To set up SimpleNetAnimator:

1. Create a shared network directory where temporary files can be created
by POV-Ray running on various machines.  Make sure there are no old
"frame_flag" files in this directory. (Turn off i/o restrictions in POV-Ray.)

e.g.:
\\NAS1\SharedDir\P_Scenes_Replacable_Distro\Frame_Flags\



2. Type this location into SimpleNetAnimator.pov for the 
NetworkPathForFrameFlags variable, remembering the double backslashes.

e.g.: 
#local NetworkPathForFrameFlags = 
"\\\\NAS1\\SharedDir\\P_Scenes_Replacable_Distro\\Frame_Flags\\";



3. Type the name of the scene you intend to render into 
SimpleNetAnimator.pov for the AnimationSceneFile variable.

e.g.:
#local AnimationSceneFile = "Spinning Top.pov";


4. Edit or create "ThisComputersName.txt". This file is not necessary, but 
provides a couple of convienience-features.  Make sure it is on the 
library path (if used).  It's intended to be editable while POV-Ray is 
rendering, e.g. to "de-activate" a particular instance of POV-Ray.



5. If running multiple instances of POV-Ray on a single machine add
appropriete lines to the command lines for each instance. Note the separate
output directories.

e.g. +oc:\bucket_of_renders\new_animation_dir_1\  Declare=Instance_Number=1

and  +oc:\bucket_of_renders\new_animation_dir_2\  Declare=Instance_Number=2



6. Render.  As frames are rendered, "frame_flag" text files will be created 
in the shared directory, while a mixture of real frames and blank/emty 
frames will appear in each of the output directories.  Remember that the 
ouput directories must remain separate to avoid overwriting good frames 
with emty frames.  Sort the output files by size and delete the blank 
frames.  Then consolidate the good frames.













