Arbaro is a Java-implementation of the tree generating algorithm described
in Jason Weber & Joseph Penn: "Creation and Rendering of Realistic Trees".
(https://courses.cs.duke.edu/fall01/cps124/resources/p119-weber.pdf)

It is reading in XML-files with the parameters of the trees and
writing out povray code.

The algorithm creates very realistic trees, when seen from a distance 
> 50m for normal screen resolutions, but is mathematically quite complex. 
It supports many tree species including palms and cacti.

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Your first tree made with arbaro:

1. You need Java 1.4.x or newer and Povray 3.5 be installed. You could use
   an older Java version if you got the generic XML-processing package
   JAXP separately.

2. a) Using the GUI invoke

      cd <arbaro directory> 
      java -jar arbaro_gui.jar

   Open quaking_aspen.xml and choose Create tree... from the menu.
   Check the "POV scene file option" and hit "Start". 

   b) Using the command line version, call something like

     cd <arbaro directory>
     java -jar arbaro.jar -p pov/quaking_aspen.pov -o \
           pov/quaking_aspen.inc trees/quaking_aspen.xml 


   This should create two files in the pov directory:
     quaking_aspen.inc - a Povray include file with the definition 
                         of the aspen tree (stems and leaves)
     quaking_aspen.pov - a simple Povray scene with the tree

3. Call POVRay:

     cd pov
     povray +h600 +w400 quaking_aspen.pov

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Some other examples of invoking the command line version of Arbaro:

a) to get help: 


     java -jar arbaro.jar -h


b) for complex trees you should give the Java machine enough memory:


     java -Xms100m -Xmx200m -jar arbaro.jar \
          < trees/weeping_willow.xml > pov/weeping_willow.inc


c) you can fine tune the mesh resolution and to what stem levels
   normals are added to get a smooth look by the -m parameter:

   smooth look:

     java -jar arbaro.jar -m 0.9 < trees/euphorbia.xml \
          > pov/euphorbia.inc


   angular stems:

     java -jar arbaro.jar -m 0.2 < trees/shave-grass.xml > pov/shave-grass.inc


   (There is also a parameter "Smooth" with the same meaning used for species
   which look best with a specific smooth value)

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IF IT DOESN'T WORK

It doesn't work, what I'm doing wrong?

1. Do you use the correct version of Java?

     java -version 

   should say something about version 1.4.x. May be you have
   to add the full path of your Java executable on the beginning
   of the command line.

2. Did you change to the Arbaro directory? This is the directory
   with arbaro.jar and arbaro_gui.jar in it. 

3. If you are a Windows user, you should use the back slash \ instead
   of the slash / in path names.

I got the XXX.inc file what to do with it?

   You have to include it in a POVRay scene and render this scene.
   You can create an example POVRay scene (with the -p option)
   and render it with

     povray +w400 +h600 XXX.pov

I got a tree image, but it's too large.
  
   You have to render the example scene with height to width ratio of 1.5,
   e.g. 600 pixels heigh and 400 pixels wide. If you like another format you
   can adjust the WIDTH variable in the .pov file

I get an out of memory error.
  
   You should give the Java engine more memory, e.g. 100MB initial, 200MB
   max. heap size with 

         java -Xms100m -Xmx200m ...
  
I have another problem.

   Please mail me. I will try to help you.

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Compiling from sources: Call "ant" in the folder with build.xml file


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Questions, patches, help offers, chocolate, ... send to <diestel@steloj.de>