Blocks Interface

Introduction

Bush Plant, modeled by three transformations. Data File: 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.
Most of Incendia fractals consist in a single function type with a set of parameters for each transformation.
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).
For example, the IFS fractals are just the affine transformations function with different parameter set for each transformation.
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.
Here is an example of the transformation set used by the Blocks Interface:



This particular case consists in a three transformations on where each one has different functions.

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.
For editing the Blocks, you go to the Editor TAB and open the Transformation section.

The Blocks Editor Structure

This is the Main Block Editor, and its composed of the following elements:
1. The Transformation Block, there are 40 possible transformations, ranging from simple Affine Transformations, up to the Quaternionic Mobius transformations.
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).
3. The Parameters controls, These collections of widgets helps to change interactively the blocks parameters. The willbecome visible depending of the block type.
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).
5. The transformation weight control, Just assigns probability to the current transformation.
6. The realtime point preview window, This small windows can show interactively how the blocks parameters changes.
7. The Edit Generator control, This is for selecting the Generators for the random fractal generations (The New Fractal button).



Every Block has the following controls
[ X ] Deletes the Block.
[ T ] Changes the Block Type.
[ I ] Inserts a new Block.

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.

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

Generators

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.
Follow the Generators document for more information.