# Blender CLI rendering issues

**URL:** <https://blenderartists.org/t/blender-cli-rendering-issues/1342202>\
**Category:** Lighting and Rendering\
**Tags:** command-line\
**Created:** [November 30, 2021, 11:50pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/blender-cli-rendering-issues/1342202 "2021-11-30T23:50:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mor3no\_kaffee](https://blenderartists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@mor3no\_kaffee](https://blenderartists.org/u/mor3no_kaffee)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 11:50pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/blender-cli-rendering-issues/1342202/1 "2021-11-30T23:50:38Z")

</div>

Hi there!

I’m having some issues with Command Line Rendering.

I’m currently using Blender 2.93.6

```auto
Blender 2.93.6
        build date: 2021-11-17
        build time: 00:50:06
        build commit date: 2021-11-16
        build commit time: 14:54
        build hash: c842a90e2fa1
        build platform: Windows
        build type: release
        build c flags: /W3 /w34062 /w34115 /w34189 /wd4018 /wd4146 /wd4065 /wd4127 /wd4181 /wd4200 /wd4244 /wd4267 /wd4305 /wd4800 /wd4828 /wd4996 /wd4661 /we4013 /we4133 /we4431 /w35038 /DWIN32 /D_WINDOWS /W3 /nologo /J /Gd /MP /bigobj -openmp
        build c++ flags: /W3 /w34062 /w34115 /w34189 /wd4018 /wd4146 /wd4065 /wd4127 /wd4181 /wd4200 /wd4244 /wd4267 /wd4305 /wd4800 /wd4828 /wd4996 /wd4661 /we4013 /we4133 /we4431 /w35038 /DWIN32 /D_WINDOWS /W3 /EHsc /nologo /J /Gd /MP /EHsc /bigobj /permissive- /Zc:twoPhase- -openmp /std:c++17 /Zc:__cplusplus
        build link flags: /MACHINE:X64 /SUBSYSTEM:CONSOLE /STACK:2097152 /ignore:4049 /ignore:4217 /ignore:4221
        build system: CMake

```

I have a scene set up with a camera and some object. I want to note that in the GUI, everything works perfectly as expected.

I am trying to render a specific frame from a blend file from the command line. I know that there are many ways to do it from the GUI as well, but I need it done from the CLI **In the background**.

* * *

In the GUI I could do this here using `[MENU] Render > Render Animation`

This then opens the Blender Render window, loads Importance maps and so on for a few **seconds (!!!)** and perfectly renders the scene giving me the desired result. **With all workspace settings respected**

* * *

Now, for the command line.

`blender -b icewatch.blend -f 1`

→ I expect blender to open in the background, load file `icewatch.blend` and render frame 1 with the set workspace output settings.

However, the ouptut is as follows:

```auto
Fra:1 Mem:3454.34M (Peak 3454.34M) | Time:00:01.03 | Mem:0.00M, Peak:0.00M | Production, View Layer | Synchronizing object | Plane
Fra:1 Mem:3454.34M (Peak 3454.34M) | Time:00:01.03 | Mem:0.00M, Peak:0.00M | Production, View Layer | Synchronizing object | Marble
Fra:1 Mem:3457.01M (Peak 3457.38M) | Time:00:01.04 | Mem:0.00M, Peak:0.00M | Production, View Layer | Initializing
Fra:1 Mem:3452.57M (Peak 3457.38M) | Time:00:01.04 | Mem:0.00M, Peak:0.00M | Production, View Layer | Waiting for render to start
Fra:1 Mem:3453.61M (Peak 3457.38M) | Time:00:01.04 | Mem:0.00M, Peak:0.00M | Production, View Layer | Loading render kernels (may take a few minutes the first time)

```

This keeps going for at least half an hour, while in the GUI, clicking ‘render’, start in seconds and finishes within 20 minutes.

I have tried replacing `-f 1` with `-a` to no avail. My animation is only one frame and output is set to png.

If it is needed for any reason, these are the current render settings set in the GUI:

 ![afbeelding](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/b/c/1/bc15beaee7e4e6286c12118793c36b4ba53b8756.png)

I have checked multiple times, these settings are saved and are in fact set correctly (in the GUI it renders and executes fine!!!)

How do I tell blender to follow the in-file output settings/not do whatever it is doing?

I can’t find information on this anywhere but this is really annoying! Why does it not work like it does in the GUI? What am I missing here?

Thank you a lot to anyone who can guide me in the right direction here, I have no clue what to do.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Okidoki](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/okidoki/32/1434104_2.png) [@Okidoki](https://blenderartists.org/u/Okidoki)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 12:46pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/blender-cli-rendering-issues/1342202/2 "2021-12-02T12:46:42Z")

</div>

Blender is a bit picky about the output location. Using  
`blender -b -o qqq.png -f 1 my.blend` will produce a file names `qqq.png0001.png`. Using:  
`blender -b -o . -f 1 my.blend` will produce `.0001.png` (hidden in linux). So do it this way:

> blender -b -o ./ -f 1 my.blend

Or better:

> blender2.93.4 -b -o ./mypath/ -f 1 my.blend

of course `./mypath` has to be an existing dir or if you didn’t typed the last slash it will name the file `mypath0001.png` except you wanted thhis prefix ( or better `myfiles` ??).