* Feature: support for shared downloads directory
This feature is especially relevant for users with several clients running simultaneously within the same computer (computers running several GPUs or any combination of GPUs + CPUs) or multiple computers running in a network. The feature allows the user to specify a shared downloads directory via the new -shared-downloads-dir client option. All the clients using that option will share the same binaries and scene files.
How it works?
The first client downloading a binary or scene will save the file in the directory especified in -shared-downloads-directory. The rest of the clients using the same option will wait until the file has been downloaded. Once the file has been downloaded, it will be ready for the rest of the clients.
This feature is especially relevant for users with metered/slow connections or multiple computers/clients that don't want to download the same binary/file multiple times.
IMPORTANT: All the clients intended to share the binaries and scenes must execute the client with the same -shared-downloads-dir parameter.
* Feature: add session data consumption information in GUI/text UIs
Adds the total bytes downloaded and uploaded in the current session as well as the average data transfer rate for both UL/DL. The information is not added to the 1-line UI as the line will take 150+ characters in the screen.
A new -shutdown <time> option has been created to specify the time when the client will stop asking for new jobs, will finish uploading the frames in the upload queue and will shutdown the computer. The time argument can have two different formats: an absolute date & time in the format yyyy-MM-ddThh:mm:ss (24h format) or a relative time in the format +m where m is the number of minutes from now.
The user can also select the shutdown-mode, where "wait" will wait for all the processes (render + pending uploads) to finish and "hard" will cancel all the pending jobs and will initiate the computer shutdown.
Fix the sync/async detection to ensure that handle the server side projects properly. The routine was incorrectly uploading sync files with the async routine and vice-versa.
* Improve status messages
Add three new status messages (uploading frame, stopping the client and disconnecting from SheepIt servers) to keep the user better informed. Additionally, amended some existing messages to make them more user friendly, while maintaining the existing technical logs.