T.Kahlert]

Hi,
I am trying to Network to machines, an Alienware Aurora and a Mac Pro for some cluster processing. The Aurora is acting as a server, client and node while the Mac Pro solely acts as a node. I used the very basic parameters to configure the network, only specifying the --root in the nodes and client. The root folder is an external HDD E:/[directory].

I can process data through the Alienware node but cannot get the Mac Pro to point to the correct -root. Whatever path I put in, I get the 'No such file or directory' error with the specified path appended with the E:/[directory]. What am I doing wrong?

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello T.Kahlert,

The directory with the source images and the project data should be accessible via network by any node that is participating in the solution.

Have you shared the external drive on Windows system so that it is accessible from Mac OS X? I think you might need to mount the shared folder according to the OS, for example: /Volumes/datasets/

[T.Kahlert]

Yes, all done. Shared folder is mounted and I can open the contents in Finder. I tried countless combinations to point to the root folder but somehow either the server or the client adds the local path beginning with E:/ to whatever I put in the --root command in the Terminal app under OSX.

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello T.Kahlert,

Have you input the same root path on the client in the Network Preferences tab?

[T.Kahlert]

yes. tried with and without. either didn't work.

[T.Kahlert]

It seems that the problem is that on the windows side the server points to --root E:/[directory path] and sends that to the nodes. The windows node has no problem with this but MacOS doesn't recognise E:/ as a drive name. Rather than consolidating the root paths MacOS seems to append the two.

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello T.Kahlert,

On each node you need to input the root path as it appears to be on the particular node. So on one node it could be: "E:/[directory path]", on another "/Volumes/[directory path]", on the third (for example): "/mnt/[directory path]".

Server gives to each node only relative paths to the project files and images and the node itself is joining it to the root path to get the absolute path for the particular node.

[T.Kahlert]

OK, I have tried so many different settings, I think I need very specific instruction because I'm sure, I'm entering a setting wrongly somewhere along the way..

Here is what I have done:

The project is stored on an external HDD, connected to the Aurora as drive E:\ on a USB-C port, The project folder, ie --root lives right on the first level of the disk. The network path to it is (according to Windows file sharing): \\Aurora\Project_File\ProjectFile

The network path to which my Mac connects to the project folder is (according to Terminal df command): //USERNAME@Aurora/Project_File

IP Aurora: 192.168.2.31
Mac: 192.168.2.1

The machines are connected via WIFI with the Mac acting as a router (Internet sharing). The Aurora Project folder is mounted as a network drive on the Mac's desktop and all files are fully accessible.

My Metashape configurations are as follows:

Server (Aurora):

metashape --server --control 192.168.2.31:5840 --dispatch 192.168.2.31:5841

GUI Client:

Host Name: 192.168.2.31
Root: \\Aurora\Project_File

Node (Aurora):

metashape --node --dispatch 192.168.2.31:5841 --capability {gpu}

Node (Mac):

/Applications/MetashapePro.app/Contents/MacOS/MetashapePro --node --capability{gpu} --dispatch 192.168.2.31:5841 --root <? ? ?>

I used to state the root on the Aurora Node but it didn't make a difference for connectivity of either nodes, so I excluded it to rule out any potential interference with the Mac Node.

Communication between Client, Server and Aurora Node works just fine. The Mac is accepted into the network but as soon as a task is assigned to it I get the following error:

Can't open file: no such file or directory (2): /[whatever I put in as root on the Mac Node]/E:Project_File/Landscape Final.psx

When I state [whatever I put in as root on the Mac Node] then that's exactly what I mean. I tried any kind of path smb prefix, the path from terminal, the path from Windows, the path Metashape assigns. The same error occurs every single time.
At this point I really need someone to tell me the exact string I have to put into the --root variable for every single instance of Metashape on both machines.


Server (Aurora): --root
GUI Client: Root (Aurora):
Node (Aurora): --root
Node (Mac): --root

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello T.Kahlert,

How do you access to that project directory via Finder, what is the path?

Can you try just to open any Metashape project in that shared folder and check, which path is written in the Console pane? I assume it should be something like /Volumes/Project_File/

[T.Kahlert]

/Volumes/Project_File/Landscape Final.psx

I tried this path already.

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello T.Kahlert,

I've made a quick test:

Server: root not needed
GUI Client root (Windows): //STORAGE/datasets/
Node Windows: --root //STORAGE/datasets/
Node Mac OS X: --root /Volumes/datasets/

So I can suggest to try to create a new small sample project in the shared folder, ensure that Absolute paths option has been disabled in the Advanced Preferences tab on the client. Then try to send the job to the processing via network.
The local path (with E:/) should not appear, if you are using on nodes and in the client GUI network path.

P.S. make sure that you are opening the project that is sent to the network processing also via the network path (\\Aurora\Project_File\ProjectFile). If you are using local path for the project on the client, then you need to modify the root field in the Preferences accordingly to the local path (E:/...).

[T.Kahlert]

It's actually working now. Opening the file on the client through the network path was the bit I missed. Thanks!

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Glad to hear that the issue is resolved.