My earlier version put the number label on one of the cones in my CSG.  The
method I used is the one you described.
In my latest version, I have switched to a sPatch model. It's no longer CSG of
primitives but about 25 bicubic patches.

I like letting the software do the work.  I can then easily change my number
"n" of actors from 15 to 40 with a single keystroke! Furthermoe, I have wasted
HOURS in the past trying to get a bitmap to align with any kind of sense on my
object.

Robert J Becraft wrote:

> Without seeing your code or original creations, I suspect that the point
> on the creature's body you wish to place this number has a primative
> shape (cylinder, sphere, etc.).  Simply create the primative, apply your
> number and position it appropriately overlapping your creature in the
> proper position.
>
> You might want to experiment for "speed" by testing wether your method
> of intersection of text and the object works better or simply making a
> bitmap with a background that is transparent. (Ie. sometimes you have to
> make all those bitmaps!)
>
> Regards,
> Robert J Becraft
> aka cas### [at] aolcom
>
> Greg M. Johnson wrote:
> >
> > I want each individual object actor[n] to be labelled with the number
> > "n" on its body.  When my "actor" was CSG of a few primitives,  I had a
> > sufficiently clever way of doing this: I created an additional object
> > slightly larger than my actor, which was the intersection of a text
> > object and my actor.
> >
> > Now that I've converted to a sPatch- modelled object which contains many
> > bicubic patches, I suspect that the render time would creep to a halt if
> > I used the same technique.  Any suggestions on how to do this in the
> > pigment?  I don't want to make separate bitmaps for each number!

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