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Amigaguide Document
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1996-04-07
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@database FracBlank.guide
@author "Olaf `Olsen' Barthel <olsen@sourcery.han.de>"
@$VER: FracBlank.guide 1.0 (9.3.95)
@node Main "FracBlank"
A non-modular screen blanker utility for
operating system release v3.0 or higher
Written by Olaf `Olsen' Barthel
Freeware, All Rights Reserved
Cosmic flame fractal code derived from original xlock
program source code, Copyright
1988-1991 by
Patrick J. Naughton
I. @{" Introduction " link Introduction}
II. @{" Installation " link Installation}
III. @{" Configuration " link Configuration}
IV. @{" User interface " link GUI}
V. @{" Troubleshooting " link Troubleshooting}
VI. @{" Credits " link Credits}
@endnode
@node Introduction
FracBlank is a veteran among all the screen blanker utilities available for
the Amiga. I created the first version way back in 1991 when I finally came
upon the real plane fractal algorithm employed by the X-Windows xlock
program. In the years after its initial release the program was subsequently
expanded until I really lost interest in it. To my surprise the fractal
creation code was `recycled' over and over again in the ever growing legion
of modular screen blanker packages available for the Amiga. Usually the
blanker code was falsely attributed to Olaf Seibert, sometimes the author was
reported as `unknown'.
Now, about three years after the last revision, I decided to upgrade the
program to `modern' standards; in fact I needed a good screen blanker, but
none of the packages currently available could satisfy my needs. Neither was
as system friendly as it really should be and added more useless bells,
whistles and gongs than I would admit `term'
sports.
*
FracBlank is yet another custom screen blanker created to live in symbiosis
with Kickstart v3.0 (or higher) and the Commodities Exchange toolkit, similar
to the Blanker utility, just more wonderful.
Apart from the usual job (turning the screen to black after a given period
of time in order to prevent the phosphorus of your monitor from burning in)
it will draw some neat patterns while mouse and keyboard are inactive.
The real plane fractal pattern algorithm comes from the September 1986
issue of Scientific American, some of you who are familiar with X11 will know
it from the popular xlock program. The patterns created may remind you of
spiders' webs, lace or even Chladni's patterns formed by grains of sand
strewn across a vibrating surface.
When I received a copy of the original xlock program source code I
decided to add another fractal type known as cosmic flames. The patterns
created by this algorithm ressemble cosmic nebuli, ferns, the traces left by
subatomic particles in the cloudchamber or the fruitless attempts of a
lecturer in particly physics at action-painting.
@endnode
@node Installation
Here is how you install the program manually:
There are two different program versions supplied, called "FracBlank_ieee",
which will run on any Amiga model, and "FracBlank_fpu", which requires an
Amiga equipped with an 68020/68030/68040/68060 CPU and/or an 68881/882 FPU.
Pick the version you need and copy it into your SYS:WBStartup drawer.
Take care, the wrong version will crash your machine.
If the supplied "gtlayout.library" is not yet installed on your system,
copy it to your "Libs:" drawer.
That's all, it's as simple as that.
@endnode
@node Configuration
FracBlank can be started both from Shell and from Workbench. It sports a
number of configurable parameters as follows:
@{b}CX_PRIORITY=<Pri>@{ub}
The commodities priority to assign this tool to. You may want to change
this value if there is more than one commodities tool running that uses
the same key sequences as FracBlank. The tool which has the higher
priority assigned will receive the keystrokes first.
@{b}CX_POPKEY=<Keywords>@{ub}
The keys to press to open the FracBlank control panel. The control
panel allows you to set the hotkeys, adjust the timeous, etc.
@{b}CX_POPUP=YES@{ub} or @{b}NO@{ub}
This is a boolean switch which determines whether FracBlank is to open
the control panel on startup or to remain quiet. Place @{b}YES@{ub} here to
open it.
@{b}BLANKSCREEN=<Keywords>@{ub}
The keys to depress to force the screen blanker to become active. If the
blanker is already running, pressing the keys will cause the pattern to
change.
Note: When in @{b}
Random
@{ub} mode, a pattern change only concerns the currently
active fractal type. The screen will be cleared, but the fractal
type will will not change
@{b}SAVESCREEN=<Keywords>@{ub}
In order to save the fractal pattern that is currently being displayed
in the clipboard, press this key combination. The image will be stored
in IFF-ILBM format in clipboard unit 0.
@{b}DISPLAYMODE=<Name>@{ub}
If you omit this keyword, FracBlank will use the default public screen
displaymode to open the fractal blanker screen. If you choose to provide
it, it must match one of the names displayed in the list of the
preferences program "ScreenMode", such as "PAL:HighRes".
@{b}DEPTH=<Number>@{ub}
If you omit this keyword the fractal blanker screen will open in the
maximum depth the display mode supports. Otherwise, it selects a
specific screen depth to use.
@{b}COLOUR=STATIC@{ub} or @{b}CYCLE@{ub}
Two colour modes are supported; when in @{b}STATIC@{ub} mode, the rendering colour
map will not change. @{b}CYCLE@{ub} causes the colour palette to slowly cycle
backwards.
@{b}FRACTAL=REALPLANE@{ub}, @{b}COSMICFLAME@{ub} or @{b}RANDOM@{ub}
FracBlank supports two different fractal types and a random mode which
selects either of these. To select real plane fractals, place @{b}REALPLANE@{ub}
here, to select cosmic flames, use @{b}COSMICFLAME@{ub}; any other name will
select the random mode.
@{b}SCREENTIMEOUT=<MM:SS>@{ub}
Here you enter the number of minutes that must pass before the screen
blanker is activated. For example, @{b}1:00@{ub} will activate the blanker after
one minute has elapsed with no mouse or keyboard input. Enter @{b}0:00@{ub} to
disable the screen blanker altogether.
@{b}PATTERNTIMEOUT=<MM:SS>@{ub}
After a certain timeout has elapsed while the blanker is active, the
screen will be cleared and the pattern will change. This is where you
enter the time that has to elapsed. Enter @{b}0:00@{ub} if you do not want the
pattern to change.
@{b}MAXRECURSION=<Number>@{ub}
The maximum recursion level the cosmic flame blanker is to use. Greater
values may yield better images.
@{b}MAXDOTS=<Number>@{ub}
The maximum number of dots the cosmic flame blanker is to draw before
the screen is cleared.
@endnode
@node GUI
The user interface will open when you press the key combination specified
using the @{b}CX_POPKEY@{ub} keyword, by default this is @{b}[Shift]-[F1]@{ub}.
Please note that the interface requires "gtlayout.library" v9 or higher to
be installed.
The controls found in the configuration window correspond directly to the
tooltypes and command parameters described under Configuration:
@{b}Screen timeout@{ub} See @{"SCREENTIMEOUT" link Configuration}
@{b}Pattern timeout@{ub} See @{"PATTERNTIMEOUT" link Configuration}
@{b}Hot key@{ub} See @{"CX_POPKEY" link Configuration}
@{b}Blank screen@{ub} See @{"BLANKSCREEN" link Configuration}
@{b}Save screen to clipboard@{ub} See @{"SAVESCREEN" link Configuration}
These text entry fields are special,
in that they automatically translate
the key combinations you press into
proper key codes, suitable for use
with the Commodities Exchange
toolkit.
If you wish to enter text in `the
usual fashion', press the @{b}[Caps Lock]@{ub}
key.
@{b}Display mode@{ub} This is where you select the screen
display mode and depth to use when
blanking the screen. Just pick the
mode you need from the list and move
the depth slider as needed.
@{b}Colour mode@{ub} See @{"COLOUR" link Configuration}
@{b}Fractal type@{ub} See @{"FRACTAL" link Configuration}
@{b}Maximum recursion level@{ub} See @{"MAXRECURSION" link Configuration}
@{b}Maximum dots@{ub} See @{"MAXDOTS" link Configuration}
@{b}Save@{ub} Store the current configuration in
the FracBlank icon.
@{b}Hide@{ub} Keep the current settings, close the
configuration window.
@{b}Quit@{ub} Close the configuration window and
terminate the program.
@endnode
@node Troubleshooting
There are few problems with FracBlank I know of, here is a list:
The fractals appear to be off-centre.
Sorry, there is nothing you can do about it, in fact I cannot
do anything about it either. This is how the fractals work, they
are not necessarily centered around the origin which with FracBlank
is placed in the centre of the screen.
The colours don't appear to cycle.
They do, but the colours shift very smoothly in 256 colour mode.
Pressing the alt/amiga/shift/control keys does not stop the blanker.
Check your hotkeys, if they make use of the qualifiers the qualifier
keys won't stop the blanker.
Keys don't always show up in the text editing fields.
If you want to enter a specific key combination, press the @{b}[Caps Lock]@{ub}
key. Otherwise, you need to hold down a bunch of qualifier keys in addition
to the key you want to use. Put another way, simply pressing @{b}[Help]@{ub}
won't do anything, @{b}[Shift]-[Help]@{ub} however does.
@endnode
@node Credits
FracBlank and gtlayout.library were hand-crafted by Olaf `Olsen' Barthel.
It uses the cosmic flame code from Patrick J. Naughton's xlock program.
The icon was designed by Martin Huttenloher
If you wish send me comments on the program, here is my address:
Olaf Barthel
Brabeckstrasse 35
D-30559 Hannover
Federal Republic of Germany
And my eMail address is:
olsen@sourcery.han.de
@endnode