Preferences

        Preferences permit the user to customize certain features in the program.  The user may enable the various options by placing a check in the box next to the item.  The option is de-selected (and disabled) by removing the check from the box.  Each window has a different set of preferences associated with them.  These were derived from the global preferences when that window was created.  The global preferences are those displayed when selecting Preferences with either the New Parameters window or Help window as the front-most window.  There is no way to apply a preference to all windows.  Only the active window is affected.

        Color Fractal Generator preferences give the user these options:  display progress scale, display fractal creation one line at a time, draw the fractal immediately, save generated fractal images in the settings file, save the palette in the settings file, generation color depth, and floating point precision.  Descriptions of each of these options follow.

Display Progress Scale

        When checked, this option displays a progress scale while the fractal is being generated.  As the fractal approaches completion, the scale is updated.  If the box is not checked, no scale is displayed.

        This scale is only displayed while generating a fractal in the foreground.  If a fractal is being created in the background, the scale will not be displayed, no matter how the preferences item is set.

Display Fractal Line by Line

        Selecting this item will permit the application to update a fractal image as each line is completed, instead of presenting the entire fractal at once.  This method is more lengthy, but it permits the user to see that the fractal is being created.  If one desired to zoom in on a certain region, the user may stop the fractal creation once that region has been completed, long before the complete image would be created.

        If this item is not checked, the image will only be displayed when the creation process is completed or has been canceled.  Please note that this preference item does not apply to Random Walks, as these fractals are not created one line at a time.

Draw Fractal Immediately

        Draw Fractal Immediately is an option which will start the image generation process as soon as a file is opened or a fractal is created (with the New command).  The user does not have a chance to change any parameters associated with the window before fractal creation begins.  If this option is not selected, no fractal creation will happen when Open or New is selected.  Instead, an empty window will be displayed and it is up to the user to initiate fractal creation (with Redraw, Continue, Zoom, etc.).

Display Random Walk

        This option applies only to Random Walk fractals and only when Foreground generation mode is active.  If this option is selected, the actual movement of the particles is displayed as they create the Random Walk fractal.  This method of fractal creation requires a great deal more time than without displaying the moving particles as the screen must be updated for each move.  If the option is not selected or the fractal generation is in background mode, then no moving particles are shown.

Save Generated Fractal

        This item is only available to registered users.  Checking this box will cause the complete or partial fractal image to be saved along with its settings.  When the fractal is reopened, the image generation can pick up where it had left off.  This option can create vary large files as it stores the actual fractal image in the file.  If this option is not selected (as is the case for unregistered copies of this program), the fractal image will not be saved with the parameters.

Save Palette

        Setting this option saves the current palette (whether it is a standard palette or custom palette) in the settings file.  This permits a custom palette to be applied to the fractal the next time it is opened without having to load the palette separately.  Simply checking this box will not save the palette in the parameter file, however.  The user must still select either 'Save' or 'Save As' from the 'File' menu to update the file.

        If this option is left unselected, the palette will not be saved to the parameter file.  In this case, if the fractal had a custom palette associated with it, that palette will be lost when the file is opened from disk (unless it was saved with the Save Palette command).  A default palette will be assigned to the fractal.

Depth

        The image's depth can be selected by the depth pop-up menu.  The user may choose to create a fractal with as many colors as the most colorful monitor connected to the system or he may choose a specific color depth.  A list of the menu choices and explanations is located in the Pop-Up Menus section under Depth.

        One may choose to modify the depth of a currently open fractal.  This can be dangerous since memory must be re-allocated.  Make sure that the fractal is saved before altering its depth.

Precision

        This is the number of significant digits that are used to display fractal data.  The value can be from 3 to 18 digits.  The default is 9 digits.