In article <3a58a0ce@news.povray.org>, "Rune" <run### [at] inamecom> 
wrote:

> I don't think build-in solid patterns are completely redundant just 
> because the function pattern can create any solid pattern. I think 
> simple patterns that will most probably be used very often should be 
> built in, while complicated specialised patterns can be made with the 
> function pattern.

I agree...but the "gradient2" pattern seems like an over-specialized 
pattern to me.


> The reason I think it would be reasonable to include the gradient2 
> pattern (or whatever you would call it) in POV-Ray itself is that 
> it's so simple and useful. IMHO that pattern is much more useful than 
> many of the patterns that are currently included in the official 
> distribution of POV-Ray, and I've needed it many more times than most 
> of the other patterns...

I still don't quite understand why...but I've been thinking of some 
extensions to the pattern syntax that would allow the ordinary gradient 
to be used this way. Basically allowing pattern values outside the [0, 
1] range and specifying how they are clipped and scaled to fit in the 
proper range...it would be more flexible because you could specify where 
and how many bands you want instead of using yet another pattern. 
Probably an extension to the waveforms feature...


> In your opinion what are the criteria when deciding if a new pattern is
> worthy of addition?

Well, it would have to be impossible or difficult to do with existing 
features(for example, even the simplest slope pattern can't be done with 
function patterns), and it would have to be useful. The "gradient2" 
pattern is very easy to do with existing features, and I don't see it as 
being used very often, so I think it would fit much better in an include 
file. Also, as mentioned above, I've been thinking about a possible 
feature for *all* patterns that could replace it and be more flexible.

-- 
Christopher James Huff
Personal: chr### [at] maccom, http://homepage.mac.com/chrishuff/
TAG: chr### [at] tagpovrayorg, http://tag.povray.org/

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