1xfpovray
2
3Robert S. Mallozzi
4mallozzir@cspar.uah.edu
5http://cspar.uah.edu/~mallozzir/
6
7v1.3.1, built with xforms 0.88
8
9
10
11QUICK INSTALL
12
13 1. OPTIONAL: Edit xfpovray.cf to set the installation root directory for
14 xfpovray, and to specify the location of the xforms library
15 and header file if your compiler can't find them.
16 Default install directory = /usr/local
17
18 2. OPTIONAL: Look at src/xfpovray.h. Edit any user options. Most of
19 the options here can be changed from the interface, but
20 you *must* edit this file if your system does not define
21 create directory as "mkdir"; otherwise there is no need to
22 edit.
23
24 3. As root: xmkmf; make; make install; make clean
25
26
27
28* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
29
30USAGE
31
32 xfpovray [-geometry +x+y | file.pov]
33
34
35INTRODUCTION
36
37 xfpovray is a graphical interface to the cool ray tracing program POV-Ray
38 (http://www.povray.org/). It is written with the XForms library
39 (http://bloch.phys.uwm.edu/xforms/), and supports most of the numerous
40 options of POV-Ray. The interface was developed with POV-Ray version 3.0,
41 but things should probably work OK for earlier versions.
42 Some POV-Ray options are not implemented; see below for a list.
43
44 Please read the documentation on POV-Ray before using xfpovray,
45 especially if you will be using the animation loop or antialiasing.
46
47 E-mail me any comments, criticisms, bugs, etc., or links to your
48 pages of images developed with POV-Ray/xfpovray.
49
50
51INSTALLATION
52
53 0. You must have the current version of the XForms library installed.
54
55 Also, the utilities mkdir, grep, sed, and cut are required. The
56 latter three are for the filter that parses the *.inc files included
57 with POV-Ray. These files are used for the Inc Preview function,
58 which allows you to preview some of the textures that come with the
59 POV-Ray distribution. If these utilities are called something else
60 on your system, edit src/xfpovray.h before compiling.
61
62 1. By default, the root directory for the installation of xfpovray is
63 /usr/local. If you want to change this, edit xfpovray.cf. Also,
64 there are some user options at the top of src/xfpovray.h, although
65 most of these can be changed while xfpovray is running.
66
67 As root, enter the following commands:
68
69 xmkmf
70 make
71 make install
72 make clean
73
74
75NOTES
76
77 o Templates are provided for some of the basic POV-Ray objects to aid
78 in editing scene files. Selecting an object from the "Templates"
79 menu on the main menubar will copy the object definition to the
80 X PRIMARY selection. You can then insert the selection into
81 an editor that supports this (e.g., NEdit, vi, emacs).
82
83 o You can execute external routines from the pulldown menu "Options".
84 For example, you could start your modeling program. Create the file
85 $HOME/.xfpovray/external.routines and add lines of the following format:
86
87 path name
88
89 where path and name are separated by spaces (not tabs, my parser is
90 pretty limited...). path is the full path to the external program, and
91 name is the text that will appear on the menu (use only a single word).
92 For example, to start ac3d from the "Options" menu, add the line
93
94 /usr/local/bin/ac3d ac3d
95
96 to the file $HOME/.xfpovray/external.routines.
97
98 o If you want to use a personal inc library, enter the
99 path under the Parsing Options, and then save the xfpovray state
100 using Save State under the Options pull-down menu.
101
102 o There seems to be a minor bug in POV-Ray with Mosaic Preview under Linux.
103 Some files render correctly, others give a segmentation fault.
104
105 o xfpovray lets POV-Ray output some text to the terminal from which
106 xfpovray was invoked (TODO: Capture POV-Ray output in a command log).
107 I suggest launching xfpovray from an xterm rather than an application
108 launcher (i.e., a button on your desktop) so that this output text
109 is visible.
110
111 o Do not invoke multiple instances of xfpovray. The temporary files
112 written to $HOME/.xfpovray/ will probably be corrupted if multiple
113 instances of xfpovray are running.
114
115 o POV-Ray options not implemented:
116
117 INI files
118 - Labeled sections
119
120 Output options
121 - test_abort_count (not applicable, you can send SIGINT at any
122 time with the "Abort Render" function)
123 - continue_trace
124 - create_ini (see Config File->Save button)
125 - video_mode
126 - display_gamma
127 - pause_when_done: Automatically on if you are displaying
128 during rendering
129 - draw_vistas
130 - output_to_file: Output file is always based on the .pov filename
131 - output_alpha
132 - bits_per_color
133 - CPU utilization histogram
134
135 Scene parsing options
136 - Shell-out commands to OS (pre_scene_command, etc.)
137 - Text output streams are handled by the Verbose button. They
138 cannot be output separately, nor output to files.
139 - Help screen switches
140
141
142LEGAL
143
144 Permission to use, copy, and distribute this software for any purpose
145 and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the author's
146 name and this notice appear in all copies and in supporting documentation.
147 All distributions must include the original, unmodified source code.
148 If the software is modified, notice of modifications must be given.
149 The author's name shall not be otherwise used publicity pertaining to
150 distribution of the software without specific, written prior permission.
151
152 THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS", AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
153 EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY
154 OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL
155 THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL,
156 INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OR ANY DAMAGES
157 WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOSS OF PROFIT, LOSS OF USE,
158 SAVINGS OR REVENUE, OR THE CLAIMS OF THIRD PARTIES, WHETHER OR NOT THE
159 AUTHOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH LOSS, HOWEVER CAUSED
160 AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE
161 POSSESSION, USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
162
163 This software is in no way affiliated with the University of Alabama,
164 or NASA and the US government.
165