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The rest of the settings are explained in more detail within the example files. 99% of the time the defaults are perfect.
Creating a
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[Multiple machine setup - what needs to be included on each machine]
[Using the nDisplay launcher]
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network storage system
Making nDisplay extremely easy to update and configure requires the use of a NAS (network accessible storage) device. Without it, you would need to manually update each machine with a new version of the Unreal build, and configuration. Instead, all the machines can work from one file, on one machine, that is shared with all of them.
There are a few possible ways to achieve this, the simplest is by using a physical NAS. These can be purchased from most PC stores, and are essentially a small computer with a lot of storage. They connect to a local network and provide every machine on that network with access to it’s storage.
The second way is to use Sharepoint (a business version of OneDrive) which uploads and shares the files between the machines allowed to access it. It is also the same location on all machines. This can also be done with Google drive too.
[TODO - how to with a sharedrive.]
The third way is to share a drive on one of the machines within the cluster. To set this up, it’s best to create it on the machine you’re doing development on, or if that is not possible, the machine designated as the master by the config file.
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| title | Creating a shared drive (Windows 10) |
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Make sure that all computers on the network can see each other. This is possible in the network rollout within the explorer window. As long as all machines are visible, they should have access to the shared drive.  Image AddedIf you cannot see any other computers in this window, you will need to Enable network discovery. This can be done by doing the following:
- Open Start
- Type ‘Control Panel’
- Click Control Panel
- Click Network and Sharing Center (you may need to click the Network and Internet heading
- Click Change Advance sharing settings in the upper left side.
- Check “Turn on network Discovery”
- Check “Turn on file and printer sharing”
- Click Save Changes and continue.
You will need to repeat this process on every machine in the cluster, so they can all see and talk to each other. On the Master machine, locate the folder you wish to share with all the other machines. The items you will need to share are:
- The Unreal build in it’s entirety
- The Unreal nDisplay config file
- The Scalable data (should be near the config file)
- The nDisplay Listener.exe (and it’s config files)
I created a folder in my D drive called ‘nDisplayBuild’ and placed everything in that folder, like so.
Test1, and Test2 are the names of my Unreal Builds  Image Added
Right click the folder you would like to share, and click Properties and click on the Sharing tab.
 Image AddedClick Share…
 Image AddedYour name will be in the list, but you need to add Everyone if it’s not already present. Then add a Read/Write permission level (Read would be fine, but it stops the ability to write Log files)
Click the Share button, and accept the warning that pops up. The folder will now be shared across all the machines. Provided the have access credentials to the master machine. This is usually just the username and password you use to log into it. The next step is to add the shared folder we just created as a drive with the same location on all the machines. The first step is to identify a drive letter that is not present on all the machines. E is usually free, as most modern machines will have two drives. C and D however, if that is not present pick one further up the alphabet. It has to be the same location on all machines.
When ready, on each machine (including the master) Open the explorer window, and Right Click This PC, then select Map Network Drive
This window will pop up.
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Pick your drive letter, and then click browse to bring up the Browse for Folder window, select the root folder that you created earlier, and click OK
You also have the option to connect at Sign-in, and connect using different credentials. Both of which are extremely important for all the machines (except credentials for the master, as they will be the same). These settings allow for autonomous restarting of the machines without issues.
Once done, click Finish and you will have a network drive underneath your local drives on the This PC menu. It will have a drive letter, and provide a universal location for all machines to access the same files, at the same exact file path when added to all of them.
 Image AddedThis is a very common process, and if you run into any issues, there is lots of support online by searching for ‘Windows 10 add shared drive’
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nDisplay Launcher
Once you have your Project deployed successfully to all the computers you've identified in your configuration file, you can use the nDisplayLauncher application to start the Project on all computers simultaneously. You should only run this on your master machine, or a console machine (it doesn’t have to be a machine with the unreal project on, it just needs to be on the same subnet. )
It can be found in the same place as the nDisplayListener program, within your Unreal engine’s binary files. It’s a good idea to add this to the start menu, or create a shortcut, as it’s very prone to crashing.
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Make sure you have started the nDisplayListeners on each of the machines in the cluster. It’s a good idea to make this happen on startup by following THIS GUIDE |
The Launcher looks like this, with 3 main fields:
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Add your packaged Project .exe file to the Applications list.
Click Add under the Applications list, then browse to and select the .exe file you packaged for your Project. The nDisplay Launcher will add your new application to the list. Click its name to select it. This must be the same location on all the machines in the cluster. The addresses must match.
Specify your configuration file. Again, this must be a shared location, with the same address for all machines.
Make sure your application is highlighted, it will say ‘no application is selected’ otherwise. Then click Run
As long as your configuration is correct, you will see it send a run command to all the PC’s on the network.
Unreal, with scalable mapped displays, should start on all the machines in the cluster.
