Introduction
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Introduction This manual contains complete documentation for Ultra Fractal 5 in printer-friendly format. All information in this manual is also accessible from the Help menu in Ultra Fractal. You can also get context-sensitive help in every dialog and tool window in Ultra Fractal. Click the ? button in the title bar, and then click on a control to learn more about it. The compiler reference is not included in this manual because it would make it unnecessary large. To access the compiler reference, click Contents on the Help menu in Ultra Fractal. In the Writing Formulas chapter, there is an additional Reference chapter that lists all built-in functions, operators, keywords, and so on. Alternatively, click on a symbol in the formula editor and then press F1 or click Help on the Help menu. Table of Contents Table of Contents What's new? What's new in Ultra Fractal 5? 9 New compiler features 11 Getting help Getting help 12 Context-sensitive help 13 Help for formula authors 14 Tutorials Tutorials 15 Quick Start Tutorial Creating a fractal image 16 Changing formula parameters 18 Applying a coloring algorithm 19 Saving your fractal 21 Opening your saved fractal 22 Learning basic skills Learning basic skills 23 Learning to use Switch Mode 24 Using the Explore tool 25 Synchronizing the Julia Seed 27 Zooming into the image 28 Synchronizing the location 29 Adding outside coloring 30 Working with the gradient 32 Synchronizing colors and Saving the image 34 Working with layers Working with layers 36 Coloring the new layer 37 Editing the gradient 38 Learning about layer opacity 39 Learning about merge modes 40 Adding a third layer 41 Transparency in the gradient 42 Adding control points 44 Learning about transformations Learning about transformations 45 Using the Kaleidoscope transformation 47 Using 3D Mapping 48 Twist transformation 50 Mapping a sphere 51 Adding a frame 52 Zooming with multiple layers 53 Using the Clipping transformation 55 Exporting the image 57 Masking Introduction to masking 58 Layer 2 - Waves Trap 59 Layer 3 - Box Trap 61 Fine-tuning the gradient 63 Layer 4 - Gaussian Integer 65 Adding a mask layer 66 Editing the mask 68 Rendering the image 71 Some final thoughts 74 Working with animations Working with animations 75 Making a zoom movie 76 Playing the movie 78 Experimenting with Animate mode 79 Extending the animation 81 Using the Timeline tool window 82 Adding gradient animation 84 Adding a new layer 86 Rendering the animation 88 About fractals What are fractals? 89 Self-similarity 90 Julia sets 91 The Mandelbrot set 92 Fractals today 93 Where to start 94 Workspace Workspace overview 95 Working with tool windows 97 Tool windows overview 99 Layer Properties tool window 100 Fractal Properties tool window 101 Fractal Mode tool window 102 Statistics tool window 103 Color cycling tool window 104 Network tool window 105 Render to Disk tool window 106 Compiler Messages tool window 107 Options dialog 108 Fractal windows Fractal windows 109 Normal mode 110 Select mode 112 Switch mode 114 Opening and saving fractals 115 Parameter files 116 Copying and pasting fractals 117 Fractal history list 118 Full screen mode 119 Default fractal 120 Copyright and tweaking 121 Calculation details 122 Gradients Gradients 123 Gradient toolbar 125 How gradients work 126 Editing gradients 127 Transparent gradients 129 Adjusting gradients 130 Opening and saving gradients 131 Fractal formulas Fractal formulas 132 Working with fractal formulas 134 Maximum iterations 136 Formula parameters 138 Explore 140 Eyedropper 142 Presets 143 Arbitrary precision 144 Public formulas 145 Standard fractal formulas 147 Embossed (Julia, Mandelbrot, Newton) 148 Generic Formula 149 Julia 150 Julia (Built-in) 151 Lambda (Julia, Mandelbrot) 152 Magnet 1 and 2 (Julia, Mandelbrot) 153 Mandelbrot 154 Mandelbrot (Built-in) 155 Newton 156 Nova (Julia, Mandelbrot) 157 Phoenix (Julia, Mandelbrot) 158 Pixel 159 Slope (Julia, Mandelbrot, Newton) 160 Coloring algorithms Coloring algorithms 162 Inside and outside 164 Working with coloring algorithms 165 Using images 166 Combining fractals with images 168 Coloring settings 170 Solid color 172 Direct coloring algorithms 173 Standard coloring algorithms 174 Basic 175 Binary Decomposition 176 Decomposition 177 Direct Orbit Traps 178 Distance Estimator 180 Emboss 181 Exponential Smoothing 182 Gaussian Integer 183 Generic Coloring (Gradient, Direct) 184 Gradient 185 Image 186 Lighting 187 None 188 Orbit Traps 189 Smooth (Mandelbrot) 191 Triangle Inequality Average 192 Transformations Transformations 193 Working with transformations 195 Multiple transformations 196 Solid color 198 Standard transformations 200 3D Mapping 201 Aspect Ratio 202 Clipping 203 Generic Clipping 204 Generic Transformation 205 Glass Hemisphere 206 Inverse 207 Kaleidoscope 208 Lake 209 Mirror 210 Ripples 211 Twist 212 Classes About classes 213 Example 1 - Formula classes 214 Example 2 - Orbit trap classes 216 Working with classes 218 Standard classes 219 Layers Layers 220 How layers are merged 222 Working with layers 223 Merge modes 225 Transparent layers 227 Masks 228 Working with masks 229 Layer groups 230 Animation Animation 232 Creating animations 234 Animation keys 236 Animate mode 237 Animation bar 238 Playing animations 239 Animating locations 240 Animating parameters 242 Animating gradients 244 Animating layers 246 Time settings 247 Editing animations 249 Timeline 250 Interpolation 252 Exponential interpolation 254 Browsers Browsers 255 Browser toolbar 257 Modal browsers 258 File types 259 Library mode 261 View style 262 Opening files and entries 263 Organizing your work 264 Finding files and entries 265 Formula ratings 266 Formula editors Formula editors 268 Editing formulas 269 Finding text and formulas 271 Indenting and commenting 272 Templates 273 Exporting and rendering Exporting and rendering 274 Rendering images 275 Rendering animations 276 Rendering parameter files 278 Render jobs 279 Anti-aliasing 281 File formats 283 Resolution 285 Network calculations Network calculations 286 Network servers 287 Connections 288 Tips 289 Security 290 Writing formulas Writing formulas 291 Creating a new formula 292 Language basics Formula files and entries 294 Sections 295 Expressions 297 Types 298 Constants 300 Variables 302 Parameters 304 Arrays 306 Dynamic arrays 308 Type compatibility 310 Conditionals 312 Loops 314 Functions and classes Functions 316 Function arguments 318 Classes 320 Objects 321 Member visibility 323 Inheritance 325 Fields 327 Methods 328 Overriding 329 Constructors 331 Static methods 333 Casting 334 Class parameters 336 Extending class parameters 338 Parameter forwards 340 Importing classes 341 The common.ulb file 342 Memory management 343 Formulas Writing transformations 344 Writing fractal formulas 345 Writing coloring algorithms 347 Writing direct coloring algorithms 349 Global sections 351 Image parameters 353 Random values 354 Symmetry 355 Switch feature 356 Providing help and hints 358 Tips Debugging 359 Optimizations 360 Compatibility 361 Execution sequence 363 Invalid operations 365 Publishing your formulas 366 Keyboard shortcuts General 367 Fractal windows 368 Select mode 369 Animations 370 Gradient editors 371 Layer Properties tool window 372 Fractal Properties tool window 373 Formula editors 374 Browsers 375 Purchasing Ultra Fractal Purchasing Ultra Fractal 376 Entering your license key 377 License information 378 Support Support 379 Mailing list 380 Acknowledgements 381 What's new in Ultra Fractal 5? These are the major new features in Ultra Fractal 5: ● Layer groups With the new layer groups feature, you can organize layers in groups, which makes fractals with many layers easier to work with. Because a layer group has a separate merge mode, this also makes new creative merging effects possible. See Layer groups. ● Select multiple layers You can now select multiple layers and edit them together by Ctrl-clicking or Shift-clicking in the layers list in the Fractal Properties tool window. For example, you can easily move or delete multiple layers, apply a new fractal formula, or edit parameters that all selected layers share. Likewise, it is also possible to select multiple transformations in the Mapping tab of the Layer Properties tool window. This makes it much easier to work with fractals that have many layers or transformations. See Working with layers and Working with transformations. ● Image import Import PNG, JPEG or BMP images in your fractals with the new image import feature. Simply select a coloring algorithm that contains an image parameter, and you can select any image on your computer to use. The coloring algorithm determines how the information from the image is used. For example, the standard Image coloring algorithm just displays the entire image in the fractal window. See Using images. ● Formulas with classes Formulas in Ultra Fractal can now use separate sub-formulas, which are called classes. This allows formula authors to easily re-use common formula features in many formulas. A formula that use classes typically enables you to select those classes yourself, which is a very powerful way to extend the capabilities of a formula after it has been published. For more information, see About classes. If you are a formula author and you want to incorporate classes in your own formulas, see New compiler features. ● Browser thumbnails The browser now includes a thumbnail view for formulas, parameter sets, fractals and gradients that gives a great overview of the available items. See View style. ● Formula ratings Ultra Fractal now contains a rating system for formulas that makes it easy to see which formulas you should try first, and which are no longer recommended to use. See Formula ratings. ● Improved support for dual-core processors Ultra Fractal 5 uses dual-core or multi-processor systems more efficiently. Previously, on these systems, the fractal to calculate was split in vertical strips which made it harder to judge the calculation. Now, the image is split in as many strips as there are cores, so it appears to be calculated at once. If one strip finishes earlier than the other, the unfinished strip is subdivided again.