Hi there!

When populating a scene with loads of macro-generated objects, I thought 
it would be a nice idea to run those time-consuming macros only once, 
write their "return values" (in this case: unions of triangles) to an 
.inc file and re-use this file when further experimenting with the 
scene. However, I couldn't figure out a way to write those objects to a 
file - the #write directive apparently only accepts strings, numbers and 
vectors.
Does anybody have a clue how one could save macro-generated objects to a 
file - i.e. use PovRay for creating its own .inc files?

Thanx in advance -

	Torsten

Post a reply to this message

Torsten Crass wrote:
> 
> Hi there!
> 
> When populating a scene with loads of macro-generated objects, I thought
> it would be a nice idea to run those time-consuming macros only once,
> write their "return values" (in this case: unions of triangles) to an
> .inc file and re-use this file when further experimenting with the
> scene. However, I couldn't figure out a way to write those objects to a
> file - the #write directive apparently only accepts strings, numbers and
> vectors.
> Does anybody have a clue how one could save macro-generated objects to a
> file - i.e. use PovRay for creating its own .inc files?

You can find some samples for using the #write directive in the standard
include file 'shapes.inc'.  As you said #write supports strings, floats
and vectors.  Since all objects consist of such elements you can write
them quite easily.

Christoph

-- 
POV-Ray tutorials, include files, Sim-POV,
HCR-Edit and more: http://www.tu-bs.de/~y0013390/
Last updated 17 Jun. 2003 _____./\/^>_*_<^\/\.______

Post a reply to this message

Hi Christoph!

> You can find some samples for using the #write directive in the standard
> include file 'shapes.inc'.  As you said #write supports strings, floats
> and vectors.  Since all objects consist of such elements you can write
> them quite easily.

Uhm, well... yes and no. Of course it is possible to assemble all 
keywords and parameter values which define an object into a file - if 
you can retrieve them one by one. But what about a union that comes out 
of a macro, and whose sub-objects have been created and randomly 
transformed by further sub-macros, and so forth?

Something like a to_string(OBJECT) function would be really handy! But 
there isn't one, is there?

Regards -

	Torsten

Post a reply to this message

Torsten Crass wrote:
> 
> Uhm, well... yes and no. Of course it is possible to assemble all
> keywords and parameter values which define an object into a file - if
> you can retrieve them one by one. But what about a union that comes out
> of a macro, and whose sub-objects have been created and randomly
> transformed by further sub-macros, and so forth?

Just add writing code in your macros wherever an object is created.

> Something like a to_string(OBJECT) function would be really handy! But
> there isn't one, is there?

There won't be - objects are not always stored internally as they are
written in script.

Christoph

-- 
POV-Ray tutorials, include files, Sim-POV,
HCR-Edit and more: http://www.tu-bs.de/~y0013390/
Last updated 17 Jun. 2003 _____./\/^>_*_<^\/\.______

Post a reply to this message

3f1d5c3c@news.povray.org...
> Hi there!
>
> Does anybody have a clue how one could save macro-generated objects to a
> file - i.e. use PovRay for creating its own .inc files?

Look for the advanced/blocks examples in the demo scenes for instance.
Other examples can be found in my tree and grass macros
http://www.oyonale.com/ressources/english/sources01.htm and pipe macros
http://www.oyonale.com/ressources/english/sources08.htm

G.

--
**********************
http://www.oyonale.com
**********************
- Graphic experiments
- POV-Ray and Poser computer images
- Posters

Post a reply to this message

Hi Christoph,

> Just add writing code in your macros wherever an object is created.

<sigh>if it must be...</sigh> I was just hoping I could use the same 
macros for creating both .inc files and ready-to-use objects for my scene.

Thanx anyway -

	Torsten

Post a reply to this message

in news:3f1e657d$1@news.povray.org Torsten Crass wrote:

><sigh>if it must be...</sigh> I was just hoping I could use the same 
> macros for creating both .inc files and ready-to-use objects for my
> scene. 
> 

I may be misunderstanding you sihgs, but you can use one macro/inc-file 
for that.

#macro SomeMacro (a,b,c, FileName)
  ....
  ....
  #if(file_exists(FileName))
    #include FileName
    #local WriteFile=0;
  #else
    #if(strlen(FileName)!=0)
      #local WriteFile=1;
      #fopen GeneratedObjectsFile FileName write
    #else
      #local WriteFile=0;
    #end
  #end
  ....
  ....
  // generate an object here,
  // use the WriteFile variable to check
  // wether it should be written to file or not 

#end

When you call the macro with a FileName="" no file will be written.
When you call a macro with a FileName="something" it will be checked 
wether the file already exists. In that case the existing file will be 
parsed. If it doesn't exist a new file will be written.

Ingo

Post a reply to this message