
Command Line Parameters

Xmfract accepts command-line parameters that allow you to start it with a
particular mode, fractal type, starting coordinates, and just about
every other parameter and option.

These parameters can also be specified in a xmfract.ini file, to set them
every time you run xmfract.

They can also be specified as named groups in a .par (parameter) file
which you can then call up while running xmfract by using the <@>
command.

In all three cases (command line, xmfract.ini, and parameter file) the
parameters use the same syntax, usually a series of keyword=value commands
like overwrite=no. In each case below, values between "<" and ">" are
required arguments for the specified command, and values between "[" and "]"
are optional arguments for the specified command. Do not type any of these
characters in the command unless otherwise directed.

The command-line only parameters that may be set are:

  -display <hostname>:<screen>.<display>
     Specifies the X11 display to use.

  -share
     Shares the current display's colormap.

  -private
     Allocates the entire colormap (i.e. more colors).

  -geometry <WxH[{+-X}{+-Y}]>
     Changes the geometry of the image window.

  makemig=<x/y>
     Create a multi-image gif file "x" images wide by "y" images high.
     See "Creating Multi-image GIF files" below for more information.


These commands and options may be specified on the command line or in
an initialization file named "xmfract.ini":

  fractdir=<directory>
     Specify where the ancillary files are stored.
     This should be the first line in the initialization file.

  helpdir=<directory>
     Specify where the ancillary files are stored.
     This must be a subdirectory of <fractdir>.

  exitnoask=<yes|no>
     Exit with or without asking for confirmation.

  creditscreen=<yes|no>
     Display the authors screen when the program starts.

  disclaimer=<yes|no>
     Display the disclaimer message when the program starts.

  verbose=<yes|no>
     Set the level of verbosity in the program.

  overwrite=<yes|no>
     Automatically overwrite existing files without confirmation.

  map=<mapfilename>
     Specify a color map file at startup.

  rate=<number>
     Specify the screen refresh rate as a percentage. A lower value
     is slower and results in less overhead on networked machines,
     and usually results in faster fractal calculations, due to the
     reduced number of graphics function calls. The valid range for
     this value is 1 -> 100.

  undo=<number>
     Specify the number of color editor commands that may undone.
     A zero means that no undos will available. This is useful on
     machines that have a limited amount of memory available.
     The valid range for this value is 0 -> 32767. The default is 8192.


These options are best specified in a parameter file:

  filename=<filename>
    Process commands from a file.

  map=<@mapfilename>
    Use 'filename' as the current color map.

  reset[=<version>]
    Causes xmfract to reset all calculation related parameters
    to their default values.

  colors=<@mapname|colorspec>
    Reads in a replacement color map from 'filename'. The 'colorspec'
    is rather long (768 characters for 256 color modes), and its syntax
    is not documented here. This form of the 'colors=' command is not
    intended for manual use - it exists for use by the 'b' command when
    saving the description of a nice image.

  type=<fractal>
    Selects the fractal type to calculate. The default is type "mandel".

  inside=<nnn|bof60|bof61|zmag|attractor|epscross|startrail|period>
    Set the color of the interior; for example, "inside=0" makes the M-set
    "lake" a stylish basic black. A setting of -1 makes inside=maxiter.
    Three more options reveal hidden structure inside the lake. Inside=bof60
    and inside=bof61, are named after the figures on pages 60 and 61 of
    "Beauty of Fractals".

  fillcolor=<color>
    Sets a block fill color for use with boundary tracing and tesseral options.

  finattract=<yes|no>
    Look for finite attractor in julia types.

  function=<func[,func,func,func]>
    Allows specification of transcendental functions with types using variable
    functions. Values are: sin, cos, tan, cotan, sinh, cosh, tanh, cotanh,
                           exp, log, sqr, recip (1/z), ident (identity),
                           conj, flip, zero, and cosxx (cos with bug).

  outside=<nnn|iter|real|imag|mult|summ>
    Fractal exterior color options.

  maxiter=<iterations>
    Maximum number of iterations {0-32767} (default = 127).

  passes=<1|2|g|b|t>
    Select single-pass, dual-pass, solid-guessing, boundary-tracing,
    or the tesseral drawing algorithms.

  cyclerange=<min/max>
    Range of colors to cycle (default 1/255).

  ranges=<ranges=nn/nn/nn/...>
    Ranges of iteration values to map to colors.

  potential=<potential=nn[/nn[/nn[/16bit]]]>
    Continuous potential.

  params=params=<xxx[/xxx[/...]]>
    Begin with these extra parameter values.

  miim=<[depth|breadth|walk]/[left|right]/[xxx/yyy[/zzz]]>
    Params for MIIM julias. xxx/yyy = julia constant, zzz = max hits.
    Eg. miim=depth/left/-.74543/.11301/3

  initorbit=<nnn/nnn>
    Sets the value used to initialize Mandelbrot orbits to the given
    complex number (real and imag parts).

  orbitname=<type>
    Sets the orbit type for Julias.

  3dmode=<monocular|left|right|red-blue>
    Sets the 3D mode used with Julibrot.

  julibrot3d=<nn[/nn[/nn[/nn[/nn[/nn]]]]]>
    Sets Julibrot 3D parameters zdots, origin, depth, height, width,
    and distance.

  julibroteyes=<nn>
    Distance between the virtual eyes for Julibrot.

  julibrotfromto=<julibrotfromto=nn/nn[/nn/nn]>
    "From-to" parameters used for Julibrot.

  corners=<xmin/xmax/ymin/ymax[/x3rd/y3rd]>
    Begin with these coordinates. (Eg.: corners=-0.739/-0.736/0.288/0.291)

  viewwindows=<xx[/xx[/yes|no[/nn[/nn]]]]>
    Set the reduction factor, final media aspect ratio,
    crop starting coordinates (y/n), explicit x size,
    and explicit y size

  center-mag=[Xctr/Yctr/Mag]
    This is an alternative way to enter corners as a center point and a
    magnification that is popular with some fractal programs and publications.

  invert=<nn/nn/nn>
    Turns on inversion - turns images 'inside out'

  biomorph=<nnn>
    Biomorph coloring.

  bailout=<nnnn>
    Use this as the iteration bailout value instead of the default.
    (4.0 for most fractal types)

  symmetry=<xxxx>
    Force symmetry to None, Xaxis, Yaxis, XYaxis, Origin, or Pi symmetry.

  periodicity=<no|show|nnn>
    Controls periodicity checking. 'no' turns checking off; entering a
    number nnn controls the tightness of checking (default 1, higher is
    more stringent). 'show' or a neg value colors 'caught' points white.

  logmap=<yes|old|nn>
    Yes maps logarithm of iteration to color. Old uses pre vsn 14 logic.
    >1 compresses, <-1 for quadratic.

  rseed=<nnnnn>
    Random number seed, for reproducable plasma clouds.

  orbitdelay=<nn>
    Slows up the display of orbits (by nn/10000 sec).

  showdot=<nn>
    Colors the current dot being calculated color nn.

  decomp=<nn>
    'Decomposition' toggle, value 2 to 256.

  distest=<nnn/nnn>
    Distance estimator method.

  formulafile=<filename>
    File for type=formula.

  formulaname=<name>
    Specifies the formula name for type=formula fractals.

  lfile=<filename>
    File for type=lsystem.

  lname=<name>
    Lsystem name for 'type=lsystem' fractals.

  ifsfile=<filename>
    File for type=ifs.

  ifs=<name>
    IFS name for 'type=ifs' fractals.

  stereo=<nnn>
    Sets Stereo (R/B 3D) option:  0 = none, 1 = alternate,
    2 = superimpose, 3 = photo.

  rotation=<nn[/nn[/nn]]>
    Rotation about x, y, and z axes.

  perspective=<nn>
    Perspective viewer distance (100 is at the edge).

  xyshift=<nn/nn>
    Shift image in x & y directions (alters viewpoint).

  interocular=<nnn>
    Sets 3D Interocular distance default value.

  converge=<nnn>
    Sets 3D Convergence default value.

  crop=<nnn/nnn/nnn/nnn>
    Sets 3D red-left, red-right, blue-left, and blue-right cropping values.

  bright=<nnn/nnn>
    Sets 3D red and blue brightness values.

  xyadjust=<nnn/nnn>
    Sets 3D X and Y adjustment values.

  3d=<yes|overlay>
    Resets 3D to defaults, starts 3D mode. If overlay specified,
    does not clear existing graphics screen.

  sphere=<yes>
    Turns on 3D sphere mode.

  scalexyz=<nn/nn/nn>
    3d x, y, and z scale factors.

  roughness=<nn>
    Same as z scale factor.

  waterline=<nn>
    Colors this number and below will be 'inside' color.

  filltype=<nn>
    3D filltype.

  lightsource=<nn/nn/nn>
    The coordinates of the light source vector.

  smoothing=<nn>
    Smooths rough images in light source mode.

  latitude=<nn/nn>
    Latitude minimum and maximum.

  longitude=<nn/nn>
    Longitude minumim and maximum.

  radius=<nn>
    Radius scale factor.

  transparent=<mm/nn>
    Sets colors 'mm' to 'nn as transparent.

  preview=<yes>
    Turns on 3D 'preview' mode.

  showbox=<yes>
    Turns on 3D 'showbox' mode.

  coarse=<nnn>
    Sets preview 'coarseness' value.

  randomize=<nnn>
    Smoothes 3d color transitions between elevations.

  ambient=<nnn>
    Sets depth of shadows and contrast when using light source fill types.

  haze=<nnn>
    Sets haze for distant objects if fullcolor=1.

  fullcolor=<yes>
    Allows creation of full color .tga image with light source fill types.

  lightname=<filename>
    Targa FullColor output file name.

  ray=nnn
    Selects raytrace output file format.

  brief=yes
    Selects brief or verbose file for DKB output.


Creating Multi-image GIF files:

  To create a multiple-image GIF file from images created with xmfract,
  the input images must all have the same width and height. Select the
  images to be merged, then save or rename the selected gif files in
  this format: "frmig_xy.gif" where x is the horizontal offset (from 0)
  in the resulting mig and y is the vertical offset (from 0) in the
  resulting mig... for example, if you have nine gif files to stitch
  together and you want them to be in a 3-gif by 3-gif mig, then the
  names will be:

  frmig_00.gif will become the upper left image
  frmig_10.gif will become the upper middle image
  frmig_20.gif will become the upper right image

  frmig_01.gif will become the middle left image
  frmig_11.gif will become the middle middle image
  frmig_21.gif will become the middle right image

  frmig_02.gif will become the lower left image
  frmig_12.gif will become the lower middle image
  frmig_22.gif will become the lower right image

  Because the command-line parameters are processed by xmfract before
  the initialization file or environment variables, the mig maker
  will not understand "fractdir" if it is set in the initialization
  file or the environment. To overcome this limitation, supply the
  "fractdir=" command-line argument in addition to the "makemig="
  argument on the command line when creating a multi-image GIF from
  files that reside in <fractdir>. If the files that are to be
  stitched together reside in the current directory (from where you
  invoke xmfract) then this additional argument is not necessary.

  In the above example, the command-line argument would be:
    xmfract fractdir=/my/images makemig=3/3

  The output multiple-image GIF file will be named "fractmig.gif"

