Strange empty path in asset tracking couldn't be removed. And cause read/write error in backburner network rendering?

[5vil]

So, in our network rendering process, sometime we face the error like this and we still can't fully figure out how to fix it quickly.

In this instance, there's an unknown empty path displays in asset tracking list (which appear as a HDD icon, not standard bitmap icon at all), but user can't remove or strip or setpath it at all (in other situation similar to this error, user can remove/strip path and problem got solved but not this case). The file render fine in workstation PC but once we submit it via Backburner to our local network renderfarm, it'll display "read/write error", like this one below, but the path display in monitor error tab nowhere to be found on Asset tracking of given *.max file.

Usually we couldn't solve the issue and had to render the problematic file on separate workstation (because this error doesn't affect local PC rendering at all, only error occur in network backburner rendering (like some well-known problems with bad jpg header, DDS file, etc... which only error in network rendering but fine in local workstation).

).

This time after a lot of searchings in google without success, we tried manually delete objects in scene in this way:
- Delete half amout of objects and try to refresh Asset tracking list to see if the empty path gone. If path gone, we kinda know it belongs to some problematic objects in that set and try select half of that, and keep up again and again until we might found out a object that directly assosiated with that empty path. This case, luckily, we found a object that has this material. The bump slot has missing IFL file (3dsMax image file list that we use to load some sequence of images to have animated texture on object). We cleared the bitmap from the material and the empty path gone away from Asset list, render ==> problem fixed. But this workaround is so tedious and time consumming.

Is there faster way to do this task? The error with IFL file, I believe, it's not the only one error that lead to "empty path" and "read/write" error in network rendering, but this time we found it. But we can't be sure next time we can find another again. I assume that maybe there's more reason to this error than just IFL file missing.


Even if next time it's still the IFL missing issue, there's no fast way to locate it in the scene to fix it. Problem is Asset tracking itself lack some of very fundamental features, like select object/material by map, or more solid way to deal with empty undeleted bitmap in Asset list... I look up for that and saw a topic in vote page, +vote for that already, but just mention here to get the problem some attention, maybe..

[5vil]

This is a small part of the file. This file only contains few objects but still have the problematic one. So if anyone would like to take a look, then file attacted below (3ds Max 2020).

If there's any script or small line of code to remove this kind of abnormal asset path from asset list, then I'd be grateful. Thanks for reading.