addon/flamenco/__init__.py

@@ -156,6 +156,12 @@ def register() -> None:
         max=100,
     )
 
+    bpy.types.Scene.flamenco_job_submit_as_paused = bpy.props.BoolProperty(
+        name="Flamenco Job Submit as Paused",
+        description="Whether the job is paused initially; Checked sets the job to `paused`, and Unchecked sets the job to `queued`",
+        default=False,
+    )
+
     preferences.register()
     worker_tags.register()
     operators.register()

addon/flamenco/gui.py

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class FLAMENCO_PT_job_submission(bpy.types.Panel):
         col = layout.column(align=True)
         col.prop(context.scene, "flamenco_job_name", text="Job Name")
         col.prop(context.scene, "flamenco_job_priority", text="Priority")
+        col.prop(context.scene, "flamenco_job_submit_as_paused", text="Submit as Paused")
 
         # Refreshables:
         col = layout.column(align=True)

addon/flamenco/job_submission.py

@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 def job_for_scene(scene: bpy.types.Scene) -> Optional[_SubmittedJob]:
     from flamenco.manager.models import SubmittedJob, JobMetadata
+    from flamenco.manager.model.job_status import JobStatus
 
     propgroup = getattr(scene, "flamenco_job_settings", None)
     assert isinstance(propgroup, JobTypePropertyGroup), "did not expect %s" % (
@@ -44,6 +45,12 @@ def job_for_scene(scene: bpy.types.Scene) -> Optional[_SubmittedJob]:
 
     priority = getattr(scene, "flamenco_job_priority", 50)
 
+    submit_as_paused = getattr(scene, "flamenco_job_submit_as_paused", False)
+    if submit_as_paused:
+        initial_status = JobStatus("paused")
+    else:
+        initial_status = JobStatus("queued")
+
     job: SubmittedJob = SubmittedJob(
         name=scene.flamenco_job_name,
         type=propgroup.job_type.name,
@@ -52,6 +59,7 @@ def job_for_scene(scene: bpy.types.Scene) -> Optional[_SubmittedJob]:
         metadata=metadata,
         submitter_platform=platform.system().lower(),
         type_etag=propgroup.job_type.etag,
+        initial_status=initial_status,
     )
 
     worker_tag: str = getattr(scene, "flamenco_worker_tag", "")

web/project-website/content/faq/_index.md

@@ -224,3 +224,13 @@ well, and thus `\` becomes `\\`.
 In other words, even though it looks strange, this is not a bug in Flamenco. The
 aim is to prevent you from seeing these doublings as little as possible, but
 unfortunately it cannot always be avoided.
+
+### Assets are missing!
+
+When your blend file references your assets (textures, linked blend files, etc.)
+with an absolute path, **Flamenco assumes that this path is valid for all
+Workers, and will not copy those assets to the shared storage.** This makes it
+possible to store large files, like simulation caches, on the shared storage,
+without Flamenco creating a copy for each render job.
+
+Read more on this in [Absolute vs. Relative Paths](/usage/shared-storage/#absolute-vs-relative-paths).

web/project-website/content/usage/shared-storage/_index.md

@@ -92,3 +92,26 @@ have arrived on a specific worker, without waiting for *all* syncing to be
 completed (as someone may have just submitted another job).
 
 [jobtypes]: {{< ref "/usage/job-types" >}}
+
+## Absolute vs. Relative Paths
+
+Blender can reference assets (textures, linked blend files, etc.) in two ways:
+
+- by **relative path**, like `//textures\my-favourite-brick.exr`, which is relative to the blend file, or
+- by **absolute path**, like `D:\texture-library\my-favourite-brick.exr`, which is the full path of the file.
+
+When an asset is referenced by an absolute path, **Flamenco assumes that this
+path is valid for all Workers, and will not copy those assets to the shared
+storage.** This makes it possible to store large files, like simulation caches,
+on the shared storage, without Flamenco creating a copy for each render job.
+
+{{< hint type=Warning >}} On Windows it is not possible to construct a relative
+path to an asset when that asset is no a different drive than the main blend
+file. If you still want Flamenco to copy such assets, there are two workarounds:
+
+- Move your asset libraries to the same drive as your Blender projects.
+- Use [symbolic links][symlinks-guide-windows] to make your assets available at
+  a suitable path.
+
+[symlinks-guide-windows]: https://www.howtogeek.com/16226/complete-guide-to-symbolic-links-symlinks-on-windows-or-linux/
+{{< /hint >}}