Maximum Render Size?

Mr S · 2 Jan 2008, 12:00

Hi,

I have just had a request for a large JPEG image to be supplied suitable for use on a display stand.
An A3 image at 300dpi (or higher if possible) is required.
Using Photoshop I have calculated that the end file would be: 4961pixels x 3508pixels.
The finished file size produced would be: 49.8Mb.

But I can't get SkecthUp to render to this size!
I am using the latest Pro version and have a good machine with 4 Gig of RAM.
Surely the only limits should be what my machine is capable of producing?
But I think that I had read somewhere that SketchUp was limited to rendering 8000pixels wide. Is this correct?
Anyway, I am unable to get anywhere near this size.
When I choose the dimensions from the render dialog in SketchUp I can only choose to save a file that is a maximum of 4000 pixels wide. If I try to increase the numbers, I receive an error saying "file failed to save"
I have supplied the 4000 pixel wide image but I have been told that they need a higher resolution version.
Any ideas guys?

Thanks
Mr S

Happy New Year.

Gaieus · 2 Jan 2008, 12:35

The maximum SU "THEORETICALLY" is capable is 9999 pixels afaik.

I once exported 3500x3500 pixel images with no problem on a way more crappy computer (512Mb memory) though it took a while for the export.

There must be some problem imo with either SU or your computer...

The other thing is that as I figured out, SU only exports images with the ratio of your current SU (work) window. You may try to adjust it to be similar to 4000x3500 something (say 800x700 or 1200x1050) in order to get the proper size.

ken · 2 Jan 2008, 12:35

On my machine, I can not render above 4000 pixels width without the dreaded "file failed to save". My solution was to turn off the Anti-alias, than I could render above the 4000 limit.

So make sure that you don’t have the Anti-alias option checked.

Mr S · 2 Jan 2008, 13:38

Hi Guys,

I am trying to avoid any jaggies, so switching off anti-alias is not going to help.
I am actually trying to use a demo version of Vray which seems to be able to render out bigger files because it gives you the option to write the image to disk when saving.
I will end up with a totally different "look" from my SketchUp render though!
Not really much of a solution.

Mr S

Charlie__V · 2 Jan 2008, 14:05

Mr S,
Some more Info on this Here
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=195&hilit=search+failed+to+save

Charlie

pmiller · 2 Jan 2008, 14:23

I have never had any problems with exporting very large images (in excess of 8000 pixels) on any computers (over 8 different kinds) with SU except for a machine with only 256 Mb Ram (which just took longer -- paging memory), provided AA is turned off in SU.

If you export twice as large as you need with anti-alias off, then reduce by half in pshop with bicubic resampling you will get the results you need, and the AA will be much better (not to mention almost instantaneous).

Just did a test with 8000 pixel image -- export took about 8 seconds in SU (6.4.112). File size was 8.9 Mb, reduced to 3.6 Mb after resampling. I always export JPG with highest quality setting in the SU export dialogue options.

Can you give some more info on your computer?

Mr S · 2 Jan 2008, 14:26

Hi Charlie__V

Yes, I remember that thread.
But no successful conclusion was ever reached.
Google do not seem to have even recognised this as a problem.
Or they have and just aren't saying anything.
So, for the time being, large file renders are not really an option.
Fix for Version 7.0 hopefully?

Mr S · 2 Jan 2008, 14:39

Hi pmiller,

Well, this is very strange.
I have just tried rendering with anti-aliasing switched off and it made no difference.
Still getting the 'file failed to save' error.

Below are my machine specs:

Dell Precision 390
WinXP Pro SP2
Intel Core 2 6600 @ 2.40GHz
4 Gig Ram
Nvidia Quadro FX 3450/4000 SDI (Driver Version: 6.14.11.6375)

Any further ideas?

Mr S

Charlie__V · 2 Jan 2008, 14:43

Mr S,
I too am curious about Google being quiet on this.

For the heck of it, can you try rendering your model with the sky & Ground OFF.
I was able to get much higher pix without them.
I know it is a workaround, but possibly rendering the model seperate from sky & ground....then re-marry the two in photoshop.

Charlie

Mr S · 2 Jan 2008, 15:22

Hi,

Sky, Ground and anti-alias all switched off.
Still get the error. Grrr!!

toxicvoxel · 2 Jan 2008, 17:48

I too can confirm that I frequently get this error with or without AA.
Model complexity & size has something to do with it. Typically things start to go wrong in the 4500-5000px wide range(aa-off) 6000-700 (aa-on).
This has happened on two machines including the latest (2.3GH dualcore/ quadro fx 1600 /2 GB RAM) machine.

glenn · 2 Jan 2008, 19:49

I too have this problem usualy around 8000px.
Seems to be a version 6 (and all it's updates) problem?
Appears to me that Google is ignoring the problem?
Glenn
SU 64112
2mg ram
DC 2.8
XP

pmiller · 2 Jan 2008, 21:08

@mr s said:

Hi pmiller,

Well, this is very strange.
I have just tried rendering with anti-aliasing switched off and it made no difference.
Still getting the 'file failed to save' error.

Any further ideas?

Mr S

Hmmm - wish I could help. Just tried it again with a model with 600K faces, 125K edges, 10,000 components at 9000 pixels, shadows, textures. No problems.

6.4.112
XPSP2
Dual Core 3.4 Ghz
2 Gb RAM
Quadro FX 1500

Are you exporting jpg highest quality or some other raster format? Are you using one of the newer styles with sketchy edges?

Charlie__V · 2 Jan 2008, 22:05

Anyone care to try this (attached) file and share your results.
My Results:
AA off,export to .jpg.......I max out at 6500 pix. wide
AA off, export to .tif......I max out at 1800 pix. wide
best,
Charlie

RENDER TEST FILE.skp

pmiller · 2 Jan 2008, 22:31

9000 pixels to jpg highest quality - no problems. Also same 9000 to png.

richcat · 2 Jan 2008, 23:48

I tried this out of interest.
I very very rarely use this as nearly all my work is rendered.
Results
AA off,export highest quality to .jpg.......I max out at 9770 pix. wide. The max I have ever used is 3000
AA off, export to .tif......I max out at 2140 pix. wide.

Richcat

sorgesu · 3 Jan 2008, 00:23

Before V5 I was exporting PNg & Epix at 9999 without any problems. Since V5 I have had problems saving such large files. I tried this particular file with the follwoing results>

AA OFF JPG 9999 OKAY
AA OFF PNG 9999 OKAY
AA OFF EPIX 9999 OKAY
AA ON JPG 9999 RUNTIME ERROR
Triead again and got Runtime Error Again.

I think the complexity of the model has something to do with it as well. This is fairly simple and is not saving as a very large file. I beleive with a very large complex structure I would be less likely to save at 9999

tinanne · 3 Jan 2008, 02:10

I also have this problem, but have found that this is not an issue if upscaling in PS.

I always export to .png @ 3000px with AA on. Then in PS I upscale dpi to 300, which is the lowest a printer would want anyway (SU defaults to 72dpi, if I'm not mistaken). This should be fine for what you need and most likely will need to be downsized.

glenn · 3 Jan 2008, 04:26

Looks like I'm going to have to retract my earlier post.
The test render file exported to jpeg at 9000p with aa off.
I tried a recent model, 12meg, also went fine at 9000p aa off.
Glenn
SU 64112
DC 2.8
2mg
nvidia geforce 6200se tc 256mg
xp

Mr S · 3 Jan 2008, 09:18

Hi,

Just tried rendering the Charlie_V test file.
The best I could get was 7000px with AA switched off.

I loaded up my original file which is a lot more complicated and was only able to get 4000px wide (also, I have shadows disabled). So, there does seem to be a number of factors at work here.
However, it seems stange that we are getting a variety of results from different people with machine specs similar to each other.
I rendered JPEG images using Vray and had no problem producing large files.
But as mentioned previously, Vray can write the image to disk rather than hold everything in RAM.

Any other thoughts?

Mr S