Beta 5 is out now:

https://github.com/POV-Ray/povray/releases/tag/v3.7.1-beta.5

We have simplified the Windows build process for non-XP-compatible
custom builds (the official binaries are generated using a more
complicated XP-compatible build process though), and eliminated a few bugs.

Most importantly however, we have again improved performance (Kudos to
Bill Pokorny) over the previous beta, this time on all platforms.
Compared to 3.7.0, on Unix systems we expect to be roughly back at the
same performance, while on modern Windows systems we expect a noticeable
gain.


Happy Testing!

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On 2017-03-25 15:30:02 +0000, clipka said:

Macintosh version at:
http://megapov.inetart.net/povrayunofficial_mac/alphapov.html

Yvo

> Beta 5 is out now:
> 
> https://github.com/POV-Ray/povray/releases/tag/v3.7.1-beta.5
> 
> We have simplified the Windows build process for non-XP-compatible
> custom builds (the official binaries are generated using a more
> complicated XP-compatible build process though), and eliminated a few bugs.
> 
> Most importantly however, we have again improved performance (Kudos to
> Bill Pokorny) over the previous beta, this time on all platforms.
> Compared to 3.7.0, on Unix systems we expect to be roughly back at the
> same performance, while on modern Windows systems we expect a noticeable
> gain.
> 
> 
> Happy Testing!


-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


POV-Ray 3.7 unofficial: http://megapov.inetart.net/povrayunofficial_mac/
UberPOV Mac: http://megapov.inetart.net/uberpov_mac/index.html#Mac
MegaPOV: http://megapov.inetart.net
E-mail: yvo(DOT)s(AT)gmx.net

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On 3/25/2017 11:30 AM, clipka wrote:
while on modern Windows systems we expect a noticeable
> gain.


Compared to when? And by how much?


Mike

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Am 25.03.2017 um 19:14 schrieb Mike Horvath:
> On 3/25/2017 11:30 AM, clipka wrote:
> while on modern Windows systems we expect a noticeable
>> gain.
> 
> 
> Compared to when? And by how much?

To quote my full sentence:

"Compared to 3.7.0, on Unix systems we expect to be roughly back at the
same performance, while on modern Windows systems we expect a noticeable
gain."

So that's compared to 3.7.0.

The performance gain varies somewhat with CPU model and, to an even
greater extent, with the scene to be rendered, but I'm seeing just shy
of +30% more pixels per second on my Intel i7-5820K machine for the
benchmark scene.

On AMD CPUs(*), expect a significantly lower gain (my guess would be
about +10% instead). This is because 3.7.0 already contained
optimizations specifically for AVX/FMA4-capable CPUs (benefiting AMD
CPUs only), which 3.7.1-beta.3 complemented with optimizations
specifically for AVX2/FMA3-capable CPUs (benefiting Intel CPUs).

(*AMDs new Ryzen is an exception to this rule, as AMD seems to have
dropped FMA4 support on that CPU in favour of FMA3.)


The newest speed increase of 3.7.1-beta.5 over 3.7.1-beta.4 is from
amending code I had introduced earlier in 3.7.1 development as part of
the refactoring work, which turned out to be a bit of a performance hog;
so these changes don't give a performance improvement over 3.7.0, but
rather counteract performance losses, so that the performance
improvements already introduced in 3.7.1-beta.3 can now live up to their
full potential.

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Am 25.03.2017 um 18:54 schrieb E-mailyvo s gmx.net:
> On 2017-03-25 15:30:02 +0000, clipka said:
> 
> Macintosh version at:
> http://megapov.inetart.net/povrayunofficial_mac/alphapov.html

You know, that one beta you did /not/ immediately port to the Mac really
had me worried what might have happened to you ;)

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Am 25.03.2017 um 19:14 schrieb Mike Horvath:
> On 3/25/2017 11:30 AM, clipka wrote:
> while on modern Windows systems we expect a noticeable
>> gain.
> 
> 
> Compared to when? And by how much?

Hm, guess I misread that.

"Compared to when?" is the wrong question, since "modern" can't just be
defined in terms of some parameter as simple as the date of purchase.

The most important factor is the extended instruction sets your CPU
supports, but also how well those instruction sets are implemented:

Modern:

- AMD Ryzen machines (expect a lot of gain).
- Intel AVX2/FMA3-capable machines (expect a lot of gain).
- AMD AVX/FMA4-capable machines (expect a bit of gain).
- Other Intel AVX-capable machines (expect moderate gain).

Not modern:

- Other AMD AVX-capable machines (expect some loss*).
- Non-AVX-capable machines (all bets are off).

All of the above information pertains to Windows machines, comparing
3.7.1-beta.5 to 3.7.0 official release.

As for "by how much?" see my other post for ballpark figures.


(*) We haven't been able to perform tests of our own to confirm this
behaviour, so need to rely on 3rd party feedback. Judging from that, it
looks as if old AMD machines supporting AVX but not FMA4 exhibit poor
AVX performance, and actually suffer from enabling AVX-specific
optimizations; we'll have to see how we can address that problem. Maybe
we'll have to restrict the AVX-specific optimizations to genuine Intel
CPUs, and/or provide a setting to override the automatic choice of
optimized code.

Another performance-related ToDo item is making the alternative
codepaths available on Linux machines as well.

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On 3/25/2017 6:07 PM, clipka wrote:
> - AMD AVX/FMA4-capable machines (expect a bit of gain).

Yay, that's me!


Thanks!

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On 2017-03-25 21:35:07 +0000, clipka said:

> Am 25.03.2017 um 18:54 schrieb E-mailyvo s gmx.net:
>> On 2017-03-25 15:30:02 +0000, clipka said:
>> 
>> Macintosh version at:
>> http://megapov.inetart.net/povrayunofficial_mac/alphapov.html
> 
> You know, that one beta you did /not/ immediately port to the Mac really
> had me worried what might have happened to you ;)

Even though I trust you blindly, I must keep in mind that you are a 
member of the Windows side!
Therefore, every now and then I do a thorough check to make sure that 
you did not secretly wrote malicious code to damage those beautiful 
Apple computers. :-) :-)

--
Yvo

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


POV-Ray 3.7 unofficial: http://megapov.inetart.net/povrayunofficial_mac/
UberPOV Mac: http://megapov.inetart.net/uberpov_mac/index.html#Mac
MegaPOV: http://megapov.inetart.net
E-mail: yvo(DOT)s(AT)gmx.net

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I was unable to install the beta on Windows 7. I've attached a 
screenshot of an error.

I _was_ able to install it on Windows Server 2012 R2 successfully.


Mike

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Attachments:
Download 'clipboard-1.png' (30 KB)

Preview of image 'clipboard-1.png'

On 3/27/2017 7:09 PM, Mike Horvath wrote:
> I was unable to install the beta on Windows 7. I've attached a
> screenshot of an error.
>
> I _was_ able to install it on Windows Server 2012 R2 successfully.
>
>
> Mike

I was unable to fully uninstall 3.7.0 as well.


Mike

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Attachments:
Download 'clipboard-3.png' (161 KB)

Preview of image 'clipboard-3.png'

Okay, I installed as administrator instead. But now when I try to run 
the program I get this error instead.

Mike

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Attachments:
Download 'clipboard-4.png' (36 KB)

Preview of image 'clipboard-4.png'

Am 2017-03-27 19:09, also sprach Mike Horvath:
> I was unable to install the beta on Windows 7. I've attached a
> screenshot of an error.
>
> I _was_ able to install it on Windows Server 2012 R2 successfully.
>
>
> Mike

I got this on beta4. I didn't say anything because I couldn't duplicate 
it.  But I got this when:
1) Shall I uninstall old version? [Y]
2) Continue installing new version? [Next]
3) bonk.

It didn't create the main directory before starting to write files. If 
you say ignore, it will fail the next file.

So, exit and start again. This time there was no uninstall needed, and 
it ran through fine.
-- 
dik

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Am 28.03.2017 um 01:30 schrieb Mike Horvath:
> Okay, I installed as administrator instead. But now when I try to run
> the program I get this error instead.

Some portions of POV-Ray are installed globally (e.g. the binaries and
the help file), but others are installed for each user individually
(e.g. the sample scenes and standard include files).

When installing as administrator, the global stuff is installed
normally, but the per-user stuff is only installed for the admin.


Go to the directory where you installed the beta, SHIFT+RightClick on
the "bin" directory, open command prompt.

Presuming you're using the 64-bit version, type

    pvengine64.exe /INSTALL

This will install the per-user stuff for you as well.

Post a reply to this message

Am 28.03.2017 um 11:24 schrieb dick balaska:
> Am 2017-03-27 19:09, also sprach Mike Horvath:
>> I was unable to install the beta on Windows 7. I've attached a
>> screenshot of an error.
>>
>> I _was_ able to install it on Windows Server 2012 R2 successfully.
>>
>>
>> Mike
> 
> I got this on beta4. I didn't say anything because I couldn't duplicate
> it.  But I got this when:
> 1) Shall I uninstall old version? [Y]
> 2) Continue installing new version? [Next]
> 3) bonk.
> 
> It didn't create the main directory before starting to write files. If
> you say ignore, it will fail the next file.
> 
> So, exit and start again. This time there was no uninstall needed, and
> it ran through fine.


Looks like /some/ problem with the access rights of the previously
installed beta.

It /might/ have to do with the fact that POV-Ray 3.7.1-beta.5 identifies
as "POV-Ray for Windows v3.7-beta" in various contexts now, whereas the
previous betas identified as "POV-Ray for Windows v3.7".

Post a reply to this message

On 3/28/2017 9:22 AM, clipka wrote:
> Am 28.03.2017 um 01:30 schrieb Mike Horvath:
>> Okay, I installed as administrator instead. But now when I try to run
>> the program I get this error instead.
>
> Some portions of POV-Ray are installed globally (e.g. the binaries and
> the help file), but others are installed for each user individually
> (e.g. the sample scenes and standard include files).
>
> When installing as administrator, the global stuff is installed
> normally, but the per-user stuff is only installed for the admin.
>
>
> Go to the directory where you installed the beta, SHIFT+RightClick on
> the "bin" directory, open command prompt.
>
> Presuming you're using the 64-bit version, type
>
>     pvengine64.exe /INSTALL
>
> This will install the per-user stuff for you as well.
>

Does it say any of this in the installer? You might want to explain it 
there too.


Mike

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On 3/28/2017 9:27 AM, clipka wrote:
> Am 28.03.2017 um 11:24 schrieb dick balaska:
>> Am 2017-03-27 19:09, also sprach Mike Horvath:
>>> I was unable to install the beta on Windows 7. I've attached a
>>> screenshot of an error.
>>>
>>> I _was_ able to install it on Windows Server 2012 R2 successfully.
>>>
>>>
>>> Mike
>>
>> I got this on beta4. I didn't say anything because I couldn't duplicate
>> it.  But I got this when:
>> 1) Shall I uninstall old version? [Y]
>> 2) Continue installing new version? [Next]
>> 3) bonk.
>>
>> It didn't create the main directory before starting to write files. If
>> you say ignore, it will fail the next file.
>>
>> So, exit and start again. This time there was no uninstall needed, and
>> it ran through fine.
>
>
> Looks like /some/ problem with the access rights of the previously
> installed beta.
>
> It /might/ have to do with the fact that POV-Ray 3.7.1-beta.5 identifies
> as "POV-Ray for Windows v3.7-beta" in various contexts now, whereas the
> previous betas identified as "POV-Ray for Windows v3.7".
>

Uninstalling worked when running the uninstaller as admin. However, the 
program does not tell you to do this or prompt you for more rights like 
most Windows programs. In fact the uninstaller even tells you that the 
program has been successfully uninstalled when the files are still there!


Mike

Post a reply to this message

On 3/28/2017 7:22 PM, Mike Horvath wrote:
> Uninstalling worked when running the uninstaller as admin. However, the
> program does not tell you to do this or prompt you for more rights like
> most Windows programs. In fact the uninstaller even tells you that the
> program has been successfully uninstalled when the files are still there!
>
>
> Mike

Sorry that is confusing.

Quote: "In fact the uninstaller even tells you that the program has been 
successfully uninstalled when the files are still there!"

The above only happens when running as non-admin, I meant to say.

Ideally the installer should warn you that you can't/shouldn't install 
into "Program Files" as a non-admin, which it doesn't AFAIK.


Mike

Post a reply to this message

Am 29.03.2017 um 05:15 schrieb Mike Horvath:
> On 3/28/2017 7:22 PM, Mike Horvath wrote:
>> Uninstalling worked when running the uninstaller as admin. However, the
>> program does not tell you to do this or prompt you for more rights like
>> most Windows programs. In fact the uninstaller even tells you that the
>> program has been successfully uninstalled when the files are still there!
>>
>>
>> Mike
> 
> Sorry that is confusing.
> 
> Quote: "In fact the uninstaller even tells you that the program has been
> successfully uninstalled when the files are still there!"
> 
> The above only happens when running as non-admin, I meant to say.
> 
> Ideally the installer should warn you that you can't/shouldn't install
> into "Program Files" as a non-admin, which it doesn't AFAIK.

Writing a good installer is a non-trivial task, and I suspect Chris
Cason knows a lot more about the various pitfalls than I do; he's been
pretty busy lately though, so I've taken over a bit of maintenance work
on the installer. But writing the /ideal/ installer is a challenge I
don't feel up to.

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