how exactly would i manage to enable the DebugMode FrameServer in a network?

At the moment, I don't think you can. There is an option in DMFS for network serving but apparently it does not work. I've tried all ways of serving to another computer on the network, but I can't get it to work. The file shows up correctly in MediaInfo, but none of the apps can successfully open the file. Years ago, Vegas supported networking renders, but abandoned support for whatever reason. Even if you could "read" the file, adding support for rendering would require significant HOS development.

@wwaag @eikira

DVD Architect will open local DMFS files, but I too have been unable to coax it to open the signpost file when served over a Local Area Network.

Does not sound so funny. I thought i could use the extra CPU compute power.

Here's how to make it "work". On your source machine, start the FrameServe render and tick "Enable Network Frameserving".

On your second machine, navigate to "C:\Program Files\Debugmode\FrameServer" and run "DFsNetClient.exe" which brings up this dialog.

You must enter the IP address of your source machine and then the location of the signpost avi. Once you click on OK, the following dialog is shown and you are ready to begin frameserving.

Although it "works", it may not be very useful for rendering since it is much "slower". I did a test 30 sec render of 1080 60P footage using the default R+ settings. The rendered frame rate was 58 fps. I then frameserved the same 30 sec clip across my network (1GB/sec) to a second machine and simply "played" the frameserved file using MediaPlayerClassic-Home Cinema. The frameserved rate dropped to 10 fps. I then tried a VirtualDub2 render with the MagicYUV codec and it rendered at 20 fps.

The bottom line is that it is doable and can easily be rendered if you use VirtualDub. Since VirtualDub supports x264 and x265 renders, you can do final renders in this way without any changes to HOS.

New build 1.0.3.4 is now available.

Change log may be found here. https://tools4vegas.com/wp-content/uploads/HappyOtter-Change-Log.pdf

New Features

• RenderPlus--direct audio render for Nvenc and QSV renders thus eliminating the need for remuxing; Added aac-adts as an Audio Only render option
• AviDub—added warning to close editor after editing Avisynth scripts and VirtualDub settings

• OtterBar and OtterInfoBar--Last layout saved and opened next time Vegas is launched; Added warning when layout is changed but not saved

Bug Fixes

• ImportAssist—select audio stream dialog always shown regardless of checkbox to keep same—fixed
• ProxyAssist—keep audio for x264 renders always crashed—fixed
• RenderEvents and AviDub—template selection from main dialog not honored--fixed

A. AviDub question: Where should I put Avisynth .dll plugin files used by my Avisynth scripts? In "C:\ProgramData\HappyOtterScripts\AvisynthScripts" ?

B. AviDub help - Suggestion for HappyOtterHelp.pdf page 33, "e. Edit AVS Filter Script" - Regarding the pencil icon, the help text should explain that the desired text editor (notepad++ in my case) needs to be made default program to open .avs and .avsi files, for the pencel icon to work. Until I set these defaults in Windows, I got a Stop error message "Could not open the Avisynth file for editing with your default text editor." This error message could be a bit more helpful to suggest to set the app to open .avs and .avsi files to the user's desired text editor. I already had notepad++ as my "Default text editor" - but that was for .txt and .text files.

(using HOS v 1.0.3.4)

@douglas_clark

A. 64bit plugins go here. C:\Program Files\HappyOtterScripts\AvisynthRepository\AVSPLUS_x64\plugins

B. Will do. Thanks

@wwaag Thanks. I now discovered that all the tool file locations are shown in Preferences/Tool File Setup.

New build 1.0.3.5 is now available.

Change log may be found here. https://tools4vegas.com/wp-content/uploads/HappyOtter-Change-Log.pdf

Support for Vegas 18

New Tool

• KwikZoom – enables the user to quickly and precisely add keyframes to "Zoom In" and then "Zoom Out" of the timeline.

New Feature

• AudioTrim - added option to insert project markers into rendered files when supported

Bug Fixes

• AviDub - temp audio file not removed upon render completion—fixed
• OtterInfoBar - changes to background and textbox colors not saved--fixed

@wwaag is it possible to copy a HOS configuration from one computer to another? If so, where can I find its settings? I looked in the HOS FAQ but didn't find what I needed.

Never mind. I think I found what I needed in your install notes file https://tools4vegas.com/wp-content/uploads/HappyOtterScriptsInstallNotes.pdf

@michael-harrison

All of the configuration data is stored in "C:\ProgramData\HappyOtterScripts". You should be able to simply copy any or all from one system to another.

Build 1.0.3.5 bug alert for users of Vegas 18.

For anyone who has already downloaded 1.0.3.5 and is using V18, there is a problem with the Folder Browse dialog. I just uploaded a new build with a fix that has the same build number. To download the revised build, launch Help and click on "Check Now" and choose "Yes" when the dialog appears indicating you are using the latest version.

Users of versions prior to 18 are not affected. Please advise of any additional problems. Thanks.

New build 1.0.3.5 is now available.

New Tool

• KwikZoom – enables the user to quickly and precisely add keyframes to "Zoom In" and then "Zoom Out" of the timeline.

I've attached a demonstration of the KwikZoom in action:

Thanks to @wwaag for developing this convenient, time-saving tool, especially useful to whom develops instructional/tutorial videos and was missing a Camtasia-like zoom in Vegas!

New build 1.0.3.6 is now available.

Change log may be found here. https://tools4vegas.com/wp-content/uploads/HappyOtter-Change-Log.pdf

New Tools

• SpeedRamp—enables user to gradually increase/decrease playback speed while maintaining audio sync
  
  A demo can be found here. https://tools4vegas.com/wp-content/uploads/SpeedRampDemo_TV.mp4
  Note that the source footage was 25P downloaded from YT.
• OtterBar2—added second taskbar for users requiring additional space for launching scripts

New Features

• RenderPlus – direct audio render for VCE renders thus eliminating need for remuxing

Bug Fixes

• Folder Browse exception—fixed
• RenderPlus—incorrect Avisynth crop setting icons loaded after crop—fixed
• Better exception handling during FrameServer installation

New build 1.0.3.7 is now available.

Change log may be found here. https://tools4vegas.com/wp-content/uploads/HappyOtter-Change-Log.pdf

New Tool

• LoudToOpacity-enables user to control track opacity based on loudness of selected audio
  
  A demo can be found here. https://tools4vegas.com/wp-content/uploads/LoudToOpacity.mp4

Bug Fixes

• RenderPlus
  • 5.1 renders not added back correctly to timeline—fixed
  • stereo audio rendered for 5.1 projects when “simple” templates selected--fixed

Twice now I've installed an update to HOS and lost all my icon settings.

This latest version just did this to me, the previous version didn't and the one before that, did.

In each case I've been careful to tell the installer to leave my current settings alone.

Do I need to manually back up my settings and restore them afterwards or will this potentially cause other problems as new features are added that might be missing settings that the installer applies?

Each time HOS installs, the default set of icons are shown when it first loads. The easiest way is to keep your original set is to always save them as a Layout. Once the new version loads, you can just select the saved layout. The only downside occurs whenever a new tool is added since the added icon will not be visible in your saved Layouts. This requires that the new script be manually loaded. While somewhat of a pain, it's probably easier than reloading all of your saved scripts which seems to be what you are doing. I'm certainly open to suggestions for a better procedure.

Thanks. I'll try saving a layout. I hadn't gone that route before because I haven't had more than one "screen" of icons I needed :-)

@wwaag I am having problems with RenderPlus qsv-hevc, Test clip 80 frames, renders to 78 frames with the first two frames missing. The last frame is black. Luminance levels are expanded in the output clip. Another attempt dropped 1 frame. Is there some offset I need to specify? And to specify correct levels for in/output? Project is a scan of 8mm film, Prores 422 HQ, 16 fps, 2048x1556 cropped to 2048x1436 (project resolution). No other fx. A Vegas render with MC-avc to same frame size and rate works fine (no dropped or black frames, same levels). I can post details and media, but perhaps this is not the right place. [HOS v1.0.3.6]

New build 1.0.3.8 is now available.

Change log may be found here. https://tools4vegas.com/wp-content/uploads/HappyOtter-Change-Log.pdf

Major Bug Fix – Crash when performing GPU check for clean installs—fixed

New Features

• RenderPlus—support for “burning in” subtitles during render from external files in .srt or .ass formats

Latest build fails with NULL object exception both in Vegas 17 and in Vegas 18 (AudioTrimmer) and the whole app crashes.
Using Render+ I get the same error yet the application doesn't exit.

@wwaag I'm getting an error message "Debugmode Frameserver template not found" while attempting to run the "RenderQuality" script within both VP 18 and VP17? I have downloaded and updated to the latest HOS.