POVMAN3 - Bridge between POV-Ray and RenderMan

Last update: 2005-04-12

2005-04-12:
POVMan 1.2 (Based on MegaPOV 1.1/Pov-Ray 3.6) released.

About POVMan:

POVMan is custom version of Persistence of Vision (tm) Ray Tracer program (POV-Ray further). This custom version allows to describe POV-Ray object pigments with procedural code, compatible with RenderMan (R) Shading Language. Current version has several limitations and shortcomings, refer to documentation for details.
This program is based on MegaPov 1.1, another custom version of POV-Ray ( http://megapov.inetart.net/), original idea and first implementation by Robert J. Mercier
POVMan requires previously installed POV-Ray!
POV-Ray web site is http://www.povray.org/

Download:

Name	Link	Last update	Size	Description
readme		2005-04-12	3 kB	readme file. read it first!
documentation		2005-04-12	748 kB	documentation file. Download it for description of POVMan and usage examples.
source code		2005-04-12	4940 kB	source code for POVMan, based on MegaPov 1.1 Windows source. SL compiler is in separate package!
Shading language compiler source code		2005-04-12	97 kB	Source code for shading language (SL) compiler.
executable files for Windows		2005-04-12	2378 kB	Download this if all you want to do is use POVMan. Contains povslc (shading language compiler), Windows GUI and Windows command-line executables.

Note for Windows users:
Shading language compiler could be used with C preprocessor for including files with common functions and using macros. For Unix systems preprocessor is usually installed, so there is no need for separate preprocessor.
Windows users, who want to use preprocessor, could download lcc package and use preprocessor from this distribution. lcc homepage could be found at http://www.cs.princeton.edu/software/lcc/ and package could be downloaded at ftp://ftp.cs.princeton.edu/pub/packages/lcc/lcc41.exe
Refer to documentation for information about using preprocessor with shading language compiler.

Examples:

Sample scenes from documentation
Example page for other shader scenes

Links:
Tutorials for Shading Language:

Stephen May courses:

http://www.cgrg.ohio-state.edu/~smay/RManNotes/rmannotes.html

http://www.cgrg.ohio-state.edu/~smay/DigitalLighting/Course.html

References, other materials
For best information about shading language see Pixar documentation
https://renderman.pixar.com/products/rispec/index.htm

Additional online references:

RenderMan Repository (contains number of shaders): http://www.renderman.org/
Another RenderMan specific site: http://www.rendermania.com/
Usenet newsgroup news://comp.graphics.rendering.renderman is useful place for discussion about Shading Language.

Additionally, books "Advanced RenderMan" and "Texturing & Modeling" are recommended reading, as they contain good deal of information about shading language.

History:

2005-04-12:
POVMan 1.2 released.
2003-06-03:
Updated binaries and povslc source code to correct defect in rayhittest function.
2003-05-20:
updated page for POVMan 1.0 version. See documentation for changes.
2002-01-15:
Added Zeger Knaepen's fur example to other examples page.
2001-04-04:
Updated link to latest version (0.71.4) of POVMan.
2001-04-02:
Added link to latest version (0.71.3) of POVMan.
2001-03-15:
Added faked clouds example to other examples page.
2001-03-12:
Updated documentation. (It was ready with version 0.7 release, but I forgot to update it.)
2001-03-06:
Service release 0.71
Corrects memory leak in pvbmp.c (for Windows version). Corrects crashes with warps or cellnoise function in shader.
2001-02-25:
New version of POVMan is released. Key features:

Merged with MegaPov 0.7

Contains Christophe Bouffartigue's Cloth patch

Supports shaders for calculating isosurface

Minor bug fixes and speed improvements
2001-01-03:
Added apple example to other examples page.
2000-12-13:
Test version of one file (splines.c) went to the distribution, so I made new release of files (source and binaries).
2000-12-12:
Released service version of POVMan, which contains number of fixes. Refer to readme.txt file for details.
2000-11-09:
Added links section and size column for downloadable items
2000-11-01:
Changed page layout.
2000-10-31:
Added link to documentation in French.
2000-10-25:
Updated source files for Unix and Windows and Windows binaries:
POVMan didn't reset internal structures on error occurrence, which caused crash on rerun.
Added counters reset for shader load and call.
If bison is used for grammar compiling in povslc, then it chockes on default action of non-terminal 'param', so I added empty action.
Oct, 24, 2000:
Updated Windows source and binaries: previous version crashed during rerendering, if shader description in POV-Ray scene was invalid. Linux source will follow within days.
Oct, 22, 2000:
I noticed, that shading language compiler did not removed temporary file, which is created during shading language preprocessing. Fixed this problem and made new corrected source files and Windows binaries available.
Oct, 21, 2000:
...and in my work I compile source code under Windows test it, correct last defects, write final documentation and finish web pages. Soon after this I will replicate my homepage to server, post note to povray newsserver and POVMan version is released! Now all I have to do, is to wait for bug reports.
Oct, 20, 2000:
Final compilations and testings under Linux! I pack source to floppies ...
Aug, 2000:
I start to think about releasing of some version, but testing reveals more and more bugs...
Jun, 2000:
Summer starts and I have more time now to code. Additionally I have obtained some experience in compiler area (thanks to the "dragon book", which I purchased) and I keep working on compiler improvement.
Feb, 2000:
After new year fuzz and my winter vacation I start to tinker with POV-Man code. I struggle with shading language compiler, trying to understand it: compiler writing is something new to me. This and lacking time (I have enough free time only on week-ends :-( ) do not allow really fast advancement. Most of time is spent on compiler and resolving grammar problems.
Dec, 1999:
I buy old 486/DX2 and install RH6.0. This means my commitment for creating next version of POVMan. Meanwhile I write to Robert J. Mercier and he gives me permission to use his work as I see suitable. Many thanks to him!
Oct, 1999:
I download original implementation of POV-Man and examine it.
Sept, 1999:
in POV-Ray newsgroup following discussion tooks place:
> > Well, this reminds me recent discussion in c.g.r.r., where discussion
> > about hard-coded textures vs. "coded shaders" took place. Perhaps
> > someone could create patch for texture plugins: user creates it's own
> > texture with script, then specifies it as object texture and renders.
> > Best would be, if texture is in Renderman format (i.e. Renderman
> > shader). Any takers?
>
As it appears, nobody was interested in taking it and I started to think: why not take it myself?

Contact information
E-mail (sorry, trying to avoid spambots):
name: vkrouverk
mail server: starman.ee