10.1.3  Language Basics

10.1.3.1  Floats

Float Expressions
FLOAT:
NUMERIC_TERM [SIGN NUMERIC_TERM]
SIGN:
+ | -
NUMERIC_TERM:
NUMERIC_FACTOR [MULT NUMERIC_FACTOR]
MULT:
* | /
NUMERIC_EXPRESSION:
FLOAT_LITERAL | FLOAT_IDENTIFIER | SIGN NUMERIC_EXPRESSION | FLOAT_FUNCTION | FLOAT_BUILT_IN_IDENT | ( FULL_EXPRESSION ) | ! NUMERIC_EXPRESSION | VECTOR.DOT_ITEM | FLOAT_FUNCTION_INVOCATION
FLOAT_LITERAL:
[DIGIT...][.]DIGIT...[EXP[SIGN]DIGIT...]
DIGIT:
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
EXP:
e | E
FLOAT_FUNCTION:
abs (FLOAT) | acos (FLOAT) | acosh (FLOAT) | asc (STRING) | asin (FLOAT) | asinh (FLOAT) | atan (FLOAT) | atanh (FLOAT) | atan2 (FLOAT,FLOAT) | ceil (FLOAT) | cos (FLOAT) | cosh (FLOAT) | defined (IDENTIFIER) | degrees (FLOAT) | dimensions (ARRAY_IDENTIFIER) | dimension_size (ARRAY_IDENTIFIER,INT) | div (FLOAT,FLOAT) | exp (FLOAT) | file_exists (STRING) | floor (FLOAT) | int (FLOAT) | ln (FLOAT) | log (FLOAT) | max (FLOAT,FLOAT[,FLOAT]...) | min (FLOAT,FLOAT[,FLOAT]...) | mod (FLOAT,FLOAT) | pow (FLOAT,FLOAT) | radians (FLOAT) | rand (FLOAT) | seed (FLOAT) | select (FLOAT,FLOAT,FLOAT,FLOAT) | sin (FLOAT) | sinh (FLOAT) | sqrt (FLOAT) | strcmp (STRING,STRING) | strlen (STRING) | tan (FLOAT) | tanh (FLOAT) | val (STRING) | vdot (VECTOR,VECTOR) | vlength (VECTOR)
FLOAT_BUILT_IN_IDENT:
BOOLEAN_KEYWORD | clock | clock_delta | clock_on | final_clock | final_frame | frame_number | image_height | image_width | initial_clock | initial_frame | pi | version
BOOLEAN_KEYWORD:
true | yes | on | false | no | off
FULL_EXPRESSION:
LOGICAL_EXPRESSION [? FULL_EXPRESSION : FULL_EXPRESSION]
LOGICAL_EXPRESSION:
REL_TERM [LOGICAL_OPERATOR REL_TERM]
LOGICAL_OPERATOR:
& | |
REL_TERM:
FLOAT [REL_OPERATOR FLOAT]
REL_OPERATOR:
< | <= | = | >= | > | !=
DOT_ITEM:
x | y | z | t | u | v | red | green | blue | filter | transmit | gray
INT:
FLOAT
Any fractional part is discarded.
BOOL:
BOOLEAN_KEYWORD | LOGICAL_EXPRESSION
 

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10.1.3.2  Vectors

Vector Expressions
VECTOR:
VECTOR_TERM [SIGN VECTOR_TERM]
VECTOR_TERM:
VECTOR_EXPRESSION [MULT VECTOR_EXPRESSION]
VECTOR_EXPRESSION:
VECTOR_LITERAL | VECTOR_IDENTIFIER | SIGN VECTOR_EXPRESSION | VECTOR_FUNCTION | VECTOR_BUILT_IN_IDENT | ! VECTOR_EXPRESSION | FLOAT | VECTOR_FUNCTION_INVOCATION | COLOR_FUNCTION_INVOCATION | SPLINE_INVOCATION
VECTOR_LITERAL:
< FLOAT, FLOAT [, FLOAT [, FLOAT [, FLOAT ]]] >
VECTOR_FUNCTION:
min_extent (OBJECT_IDENTIFIER) | max_extent (OBJECT_IDENTIFIER) | trace (OBJECT_IDENTIFIER,VECTOR,VECTOR[,VECTOR_IDENTIFIER]) | vaxis_rotate (VECTOR,VECTOR,FLOAT) | vcross (VECTOR,VECTOR) | vrotate (VECTOR,VECTOR) | vnormalize (VECTOR) | vturbulence (FLOAT,FLOAT,FLOAT,VECTOR)
VECTOR_BUILT_IN_IDENT:
x | y | z | t | u | v

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10.1.3.3  Colors

Color Expressions
COLOR:
[color] COLOR_BODY | colour COLOR_BODY
COLOR_BODY:
COLOR_VECTOR | COLOR_KEYWORD_GROUP | COLOR_IDENTIFIER
COLOR_VECTOR:
rgb 3D_VECTOR | rgbf 4D_VECTOR | rgbt 4D_VECTOR | [rgbft] 5D_VECTOR
COLOR_KEYWORD_GROUP:
[COLOR_IDENTIFIER] COLOR_KEYWORD_ITEMS
COLOR_KEYWORD_ITEMS:
[red FLOAT] & [green FLOAT] & [blue FLOAT] & [filter FLOAT] & [transmit FLOAT]

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10.1.3.4  User defined Functions

User-Defined Functions
USER_FUNCTION:
FLOAT_USER_FUNCTION | VECTOR_USER_FUNCTION | COLOR_USER_FUNCTION
FLOAT_USER_FUNCTION:
function { FN_FLOAT } | function (IDENT_LIST) { FN_FLOAT } | function { pattern { PATTERN [PATTERN_MODIFIERS]} }
IDENT_LIST:
IDENT_ITEM [, IDENT_LIST]
The maximum number of parameter identifiers is 20. An identifier may not be repeated in the list.
IDENT_ITEM:
x | y | z | u | v | PARAM_IDENTIFIER
PATTERN:
MAP_PATTERN | brick [BRICK_ITEM] | checker | hexagon | object { LIST_OBJECT }
VECTOR_USER_FUNCTION:
function { SPECIAL_VECTOR_FUNCTION }
SPECIAL_VECTOR_FUNCTION:
TRANSFORM | SPLINE
COLOR_USER_FUNCTION:
function { PIGMENT }
Specify a float expression in a user-defined function:
FN_FLOAT
LOGIC_AND [OR LOGIC_AND]
OR:
|
LOGIC_AND:
REL_TERM [AND REL_TERM]
AND:
&
REL_TERM:
TERM [REL_OPERATOR TERM]
REL_OPERATOR:
< | <= | = | >= | > | !=
TERM:
FACTOR [SIGN FACTOR]
SIGN:
+ | -
FACTOR:
MOD_EXPRESSION [MULT MOD_EXPRESSION]
MULT:
* | /
EXPRESSION:
FLOAT_LITERAL | FLOAT_IDENTIFIER | FN_FLOAT_FUNCTION | FLOAT_BUILT_IN_IDENT | ( FN_FLOAT ) | IDENT_ITEM | SIGN EXPRESSION | VECTOR_FUNCTION_INVOCATION.FN_DOT_ITEM | COLOR_FUNCTION_INVOCATION.FN_DOT_ITEM | FLOAT_FUNCTION_INVOCATION
FN_DOT_ITEM:
DOT_ITEM | hf
FN_FLOAT_FUNCTION:
abs (FN_FLOAT) | acos (FN_FLOAT) | acosh (FN_FLOAT) | asc (STRING) | asin (FN_FLOAT) | asinh (FN_FLOAT) | atan (FN_FLOAT) | atanh (FN_FLOAT) | atan2 (FN_FLOAT,FN_FLOAT) | ceil (FN_FLOAT) | cos (FN_FLOAT) | cosh (FN_FLOAT) | degrees (FN_FLOAT) | exp (FN_FLOAT) | floor (FN_FLOAT) | int (FN_FLOAT) | ln (FN_FLOAT) | log (FN_FLOAT) | max (FN_FLOAT,FN_FLOAT[,FN_FLOAT]...) | min (FN_FLOAT,FN_FLOAT[,FN_FLOAT]...) | mod (FN_FLOAT,FN_FLOAT) | pow (FN_FLOAT,FN_FLOAT) | prod (IDENTIFIER, FN_FLOAT, FN_FLOAT, FN_FLOAT) | radians (FN_FLOAT) | sin (FN_FLOAT) | sinh (FN_FLOAT) | sqrt (FN_FLOAT) | sum (IDENTIFIER, FN_FLOAT, FN_FLOAT, FN_FLOAT) |tan (FN_FLOAT) | tanh (FN_FLOAT) | select (FN_FLOAT,FN_FLOAT,FN_FLOAT,FN_FLOAT)
Create an identifier for a user-defined function:
USER_FUNCTION_DECLARATION:
#declare FLOAT_FUNCTION_IDENTIFIER = FLOAT_USER_FUNCTION |
#local FLOAT_FUNCTION_IDENTIFIER = FLOAT_USER_FUNCTION |
#declare VECTOR_FUNCTION_IDENTIFIER = VECTOR_USER_FUNCTION |
#local VECTOR_FUNCTION_IDENTIFIER = VECTOR_USER_FUNCTION |
#declare COLOR_FUNCTION_IDENTIFIER = COLOR_USER_FUNCTION |
#local COLOR_FUNCTION_IDENTIFIER = COLOR_USER_FUNCTION
Reference a user-defined function:
FLOAT_FUNCTION_INVOCATION:
FLOAT_FUNCTION_IDENTIFIER (FN_PARAM_LIST)
VECTOR_FUNCTION_INVOCATION:
VECTOR_FUNCTION_IDENTIFIER (FN_PARAM_LIST)
COLOR_FUNCTION_INVOCATION:
COLOR_FUNCTION_IDENTIFIER (FN_PARAM_LIST)
FN_PARAM_LIST:
FN_PARAM_ITEM [, FN_PARAM_LIST]
FN_PARAM_ITEM:
x | y | z | u | v | FLOAT

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10.1.3.5  Strings

String Expressions
STRING:
STRING_FUNCTION | STRING_IDENTIFIER | STRING_LITERAL
STRING_FUNCTION:
chr (INT) | concat (STRING,STRING[,STRING]...) | str (FLOAT,INT,INT) | strlwr (STRING) | strupr (STRING) | substr (STRING,INT,INT) | vstr (INT,VECTOR,STRING,INT,INT)
STRING_LITERAL:
QUOTE [CHARACTER...] QUOTE
Limited to 256 characters.
QUOTE:
"
CHARACTER:
Any ASCII or Unicode character, depending on the charset setting in global_settings. The following escape sequences might be useful when writing to files or message streams:
\a - alarm
\b - backspace
\f - form feed
\n - new line
\r - carriage return
\t - horizontal tab
\uNNNN - unicode character four-digit code
\v - vertical tab
\\ - backslash
\' - single quote
\" - double quote

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10.1.3.6  Arrays

Define an array:
ARRAY_DECLARATION:
#declare ARRAY_IDENTIFIER = array DIMENSION... [ARRAY_INITIALIZER] |
#local ARRAY_IDENTIFIER = array DIMENSION... [ARRAY_INITIALIZER]
Limited to five dimensions.
DIMENSION:
[ INT ]
The brackets here are part of the dimension specification. The integer must be greater than zero.
ARRAY_INITIALIZER:
{ ARRAY_INITIALIZER [, ARRAY_INITIALIZER]... } |
{ RVALUE [, RVALUE]... }
Place a value into an array:
ARRAY_ELEMENT_ASSIGNMENT:
#declare ARRAY_REFERENCE =RVALUE [;] |
#local ARRAY_REFERENCE = RVALUE [;]
The semicolon is required for a FLOAT, VECTOR or COLOR assignment.
Reference an array:
ARRAY_REFERENCE:
ARRAY_IDENTIFIER ELEMENT...
ELEMENT:
[ INT ]
The brackets here are part of the element specification.

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10.1.3.7  Splines

Define a spline:
SPLINE:
spline { SPLINE_ITEMS }
SPLINE_ITEMS
[SPLINE_TYPE] PATH_LIST | SPLINE_IDENTIFIER [SPLINE_TYPE][PATH_LIST]
SPLINE_TYPE:
linear_spline | quadratic_spline | cubic_spline | natural_spline
PATH_LIST:
FLOAT, VECTOR [[,] PATH_LIST]
Reference a spline:
SPLINE_INVOCATION:
SPLINE_IDENTIFIER ( FLOAT [, SPLINE_TYPE] )

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