batch render in png in apophysis7x problem

[Haven]

Hey there...so last couple of weeks i was having an issue rendering files in Apophysis7xD 64bit. i tried to render a batch of fractals at high-res settings (100k, then 30k density, cca between 35 and 45 megapixels depending on the artwork) in png format on a separate computer dedicated only to rendering (quad core, 8gigs ram)...however in both attempts when the render of the first file finishes, the program just gets stuck on "creating png file with quality 100k (or 30k when i tried again)" and stays that way even for days (i gave it a looot of time). any idea where is the problem? i have never encoutered similar issue when rendering single images. thx a lot for any help

[makc]

could be a bug in png encoding lib, try saving to different format?

[Haven]

thx4the tip....i just had the same issue when rendering at 15k density in png in a batch....i'll try bmp and c if it works.

[Haven]

ok...tried rendering BMP at 50k density, same issue, it got stuck on "creating file with quality 50k" for many many hours so i cancelled it. this was again batch rendering, no a single render (i still need to test this one). these images were supposed to be cca 7000x5000. next i tried rendering density 15k...same result. after that i tried rendering a very little image (like 300x225 pixels or so) at density 100 000 in png, that one was created just fine...so i guess the issue itself is either in the size of the image (which is odd as i always render single images in 7000x5000 in png) or the combination of size and density....also, this is the first time i am trying to use batch render instead of single image rendering, so possibly its the issue of the batch render??? will do some more testing but its taking a lot of time...anybody has any more insights into this?

[Pharmagician]

ok...tried rendering BMP at 50k density, same issue, it got stuck on "creating file with quality 50k" for many many hours so i cancelled it. this was again batch rendering, no a single render (i still need to test this one). these images were supposed to be cca 7000x5000. next i tried rendering density 15k...same result. after that i tried rendering a very little image (like 300x225 pixels or so) at density 100 000 in png, that one was created just fine...so i guess the issue itself is either in the size of the image (which is odd as i always render single images in 7000x5000 in png) or the combination of size and density....also, this is the first time i am trying to use batch render instead of single image rendering, so possibly its the issue of the batch render??? will do some more testing but its taking a lot of time...anybody has any more insights into this?

Yes, I've always had problems with batch render in 7x15 (various versions).  I think I remember that some earlier versions were ok - I haven't used Apophysis for ages, but I think it might have been 7x14 that worked ok.

[Apophyster]

Hi,
Most long-time Apo users would probably suggest that your density setting is way too high.  There have been differences of opinion though.  I nearly never render images much larger than 2560x1920 and don't recall ever using a density (aka: quality) setting higher than 10000.

The batch rendering function of Apo has been a bit ummm... bungled for a while.  Apophysis itself becomes very unresponsive, all of the (sub?) windows you may have open seem to update when one flame is completed and the renderer is moved to the next flame, and some other things I don't remember.
I wrote a script to do batch rendering that works ok, with some caveats I think, depending on the Apo version its run under.
But it works for me when I need it: I render animation frames with the batch rendering script from parameters that have been produced with my <shameful plug> animating script, Apophymator.

All of that said, I really haven't used Apo 7X v.15D much at all.  However, in the background as I write this I'm testing the 15D batch rendering facility and it seems to be working just fine with moderate image settings: 720x540 @500 density.

Oh yeah... back to the script... I am fairly certain that my batch rendering script would not work on 7X 15D, and here's the reason, although the screenshot at the link is one of Apophysis running through a 32 bit computer/OS:
http://morphapoph.deviantart.com/art/Apophymator-Startup-in-Apophysis-7X-15C-293287255

The long bar across the center of that image is the input dialog for a script.  The problem with the input dialogs first appeared when the 7X author upgraded the TMS ScripterStudio software to the most recent offering at around the time of the 15C release.

Other ideas:

I was thinking you could try using less than the max number of "multithreads" in the program's options on the General tab - but that's a fairly far-fetched guess.

You might make sure you are not deliberately or inadvertently using some other graphics-related program at the same time you are using the built-in batch rendering facility.  I seem to have a vague memory of using some other graphics-related program at the same time as Apo and experiencing some type of glitch.   Sorry to be so vague about that.
Good luck and I hope get it worked out to your satisfaction one way or the other.
Fred E