Mandelbulber v2 2.06

Nov 30, 201519 min read

Deviation Actions

Published: Nov 30, 2015

3.5K Views

Mandelbulber v2 2.06

Free download (executables for win32 and win64, OSX and multiplatform source): sourceforge.net/projects/mande…
github.com/buddhi1980/mandelbu…

Together with zebastian, mclarekin and bermarte we have finished new version of Mandelbulber.
This time main focus was on implementation of command line interface (for headless systems) and queue tool

What is new?

- Added Command Line Interface, which allows application to run on headless systems. From simple terminal (e.g. ssh session) it is possible to render still images and animations and also launch NetRender client or server. Full list of available options can be listed using --help option.
- Added Queue feature to manage collection of settings which can be rendered automatically in background.
- Added Italian language (thanks to bermarte)
- Added use of SHIFT button to select between orthogonal or 45 degree strafe in flight animation recording.
- Added + and - buttons to add or remove fractals from toolbar
- Added "Add to toolbar" button in preview dialog
- Added option for SSAO effect to use random directions of simulated rays
- Added background image brightness control (necessary for HDR option)
- Double clicking on preview in animation tables starts rendering of chosen frame/keyframe
- Added function to uniform distance between camera target and camera through entire animation. It makes camera animation smooth.
- GroupBoxes hide their content when they are not enabled
- Added Platonic Solid formula
- Added extended formulas: Menger, Mandelbulb6Beta and Benesi_Transforms.
- Changed extended formula parameter names to begin with ”transform” and added additional transforms. (Note: V2.05 extended formula parameter files will require editing to be compatible with V2.06,)
- Changed labels for keyframe numbers to start from zero
- Collision detection now can be canceled
- Added option in preferences dialog to disable quit confirmation dialog
- Fixed bug: Program hanged when clicked too frequent on image or on navigation buttons
- Fixed bug: 'last frame to render' was zero after loading settings
- Fixed bug: NetRender often hanged at the end of rendering image
- Fixed bug: Now NetRender client stops rendering when it looses connection
- Fixed bug: Corrected number of frames to render in keyframe animation mode. It rendered one additional keyframe at the end.
- Fixed bug: Some of animation thumbnail weren't displayed properly (random noise)
- Fixed bug: memory leak in cTexture class
- Fixed bug: eliminated SEGFAULTs at application quit

About queue tool:
Queue tool allows to render a collection of settings files in the background.
While the list of settings files is being rendered, you can continue to work in the main window and also add more settings to the queue.
Methods to manage queue:
- by adding items using Add current settings button
- by editing queue.fractlist file
- by puting files into queue folder and use button Add orphaned
- by adding single settings or lists using command line interface
Temporary settings files are stored in $HOME/.mandelbulber/queue folder and the list is in $HOME/.mandelbulber/queue.fractlist
The queue can be rendered in another instance of Mandelbulber program, as the queue is shared between applications. You can also launch another Mandelbulber from command line interface with -q option. Then this application will watch queue and render automatically all new items.
Result images are saved into $HOME/.mandelbulber/images directory (or another if it's specified in application preferences.)

About Command Line Interface:

Code:

Usage: ./mandelbulber2 [options] settings_file

Options:
-h, --help Displays this help.
-v, --version Displays version information.
-n, --nogui Start program without GUI.
-o, --output <N> Save rendered image(s) to this file / folder.
-K, --keyframe Render keyframe animation
-F, --flight Render flight animation
-s, --start <N> Start rendering from frame number <N>.
-e, --end <N> Stop rendering on frame number <N>.
-O, --override <KEY=VALUE> Override item '<KEY>' from settings file with new
value '<value>'.
Specify multiple KEY=VALUE pairs by separating
with a '#' (KEY1=VALUE1#KEY2=VALUE2). Quote whole
expression to avoid whitespace parsing issues
Override fractal parameter in the form
'fractal<N>_KEY=VALUE' with <N> as index of
fractal
-L, --list List all possible parameters '<KEY>' with
corresponding default value '<VALUE>'.
-f, --format <FORMAT> Image output format:
jpg - JPEG format
png - PNG format
png16 - 16-bit PNG format
png16alpha - 16-bit PNG with alpha channel format
exr - EXR format
-r, --res <WIDTHxHEIGHT> Override image resolution.
--fpk <N> Override frames per key parameter.
-S, --server Set application as a server listening for
clients.
-H, --host <N.N.N.N> Set application as a client connected to server
of given Host address (Host can be of type IPv4,
IPv6 and Domain name address).
-p, --port <N> Set network port number for Netrender (default
5555).
-C, --no-cli-color Start program without ANSI colors, when execution
on CLI.
-q, --queue Render all images from common queue.
--stats Show statistics while renderering in CLI mode.
--help-input Show help about input.

Arguments:
settings_file file with fractal settings (program also tries
to find file in ./mandelbulber/settings directory)
When settings_file is put as a command line
argument then program will start in noGUI
mode<settings_file> can also be specified as a
list, see all options with --help-input

As always every feedback is appreciated!

Source code repository (GIT, SVN) github.com/buddhi1980/mandelbu…