Sorry if this has been asked to death, but I was wondering if anyone has any
good methods for creating graphics that would useful for web sites? In
particular, I'm trying to create some images of text that I could use for
menu buttons. My problem is whenever I try to play with the camera setting
so I can zoom in on the word (I want the image to contain just the word, and
not have a lot of dead space that I'd have to crop out manually), it always
looks distorted. If anyone can give some hints as to how to go about such a
task, I would be very grateful.

Thanks,
Darcy
djo### [at] inamecomNOSPAM
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Sector/4317

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Increase the direction.  Remember you've gotta increase the location by
an equal amount. Example:
camera { location <0,0,10>*4 direction 4*z look_at 0}
That work?

H.E. Day

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On Fri, 28 May 1999 20:19:09 -0400, "Darcy Johnston"
<djo### [at] inamecomNOSPAM> wrote:

>Sorry if this has been asked to death, but I was wondering if anyone has any
>good methods for creating graphics that would useful for web sites? In
>particular, I'm trying to create some images of text that I could use for
>menu buttons. My problem is whenever I try to play with the camera setting
>so I can zoom in on the word (I want the image to contain just the word, and
>not have a lot of dead space that I'd have to crop out manually), it always
>looks distorted. If anyone can give some hints as to how to go about such a
>task, I would be very grateful.
>
>Thanks,
>Darcy
>djo### [at] inamecomNOSPAM
>http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Sector/4317
>

Use the orthographic camera. Of course, you will lose perspective, so
if your intent is to have 3D text, stick to what Howard said --  keep
the camera far from the object and zoom in using the angle or
direction keywords. Also, do not forget about aspect ratio.

BTW is this in the VFAQ? Are there tutorials? Having one would be
helpful.

---------
Peter Popov
ICQ: 15002700

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H.E. Day <mil### [at] teleportcom> wrote in message
news:374### [at] teleportcom...
> Increase the direction.  Remember you've gotta increase the location by
> an equal amount. Example:
> camera { location <0,0,10>*4 direction 4*z look_at 0}
> That work?

That worked beautifully. I had actually tried it earlier, but forgot to
change my location.
Thanks.

I now have a different problem I'll throw at you. I'm trying to declare an
area_light and seem to have trouble getting it the way I want it. From what
I understand:

light_source
{
  0  color rgb 1.0  area_light
  x*10, y,10, 1
  adaptive 0   jitter
}

should create a linear light that runs across the x axis from 0 to 10 and
has 10 lights running across. Yet for some reason it still seems to behave
like a point light. The object I'm trying to illuminate runs across the
x-axis as well so I would expect the object to be illuminated evenly across
its entire surface, yet only the corner closest to the origin is full
illuminated and the light fades away we go across the object.

What am I doing wrong? Or am I just not understanding this correctly?

Thanks again for your help,
Darcy

Post a reply to this message

Darcy Johnston wrote:
> 
> H.E. Day <mil### [at] teleportcom> wrote in message
> news:374### [at] teleportcom...
> > Increase the direction.  Remember you've gotta increase the location by
> > an equal amount. Example:
> > camera { location <0,0,10>*4 direction 4*z look_at 0}
> > That work?
> 
> That worked beautifully. I had actually tried it earlier, but forgot to
> change my location.
> Thanks.
> 
> I now have a different problem I'll throw at you. I'm trying to declare an
> area_light and seem to have trouble getting it the way I want it. From what
> I understand:
> 
> light_source
> {
>   0  color rgb 1.0  area_light
>   x*10, y,10, 1
>   adaptive 0   jitter
> }
> 
> should create a linear light that runs across the x axis from 0 to 10 and
> has 10 lights running across. Yet for some reason it still seems to behave
> like a point light. The object I'm trying to illuminate runs across the
> x-axis as well so I would expect the object to be illuminated evenly across
> its entire surface, yet only the corner closest to the origin is full
> illuminated and the light fades away we go across the object.
> 
> What am I doing wrong? Or am I just not understanding this correctly?
> 
> Thanks again for your help,
> Darcy

You are only specifying one light in your array.

x*10, y,10, 1 = 1 light

Should be like these examples:

x*10, y,10,  10,  1 = 10 x 1  = 10 lights - 10 in 1 row

x*10, y,10,   5,  2 =  5 x 2  = 10 lights -  5 in 2 rows

x*10, y,10,   5,  5 =  5 x 5  = 25 lights -  5 in 5 rows

x*10, y,10,   4, 10 =  4 x 10 = 40  lights - 4 in 10 rows



-- 
Ken Tyler

mailto://tylereng@pacbell.net

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Ken <tyl### [at] pacbellnet> wrote in message
news:374F5BD1.34FD1D3D@pacbell.net...
> Darcy Johnston wrote:
> > I now have a different problem I'll throw at you. I'm trying to declare
an
> > area_light and seem to have trouble getting it the way I want it. From
what
> > I understand:
> >
> > light_source
> > {
> >   0  color rgb 1.0  area_light
> >   x*10, y,10, 1
> >   adaptive 0   jitter
> > }
> >
> > should create a linear light that runs across the x axis from 0 to 10
and
> > has 10 lights running across. Yet for some reason it still seems to
behave
> > like a point light. The object I'm trying to illuminate runs across the
> > x-axis as well so I would expect the object to be illuminated evenly
across
> > its entire surface, yet only the corner closest to the origin is full
> > illuminated and the light fades away we go across the object.
> >
> > What am I doing wrong? Or am I just not understanding this correctly?
> >
> > Thanks again for your help,
> > Darcy
>
> You are only specifying one light in your array.
>
> x*10, y,10, 1 = 1 light
>
> Should be like these examples:
>
> x*10, y,10,  10,  1 = 10 x 1  = 10 lights - 10 in 1 row
>
> x*10, y,10,   5,  2 =  5 x 2  = 10 lights -  5 in 2 rows
>
> x*10, y,10,   5,  5 =  5 x 5  = 25 lights -  5 in 5 rows
>
> x*10, y,10,   4, 10 =  4 x 10 = 40  lights - 4 in 10 rows

Then what is the first 10 for? if x*10, y define the two axis for the area
light, I would figure the next two numbers determine the number of lights.
Perhaps you figured x*10, y, 10 was supposed to be x*10, y*10?

Darcy

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Darcy Johnston wrote:

> Then what is the first 10 for? if x*10, y define the two axis for the area
> light, I would figure the next two numbers determine the number of lights.
> Perhaps you figured x*10, y, 10 was supposed to be x*10, y*10?
> 
> Darcy

  My mistake and a good catch on your part. I am used to specifying
area lights with the full vector syntax like:

area_light <4, 0, 0>, <0, 4, 0>, 4, 4

This gives me a 4x4 unit area with 16 lights evenly spaced in that area.
 
  The way you had it specified I believe the docs describe it as a linear
area light as there is only a single vector declare when no value is
assigned for the second (I think).

Try the following change to see if it helps

x*10, y*1, 10, 1

-- 
Ken Tyler

mailto://tylereng@pacbell.net

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Well, I've been playing with it and even though it gives diffuse shadows
that are as wide as I would expect, I can't get an area light to illuminate
a wider area of a plane no matter how wide I make the light. Here's the
original (slight changes so I could work with it) and one I made out of the
stock insert file. They both don't work the way you want them to. I suggest
a line of regular lights.

////////////// Camera //////////////////////
camera {                                  //
        right      < -1.333, 0.0, 0.0 >   //
        up         <  0.0, 1.0, 0.0 >     //
        direction  <  0.0, 0.0, 1.0 >     //
        location   <  0.0, 12.0, 0.0 >     //
        look_at    <  0.0, 0.0, 0.0 >     //
       }                                  //
////////////// end Camera //////////////////

/*
light_source
{
  0//pos
  color rgb 1.0//color
  area_light
  x*100, z//area
  100, 1//#lights
  adaptive 0
  jitter
  translate < 0, 1, 0 >
}
*/

///*
light_source
{
  0*x // light's position (translated below)
  color rgb 1.0  // light's color
  // <widthVector> <heightVector> nLightsWide mLightsHigh
  area_light
  <5, 0, 0> <0, 0, 2> // lights spread out across this distance (x * z)
  2, 2                // total number of lights in grid (4x*4z = 16 lights)
  adaptive 0          // 0,1,2,3...
  jitter              // adds random softening of light
  translate < 0, 2, 0 >   // <x y z> position of light
}
file://*///you may have to fix this line if it says 'file'

///////////////////////////// Plane /////////////////////////////////
plane { <0.0, 1.0, 0.0 >, 0.0 pigment { rgb < 1.0, 1.0, 1.0 > } } //
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////  Sphere  ///////////
sphere  {
  < 0.5, 0.5, 0.5 >, 0.5
  texture { pigment { rgb 1 }
            finish  { phong 0.25 }
             }
    }
///////////////////////////////end Sphere

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Uh, just move the light away further, and a larger area will be illuminated.
If I misunderstood the question, my apologies. :)

GrimDude
vos### [at] arkansasnet

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You can use the orthographic camera, just offset the locations to get the
desired *3D* look. I have a feeling this is what many 2D paint programs do
concerning text having depth; that is, they don't show any perspective at
all.


Peter Popov wrote:
> 
> On Fri, 28 May 1999 20:19:09 -0400, "Darcy Johnston"
> <djo### [at] inamecomNOSPAM> wrote:
> 
> >Sorry if this has been asked to death, but I was wondering if anyone has any
> >good methods for creating graphics that would useful for web sites? In
> >particular, I'm trying to create some images of text that I could use for
> >menu buttons. My problem is whenever I try to play with the camera setting
> >so I can zoom in on the word (I want the image to contain just the word, and
> >not have a lot of dead space that I'd have to crop out manually), it always
> >looks distorted. If anyone can give some hints as to how to go about such a
> >task, I would be very grateful.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Darcy
> >djo### [at] inamecomNOSPAM
> >http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Sector/4317
> >
> 
> Use the orthographic camera. Of course, you will lose perspective, so
> if your intent is to have 3D text, stick to what Howard said --  keep
> the camera far from the object and zoom in using the angle or
> direction keywords. Also, do not forget about aspect ratio.
> 
> BTW is this in the VFAQ? Are there tutorials? Having one would be
> helpful.
> 
> ---------
> Peter Popov
> ICQ: 15002700

-- 
 omniVERSE: beyond the universe
  http://members.aol.com/inversez/homepage.htm
 mailto://inversez@aol.com?Subject=PoV-News

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