Just to show how useful POV can be...
The graph on the bottom right of the attached image was created with
Pov-Ray. I first implemented a regression analysis utility that would
work directly on data extracted from the MS Access/Oracle database I'm
managing. After writing the regression procedure, I thought that it
would be nice to ouput the graphs as well, with the data points and the
regression line, and to store them as image files for later use (like
putting them on the web). So the Visual Basic procedure outputs a raw
datafile, calls POV (actually POV-Ray for MS-DOS to save on the loading
time) to generate the graph, and converts the TGA to RLE, thanks to a
1992 MS-DOS utility that was shipped with my original POV 1.0 disc, all
of this by pressing a button within Access.
The graph itself is made with an orthographic camera, and POV calculates
the right numbers and decimals for the x and y axis.
Why not make the graphs more 3D ? In fact, they have to be as small as
possible because there will be thousands of them eventually, so they
cannot be very fancy. Right now, they're about 15 k each (render time 1
second). I tried using spheres for symbols, but as the output looked
sometimes like a squashed bug, I turned to pierced discs instead... At a
later stage, I consider making small movies from the data, to illustrate
regressions with 2 predictors.

OK, this won't end up in 3D magazines. Still, I'm pretty happy about
it...

G.
--

**********************
http://www.oyonale.com
**********************
Graphic experiments
Pov-ray gallery

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Preview of image 'graph.jpg'

In article <3AA13076.EC62EAE7@inapg.inra.fr>, Gilles Tran 
<tra### [at] inapginrafr> wrote:

> I tried using spheres for symbols, but as the output looked
> sometimes like a squashed bug, I turned to pierced discs instead...

Why not torii?
I've done a couple graph macros before...not this kind though, just 
graphing a function. And not very advanced, either...maybe I'll drag it 
out and work on it some more.

-- 
Christopher James Huff
Personal: chr### [at] maccom, http://homepage.mac.com/chrishuff/
TAG: chr### [at] tagpovrayorg, http://tag.povray.org/

<><

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//I'm pretty happy about it

I am. as well. no idea why. and. do not. care.

Love,

Peter

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