POV

Latest revision as of 13:23, 13 May 2009

Title(s): POV - Names(s) that refer to the engineering format.

Version ID: 3.6 - Identification or version number of the engineering format.

Date released: July 2004-10-04 - Date that the version was released.

Date: - Date the format was created (YYYY-MM-DD)

Creator(s): David Kirk Buck - The creator or original author of the engineering format.

Contributor(s): The POV team - The current maintainers of the engineering format.

Relationships: - Relationships that the engineering format has with organizations, other formats, etc.

• Previous Version(s): - Any engineering format that is a previous version format of this one.

• Contains: - Any engineering format that is contained by this format.

• Syntax Format(s): text-based - Any syntax formats that the engineering format may use.

• Family Format(s): - Any family formats to which the engineering format may belong.

Description: turing-complete 3D scene description language - Main description of the format, which can give extra information not categorized.

History: Started in the 1980s, ported to x86 in 1987, 1991 was turned over to team of programmers and renamed POV-Ray - Historical description depicting major events surrounding development, creation, and maintenance of this format.

Example(s):

#version 3.6;
#include "colors.inc"                                      //Includes a separate file defining a number of common colours
global_settings { assumed_gamma 1.0 }

background   { color rgb <0.25, 0.25, 0.25> }              //Sets a background colour for the image (dark grey)

camera       { location  <0.0, 0.5, -4.0>                  //Places a camera
               direction 1.5*z                             //Sets, among other things, the field of view of the camera
               right     x*image_width/image_height        //Sets the aspect ratio of the image
               look_at   <0.0, 0.0, 0.0> }                 //Tells the camera where to look

light_source { <0, 0, 0>                                   //Places a light source
               color rgb <1, 1, 1>                         //Sets the color of the light source (white)
               translate <-5, 5, -5> }                     //Moves the light source to a desired location

light_source { <0, 0, 0>                                   //Places a light source        
               color rgb <0.25, 0.25, 0.25>                //Sets the color of the light source (dark grey)
               translate <6, -6, -6> }                     //Moves the light source to a desired location

box          { <-0.5, -0.5, -0.5>,                         //Sets a first corner of a cuboid
               <0.5, 0.5, 0.5>                             //Sets a second corner of a cuboid
               texture { pigment { color Red }             //Sets a color for the box ("Red" as defined in "colors.inc")
                         finish  { specular 0.6 }          //Sets how the surface of the box reflects light
                         normal  { agate 0.25 scale 1/2 }  //Sets a bumpiness for the box using the in-built model, "agate"
                       } 
               rotate <45,46,47> }                         //Rotates the box

Identifier: http://www.povray.org/documentation/view/3.6.1/224/ - A URL or other identifier that refers to the engineering format.

Documentation: http://www.povray.org/documentation/view/3.6.1/224/ - Information in general about the engineering format.

File Extensions: pov - Extensions of the engineering format, excluding the dot.

Applications: - Applications that the engineering format uses.

• Native application(s): Engineering Format Application Template - Applications which are primarily designed to specifically run this engineering format.

• Interoperable applications: Engineering Format Application Template - Applications which can read or write files of this format, but are not native applications for the format.

Magic numbers: None. - Unique identifying characters at the beginning of files for this engineering format.

Format(s): - The MIME file types.

Rights: POVRay License - The name or type of the license for the engineering format. Examples: BSD-style license, Apache License, Proprietary license

Sustainability Factors: - Facts about the sustainability of this particular engineering format.

• Standardization: - Information regarding standardization attempts with this format.

• Adoption: - Information about how this format has been adopted by other organizations.

• • Licensing and patent claims: - Any licenses or patent claims that the engineering format makes.

• Self-documentation: - Any self-documentation capabilities of the format.

• External dependencies: - Anything that the format depends on outside of its control to function.

• Technical protection considerations: - Any considerations that are necessary when it comes to technical protection.

Typical use: - Keywords that describe the format's typical use. Examples: CAD and CAM

File classification: - Specific properties that pertain to this engineering format.

• Type {Binary, Text}: Text - The type of file, choices are binary and text.
• Raster data: - Section describes whether or not the engineering format supports raster data.
  • Raster data 2D: - Can the format support 2D raster data? Example: A format that can contain 2D pixelated data supports 2D raster data.
    • Is Supported: No - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Raster data 3D: - Can the format support 3D raster data? Example: A format that can contain 2D pixelated data of a 3D model supports 3D raster data.
    • Is Supported: No - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
• Geometric representation: - Section describes whether or not the engineering format supports geometric representations.
  • Implicit representation: - Section describes whether or not the engineering format supports implicit representations.
    • Implicit surfaces: - Can the format support implicit surfaces? Example: A format that can contain surfaces that are generated with mathematical equations that contain the independent variables x, y, and z, like x^2 + y^2 + z^2 * R^2 = 0, supports implicit surfaces.
      • Is Supported: Yes - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
    • Implicit curves: - Can the format support implicit curves? Example: A format that can contain curves that are generated with mathematical equations that contain the independent variables x, y, and z, supports implicit curves.
      • Is Supported: Yes - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
    • Point set: - Can the format support point sets? Example: A format that supports surfaces and lines that are generated by points that form triangles supports point sets.
      • Is Supported: No - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Mesh: - Section describes whether or not the engineering format supports mesh.
    • Manifold surface meshes: - Can the format support manifold surface meshes? Example: A format that supports surfaces that are mathematical spaces in which every point has a neighborhood which resembles Euclidean space
      • Is Supported: Yes - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
    • Manifold volume meshes: - Can the format support manifold volume meshes? Example: A format that supports volumes that are mathematical spaces in which every point has a neighborhood which resembles Euclidean space
      • Is Supported: No? - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
    • Non-manifold meshes: - Can the format support non-manifold meshes? Example: A format that supports meshes that are not manifolds
      • Is Supported: Yes - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Parametric representation: - Section describes whether or not the engineering format supports parametric representations.
    • Parametric surfaces: - Can the format support parametric surfaces? Example: A format that can contain surfaces that are generated with parametric equations supports parametric surfaces.
      • Is Supported: Yes - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
    • Parametric curves: - Can the format support parametric curves? Example: A format that can contain curves that are generated with parametric equations supports parametric curves.
      • Is Supported: Yes - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
      • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Contour sets: - Can the format support contour sets?
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • NURBS: - Can the format support Non Uniform Rational Basis Splines? Examples: The engineering formats IGES, STEP, ACIS, and PHIGS
    • Is Supported: No - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
• Multi-resolution models: - Can the format support models with multiple resolutions? Examples: A format that supports a highly detailed and lowly detailed model simultaneously supports multi-resolution models.
  • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
  • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
• Dynamics: - Section describes whether or not the engineering format supports dynamics.
  • Kinematics: - Can the format support kinematics? Example: Does the format allow model parts to rotate?
    • Is Supported: No - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Assembly: - Can the format support assembly? Example: Does the format allow the assembly instructions to be explicitly specified with a model?
    • Is Supported: No - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Force(s): - Can the format support forces? Example: Does the format support acceleration forces?
    • Is Supported: No - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
• Boundary representation - Can the format support models with boundary representations?
  • Manifold surface boundary representations: - Can the format support manifold surface boundary representations? Example: The engineering format STEP
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Manifold volume boundary representations: - Can the format support manifold volume boundary representations? Example: The engineering format STEP
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
  • Non-manifold boundary representations: - Can the format support non-manifold boundary representations? Example: The engineering format STEP
    • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
    • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.
• Material transparency: - Can the format support transparency? Example: Does the format allow models to have a clear window in a car?
  • Is Supported: - Is the feature supported in the engineering format?
  • Description: - This field is used to describe the support or lack of support of the feature.

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Povray, http://www.povray.org/documentation/view/3.6.1/224/ - A list of references regarding any aspects of this engineering format; any reading material supplemental to this page.