hi,

"Bald Eagle" <cre### [at] netscapenet> wrote:
> "jr" <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> > re p.text.scene-files.
>
> I have played with this stuff many many times over the years.
> And for new users, this stuff is really nice.
> I'm glad you brought this out and updated a classic FL POV-Ray tool.
>
> Just from memory, I would say that you may want to introduce some switches to
> adjust things, and maybe have your ruled surfaces and axes adjustable.
> Add no_shadow to the axes.

fact is I deleted the (usual) 'no_shadow' because the image is meant to look (a
little) like FL's "squared background" image, where the Y-axis casts a shadow.
:-)

more below.

> ...
> Sometimes I want axes, sometimes I just want a reference sphere for the origin.
> For most modeling in POV-Ray, people tend to model AT the origin.  So, you may
> want to incorporate transparency for the "paper" of the "graph" so that you can
> see below y=0 but still have the grid at y=0.  An emissive texture would help
> seeing the lines - and might look really sharp.  :)

transparency - check.  "emissive" is a v good idea, should make the lines stand
out better.  thanks.

also works with image_map pigments, see attached.

> ...
> I find that too many parameters just makes it too hard to use. (Me)
> Maybe if you just have a single "extent" variable for the x and z dimensions,
> you could copy those into the offsets of the two vertical planes.
> Parameterize the radius of the arrows (before the merge) and make your cones a
> formula based on that.

only two parameters are needed to include a "graph paper" in a scene.  the
plane's orientation and the offset from origin, all other "knobs" have defaults
to make the plane look similar to FL's original, out of the box.

> Make it so the plane doesn't clip off the z-arrowhead.

yep, coincident surfaces.  :-)

> As a new user, dealing with POV-Ray's left-handed coordinate system could be a
> real mind-bender.  Not to mention translation / rotation relative to the origin.
> Perhaps:
> label the axes

also a good point.  will think about how that could be incorporated to "fit".

> ...
> A whole 'nother way of graphing based on radius and degrees or radians would be
> helpful for those doing that sort of work as well.

not useful for 'Ruled()' I think, however, interesting, what do you have in
mind?

> ...
> Provide a (switchable) quick reference debug stream output so that users just
> starting to use any additional tools or options can see it right in the output
> from the render and not have to switch windows or tabs...

not sure what sort of message would be useful feedback from the macro.

> I'll stop now, or I could go on forever.   "Mission creep" is a killer.

;-)

> Excellent work, Number 14!
> Be seeing you.   ;)


regards, jr.

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