Working with fractal formulas

You work with fractal formulas in the Formula tab of the 

Layer Properties

 tool window. This tab also 

contains global calculation settings for the layer, since these are closely related to the selected 

fractal formula.

Fractal formulas are stored in fractal formula files (*.ufm). Each file can contain multiple formulas.

To select a fractal formula, click the Browse button. This opens a modal 

browser

 that shows 

the formula files and formulas on your computer. Double click on a formula to select it. 

Hold down the Browse button to open a menu with fractal formula presets. See 

Presets

.

Some formulas contain additional help. Click the Help button to open it.

Click the More button to access commands to copy and paste the settings and parameters 

  on the Formula tab, and to reset all parameters to the default values.

The Formula tab is divided into two panes. The top pane contains global calculation settings.

Drawing Method

Selects how the pixels are calculated. 

G     

Guessing starts with a low resolution preview, and then 

gradually increases the resolution while trying to guess pixels 

instead of calculating them. This is the fastest option, but also 

the least accurate. When you are working with 

animations

, 

use this drawing method for fast animation previews.

G     

Multi pass Linear also starts with a low resolution preview, 

but it calculates all pixels instead of guessing them.

G     

One pass Linear calculates all pixels from top to bottom.

For maximum accuracy, use one of the linear drawing methods.

Periodicity Checking

Specifies the amount of periodicity checking used. Periodicity 

checking can greatly enhance the speed at which inside areas are 

calculated. Rough is the fastest option, but also the least accurate. 

Off turns off periodicity checking completely for the highest accuracy. 

Some fractal formulas do not work well with periodicity checking, in 

which case you ll have to turn it off.

Additional Precision

Specifies how many extra digits of precision should be used for 

calculations. See 

Arbitrary Precision

.

The top pane also contains the 

iteration settings

. The bottom pane contains the 

formula parameters

. 

These parameters are specific to the selected fractal formula.

Next: 

Maximum iterations

133