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1993-03-13
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Slicer 2.1:
Slicer is a program for creating abstract art based on mathematical
functions, such as the Mandelbrot set, Julia sets, and related abstractions
(chaotic dynamical systems). Features include; fast fixed or floating point
arithmetic, many different functions (z²+c, z³-3a²z+b, sin(z) ...), many
computation options (level sets, binary decomposition, epsilon cross,
distance estimate), many coloring and rendering options, images may be
recolored without recomputing, batch mode, focus, multi pass, zoom in, zoom
out, pan, quick 2x zoom, and four dimensional navigation. The program is
named "Slicer" because the pictures it makes can be thought of as cross
sections or "slices" revealing the insides of solid (if imaginary) objects.
For those who remember Slicer 1.x, forget it. This program is completely
new, faster, more powerfull, easier to use, and I hope easier to
understand.
************************************************************************
Distribution:
Copyright 1992 by Gary Teachout
This program is freeware, and may be distributed freely. It may be
distributed along with other freely distributable software. It may not be
sold for profit, or included as part of a commercial software product. No
donations are required but they would be accepted and appreciated.
************************************************************************
Disclaimer:
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER
EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ITS FITNESS FOR ANY
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. This software is experimental and IT HAS DEFECTS, if
you do not accept all of the risks and responsibilities of using defective
software, then DO NOT USE THIS.
************************************************************************
Requirments:
Slicer needs lots of memory, 1Mb of ram or more is best. On a 1Mb system
you can use 640x400 screens with about 2000 bytes to spare, overscan will
require more ram.
To save picture files the, ILBM.Library must be in your LIBS: directory.
It is included and may be installed by clicking the "Instal-ILBM-Lib" icon.
************************************************************************
Acknowledgments:
I would like to thank the following for helping to make Slicer work as
well as it does, and for saving me a lot of work:
Justin V. McCormick, for the PathMaster file selector.
Software Dissidents, for the ILBM.Library.
************************************************************************
Getting started:
You may start Slicer by double clicking its icon, or a Slicer project
icon, or you may run it from the CLI, or a script (see "Batch mode" below).
When you start Slicer, you will first see the screen format requester. The
default is a 320 X 200 screen with 32 colors, low res screens will be
completed faster than high res screen. Click the "START" button, if a file
was specified Slicer will load and begin working on it, otherwise it will
begin computing a default image of the Mandelbrot set.
************************************************************************
Screen Format Requester:
When Slicer starts out you will see the screen format requester. Select
the screen size and number of colors you wish to work with, then click the
"start" button. Note that Slicer can create overscan sized images, but it
does not display them in overscan.
************************************************************************
Palette Requester:
To change the colors in the screens palette, select the "Palette" item
from the "Picture" menu, and the palette requester will be displayed.
Select the color to be changed by clicking that color in the grid on the
right of the requester, the selected color will be marked with a solid box,
the previously selected color will be marked with a dotted box. The
selected color may be changed by moving either the red, green, blue,
(R,G,B) or hew, saturation, luminance, (H,S,L) sliders. To create a
continuous range of colors, select and set the color at one end of the
range, select and set the color at the other end of the range, then click
the "RANGE" button.
************************************************************************
Color Maps, and the Color Map Requester:
The color map is used to specify how the screens palette colors are used
within the picture. For each pixel in an image, Slicer computes a number
called the dwell, the color map specifies which palette colors are used for
each dwell value. The "Color Map" item from the "Picture" menu has an array
of subitems that will create an assortment of convenient color maps. Each
time you create a new image (by zooming or using any item from the "Slice"
menu), it will be necessary to try a few new color maps.
Selecting the "Edit" subitem will bring up the color map requester for
customizing the color map. The graph at the top is a hystogram of the dwell
values for the slice. With the "RANGE" button, you can fill in part of the
color map with a range of colors.
************************************************************************
Edit Slice Specs Requesters:
With these requesters you may specify which abstraction you want to see,
the location, orintation, magnification, and other details of the slice.
Specs Requester:
Dwell Limit Maximum number of iterations. Generaly the
larger this number is, the more detail will be
revailed, and the longer it will take to
complette the picture. As you increase
magnifcation (zoom in) you will also need to
increase the dwell limit. See the "Arithmetic"
section below.
Magnification The zoom factor. The larger the magnification,
the smaller the area of the slice covered in the
image.
Location These four variables specify the location in
four dimensions of the point in the center of
the image. "x", and "y" are the components of
the complex variable "z" (the orbiting or
chaotic variable). "a", and "b" are the
components of the complex variable "c" (the
fixed or reference variable).
Extra Variables
These four variables have differant meenings for
differant functions. "f", and "g" may be the
components of the complex variable "h". "q" and
others may be used as escape thresholds. See the
"Arithmetic" section below.
Mouse Location These buttons set the location or magnification
Mouse Magnification to that of the region previously selected with
the mouse. See "Regions" below.
Orientation These buttons set the plane of the slice
parallel to one of the six orthogonal planes.
You are not limited to these six planes, see the
"Move Requester" below.
a b This plane is parallel to the Mandelbrot set
(the fixed or reference plane).
x y This plane is a Julia set (the plane where
chaotic motion takes place).
a x These planes have each dimension aligned with
a y one dimension of each of the planes above.
x y Allowing you to see slices perpendicular (edge
y b on) to the Mandelbrot and Julia sets.
Arithmetic The up and down arrow buttons allow you to
select which function you wish to see, and the
numerical precision. See the "Arithmetic"
section below.
Specs With these buttons you may switch between the