On 4/14/20 9:10 PM, Bald Eagle wrote:
> Any idea if I can [successfully] use the object{} pigment pattern in an
> isosurface function, and what the proper syntax is?
> 
> 
Yep, you can by sampling enough to create continuous values, but it's 
not all that usable implemented in SDL. Look for some zip file called 
ObjectAsISO maybe I put out on the news server in 2008 or maybe 2009.

The hard_object pattern in povr is an inbuilt version of the approach. 
The soft_object pattern another alternative.

The limiter in an object pattern (AKA inside test) based function is the 
normal bounding structure searches are bypassed. If you have one or just 
a few simple shapes - all with effecient inside test code (1) - 
something like hard_object is workable. The soft_object approach less so.

If your shape / structure is complex csg, things become unbearably slow 
-  because POV-Ray today tests each shape one by one.

Bill P.

(1) - Some shapes like the superellipsoid have extremely slow inside 
tests. Others like mesh and mesh2 are really quick as they have an 
internal bounding structure that gets used to do the inside test.

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