Welcome to Help. The menu is activated by pressing F10. The menu titles are accessed by pressing Alt-Z, where Z is the first letter of the menu. For example, the File menu is pulled down by Alt-F. O
System
Mode
Default
Palette
Desktop
Save
desktop
Load
desktop
File
New
Open
Open
Save
Save
Save
Export
Print
Quit
Generate
Calculate
Zoom
Restart
Recenter
Calc
Parameters
Type
Duplicate
Create
Julia
AutoZOOM
AutoZOOM
Configure
Image
View
Resize
Change
palette
Window
Maximize
Next
Close
Close
Tile
Cascade
Fractal
Windows
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File Menu
(Alt-F)
The File menu provides commands for: -
- Creating new fractals
- Opening a fractal from a FF0 file
- Opening a fractal from a FracTools 2.0 IMG file
- Saving a fractal into a FF0 file
- Saving a fractal with a new name
- Saving all fractals
- Exporting a fractal to a PCX, BMP or GIF file
- Printing a fractal
- Quitting FracTools
New Open Open
IMG Save Save
as Save
all Export Print Quit
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File
The New command opens a fractal window with the name UNTITLED and makes it the active window.
Menu
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File
Open
(F3)
The Open command displays the Open
File dialog box, where you select a fractal file to open in a fractal window.
Menu
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File
Open IMG
The Open IMG command displays the Open
File dialog box, where you select a FracTools version 2.0 IMG file to open in a fractal window. o
The IMG file is converted to a FF0 file, and you will be prompted to save the file when you close the window.
Menu
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File
Save
The Save command saves the fractal that is in the active fractal window to disk. (This menu item is disabled if there is no active fractal window.)
If the file has the default name UNTITLED, the Save
As dialog box will be displayed, where you can rename the file or save it to a different directory or drive.
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File
Save As
The Save As command displays the Save
As dialog box, where you can rename the fractal in the active window or save it to a different directory or drive.
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File
Save All
The Save All command sends the File|Save command to all windows on the desktop.
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File
Export
The Export command displays the Export
File dialog box, where you can save the fractal in the active window as a PCX, BMP or GIF file.
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File
Print
The Print command displays the Print dialog box, where you can print the fractal in the active window.
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File
Quit
(Alt-X)
The Quit command exits FracTools, removes it from memory, and returns you to DOS. _
If you have modified a file without saving it, FracTools prompts you to do so before exiting.
Menu
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Generate Menu
(Alt-G)
The Generate menu provides commands for:
- Starting the calculation of a fractal
- Zooming in on a fractal
- Restarting the calculation of a fractal
- Recentering a fractal
- Calculating all fractal windows
- Changing the parameters of a fractal
- Changing the fractal to a new type
- Duplicating the active window
- Creating a julia of the active window
- AutoZOOMing into a fractal
- AutoZOOMing out of a fractal
- Configuring the AutoZOOM function
Calculate Zoom Restart Recenter Calc
all Parameters Type Duplicate Create
Julia AutoZOOM
In AutoZOOM
Out Configure
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Generate
Calculate
(F9)
The Calculate command starts the calculation of the fractal in the active window. You may stop the calculation at any time by pressing a key. W
Selecting the Calculate command again continues calculation where it left off before.
Generate
Menu
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Generate
Zoom
The Zoom command allows you to expand a portion of the fractal in the active window.
After selecting the Zoom command, place the mouse on a corner of the region you wish to expand, hold down the left mouse button, drag the crosshairs to the opposite corner and release the left mouse button. Calculation of the expanded region begins immediately.
You may stop the calculation at any time by pressing a key. Once calculation is stopped, the crosshairs return and you can draw a new box and expand it if you wish. Or you can press the right mouse button or the escape key to return to the main FracTools screen.
Generate
Menu
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Generate
Restart
The Restart command forces the fractal in the active window to be recalculated from the beginning. You may stop the calculation at any time by pressing a key.
Generate
Menu
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Generate
Recenter
The Recenter command regenerates the fractal in the active window so that a new point becomes the center of the image. !
After selecting the Recenter command, move the crosshairs to the new point that you want to be the center of the image and press the left mouse button, or press the right mouse button to cancel. Regeneration begins immediately. You may stop the calculation at any time by pressing a key.
Generate
Menu
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Generate
Calc All
The Calc All command calculates all of the fractal windows until they are done. You may stop calculation of any single fractal by pressing a key.
Generate
Menu
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Generate
Parameters
(F4)
The Parameters command displays the Parameters dialog box, where you can change the numbers that govern how an image is generated.
Generate
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Generate
Type
The Type command displays the Fractal
Type dialog box, where you can choose a different type for the fractal in the active window.
Generate
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Generate
Duplicate
The Duplicate command creates an exact copy of the fractal in the active window and opens it into a new window.
Generate
Menu
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Generate
Create Julia
The Create Julia command creates a Julia image from the fractal in the active window. V
After selecting the Create Julia command, move the crosshairs to the point from which you want to create the Julia and press the left mouse button, or press the right mouse button to cancel. FracTools creates a Julia image and opens it into a new window and starts calculating it. You may stop the calculation at any time by pressing a key.
Generate
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Generate
AutoZOOM In
The AutoZOOM In command starts the automatic zooming process for the fractal in the active window.
Generate
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Generate
AutoZOOM Out
The AutoZOOM In command starts the automatic zooming process for the fractal in the active window.
Generate
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Generate
Configure
The Configure command displays the AutoZOOM
Configure dialog box, where you can change the speed of the automatic zoom process.
Generate
Menu
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Open A File dialog box
This dialog box allows you to select a fractal from the file list by clicking on the file or using the arrow keys. You can also type in the name of the file to load in the name field in the upper right corner. Clicking on a drive letter in the lower right corner will change to that drive. Z
Clicking on the OK button opens the fractal file and puts it in a window on the desktop.
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Save File As dialog box
This dialog box allows you to save the current fractal with a new name by typing the file name in the name field in the upper right corner. Clicking on a drive letter in the lower right corner will change to that drive. O
Clicking on the OK button saves the fractal in the active window into a file.
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Export File dialog box
This dialog box allows you to save the current fractal as a graphic image in the PCX, BMP or GIF formats. To save in a format, type the file name in the name field in the upper right corner and give the file a PCX, BMP or GIF extension. Clicking on a drive letter in the lower right corner will change to that drive. C
Clicking on the OK button saves the fractal in the active window.
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Print File dialog box
This dialog box allows you to print the current fractal. First find the correct printer driver for your printer and then pick the DPI resolution you wish to print at. Clicking on OK will open a new dialog box that allows you to set the printer port, orientation, and brightness / color usage. D
Clicking on the OK button prints the fractal in the active window.
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Fractal Type dialog box
This dialog box allows you to select a new type for the fractal in the active window. You may select a new type by clicking on it or using the arrow keys. U
Clicking on the OK button changes the fractal in the active window to the new type.
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AutoZOOM Configure dialog box
This dialog box allows you to change the automatic zoom settings. These settings are used when the AutoZOOM
In or AutoZOOM
Out commands are selected.
You can set the pixel size, magnification rate and screen update type. The larger the pixel size, the faster each image is calculated. The magnification rate determines the distance from one frame to the next. The rate can range from 1 (little change) to 100 (large change). The screen update type sets how the screen is updated, pixel by pixel on the screen, or all at once when a frame is completed. J
Clicking on the OK button saves the current settings in this dialog box.
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Fractal Window
The fractal window contains the core functionality of FracTools. There is a single active window on the desktop. It is the one with the blue title bar. Commands selected from a menu are performed on this active window. 7
You can use the arrow keys to move about in the file. r
<Up> Move up one line
<Down> Move down one line
<Right> Move right one column
<Left> Move left one column
<PgUp> Move one page up
<PgDn> Move one page down
<Ctrl><Left> Move one page left
<Ctrl><Right> Move one page right
<Home> View top most page of the file
<End> View bottom most page of the file
Help
index
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(System) Menu
The system menu provides commands for:
- Changing the screen mode
- Changing the default palette
- Changing the desktop colors
- Saving a desktop configuration
- Loading a desktop configuration
Mode Default
Palette Desktop Save
desktop Load
desktop
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Mode
The Mode command opens the Mode
dialog
box, where you can change to a different display mode.
System
Menu
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Default palette
The Default Palette command opens the Default
Palette dialog box, where you can change the default colors that the system comes up with.
System
Menu
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Desktop
The Desktop command opens the Desktop
dialog
box, where you can change the pattern and color of the background desktop.
System
Menu
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Load Desktop
The Load Desktop command restores a collection of desktop windows that have been saved with the Save
desktop command.
System
Menu
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Save Desktop
The Save Desktop command saves all the open windows on the desktop so that they can be loaded back later in exactly the same positions with the Load
desktop command.
System
Menu
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Desktop dialog box
The Desktop dialog box contains three selector boxes. The first one is a color selector for the desktop background. The second color selector is for the desktop foreground. The third selector is the desktop fill pattern. I
For the fastest display, set the fill pattern to blank (the first one).
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Mode dialog box
The Mode dialog box contains a set of radio buttons that show the current screen display mode. If you choose a different mode and press the OK button, you will be switched into the mode. Y
If your display hardware does not support the new mode, an error box will be displayed.
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Image Menu
(Alt-I)
The Image menu provides commands for: T
- Viewing an image
- Resizing an image
- Changeing the color palette of an image
View Resize Change
palette
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Image
View
The View command displays the image in the active window as a full screen image. B
You can use the arrow keys to change how the image is displayed.
<Right> Strobing right
<Left> Strobing left
<Up> Increase speed
<Down> Decrease speed
<Shift><Right> Pan right
<Shift><Left> Pan left
<Shift><Up> Pan up
<Shift><Down> Pan down
<K> Kaleidoscope image
<F> Fade random palette
Image
Menu
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Image
Resize
The Resize command opens the Resize
Image dialog box, where you can change the width and height of the image in the active window.
Image
Menu
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Image
Change palette
The Change palette command opens the Change
palette dialog box, where you can change the palette of the image in the active window.
Image
Menu
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Resize Image dialog box
The Resize Image dialog box contains input boxes for the new width and height. You may enter any width or height combination you want. C
Clicking on the OK button resizes the image in the active window.
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Change palette dialog box
The Change palette dialog box contains the palette
viewer, group
input
box and a number of buttons. 5
AutoRamp Rotate
>> Ramp Reverse Pick Load Save ]
Clicking on the OK button makes this palette the palette of the image in the active window.
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IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
The palette viewer allows for selection of a group of colors by clicking on the first color and dragging a box to the last color. The colors will be selected in groups of the number in the group
input
box. ~
If the <Alt> key is held down while clicking the mouse on a color, the current group will be extended to include that color.
Change
palette
dialog
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Group:
16
The group size input box sets the number of colors that will be grouped together in a selection in the Palette viewer.
For example, a Group value of 16 would split the palette into 16 regions of 16 colors each, a Group value of 32 would split the palette into 8 regions of 32 color each, etc.
Change
palette
dialog
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AutoRamp
The AutoRamp button creates a new random palette with all the color ramps already done. The size of the color groups is set by the group
input
Change
palette
dialog
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The rotate buttons shift the selected group left or right one color.
Change
palette
dialog
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Ramp
The Ramp button creates a smoothly changing range of colors. First select a group in the palette
viewer. Then click on the Ramp button. The group will automatically be filled in with all the shades between the first and last color.
Change
palette
dialog
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Pick
The Pick button allows you to find where the color of a pixel is in the palette
viewer. Press the Pick button, click on a pixel in the image, and when the dialog box is redisplayed, the palette viewer will have the pixel color selected.
Change
palette
dialog
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Reverse
The Reverse button reverses the order of colors in the group selected in the palette
viewer.
Change
palette
dialog
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Load
The Load button displays a file selector and allows you to load a palette from an image or a PAL file.
Change
palette
dialog
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Save
The Save button displays a file selector and allows you to save the current palette as a PAL file.
Change
palette
dialog
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Window Menu
(Alt-W)
The Window menu contains commands to close, move and perform other window-management commands.
Most of the windows in this program have all the standard window elements, including scroll bars, a close box, and maximize icons. :
Window-management commands
Maximize Next Close Close
all Tile Cascade
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Window
Maximize
(F5)
Choose Maximize to resize the active window to the maximum size. If the window is already maximized, you can choose this command to restore it to its previous size. U
You can also click the Maximize box in the upper right corner to maximize a window.
Window
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Window
Next
(F6)
Choose Next to cycle forwards through the windows on the desktop.
Window
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Window
Close
(Alt-F3)
Choose Close to close the active window. N
You can also click the Close box in the upper left corner to close a window.
Window
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Window
Close All
Choose Close All to close all windows on the desktop.