                POVPANEL 1.2 -- A Control Panel for POVRAY

                        by  Malcolm Donald

                     Compuserve ID: 100036,504

                            4/7/93
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
=================
Using POVRAY has given me many hours of pleasure and many superb 
images! My thanks to the programming team for their efforts!!

As with Version 1.0, Microsoft Visual Basic for DOS
was used to design a control panel for POVRAY which would
facilitate setting the available options and enable easy
experimentation with them.

The resulting executable file was compressed using LZEXE.

**  New features in version 1.2 are discussed in the paragraphs
**  bordered by asterisks.

----------------------------------------------------------------
REVISION HISTORY:
=================
31/12/92        Version 1.0

18/4/93         Version 1.1
                New features include:
                . Redesigned User Interface
                . On-line Help Screens
                . Integrated Text Editor
                . Multiple File Trace Capability

4/7/93          Version 1.2
                Maintenance Release.
                . Fixes problem with setting file path to
                  work(.pov) files.
                New features include:
                . Provision to turn off anti-alias switch for
                  fast tracing.
                . Ability to set up user-defined resolutions
                  for HUGE traces(e.g. 4096x4096).

-----------------------------------------------------------------

INSTALLING THE PANEL:
     To install POVPANEL copy the file "povpan.exe" into your
     POVRAY directory(the one containing "povray.exe").  To
     display the main control panel type POVPAN at the DOS
     prompt in the POVRAY directory.

LAYOUT OF THE PANEL:
     The left third of the panel contains the file controls; the
     middle third contains the diplay card/image controls and the
     right third contains the display trace controls.

FILE CONTROLS:
     These consist of the following-

              CONTROL                           = POVRAY Option
     -----------------------------------       ---------------
     . Include File Directory Path                +l
     . Sample File Directory Path(*.POV)          +l
     . Work(.pov) File Name                       -i
     . Blue Browse Command Buttons                nil

     . Green "Write .CFG" Command Button          nil
     . Green "TRACE" Command Button               nil
     . Green "EXIT" Command Button                nil
     -----------------------------------        ---------------



     The "CFG" command button writes the file "povpanel.cfg" to
     disk which enables the retention of control panel settings
     between tracing sessions.

     The "TRACE" command button starts the trace(s).

     The "EXIT" command button closes POVPANEL and returns to DOS.


DISPLAY CARD & IMAGE CONTROLS:
     These consist of the following-

              CONTROL                           = POVRAY Option
     -------------------------------------      ----------------
     . Display Card List                        e.g. '4','0'
     . Palette List                             e.g. H,3
     . Resolution List                          e.g. +w80  +h60
     . Output File Format List                  e.g. +ft
     -------------------------------------      ----------------


TRACE CONTROLS:
     These consist of the following-

              CONTROL                           = POVRAY Option
     -------------------------------------      ----------------
     . Diplay Trace Option                      e.g. +d - ON
     . Verbose On Option                        e.g. +v - ON
     . Prompt prior to Exit Option              e.g. +p - ON
     . Enable early Exit Option                 e.g. +x - ON
     . Image Quality Scroll Bar                 e.g. +q9
     . Antialias Scroll Bar                     e.g. +a0.3
     . Continue Trace Option                    e.g. +c - ON
     . Set Start/End Line Option                e.g. +s/+e
     -------------------------------------      ----------------

     The Set Start/End Lines Option is activated(by clicking
     in the box) when you wish to enter start and end line
     numbers for a trace.  After activation, you should then
     enter the appropriate start and end line numbers into the
     Start Line and End Line boxes.
     For a complete trace you should leave the Start/End Line
     Option unselected and the Start Line and End Line boxes
     empty.


USING THE CONTROLS:
     The controls will respond to either keypresses or mouse
     clicks.  Move the mouse cursor or use the TAB key to move
     from one control to another(i.e. to select it).  Then to-
     . Operate Command Button     - Press ENTER or LEFT CLICK.
     . Choose a Checkbox Option   - Press SPACE or LEFT CLICK.
                                  - Option toggles ON/OFF.
     . Enter Text                 - Type entry.
     . Choose from File/Card List - Use ARROW keys or LEFT CLICK.
     . Choose from List Option    - Use ARROW keys or LEFT CLICK.
     . Choose Image Quality       - Use ARROW keys or LEFT DRAG.
     . Choose Antialias Value     - Use ARROW keys or LEFT DRAG.

YOUR FIRST PANEL SESSION:
     1. Install the panel as noted above, then delete or rename
        any old files with the name "povray.def" or "povpanel.cfg"
        (even those written by Version 1.0 of this programme -
        their format has been changed). Start the POVPANEL
        programme.

     2. Select the blue 'Browse' button in the Library Paths section
        and ENTER or LEFT CLICK.  You will see a new screen from
        which you may select the appropriate library paths(click
        on the 'Help' button for more information).  Once you have
        chosen the desired settings, click on the 'Write .DEF'
        button to save these settings.  You should only need to
        save these settings once, as they will be reloaded
        in subsequent sessions.  Return to the main control
        panel.
        WARNING: THESE PATHS MUST BE SET CORRECTLY FOR THE
        PROGRAMME TO FUNCTION PROPERLY!

        (The "Write.DEF" command button writes the file "povray.def"
        to disk which contains only the specified Include file path
        and the Sample file(i.e. the directory with the .pov files)
        path e.g.
              +lc:\povray\include +lc:\povray\samples

        I find it unnecessary to add any other options to this file
        as the default settings are reloaded into the panel after
        each tracing session(or are very easily altered on screen).

     3. Select the small blue 'Br' button in the Work File(s)
        section and LEFT CLICK.  You will see a new screen from
        which you may select the appropriate file(s) to trace(you
        may trace up to 5 files successively without input).  I
        often like to 'tweak' .pov files until they are just right.
        To do this without leaving the programme, I have added a
        basic text editor which can be used to edit such files.
        There is a size limit of 30kb on editable files.  Please
        click on the 'Help' button for further information.  Once
        you have selected(and/or edited) your file(s), return to the
        main control panel.  You will note that the first(or only)
        file selected for tracing appears in the Work File box.

     4. Select and set the other controls as required(if you
        have any problems click on the 'Help' button for further
        information).  It is better to set the configuration
        controls AFTER selecting the Work File(s) as all
        the settings will revert to their original values after
        accessing the Work File(s) screen.

     5. To retain these settings between tracing sessions select
        the green "Write.CFG" Command button and write the .cfg
        file(i.e. POVPANEL.CFG) to disk.

     6. Select the "TRACE" Command button to start the trace(s).

     7. The "EXIT" Command button may be selected at any time to
        return to DOS.

     8. After each trace is completed, the 'Message:' box will
        display the number of files traced so far.  After all
        traces are complete, you will be returned to the main
        control panel.

*****************************************************************************
*                                                                           *
* NEW IN VERSION 1.2:                                                       *
* ===================                                                       *
*     1. I have included provision to turn off the anti-alias feature       *
*        completely from the panel(equivalent to setting "-a" on the        *
*        command line).  To do this set the anti-alias scrollbar value      *
*        to 1.  This feature significantly speeds up test rendering.        *
*                                                                           *
*     2. Users may now set up a user-defined(i.e. non-standard) resolution  *
*        for their own tracings.  This facility can be used to make large   *
*        tracings or to adjust tracings to fit defined screen areas.        *
*        To use this feature, select the "User Defined" item from the       *
*        resolution list box.  You may then type in the desired resolution  *
*        with the following format - "+w",width,space,"+h",height - e.g.    *
*                        +w250 +h230 (DON'T FORGET THE SPACE!)              *
*        The actual user-defined setting is not retained by the             *
*        configuration file between tracing sessions - only the text        *
*        "User Defined" is retained.                                        *
*                                                                           *
* PROBLEMS:                                                                 *
* =========                                                                 *
*     Previous versions of POVPANEL have occasionally had problems          *
*     finding the work file(s) after setting of the include and image       *
*     file paths.  A message appeared on the screen saying:-                *
*       "Path not found in module FILEPATH at address xxxx:xxxx".           *
*     This could occur if the file paths were longer than about 20          *
*     characters(e.g. C:\IMAGELAB\POVRAY\PICTURES) or the paths             *
*     were not set correctly.  Hopefully, this maintenance release will     *
*     solve those problems!!!                                               *
*                                                                           *
*****************************************************************************

COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS:
=====================
     If you have any comments or suggestions to make about
     POVPANEL please contact me via Compuserve(PACIFIC).
     My ID Number is:
                 100036,504
     If you enjoy using the programme please send me a copy
     of your favourite .POV file!

DISCLAIMER
==========
     POVPANEL if freeware and is provided without any guarantees
     or warranty.  The author is not responsible for any damage
     or losses of any kind caused by the use or misuse of the
     programme.  The author is under no obligation to provide
     service, corrections or upgrades to the programme.

=================================================================
