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- ----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.02 DOCUMENTATION 1992 page 1
- ===========================================================
- by Jussi Kantola / The Three Relaxed Byte-Biters
- -----------------------------------------------------------
-
- FRACBAT.DOC :
- page
- What's FracBat?........................ 1
- New in version 1.01 & 1.02............. 2
- Usage.................................. 3- 4
- Commandline-options.................... 5- 6
- SSTOOLS.INI-options.................... 7-10
- Menu................................... 11
- Results................................ 12
- Examples of configuration.............. 13
- Future, contacts and hello's........... 14
- -----------------------------------------------------------
-
- What's FracBat?
-
- FracBat is a simple and fast program to create
- batches from FractInt's parameter files. FracBat
- reads the parameter file to get the name of each
- parameter, adds the configured functions and then
- writes the collected data to a batch.
-
- I did this becoz I found it rather boring to first
- <b>atch from FractInt, then edit the parameterfile
- for possible functions, then create the batch (this
- was the worst part, yuck, all that '@filename/
- parameter batch=yes'. It ain't fun, even with
- Q-edit!) and finally run it just to see that I made
- a mistake somewhere. What I needed, was a program
- that would just create the batch-entries with the
- information from parameter-file, and maybe add some
- neat functions, configured beforehand.
-
- I got what I wanted. FracBat gives You a change to
- make a batch of 100 fractals in a few seconds (on
- XT!) - still, the output .GIF's are named after the
- name of the parameter that's batched! (In fact,
- this will run toooooooo fast with AT's -- You
- propably won't see much of what FracBat tells..)
-
- This version is 1.02. It has a little bugfix, and a
- significant improvement in commandline parameters-
- handling : a few more options, and there can be as
- much of them as You want to, on one line! Why not
- try something like Fracbat /A- /C /PARNAME /ADD /SU
- /R par.par bat.bat, and have no sstools at all!
- (No, really, SSTOOLS is pure metal, commandline-
- options are only switces to do something in a
- different way with some particular batch!)
-
- This documentation has a page length of 60.
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 2
- ===========================================================
- New in version 1.01 & 1.02
- ==========================
-
- - Commandline-operationing is fully fixed! You may
- now use as many options from commandline as You
- want to! (Most of which are useless, if
- SSTOOLS.INI is well done ... )
-
- - New options :
- -----------
- ASK=YES/NO
- (commandline : /ASK)
-
- Forces FracBat to ask with _every_ parameter, if
- it's to be batched.
- --------
- SKIPQUES=NOGIF
- (commandline : /SN)
-
- If not exists [parname].GIF then batch the
- parameter, even if parameter in FRACBAT.DUN
- -- no questions.
-
- Also changed SKIPQUES=DISBATCH > SKIPQUES=UNBATCH
- (commandline : /SU)
- That ain't much better than the original form, but..
- If You've gotta good word to describe the unbatch-
- option, please, don't be quiet! (NoBatch stinks,
- don't even try with that :-D)
- --------
- BAT=APPEND/REWRITE
- (commandline : /ADD[-])
-
- Controls if FracBat should append to
- existing batch instead of rewriting a new.
- Really, *really* weird, if set to APPEND in
- sstools, but it's now possible anyway!
-
- --------
- New commandline options :
- /A- ... ADDUN=NO
- /ADD [-] ... BAT=REWRITE
- /C- ... CHKDUN=NO
- /R ... RESUMEIFEXIST=YES
- /R- ... RESUMEIFEXIST=NO
- /PARNAME ... SAVENAME=[parname]
- /PLAIN ... fractint @parfile/[parname] batch=yes
- /MENU ... Tag parameters from menu
- /VIDEO [m] ... Use [m] as a videomode
-
- So, as You may see, few options now have the
- negative meaning, if you specifie '-' with them.
- Why? For some reason with some particular
- batch You may not want FracBat to CHKDUN - using
- /C- You don't have to edit sstools.ini!
-
- - Fixes several bugs, adds helpscreen (if no
- parameters to FracBat are given).
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 3
- ===========================================================
-
- Usage
-
- Using FracBat is fairly simple. First You've got
- to create a parameter file. You do that from
- FractInt - just select the fractal-type or Zoom
- You'd like to see, hit <b>atch and give FractInt
- the data it wants to add the parameters of that
- fractal into the file You just defined. Example
- (This happends in FractInt) :
-
- Select [mandel] for fractal-<t>ype start
- counting, hit <b>. To filename, give
- 'MYPARAM.PAR', for example. Name that
- particular entry as 'MYFIRSTPARAM', and give
- it the comments You want to. When ready,
- strike <enter> to save data.
-
- You may add as much of parameters to 'MYPARAM.PAR'
- as You want to - just remember to give a different
- name to all of those.
-
- After the parameter file is created, You've got to
- edit Your SSTOOLS.INI -file. If You don't have
- one, well, make it QUICK! It's really nize file,
- let's You avoid all the boring video-mode
- selections and such during the startup! Read
- FractInt's documentation for more info about it.
- Now all You've have to do, is to define a label for
- FracBat, and THAT is simple. Add the line
-
- [fracbat]
-
- somewhere into SSTOOLS.INI -- not in the middle of
- some other programs section anyway. So, if You've
- already the [fractint] label and options defined
- under it, place [fracbat] after those options.
- After [fracbat] You define the options You want
- fracbat to use. Options are listed here, and
- explained later in the document :
-
- MAP= MAXITER= SAVENAME= CHKDUN=
- SAVETIME= RESUMEIFEXIST= VIDEO= ADDUN=
- SKIPQUES= ASK= BAT=
-
- The following rules are given :
- - Leave _NO_ space between the option-label
- and equals-sign. Also do NOT leave a
- space between equals-sign and the
- definition.
-
- - everything after one empty char, e.g.
- 'one <space>' is comment, though You may
- (and I do) add the ; after that space,
- just to keep things clear.
-
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 4
- ===========================================================
-
- That was the SSTOOLS.INI. Executing of FracBat
- still remains unexplained.
-
- FracBat includes a neat option to make batches to
- 'know' if some parameter is counted once already.
- That way is the file FRACBAT.DUN, which FracBat
- will create on its first run, or whenever it is
- missing. FRACBAT.DUN has information in this
- format :
-
- parameter=[parname]
-
- Now, if You've defined the option CHKDUN=YES at
- SSTOOLS.INI, FracBat will search for each batched
- parameter from FRACBAT.DUN, before it writes the
- parameter into .bat.
-
- IF the parameter of the same name that is to be
- batched is found, FracBat will tell this and ask,
- if You'd like to batch that parameter anyway; the
- batch entry will now seem the way it 'normally'
- seems - no functions to resume any files are
- written. IF the parameter in parfile and
- FRACBAT.DUN do match, AND there exists a
- [parname].GIF, FracBat will again inform You about
- it, and ask if You'd like to batch that entry; if
- so, the batch entry will now be a resuming-entry,
- i.e. FracBat will force FractInt to resume that
- existing [parname].gif, no matter if it is actually
- finished.
-
- All the questionning can be passed with option
- SKIPQUES=BATCH/DISPATCH/NOGIF or commandline
- /SB, /SU, /SG. See part SKIPQUES, page 10,
- and commandline-options, page 5.
-
- How are the entries in FRACBAT.DUN created, then?
- There are two ways. If You configure SSTOOLS.INI
- with entry ADDUN=YES, FracBat will write an entry
- 'FracBat /D parameter' after EVERY actual
- batch-line. Another way is to run FractInt with
- parameter '/A', which is the commandline equivalent
- for ADDUN=YES. You may, of course, make some
- parameter 'dun' just by running 'fracbat /d parameter'.
-
- NOTE : FRACBAT.DUN should not be longer than 1000
- lines. The lines over 1000 are handled as
- lines over 0; You don't understand that, I
- guess. See, line 1001 is in fact line 1 ->
- 1001 overwrites the data of line 1, but only
- in Your compu's memory -- FracBat.dun stays
- the same. You may wonder why is this so,
- but ho-ho, I let You wonder and just believe
- that's the best way to do. You may always
- Q-edit the 'waste' lines off fracbat.dun.
-
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 5
- ===========================================================
-
- Short and clear :
- FRACBAT.DUN + ADDUN=YES + CHKDUN=YES, those
- together give you a *great* ability of using only
- two, or even ONE parameterfile / batchfile. One
- for testing and another for saving the _real_
- beauties. Only one for testing? Hell, of course
- that's possible, because FracBat doesn't batch all
- the old parameters as well, if You don't want so!
-
- Then, finally, for the usage itself :
-
- FRACBAT [options][-] parfile.ext batfile.ext
-
- [-] ... Some parameters have an optional
- negative-switch : -
- parfile.ext ... File that has the parameters-data
- batfile.ext ... File the batch will be written
- into
-
- Commandline-options are :
-
- /A[-]
- ... to add 'FracBat /D parameter' after every actual
- batchstring (useless, if You're smart enough to
- put ADDUN=YES into SSTOOLS.INI) (but /A-
- usable then, sometimes)
-
- /ADD[-]
- ... Forces FracBat to append into the batfile,
- not rewrite it. The batfile must exist!
- Handy, when writing batch of multiple
- parameter files. /ADD- forces FB to create
- a new batch, if BAT=APPEND in SSTOOLS.INI
-
- /ASK... Forces FracBat to ask with _every_ parameter
- if it's to be batched.
-
- /C[-]
- ... to switch CHKDUN ON. Handy, if You for some
- reason like CHKDUN only temporarily :-).
- In other means, /C- to temporarily switch
- CHKDUN off.
-
- /D parameter
- ... to add 'parameter=[parname]' into FRACBAT.DUN
- ** MAY NOT BE USED WITH OTHER PARAMETERS! **
-
- /PARNAME
- ... Get savename from the batched parameter.
-
- /PLAIN
- ... Results a _very_ simple batchentry:
- fractint @parfile/[parname] batch=yes.
- The same You'll get without sstools.ini.
- No reason to use this with other
- parameters, it overrides 'em...
-
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 6
- ===========================================================
-
- /R[-]
- ... If exists [parname].gif, then resume it.
- See RESUMEIFEXIST-option, described later.
- /R- for negative effect.
-
- FracBat by default batches _every_ parameter NOT in
- FRACBAT.DUN (if not defined /ASK). Use these
- options or SKIPQUES= in SSTOOLS.INI to control what
- FracBat does if parameter found in FRACBAT.DUN
-
- /SB ... Batch all the parameters without any questions.
- Same as SKIPQUES=BATCH
-
- /SU ... Do NOT batch the parameters that were found
- from FRACBAT.DUN, no questions are asked.
- Same as SKIPQUES=UNBATCH
-
- /SG ... Batch parameter, if [parname].gif doesn't
- exist, even if parameter in FRACBAT.DUN.
- No questions. Same as SKIPQUES=NOGIF
-
- /SO ... Turns on the questionning, no matter what's
- defined in SSTOOLS.INI. So, if parameter
- in FRACBAT.DUN, then question.
-
- /VIDEO [mode] ... Use [mode] as a video mode in
- batch. Example :
- /VIDEO F4 -- [mode] is a
- fractint-style -mode.
-
- /MENU See page 11
-
- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
-
- Every commandline-option overrides the setting in
- SSTOOLS.INI. That means, You may configure in
- sstools SKIPQUES=UNBATCH, to advice FracBat to
- leave parameters found in FRACBAT.DUN unbatched,
- and ask no questions. Then, if You temporarily
- want FracBat to ask what to do with parameters in
- FRACBAT.DUN, run 'fracbat /SO myfracs.par my.bat',
- and FracBat stops to ask if they are to be batched.
- (Every parameter NOT in FracBat.DUN is still batched
- without questions; use /ASK to question with those,
- too.)
-
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 7
- ===========================================================
-
- Summary and explanation of options
-
- Every option consists of its label, equals-sign and the
- final definition. Format :
-
- KEYWORD=definition
-
- Every option defined under [fracbat] overrides the
- options - even of the same function - under
- [fractint].
-
- Options are :
-
- ------------
- ADDUN=YES/NO
- ------------
-
- Controls, if FracBat should write 'FracBat /D
- parameter' after every 'true' batchentry.
- If ADDUN=NO, You may switch it on with commandline-
- option /A
-
- ----------
- ASK=YES/NO
- ----------
-
- Forces FracBat to ask with _every_ parameter, if it's
- to be batched
-
-
- ------------------
- BAT=APPEND/REWRITE
- ------------------
-
- Use append to always write into the SAME,
- EXISTING batch, rewrite to create always a new
- batch. (Append, if used here, is actually really
- stoopid!-))
-
- -------------
- CHKDUN=YES/NO
- -------------
-
- Controls whether FracBat checks for FRACBAT.DUN to
- see if the parameter currently to be batched is
- found in there -- i.e., if it has been created
- before. If You're not interested in this, I mean
- that FracBat keeps an eye on Your stupid
- double-creations, switch this to NO. Also, it
- might be a very good idea to switch ADDUN to NO
- then.
-
- If You define CHKDUN=NO, You may temporarily switch it
- on with commandline-option /C
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 8
- ===========================================================
-
- ----------------
- MAP=filename.ext
- ----------------
-
- Let's You define an own mapfile for batches. This
- is quite useless, but I included it anyway.
- Filename.ext is the name of mapfile to use.
-
- -------------
- MAXITER=nnnnn
- -------------
-
- Since You're in no hurry while sleeping, You may
- find it pleasurable to create better pictures at
- once. Here You can define a (usually) greater
- iteration for batches. There IS a difference
- between iteration of 300 and 3000, but You may not
- want to wait those 3000 iterations while awake. So,
- place maxiter=300 under [fractint], and
- maxiter=3000 under [fracbat]. nnnnn is a iteration
- maximum, e.g. a number.
-
- --------------------
- RESUMEIFEXIST=yes/no
- --------------------
-
- Here's another neat option. If FracBat finds a
- .GIF that has the same name that the to-be-created
- [parname].gif, it assumes that You've dun some
- counting on the same parameter before, and resumes
- that file, to be finished. In practice, if You
- make a batch, run it to some point, quit, do
- something else, then run FracBat again on the same
- parameter-file - DADA! FracBat makes note of the
- file You quitted in, and advices FractInt to finish
- it! Really neat and eazy :-D.
-
- NOTE!NOTE!NOTE! FracBat switches the OVERWRITE
- -option to YES, whenever it finds an existing,
- resumable file! If there was an unfinished
- MANDEL.GIF on disk, FracBat instructs FractInt to
- finish it, and then save it to MANDEL.GIF. IF You
- don't like this feature (!), leave the
- RESUMEIFEXIST out of sstools.ini, or switch it to
- NO (/R- from commandline), or Q-edit the OVERWRITE=YES
- -strings to hell out of the batch!
-
- If RESUMEIFEXIST=NO, use commandline-option /R
- to switch it ON in some particular batch
-
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 9
- ===========================================================
-
- -------------------------------
- SAVENAME=filename / [PARNAME]
- -------------------------------
-
- You may define the name from which the names of the
- fractals created during batch are derived with this
- option, OR You may use the (most) fantastic ability
- of FracBat : let it give an unique name to all of
- fractals! If You define savename=tonite0, fractint
- will save the first picture of that batch to
- TONITE0.GIF, the second to TONITE1.GIF, the third
- into TONITE2.GIF and so on. That's quite okay too,
- but in no way it beats the SAVENAME=[PARNAME]! This
- advices FracBat to define the eight first letters
- of parameters name to be the savename - so if You
- named Your parameter as MyMandelBrotZoom, it would
- be saved to disk as MYMANDEL.GIF. WOO! Luv it!
-
- BUT : YOU MAY NOT NAME THE PARAMETER WITH
- CHARACTERS THAT ARE ILLEGAL IN NORMAL
- DOS-FILENAMES! Got that clear? If You named the
- parameter MyM'brot, You've got a problem!
-
- Example :
- SAVENAME=MANDZOOM ; to name .gifs with MANDZOOn
- or
- SAVENAME=[PARNAME] ; to name .gifs with name of
- the parameter!
-
- If SAVENAME=filename, use commandline-option
- /PARNAME to get savenames in _that_ batch from
- parameters.
-
- ------------
- SAVETIME=nnn
- ------------
-
- Does the same as FractInt's savetime. It's used
- here just to override the possible savetime in
- [fractint]. nnn is the time after the file should
- be saved, in minutes.
-
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 10
- ===========================================================
-
- ---------------------------
- SKIPQUES=BATCH/UNBATCH/OFF
- ---------------------------
-
- Controls the questionning of what-to-do-if-file-
- in-fracbat.dun.
-
- SKIPQUES=BATCH -> Every parameter that's found in
- FRACBAT.DUN is batched, that is,
- written into the batch! No
- questions.
-
- SKIPQUES=UNBATCH -> Every parameter that's found
- in FRACBAT.DUN is tossed away,
- so, it is NOT batched. This
- can also be described as 'Batch
- only NEW parameters'. No
- questions.
-
- SKIPQUES=NOGIF -> Batch parameter, if there isn't
- [parname].GIF in same
- directory. No questions asked.
-
- SKIPQUES=OFF -> Let FracBat question, what to
- do with every parameter in
- FRACBAT.DUN. The equivalent of
- leaving skipques off
- sstools.ini.
-
- Commandline-parameters /SB, /SU, /SG and /SO
- override these settings.
-
- ----------
- VIDEO=mode
- ----------
-
- This lets You use some particular videmode in
- batces - perhaps a slower than the one You use
- normally, when sitting next to computer. Mode =
- videmode, defined in FRACTINT.CFG
-
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 11
- ===========================================================
-
- Menu
-
- As of version 1.01, FracBat includes a commandline
- option
-
- /MENU
-
- This can be used to force FracBat to create a menu
- of the parameters in parfile. From this menu You
- simply tag (using <space> & arrows) the parameters
- You'd like to batch. <Enter> shall display the
- data of high-lighted parameter.
-
- You may use a few other commandline options with
- /menu -- entering any of all those doesn't cause a
- disaster of any kind, but some won't just work.
- The ones that WILL work are /A[-], /ADD, /R[-],
- /PLAIN and /PARNAME.
-
- To batch the tagged parameters, hit F10. F1 will
- give a lil' help screen.
-
- WHEN USING MENU, PARFILE.EXT MAY NOT HAVE MORE THAN
- 100 PARAMETERS!
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 12
- ===========================================================
-
- Results
-
- How does it all look like, after You've run the
- batch? I'll show! We'll assume, that You've
- defined all the best options :-)
-
- If the file-to-be-created is not a resumable, e.g.
- a file of the same name.gif didn't exist, the final
- batch-entry looks something like this :
-
- fractint batch=yes @yutefrac.par/Eternity
- MAP=SOFTEGA.MAP VIDEO=F2 MAXITER=768 SAVETIME=60
- SAVENAME=Eternity
-
- Except that it'll all be on one line. That entry
- would create parameter (=fractal) ETERNITY from the
- file yutefrac.par to video F2, using SOFTEGA.MAP,
- maximal iteration of 768, output it to ETERNITY.GIF
- and save it after every one hour.
-
- Now, let's see how the entry looks like, if there
- was a eternity.gif before You run FracBat :
-
- fractint batch=yes OVERWRITE=YES FILENAME=Eternity
- MAP=SSOFTEGA.MAP VIDEO=F2 MAXITER=768 SAVETIME=60
- SAVENAME=Eternity
-
- See? It loads the ETERNITY.GIF (not finished),
- finishes it and saves to ETERNITY.GIF. IF FracBat
- wouldn't switch the overwriting to YES, the
- finished image would be in ETERNIT1.GIF.
-
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 13
- ===========================================================
-
- Examples of configuration
-
- SSTOOLS.INI might look something like this, after
- You've configured FracBat :
-
- [fractint]
- VIDEO=F2
- INSIDE=0
- MAXITER=300
- MAP=softega.map
- [fracbat]
- VIDEO=F2 ; Video-mode to use in batches
- SAVENAME=PARNAME ; Savename derived of the parameter's name
- RESUMEIFEXIST=YES ; Resume existing .gif's
- MAXITER=768 ; Maximal iteration during batches
- SAVETIME=60 ; How often to save during batches
- MAP=softega.map ; Use this map in batches
- SKIPQUES=UNBATCH ; FracBat asks how to do.
- CHKDUN=YES ; Check, if the parameter is created before
- BAT=REWRITE ; By default, create always a new batch
- ADDUN=YES ; FracBat writes into FracBat.Dun
- ; after the parameter is finished
-
- or, another [fracbat]-section :
-
- [fracbat]
- SAVENAME=BATCH000 ; batch000.gif, batch001.gif ...
- MAXITER=7680
- SAVETIME=120
- SKIPQUES=UNBATCH ; Skip every parameter that existed
- BAT=APPEND ; Requires the batfile to EXIST!
- CHKDUN=NO ; Or just leave this away, just
- ; the same
-
- There!
-
- Now, if You're using a configuration similar to the
- first example, and would like FracBat to ask what
- to do with parameters that are found in
- FRACBAT.DUN, and in this particular batch wouldn't
- like fracbat to add 'fracbat /d [parname]'s, and
- would like FracBat to add only new entrys from
- TEST.PAR to existing batch called MYNICEST.BAT, the
- commandline goes like this : (was that a phrase!)
-
- Fracbat /su /a- /add test.par mynicest.bat
-
- You're getting it? /A- because You've defined
- ADDUN=YES in sstools, /add to add :), /su to turn
- off questioning but leave the parameters found in
- fracbat.dun be -> batch only the parameters NOT in
- fracbat.dun = new parameters.
-
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- F R A C B A T 1.01 DOCUMENTATION page 14
- ===========================================================
-
- Opinions and improvements are gladly accepted.
- If You're going to use this, please tell me if
- there's anything that could be done better, and
- it will.
-
- I can be reached as :
- jute@sday.pulp.nullnet.fi (Internet email)
- -----------------------------------------------------------
-
- My traditional final words :
-
- This program, FracBat.EXE, it's documentation and
- everything included in zip (fracbat.exe, fracbat.doc,
- sstools.pre, softega.map, yutefrac.par) is pure PD
- as long as I stand. You may NOT modify the
- program nor the source WITHOUT asking me first.
- (Well, You don't have the source, but .. O:-). It's
- available anyway, just ask!
- !!!!
- addition (21/02/93): Sorry, I've lost the source.
- If *you* have it, please email it to me... it
- could be included in some fbat102 release; actually
- a fbat102b...)
-
- I verily like the distribution policy of FractInt,
- but I'd like to add this :
- YOU MAY NOT BECOME RICH WITH THIS, AT LEAST IF I'LL
- STILL REMAIN POOR!
- Not that it would be possible to become rich with
- this.
-
- If FracBat causes ANY harm to Your system, which it
- doesn't, but if does, which it doesn't, but if it does
- ... Where was I? Yea, all the harm -- even the classic
- grandma-formatting -- caused by FracBat is Your own
- fault, not mine. I guarantee only, that this has
- been only a _great_ help for myself, and hasn't
- deleted anything nor formatted anyone. If You lost
- that beloved selected.par due to this, blame
- Yourself -- You probably couldn't use this. (Or
- messed up with the extensions...:
- Fracbat selected.bat selected.par >:-))
-
- Happy hacking,
- Jussi Kantola
-