On 11/14/25 11:16, stevenvh wrote:
> Is there a way to have custom numbering for the output files? Like
> 
>    outfile_02
>    outfile_03
>    outfile_05
>    outfile_08
>    outfile_13

Not exactly what you asked for, but you can render single frames with 
the animation frame subset capability via flags or ini options:

subset_start_frame, subset_end_frame, frame_step, +sf, +ef and +stp

   povray myAnimation.pov +sf7, +ef7 +kff10

would render just frame 7 of a 10 frame animation for example - with the 
same frame animation output file name. You'd be running povray multiple 
times change the subset options rather than using an SDL array, but if 
not many high res frames perhaps not a bad approach.

---

Alternately.

Though I'm not a big fan of the capability due possible confusion, It is 
also possible to set the 'frame_number' inside the SDL for your scene.

   #declare frame_number = 2;  // Or make '2' Ary[0] etc.

or set it - and the complete output file name - on the command line with:

   povray myAnimation.pov declare=frame_number=9 +omyAnimation09

Bill P.

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"jr" <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> "jr" <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> > ...
> > 'Post_Scene_Command' option will help.
>
> sorry, 'Post_Frame_Command' is what I meant.
>
>
> regards, jr.

Ultimately I wrote a quick-and-dirty program in Delphi to do the renumbering. I
run it after the scene (i.e. all frames) are rendered. The program looks for the
line with the definition of "frameList" (var name editable by the user),

    #declare framesList = array[12] {26, 29, 31, 34, 38, 50, 79, 81, 127, 129,
173, 185}

and builds a list of the elements in the array. Then renumbers the output files
as explained in my OP.
So since I run it after the scene your original "Post_Scene_Command" was indeed
what I needed.

Current issue:
when I add the line

    Post_Scene_Command = c:RenumberPOVrayFiles.exe %s

nothing happens, my program doesn't run. Is my understanding of
"Post_Scene_Command" wrong?
Also, the"%s" in the command is just the filename without the path. I need that
path in my program (I have a select folder command there), which I hoped to
automate.

Thanks for the replies.

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"stevenvh" <nomail@nomail> wrote:

> Current issue:
> when I add the line
>
>     Post_Scene_Command = c:RenumberPOVrayFiles.exe %s
>
> nothing happens, my program doesn't run. Is my understanding of
> "Post_Scene_Command" wrong?
> Also, the"%s" in the command is just the filename without the path. I need that
> path in my program (I have a select folder command there), which I hoped to
> automate.
>
> Thanks for the replies.

The "c:RenumberPOVrayFiles.exe" is actually "c:\RenumberPOVrayFiles.exe" with
the "\" included. The path + program name is correct.

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"stevenvh" <nomail@nomail> wrote:

> Current issue:
> when I add the line
>
>     Post_Scene_Command = c:RenumberPOVrayFiles.exe %s
>
> nothing happens, my program doesn't run. Is my understanding of
> "Post_Scene_Command" wrong?

I don't really use the shell commands, so I have no idea.
Maybe use some program that would be super obvious, and just run a test scene.

> Also, the"%s" in the command is just the filename without the path. I need that
> path in my program (I have a select folder command there), which I hoped to
> automate.

Yeah - I had a question about that too in some other thread that I can't find
(because Google doesn't fully index our site, in spite of Chris Cason's many
attempts to ensure they do)

I'm guessing you're going to have to find some workaround.

I also have no idea if exposing the full filename path to the user has been
implemented in Willaim Pokorny's yuqk fork...

- BE

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On 17.11.2025 22:05, stevenvh wrote:
> "stevenvh" <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> 
> The "c:RenumberPOVrayFiles.exe" is actually "c:\RenumberPOVrayFiles.exe" with
> the "\" included. The path + program name is correct.
> 

Any chances it may expect "/" rather than "\"? Just a wild guess, in 
theory, in "" everything must work (are "" really a part of command 
line? I mean, are they passed to the system? Any chances you have to 
double them, like '""'?)

-- 
Ilyich the Toad
https://dnyarri.github.io/

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hi,

"stevenvh" <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> "jr" <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> > "jr" <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> > > ...
> > > 'Post_Scene_Command' option will help.
> >
> > sorry, 'Post_Frame_Command' is what I meant.
> > ...
> Current issue:
> when I add the line
>
>     Post_Scene_Command = c:RenumberPOVrayFiles.exe %s
>
> nothing happens, my program doesn't run. Is my understanding of
> "Post_Scene_Command" wrong?

by default "we" are not allowed to run shell commands, to avoid a potential
security issue.  in your global 'povray.conf' file, the "[Shellout Security]"
must be enabled / "allowed"; it is a good idea, generally, to tune the global
..conf and .ini files as part of "post installation".


> Also, the"%s" in the command is just the filename without the path. I need that
> path in my program (I have a select folder command there), which I hoped to
> automate.

I've not tried, but can you not write:  post_frame_command = sh myscript
path/to/%s

?

regards, jr.

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"jr" <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> ...
> > Also, the"%s" in the command is just the filename without the path. I need that
> > path in my program (I have a select folder command there), which I hoped to
> > automate.
>
> I've not tried, but can you not write:  post_frame_command = sh myscript
> path/to/%s

given you have a "target" directory, the 'output_file_name' can (should ?) be a
complete pathname, eg "output_file_name = C:/path/to/selectfolder/myscene". also
use the 'all_file = on' option and POV-Ray's screen output will be (largely)
duplicated in a 'alltext.out' "log" file.  and re your Delphi code, what if it
takes two arguments, that is path and %s separately ?

<wiki.povray.org/content/Reference:File_Output_Options#Output_File_Name>


regards, jr.

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"jr" <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
>
> given you have a "target" directory, the 'output_file_name' can (should ?) be a
> complete pathname, eg "output_file_name = C:/path/to/selectfolder/myscene". also
> use the 'all_file = on' option and POV-Ray's screen output will be (largely)
> duplicated in a 'alltext.out' "log" file.  and re your Delphi code, what if it
> takes two arguments, that is path and %s separately ?
>
> <wiki.povray.org/content/Reference:File_Output_Options#Output_File_Name>
>

The program can take any number of arguments*, or at least maybe a dozen of
them. (I never could find a limit to them.) But arguments are of little use if
the program doesn't run in the first place.


*) For instance, argument 0 is the program name itself, including its path)

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hi,

"stevenvh" <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> ...
> ... arguments are of little use if the program doesn't run in the first place.

have you checked your global ("system-wide") 'povray.conf' wrt permissions ?
(your private/user 'povray.conf' too, of course :-))

if your permissions are ok but your program doesn't run, it may be an
environment / $PATH issue; your code may only see a subset of the environment
(variables) POV-Ray sees.


regards, jr.

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"stevenvh" <nomail@nomail> wrote:

> But arguments are of little use if
> the program doesn't run in the first place.

Yes, I think jr was trying to reference
https://wiki.povray.org/content/Documentation:Unix_Section_4

With regard to giving povray the necessary permissions for invoking executables.
(Sorry if you've already tried that - it wasn't clear from the thread if you had
or not)

- BW

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