I've gotten very interested in raytracing and have been looking deeply at
the POV-Ray source code. I also found a book at the library (forgot the
name) but it too me through the basic steps to build this ray tracing
program TRACE with spheres and planes. Now I'm looking to go further with
more geometric objects. Does anyone know of a web page somewhere that has
some kind of tutorial on how to do such objects as cones, cylenders,
triangles ect?

Thanks

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> I've gotten very interested in raytracing and have been looking deeply at
> the POV-Ray source code. I also found a book at the library (forgot the
> name) but it too me through the basic steps to build this ray tracing
> program TRACE with spheres and planes. Now I'm looking to go further with
> more geometric objects. Does anyone know of a web page somewhere that has
> some kind of tutorial on how to do such objects as cones, cylenders,
> triangles ect?

First I don't know any webpage about this topic, but I'm sure there are plenty
if you search with www.google.com...

The objects you are talking about are primaries, if you are able to make planes
and spheres you should be able to do the others...

Think of it a few minutes,  what is a triangle?  It could be a part of a plane;
don't return the color if it's out of the triangle's border.  what is a
cylinder?  It could be some tweaked sphere; I don't know the algorithm you use
for spheres but you could probably, morph it to make cylinders.  And what are
cones?  Tweaked cylinders?!

If you are getting into raytracing programming, I hope you're not just
copy-pasting the formulaes... be sure to understand them!

Another trick for programming, use paper; the problem with computer is that the
formulaes you have are written oddly because of the programming language...  but
hand-written formulaes are easier to understand and while, not being able to
compile because you're outdoor with your paper pad, you will have to make sure
that when you get back on the computer what you have written on paper will
work...
You could for example draw a cylinder and see how you drawed it and try to morph
this into code!  

I know I haven't helped you, or have I?  There a saying: "Don't give fish to the
beggar, teach him how to fish"

Happy coding!
	Simon

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