New features

These are the most important new features in Ultra Fractal 4:

G     

Animation

You can now easily create fractal animations with the new built in animation support. Every 

fractal is potentially an animation, and every parameter can be animated individually. 

Animations can be as long as you want and use any desired frame rate. Editing animations is 

easy with the new powerful 

Timeline tool window

. You can render animations to image 

sequences or to AVI movies with optional motion blur. For more information, see 

Animation

, 

Working with animations

, and 

Rendering animations

.

(

Animation Edition

 only) 

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Explore

Choosing parameter values is a breeze with the new Explore feature. Experiment with new 

parameter values by moving the mouse cursor over a coordinate grid in the Explore window, 

while the 

Fractal Mode tool window

 shows a real time preview of the result. Explore works 

with integer, floating point, and complex parameters. See 

Explore

.

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Eyedropper previews

The eyedropper feature has been extended to work with integer and floating point 

parameters as well as with complex parameters. In addition, the 

Fractal Mode tool window

shows a real time preview while you move the mouse cursor over a fractal window, just like 

with the 

Explore

 feature. See 

Eyedropper

.

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New render features

When 

rendering

 your fractals to disk, you can now easily split them into tiles to make sure 

the rendered images will not become too large. Also, there is an option to force the Linear 

drawing method

 when rendering for maximum quality.

G     

Improved support for flame fractals

It is now possible to render flame fractals to disk efficiently. Computers with multiple 

processors or processors that support HyperThreading will work better with flame fractals, 

too. See 

Calculation details

.

G     

Improved formula compiler and calculation engine

The formula compiler has been improved to work much faster with complex formulas, and 

the compiled formulas also run about 10% faster. Working with complex fractals with many 

layers is easier and faster, thanks to the improved calculation engine. 

Network calculations

(

Animation Edition

 only) are more efficient, too, with reduced communication overhead.

G     

Automatic context sensitive help

The 

Fractal Mode tool window

 now automatically shows short help texts related to the control 

currently under the mouse cursor. This also works for formula parameter hints. In addition, 

some of these help texts contain links to the help file for more information, which you can 

follow by pressing the F1 key. See 

Getting help

.

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Improved parameter headings

The headings that separate different sections of formula parameters in the Layer Properties 

tool window can now be collapsed and expanded as desired. This reduces clutter and makes 

it easier to work with the parameters that you are interested in. In addition, headings can 

now also optionally contain a longer text with general directions. See 

Formula parameters

and 

Compiler enhancements

.

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New formula editor

The formula editor has been completely rewritten and features syntax highlighting, unlimited 

undo and redo, easy navigation between formula sections, line numbering, smart Tab and 

Home keys, a Go to Line command, better printing, and better support for large formula 

files. See 

Formula editor

.

G     

Friendly folder names

Everywhere in Ultra Fractal, folders are displayed and accepted with friendly names such as 

 Desktop  and  My Documents  instead of tedious  C:\Documents and Settings\...  paths.

G     

Improved Fractal Mode tool window management

The 

Fractal Mode tool window

 now reverts to its original position and display state when 

leaving 

Select mode

 or 

Switch mode

 in the fractal window.

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