Table of Contents

An Overview

Quick Start Tutorial

Advanced Tutorial

Working with Formula Fragments

Detailed Explanation

1. Section 1: The Data Storage Settings
2. Section 2: The File Window
3. Section 3: The Formula File Entry Buttons
4. Section 4: The Formula Window
5. Section 5: The Formula Parse Section
6. Section 6: The Parameter Tables
7. Section 7: The Randomize Button
8. Section 8: The Parameter File Data Button(s)
9. Section 9: The Parameter Window
10. Section 10: The Parameter Manipulation Buttons
11. Section 11: The Data Storage Settings

Questions

1. I get the error "Automation Server can't create object"


2. I get the error " 'document.form1.form_list.selectedIndex' is null or not an object"


3. What is that small box in between the filename and the "Browse..." Button in section 3, and what text is it displaying in there?


4. I clicked on the "Paste Formula to clipboard" buton, and now I have no formulae to parse!

About the author

Overview

Welcome to the Random Parameter Generator. This page allows you to create a randomized Ultra Fractal parameter file (otherwise known as a "UPR" file), fetched from the deepest seas of chaos, which you can copy into your clipboard and paste directly into Ultra Fractal. The randomization is completely controlled by you, the user, so you can have a little bit of chaos here and there where you want it, or send the whole formula through the random motions.  Once you Paste the formula into Ultra Fractal, you can use that random layer created by the parameter generator as a "springboard" to get your creative juices flowing, or just give you something to start with.

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Here is what you see when you start the Random Parameter Generator.  I numbered each set of sections, and explain each one in detail below.

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Quick-Start Tutorial

1. Download the script to your computer (Open the Random Parameter Generator in Internet Explorer, choose File, Save as.., click on Desktop, and click Save)
2. Run the Script you downloaded by double-clicking on it.
3. Click on the Button the says "Browse..." (see Section 3), then go to your Ultra Fractal Formula Directory and choose a Fractal Formula File (U.F.M., it looks like this: ).  In this tutorial, let's use one of my Random Fractal Formulas, so we'll use jay.ufm from the public formula database (typically  found in C:\Documents and Settings\<THE USER>\My Documents\Ultra Fractal 3\Formulas\jay.ufm as jay)
4. If a waning Prompt comes up, say YES
5. Choose a formula from the drop-down list under the second window, to the right of the "Parse Formula" button (see Section 5).  In our tutorial, we will choose "random6" from the formula list.
6. Click the "Parse..." Button.  After clicking, three Complex parameters (p1, p4, and p5), a Floating Parameter (bailout), and a Complex function (fn1) are listed in the tables below (see Section 6 for detail about the Parameter tables).
7. Let's change the Minimum and maximum values of the Complex parameters.  Under the Complex Parameter heading, Click on the box labeled "Change Min Values?" (currently set to "MIN"), change it to 0, then click away from the input box (so the box loses focus).  Notice how all the other minimum values of the Complex parameters have changed to 0 also.  Now click on the box labeled "Change Max Values?" (Currently set to MAX), and change it to 2, and click away from the input box (so the box loses focus).  Now all the Complex Parameters will have a maximum value of 2 when randomized. 
8. OK, let's move on to the lone float parameter, bailout. For this tutorial, we will manually change the value (the input box in the middle of the minimum and maximum values) to 25.  Click on it, and change the value.  Next, click on the checkbox to the left of the minimum value input (under "Randomize?) so that it is unchecked.  Now the randomizer won't change the bailout we set.   We will leave the function as is, because we want to randomize it.
9. Click on the "Randomize Values" Button (Section 7).  Click it a few times, if you'd like.  Watch as the complex values change (but are never more than 2 or less than 0), and the complex function changes, but the float parameter stays the same.
10. Click on the "Write Formula Data", just underneath the "Randomize Values" button.
11. Click on the "Write Parameter file!" button, underneath the bottom window (See Section 10)
12. Click on the "Copy to Clipboard" button
13. Open Ultra Fractal, and paste the contents of the clipboard into it (CTRL+V is the keyboard shortcut) and N-JOY!

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Advanced Tutorial

1. Click on the "Outside Color settings" on either the top or the bottom Data Storage Areas (the 4 boxes on top and bottom of the page, with the box "Fractal Settings" highlighted in red). It doesn't matter if you click on the top one or the bottom one, as long as you click on the "Outside Color Settings"  Note how it now becomes highlighted in red
2. Follow Steps 3-6 as mentioned above, except we will choose "jay.ucl" from the public formula directory as the file for this part of the tutorial (color formulas look like looks like this: , so you will look for jay in the "Browse..." window.  Also, for this tutorial, "random2" from the formula list.
3. In the Parameter Tables, 3 Complex Parameters and One Complex Function was generated.  Manually change the value in the list box to "floor", and click on the "invert selection" in the Complex Function Heading (Had there been more complex functions here, they, too, would have been deselected.)
4. Change the minimum and maximum values of all the complex parameters to 0 and 2 respectively (Use the change Min/Max Values in the complex Parameter Heading to make it quick and easy)
5. Click on the "Randomize values" button one or twice to generate some random values
6. Underneath, click on the "Add Outside Coloring" Button
7. Click on the "Write Parameter file!" button to re-generate the Ultra Fractal Parameter File, then click on the "Copy to clipboard" button, and paste it into Ultra Fractal.  You have now added a randomized Outside Coloring to your Parameter file.
8. Let's now add a Transformation to our random parameter.  Click on the "Transformation Settings" box in either the top or bottom Data Storage Areas.  Load the Transformation file "jay.uxf" from the public formula Directory into the random parameter generator (UXF Files look like this: , so look for  jay in the "Browse..." window.  Choose "random4" as your transformation formula.
9. Set all of the Mins and Maxes of the Complex Parameters to 0 and 5 respectively (again, use the change Min/Max Values in the complex Parameter Heading to make it quick and easy).
10. randomize the values, and select "Add Transformation Data"
11. Click on "Write Parameter file", copy it to the clipboard, and paste it into Ultra Fractal

Congratulations! You have just created a totally randomized parameter file, which you have pasted into Ultra Fractal.  Leave it as is, or use it as a springboard to create something even more grand.  You can even make yet another randomized layer by going back and changing either the fractal, coloring, or Transformation aspects of the Parameter.  Just click on the appropriate Data Storage area box, and your previous data, whether you wish to change the Fractal, the coloring, or the Transformation, will be put right back into the page to work with again. 

Note that although the Fractal and coloring parameter data can only hold one item at a time and the current data will be overwritten if if you click on the "add data" button, you can have as many Transformations as you wish.  If you wish to delete one, click on the "Remove Last Transform" data, and the last Transformation data set you generated will be erased, up to a maximum of the last 10 transformations.  If you want to start clean with your Transformations, click on the "erase data" button, and all the Transformation data will be erased.

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Working with Formula Fragments

Parameter Fragments are just that- pieces of a parameter file, which you can paste into the appropriate section of Ulra Fractal Transformation, Inside and Outside Coloring, as well as Fractal parameter fragments can be generated separately, copied to your clipboard, and pasted right into the fractal you are currently working on. Don't like the result? Generate a new fragment, and paste it on in instead.
So, how do you take advantage of parameter fragments? It's easy! Choose and parse a fractal, coloring, or transformation formula, as above, and randomize the variables. Once your done, click "Copy {fractal, coloring or transformation} fragment. Then go back to ultra fractal, and under the tab that you want to change (Mapping [transformation], formula [fractal], inside [coloring] or outside [coloring], click on the last picture icon on the right hand side (looks like a triangle pointing down), and click "paste" (see picture below). The parameter fragment will be inserted right into the image you are currently working on.

(pasting a fragment into Ultra Fractal)

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A Detailed Explanation of the Random Parameter Generator

Section 1: The Data Storage Settings

Section 2: The File Window

Section 3: The Formula File Entry Buttons

Section 4: The Formula Window

Section 5: The Formula Parse Section

Section 6: The Parameter Tables

Section 7: The Randomize Button

Section 8: The Parameter File Data Button(s)

Section 9: The Parameter Window

Section 10: The Parameter Manipulation Buttons

Section 11: The Data Storage Settings

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Section 1: The Data Storage Settings

This section, placed at the top of the page, as well as on the bottom, allows you to hot-swap between 4 different formulae of any type.  To change to another formula, simply click on a section box that is not highlighted (in the picture above, the "Fractal Settings" is highlighted), and you may begin (or continue) another formula.  If you click back to a setting box that already contains a formula you've worked on, it will be swapped back into place, with everything just the way you left it.  Please note that although you can hold any type of formula in any of the setting boxes (you can use the "Inside Coloring Settings" to work on a transformation formula, for example), the parameter file will only hold one set of Fractal parameter data, 2 Coloring Parameter data sets (one for inside, one for outside), and up to 10 Transformation data sets (more Transformation data sets can be made if desired, but only the last 10 will be remembered separately).

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Section 2: The File Window

The is where the formula file that you have either pasted to the clipboard, or selected through the "browse..." button, is displayed.  Note that the entire formula file is displayed here.

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Section 3: The Formula File Entry Buttons

This area is where you will tell the page what formula file you will use.  There are 2 methods for you to input the file you want to use.  1 is less time consuming than the other, but will only work if the page has been saved to your computer, and you are running the page from that location in your computer.  The other, more time consuming  method is in place if you wish to run the page from a remote server (like my geocities website I uploaded it to).  If in doubt, try the less time consuming method.  If you get an error "Automation Server can't create object", you must use the more time consuming Copy & Paste Method.  To avoid the time consuming method, consider downloading the page to your computer, and run it from there.  If you have already downloaded it to your computer, and are still getting the error message, it is probably because ActiveX scripting is disabled on your computer (or else you told it "no" when it asked if it could use ActiveX on the page, in which case it is blocking the ActiveX script.  Reload and say "YES" next time).  Try enabling ActiveX scripting in your internet options and try it again.  As for being on a remote server, remote servers will generally NOT allow files to be uploaded to it willy-nilly (you never know what may be uploaded to the server...).

   The easy way (running on a local computer):

1. Click the "Browse..." button and choose the formula file.

2. If a prompt comes up asking "An ActiveX control on this page might be unsafe to interact with other parts of the page.  Do you want to allow this interaction?", SAY YES.  The ActiveX script only reads the file that you have selected, and dumps it into the formula window above.  Trust me, it's safe to allow the ActiveX script.  I promise.  It does NOT download anything malicious; no pop-ups, no spyware/viruses, etc.  All it does is just reads (and ONLY reads) the file that you selected as plain ol' text, and dumps it into the formula window above.

   The time-consuming way (running on a remote server)

1. Do steps 1 and 2 as above.  You will get the error message "Automation Server can't create object" 

2. Open up the formula file you tried to use in a text editor (the one in Ultra Fractal works fine), select the entire file (CTRL+A usually works) and copy it to the clipboard (CTRL+C usually works).

3. Click on the "Paste from Clipboard" button.  The file will be pasted into the File Window above.

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Section 4: The Formula Window

This is where the formula you select will be displayed.  Don't confuse this with the file window, above.  This window only contains the formula you have currently selected from the formula Parse section below, as opposed to the entire formula file in the window above.

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Section 5: The Formula Parse Section

This section contains two parts.  The Parse button, and the Formula Selection List.

The Parse Formula Button:

When this button is pressed, the formula contained in the formula window above will be carefully combed through, and all parameters of the formula will be extracted from it, and placed in the formula Tables below.  It's all automated, so all you do is click and forget.  If there's nothing in the formula window, nothing will be parsed.

The Formula Selection List:

This is where you choose which of formulae in the formula file you want to use.  It's a drop down list, so just click on the downward-pointing triangle to the right of the list box, and select your formula.  The formula you select will automatically be displayed in the Formula Window above, so that you can parse the formula with the Parse Formula button next to it.  Note that this button will not show up unless you have inputted a formula file in section 3 above.

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Section 6: The Parameter Tables

This is the meat of the Random Parameter generator.  This section displays all the parameters for a formula, organized by type of parameter.  There are 8 types of parameters, each represented by a section in the table.  I will explain each item in the Parameter tables below.  Here is a sample picture of the Parameter Table Section, because a picture is worth a thousand words:

1. The Change all Min/Max Values

By changing these input boxes, you can change all of the Min (Minimum) and Max (Maximum) values for every parameter in that heading, except those that are not selected (The "randomize? checkbox is unchecked).  For example, if you set the Change all Min box in the complex parameter heading to 0, all of the Min values (except the ones that are selected) will change to 0.  These input boxes are in  the Complex, Float, and Integer Headings only.

2. The Invert Selection Checkbox

When you check (or uncheck) this checkbox, you will invert all the selection boxes for every parameter in that heading.  For example, if you uncheck all the selection boxes for the imag(inary) values in the Complex heading, then (un)check the invert selection, all of the real parameters in the Complex heading will be unselected, and all of the imag(inary) parameters will be selected.

3. The Selection Checkbox

If this box is unchecked, the parameter's value will not change when the parameter values are randomized, nor will the parameter's Min/Max values (if it has them) be subject to the change all Min/Max values.  You may edit the values manually by directly changing the value in the input box if you so desire, though.

4. The Min Value

Changing this value changes the minimum, or smallest, value that the parameter's value will be when it's value is randomized.  You may also edit the input box manually, if you desire.

5. The Parameter Value

This box shows the current value of that particular parameter.  When you write your parameter file (or fragment), this value will be used for the parameter. 

6. The Max Value

Changing this value changes the maximum, or largest, value that the parameter's value will be when it's value is randomized.  You may also edit the input box manually, if you desire.

7. The Enumerated Lists

These drop down lists contain the enumerated values for Enumerated Parameters, Functions, Boolean Parameters, and Color Functions.  The selected value in the list is the one that will be used when you write your parameter file (or fragment).

8. The Disable Color Parameter Checkbox

In the Color Parameters section, there is an additional check box to disable color parameters.  This is extremely useful in certain coloring formulae, which can have up to almost 800 color parameters, and take the parser up to 10 minutes or more to completely go through (!).  Do yourself a favor in these rare cases, and disable the color parameters.  Trust me, you won't miss them, and neither will Ultra Fractal...

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Section 7: The Randomize Button

When this button is pressed, all Parameters that are Selected will be given a random value.  For the list box parameter types, (Enumerated Parameters, Functions, Boolean Parameters, and Color Functions), they will be given a random index that points to one of the listed items, and it will be displayed in the drop box.  For numeric values (Float, Integer, and Complex), the random number will be constrained to the minimum and maximum values listed to the left and right of the parameter value.  If you didn't set a minimum or maximum, and there was no default named in the formula ("NONE" is displayed in the min/max value), appropriate limits have been placed on the variables so they don't go out of control.  All you do is press the button, and the appropriate parameters you chose to randomize will be done automatically.

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Section 8: The Parameter File Data Button(s)

Depending on what type of formula you are working with, different buttons will appear here.

 Fractal Formula (.ufm):

You only have two buttons here:

Write Formula Data:  This button will record the current values of all the parameters, as well as the name of the formula file and the formula itself.  If you already have fractal formula data recorded (i.e. you already pressed the button once before), and you press it again, the contents will be overwritten with the new data.  Note that you will not see the data that is recorded until after you press the "Write Parameter File" button.

Copy Formula Fragment:  This will copy the Formula part of of your parameter file, so that you can paste it directly into Ultra Fractal, without having to recreate the entire parameter file.  when you click this button, the formula fragment will be copied into your clipboard.  All you have to do is switch to ultra fractal (where you should have an open fractal you are working on), and paste the fragment on in.  Here is a picture of the paste section in Ultra Fractal:

Coloring Formula (.ucl):

There are three buttons here: "Add Inside Coloring", "Add Outside Coloring", and "Copy Coloring Fragment".  These buttons are similar in function to the "Write Formula Data" and "Copy formula fragment"  buttons mentioned above, but record the data for Inside and Outside Coloring formula, and copies a coloring fragment for pasting into Ultra Fractal's Inside or outside coloring (the pasting button in Ultra Fractal is similar to the picture above, except in the "Inside" or "Outside" tab).

Transformation Formula (.uxf):

Transformation formulae have 3 buttons associated to it.  The middle button, "Add Transformation data", works similar to the "Write Formula Data" button noted above, recording a set of Transformation data, with the exception that instead of overwriting the data when the button is pressed a second time, it will add that data to the previous data.  If you want to remove the last set of Transformation data added, click on the "Remove Last Transform" button.  This feature only remembers the last 10 Transformations you added, although you can add more than 10 sets of Transformation data to the Parameter file.  To clean out the entire set of Transformation data and start clean, click on the "Erase Data" button.  As above, the "Copy Transformation Fragment" copies the current Transformation Fragment for use in the Mapping section of Ultra Fractal.  Paste it in the mapping section the same way as above.

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Section 9: The Parameter Window

In this window, your Ultra Fractal Parameter file (U.P.R.) will be created when you click on the "Write Parameter file" button below.  You may edit the parameter directly in the window before you paste the Parameter file into Ultra Fractal, if you desire.

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Section 10: The Parameter Manipulation Buttons

These buttons Manipulate the Parameter Window above.

Write Parameter File!

Takes the Fractal Formula data, all gathered Transformation data, the Inside Coloring data, and the Outside Coloring data, and generates the Ultra Fractal parameter file (U.P.R.)  The generated file is displayed in the Parameter Window above.

Copy to Clipboard

Copies the contents of the Parameter window to the Clipboard for later pasting to Ultra Fractal

Clear Window

Clears the contents of the Parameter window.  For clean, tidy people.

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Questions...

I get the error "Automation Server can't create object"

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I get the error " 'document.form1.form_list.selectedIndex' is null or not an object";

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What is that small box in between the filename and the "Browse..." Button in section 3, and what text is it displaying in there?

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I clicked on the "Paste Formula to clipboard" buton, and now I have no formulae to parse!

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I found a formula that will not parse correctly in the generator. What can I do to fix it?

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About the author

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Jayce Cruel.
Copywrong © 2004  . All rights refried for your pleasure!
Revised: 09/11/04.