View source for Blocks Interface

[[image:blocks.png]]<br><br>

==Introduction==
[[image:Bush Plant.png|thumb|Bush Plant, modeled by three transformations. Data File: [http://www.incendia.net/Resources/Parameters/Bush_Plant.zip Bush Plant] ]]
The Blocks interface consists in a series of transformations slots that lets you to select and stack the functions that will be applied to the fractal.<br>
Most of Incendia fractals consist in a single function type with a set of parameters for each transformation.<br>
The approach of the Blocks Interface is quite different, since you can build complex transformations by just adding functions (and changing the parameters for the different functions).<br>
For example, the IFS fractals are just the affine transformations function with different parameter set for each transformation.<br>
In the Block Interface, you can change these parameters and for example mix one of the transformations with an Sphere Inversion function, allowing you to create a large amount of possible fractal structures.<br>
Here is an example of the transformation set used by the Blocks Interface:<br><br>
[[image:Transformation.png]]<br><br>
This particular case consists in a three transformations on where each one has different functions.<br>

==Overview==
On Incendia, the Block Interface is located on the last entry of the Fractal list. Select it and you can use the New Fractal button for generating different sets of blocks based fractals.<br>
For editing the Blocks, you go to the Editor TAB and open the Transformation section.

==The Blocks Editor Structure==
[[image:BlocksTutorial3.png]]<br><br>
This is the Main Block Editor, and its composed of the following elements:<br>
'''1.''' The Transformation Block, there are 40 possible transformations, ranging from simple Affine Transformations, up to the Quaternionic Mobius transformations.<br>
'''2.''' The Block parameters, this varies depend of the blocks type. You can enter the parameters directly or use the widget controls if they are available (note: not all blocks use parameters).<br>
'''3.''' The Parameters controls, These collections of widgets helps to change interactively the blocks parameters. The willbecome visible depending of the block type.<br>
'''4.''' The preview panel control, Many Blocks uses this control to position values in X,Y,Z (the affine transformation block, for example) or just to change parameters (the Gummoski-Mira attractor block is a good example).<br>
'''5.''' The transformation weight control, Just assigns probability to the current transformation.<br>
'''6.''' The realtime point preview window, This small windows can show interactively how the blocks parameters changes.<br>
'''7.''' The '''Edit Generator''' control, This is for selecting the [[Generators]] for the random fractal generations (The '''New Fractal ''' button).<br>
<br>
[[image:BlocksTutorial4.png]]<br><br>
Every Block has the following controls<br>
'''[ X ]''' Deletes the Block.<br>
'''[ T ]''' Changes the Block Type.<br>
'''[ I ]''' Inserts a new Block.<br>
<br>
==Working with Blocks==
For a brief tutorial, follow the [[Simple Blocks Tutorial]] document.

==Block Types==
There are now 40 possible Block types. Most of them can be used with the Interface Controls, such as Scaling, rotation and translation. But some of them needs to input directly the values, and in some cases, no parameters are needed.
<center>
{|class="wikitable"  border="0"  cellspacing="0" style="text-align:left; background-color: #efefef; border:1px solid #BBB"
!width="250" |
!width="250" |
|-
|1. Affine Transformation
||21. Loxodromes
|-
|2. Scale
||22. Gumowski-Mira Attractor
|-
|3. Rotation
||23. Complex Mobius transformation
|-
|4. Translation
||24. Affine Stars
|-
|5. Sphere Inversion
||25. Trilobites
|-
|6. Rings
||26. Quaternionic Mobius Transformation
|-
|7. Hyperbolic Tessellations II
||27. Absolute XYZ
|-
|8. Reflection
||28. Absolute X
|-
|9. Neg X
||29. Absolute Y
|-
|10. Neg XZ
||30. Absolute Z
|-
|11. Rotation XYZ
||31. Complex Square Root
|-
|12. Complex Sine
||32. 3D Flame Sin
|-
|13. Complex Cosine
||33. 3D Flame Spherical
|-
|14. 1D Pow
||34. 3D Flame Swirl
|-
|15. Quaternion Square Root
||35. 3D Flame Sin4
|-
|16. Complex Hyperbolic Sine
||36. 3D Flame Hyper
|-
|17. Complex Hyperbolic Cosine
||37. 3D Flame FishEye 
|-
|18. Complex Exponential
||38. 3D Flame Horns 
|-
|19. Z Mobius
||39. 3D Flame RadSin
|-
|20. XYZ->-ZXY
||40. 3D Flame Quaternion Root
|}
</center>
==Generators==
[[image:Generators.png]]<br><br>
For the Blocks Interface, Incendia uses several Generators for creating different fractals. You can select these generators (by default, they are selected randomly until you choose one of them), by using the '''Edit Generators''' control. This control will turn off the Block Interface controls and shows the Generator selection control. My unmarking it, the Block Interface will become visible again.<br>
Follow the [[Generators]] document for more information.