I<input_file_name> or Input_File_Name=file

Specifies the input file to use. If the input file name is '-', the scene description will be read from the standard input. The

HI<header_include_file_name> or Include_Header=file

Specifies a file as the first include file of a scene file. This can be used to always include a specific set of default include files used by all your scenes.

L<library_path> or Library_Path=path

Specifies a directory to search for input files, include files, fonts, and image maps, if the specified file is not in the current directory. This may be specified multiple times to increase the number of directories to search.

MVn.n or Version=float

Treat scene files as if they were version n.n instead of the current version. This may be overridden from within the scene file.

SU or Split_Unions=bool

Split bounded CSG unions if children are finite. This allows automatic bounding of CSG objects to take place.

UR or Remove_Bounds=bool

Remove unnecessary bounding objects. This allows automatic bounding of older scene files to take place.

?[01234567] or help[01234567]

Display help on command-line options for section 0 through 7. Note that most shells will treat the ? as a shell globbing character unless it is escaped.

Hnn or Height=integer

The image should be nn pixels high.

Wnn or Width=integer

The image should be nn pixels wide.

SRnn or Start_Row=integer

Start the rendering at row nn from the top of the screen.

SR0.nn or Start_Row=float

Start the rendering nn percent from the top of the screen.

ERnn or End_Row=integer

End the rendering at row nn from the top of the screen.

ER0.nn or End_Row=float

End the rendering at nn percent from the top of the screen.

SCnn or Start_Column=integer

Start the rendering at column nn from the left of the screen.

SC0.nn or Start_Column=float

Start the rendering at nn percent from the left of the screen.

ECnn or Start_Column=integer

End the rendering at column nn from the left of the screen.

EC0.nn or Start_Column=float

End the rendering at nn percent from the left of the screen.

C or Continue_Trace=bool

Continue a previously interrupted trace.

P or Pause_When_Done=bool

If previewing, pause when the rendering is complete before closing the window.

V or Verbose=bool

Output verbose status messages on the progress of the rendering.

X or Test_Abort=bool

Enable the 'q' and 'Q' keys to interrupt a rendering in progress.

Xnn or Test_Abort_Count=integer

Only check every nn pixels for a user abort.

D[0][GHT] or Display=bool Palette=char

Display the rendering in progress, optionally specifying the palette. The only valid X Windows palette option is G, which forces grayscale preview. The X Windows palette is based on the visual used, whether selected automatically by POV-Ray or via the -visual option. SVGA options are T for 24-bit true-color, and H for 15-bit high-color display, in addition to the default 256-color palette. To specify the palette, you must first specify the display type (the second character, shown here as '0') for compatibility reasons, even though it is ignored in Unix versions.

SPnn or Preview_Start_Size=integer

Start mosaic preview with blocks nn pixels square.

EPnn or Preview_End_Size=integer

End mosaic preview with blocks nn pixels square.

UD or Draw_Vistas=bool

Draw vista rectangles before rendering.

Bnn or Buffer_Output=bool Buffer_Size=integer

Use an output buffer nn kilobytes in size.

F[CNPT][n] or Output_to_File=bool Output_File_Type=char

Store the rendered image using one of the available formats, namely Compressed TGA, PNG, PPM, and TGA. PNG format supports the n option to specify the number of bits per color, where 5 <= n <= 16. The default is 8.

O<output_file> or Output_File_Name=file

Write the output to the file named output_file, or the standard output if '-' is given as the output file name.

HT[CNPTX] or Histogram_Type=char

Create a CPU utilization histogram image in format x. Available formats are Comma-separated values (CSV), PNG grayscale, PPM POV heightfield, uncompressed TGA POV heightfield, or X for no histogram generation.

HN<histogram_file_name> or Histogram_Name=file

Output the histogram to the specified file.

HSx.y or Histogram_Grid_Size=float

Divide the histogram into x columns and y rows of buckets.

MBnn or Bounding=bool Bounding_Threshold=integer

Use automatic bounding slabs if more than nn objects are in the scene.

Qn or Quality=integer

Render at quality n. Qualities range from 0 for rough images and 9 for complete ray-tracing and textures, and 10 and 11 add radiosity.

A0.n or Antialias=bool Antialias_Threshold=integer

Do antialiasing on the pixels until the difference between adjacent pixels is less that 0.n, or the maximum recursion depth is reached.

AMn or Sampling_Method=integer

Specify the method of antialiasing used, non-adaptive (n = 1), or adaptive antialiasing (n = 2).

Jn.n or Jitter=bool Jitter_Amount=float

Specify maximum radius, in pixels, that antialiased samples should be jittered from their true centers.

Rn or Antialias_Depth=integer

Set the maximum recursion depth for antialiased pixel sub-sampling.

UL or Light_Buffer=bool

Use light buffer to speed up rendering.

UV or Vista_Buffer=bool

Use vista buffer to speed up rendering.

Kn.n or Clock=float

Render a single frame of an animation with the clock value n.n.

KFInn or Initial_Frame=integer

Specify the initial frame number for an animation.

KFFnn or Final_Frame=integer

Specify the final frame number for an animation. This must be set at a value other that 1 in order to render multiple frames at once.

KIn.n or Initial_Clock=float

Specify the clock value for the initial frame of an animation.

KFn.n or Final_Clock=float

Specify the clock value for the frame final of an animation.

SFnn or Subset_Start_Frame=integer

Render a subset of frames from an animation, starting at frame nn.

SF0.nn or Subset_Start_Frame=float

Render a subset of frames from an animation, starting nn percent into the animation.

EFnn or Subset_End_Frame=integer

Render a subset of frames from an animation, stopping at frame nn.

EF0.nn or Subset_End_Frame=float

Render a subset of frames from an animation, stopping nn percent into the animation.

KC or Cyclic_Animation=bool

Generate clock values for a cyclic animation.

UF or Field_Render=bool

Render alternate frames using odd/even fields, suitable for interlaced output.

UO or Odd_Field=bool

Start a field rendered animation on the odd field, rather than the even field.

GI<name> or Create_Ini=bool or Create_Ini=file

Write all INI parameters to a file named after the input scene file, or one with the specified name.

G[ADFRSW]<name> or <Stream>_File=bool or <Stream>_File=file

Write the stream to the console and/or the specified file. The streams are All_File (except status), Debug_File, Fatal_File, Render_File, Statistics_File, and the Warning_File.

In addition to the standard command-line options, POV-Ray recognizes additional command-line switches related to the X Window System. See X(1) for a complete description of these options.

-display <display_name>

Display preview on display_name rather than the default display. This is meant to be used to change the display to a remote host. The normal dispay option +d is still valid.

-geometry [WIDTHxHEIGHT][+XOFF+YOFF]

Render the image with WIDTH and HEIGHT as the dimensions, and locate the window XOFF from the left edge, and YOFF from the top edge of the screen (or if negative the right and bottom edges respectively). The WIDTH and HEIGHT, if given, override any previous Wnn and Hnn settings.

-help

Display the X Window System-specific options. Use -H by itself on the command-line to output the general POV-Ray options.

-icon

Start the preview window as an icon.

-title <window_title>

Override the default preview window title with window_title.

-visual <visual_type>

Use the deepest visual of visual_type, if available, instead of the automatically selected visual. Valid visuals are StaticGray, GrayScale, StaticColor, PseudoColor, TrueColor, or DirectColor.