Povray Ver 3.0 doesn't support #macro, but 3.1 does
I need to know what it does so I can understand and use some examples
I cannot run.

I don't like any newer versions of povray, they try to sell me all of
their cdroms, and I hate it.
is there any difference between ver 3.0 and 3.1?

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In article <38B8283C.C3189B4D@netvision.net.il> , Eitan Tal 
<eit### [at] netvisionnetil>  wrote:

> Povray Ver 3.0 doesn't support #macro, but 3.1 does
> I need to know what it does so I can understand and use some examples
> I cannot run.

The manual for 3.1 is available in various formats at:
<ftp://ftp.povray.org/pub/povray/Official/Docs/>

> I don't like any newer versions of povray, they try to sell me all of
> their cdroms, and I hate it.

Are you refering to the copyright message which comes up in POV-Ray for
Windows 3.1?

> is there any difference between ver 3.0 and 3.1?

No, new versions never have new features...


        Thorsten

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In article <38B8283C.C3189B4D@netvision.net.il>, Eitan Tal 
<eit### [at] netvisionnetil> wrote:

> Povray Ver 3.0 doesn't support #macro, but 3.1 does
> I need to know what it does so I can understand and use some examples
> I cannot run.

A macro is basically a chunk of code that you can call multiple times, 
and pass variables to through the parameters. Like this:
#macro Square(val)
    (val*val)
#end

#declare Amt = Square(3);

You should upgrade to the latest version...


> I don't like any newer versions of povray, they try to sell me all of
> their cdroms, and I hate it.

I don't remember seeing anything about CD's from when I used the Windows 
version, and there isn't anything about them on the Mac version. Can you 
be more specific about what you mean?
And you are missing a lot if the only reason you won't use it is a 
splash-screen...


> is there any difference between ver 3.0 and 3.1?

There are many differences. 3.1g(the latest version) has a lot of 
additional features, like arrays and macros, as well as several bug 
fixes and some speed enhancements(in the sor and I think the lathe 
objects). There were also some pretty major syntax changes: atmosphere 
and halo were replaced with media, and the interior statement now holds 
things like ior. And when you declare a float or vector, you need to put 
a ";" at the end of the line.

-- 
Chris Huff
e-mail: chr### [at] yahoocom
Web page: http://chrishuff.dhs.org/

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If you switch back and forth between MegaPov and official POV-Ray then you
always get the "About Pov-Ray" dialog box which has two buttons for Povlegal.doc
and one saying Information on CD-ROMs.  That's nothing really to do with Pov-Ray
except that it thinks you're starting the program for the first time and it
wasn't made to realize a patched version might be run along side it.

Bob

"Chris Huff" <chr### [at] yahoocom> wrote in message
news:chrishuff_99-59DD91.15003326022000@news.povray.org...
| In article <38B8283C.C3189B4D@netvision.net.il>, Eitan Tal
| <eit### [at] netvisionnetil> wrote:
|
| > I don't like any newer versions of povray, they try to sell me all of
| > their cdroms, and I hate it.
|
| I don't remember seeing anything about CD's from when I used the Windows
| version, and there isn't anything about them on the Mac version. Can you
| be more specific about what you mean?
| And you are missing a lot if the only reason you won't use it is a
| splash-screen...

Post a reply to this message

On Sat, 26 Feb 2000 21:23:40 +0200, Eitan Tal
<eit### [at] netvisionnetil> wrote:

>I don't like any newer versions of povray, they try to sell me all of
>their cdroms, and I hate it.

Need I kindly remind you that the program is being developed for
*free*, mainained for *free*, and distributed for *free* by talented
people who probably could have used the time invested in POV to make
money or otherwise benefit from their skills? Moreover, this very
server you, I and everyone else are posting to, is maintained for
*free* but there's no such thing as a free lunch and somebody, such
as, in this case, our sysop and POV-Ray Team coodrdinator Chris Cason
(who has also developed the Windows version of POV-Ray and the CDs
that you hate). These CDs are a way to raise some money for supporting
this newsserver as well as the Web and FTP servers of povray.org .

Read all messages in the povray.announce.frequently-asked-question
group very carefully, especially the bug report guide. Thank you.

Also, pay a visit to the VFAQ supported by Warp. The ten minutes
invested will certainly pay off.

Lastly, this group is not the most suitable for such questions. You
might have better luck in the povray.newusers group.


Peter Popov
pet### [at] usanet
ICQ: 15002700

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Thorsten Froehlich wrote:

> > I don't like any newer versions of povray, they try to sell me all of
> > their cdroms, and I hate it.
> 
> Are you refering to the copyright message which comes up in POV-Ray for
> Windows 3.1?

The Windows version of the v3.1 editor has a new tool bar with active
links to povray.org and the order site of the IRTC CD-ROM. It takes
up a little more real estate than than the v3.0 editor did but not so
much I "hate it".

-- 
Ken Tyler -  1300+ Povray, Graphics, 3D Rendering, and Raytracing Links:
http://home.pacbell.net/tylereng/index.html http://www.povray.org/links/

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On Sat, 26 Feb 2000 21:23:40 +0200 Eitan Tal <eit### [at] netvisionnetil>
wrote:

>Povray Ver 3.0 doesn't support #macro, but 3.1 does
>I need to know what it does so I can understand and use some examples
>I cannot run.
>
>I don't like any newer versions of povray, they try to sell me all of
>their cdroms, and I hate it.
>is there any difference between ver 3.0 and 3.1?

  If you hate POV-Ray v3.1, do not use it. Any new features in v3.1 will
be useless to you if you are using v3.0. Download the v3.1 documentation
and read it. I would suggest that you read the whole thing, from
beginning to end, as you often ask questions that are easily answered in
the docs.

  Also, please read every article posted in the
povray.announce.frequently-asked-questions group. More of your questions
are answered in these articles concerning the differences between v3.0
and v3.1.

  Thank you for your time, Eitan, and you should probably get started
reading those docs now, as it will probably take a little while to read
every single word. Isn't documentation wonderful? As a side benefit,
reading the docs often teaches a person how to use POV-Ray's features!
<slapping myself on the forehead>

-- 
Alan - ako### [at] povrayorg - a k o n g <at> p o v r a y <dot> o r g
http://www.povray.org - Home of the Persistence of Vision Ray Tracer

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Alan Kong wrote:

> Download the v3.1 documentation and read it.

I could swear I just experienced deja vu.

-- 
Ken Tyler -  1300+ Povray, Graphics, 3D Rendering, and Raytracing Links:
http://home.pacbell.net/tylereng/index.html http://www.povray.org/links/

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Oh, THOSE buttons...  I only use the ?Scene button.  I should see if the others
actually go onto the internet.  I haven't truly despised the WinPOV GUI either.

Bob

"Ken" <tyl### [at] pacbellnet> wrote in message
news:38B86231.1C02B264@pacbell.net...
|
| The Windows version of the v3.1 editor has a new tool bar with active
| links to povray.org and the order site of the IRTC CD-ROM. It takes
| up a little more real estate than than the v3.0 editor did but not so
| much I "hate it".

Post a reply to this message

Eitan Tal <eit### [at] netvisionnetil> wrote:
: Povray Ver 3.0 doesn't support #macro, but 3.1 does
: I need to know what it does so I can understand and use some examples
: I cannot run.

  You can declare a kind of function with the #macro feature. The uses of
this feature are so extensive that it would require an entire tutorial to
list them in detail.
  Let me tell one of its uses:
  Create your own mathematical functions. For example:

#macro F(X, Y)
  -exp(-X*X-Y*Y)*sin(sqrt(X*X+Y*Y))
#end

  Now you can use F() as if it was a normal mathematical function.
For example:

  #declare P1 = <F(i1, i2), F(i2, i3), F(i3, i1)>;
  #declare P2 = <F(i2, i3), F(i3, i4), F(i4, i2)>;

(supposing, of course, that here i1, i2, i3 and i4 are some declared
variables, for example, loop indices)

  Other uses are parametric object creation, etc.

  However, #macros are not the only good things about 3.1. There is also
the file-IO, arrays, etc. File-IO is sometimes extremely useful. For example,
see the povray compressed mesh macro by Chris Colefax at:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/1434/pcm.html

  See also all the other macros at:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/1434/

  For example the PCM macro would have been completely impossible to do with
povray 3.0.

  There is also another advantage of povray 3.1: Surfaces of revolution and
lathes are rendered a LOT faster than in 3.0.

: I don't like any newer versions of povray, they try to sell me all of
: their cdroms, and I hate it.

  Oh, I haven't noticed this. Where exactly does this happen? I use the
windows and the unix versions.

-- 
main(i,_){for(_?--i,main(i+2,"FhhQHFIJD|FQTITFN]zRFHhhTBFHhhTBFysdB"[i]
):5;i&&_>1;printf("%s",_-70?_&1?"[]":" ":(_=0,"\n")),_/=2);} /*- Warp -*/

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