Muster Renderclient Python API

The Muster Renderclient Python API is available under the MInstanceAPI module. It can be imported into Python by simply typing:

import MInstanceAPI

Be aware that , even you can import the MInstanceAPI module inside any Python script, it will work only inside the Muster builtin Python interpreter and just on the scripts of template functions that are directly invoked by the Renderclient service. You can still import it widely inside any template, but an attempt to call a function of the Renderclient from a wrong context, will return an error

A selective way to import modules only when launched from the correct context requires using the builtin muster.runningContext() function call like in the following example:

if (muster.runningContext() == "console"):
    import MConsoleAPI
elif (muster.runningContext() == "dispatcher"):
    import MDispatcherAPI
elif (muster.runningContext() == "renderclient"):
    import MInstanceAPI
elif (muster.runningContext() == "notificator"):
    import MNotificatorAPI

Any function exported by the MInstanceAPI Python module returns always a MUSTERERR object as first. Each time you invoke a function, you must always check against the MUSTERERR object to check if the function has been invoked successfully.

In addition, the function may return a tuple instead of a single object with additional objects. Refer to each function specific documentation for a list of the returned objects:

import MInstanceAPI
err,numOfInstances = MInstanceAPI.getRunningInstances()

Execution contexts

The family of the MInstanceAPI functions can be invoked from within the following contexts:

A Console script that targets an instance execution context
onClientIdling()
onBuildCommandLine()
onBuildAdditionalParameters()
onGetApplicationPath()
onGetApplicationStartingFolder()
onBuildEnvironment()
onGetWindowsBatFile()
onCheckForSubframeAdvancingString()
onCheckForFramesPrefixString()
onCheckForFramesMask()
onCheckForSubframeProgress()
onCheckLogLine()
onCheckLog()
onCheckExitCode()
onDetectRunningProcess()
onStartProcess()
onCollectProcessOutput()
onTerminateProcess()
onChangeProcessPriority()
onCheckProcessTermination()
onInstanceOverrideImpersonationUser()
onCheckClientAvailability()
onChunkStart()
onChunkEnd()

Function name	Expected parameters	Additional returned objects	Meaning
getRunningInstances()	None	number of running instances	Returns the number of the running instances on the node
example import MInstanceAPI err,numOfInstances = MInstanceAPI.getRunningInstances()
getInstanceStatus(num)	Instance number	Status of the instance	Returns the current status of the specified instance
example import MInstanceAPI err,numOfInstances = MInstanceAPI.getRunningInstances() for n in range(0,numOfInstances): status = MInstanceAPI.getInstanceStatus(n) print("Instance " + str(n) + " status: " + status)
getRunningJobPid(num)	Instance number	integer	Returns an integer with the PID of the running job
getRunningJob(num)	Instance number	an MJob object	Returns the job currently running on the instance as an MJob object
getRunningChunk(num)	Instance number	an MChunk object	Returns the chunk currently running on the instance as an MChunk object
example import MInstanceAPI err, numOfInstances = MInstanceAPI.getRunningInstances() for n in range(0,numOfInstances): err,status = MInstanceAPI.getInstanceStatus(n) if (status == MClientAPI.MNode().kInstanceStatusInprogress): err, job = MInstanceAPI.getRunningJob(n) err,chunk = MInstanceAPI.getRunningChunk(n) print ("instance " + str(n) + " is rendering job " + job.getName() + " frames " + str(chunk.getStartFrame()) + " " + str(chunk.getEndFrame()))
forceInstanceStatusUpdate(num)	Instance number	None	Forces a status update of the instance on the Dispatcher
example # Forces an update of any instance import MInstanceAPI err,numOfInstances = MInstanceAPI.getRunningInstances() for n in range(0,numOfInstances): err = MInstanceAPI.forceInstanceStatusUpdate(n)
setProcessPriority(num,priority)	Instance number, process priority	None	Sets the current process priority on the specified instance
example # Sets any instance to idle priority rendering (1-4) import MInstanceAPI err,numOfInstances = MInstanceAPI.getRunningInstances() for n in range(0,numOfInstances): err = MInstanceAPI. setProcessPriority(n,1)
pauseInstance(num)	Instance number	None	Pauses the specified instance
example # Pauses all instances import MInstanceAPI err,numOfInstances = MInstanceAPI.getRunningInstances() for n in range(0,numOfInstances): err = MInstanceAPI.pauseInstance(n)
resumeInstance(num)	Instance number	None	Resumes the specified instance
example # Resumes all instances import MInstanceAPI err,numOfInstances = MInstanceAPI.getRunningInstances() for n in range(0,numOfInstances): err = MInstanceAPI.resumeInstance(n)
killProcessAndPause(num)	Instance number	None	Kills the current process then pause the instance
killProcessAndRedo(num)	Instance number	None	Kills the current process and restarts it
killProcessAndGoOn(num)	Instance number	None	Kills the current process and go idle
example # Kills and pause any instance import MInstanceAPI err,numOfInstances = MInstanceAPI.getRunningInstances() for n in range(0,numOfInstances): err = MInstanceAPI.killProcessAndPause(n)
enableRealtimeLog(num)	Instance number	None	Enables the realtime log on the instance
disableRealtimeLog(num)	Instance number	None	Disables the realtime log on the instance
example # Disables the realtime log on any instance import MInstanceAPI err,numOfInstances = MInstanceAPI.getRunningInstances() for n in range(0,numOfInstances): MInstanceAPI.disableRealtimeLog(n)
getConfiguration(config)	None	None	Retrieves the current node configuration
setConfiguration(config,store)	MNodeConfiguration object, and a flag to store the configuration permanently	None	Sets the current node configuration
softRestart()	None	None	Soft-restart the renderclient
example import MInstanceAPI # Get the current configuration config = MClientAPI.MNodeConfiguration() err = MInstanceAPI.getConfiguration(config) if (err.getErrorCode() != 0): print("Failed to get the configuration: " + err.getDescription()) # Change the number of instances config.behaviours.setNumberOfInstances(1) # Set the new configuration and store it into the rc.conf file MInstanceAPI.setConfiguration(config,1) # Restarts the instance MInstanceAPI.softRestart()
sendMessage(instanceNum,templateId,message)	The instance number to send from, a target template ID and the message	None	Sends a custom message to the Dispatcher, it can be received into the target and the global template using onCustomNodeMessage(nodeId,message) , available since 8.5.3
example import MInstanceAPI MInstanceAPI.sendMessage(0,0,"Hello world!"); Template code: def onCustomNodeMessage(self,nodeId,message): print("Got message: "+message)

Muster Renderclient Python API

Return types

Execution contexts

Instance APIs

Muster 9+ Documentation