I have another feature request for POV-Ray, add bezier_spline as a SPLINE_TYPE to the
spline and sphere_sweep objects.

To further the request, perhaps allow any SPLINE_TYPE to be used for any spline-based
object.  Following is a list of the spline types available for each object type, taken
from the 3.6 help file.


lathe
linear_spline | quadratic_spline | cubic_spline | bezier_spline

prism
linear_spline | quadratic_spline | cubic_spline | bezier_spline

sphere_sweep
linear_spline | b_spline | cubic_spline

spline
linear_spline | quadratic_spline | cubic_spline | natural_spline

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Kyle <hob### [at] gatenet> wrote:
> I have another feature request for POV-Ray, add bezier_spline as a SPLINE_TYPE to
the spline and sphere_sweep objects
.
>

I second this idea.

Cubics and quadratic splines may be more efficient from a mathematical,
computing, and rendering standpoint, but for some of us, advanced spline types
(cubic, quadratic), one mans advantage may be another mans handicap.

Example:

Cubic and Quadratics when adjusting control points your not just adjusting the
appearance of the current spline segment, you are also adjusting the appearance
of previous spline segments.

Bezier splines have 2 ending points and 2 control points per segment. Adjusting
the any of the 2 control points only effects the appearance of that segment,
not the appearance of adjacent, preceding or suceeding  spline segments.

Some of us prefer Bezier splines for this reason, since it gives a greater
degree of control over the appearance, since it requires less of the fine
tuning of curves that are necessary in Cubic splines and Quadratic splines.

Is this possible? Or are the current spline types for the different primitives
based upon computing restrictions?

-Woody

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> Is this possible? Or are the current spline types for the different primitives
> based upon computing restrictions?

Megapov has a lot of spline types that POV-Ray doesn't have, so it's 
definitely possible.

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I know that InkScape can take a drawing (even if it is bezier) and export it to
a pov-ray linear spline, but I'm a bit of a POVRay purist. Linear and Beziers
are a whole lot easier to visualize, and considering you need a lot less points
it would be nice to have a bezier spline option for features where it is not
currently available (like spherical sweep).

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