Silent Install and Uninstall

This page provides information on setting up V-Ray through a silent installation and removing V-Ray through a silent uninstall.

Overview

A silent installation allows you to complete V-Ray installation without user input during the process using a predefined set of options. To set up a silent installation, you need to perform two steps: creating an .xml file and running the installer.

You can remove V-Ray from your machine similarly through a silent uninstall.

Creating the .xml file

Run the installation file from the command prompt with the -gui=0 argument.

vray_adv_50ххх_max20nn_x64.exe -gui=0

Follow the instructions of the install and set up the installation the way you want to have it on all machines. This creates a file named config.xml in the folder of the installation file.

Running the installer

In the second step you run the installer with the following command:

vray_adv_50005_max2021_x64.exe -gui=0 -configFile="xml_file.xml" -quiet=1 -auto

The -quiet=1 argument causes the installer to read the variable values from the .xml file and does the installation without user input. If you do not specify the -quiet=1 option, the installer asks for a confirmation of each variable before proceeding.

Configuration File

The config.xml file holds configuration information about the settings of the installation. Below is an example of such a config file.

Example installer config XML file: xml_file.xml
<DefValues>
<Value Name="SHOULDUNINSTALL" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="REMOTE_LICENSE" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="VROL_INSTALLED" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="VROL_INSTALL_PATH" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\VRLService\OLS</Value>
<Value Name="ISRUNNING_VROL" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="ISRUNNING_VRLSERVICE" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="REVERT_INSTALL" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="PROGRAMFILES" DataType="value">C:\Program Files</Value>
<Value Name="MAXROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2018\</Value>
<Value Name="STDROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\3ds Max 2018</Value>
<Value Name="PLUGINS" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2018\plugins</Value>
<Value Name="STARTMENUPROG" DataType="value">C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs</Value>
<Value Name="COMMONFILES" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Common Files</Value>
<Value Name="VISIT_SPOT3D" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="VIDEO_DRIVER_TDR_DELAY_INCREASE" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="OPEN_CHANGELOG" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="INSTALL_TYPE" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="AUTO_INSTALL_UIMENUS" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="SEND_USER_FEEDBACK" DataType="value">1</Value>
<LicServer>
<Host>127.0.0.1</Host>
<Port>30304</Port>
<Host1></Host1>
<Port1>30304</Port1>
<Host2></Host2>
<Port2>30304</Port2>
<User></User>
</LicServer>
</DefValues>

Below is a description of the variables of the installer: 

SHOULDUNINSTALL

Specifies whether or not the installation uninstalls previous version:

1 - uninstalls previous version

0 - skips the uninstallation of previous version 

REMOTE_LICENSE

Specifies whether the V-Ray license server runs locally or on another machine.

0 - the license server runs locally on the same machine.

1 - the server is on a different machine in the network. 

REVERT_INSTALL

The parameter is used when the installer encounters an error – it triggers uninstallation and removes the files that have been populated before the error appears.

Should always be set to its default 1. 

MAXROOT

Specifies the root folder of 3ds Max. 

STDROOT

Specifies the destination folder for V-Ray additional files (tools, documents, samples, libraries and uninstall information) 

PLUGINS

Specifies the plugins folder for 3ds Max; the default places it as a sub-folder of the 3ds Max root one. 

STARTMENUPROG

Specifies the destination path where shortcuts are placed. 

COMMONFILES

Specifies the destination folder for V-Ray common files. 

VISIT_SPOT3D

Specifies whether or not to open the V-Ray online documentation after the installation is complete.

1 - opens the V-Ray online documentation.

0 - does not open the V-Ray online documentation. 

VIDEO_DRIVER_TDR_DELAY_INCREASE

Tt is the only variable that controls the increase in tdr delay.

For huge scenes it may take longer time to export and prepare the GPU for rendering. Usually drivers automatically stop the process if there is no response in a small amount of time and report the application as not responding. To avoid this, we change the default delay of the drivers to 8 seconds.

0 - The installer does not make the change of the delay.

1 - The installer makes the change of the delay. 

OPEN_CHANGELOG

Specifies whether or not to open the Change Log once the installation is complete

1 opens the Change Log.

0 does not open the Change Log. 

INSTALL_TYPE

Specifies the installation type:

0 – Workstation

1 – 3ds Max render server

2 – Standalone render server

3 – License server only

For a complete description of each installation type refer to the Installation of V-Ray section. 

AUTO_INSTALL_UIMENUS

Corresponds to the "Register V-Ray menus" toolbar functionality. 

SEND_USER_FEEDBACK

Controls whether the user feedback system is used.

0 - makes 3ds Max ask on its own upon startup

1 - enables the feedback program

2 - disables it for all users, except those who have explicitly enabled it from 3ds Max itself. 

<LicServer>

This section specifies the client license settings. 

<Host>IP_Address</Host>

Primary license server's IP Address 

<Host1>IP_Address</Host1>

Alternate license server's 1 IP Address 

<Host2>IP_Address</Host2>

Alternate license server's 2 IP Address 

VARIABLE_MTLLIB_DOWNLOAD_CB

Specifies whether or not to download the material library:

0 - does not download the material library

1 - downloads the material library


Silent Uninstall of V-Ray

A silent uninstall allows you to remove your V-Ray installation without the need for user input during the process. The silent uninstall uses a predefined set of options.


V-Ray for 3ds Max can be silently uninstalled from a console with the following command line:

<STDROOT>\uninstall>installer.exe -uninstall="<STDROOT>\uninstall\install.log" -uninstallApp="V-Ray Next for 3ds Max ####" -auto -quiet=0

Where:

  • <STDROOT> is the V-Ray installation directory;

  • #### is the version of 3ds Max;

  • -quiet=0 is used to display the output of the silent uninstall in the console and can be omitted.