Am 11.08.2021 um 14:57 schrieb William F Pokorny:

> Of note for POV-Ray v3.8 and onward is that the Fn_TimePt00, Fn_TimePt00 
> method for capturing time points should work in v3.8 beta 1, but it 
> doesn't because when 'now' was added, the support for it was not added 
> to parser_strings.cpp alongside pi, tau, etc. This a stand alone 'now' 
> issue.

I think you mean `parser_functions.cpp`?

There's a point to be made in keeping it that way: If we allow `now` in 
a function, what value should it evaluate to? The point of time when the 
function is parsed and compiled, or the one when it is invoked?

Since the answer to both alternatives is probably "yes" (depending on 
the use case), allowing it at all in functions _will_ cause confusion.

For e.g. `pi` and `tau`, by contrast, the answer is easy: "Who cares, 
it's the same either way."


Also, if you design a function to return current date and time encoded 
in a different time format (say, POSIX timestamp), it's easy to just add 
another parameter, and pass `now` when invoking that function. (*)

And while a function that evaluates to a different value upon each 
invocation during render _may_ sound like a fun idea, I'm quite sure its 
applicability is pretty much limited to being a novelty.


(*Speaking of extra parameters: Passing the number of seconds in a day 
as a _parameter_...??!)

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