Club Amiga de Montreal - CAM/CAM_CD_1.iso/files/245.lha/Scriptor_v1.2/ReadMe

Text File | 1989-05-26 | 6.1 KB | 161 lines

 Additions and changes with Version 1.2:

 Now, whenever you create an object & don't enter anything for  mirroring,
 index of refraction, reflect, or sreflect, these items are omitted rather
 than putting in default values.  This is the better way to go.

 You can add bounding boxes from inside the program.  (Gadgets)

 Statistics are output to the CLI.   The statistics display  the number of
 parallelograms, triangles,  lamps,  bounding boxes, etc. that are in your
 script.  If this program is run from the Workbench, the output window  is
 closed as the  program exits,  so you won't see the  statistics.

 The program also  checks to make sure that the  number of  BEGIN_BBOX and
 END_BBOX statements are the same, and warns you if they are not.

 I added the Workbench startup code so that I could add an icon and  still
 free up all of the memory that the program uses.   (This has been tested,
 so no fragmentation here.)  A friend mentioned this, and since there's no
 reason not to do it, it's been done.

 Since the program supports  WBench startup,  I put together an icon,  and
 included it.  (Big deal, I know)

 The gadgets now have  Release Verify and  HighComp.  Everyone seems to be
 doing it that way, so why not?

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

 QRT is a GREAT program, but needs  some  way around all of the typing and
 formatting necessary  to  produce  (readable)  script  files  for  it.  I
 decided rather than waste hours and  hours  typing in the scripts, that I
 could write a program that would  take  care of creating the script files
 as well as taking care of a few other details.

 This program basically just  asks  for  each  parameter  as you define an
 object.  It then creates the script  file  (fully-formatted)  for you.  A
 couple of extra things that it does  is,  remember various items that may
 be duplicated (like location of a vertex),  and provide defaults for most
 items.

 I also provided a 'Ground' object,  which  is  just a LARGE parallelogram
 that you only need to provide minimal info in defining.  The ground is at
 (Y=0), which is logical.

 A script that had twenty objects in it  could take 30 minutes to type in.
 (Even longer if you format if  completely)   I dare to say that with this
 program, the same twenty  objects  can  be  entered into a script in less
 than five.

 For those  already  familiar  with  QRT  and  those  that  should be (ie.
 everybody else):

 The location for an object  is  stored,  so  that the next object that is
 created can use the same  location  by  just  pressing  return.  (This is
 ideal for prisms and the like, since one vertex location can define three
 sides.)

 The variables entered for radius  and  the coefficients for the quadratic
 function are all remembered.   I  did  this,  since  you  may be creating
 duplicate spheres, ellipses, cylinders,  oblate spheroids, etc; and don't
 want to type in that info every time.

 The color for the last object is  remembered  (ie. the diff coefficient),
 in case you are  creating  many  similarly  colored  objects.   The other
 values have some default associated with them, so that (if you don't want
 to use any special characteristics) you  can just press return and accept
 the defaults.  Remember that this program creates a text file, so you can
 always edit what  you  enter.

 List of characteristics:

 (Note:  You MAY need to read the docs carefully to get much out of this.)

 Location is remembered from the last object entered.

 V1 & V2 default to "0.0" if  you  only  press  return.   I did this since
 usually one or more of the (x,y,z) triples will be zero anyway.

 Ambience defaults to  0.2,  since  this  is  a  good  value for realistic
 shadowing.

 Diffusion (object color) is  remembered  from the last object, so that if
 you create 4 maroon spheres, you won't have to remember to type in (0.83,
 0.0,0.54) for each of the spheres.

 Mirroring defaults to 0.0 in each of r,g,b;  and if you  press return for
 each of the rgb values, no mirror statement will be put in the script.

 Index of refraction  defaults to being  omitted.   (Changed from previous
 versions, since no refraction statement should be included since QRT  has
 defaults.)

 Dithering defaults to 3.  (This was  suggested  as  a good default by the
 author or QRT.)

 SReflect and Reflect are omitted if you don't enter anything.   (This has
 been changed from previous versions.)

 Radius, Location, Color  and  Quad(A,B,C,D,XMax,XMin,YMax,YMin,ZMax,ZMin)
 default to the last entered value for that parameter.

 FILE_NAME is entered as QRTScript.RAW, but can be changed externally.

 NOTE:  When you first load  up  the  program,  you  will  look at a blank
 screen.   :)

 REAL NOTE:  You can choose 'NEW' from the project menu, to enter the name
 of the script file that the program creates.  This file is opened, and is
 continuously being written to  (buffered,  of course), so you should exit
 the program with  the  'DONE'  option.   If  NO  FILE was opened when you
 select one of the object or world menu options, then the program will ask
 you for the name of the script file at that time.

 Be sure and LOOK at the scripts this program  creates.  The formatting is
 very nice.  You don't actually have to look, since the files created with
 this program are  complete  and  ready  to  use,  unless  you want to add
 bounding boxes or instances.

 There are some future enhancements to this program, so tell me if there's
 something in particular that you  would  like in the program.  (Besides a
 graphical editor...that's a separate program.)    :)

 Send any comments or blank disks or (heaven forbid) bug reports to:

                            James A. Alexander
                           4901 E. Sunrise #1014
                             Tucson, AZ 85718

                              PLink: Modula*2
                             CIS: Yeah, right.