| Output_File_Name=file | Sets output file to file |
| +Ofile | Same as Output_File_Name=file |
The default output filename is created from the scene name and need not be specified. The scene name is the input name with all drive, path, and extension information stripped. For example if the input file name is c:\povray3\mystuff\myfile.pov the scene name is myfile . The proper extension is appended to the scene name based on the file type. For example myfile.tga or myfile.png might be used.
You may override the default output name using Output_File_Name = file or +O file . For example:
If an output file name of "-" is specified (a single minus sign), then the image will be written to standard output, usually the screen. The output can then be piped into another program or to a GUI if desired.
| Buffer_Output=bool | Turn output buffering on/off |
| +B | Turn output buffering on |
| -B | Turn output buffering off |
| Buffer_Size=n | Set output buffer size to 'n' kilobytes. If n is zero, no buffering. If n < system default, the system default is used. |
| +Bn | Turn buffer on, set size n |
| -Bn | Turn buffer off, but for future set size n |
The Buffer_Output and Buffer_Size options and the +B switch allows you to assign large buffers to the output file. This reduces the amount of time spent writing to the disk. If this parameter is not specified, then as each row of pixels is finished, the line is written to the file and the file is flushed. On most systems, this operation ensures that the file is written to the disk so that in the event of a system crash or other catastrophic event, at least a part of the picture has been stored properly and retrievable on disk. The default is not to use any buffer.
Not all versions of POV-Ray allow the creation of histograms. The histogram output is dependent on the file type and the system that POV-Ray is being run on.
| Histogram_Type=x | Set histogram type to x (turn off if type is 'X') |
| +HTx | Same as Histogram_Type=x |
The histogram output file type is nearly the same as that used for the image output file types in "Output File Type" . The available histogram file types are as follows.
| +HTC | Comma separated values (CSV) often used in spreadsheets |
| +HTN | New PNG (portable network graphics) format grayscale |
| +HTP | Unix PPM format |
| +HTS | System-specific such as Mac Pict or Windows BMP |
| +HTT | Uncompressed Targa-24 format (TGA) |
| +HTX | No histogram file output is generated |
Note that +HTC does not generate a compressed Targa-24 format output file but rather a text file with a comma-separated list of the time spent in each grid block, in left-to-right and top-to bottom order. The units of time output to the CSV file are system dependent. See the system specific documentation for further details on the time units in CSV files.
The Targa and PPM format files are in the POV heightfield format (see "Height Field" ), so the histogram information is stored in both the red and green parts of the image, which makes it unsuitable for viewing. When used as a height field, lower values indicate less time spent calculating the pixels in that block, while higher indicate more time spent in that block.
PNG format images are stored as grayscale images and are useful for both viewing the histogram data as well as for use as a heightfield. In PNG files, the darker (lower) areas indicate less time spent in that grid block, while the brighter (higher) areas indicate more time spent in that grid block.
| Histogram_Name=file | Set histogram name to file |
| +HNfile | Same as Histogram_Name=file |
The histogram file name is the name of the file in which to write the histogram data. If the file name is not specified it will default to histgram.ext , where ext is based on the file type specified previously. Note that if the histogram name is specified the file name extension should match the file type.
| Histogram_Grid_Size=xx.yy | Set histogram grid to xx by yy |
| +HSxx.yy | Same as Histogram_Grid_Size=xx.yy |
The histogram grid size gives the number of times the image is split up in both the horizontal and vertical directions. For example
POV-Ray reads in your scene file and processes it to create an internal model of your scene. The process is called parsing . As your file is parsed other files may be read along the way. This section covers options concerning what to parse, where to find it and what version specific assumptions it should make while parsing it.
| Input_File_Name=file | Sets input file name to file |
| +Ifile | Same as Input_File_Name=file |
You will probably always set this option but if you do not the default input filename is object.pov . If you do not have an extension then .pov is assumed. On case-sensitive operating systems both .pov and .POV are tried. A full path specification may be used (on MS-Dos systems +Ic:\povray3\mystuff\BS myfile.pov is allowed for example). In addition to specifying the input file name this also establishes the scene name .
The scene name is the input name with drive, path and extension stripped. In the above example the scene name is myfile . This name is used to create a default output file name and it is referenced other places.
If you use "-" as the input file name the input will be read from standard input. Thus you can pipe a scene created by a program to POV-Ray and render it without having a scene file.
Under MS-Dos you can try this feature by typing.
| Library_Path=path | Add path to list of library paths |
| +Lpath | Same as Library_Path=path |
POV-Ray looks for files in the current directory. If it does not find a file it needs it looks in various other library directories which you specify. POV-Ray does not search your operating system path. It only searches the current directory and directories which you specify with this option. For example the standard include files are usually kept in one special directory. You tell POV-Ray to look there with...
You must not specify any final path seperators ("\BS" or "/") at the end.
Multiple uses of this option switch do not override previous settings. Up to ten unique paths may be specified. If you specify the exact same path twice it is only counts once. The current directory will be searched first followed by the indicated library directories in the order in which you specified them.
| Version=n.n | Set initial language compatibility to version n.n |
| +MVn.n | Same as Version=n.n |
While many language changes have been made for POV-Ray 3.0, all of version 2.0 syntax and most of version 1.0 syntax still works. Whenever possible we try to maintain backwards compatibility. One feature introduced in 2.0 that was incompatible with any 1.0 scene files is the parsing of float expressions. Setting Version =1.0 or using +MV 1.0 turns off expression parsing as well as many warning messages so that nearly all 1.0 files will still work. The changes between 2.0 and 3.0 are not as extensive. Setting Version =2.0 is only necessary to eliminate some warning messages. Naturally the default setting for this option is Version =3.0.
The #version language directive can also be used to change modes several times within scene files. The above options affect only the initial setting. See "Version Directive" for more details about the language version directive.
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