ShadeTree Frequently Asked Questions

You're bound to come across problems while using the software. We've tried to document every possible problem users have encountered, and to list the solutions here.

For the most up-to-date version of the FAQ's, please refer to the Cinema Graphics website. Often we will update the website with common questions about a new release after it has gone out.

If your problem isn't in list below, contact us via email [email protected].


  • 1.0.0 - BEGINNER GOTCHYAS
  • 2.0.0 - NORMAL USE GOTCHYAS
  • 3.0.0 - ADVANCED USER GOTCHYAS
  • 4.0.0 - SYSADMIN/SETUP GOTCHYAS
  • 5.0.0 - INSTALLATION PROBLEMS


    1.0.0 - BEGINNER GOTCHYAS
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    1.0.1 Where do I start? Are there some examples?
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    1.0.2 How do I load (the desk, a .cpp file)?
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    1.0.3 How do I save (the desk, the .cpp file, the .dll file)?
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    1.0.4 Is there a way to easily save out everything, then invoke a render?
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    1.0.5 Do the example ShadeTree files have any documentation?
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    1.0.6 Can I make my own help docs for shaders I create?
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    2.0.0 - NORMAL USE GOTCHYAS
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    2.0.1 I get an error in the text window when I hit render. What do I do?
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    2.0.2 Won't render examples (can't find renderer, permission denied)
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    2.0.3 The image is not what I expected.. what do I do?
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    2.0.4 How can I render my scene, not just spheres and cylinders?
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    1. Custom Render Scripts.

    2. Your animation software.

        Using your own animation software is the best way to render your scene, or tweak animation curves, or manipulate your database so you can zoom in on particular objects to check the shader.

    2.0.5 I hit render, the machine slows down to a crawl.. what's up?
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    2.0.6 The sliders (along the left) take a long time to appear/disappear?
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    2.0.7 When boxes get close together, the inter-connection lines do weird stuff.
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    3.0.0 - ADVANCED USER GOTCHYAS
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    3.0.1 What happens when you hit the 'Render' button?
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    3.0.2 How do I render my own scenes?
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    3.0.3 How do I render a frame range?
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    3.0.4 Where's the source for some of these STREE_ functions?
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    3.0.5 What libraries should I include when rendering over a network?
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    3.0.6 How do I set up ShadeTree to 'see' custom boxes I've created?
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    3.0.7 How do I setup ShadeTree to work with netrender?
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    3.0.8 How do I setup ShadeTree to work with a render queue?
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    4.0.0 - SYSADMIN/SETUP GOTCHYAS
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    4.0.1 My EDITOR variable is set, but (emacs, gemacs) doesn't load
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    4.0.2 Won't render examples (can't find renderer, permission denied)
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    5.0.0 - INSTALLATION PROBLEMS
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    These are problems with just getting the software interface up and running properly.
    5.0.1 Can't start the software ... license error
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    5.0.2 We use subnets, and our redundant license servers can't see each other?
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    5.0.3 On startup, I get an error 'Cannot create "C:\temp\stree.273"'.
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    5.0.4 I can bring up the interface, but can't find the examples to test it?
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    5.0.5 I can load the examples, but it won't render an image?
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    5.0.6 The elm license daemon won't start! The log says 'System date error'
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    If you encounter errors in this document, please email [email protected] with the URL, and enclose an example of the erroneous text, and what you feel to be the corrections, if possible.

    Copyright (c) 1996-1998 Cinema Graphics Inc. All Rights reserved.