POV-Ray and RIBBONS

We have hacked Mike Carson's PERL script for POV-Ray output for local use in the CSB. The instructions below are modified from those that are distributed with the program.

While in the program RIBBONS:

1) Adjust the ribbons display to your pleasure.

• The AlphaDiffuse slider of the Color Panel (alt-c) sets the transparency of the material for ray-tracing (but it has no visible effect in ribbons).
• Lines cannot be used for bonds; for density maps thin cylinders are used. Cones are OK. Circular disks are drawn for dot surfaces, the size will only approximately match.
• Perspective is used (unlike in ribbons) - this may cause some distortion. Suggest you leave extra room around the edges to make sure all is visible.
• Turn up ambient lighting to the maximum for POV-Ray output!

     Menubar -> File -> Export VRML/Raytracing -> POV-Ray

3) Then in your UNIX window, edit the file *.pov

• uncomment "//shadowless" to remove annoying shadows. This will eliminate the specularity of the colors though.
• comment out the line "plane { y, -20.0 texture {K16} } to remove annoying addition of a "floor" (or change the texture to obtain a different color "floor".
• change the background color by editing the line:
  "background { color rgb <0.00,0.00,0.00> }"
• Make any other changes allowed by POV-Ray commands.

    pov-image yourfile.pov

• You can create files at higher than screen resolution, by filling in the appropriate field.
  
• Go read a thick novel while waiting for the output which will be called *.png by default
• You may view the *.png file with GIMP or ImageMagick and output it from GIMP in any of the usual formats.