"Steve Shelby" <ssh### [at] rexnetnet> wrote:
> I've been working with Moray for a couple years, and just recently started
> learning to manipulate scenes in PovRay. One thing Moray has that I like
is
> the ability to create "reference objects", so that if you transform the
> first object, all of the reference objects will automatically be
transformed
> in the same way. This is a great time saver. Does PovRay have a way of
doing
> the same thing?

Interestingly enough, the answer might as well be 'No' -- depending upon
what you're looking for.

If you're looking just for coding time etc. saving, then look at previous
answers.

However, please be warned that all those '#local's and '#declares' do next
to nothing to save memory -- except for (IIRC) textures and meshes. All
other objects will one day explode right into your face if you instantiate
them... err, generously enough, thinking that you're only making
'reference's...

Even if you, say, #declare a huge CSG object and use it just once in 'object
{...}', you actually create *two* copies, one in the table, and one in the
scene.

Unfortunately, true mesh-like references are not always practical in
POV-Ray, due to rendering performance considerations.

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