FAQ for when worker cannot find Blender executable #104232
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Reference: studio/flamenco#104232
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Delete Branch "michael-2/flamenco:faq_worker_not_finding_blender"
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Problem
WRN message is often something new end users are stuck on because they believe it has to be fixed to proceed.
Improvements
To simply explain to non-technical user there are two options for how Worker can find/use Blender on the workstation...
Thanks for the FAQ entry. I've noted some comments inline.
@ -64,0 +66,4 @@
When installing and starting the Flamenco Worker you may see a warning in the logs that says
the Worker cannot find Blender.
Example Flamenco Worker <=v3.2 log message...
I think this line can be removed, and the period in the sentence above can be turned into a colon:
IMO there is no need to specify which version of Flamenco is used. If you do want to be explicit, use something like "Flamenco Worker v3.2 would log:"
@ -64,0 +72,4 @@
WRN Blender could not be found, Flamenco Manager will have to supply a full path
```
There are two ways to resolve this problem:
This can be written more positively. It's just a warning, not a "problem". Something like "There are two ways to address this" would be better.
@ -64,0 +74,4 @@
There are two ways to resolve this problem:
1. Blender be installed in [platform dependent paths][blenderpaths] using the Blender installer or
The linked documentation describes multiple paths, for example
$HOME/.config/blender/3.6/
. I don't think it's a good idea to suggest that people start installing Blender in their configuration directory. It will certainly mess up as soon as they upgrade Blender and their config (and thus Blender itself) is copied from the old to the new version.Furthermore it doesn't resolve this message at all, as
$HOME/.config/blender/3.6/
is not a path that the Worker will search for at startup.Many non-technical users will also not understand "or available in the environment $PATH."
@ -64,0 +79,4 @@
2. Use a [two-way variable named `blender`][blendervar] for each platform (eg: Windows, Linux or MacOS).
For option (1), Flamenco will attempt to locate Blender by examining the system.
Extra per-option text is better put with that option, that'll prevent having to mentally switch between different approaches while reading.
Aside from that, Flamenco Worker will always attempt to locate Blender by examining the system. There is no choice in this; unless we redesign the startup behaviour, but that's not an option for the typical reader of this FAQ entry.
@ -64,0 +81,4 @@
For option (1), Flamenco will attempt to locate Blender by examining the system.
In option (2) the `blender` path for the Worker is sent when a Render Job Task is enqueued.
Replace "Render Job Task" with just "render job".
@ -64,0 +83,4 @@
In option (2) the `blender` path for the Worker is sent when a Render Job Task is enqueued.
The Worker will still show a warning on startup and expect the Flamenco Manager to send the Blender
path to use.
For some positive reenforcement, add something like "which is exactly what will happen when you follow the above steps". Otherwise it looks like it's still an unresolved issue.
@ -64,0 +70,4 @@
WRN Blender could not be found. Flamenco Manager will have to supply the full path to Blender when Tasks are sent to this Worker. For more help see https://flamenco.blender.org/usage/variables/blender/
```
If Flamenco cannot locate Blender on the system it is possible to use a [two-way variable named `blender`][blendervar] for each platform (eg: Windows, Linux or MacOS). The Flamenco Worker will still show the same WRN message on startup when you use the two-way `blender` variable. The path specified by the `blender` variable is sent with the render job is enqueued.
Please use the Oxford comma.
I think this can be reworded for more clarity, something like this:
This path to Blender is then sent to the Worker for each render task. Note that the Worker will still show the warning at startup, as it cannot find Blender by itself; this is fine, because you now have configured the Manager to provide this path.
Thanks!