Re: The NickFrac screensaver, or How I Broke My Brain
- Posted by prickle Aug 09, 2009
- 1272 views
Hi, Andy.
Nick, I understand what you're saying. The best method, IMHO, is to capture the fractal at its completion, so that ctrl-S will save the last completed one.
Yes, that would work. How about ctrl-S saves the current image as per the current behaviour, and ctrl-L saves last image, if it exists?
But isn't it like hard work to copy the screen image? I don't know how you're accessing the screen pixel-by-pixel, but it is B quick, so I guess you could read it all quickly too and save in memory. Then the ctrl-S would just bring up an instant getSaveFile menu. Maybe a different command?
Yes, it was hard work given the get_pixel->Euphoria sequence algorithm I was using. I have now discarded this most shameful algorithm and have implemented the Windows Recommended Method of obtaining a DIB and peeking it straight out to a file. This is orders of magnitude faster.
I don't know, I just think that this is an interesting and absorbing way of not working and it'd be nice to get some of the best looking fractals used as wallpaper or maybe printed. Printing, of course, means either negativeing the image or turning all the true black pixels into white, otherwise it eats all your toner when printing!
Andy, I am thrilled you are taking an interest in this. I pretty much wrote it for my own interests and desires which I satisfied back in '02. Since then I have passed it around and received very little feedback other than for when things broke. Constructive criticism, comments and suggestions are not only welcome but actively sought. Thanks so much.
I never anticipated the images would be printed. Glass on black was my own personal preference. Perhaps it is worth including a method to select a background colour.
If you kept the last ten, you'd need a system for thumbnail display so you could select the one you wanted to save permanently. It could be a lot of work, and I'm loathe to put work out anybody's way....
Yes, a thumbnail display would be nice, but perhaps unnecessary if we find a better way. It would look stylish tho. 
BTW this is not work for me, it is a hobby (or as some would call it an unhealthy obsession) and generates much pleasure. I simply have exhausted my ideas for this work and need fresh perspective. I am well prepared to take this little screensaver to the next level if people let me know what they like.
Would you or anybody listening be willing to test my intermediate code? I do not have Windows and am testing my new code using WINE. Unfortunately, not everything works in the WINE environment, namely toplevel windows, such that the screensaver proper does not run. The settings dialog is fine though and is enough to develop with. Nevertheless, it would be good for operation to be verified in real Windows. I don't want to bother RDS with incremental updates so please fetch the new ready-to-go .SCR here. Copy this into your Windows directory as per previous updates.
What's new: The ctrl-S save image function should now be virtually instantaneous. Otherwise, the program is functionally the same. This is the first step to extending functionality.
Something I now realise you may not be aware of and I probably should have mentioned is the other interactive mode. When you are in the settings dialog, you can click on the small preview window to detach it from the gui and manipulate it like a normal window. It works the same as the screensaver proper with the interactive keys allowing save and skip, but it will only generate fractals of the type currently selected in the settings dialog and will stop when the fractal is done generating. This is probably the best way to currently save a completed fractal, but it will only be at the resolution of the fractal window. It would appear this functionality is quite non-intuitive. Turns out nobody expects to be able to click on a preview. Perhaps this should also be changed.
Cheers,
Nick
