Hi Ho

first noticed this in Mac v3.1a, then grabbed v3.1g (indicates how close an
eye I keep on things...). Hadn't noticed in previous versions, but then I
hadn't done 200+ frame animations in them either...

[huge screed deleted - just found the "Reinitialize variables each frame?
Render speed decay?" thread from last year...]

I'm rendering a series of 300+ frames, the only difference between frames
is the rotation of a reflective CSG object (the only other object in the
scene is a skysphere with a gradient pattern, the default one - waddya mean
'lazy'?). It isn't the CSG object either, as the same behaviour occurs with
pigment patterned sphere.

As frames go by the render time for each grows. (from sub 20 seconds to
over 4 minutes). The best fix seems to be to quit and restart POV
periodically.  Re-rendering the last complete frame shows that the time
warp isn't related to the frame in question.

Any tips on reducing the render time other than periodically quitting and
restarting POV?

If not then I guess it's time to test the applescript support...

Have Fun
Martin
--
Owner/Operator - Tesseract Computing
<hyp### [at] tesseractcomau> or just reply.

Computer Systems Officer - Tourism Tasmania
<Mar### [at] tourismtasgovau>

I speak for me.

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In article <B3A### [at] 14710983.2> , "Martin Crisp" 
<tra### [at] tesseractcomau> wrote:

> Any tips on reducing the render time other than periodically quitting and
> restarting POV?

No, to be honest the problem is due to some still existing memory leaks (we
think), not much, about 1 KB per render, but that is enough to cause a bit
of memory fragmentation during animation renders.

> If not then I guess it's time to test the applescript support...

Sorry, only the required suite is supported yet. But you can still get
minimal automatic rendering as you can set up POv-Ray to auto-start a render
when it is opened and receives and open document event.


     Thorsten


____________________________________________________
Thorsten Froehlich
e-mail: mac### [at] povrayorg

I am a member of the POV-Ray Team.
Visit POV-Ray on the web: http://mac.povray.org

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On Sun, 4 Jul 1999 3:45 AM, Thorsten Froehlich
<mailto:fro### [at] charliecnsiitedu> wrote:
>In article <B3A### [at] 14710983.2> , "Martin Crisp" 
><tra### [at] tesseractcomau> wrote:
>
>> Any tips on reducing the render time other than periodically quitting
and
>> restarting POV?
>
>No, to be honest the problem is due to some still existing memory leaks
(we
>think), not much, about 1 KB per render, but that is enough to cause a bit
>of memory fragmentation during animation renders.

Found most of my time 'loss' disappeared if I didn't have the preview
window open (variation in frame times easily explainable by differences in
anti-aliasing required, reflection etc.)

Still shouldn't be happening, but at least I can prevent it.

[should have tried that before posting!]

>> If not then I guess it's time to test the applescript support...
>
>Sorry, only the required suite is supported yet. But you can still get
>minimal automatic rendering as you can set up POv-Ray to auto-start a
>render
>when it is opened and receives and open document event.

And if I use AppleScript to alter .ini file contents....

A bit more tiresome than if the support were further along* (oh for a
compiler and the time to learn the APIs well enough...), but should still
make all sorts of things possible.

*not a criticism, I hate to imagine how much time you guys spend on this
for the 'love' of it.

Have Fun
Martin
--
Owner/Operator - Tesseract Computing
<hypercube 'at' tesseract.com.au> or just reply.

Computer Systems Officer - Tourism Tasmania
<Martin.Crisp 'at' tourism.tas.gov.au>

I speak for me.

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In article <B3A### [at] 14710983.2> , "Martin Crisp" 
<val### [at] tesseractcomau> wrote:

>> No, to be honest the problem is due to some still existing memory leaks (we
>> think), not much, about 1 KB per render, but that is enough to cause a bit of
>> memory fragmentation during animation renders.
>
> Found most of my time 'loss' disappeared if I didn't have the preview window
> open (variation in frame times easily explainable by differences in
> anti-aliasing required, reflection etc.)
>
> Still shouldn't be happening, but at least I can prevent it.

Well, it is still there but much less noticable...
I assumed you had the preview off (you saw the note in the docs about the
low rendering speed when preview is on, didn't you?). With preview on more
memory is allocated and the fragmentation grows much faster.


>> Sorry, only the required suite is supported yet. But you can still get
>> minimal automatic rendering as you can set up POv-Ray to auto-start a render
>> when it is opened and receives and open document event.

> And if I use AppleScript to alter .ini file contents....

Yes, that is possible. It is a lot of work...


    Thorsten


____________________________________________________
Thorsten Froehlich, Duisburg, Germany
e-mail: Tho### [at] csicom

Visit POV-Ray on the web: http://mac.povray.org

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Thorsten Froehlich wrote in message <37805f69@news.povray.org>...
>In article <B3A### [at] 14710983.2> , "Martin Crisp"
><val### [at] tesseractcomau> wrote:

>> Found most of my time 'loss' disappeared if I didn't have the preview
window
>> open (variation in frame times easily explainable by differences in
>> anti-aliasing required, reflection etc.)
>>
>> Still shouldn't be happening, but at least I can prevent it.
>
>Well, it is still there but much less noticable...
>I assumed you had the preview off (you saw the note in the docs about
the
>low rendering speed when preview is on, didn't you?). With preview on
more
>memory is allocated and the fragmentation grows much faster.

Yeah, I did. I wasn't concerned so much about a low rendering speed
(given 30s/f), as the dilation of rendering time. Which I didn't
attribute to the preview window (IIRC the docs suggest it may increase
render time by 1/3). I'll definitely render anims with it off in
future...

>>> Sorry, only the required suite is supported yet. But you can still
get
>>> minimal automatic rendering as you can set up POv-Ray to auto-start
a render
>>> when it is opened and receives and open document event.
>
>> And if I use AppleScript to alter .ini file contents....
>
>Yes, that is possible. It is a lot of work...

:-)
'work never killed anyone'
(I wish I knew POV as well as I know AS (moderately well) - POV is much
more fun)

Have Fun
Martin
--
<Spa### [at] tesseractcomau> is a valid address
If you prefer mnemonic addresses you can use:
<Martin 'at' tesseract.com.au> or <Martin.Crisp 'at' Tourism.tas.gov.au>

My opinions should not be taken as indicative of Tourism Tasmania's
opinions

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