MPG.19c5a4f7920f481498989f@news.povray.org...
> >  Modellers for povray?. Almost every 3D$ program can act
> > as a modeller for povray
> Sort of...

I was talking about meshes, obviously, not CSG.
If the 3D$ program can export to obj., .dxf or .3ds
you can use it in Povray using Poseray, that has an
excellent mesh2 output.

> > (I'm still waiting for someone who create a converter from
> > mesh or mesh2 to obj or 3ds.)
> This is why it is only 'sort of'.

I think you misunderstand me (or I explain myself wrong as usual).
What I was saying is that it would be fine if such a conversor exists
(from mesh or mesh2 to .obj or 3DS).
It's not an idea from mine. I read it in p.b.i. in a post made by Gilles
Tran on 15/7/03, thread "POV-Tree 1.1 Examples":

"..., but there's also a more hidden advantage
to mesh2 : its syntax is close to the obj format (lists of vertices,
normals, uvs). If you can output to mesh2 you can figure out how to
output to OBJ (I think Rune did something like this). And OBJ, unlike
mesh2 which is POV-only, is a popular 3d format which means that
your app could export to any 3d application out there from Bryce to
Maya."

> If it doesn't output native POV code or
> only supports a version from 10 years ago, or fails to support some basic
> features (Moray's direct addition of SDL doesn't count imho, especially
> if it is an object you are trying to add and position), then it isn't
> really a good POV-Ray modeller.

I think Moray direct addition of SDL does count. One thing you cannot set
in Moray is an skysphere. With DirectCode it's easy (you can use the Texture
Editor to make the pigments and copy - paste the result if you like).
With other objects you can use a dummy to add and position your SDL
object in the scene.
But Moray really outputs native POV code, supports the last version and
the basic (and some advanced) features of POV by itself.
Almost everythng I model is done in Moray or in Hamapatch and Moray,
and my scenes are usually a mixture of meshes or bicubic patches and CSG.
I wouldn't say that Moray isn't really a good POV-Ray modeller, simply
'cos that's not true.

> Nearly every conversion method messes
> something up, fails to convert some things or flat out won't support some
> features that make it impossible to take full advantage of the modellers
> capabilities.

I think Poseray do a great job with .obj files (because we are talking
about models, not about complete scenes, right?)

> A 'real' modeller for POV-Ray would have to be 100%
> supportive of the current version and at least attempt to provide native
> and 'accurate' conversion of models from other popular apps. Having 16
> different programs to do this, because all of them are missing something
> you need, isn't helpful in the least from my view.

I also miss in Moray a feature relative to conversion of other 3D formats.
It was discussed in moray.beta and the short answer is "use 3DWin" :(
Anyway, since I use Povray I have used a lot of different programs to
do different things (from sPatch to TextureView) and we are talking
mainly about freeware programs or low cost shareware. Usually is
the price you have to pay if you don't want to pay real money. But
is something I can live with (and enjoy ;-).

See you

Txemi Jendrix
http://www.txemijendrix.com

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