1.3 Zoom box Commands
Zoom Box functions can be invoked while an image is being generated or
when it has been completely drawn. Zooming is supported for most
fractal types, but not all.
The general approach to using the zoom box is: Frame an area using the
keys described below, then <Enter> to expand what's in the frame to fill
the whole screen (zoom in); or <Ctrl><Enter> to shrink the current image
into the framed area (zoom out). With a mouse, double-click the left
button to zoom in, double click the right button to zoom out.
<Page Up>, <Page Down>
Use <Page Up> to initially bring up the zoom box. It starts at full
screen size. Subsequent use of these keys makes the zoom box smaller or
larger. Using <Page Down> to enlarge the zoom box when it is already at
maximum size removes the zoom box from the display. Moving the mouse
away from you or toward you while holding the left button down performs
the same functions as these keys.
Using the cursor "arrow" keys or moving the mouse without holding any
buttons down, moves the zoom box.
Holding <Ctrl> while pressing cursor "arrow" keys moves the box 5 times
faster. (This only works with enhanced keyboards.)
Panning: If you move a fullsize zoombox and don't change anything else
before performing the zoom, Fractint just moves what's already on the
screen and then fills in the new edges, to reduce drawing time. This
feature applies to most fractal types but not all. A side effect is
that while an image is incomplete, a full size zoom box moves in steps
larger than one pixel. Fractint keeps the box on multiple pixel
boundaries, to make panning possible. As a multi-pass (e.g. solid
guessing) image approaches completion, the zoom box can move in smaller
increments.
In addition to resizing the zoom box and moving it around, you can do
some rather warped things with it. If you're a new Fractint user, we
recommend skipping the rest of the zoom box functions for now and coming
back to them when you're comfortable with the basic zoom box functions.
<Ctrl><Keypad->, <Ctrl><Keypad+>
Holding <Ctrl> and pressing the numeric keypad's + or - keys rotates the
zoom box. Moving the mouse left or right while holding the right button
down performs the same function.
<Ctrl><Page Up>, <Ctrl><Page Down>
These commands change the zoom box's "aspect ratio", stretching or
shrinking it vertically. Moving the mouse away from you or toward you
while holding both buttons (or the middle button on a 3-button mouse)
down performs the same function. There are no commands to directly
stretch or shrink the zoom box horizontally - the same effect can be
achieved by combining vertical stretching and resizing.
<Ctrl><Home>, <Ctrl><End>
These commands "skew" the zoom box, moving the top and bottom edges in
opposite directions. Moving the mouse left or right while holding both
buttons (or the middle button on a 3-button mouse) down performs the
same function. There are no commands to directly skew the left and right
edges - the same effect can be achieved by using these functions
combined with rotation.
<Ctrl><Insert>, <Ctrl><Delete>
These commands change the zoom box color. This is useful when you're
having trouble seeing the zoom box against the colors around it. Moving
the mouse away from you or toward you while holding the right button
down performs the same function.
You may find it difficult to figure out what combination of size,
position rotation, stretch, and skew to use to get a particular result.
(We do.)
A good way to get a feel for all these functions is to play with the
Gingerbreadman fractal type. Gingerbreadman's shape makes it easy to see
what you're doing to him. A warning though: Gingerbreadman will run
forever, he's never quite done! So, pre-empt with your next zoom when
he's baked enough.
If you accidentally change your zoom box shape or rotate and forget
which way is up, just use <PageDown> to make it bigger until it
disappears, then <PageUp> to get a fresh one. With a mouse, after
removing the old zoom box from the display release and re-press the left
button for a fresh one.
If your screen does not have a 4:3 "aspect ratio" (i.e. if the visible
display area on it is not 1.333 times as wide as it is high), rotating
and zooming will have some odd effects - angles will change, including
the zoom box's shape itself, circles (if you are so lucky as to see any
with a non-standard aspect ratio) become non-circular, and so on. The
vast majority of PC screens *do* have a 4:3 aspect ratio.
Zooming is not implemented for the plasma and diffusion fractal types,
nor for overlayed and 3D images. A few fractal types support zooming but
do not support rotation and skewing - nothing happens when you try it.