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. See 

Presets

.

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.

Next: 

Coloring settings

See Also

Coloring algorithms

Standard coloring algorithms

How gradients work

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