(I'm currently using this recent POV-Ray 3.71 'development build'...
v3.7.1-alpha.8463913+av107.msvc10-sse2
..... on my older Windows 32-bit XP machine, single-core)

I have some related questions about continuing an animation, due to different
'editor window' behavior in the 3.7xx versions than what I used to see in v3.62:

1) When using the 'Continue_Trace' option, do I also need to set
Subset_Start_Frame and Subset_End_Frame to the proper values? This might seem
obvious, but I just want to make sure, as v3.7xx now creates a 'state file' when
a render is aborted-- I initially thought that the state file might already
contain all the information needed. (The 3.7 in-built documentation doesn't
cover the 'interplay' of these various features, AFAIK.)

2) When aborting then re-starting an animation sequence, the 'preview render' is
no longer visible(!)-- the 'Show' indicator/button in the upper portion of the
GUI is now blanked out, for the remaining duration of the animation. (This
happens with or without using Continue_Trace.) I *think* this behavior extends
all the way back to the original 3.7.0 version. (Sorry to say that I haven't
done much *animation* since 3.62, or I would have noticed this before now.) Is
there something important that I'm neglecting to do? BTW, yes, the following
menu command is active:

Options / Render Window / Preserve Contents During Animation--  on

(A related question, but not as important: When using Subset_Start_Frame and
Subset_End_Frame in my INI file-- for example, specifying 50 and 250 for those
values-- and running the animation from that point, the animation 'status box'
at the lower left corner of the editor window displays 'frame 1 of 201' now, not
'frame 50 of 250'  (like it used to in POV-Ray v3.62, if I recall correctly.)
While technically correct, this behavior has confused me more than once: seeing
'frame 1' rather than 'frame 50' has caused me to abort the render in a panic!
:-O  Personally, I like the old behavior better. Is there a reason for the
change?

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"Kenneth" <kdw### [at] gmailcom> wrote:

>
> 2) When aborting then re-starting an animation sequence, the 'preview render' is
> no longer visible(!)--

Sorry, that needs a clearer explanation:

When stopping (or aborting) an animation sequence, then re-starting it-- using
Subset_Start_Frame and Subset_End_Frame-- the 'preview render' is no longer
visible...

Post a reply to this message

On 2/9/2016 3:33 AM, Kenneth wrote:
> "Kenneth" <kdw### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
>
>>
>> 2) When aborting then re-starting an animation sequence, the 'preview render' is
>> no longer visible(!)--
>
> Sorry, that needs a clearer explanation:
>
> When stopping (or aborting) an animation sequence, then re-starting it-- using
> Subset_Start_Frame and Subset_End_Frame-- the 'preview render' is no longer
> visible...
>

I don't have a problem with the preview window in povwin.

I never ever use +C. In the past, I found it too fragile and my workflow 
doesn't include it now. I always start with a whole frame.

My .ini contains only Final_Frame=999 for animation control
and then in povwin I drive subsets with -sf20 -ef30

Post a reply to this message

"Kenneth" <kdw### [at] gmailcom> wrote:

>
> 2) When aborting then re-starting an animation sequence, the 'preview render' is
> no longer visible(!)-- the 'Show' indicator/button in the upper portion of the
> GUI is now blanked out, for the remaining duration of the animation.

Sorry, that was a false alarm; it seems to have been a temporary glitch. I
restarted my computer, and the preview image is working correctly now. I
apologize to the developers, if I sent them on a wild goose chase.

v3.7.0 works correctly too; I was wrong when I said that it didn't.

I'm going to continue to experiment with this situation, to see if I can
re-create the glitch. I have no idea why it happened. Hopefully, it won't occur
again. ;-)

Post a reply to this message

dick balaska <dic### [at] buckosoftcom> wrote:

>
> I don't have a problem with the preview window in povwin.
>
> I never ever use +C. In the past, I found it too fragile and my workflow
> doesn't include it now. I always start with a whole frame.
>

Thanks. I actually don't use +C much either, but I wanted to experiment with it.

My problem *could* have been a memory issue, or not enough RAM or something. At
this point I don't know. I'm just happy that everything works now!

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