Quat is a program for the calculation of genuine three dimensional
fractals, like those you can see in the Fractal
Gallery or at the Sculptures. These fractals
can be cut open to explore their interior. For this purpose you can define
intersection planes, whose positions can be adjusted freely.
The coloring of an object is done very flexible by a formula, which attaches
a color to every point in space.
Quat is licensed through GNU GPL license version
2 ("GNU General Public License"), therefore it may and shall
be copied without costs. The source code is also available. Please read the license,
which is also included in the downloadable archives.
Quat calculates a fractal in PNG image format using 24bit true
color. The calcuation can be done in text mode, graphical output during
calculation is also possible, but often in worse quality than the image
being saved.
Quat runs on a variety of platforms. Following precompiled versions
could be downloaded: Windows (32bit), Linux (X Window System) and DOS.
Furthermore, it should be no problem to recompile the source on any system
that has an ANSI-C-Compiler installed, at least in a version without graphical
output.
Short overview over the features:
True-Color is used with palettes which can be created freely (smoothly
shaded range between two colors)
Generation of 3d stereo images
Possibility to use Z buffers
The fractal is colored by a mathematical formula that can be defined
by the user. The formula has an index to the true-color-palette as its
result. For example, the fractal may be blue on the left side and get more
and more red to the right.
Resolution and number of colors of the generated image does not depend
on the video mode used for calculation. So the calculation can even be
done in text mode.
The fractal object can be cut open using intersection planes. So their
interior can be seen.
Calculation of an image can be interrupted and resumed.
Quat runs on many platforms
It may be copied freely, source code is available (see GNU License)
Quat 1.20 has the following new features and bugfixes:
Resizable Julia Preview in Parameter Editor, which
displays with the same aspect ratio as the image.
Tooltips & integrated documentation browser.
some usability improvements.
Windows version: Uses an installer (Inno Setup)
Uses FLTK 1.1, which has some big improvements compared to 1.0
(the file chooser e.g.)
Maximum image size in pixel: 32,767 (GUI version) / 100,000 (text version)
Intersection Editor did not work correctly with more than one
intersection plane.
High Bailout values couldn't be read from INI file.
Parameters in the "Other Editor" weren't updated when INI file
was read within the Parameter Editor.
Unix: Quat hanged when a directory was selected instead an
INI file.
An empty image (when calculation was stopped before the first
line was drawn) wasn't written correctly.
