After Effects CC Output Modules on Render Only Machines

Question

Hi there, I'm having an issue with custom Output Module Templates and my renderfarm:
After Effects CC 12.0.0.404 (showing as up to date in Creative Cloud)
Mac OS X 10.8.4 (Latest Mountain Lion version)
Mac Pro 2.93 GHz 8-Core, Radeon 5870, 32GB RAM and with Blackmagic Decklink Extreme 3D+
Remote Machines (there are four) are Mac Pros as well (Quad-core, running 10.7.2 with 16GB RAM), using the ae_render_only_node.txt file in their user Documents folder.
The exact error:
aerender ERROR: No output module template was found with the given name.
I am trying to get a renderfarm working with After Effects CC (see exact version above). Unfortunately, I need custom output modules and I can't seem to get the render slaves to recognize them. I found older threads on this exact issue, but no solution was found.
I am using commandline aerender in OS X terminal to start a render with a basic test scene.
To simplify things, I have tried testing this on one render slave machine at a time... Same result everywhere.
Here's what I've tried:
I exported a .aom file from my main machine (where I have my desired custom Output Modules) and attempted to bring it in on the render slaves. However, because the render slaves are render only, (they have ae_render_only_node.txt in their Documents folder), the ability to import Output Modules is disabled in After Effects (it opens as the After Effects Render Engine, and the Edit>Templates menu is greyed out).
Next, I thought I'd try copying the main machine's /Users/(user)/Library/Preferences/Adobe/After Effects/12.0 folder over to the render slaves, thinking that would get whatever preference file to them that's needed to define the output modules. No luck. Launched After Effects (which loads as After Effects Render Engine) and reset my disk cache preferences (so they weren't still the main machine's). Tried aerender again... no luck. Same error:
aerender ERROR: No output module template was found with the given name.
After that, I thought it would be a good idea to sign out of Adobe Creative Cloud on the main machine, and try logging into the render slave machine with my full UserID and Password and temporarily remove the ae_render_only_node.txt file. Then, I'd import the .aom file in the full version of AE... I tried this and success! The renders work... they find the Output Modules no problem. Only issue is, as soon as I sign out, and switch to using the ae_render_only_node.txt file, the Output Modules are not found. Not sure what's going on-- if the Output Modules are being disabled by the ae_render_only_node.txt file? Or maybe signing out of my Adobe ID is removing the preferences that determine Output Modules? Don't know where the Output Module preferences are stored to be able to tell.
Next attempt: I thought I'd try syncing my preferences with Creative Cloud. I made sure to check After Effects Sync Preferences to ensure that Output Modules are set to sync. I did a sync where I uploaded my preferences from the main machine. Then, on the render slaves, I ran Sync Preferences, and chose to download preferences. Works when signed in, but not when used as a render only node. When it's a render only node, it still prompts me to Download the Sync Preferences and Quit the Application, which I do, but nothing seems to happen. I try aerender again, and still the same error:
aerender ERROR: No output module template was found with the given name.
I can't seem to find any info on where Output Modules are actually stored (apparently they're not anywhere in the User/Library/Preferences/Adobe/After Effects/ folder?). Are render only nodes not allowed to have custom Output Modules? Not even for something as simple as the Multi-Machine Sequence with a post-render action of Set Proxy enabled?
Any help is greatly appreciated!
Thank You.

Answer 1

I've verified this problem and filed a bug. Sorry about the hiccup.
I've trying to pin down why this happens, and while I don't have a full explanation yet I think I've stumbled onto a workaround:
Trash the prefs on the render machine.
Enable the ae_render_only_node.txt file.
Launch AE and then quit. <- This is a critical step. More on this later.
Disable ae_render_only_node.txt file.
Launch AE.
Add your Output Module template.
Quit AE.
Enable the ae_render_only_node.txt file.
After you do this, I highly recommend making a backup copy of the Adobe After Effects 12.0 Prefs-indep-output.txt file. Just in case. I've had the failure reappear.
Now test with aerender and let me know if that works. It has on my machine.
Why does this matter? When you run AE with the ae_render_only_node.txt file enabled, it appears to add a new section to the preferences: "Output Module Preference Section v28-TRIAL". It's the TRIAL part that is important. Without it, AE doesn't seem to be able to keep track of the OM's when in render_only_node mode. And if you disable the ae_render_only_node.txt file, AE has a tendency to destroy the TRIAL section (I'm still tracing why that happens).
Now, should this not work for you, I recommend you work around the problem by adding your comps to the render queue in each project. When you do that, and change your aerender flags appropriately, you can render to your desired settings without specifying OMtemplate parameter.
> I can't seem to find any info on where Output Modules are actually stored (apparently they're not anywhere in the User/Library/Preferences/Adobe/After Effects/ folder?).
You probably already discovered this. In After Effects CC the OM data is stored in the Adobe After Effects 12.0 Prefs-indep-output.txt file. In older versions of AE, a single pref file such as Adobe After Effects 11.0-x64 Prefs.txt holds all of this data.
Let me know if that workaround does the trick for you. If I get more information on the cause of the problem I'll update you.