Parameter Files and the [@] Command

You can change parameters on-the-fly while running Fractint by using the [@] or [2] command and a parameter file. Parameter files contain named groups of parameters, looking something like this:

    quickdraw {      ; a set of parameters named quickdraw
       maxiter=150
       float=no
       }
    slowdraw {       ; another set of parameters
       maxiter=2000
       float=yes
       }

If you use the [@] or [2] command and select a parameter file containing the above example, Fractint will show two choices: quickdraw and slowdraw. You move the cursor to highlight one of the choices and press [Enter] to set the parameters specified in the file by that choice.

The default parameter file name is FRACTINT.PAR. A different file can be selected with the "parmfile=" option, or by using [@] or [2] and then hitting [F6].

You can create parameter files with a text editor, or for some uses, by using the [B] command. Parameter files can be used in a number of ways, some examples:

• To save the parameters for a favorite image. Fractint can do this for you with the [B] command.

• To save favorite sets of 3D transformation parameters. Fractint can do this for you with the [B] command.

• To set up different sets of parameters you use occasionally. For instance, if you have two printers, you might want to set up a group of parameters describing each.

• To save image parameters for later use in batch mode - see Batch Mode

Formulas, ifs, and lsystem entries referred to in a parameter entry can be included in a .par file by adding the prefix frm:, ifs:, or lsys: respectively, for example frm:myformula {rest of that formula}. Note that the prefix is a label, not part of the formula name, so the reference in the image entry would be formulaname=myformula. The formula, ifs, and lsystem entries added to a parfile are accessed only when the image entry in the parfile is run. To make these formulas generally accessible, they must be added to a .frm, .ifs or .l file (without the identifier prefix, of course).

See "Parameter Save/Restore Commands" for details about the [@] and [B] commands.

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