Be sure to read the cmpl_xxx.doc files in your platform specific and compiler specific directories for some more minor help if you are working on a supported platform or compiler.
Good luck!
The comp.graphics.rendering.raytracing newsgroup has many competent POV-Ray users that are very willing to share their knowledge. They generally ask that you first browse a few files to see if someone has already answered the same question, and of course, that you follow proper "netiquette". If you have any doubts about the qualifications of the folks that frequent the group, a few minutes spend at the Ray Tracing Competition pages at www.povray.org will quickly convince you!
510-524-2780 (PM14400FXSA v.32bis 14.4k, Public) 510-524-2165 (USR DS v.32bis/HST 14.4k, Subscribers)
Formerly known as ADEnet, PCGnet is a new network created from the ground up, incorporating new nodes and focusing evenly on both CAD and graphics related topics, including, but not limited to the following topics: design, drafting, engineering, 2d and 3d modeling, multimedia, systems, raster imaging, raytracing, 3d rendering and animation.
PCGnet is designed to serve the needs of all callers by stimulating interest and generating support forums for active users who have an interest in the CAD and graphics related topics previously mentioned; interest and support is generated through PCGnet's message conferences, file sharing across the network, and industry news and press releases. PCGnet's message conference are moderated forums designed to accommodate friendly, yet professional and informative discussion of CAD and graphics related subjects.
TGA BBS serves as the central hub for a large network of graphics-oriented BBS systems around the world. Following is a concise listing of active PCGNet nodes at the time of this writing. The POV-Team can not vouch for the currency of this information, nor verify that any of these boards may carry POV-Ray.
USA and Canada
411-Exchange Alpharetta GA 404-345-0008
Autodesk Global Village San Rafael CA 415-507-5921
CAD/Engineering Services Hendersonville TN 615-822-2539
Canis Major Nashville TN 615-385-4268
CEAO BBS Columbus OH 614-481-3194
CHAOS BBS Columbia MO 314-874-2930
Joes CODE BBS West Bloomfield MI 810-855-0894
John's Graphics Brooklyn Park MN 612-425-4436
PC-AUG Phoenix AZ 602-952-0638
SAUG BBS Bellevue WA 206-644-7115
Space Command BBS Kennewick WA 509-735-4894
The CAD/fx BBS Mesa AZ 602-835-0274
The Drawing Board BBS Anchorage AK 907-349-5412
The Graphics Alternative El Cerrito CA 510-524-2780
The Happy Canyon Denver CO 303-759-3598
The New Graphics BBS Piscataway NJ 908-271-8878
The University Shrewsbury Twp NJ 908-544-8193
The Virtual Dimension Oceanside CA 619-722-0746
Time-Out BBS Sadsburyville PA 610-857-2648
Australia
MULTI-CAD Magazine BBS Toowong QLD 61-7-878-2940
My Computer Company Erskineville NSW 61-2-557-1489
Sydney PCUG Compaq BBS Caringbah NSW 61-2-540-1842
The Baud Room Melbourne VIC 61-3-481-8720
Austria
Austrian AutoCAD User Group Graz 43-316-574-426
Belgium
Lucas Visions BBS Boom 32-3-8447-229
Denmark
Horreby SuperBBS Nykoebing Falster 45-53-84-7074
Finland
DH-Online Jari Hiltunen 358-0-40562248
Triplex BBS Helsinki 358-0-5062277
France
CAD Connection Montesson 33-1-39529854
Zyllius BBS! Saint Paul 33-93320505
Germany
Ray BBS Munich Munich 49-89-984723
Tower of Magic Gelsenkirchen 49-209-780670
Netherlands
BBS Bennekom: Fractal Board Bennekom 31-318-415331
CAD-BBS Nieuwegein 31-30-6090287
31-30-6056353
Foundation One Baarn 31-35-5422143
New Zealand
The Graphics Connection Wellington 64-4-566-8450
The Graphics Connection II New Plymouth 64-6-757-8092
The Graphics Connection III Auckland 64-9-309-2237
Slovenia
MicroArt Koper 386-66-34986
Sweden
Autodesk On-line Gothenburg 46-31-401718
United Kingdom
CADenza BBS Leicester, UK 44-116-259-6725
Raytech BBS Tain, Scotland 44-1862-83-2020
The Missing Link Surrey, England 44-181-641-8593
Country or long distance dial numbers may require additional numbers to be used. Consult your local phone company.
The books listed below have been recently listed as out-of-print but may still be found in some bookstores or libraries (Visit http://www.dnai.com:80/waite/ for more details).
Ray Tracing Creations, 2d Ed.
Chris Young and Drew Wells
ISBN 1-878739-69-7
Waite Group Press 1994
700 pages with color insert and POV-Ray 2.2 on 3.5" MS-Dos disk.
Ray Tracing Worlds with POV-Ray
Alexander Enzmann, Lutz Kretzschmar, Chris Young,
ISBN 1-878739-64-6
Waite Group Press 1994
Includes Moray 1.5x modeler and POV-Ray 2.2 on 3.5" MS-Dos disks.
Ray Tracing for the Macintosh CD
Eduard Schwan
ISBN 1-878739-72-7
Waite Group Press, 1994
Comes with a CD-ROM full of scenes, images, and QuickTime movies,
and an interactive keyword reference. Also a floppy with POV-Ray for
those who don't have a CD ROM drive.
'The Official POV-Ray CDROM' The Official POV-Ray CDROM: The Official POV-Ray CDROM is a compilation of images, scene source, program source, utilities and tips on POV-Ray and 3D graphics from the Internet and Compuserve. This CD is aimed not only at those who want to create their own images or do general 3D programming work, but also at those who want simply to experience some high-quality renderings done by some of the best POV-Ray artists, and to learn from their source code. The CDROM contains over 500 ray-traced images.
It's a good resource for those learning POV-Ray as well as those who are already proficient, and contains a Microsoft Windows-based interactive tutorial. The disk comes with a fold-out poster and reference sheet. The CD is compatible with DOS/Windows and Macintosh formats.
The CDROM is available for free retrieval and browsing on the World Wide Web at http://www.povray.org/pov-cdrom . For more details you may also visit http://www.povray.org/povcd .
Table Of Contents