Hope I didn't miss this somehow, but can I ask where I find the status of
version 3.8? I've started using the current beta but since it's for a long term
project I would like to know what the future might hold.
For example, there seem to be some command line switches missing, like +sf and
+ef. Have they been dropped, is there a different way to implement animation
subsets, any documentation?

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hi,

"Paul Bourke" <pau### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> ...
> For example, there seem to be some command line switches missing, like +sf and
> +ef. Have they been dropped, is there a different way to implement animation
> subsets, any documentation?

was not aware those CLI options don't work, will try and find time to test here.
 different way - use .ini files, and there you can use keywords instead of
abbreviated options.  documentation - I usually start from
<wiki.povray.org/content/Reference:Keywords>.


regards, jr.

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"jr" <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> "Paul Bourke" <pau### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> > ...
> > For example, there seem to be some command line switches missing, like +sf and
> > +ef. Have they been dropped, is there a different way to implement animation
> > subsets, any documentation?
>
> was not aware those CLI options don't work, will try and find time to test here.

using a (self-compiled) beta.2, both those options work, from ini and from the
command line, eg using an animation copied and "rigged" for the test, I have
'initial_frame' and 'final_frame' as before, added the
'subset_(end|start)_frame' options, and ran that, and commented out out again:

  $ povray proj.ini
  $ povray proj.ini +sf0 +ef99

also, I "discovered" :-) the "partial output" options, and re-ran the above with
those options added, ie

  $ povray proj.ini +sf0 +ef99 +sr0.25 +sc0.25 +er0.75 +ec0.75

and got the results I expected reading the docs.

wondering what, if any, of the configuration options used might come "into
play".  if you have no luck with command line and or ini, can you please post
your build details ?


> Hope I didn't miss this somehow, but can I ask where I find the status of
> version 3.8? I've started using the current beta but since it's for a long term
> project I would like to know what the future might hold.

some months ago, now, Chris Cason posted about intentions of bringing 3.8 out of
the beta stage.  there are .. intermittent discussions here in the NGs
concerning development, the lack of, rather.  wrt long-term, I'd expect the
features in the beta.2 to all continue to be available.


regards, jr.

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"Paul Bourke" <pau### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> Hope I didn't miss this somehow, but can I ask where I find the status of
> version 3.8?

You, fine Sir, are looking at it.

> I've started using the current beta but since it's for a long term
> project I would like to know what the future might hold.

And in that respect, you join us all.
I have posted very many times about the need to attract new users and advertise
wherever we might for people to help further develop this open-source project.

At present, it seems that just myself, and mostly William F Pokorny are
investigating various parts of the source code to better understand, comment,
and hopefully improve upon the extant code base.

I think that working out various functions, diagramming out the geometry,
documenting the math with publicly-accessible references, and clearly commenting
the code would be an excellent project for undergraduate (and graduate) students
in math and computer science, and help provide a solid entry point for further
development efforts.  Though the contributions may seem small, they do indeed
add up over time.


> For example, there seem to be some command line switches missing, like +sf and
> +ef. Have they been dropped, is there a different way to implement animation
> subsets, any documentation?

I see that jr has addressed these concerns.

- BW

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On 15/10/2025 00:26, Bald Eagle wrote:
> "Paul Bourke" <pau### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
>> Hope I didn't miss this somehow, but can I ask where I find the status of
>> version 3.8?
> 
> You, fine Sir, are looking at it.
> 
>> I've started using the current beta but since it's for a long term
>> project I would like to know what the future might hold.
> 
> And in that respect, you join us all.
> I have posted very many times about the need to attract new users and advertise
> wherever we might for people to help further develop this open-source project.
> 
> At present, it seems that just myself, and mostly William F Pokorny are
> investigating various parts of the source code to better understand, comment,
> and hopefully improve upon the extant code base.
> 
> I think that working out various functions, diagramming out the geometry,
> documenting the math with publicly-accessible references, and clearly commenting
> the code would be an excellent project for undergraduate (and graduate) students
> in math and computer science, and help provide a solid entry point for further
> development efforts.  Though the contributions may seem small, they do indeed
> add up over time.
> 
> 
>> For example, there seem to be some command line switches missing, like +sf and
>> +ef. Have they been dropped, is there a different way to implement animation
>> subsets, any documentation?
> 
> I see that jr has addressed these concerns.

I have some ideas that will hopefully get us out of the beta rut, though they are more
long-term than finishing what Clipka left right now.

Keep an eye on this thread as it seems a good place to post updates on this topic.

regards,

-- Chris

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> using a (self-compiled) beta.2, both those options work, from ini and from the
> command line

I'm using POV-Ray 3.8.0-beta.2.unofficial, compiled by myself on MacOS from the
corresponding povunix-*-src.tar.gz

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hi,

"Paul Bourke" <pau### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> I'm using POV-Ray 3.8.0-beta.2.unofficial, compiled by myself on MacOS from the
> corresponding povunix-*-src.tar.gz

ok.  no idea re "MacOS".  where did you get the source,
<github.com/POV-Ray/povray/tags> ?  and, './configure' etc details, please.


regards, jr.

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