POV-Ray : Newsgroups : povray.general : Mesh2 and file types Server Time
1 May 2024 05:36:16 EDT (-0400)
  Mesh2 and file types (Message 1 to 10 of 10)  
From: Leroy
Subject: Mesh2 and file types
Date: 20 Jan 2016 12:30:01
Message: <web.569fc3b9335eab60eaeeca670@news.povray.org>
Every one knows the file types pov, inc, ini. I've have a few 'in house' types I
use for POV, prm & pol for prisms & polygon for example. I know the POV team has
some they prefer but I can find any reference to them in the help file.
 What I'm doing is writing a conversion program for Misfit Modeler and I would
like to convert its models into a mesh2 pov form. What structure and type should
I use?


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From: clipka
Subject: Re: Mesh2 and file types
Date: 20 Jan 2016 12:44:20
Message: <569fc774$1@news.povray.org>
Am 20.01.2016 um 18:28 schrieb Leroy:
> Every one knows the file types pov, inc, ini. I've have a few 'in house' types I
> use for POV, prm & pol for prisms & polygon for example. I know the POV team has
> some they prefer but I can find any reference to them in the help file.

I have no idea what you're talking about; there is no such thing as a
dedicated file type for POV-Ray prisms and polygons. It's all plain old
POV-Ray SDL (POV-Ray Scene Description Language) files, using the ".pov"
and ".inc" extension depending on whether they're supposed to be the
main scene file or to be included by that main scene file.

You /can/ of course use your own file /extensions/, but that doesn't
make them a different file /type/. It'll still be POV-Ray SDL.

(The .ini files are a different matter; they do use an entirely
different format, but they also contain data of an entirely different kind.)

>  What I'm doing is writing a conversion program for Misfit Modeler and I would
> like to convert its models into a mesh2 pov form. What structure and type should
> I use?

If it generates entire scenes, use ".pov". If it generates only objects,
use ".inc". In either case, use POV-Ray SDL format and the "mesh2"
primitive.


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From: dick balaska
Subject: Re: Mesh2 and file types
Date: 20 Jan 2016 13:19:42
Message: <569fcfbe$1@news.povray.org>
On 1/20/2016 12:44 PM, clipka wrote:

> I have no idea what you're talking about; there is no such thing as a
> dedicated file type for POV-Ray prisms and polygons. It's all plain old
> POV-Ray SDL (POV-Ray Scene Description Language) files, using the ".pov"
> and ".inc" extension depending on whether they're supposed to be the
> main scene file or to be included by that main scene file.

povwin also likes .mac and .mcr as extensions, which are, of course, 
just SDL by a different name.


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From: Leroy
Subject: Re: Mesh2 and file types
Date: 20 Jan 2016 13:35:01
Message: <web.569fd238a275ff7f642722ae0@news.povray.org>
clipka <ano### [at] anonymousorg> wrote:
> Am 20.01.2016 um 18:28 schrieb Leroy:
> > Every one knows the file types pov, inc, ini. I've have a few 'in house' types I
> > use for POV, prm & pol for prisms & polygon for example. I know the POV team has
> > some they prefer but I can find any reference to them in the help file.
>
> I have no idea what you're talking about; there is no such thing as a
> dedicated file type for POV-Ray prisms and polygons.

I'VE HAVE for my use! I made a windows program to make them.

>It's all plain old
> POV-Ray SDL (POV-Ray Scene Description Language) files, using the ".pov"
> and ".inc" extension depending on whether they're supposed to be the
> main scene file or to be included by that main scene file.
>
> You /can/ of course use your own file /extensions/, but that doesn't
> make them a different file /type/. It'll still be POV-Ray SDL.

 I use the word 'type' to mean 'file /extensions' I don't like to type:)

> (The .ini files are a different matter; they do use an entirely
> different format, but they also contain data of an entirely different kind.)

Let's face it all these files are plain old txt files formated to what you need.

> If it generates entire scenes, use ".pov". If it generates only objects,
> use ".inc". In either case, use POV-Ray SDL format and the "mesh2"
> primitive.

That's what I was looking for. I wanted to know what would be helpful to you!

But I thought POV team encouraged people to use .mac or something like that for
marcos.


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From: clipka
Subject: Re: Mesh2 and file types
Date: 20 Jan 2016 15:03:18
Message: <569fe806$1@news.povray.org>
Am 20.01.2016 um 19:30 schrieb Leroy:
>> You /can/ of course use your own file /extensions/, but that doesn't
>> make them a different file /type/. It'll still be POV-Ray SDL.
> 
>  I use the word 'type' to mean 'file /extensions' I don't like to type:)

It may save you time to type, but it will not particularly help in
conveying what you actually mean.

>> (The .ini files are a different matter; they do use an entirely
>> different format, but they also contain data of an entirely different kind.)
> 
> Let's face it all these files are plain old txt files formated to what you need.

By extension, you're saying that HTML files are also "plain old text files".

That's not entirely accurate though: While it is true that any POV-Ray
SDL file, any HTML file, any CSV file and what-have-you-not all qualify
as plain old text files, the vast majority of plain old text files do
/not/ qualify as POV-Ray SDL files, HTML files and/or CSV files. So they
are /special cases/ of plain old text files, and therefore do constitute
file types of their own. Your statement is a bit like saying that
chicken are "plain old dinosaurs"; yes, technically they are, but at the
same time they're a species in their own right.

>> If it generates entire scenes, use ".pov". If it generates only objects,
>> use ".inc". In either case, use POV-Ray SDL format and the "mesh2"
>> primitive.
> 
> That's what I was looking for. I wanted to know what would be helpful to you!
> 
> But I thought POV team encouraged people to use .mac or something like that for
> marcos.

Nope; never heard of those for ages, and those extensions are not
actively encouraged. As a matter of fact I didn't even know POV-Ray for
Windows had any particular support for those extensions, until Dirk
mentioned it just now and I searched through the source code in an
(obviously failed) attempt to prove him wrong.

It's certainly a legacy thing. Besides the Windows editor file open
dialog, there is no reference to "mcr" as a file extension in the entire
POV-Ray project, and as for "mac" I didn't bother to investigate because
the word pops up much more frequently for probably obvious reasons.


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From: Leroy
Subject: Re: Mesh2 and file types
Date: 20 Jan 2016 18:25:00
Message: <web.56a016f9a275ff7fae525b730@news.povray.org>
clipka <ano### [at] anonymousorg> wrote:
> Am 20.01.2016 um 19:30 schrieb Leroy:

> >
> > Let's face it all these files are plain old txt files formated to what you need.
>
> By extension, you're saying that HTML files are also "plain old text files".
>
> That's not entirely accurate though: While it is true that any POV-Ray
> SDL file, any HTML file, any CSV file and what-have-you-not all qualify
> as plain old text files, the vast majority of plain old text files do
> /not/ qualify as POV-Ray SDL files, HTML files and/or CSV files. So they
> are /special cases/ of plain old text files, and therefore do constitute
> file types of their own. Your statement is a bit like saying that
> chicken are "plain old dinosaurs"; yes, technically they are, but at the
> same time they're a species in their own right.
>

Don't get me wrong I like "plain old text files" our civilization is built on
them. Any time I come across a file extension I'm not familiar with I open it up
with notepad. That can tell you lot about the program its meant for is
structured. Even if all you get is junk.(binary) I like chicken, I wonder how
dinosaurs taste.

> > But I thought POV team encouraged people to use .mac or something like that for
> > marcos.
>
> Nope; never heard of those for ages, and those extensions are not
> actively encouraged. As a matter of fact I didn't even know POV-Ray for
> Windows had any particular support for those extensions, until Dirk
> mentioned it just now and I searched through the source code in an
> (obviously failed) attempt to prove him wrong.
>
> It's certainly a legacy thing. Besides the Windows editor file open
> dialog, there is no reference to "mcr" as a file extension in the entire
> POV-Ray project, and as for "mac" I didn't bother to investigate because
> the word pops up much more frequently for probably obvious reasons.

I knew I remember something along lines from a long time ago. I never use it.
And I don't blame the team for dropping it. Just think if you decided to have a
file extension for every object type or function. Kayos!


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: Mesh2 and file types
Date: 21 Jan 2016 03:09:07
Message: <56a09223@news.povray.org>
On 20-1-2016 21:03, clipka wrote:
> Am 20.01.2016 um 19:30 schrieb Leroy:

>> But I thought POV team encouraged people to use .mac or something like that for
>> marcos.
>
> Nope; never heard of those for ages, and those extensions are not
> actively encouraged. As a matter of fact I didn't even know POV-Ray for
> Windows had any particular support for those extensions, until Dirk
> mentioned it just now and I searched through the source code in an
> (obviously failed) attempt to prove him wrong.
>
> It's certainly a legacy thing. Besides the Windows editor file open
> dialog, there is no reference to "mcr" as a file extension in the entire
> POV-Ray project, and as for "mac" I didn't bother to investigate because
> the word pops up much more frequently for probably obvious reasons.
>

That is interesting and I am surprised. I generally use .mcr for macros, 
with the impression that this was a POV-Ray team suggestion. It 
certainly did not exist or was used before version 3.6, iirc. I don't 
know who started its use then in a "formal" way.

-- 
Thomas


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From: Mike Horvath
Subject: Re: Mesh2 and file types
Date: 21 Jan 2016 05:10:37
Message: <56a0ae9d$1@news.povray.org>
On 1/21/2016 3:09 AM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
> That is interesting and I am surprised. I generally use .mcr for macros,
> with the impression that this was a POV-Ray team suggestion. It
> certainly did not exist or was used before version 3.6, iirc. I don't
> know who started its use then in a "formal" way.
>
Chris Colefax made some .mcr files in the stuff he made IIRC.


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: Mesh2 and file types
Date: 21 Jan 2016 07:26:08
Message: <56a0ce60$1@news.povray.org>
On 21-1-2016 11:10, Mike Horvath wrote:
> On 1/21/2016 3:09 AM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
>> That is interesting and I am surprised. I generally use .mcr for macros,
>> with the impression that this was a POV-Ray team suggestion. It
>> certainly did not exist or was used before version 3.6, iirc. I don't
>> know who started its use then in a "formal" way.
>>
> Chris Colefax made some .mcr files in the stuff he made IIRC.

That is correct. So, at least, 1999! ;-)

-- 
Thomas


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From: Stephen
Subject: Re: Mesh2 and file types
Date: 21 Jan 2016 07:49:38
Message: <56a0d3e2$1@news.povray.org>
On 1/21/2016 12:26 PM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
> On 21-1-2016 11:10, Mike Horvath wrote:
>> On 1/21/2016 3:09 AM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
>>> That is interesting and I am surprised. I generally use .mcr for macros,
>>> with the impression that this was a POV-Ray team suggestion. It
>>> certainly did not exist or was used before version 3.6, iirc. I don't
>>> know who started its use then in a "formal" way.
>>>
>> Chris Colefax made some .mcr files in the stuff he made IIRC.
>
> That is correct. So, at least, 1999! ;-)
>

Macros were introduced in Ver 3

>
> Help for 3.1g


> User Defined Macros
>
> New in POV-Ray 3.1 are user defined macros with parameters. This new feature, along
with the ability to declare #local variables, turns the POV-Ray Language into a fully
functional programming language. It should now be possible to write scene generation
utilities that previously required external utilities.

But there is no "Save as *.mcr etc"

Nor is there a "Save as *.mcr etc" in 3.5.



-- 

Regards
     Stephen


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