The orientation distribution of a textured polycrystalline material has been traditionally determined from a few individual pole figures of lattice planeshkl, measured by x-ray or neutron diffraction. A new method is demonstrated that uses the whole diffraction spectrum, rather than extracted peak intensities, by combining the orientation distribution calculation with the crystallographic Rietveld method. The feasibility of the method is illustrated with time-of-flight neutron diffraction data of experimentally deformed polycrystalline calcite. It is possible to obtain quantitative information on texture, crystal structure, microstructure, and residual stress from highly incomplete pole figures and from regions of the diffraction spectrum containing many overlapping peaks. The approach provides a key for quantitative texture analysis of low symmetry compounds and of composites with complicated diffraction spectra. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.