RailClone Installation Files

Overview

This guide describes the files used by RailClone and how to customize it. We will use a default RailClone Pro installation, in RailClone Lite some files may be different.

If [railclonedir] is the folder where you installed the software (C:\Program Files (x86)\Itoo Software\RailClone Pro by default), and [maxdir] is your main Max directory, the setup program creates the folder structure shown below:

[railclonedir] Contains the following files in the root directory:

File	Description
RailClone Pro.	Shortcut to the RailClone web page
`railclone_reference.html`	Shortcut to the online reference manual
`install.log`	Installation log file
`licenseMode.exe`	License mode setup wizard
`licpanel.exe`	License manager
`uninst.exe`	Uninstaller for RailClone
`third-party-licenses.txt`	Licensing information for 3rd party content
`UpdateManager.exe`	Application for managing updates and libraries
`libeay32.dll`	Application extension
`QtCore4.dll`	Application extension
`QtGui4.dll`	Application extension
`QtNetwork4.dll`	Application extension
`quazip.dll`	Application extension
`ssleay32.dll`	Application extension

The setup program also creates the folder structure shown below in [railclonedir].

Folder	Path
Library	`[railclonedir]\lib`
Library Maps	`[railclonedir]\maps`

The plugin and shaders for VRay and Mental Ray are copied here:

Folder	Path
Max plugin Lite	`[maxdir]\plugins\RailCloneLite.dlo`
Max plugin Pro	`[maxdir]\plugins\RailClonePro.dlo`
RailClone Editor	`[maxdir]\rcedit.dll`
Maxscripts	`[maxdir]\scripts\startup\railclone_utils.ms`
User Interface Files	`[maxdir]\QtCore_Itoo_4.dll`
	`[maxdir]\QtGui_Itoo_4.dll`
	`[maxdir]\QtXml_Itoo_4.dll`
	`[maxdir]\QtSolutions_MFCMigrationFramework-Itoo.dll`
Toolbar Icons	Max 2010- 2012:
	`[maxdir]\ui\Icons\rctoolbar16a.bmp`
	`[maxdir]\ui\Icons\rctoolbar16i.bmp`
	`[maxdir]\ui\Icons\rctoolbar24a.bmp`
	`[maxdir]\ui\Icons\rctoolbar24i.bmp`
	Max 2013 and above:
	`[maxdir]\ui_In\Icons\rctoolbar16a.bmp`
	`[maxdir]\ui_In\Icons\rctoolbar16i.bmp`
	`[maxdir]\ui_In\Icons\rctoolbar24a.bmp`
	`[maxdir]\ui_In\Icons\rctoolbar24i.bmp`
	`[maxdir]\ui_In\Iconsdark\rctoolbar16a.bmp`
	`[maxdir]\ui_In\Iconsdark\rctoolbar16i.bmp`
	`[maxdir]\ui_In\Iconsdark\rctoolbar24a.bmp`
	`[maxdir]\ui_In\Iconsdark\rctoolbar24i.bmp`
VRay shaders	Several `[maxdir]\RailcloneVRay###.dll`. Depending of the Max version, there are several files; one for each version of V-Ray supported.
MR shader library	Max 2010 and before: `[maxdir]\mentalray\shaders_autoload\shaders\RCShader.dll`
	Max 2011 and 2012: `[maxdir]\mentalimages\shaders_autoload\mentalray\shaders\RCShader.dll`
	Max 2013 and newer: `[maxdir]\nvidia\shaders_autoload\mentalray\shaders\RCShader.dll`
MR shader descriptor	Max 2010 and before: `[maxdir]\mentalray\shaders_autoload\include\RCShader.mi`
	Max 2011 and 2012: `[maxdir]\mentalimages\shaders_autoload\mentalray\include\RCShader.mi`
	Max 2011 and newer: `[maxdir]\nvidia\shaders_autoload\mentalray\include\RCShader.mi`

The following entries are created in the Windows Registry:

note

If the plug-in doesn't find the keys in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, it searches the same values on HKEY_CURRENT_USER.

`HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Itoo Software\RailClone Pro`
`MainDir C:\Program Files\Itoo Software\RailClone`	`[railclonedir]` is defined here
`UseLicServer. 0`	0 to use Stand-alone license, 1 for Network license
`StyleEditorPath C:\Program Files\Itoo Software\RailClone`	Location of the Style Editor `RCEdit.exe`
`LibraryDir (key)`	One entry for each library path. By default, `C:\Program Files (x86)\Itoo Software\RailClone Pro\lib\default1`
`TexturePaths (key)`	Texture paths

All commercial Itoo Software products also use additional keys for licensing management:

`HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Itoo Software\Licenses`
LicenseDir	`C:\ProgramData\Itoo Software\Licenses`
The licenses are stored here	`HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Itoo Software\Licenses\Products`
RailClone Pro 21	One entry for each Itoo Software product

Please note: if you use a Windows 64 bit version, these registry keys are duplicated in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node

Configuring the plugin using environment variables

From RailClone 3.2 onwards it is now possible to configure the main attributes of the plugin using environment variables instead of registry keys. To do this e

ach registry key used in the configuration can be replaced by a variable, replacing non-alphanumeric characters with underscores (_).

For example: for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Itoo Software\RailClone Pro\MainDir, you must define the variable ITOO_SOFTWARE_RAILCLONE_PRO_MAINDIR

The minimum variables to run Forest Pack are the following:

For Network licenses:

- ITOO_SOFTWARE_RAILCLONE_PRO_MAINDIR=C:\Program Files (x86)\Itoo Software\RailClone Pro
- ITOO_SOFTWARE_LICENSES_LICENSEDIR=C:\ProgramData\Itoo Software\Licenses
- ITOO_SOFTWARE_RAILCLONE_PRO_USELICSERVER=1
- ITOO_SOFTWARE_RAILCLONE_PRO_LICSERVHOST=192.168.1.20
- ITOO_SOFTWARE_RAILCLONE_PRO_LICSERVPORT=16720

For Stand-alone licenses:

- ITOO_SOFTWARE_RAILCLONE_PRO_MAINDIR=C:\Program Files (x86)\Itoo Software\RailClone Pro
- ITOO_SOFTWARE_LICENSES_LICENSEDIR=C:\ProgramData\Itoo Software\Licenses
- ITOO_SOFTWARE_RAILCLONE_PRO_USELICSERVER=0

note

If you define the variables in a .BAT file, be sure to not include any space at both sides of the '=' symbol, or it will not work (this is a known Windows issue).
Environment variables are used only by the Max plugin. Other tools as the License Manager requires configuration registry keys stll.
If both registry keys and environment variables are defined, the variables have precedence over keys (priority order is Variables->HKLM->HKCU).

Unattended Installation

The setup program supports unattended installations using the following parameters:

/? See available parameters
/S Enable silent installation`
/MAXVER=[max2013-32, max2013-64, max2014-64, max2015-64, max2016-64, max2017-64, max2018-64, max2019-64, max2020-64, max2021-64, max2022-64, max2023-64, max2024-64]
/MAXDIR=[3dmax installation path]
/LICMODE=[rendernode, network, stand-alone]
/LICHOST=[License server host]
/LICPORT=[License server TCP port]

From RailClone 2.4 and above, /MAXDIR and /MAXVER are optional. If not specified, the software is installed for all Max versions available in the computer.

Example of silent installation for Max 2023

ForestPackPro.exe /S /MAXVER=max2023-64

Network Rendering

You can install RailClone on your render farm computers using the setup program, or by copying the files manually. In RailClone Pro select "Render slave node", in the Lite version use default installing options.

For a manual installation, you only need to:

Copy the files listed on the plugin and shader table to the slave computers. You may get the files from your main workstation where you have installed the software.
Make the map files visible to the render nodes, copying them to any shared texture folder.

Customizing the Library

In RailClone Pro you can customize the Library using the included editor, or editing the XML description files. See here for details.

Note: The library of RailClone Lite cannot be modified. You can get unexpected results if you try to edit the XML files to customize it.

Overview​

Configuring the plugin using environment variables​

Unattended Installation​

Network Rendering​

Customizing the Library​

Overview

Configuring the plugin using environment variables

Unattended Installation

Network Rendering

Customizing the Library