First of all 'thank you' to all the people answering on my previous post!
This kind of support in newsgroups is just amazing !

I don't know if this is the right forum for my next question:

if I invoke the 'Help on POVRay Scene Language' from inside POVRay I get an
error message:
    An error exists in this Help file. Contact your application vendor for
an updated Help file (1024)

Any idea?


While I am at it ;-)
    I was looking for the 'cylinder description' in the help file ... can I
somehow effect the 'thickness' of the cylinder wall, or do I have to do this
by doing an intersecion of 2 cylinders ???

Thanks !

Wolfgang

Post a reply to this message

Wolf Manos wrote:
> 
> First of all 'thank you' to all the people answering on my previous post!
> This kind of support in newsgroups is just amazing !
> 
> I don't know if this is the right forum for my next question:
> 
> if I invoke the 'Help on POVRay Scene Language' from inside POVRay I get an
> error message:
>     An error exists in this Help file. Contact your application vendor for
> an updated Help file (1024)
> 
> Any idea?

Does this also occur if you open the help file from your explorer/file manager ?

> 
> While I am at it ;-)
>     I was looking for the 'cylinder description' in the help file ... can I
> somehow effect the 'thickness' of the cylinder wall, or do I have to do this
> by doing an intersecion of 2 cylinders ???
> 

short answer: Yes.  

longer answer: That's due to the concept of raytracing, all objects have
infinetly thin walls, so you always have to use "closed surfaces" to get objects
with thickness.  (imagine drawing only with a thin pen)

Christoph

--
Christoph Hormann <chr### [at] gmxde>
Homepage: http://www.schunter.etc.tu-bs.de/~chris/

Post a reply to this message

"Christoph Hormann" <Chr### [at] schunteretctu-bsde> wrote in
message news:39A### [at] schunteretctu-bsde...
|
| Wolf Manos wrote:
| >
| > First of all 'thank you' to all the people answering on my previous
post!
| > This kind of support in newsgroups is just amazing !
| >
| > I don't know if this is the right forum for my next question:
| >
| > if I invoke the 'Help on POVRay Scene Language' from inside POVRay I get
an
| > error message:
| >     An error exists in this Help file. Contact your application vendor
for
| > an updated Help file (1024)
| >
| > Any idea?

There's an answer someplace, this has been asked about before but I can't
locate any messages about it.  Someone probably knows and might be able to
answer soon enough if you have the patience.
I'm thinking it could have something to do with installing different
versions of POV in the wrong order, causing a registry glitch, or an
incorrect DLL file in Windows to run the HLP file.  But just guesses.
If this ever happened to me I don't remember at all.
Could help to know what version you are using there, in fact that is very
important to know; so if you could, reply back and say.

Bob

Post a reply to this message

Hi wolf,   I had this recently. Try rebooting, it worked for me. It
just disappeared. Hope this helps.  ~Steve~



"Wolf Manos" <wol### [at] to_much_spamcom> wrote in message
news:39a14008$1@news.povray.org...
> First of all 'thank you' to all the people answering on my previous post!
> This kind of support in newsgroups is just amazing !
>
> I don't know if this is the right forum for my next question:
>
> if I invoke the 'Help on POVRay Scene Language' from inside POVRay I get
an
> error message:
>     An error exists in this Help file. Contact your application vendor for
> an updated Help file (1024)
>
> Any idea?
>
>
> While I am at it ;-)
>     I was looking for the 'cylinder description' in the help file ... can
I
> somehow effect the 'thickness' of the cylinder wall, or do I have to do
this
> by doing an intersecion of 2 cylinders ???
>
> Thanks !
>
> Wolfgang
>
>

Post a reply to this message

On Mon, 21 Aug 2000 07:40:36 -0700 "Wolf Manos"
<wol### [at] to_much_spamcom> wrote:

>if I invoke the 'Help on POVRay Scene Language' from inside POVRay I get an
>error message:
>    An error exists in this Help file. Contact your application vendor for
>an updated Help file (1024)

  Hi, Wolf. The following message pasted in below may help you. It was
originally posted in the povray.windows group since it pertains only to
the Windows Help file.

-- 
Alan - ako### [at] povrayorg - a k o n g <at> p o v r a y <dot> o r g
http://www.povray.org - Home of the Persistence of Vision Ray Tracer

On Sun, 28 May 2000 23:56:42 GMT pro### [at] homecom (Rob Rippengale)
wrote:

>
>Been using POV-Ray for some time now, but just got
>into the newsgroups, and cannot see a better solution
>to a problem I have been having, so I offer my own
>workaround for the mysterious "error in Help
>file - contact your vendor" situation.
>
>If you don't know what I am talking about you can
>happily ignore the rest of this post.
>
>I am running the latest POV-Ray for Windows
>Version 3.1g.msvc.win32 (Pentium II optimized).
>
>I got tired of re-installing and finally discovered that the
>GID file associated with the helpfile seems to somehow
>get corrupted.
>
>Remove the GID file and it wll be recreated the next time
>you access the help file, but there is a twist - you have to
>also reboot before you try to use Help again. Don't ask
>me why. It's dark in there. Anyway I added some lines to my
>autoexec.bat file to clean away that GID file every time I boot.
>
>I seem to get the error much less often, and when I do get
>it, I just reboot and autoexec.bat cleans up. Put the following
>lines in your autoexec.bat file without the leading quote used
>here. Of course, you should also edit the path to reflect your
>own installion directory.
>
>"IF NOT EXIST F:\POVRAY\HELP\POVRAY31.GID GOTO AFTERPOV
>"ATTRIB -H F:\POVRAY\HELP\POVRAY31.GID
>"DEL F:\POVRAY\HELP\POVRAY31.GID
>":AFTERPOV
>
>Note the leading colon on that last line. It marks a GOTO destination.
>and should be the first character on that line.
>
>In case you can't guess, the "IF NOT EXIST" test avoids the error
>message that would happen if you try to remove the file when it isn't
>there (the file is only recreated when the help file is accessed), and
>the "ATTRIB" line makes the GID file "unhidden" so the "DEL"
>command can find it.
>
>Pretty simple, and it works, but I still have to reboot when I get the
>annoying "error in help file" message. It's a pain, but not so bad
>as re-installing POV-Ray.
>
>If a more permanent solution has been found and I have just not read
>enough newsgroup material, please enlighten me.
>
>Thanks,
>Rstudio (aka Probity, aka Rob Rippengale)

Post a reply to this message

thanks for the help ... I just tried simple rebooting ... and it worked the
next time even without removing this file ...

wired !

Wolfgang



"Alan Kong" <ako### [at] povrayNO-SPAMorg> wrote in message
news:ee93qs0vsuvorbbi211u910gsldb4ck62c@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 21 Aug 2000 07:40:36 -0700 "Wolf Manos"
> <wol### [at] to_much_spamcom> wrote:
>
> >if I invoke the 'Help on POVRay Scene Language' from inside POVRay I get
an
> >error message:
> >    An error exists in this Help file. Contact your application vendor
for
> >an updated Help file (1024)
>
>   Hi, Wolf. The following message pasted in below may help you. It was
> originally posted in the povray.windows group since it pertains only to
> the Windows Help file.
>
> --
> Alan - ako### [at] povrayorg - a k o n g <at> p o v r a y <dot> o r g
> http://www.povray.org - Home of the Persistence of Vision Ray Tracer
>
> On Sun, 28 May 2000 23:56:42 GMT pro### [at] homecom (Rob Rippengale)
> wrote:
>
> >
> >Been using POV-Ray for some time now, but just got
> >into the newsgroups, and cannot see a better solution
> >to a problem I have been having, so I offer my own
> >workaround for the mysterious "error in Help
> >file - contact your vendor" situation.
> >
> >If you don't know what I am talking about you can
> >happily ignore the rest of this post.
> >
> >I am running the latest POV-Ray for Windows
> >Version 3.1g.msvc.win32 (Pentium II optimized).
> >
> >I got tired of re-installing and finally discovered that the
> >GID file associated with the helpfile seems to somehow
> >get corrupted.
> >
> >Remove the GID file and it wll be recreated the next time
> >you access the help file, but there is a twist - you have to
> >also reboot before you try to use Help again. Don't ask
> >me why. It's dark in there. Anyway I added some lines to my
> >autoexec.bat file to clean away that GID file every time I boot.
> >
> >I seem to get the error much less often, and when I do get
> >it, I just reboot and autoexec.bat cleans up. Put the following
> >lines in your autoexec.bat file without the leading quote used
> >here. Of course, you should also edit the path to reflect your
> >own installion directory.
> >
> >"IF NOT EXIST F:\POVRAY\HELP\POVRAY31.GID GOTO AFTERPOV
> >"ATTRIB -H F:\POVRAY\HELP\POVRAY31.GID
> >"DEL F:\POVRAY\HELP\POVRAY31.GID
> >":AFTERPOV
> >
> >Note the leading colon on that last line. It marks a GOTO destination.
> >and should be the first character on that line.
> >
> >In case you can't guess, the "IF NOT EXIST" test avoids the error
> >message that would happen if you try to remove the file when it isn't
> >there (the file is only recreated when the help file is accessed), and
> >the "ATTRIB" line makes the GID file "unhidden" so the "DEL"
> >command can find it.
> >
> >Pretty simple, and it works, but I still have to reboot when I get the
> >annoying "error in help file" message. It's a pain, but not so bad
> >as re-installing POV-Ray.
> >
> >If a more permanent solution has been found and I have just not read
> >enough newsgroup material, please enlighten me.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Rstudio (aka Probity, aka Rob Rippengale)
>

Post a reply to this message

Hi  Wolf, I'm glad that it's ok for you. It was wierd for me too. I
discovered the rebooting bit, by accident, but three weeks in, no problems.
All the best...   ~Steve~



"Wolf Manos" <wol### [at] to_much_spamcom> wrote in message
news:39a1af41$1@news.povray.org...
> thanks for the help ... I just tried simple rebooting ... and it worked
the
> next time even without removing this file ...
>
> wired !
>
> Wolfgang
>
>
>
> "Alan Kong" <ako### [at] povrayNO-SPAMorg> wrote in message
> news:ee93qs0vsuvorbbi211u910gsldb4ck62c@4ax.com...
> > On Mon, 21 Aug 2000 07:40:36 -0700 "Wolf Manos"
> > <wol### [at] to_much_spamcom> wrote:
> >
> > >if I invoke the 'Help on POVRay Scene Language' from inside POVRay I
get
> an
> > >error message:
> > >    An error exists in this Help file. Contact your application vendor
> for
> > >an updated Help file (1024)
> >
> >   Hi, Wolf. The following message pasted in below may help you. It was
> > originally posted in the povray.windows group since it pertains only to
> > the Windows Help file.
> >
> > --
> > Alan - ako### [at] povrayorg - a k o n g <at> p o v r a y <dot> o r g
> > http://www.povray.org - Home of the Persistence of Vision Ray Tracer
> >
> > On Sun, 28 May 2000 23:56:42 GMT pro### [at] homecom (Rob Rippengale)
> > wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >Been using POV-Ray for some time now, but just got
> > >into the newsgroups, and cannot see a better solution
> > >to a problem I have been having, so I offer my own
> > >workaround for the mysterious "error in Help
> > >file - contact your vendor" situation.
> > >
> > >If you don't know what I am talking about you can
> > >happily ignore the rest of this post.
> > >
> > >I am running the latest POV-Ray for Windows
> > >Version 3.1g.msvc.win32 (Pentium II optimized).
> > >
> > >I got tired of re-installing and finally discovered that the
> > >GID file associated with the helpfile seems to somehow
> > >get corrupted.
> > >
> > >Remove the GID file and it wll be recreated the next time
> > >you access the help file, but there is a twist - you have to
> > >also reboot before you try to use Help again. Don't ask
> > >me why. It's dark in there. Anyway I added some lines to my
> > >autoexec.bat file to clean away that GID file every time I boot.
> > >
> > >I seem to get the error much less often, and when I do get
> > >it, I just reboot and autoexec.bat cleans up. Put the following
> > >lines in your autoexec.bat file without the leading quote used
> > >here. Of course, you should also edit the path to reflect your
> > >own installion directory.
> > >
> > >"IF NOT EXIST F:\POVRAY\HELP\POVRAY31.GID GOTO AFTERPOV
> > >"ATTRIB -H F:\POVRAY\HELP\POVRAY31.GID
> > >"DEL F:\POVRAY\HELP\POVRAY31.GID
> > >":AFTERPOV
> > >
> > >Note the leading colon on that last line. It marks a GOTO destination.
> > >and should be the first character on that line.
> > >
> > >In case you can't guess, the "IF NOT EXIST" test avoids the error
> > >message that would happen if you try to remove the file when it isn't
> > >there (the file is only recreated when the help file is accessed), and
> > >the "ATTRIB" line makes the GID file "unhidden" so the "DEL"
> > >command can find it.
> > >
> > >Pretty simple, and it works, but I still have to reboot when I get the
> > >annoying "error in help file" message. It's a pain, but not so bad
> > >as re-installing POV-Ray.
> > >
> > >If a more permanent solution has been found and I have just not read
> > >enough newsgroup material, please enlighten me.
> > >
> > >Thanks,
> > >Rstudio (aka Probity, aka Rob Rippengale)
> >
>
>

Post a reply to this message

25ct wrote:
> 
>    Hi  Wolf, I'm glad that it's ok for you. It was wierd for me too. I
> discovered the rebooting bit, by accident, but three weeks in, no problems.
> All the best...   ~Steve~
> 
> "Wolf Manos" <wol### [at] to_much_spamcom> wrote in message
> news:39a1af41$1@news.povray.org...
> > thanks for the help ... I just tried simple rebooting ... and it worked
> the
> > next time even without removing this file ...
> >
> > wired !
> >

You probably all know the story of the two programmers having a car breakdown:
"let's open all doors and shut them again and it will work."

Christoph

--
Christoph Hormann <chr### [at] gmxde>
Homepage: http://www.schunter.etc.tu-bs.de/~chris/

Post a reply to this message

:o)  Nice one Christoph!  True.

       ~Steve~


"Christoph Hormann" <Chr### [at] schunteretctu-bsde> wrote in
message news:39A23006.3038A12C@schunter.etc.tu-

bs.de...
> You probably all know the story of the two programmers having a car
breakdown:
> "let's open all doors and shut them again and it will work."
>
> Christoph
>
> --
> Christoph Hormann <chr### [at] gmxde>
> Homepage: http://www.schunter.etc.tu-bs.de/~chris/

Post a reply to this message

"Bob Hughes" <per### [at] aolcom?subject=PoV-News:> wrote in 
message news:39a14c5c@news.povray.org...
> "Christoph Hormann" <Chr### [at] schunteretctu-bsde> wrote in
> message news:39A### [at] schunteretctu-bsde...
> |
> | Wolf Manos wrote:
> | >
> | > First of all 'thank you' to all the people answering on my 
previous
> post!
> | > This kind of support in newsgroups is just amazing !
> | >
> | > I don't know if this is the right forum for my next question:
> | >
> | > if I invoke the 'Help on POVRay Scene Language' from inside POVRay 
I get
> an
> | > error message:
> | >     An error exists in this Help file. Contact your application 
vendor
> for
> | > an updated Help file (1024)
> | >
> | > Any idea?
> 
> There's an answer someplace, this has been asked about before but I 
can't
> locate any messages about it.  Someone probably knows and might be 
able to
> answer soon enough if you have the patience.
> I'm thinking it could have something to do with installing different
> versions of POV in the wrong order, causing a registry glitch, or an
> incorrect DLL file in Windows to run the HLP file.  But just guesses.
> If this ever happened to me I don't remember at all.
> Could help to know what version you are using there, in fact that is 
very
> important to know; so if you could, reply back and say.
> 
> Bob
> 
If it's any help, the version I'm using is 3.1g.  The help file worked 
fine, but the same error message turned up when I installed megapov 0.5a
the problem seems to have corrected itself, but it does recur every once 
in a while.

Post a reply to this message