Chris Friedl scribis news:3d106cd9@news.povray.org:

> I can image that pov files get really big. Any
> clues somewhere on how a good pov file could be laid out to make
> development and maintenance easier?
> 

I tend to model smaller parts of whatever it is I
am working on and save each small part in its own
.inc file. 
An example:
// park scene
#include "bench.inc" object {bench rotate <,,> translate <,,>.....}
#include "trees.inc" object {Tree35 ......}
#include "outdoorlamps.inc"object {StreetLamp2 .....}

camera{...}

In this way I can see the overall layout of the scene without
a lot of clutter to distract me.

I also have a setup for each file that allowes me to render each
peice or object in its .inc file and still use the .inc file
without modification in the main scene file.
An example:

#include "Colors.inc"
#include "Global_Settings.inc"
#include "FileInUse.inc"
// development code goes here.
#if	(FileInUse=0)
	camera		{.....}
	#include	"Sun.inc"	object{Sun scale 1 rotate <+45,-15,0>}
	object		{ Jayhawk rotate y*0} //Jayhawk is a ship in Traveller
#end
#include "FileNotInUse.inc"

FileInUse.inc is
#ifndef(FileInUse)#declare FileInUse=0; 
#else #declare FileInUse=FileInUse+1;
#end

FileNotInUse.inc is
#declare FileInUse=FileInUse-1;

As you can see, if the inc file is not included but rendered
directly,the camera and scene building statements at the bottom
are used.

If the .inc file IS included in another scene file that uses
this same setup, the camera and scene setup at the bottom is
ignored and it is up to the main scene file to define the camera
and such.

In this way I can work on one small part of an object or scene
without having to work on one large file.
-- 
Gis poste, Arto.

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