NOTE: This document reflects changes since V3.02, so some of these were
already available in 3.02c.
Datatype image loading! Use imagetype "SYS" to tell POV-Ray to load an image with picture.datatype. 24-bit pictures are not yet supported. Note: If you try to save to SYS image format, it will use PNG. If a later version of the AmigaOS supports proper saving of images through datatypes, then this behavior may be changed.
Generous speed increases. Thanks to several factors, including the change to SAS/C, all new memory handling code, and several little 'tweaks', POV-Ray renders 25%-35% faster now! 68040 and 68060 users may find an increase of up to 200% (Two Hundred) due to incorrect specifications I used in compiling previously.
Picasso96 display routines have been rewritten. If the ENV variable POVDISPLAYSCREEN is set, it is used to attempt opening of a Picasso96 PIP window on the named public screen. If the screen is not found (or the variable contains nonsense 8^) then POV-Ray will open a PIP window on the default public screen. Picasso96 display UNTESTED
EHB, Greyscale, and HAM displays all now use BestModeID() to allow Intuition to select
the displaymode best suited to the image to display. For example, if you specify HAM8,
you may get a 320x200 or a 1200x400 HAM screen, depending on the imagesize. HAM Not yet functional - sorry
OS2 note: Amiga OS2 does not offer the BestModeID() function. There is an experimental
capability in place for the GreyDisp to still work, always opening a 640x200/256 or 640x400/512 screen in 16 colors.
If time permits I will expand on that capability, to support AGA resolutions and to include the ability in the EHB module.
Fully localized! English is the default language. As other catalogs become available, they will be on the POVAmiga homepage.
Multiple Sequential Renders! If you change the settings and press 'Render' again while POV-Ray is already rendering, the RenderQueue window appears. This lists any pending renders, and allows you to reorder, remove, or interrupt the current trace.
Help bubbles exists for every button, (including it's label) and they are localized.
Automatic filenaming can be selected on the Prefs window. If selected, the path already in the Output filename field will be retained, but the root name will always be changed when the scenefile name is changed, and the extension will be changed to match the selected imagefile format.
Edit Scenefile menu item will launch the editor selected in Prefs to edit the scenefile. If no editor is selected, it will check the standard ENV: variable EDITOR.
If no POV-Ray Binary is selected in prefs, POVRAY31:POVRAY31 is used.