I think it should be a good idea to remove the keyword "hollow" from
the next version of povray (and replace it with a more descriptive keyword).
It only causes lots of confusion among new users and it doesn't really
describe its purpose.
  This suggestion is not as bad is it may sound. This has already happened:
the "refraction" keyword has become obsolete. Also all the old halo stuff
has been removed. Things have been moved from "finish" to "interior".
Radiosity will probably change in the near future.
  Removing "hollow" may cause problems at the beginning, but in the long run
it will do just good.

  I have to admit that I don't have any good idea for an alternative keyword.

-- 
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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Nieminen Juha wrote:

 
>   I have to admit that I don't have any good idea for an alternative keyword.

inside ?

-- 
Ken Tyler -  1200+ Povray, Graphics, 3D Rendering, and Raytracing Links:
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Nieminen Juha wrote:
> 
>   I think it should be a good idea to remove the keyword "hollow" from
> the next version of povray (and replace it with a more descriptive keyword).
[snip]
> 
>   I have to admit that I don't have any good idea for an alternative keyword.
> 


container?

-- 
Marc Schimmler

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Actually, I would change the way media currently works. I'd let all objects
(hollow or otherwise) contain media. 'Hollow' (or equivalent) would mean that
other object medias and global media can also enter the object.
The reasoning being that there are solid objects that can contain particulate
media (e.g. air bubbles in an ice cube). Indeed, when the media container is
given a pigment and/or a finish such a solid object is usually the desired
result. Currently POV doesn't provide for such cases.
I would recommend 'container' or 'media_bound' as replacement for 'hollow',
since with the suggested method such objects should mainly be used as invisible
bounding objects for media (smoke, clouds, etc).

Margus

Nieminen Juha wrote:
> 
>   I think it should be a good idea to remove the keyword "hollow" from
> the next version of povray (and replace it with a more descriptive keyword).
> It only causes lots of confusion among new users and it doesn't really
> describe its purpose.
>   This suggestion is not as bad is it may sound. This has already happened:
> the "refraction" keyword has become obsolete. Also all the old halo stuff
> has been removed. Things have been moved from "finish" to "interior".
> Radiosity will probably change in the near future.
>   Removing "hollow" may cause problems at the beginning, but in the long run
> it will do just good.
> 
>   I have to admit that I don't have any good idea for an alternative keyword.
> 
> --
> 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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I agree with this vehemently. Hollow does seem to cause all kinds
of misunderstanding, and isn't a logically accurate term. I would 
also add, though, that I never understood why the default was to
NOT accept media unless a keyword was added. 

Granted, there are ocassions when you want the bounding shape to...
shall we call it "forbid" a global media in a given region for 
special effect purposes, but when you attach a media to an object, 
why also require that you specify a separate keyword to make sure 
doing so has an effect? And need we mention the unexpected 
"camera in a non-hollow object" problems? 

With that in mind, I would propose that what is now known as 
"hollow" become the default condition of all objects, and that 
a replacement keyword "no_media" be added, being to media what
"no_shadow" is to shadows. "hollow" could then be phased out the
way refraction is now, generating a warning and having no effect
(which would result in no negative impact on old scenes, since
"hollowness" is then the default state anyway.)


Nieminen Juha wrote:
> 
>   I think it should be a good idea to remove the keyword "hollow" from
> the next version of povray (and replace it with a more descriptive keyword).
> It only causes lots of confusion among new users and it doesn't really
> describe its purpose.
>   This suggestion is not as bad is it may sound. This has already happened:
> the "refraction" keyword has become obsolete. Also all the old halo stuff
> has been removed. Things have been moved from "finish" to "interior".
> Radiosity will probably change in the near future.
>   Removing "hollow" may cause problems at the beginning, but in the long run
> it will do just good.
> 
>   I have to admit that I don't have any good idea for an alternative keyword.
> 
> --
> 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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Charles wrote:
> 
> With that in mind, I would propose that what is now known as
> "hollow" become the default condition of all objects, and that
> a replacement keyword "no_media" be added, being to media what
> "no_shadow" is to shadows. "hollow" could then be phased out the
> way refraction is now, generating a warning and having no effect
> (which would result in no negative impact on old scenes, since
> "hollowness" is then the default state anyway.)
> 
	Well actually it would have a negative effect for non hollow objects,
but that could be fixed with the #version directive and I agree that it
would be more logical to have hollow be the standard state (at least as
soon as a media is specified...)

		Jerome

-- 
*******************************

* they'll tell you what can't * mailto:ber### [at] inamecom
* be done and why...          * http://www.enst.fr/~jberger
* Then do it.                 *
*******************************

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Charles <cfu### [at] enternet> wrote:
: I would 
: also add, though, that I never understood why the default was to
: NOT accept media unless a keyword was added. 

  Usually fog doesn't go inside objects. That's why.

: With that in mind, I would propose that what is now known as 
: "hollow" become the default condition of all objects, and that 
: a replacement keyword "no_media" be added, being to media what
: "no_shadow" is to shadows.

  Note that it also affects fog.

  There might be situations where you want media inside an object but not
fog (or other medias). Perhaps there should be more keywords to specify
these kind of things, as someone already suggested.

-- 
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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On a similar subject, I think the 'no_shadow' keyword should be removed, and
the keyword 'shadowless' should work in place of it.  As is, there are two
keywords that are doing essentially the same thing, and it is difficult to
remember which one is for objects, and which one is for lights.

Mark

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Mark Wagner <mar### [at] gtenet> wrote:
: On a similar subject, I think the 'no_shadow' keyword should be removed, and
: the keyword 'shadowless' should work in place of it.  As is, there are two
: keywords that are doing essentially the same thing, and it is difficult to
: remember which one is for objects, and which one is for lights.

  Or perhaps there should be more keywords to control how shadows are
calculated for an object:

  cast_shadow [on|off]  // if off, will be the same as current no_shadow
  self_shadow [on|off]  // specifies whether it should cast shadows on itself
                        // or not (ie. if off, it will be shadowless for
                        // itself but not for other objects)
  receive_shadow [on|off] // specifies whether other objects will cast shadows
                          // on this object or not

  Any combination of these could be possible. For example:

cast_shadow off
self_shadow on

would mean that it casts shadows on itself but not on other objects.
  The default values for all those would be 'on'.

  It would also be nice if we could specify which light sources illuminate
the object and which don't. Or object-specific light sources, which only
illuminate that specific object (I think that this feature is very common
in other renderers). Something like:

object
{ MyObject
  light_source { MyLight }
}

or perhaps:

object
{ MyObject
  illuminated_by { MyLight }
}

-- 
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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>  It would also be nice if we could specify which light sources illuminate
>the object and which don't. Or object-specific light sources, which only
>illuminate that specific object (I think that this feature is very common
>in other renderers).

Isn't this available as the light_groups patch? From the SuperPatch docs:

Light Groups

syntax:

light_source {... groups "name1,name2,name3,..."}
object {... light_group "name1" no_shadow "name2"}
media {... light_group "!name3"}

defaults: light_group "all" no_shadow "none"

This is to control light interaction of media and objects. There can be a
max of 30 user defined Light groups, none and all are pre defined. groups
can be called anything but no spaces and they are delimited by commas with
the groups key word. All lights are automatically in the "all" group. if
light_group or no_shadow group contains a ! it is interpreted to mean all
lights not in the group that follows the !.

If a light doesn't interact with a media or object then no shadows are cast
from that object for that light.

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