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fractdev-digest        Monday, February 2 1998        Volume 01 : Number 004




----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 13:01:15 -0600
From: "Damien M. Jones" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) fractint list postings

Rich,

 - This whitesq thing has always struck me as "fractint trying to be all
 - things to all people".  Why not just render the two/four/N fractals
 - you want to combine in such a checkerboard fashion and have an image
 - manipulation program combine them?

This is precisely what I do, and once you throw an image editor into the
mix, you have a lot more combination options than simply 50/50 mixing.  For
this reason, I seldom use PHC/PTC approaches for my own work.

However, I understand two powerful reasons the people like the PHC/PTC
approach.  First, you can zoom in on both "layers" simultaneously, greatly
easing exploration of composite fractals.  And second, these images can be
color-cycled.  This is why, even though I don't normally *use* these
techniques, I think they are a good idea--at least until FractInt is fully
true-color capable and can handle multiple layers at once. :)

Damien M. Jones   \\
[e-mail]  \\  http://www.icd.com/tsd/  (temporary sanity designs)
                    \\  http://www.fractalus.com/ (fractals are my hobby)


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Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 12:21:27 -0700
From: Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) fractint list postings

In article <[e-mail]> ,
    "Damien M. Jones" <[e-mail]>  writes:
> [...]--at least until FractInt is fully
> true-color capable and can handle multiple layers at once. :)

For that sort of thing, you'd probably be better off making fractint a
plug-in!
- --
                                               Rich Thomson
                                               [e-mail]

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Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 14:45:10 -0500
From: George Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) fractint list postings

Rich,

>
why doesn't the optimizer detect unused variables and not
bother computing them?
<

Not much to say here, except that "it just doesn't". The variables which
are calculated once each pixel (scrnpix, whitesq, and pixel) are hard coded
into the "per pixel" routines, and are not part of the sequence of function
pointers which makes up the formula calculation, and which are examined for
possible optimizations by Chuck Ebbert's fast parser.

BTW, I am working right now on adding the optimizer to the C code. This
will ultimately be a much more efficient way to optimize, with a side
benefit that the C code formulas will run somewhat faster. Chuck has a
comment in the optimizer which suggests that adding the "pushes" and
"pulls" (which are used when the FPU stack gets filled up) would be better
done after the optimization than before, as it is now. This will also be a
side benefit of C optimization.

George

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Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 14:30:58 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: (fractdev) fractint list postings

In a message dated 98-01-28 18:16:06 EST, you write:

<< I wonder if a few of you could post some on topic (non-test) messages
 to the fractint list so we can see if it is working. I don't know if
 the lack of activity is because folks *think* the list is down or if
 there's a problem.

 Thanks.

 Tim >>

Tim,
What is the most recent file with complete source code for Fractint? I wanted
to start looking into true color implementation.
Ron

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Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 13:59:30 -0600
From: "Damien M. Jones" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) fractint list postings

Rich,

 - > [...]--at least until FractInt is fully
 - > true-color capable and can handle multiple layers at once. :)
 -
 - For that sort of thing, you'd probably be better off making fractint a
 - plug-in!

Actually, the Photoshop plug-in architecture only allows a plug-in access
to the current layer; you can't make a plug-in modify multiple layers at once.

No, what I was thinking here was something I wrote about a while back, in a
certain text file that has seen limited distribution. :)  An "ordinary"
fractal is one layer, one set of parameters; a PHC fractal is two layers,
and a PTC is three or four.  A multi-layered fractal is one in which each
layer has its own formula, palette, location, coloring method, etc., and a
"recipe" for combining them all together.  Zooming on a multi-layer fractal
zooms the location of each layer in sync, but otherwise the layers are
pretty much autonomous.

FWIW, Frederik Slijkerman already has a working implementation of this
feature (albeit limited, currently) in his Ultra Fractal 2.0.  It's like
PHC/PTC, only better. :)  The biggest problem with multi-layered fractals
is not producing the image--but in creating an interface that makes the
feature usable.

Damien M. Jones   \\
[e-mail]  \\  http://www.icd.com/tsd/  (temporary sanity designs)
                    \\  http://www.fractalus.com/ (fractals are my hobby)


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Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 11:17:50 -0700
From: Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
Subject: (fractdev) progress.txt

This file attempts to list the works "in progress" at the time of the
current fractint release (19.6) and the people working on them.  It is
hoped that this file will help developers coordinate their efforts and
eliminate any duplicate effort.

This file last updated January 29th, 1998

Project(s)                              Developer & Status
- --------------------------------------  --------------------------------------
PNG support                             TW
24-bit support                          RBa, TW, others? (just starting)
SIMPLGIF improvements                   TW (encoder done, decoder needed)
SIMPLGIF encoder fix                    TW (done)
Relaxing 2K image sizelimit             TW (nearly done)
float-only version                      TW (mostly done)
synchronous orbits                      TW (under way)
Formula parser improvements             GM
xfractint visual selection              RT
Parameter Evolver                       RBu, JO (mostly done)
Memory use overhaul                     JO

Current Developers:
- -------------------
RBa     Ron Barnett <[e-mail]>
RBu     Robin Bussell <[e-mail]>
GM      George Martin <[e-mail]>
JO      Jonathan Osuch ?
RT      Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
TW      Tim Wegner <[e-mail]>

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Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 11:18:57 -0700
From: Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
Subject: (fractdev) Re: progress.txt

Developers:

Please review the progress.txt file I just mailed out under separate
cover.

Add any projects you are working on that aren't listed and give an
idea where the project stands relative to completion, if you can.

Also, what is Jonathan Osuch's email address?
- --
                        Rich Thomson
                        [e-mail]

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Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 10:49:16 -0800
From: "Jay Hill"<[e-mail]>
Subject: (fractdev) Another wish list for fractint

Tim,
1) The present solid guessing has options like levels 1, 2, or 3.  We
get - what - 4 passes at most, where the resolution is high. Now when
I want a very quick look I can use 320x200 but then the most we get in
passes is 2. This means the first pass over the image takes about
the same time as guessing at 1024x768. Here is the thing I'd like, at
what ever resolution I'm using, be able to set the passes to more so
the image is shown approximately very fast. The validity of this image
would be about that of a thumb nail image, 80x60 for example. But if
it looks interesting I can let it continue one or two passes to see more.
Now it would be at a moderate resolution having, say, two passes to
go to finish. At this point I may have enough info for a pan or zoom.
Or I could hit 'B' for later processing.

2) Another option would be the image starts processing in the center
first (that is where we are zooming toward in search mode).  This
could either be start complete horizontal scans but in the center rather
than top, or even better some kind of tressal with the center filing first.

3) Is there hope for a coordinate box like Winfract had? It should have
complete digits available (winfract showed fewer than the precision
of the calculations).  Also, if the pointer remains on the 'focus' of the
box, I'd like to get info on the escape iteration or the period.  This
information should be capturable by the windows clip board. If we
have a DOS app, switching to one of the text windows (like hitting
TAB) lets me snip data.  This is very useful as a research tool.

4) Lets say I make a special formula, a Julia set type. Now I can off
line derive a corresponding Mandelbrot set (see my recent postings
for an example, (as if you all didn't know) ).  When I hit 'space' with the
usual MSet, I get a Julia. Now we need a way to link the two formula
I derive so this feature will work there two.  What I do now is run two
copies of Fractint, one with M and one with J. I use the clip board
to move coordinates around. It is very clumsy because only one
number will copy at a time. And worse, windows clipboard includes
a C/R at the end which launches a half baked parameter.  If the
parameters were in line horizontal, I could transfer two at once.
Well until we get into deep zooming. Then none of this works.

Thanks for the time...

Jay



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Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 14:48:56 -0500
From: George Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: (fractdev) Re: progress.txt

Rich,

>give an idea where the project stands relative to completion

The "formula parser improvements" covers quite a range of ideas. When the
new release of Fractint is imminent, we'll be able to just stop with
whatever is done at that point and go with it.


George

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Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 13:16:51 -0700
From: Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) Re: progress.txt

In article <[e-mail]> ,
    George Martin <[e-mail]>  writes:
> The "formula parser improvements" covers quite a range of ideas.

Yep :).

> When the new release of Fractint is imminent, we'll be able to just
> stop with whatever is done at that point and go with it.

That's fine.  The only reason I asked for "status" was not to crack
the whip on anyone, but just that when someone comes asking for a
feature that person Y is working on, we can point to the document and
say "In November of 1996, Y said it would be ready 'Real Soon Now'"
:)
- --
                                               Rich Thomson
                                               [e-mail]

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Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 15:45:56 -0600
From: "Damien M. Jones" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) progress.txt

Rich,

Please add "M-set Pentium Optimization" to the list.  It's about half done,
in that the code is written and works outside of FractInt, but needs to be
tested and integrated into FractInt.  Some work on this was already done,
before I started, making the M-set almost twice as fast... but the code
I've got is more than twice as fast as that, which is why I'm trying to
stick it in.

Man, some of this assembly sure is a mess. =)

Damien M. Jones   \\
[e-mail]  \\  http://www.icd.com/tsd/  (temporary sanity designs)
                    \\  http://www.fractalus.com/ (fractals are my hobby)


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Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 15:45:56 -0600
From: "Damien M. Jones" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) progress.txt

Rich,

Please add "M-set Pentium Optimization" to the list.  It's about half done,
in that the code is written and works outside of FractInt, but needs to be
tested and integrated into FractInt.  Some work on this was already done,
before I started, making the M-set almost twice as fast... but the code
I've got is more than twice as fast as that, which is why I'm trying to
stick it in.

Man, some of this assembly sure is a mess. =)

Damien M. Jones   \\
[e-mail]  \\  http://www.icd.com/tsd/  (temporary sanity designs)
                    \\  http://www.fractalus.com/ (fractals are my hobby)


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Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 16:25:11 -0700
From: Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) progress.txt

In article <[e-mail]> ,
    "Damien M. Jones" <[e-mail]>  writes:
> Please add "M-set Pentium Optimization" to the list.

Done.  Thanks for reminding me, I forgot about that one.
- --
                                               Rich Thomson
                                               [e-mail]

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Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 21:26:34 -0600
From: "Tim Wegner" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) progress.txt

From the project list:

> SIMPLGIF encoder fix                    TW (done)

This should be

> Fractint encoder fix                    TW (done)

I have removed the existing LZW compression code from both Fractint
and Simplgif and replaced them with the LZW code from the Unix
compress utility.

To date there are no known bugs in either Fractint's or Simplgif's
new GIF encoder or in Fractint's decoder. There is a known bug in
Simplgif's decoder. I plan to replace Simplgif's decoder with
Fractint's. Then Simplgif should operate on anything you can throw at
it.

I owe several people sources for the fractint developer version and
simplgif. I'll put something together, hopefully this weekend. We
need a way to exchange patches. While posting attachments is a non-no
on the fractint list, perhaps posting context diffs as zipped-up
attachements would be OK here. (The zipping protects against
inevitable mailer mashing of diff files.) I can also post things at
my ftp site (ftp://ftp.phoenix.net/pub/USERS/twegner). Maybe my ftp
site is the best bet.

What works best is for active developers to keep current with each
developer patch. It would be especially helpful to have an Xfractint
developer keep current also, to help me out. I will publish some kind
of current synch of the developer's source soon.

There are a few people subscribed to this list who are unknown to me.
Since any fairly enterprising person can investigate xmission and
discover the existence of this list and join it, it isn't really a
private list. I'm not planning on removing those folks as long as
there are no problems. This list has not been publicized because I
want to keep it mostly limited to serious developers. However, I am
happy for people who have helped in the past to be on the list. I
have also invited some of our artists because their testing and
feedback is invaluable. I don't mind if others of you invite people
you think are interested, as long is the list traffic is from people
who are really interested in helping.

Tim


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Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 21:26:34 -0600
From: "Tim Wegner" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) Re: progress.txt

George wrote:

> The "formula parser improvements" covers quite a range of ideas. When the
> new release of Fractint is imminent, we'll be able to just stop with
> whatever is done at that point and go with it.

Maybe specific parser projects should be itemized, since it's too big
a category.

For example, adding the assembler optimizations to the parser C
language code is probably a separable project.

Tim


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Date: Sat, 31 Jan 1998 08:37:12 -0600
From: "Tim Wegner" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (fractdev) Welcome to Jonathan

Folks, welcome Jonathan Osuch. For quite a while now Jonathan has
been a steady mainstay of the Fractint development team. His
contributions are many. At the moment, he's working with Robin on the
evolver. He also wrote the memory library that unifies the various
types of memory on the PC, and will greatly faciltate the
ports of Fractint to other platforms.

As of a few minutes ago, Jonathan is on this list. Jonathan, I didn't
sign you up for the fractint list. I'll be happy to, but be prepared
to be inundated by mail if you join!

To see who is on this list, send the message

who fractdev

to [e-mail]

Rich, maybe we should add a list of platforms to the developer info
table. Mine are Win95, Linux, and DOS. My compilers are MSC 7.0 and
MASM 6.1, dgjpp, and gcc (Linux).

Tim

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Date: Sat, 31 Jan 1998 12:24:08 -0500
From: George Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: (fractdev) Welcome to Jonathan

Rich,

>list of platforms

George Martin - Borland 3.1

George

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Date: Sat, 31 Jan 1998 13:43:41 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: (fractdev) Welcome to Jonathan

Rich,

I am using Visual C++ 1.52 and MASM 6.0.
I have Visual C++ 5.0 if we ever get to that point <g>.

Ron Barnett

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Date: Sat, 31 Jan 1998 22:45:28 -0600
From: "Tim Wegner" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (fractdev) Synching Up

I have Xfractint working up to 1961 patch 20. There is a problem with
patch 21, which I will look at tomorrow, unless Jonathan beats me to
finding the problem.

When I get Xfractint up to patch 27 (the current patch), I will
release a patch 28 with the changes needed for Xfractint, including
Rich's changes. At that point everyone can get synched up.

This will take a few more days, depending on how things go at work. I
have a big software delivery due Friday.

Tim


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Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 10:27:44 -0700
From: Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) progress.txt

In article <[e-mail]> ,
    "Tim Wegner" <[e-mail]>  writes:
> > SIMPLGIF encoder fix                    TW (done)
>
> This should be
>
> > Fractint encoder fix                    TW (done)

Fixed.

> I owe several people sources for the fractint developer version and
> simplgif. I'll put something together, hopefully this weekend. We
> need a way to exchange patches. While posting attachments is a non-no
> on the fractint list, perhaps posting context diffs as zipped-up
> attachements would be OK here. (The zipping protects against
> inevitable mailer mashing of diff files.) I can also post things at
> my ftp site (ftp://ftp.phoenix.net/pub/USERS/twegner). Maybe my ftp
> site is the best bet.

Please DON'T zip the diffs.  There is no problem with "mailer mashing
of diff files".  I don't know where you got this idea.  I have
transmitted diff files by email for 10+ years and never, ever, ever,
had a problem.  ZIPing text files only causes more problems in getting
the text files portably to another system because you zip your DOS
text file and when I get it to unix, then I have to strip line feeds
or vice-versa.  If the file is transmitted as a text file, then we
won't have to deal with that.
- --
                                               Rich Thomson
                                               [e-mail]

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Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 10:28:50 -0700
From: Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) Re: progress.txt

In article <[e-mail]> ,
    "Tim Wegner" <[e-mail]>  writes:
> For example, adding the assembler optimizations to the parser C
> language code is probably a separable project.

These are the items I had in the "to do" list; which of these are you
working on currently, George?

    Formula Parser
    --------------
    - Add type information for expressions and variables
    - Add remainder (modulus) operator/function
    - Make C versions of corresponding assembly functions more efficient
      (reduce function call overhead, apply optimizations)
      - Provide a way to perform user-defined computations once per-image
      - Provide a way to define and call named user functions like regular
       functions
- --
                                               Rich Thomson
                                               [e-mail]

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Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 10:47:23 -0700
From: Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) Welcome to Jonathan

Would someone email me Jonathan Osuch's email address for the
developer's list?  Thanks.
- --
                                               Rich Thomson
                                               [e-mail]

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Date: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 13:16:01 -0500
From: George Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) Re: progress.txt

Rich,

>
    Formula Parser
    --------------
    - Add type information for expressions and variables
    - Add remainder (modulus) operator/function
    - Make C versions of corresponding assembly functions more efficient
      (reduce function call overhead, apply optimizations)
      - Provide a way to perform user-defined computations once per-image
      - Provide a way to define and call named user functions like regular
       functions
<

type info - I need more information about what is wanted here, and why.
        This is not a high priority item for me right now, and should
            probably wait until other projects are done.

modulus function - We can do this, but what *is* the modulus of one complex

            number divided by another?

C Optimizer - Working on now. High priority. This is part of an overall
              rewrite to make parsing, error warning, and memory allocation
              more efficient in the parser.

Once-per-image section - Not working on now. Could you give some examples
              of what is wanted here? I've already started tinkering with
              trisq and quadsq.

calling user functions - Not working on now, but right up my alley. I tried
              to make the if..else flexible enough to allow adding while
             and do..while loops, and goto statements.


George

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Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 11:33:22 -0700
From: Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) Re: progress.txt

In article <[e-mail]> ,
    George Martin <[e-mail]>  writes:
> type info - I need more information about what is wanted here, and why.
>         This is not a high priority item for me right now, and should
>             probably wait until other projects are done.

What is wanted: something similar to the C cast operator for
expressions and typing of variables for declarations.  We already
have the ability to take the integer portion of a value by doing
int(x) (what is the meaning of int(z), with z complex?).  If one could
type variables as integer or real:

    int iter,
    real x,

then the parser could know that it didn't need to do complex
arithmetic on these quantities.  Further, for "iter" it could use
integer math.  Its a small quest for additional efficiency that
motivates the proposal.

> modulus function - We can do this, but what *is* the modulus of one complex
>
>             number divided by another?

Good point!

> Once-per-image section - Not working on now. Could you give some examples
>               of what is wanted here? I've already started tinkering with
>               trisq and quadsq.

I didn't propose this, but I seem to recall the discussion going
something like this.  People have user-defined functions and they want
to do some computationally expensive setup calculations.  However,
these calculations need only be done once for the entire image
(computing critical points of the iterated function, for instance).
Currently, they have to recompute the critical points for every pixel.
Again, efficiency seems to be the motivation for this proposal, but I
don't know that anyone put together anything specific on a proposed
syntax.

I will add your updated info to the appropriate files! :)
- --
                                               Rich Thomson
                                               [e-mail]

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Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 11:56:20 -0700
From: Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) Re: progress.txt

In article <[e-mail]> ,
    George Martin <[e-mail]>  writes:
> modulus function - We can do this, but what *is* the modulus of one complex
>             number divided by another?

I looked into a reference on complex numbers and it didn't seem to
define the remainder of a complex number anywhere.  Division is
defined, but its unclear how to compute the remainder of a complex
division.  It might be handy to define z modulus w as:

    z = a + b i
    w = c + d i
    z % w = (a % c) + (b % d) i

This would make implementing whitesq, trisq, quadsq, etc. trivial in
the per-pixel initialization.  However, I'm not sure that's the way we
want to define complex modulus in general.  Then again, maybe it is if
that's the real reason we want complex modulus :)
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                                               Rich Thomson
                                               [e-mail]

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Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 10:31:24 -0700
From: Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) Welcome to Jonathan

In article <[e-mail]> ,
    "Tim Wegner" <[e-mail]>  writes:
> Rich, maybe we should add a list of platforms to the developer info
> table. Mine are Win95, Linux, and DOS. My compilers are MSC 7.0 and
> MASM 6.1, dgjpp, and gcc (Linux).

I'm not sure why this would be of help to other people?
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                                               Rich Thomson
                                               [e-mail]

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Date: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 11:16:38 -0800
From: "Jay Hill"<[e-mail]>
Subject: (fractdev) modulus function and image precalc

George wrote


>modulus function - We can do this, but what *is* the modulus of one
>          complex  number divided by another?


I asked for this functionality. The trunc() function almost does it all.
And its use is for reals and also for integers. Reals for working with
angles, for example. And integers for working with the iter or some
color data.

The format might be like the C++ functions.


As for the precalc (the once per image), will we have access to the
image center/mag/rot data so we can make some kind of pre-scan
to help set up the parameters? I'm thinking of several applications -
1) a coloring scheme (someone in the UNIX world used it) checked a
few hundred scattered spots on his 1280x1024 image and scaled the
color map based on these samples. He always had a nice flow
of colors from the edge to the densest parts.
2) special parameters can be computed for any 'inside' components
found. It there is array capability, an array of special parameters can
be made which helps 'instant' filling of these components and/or
special coloring schemes for the insides of these components.
I'm experimenting with a few of these now.

Is there a function that tells us the pixel spacing.? If c=pixel and
pixel moves up one or right one, what is the change in c?


Jay



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Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 14:22:24 -0600
From: "Damien M. Jones" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (fractdev) Notion: coloring formulae

I've been thinking about using the formula parser to define coloring
algorithms.  Obviously, I already have one way to do it--but this requires
editing the formula every time a new core fractal equation is to be used.
So I was thinking about ways to generalize the technique, that are actually
somewhat easy to bolt on to FractInt. :)

How's this idea sound?  Allow a second formula--a coloring formula--to be
written.  This formula has its own p1, p2, p3, fn1, and fn2; it has access
to z from the main "formula", as well as the other built-in variable types
of the formula parser.  Like a "normal" formula, it has an init section, a
per-iteration section, and a keep-iterating section (so the coloring
formula can force a bailout as well as the fractal formula).  Essentially,
it re-uses almost all of the existing formula parser.

Ah, well, it was just a thought.  I'd rather see looping abilities added to
the formula parser, which will let me play around with a few other coloring
techniques which right now aren't too practical. :)

Damien M. Jones   \\
[e-mail]  \\  http://www.icd.com/tsd/  (temporary sanity designs)
                    \\  http://www.fractalus.com/ (fractals are my hobby)


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Date: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 17:21:51 -0500
From: George Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) Re: progress.txt

Rich,

>
 We already have the ability to take the integer portion of a value by
doing int(x)
<

The function is "trunc()", which lops of the fractional part of both the
real and imaginary components of a complex number.

George

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Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 15:49:56 -0700
From: Rich Thomson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (fractdev) Notion: coloring formulae

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In article <[e-mail]> ,
    "Damien M. Jones" <[e-mail]>  writes:
> I've been thinking about using the formula parser to define coloring
> algorithms.  Obviously, I already have one way to do it--but this requires
> editing the formula every time a new core fractal equation is to be used.
> So I was thinking about ways to generalize the technique, that are actually
> somewhat easy to bolt on to FractInt. :)

Damien, does the attached message look familiar? :)
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                                               Rich Thomson
                                               [e-mail]

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Subject: (fractint) generalizing coloring methods
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In anticipation of 24-bit (and 32-bit) rendering modes in fractint,
I've been wondering if there isn't a way to unify all the various
coloring tricks embedded in FRMs as well as fractint's internal
coloring algorithms.  Here is what I have been thinking... if we
define a coloring "formula" and apply it to the iteration.  Here is
the proposed anatomy of a coloring formula:

    name {
    initialization :
    per-iteration
    finalization
    }

name        The name of this coloring method

initialization    Similar to the initialization section for a formula;
        "pixel" and other magic variables are initialized so
        they can be used by the coloring formula.  The
        coloring formula can introduce its own variables and
        initialize them here.

per-iteration    For coloring methods where the variables must be
        updated every iteration, change that information in
        this section

finalization    After the orbit has finished (because it bailed out,
        or reached maxiter, or hit a period cycle, etc.), this
        section assigns the pixel's color value

Here are some examples of the builtin coloring methods fractint has:

    iter {
    index = 0 :
    index++,
    color=colormap[index]
    }

    epsilon_cross {
    axis = 0, index = 0 :
    if (!axis && (imag(z) < .01)) then
       axis = 1
    else if (!axis && (real(z) < .01)) then
       axis = 2
    endif
    index++,
    if (axis == 1) then
       color = green
    else if (axis == 2) then
       color = yellow
    else
       color = colormap[index]
    endif
    }

In the epsilon_cross case, you might want to be able to have a way to
terminate the orbit early when you detect it nearing the axis.  A new
syntax could be introduced to allow the coloring scheme to affect
the bailout, or there could be a statement that aborted the iteration
because of the coloring test.

I think this kind of scheme encompasses all the existing coloring
modes of fractint and also covers the kinds of balls/stalks/etc. types
of colorings that others have embedded into their formulas.  The nice
thing about this kind of approach is that it separates the formulas
from the coloring.  Want a fancy colored M-set?  No need to avoid the
builtin type=mandel then, just specify the fancy coloring.

What do others think of this idea?  Are there coloring schemes that
DON'T fit into this framework?  I'd like to get something that is as
general as possible before doing any work on writing fractint code to
support it.
- --
  ``Between stimulus and response is the will to choose.''  -- Steven Covey
 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
     3D Paint: The Power to Create in 3D;        Rich Thomson
     email me for more info                [e-mail]

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