Working with coloring algorithms

You work with coloring algorithms in the Inside and Outside tabs of the Layer Properties tool window. These tabs select the inside and outside coloring algorithms and contain additional coloring settings.

Coloring algorithms are stored in coloring algorithm files (*.ucl). Each file can contain multiple coloring algorithms.

To select a coloring algorithm, click the Browse button. This opens a modal browser that shows the coloring algorithm files on your computer and the coloring algorithms that they contain. Double-click on a coloring algorithm to select it.

Hold down the Browse button to open a menu with coloring algorithms presets, together with a Recent menu that provides quick access to recently used coloring algorithms.

Some coloring algorithms contain additional help. Click the Help button to open it.

Click the More button to access commands to copy and paste the settings and parameters on the Inside or Outside tab, and to reset all parameters to the default values.

Coloring algorithms interpret the calculations performed by the fractal formula selected in the Formula tab and visualize parts of these calculations. Each coloring algorithm uses the information from the calculations in a different way.

Coloring algorithms do not directly calculate colors (except for direct coloring algorithms). Instead, they produce a floating-point index value that is converted to a color by the gradient.

Typically, the index value 0 produces the left-most color in the gradient, and 0.5 produces the color in the middle. The index value usually wraps around, so 1 produces the left-most color again. The coloring settings in the Inside and Outside tabs can be used to tweak this.

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