Instructions for installing and using the
plt_pov/POV-Ray system
for rendering images from O under
OSX
plt_pov is a program for converting O plot files into input files
for the popular ray-tracing renderer POV-Ray.
Using these programs, images of publication quality can be produced from
O.
This is the help file for installing the programs for standalone use.
There is also much nicer web-based interface available, but this must be set up
on a local web server, so many small groups will prefer this simpler
unsophisticated standalone system.
For those who want more information
on the web interface, go to the the Molray homepage at :
http://xray.bmc.uu.se/markh/notes/howto/molray.html.
Installation on Mac OS X
First pick up the plt_pov application and POV-Ray include files from here :
at http://xray.bmc.uu.se/markh/notes/howto/pltpov.tar
unpack the tar file somewhere interesting with the command :
% tar xf pltpov.tar
which will create a subdirectory called plt_pov at that location.
Go into this directory and move pltpov.app and the plt_pov_inc
directory to a location of your choice. Then drop the directory on to
the application so that the app knows where you have put it. You only
need to do this once.
Now pick up the first Mac MegaPOV version from this download page : http://megapov.inetart.net/download.html and follow
the instructions there.
Running plt_pov and MegaPOV on Mac OS X
Get a plot file from O, which we we call myfile.plt.
Drop it on to the pltpov application, and note that an output file
called myfile.pov is created.
Now run MegaPOV. Unfortunately you again have to specify where the
include files are under "set search Paths for additional include files"
since the include files in our pov file themselves refer to more
include files. Then specify "Scene" as myfile.pov and hit
"Render". You should see a pretty picture appear on your screen, and
if you go into the "Image & quality" tab and set "Image type" to PNG
you'll also get an output file.
And that's it !
Mark Harris, 20 Oct 2010
(The Molray Homepage)
