I think he was referring to the amount of reflection, as
reflection .4 or even in version 3.5 reflection{.2,.7} would
be something far different from 100% mirror-like reflection...

AFAIK it is not possible to return those, unless you use
trace on objects, of which you have set the reflection inside
an array. A macro could trace the object, check the reflection
in the array, and return intersection point, surface normal, and
reflection value.

Batronyx wrote:

> "Tom Melly" <tom### [at] tomandlucouk> wrote in message
> > IMHO you'd be better of writing macros to handle using cylinders. Any other
> > approach is presumably going to require scattering media (if you want the
> lasers
> > to be visible) and photons (if mirrors are involved), so render times are
> going
> > to shoot through the roof.
> >
> > Now, a nice set of laser-macros that trace a path would be nice - is there a
> way
> > to return the reflection component of a surface?
> >
>
> You could calculate if from the normal returned by trace(). . . but you probably
> already knew that.
>
> Batronyx ^"^
>
> --
> light_source{0,1}#macro c(J,a)sphere{0,1pigment{rgb z}scale a translate J+O}
> #end#macro B(R,V,O)c(0,4)intersection{c(V,R)difference{c(-z*4x+10)c(-z*4.1x+
> 10)c(0<7.5,45,5>)}}#end B(12,0z*25)B(8y*4<0,12,50>)          // Batronyx ^"^

--
Tim Nikias
Homepage: http://www.digitaltwilight.de/no_lights/index.html
Email: Tim### [at] gmxde

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