xfpovray

Robert S. Mallozzi
mallozzir@cspar.uah.edu
http://cspar.uah.edu/~mallozzir/

v1.3.1, built with xforms 0.88



QUICK INSTALL

    1. OPTIONAL: Edit xfpovray.cf to set the installation root directory for 
                 xfpovray, and to specify the location of the xforms library 
		 and header file if your compiler can't find them.  
                 Default install directory = /usr/local
    
    2. OPTIONAL: Look at src/xfpovray.h.  Edit any user options.  Most of
                 the options here can be changed from the interface, but 
		 you *must* edit this file if your system does not define
                 create directory as "mkdir"; otherwise there is no need to 
		 edit. 
    
    3. As root:  xmkmf; make; make install; make clean



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USAGE

    xfpovray [-geometry +x+y | file.pov]


INTRODUCTION

    xfpovray is a graphical interface to the cool ray tracing program POV-Ray
    (http://www.povray.org/).  It is written with the XForms library 
    (http://bloch.phys.uwm.edu/xforms/), and supports most of the numerous 
    options of POV-Ray.   The interface was developed with POV-Ray version 3.0,
    but things should probably work OK for earlier versions.  
    Some POV-Ray options are not implemented; see below for a list. 

    Please read the documentation on POV-Ray before using xfpovray, 
    especially if you will be using the animation loop or antialiasing.

    E-mail me any comments, criticisms, bugs, etc., or links to your 
    pages of images developed with POV-Ray/xfpovray.
    

INSTALLATION

    0. You must have the current version of the XForms library installed.

       Also, the utilities mkdir, grep, sed, and cut are required.  The
       latter three are for the filter that parses the *.inc files included 
       with POV-Ray.  These files are used for the Inc Preview function, 
       which allows you to preview some of the textures that come with the
       POV-Ray distribution.  If these utilities are called something else
       on your system, edit src/xfpovray.h before compiling.
    
    1. By default, the root directory for the installation of xfpovray is 
       /usr/local.  If you want to change this, edit xfpovray.cf.  Also, 
       there are some user options at the top of src/xfpovray.h, although
       most of these can be changed while xfpovray is running.
       
       As root, enter the following commands:
          
          xmkmf
          make
          make install
          make clean
            

NOTES

    o  Templates are provided for some of the basic POV-Ray objects to aid
       in editing scene files.  Selecting an object from the "Templates" 
       menu on the main menubar will copy the object definition to the 
       X PRIMARY selection.  You can then insert the selection into 
       an editor that supports this (e.g., NEdit, vi, emacs).

    o  You can execute external routines from the pulldown menu "Options".
       For example, you could start your modeling program.  Create the file
       $HOME/.xfpovray/external.routines and add lines of the following format:
    
         path name

       where path and name are separated by spaces (not tabs, my parser is
       pretty limited...).  path is the full path to the external program, and
       name is the text that will appear on the menu (use only a single word).
       For example, to start ac3d from the "Options" menu, add the line 
    
         /usr/local/bin/ac3d ac3d
    
       to the file $HOME/.xfpovray/external.routines.

    o  If you want to use a personal inc library, enter the
       path under the Parsing Options, and then save the xfpovray state
       using Save State under the Options pull-down menu.

    o  There seems to be a minor bug in POV-Ray with Mosaic Preview under Linux.
       Some files render correctly, others give a segmentation fault.

    o  xfpovray lets POV-Ray output some text to the terminal from which 
       xfpovray was invoked (TODO: Capture POV-Ray output in a command log).  
       I suggest launching xfpovray from an xterm rather than an application 
       launcher (i.e., a button on your desktop) so that this output text 
       is visible.

    o  Do not invoke multiple instances of xfpovray.  The temporary files 
       written to $HOME/.xfpovray/ will probably be corrupted if multiple 
       instances of xfpovray are running.
        
    o  POV-Ray options not implemented:

       INI files
	   - Labeled sections

       Output options
	   - test_abort_count (not applicable, you can send SIGINT at any
	     time with the "Abort Render" function)
	   - continue_trace
	   - create_ini (see Config File->Save button)
	   - video_mode
	   - display_gamma
	   - pause_when_done: Automatically on if you are displaying 
	     during rendering
	   - draw_vistas
	   - output_to_file: Output file is always based on the .pov filename
	   - output_alpha
	   - bits_per_color
	   - CPU utilization histogram

       Scene parsing options
	   - Shell-out commands to OS (pre_scene_command, etc.)
	   - Text output streams are handled by the Verbose button.  They 
	     cannot be output separately, nor output to files.
	   - Help screen switches


LEGAL

    Permission to use, copy, and distribute this software for any purpose 
    and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the author's
    name and this notice appear in all copies and in supporting documentation.
    All distributions must include the original, unmodified source code.
    If the software is modified, notice of modifications must be given.
    The author's name shall not be otherwise used publicity pertaining to 
    distribution of the software without specific, written prior permission. 

    THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS", AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, 
    EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY 
    OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  IN NO EVENT SHALL 
    THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, 
    INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OR ANY DAMAGES 
    WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOSS OF PROFIT, LOSS OF USE, 
    SAVINGS OR REVENUE, OR THE CLAIMS OF THIRD PARTIES, WHETHER OR NOT THE 
    AUTHOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH LOSS, HOWEVER CAUSED 
    AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE
    POSSESSION, USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.

    This software is in no way affiliated with the University of Alabama,
    or NASA and the US government.
