PartyTime

Join in the render party.

Utilize idle workstations to join BackBurner Server render Groups when no one is logged into the machine.

Upon GUI login to machine, PartyTime will remove machine from pre-defined BackBurner Server groups. Upon logout,shutdown or reboot, the machine is added back to the groups.

Demostration video:

https://youtu.be/4w36Qi4Bhsg

Important Installation info:

xmlstarlet is a required package. The INSTALL.sh script will automatically prompt to install this via the internet. If this is not desired, manually install the xmlstarlet RPM prior to running PartyTime installer.

You must configure your partytime.conf file and reboot. PartyTime will not work until you have done this.

Installation

1. Download latest release.
2. unzip on linux machine.
3. cd partytime-version number
4. run sudo ./INSTALL.sh --install

Security

A sudo rule is added as /etc/sudoers.d/partytime that allows ALL users to restart the adsk_backburner service. This is neccessary to kick off the local machine from a render job when someone logs in. Unfortunately this is the only workaround until Autodesk fixes Backburner Manager.

Required Configuration:

1. Modify Configuration file

   In /opt/instinctual/partytime/partytime.conf modify the parameters to match your infrastructure.

2. Add a partytime user to Backburner Manager

   In BackBurner Monitor gui:
   	1. Press Gear icon
   	2. Under Administrator Users click Add
   	3. type in `partytime`
   	4. Press `enter`
   	5. Click `Save` at bottom of app
   

3. Reboot

You can test functionality via the command line.

/opt/instinctual/partytime/partytime.sh --add will add the machine to the group(s) defined.

/opt/instinctual/partytime/partytime.sh --remove will remove the machine from the group(s) defined.

When machine has Teradici/PCoIP active, PartyTime will act in a "remove always" mode, since Burn and other GPU based renders won't work.

Un-Install

1. run sudo ./INSTALL.sh --uninstall