Depth
This specifies how many points in the orbit will be plotted. You must click the set button after changing the depth for changes to take effect.
Filter
When an orbit is plotted, Fractal Microscope leaves out the first "filter" points in the orbit. Filter is initially set to zero. You must click the set button after changing the filter for changes to take effect.
The filter can be useful for looking at small parts of very complex orbits. To do this, first find such an orbit. Then set the filter to an appropriate number and click "Set". Turn on Auto-Zoomed View. Click "Redo Last Point". In the main view, the orbit will be a small white spot, but in the Auto-Zoomed View, you will be able to see the inside part of the orbit in detail.
Setting the filter higher than the depth doesn't make any sense; if you do this you won't see anything in any view.
Set
This makes the values for depth and filter that are showing in the depth and filter textfields take effect. Until you hit this button, any orbits drawn will use the old values for depth and filter.
Auto-Zoomed View
Turning this checkbox on displays another image with a black background. Whatever orbit you are looking at on the main image (the one at the top) will fill the entire auto-zoomed view. This is useful if you want to look at an orbit that appears very tiny on the main view or one that goes beyond the range of the main view.
Clicking on the auto-zoomed view does not draw an orbit; the auto-zoomed view always draws whatever orbit is displayed on the main view.
Zoomed-Out View
Turning this checkbox on displays another image with the set you are investigating in the background. This set is drawn with the default corners; it is fully "zoomed-out."
This view is useful when you have zoomed in a lot on a set and want to look at orbits. Most of these orbits will go outside the range of the main view. With a zoomed-out view, you can see the entire orbit and get an idea of where it is in relation to the set.
Clicking on the zoomed-out view will draw an orbit on the zoomed-out view, but it will not affect any of the other views.
Questions and Comments
If you still have questions about how to use The Fractal Microscope to investigate orbits, or you have suggestions about how to make this part of the program better (or if you just want to make him feel like someone cares about him), send e-mail to Alton Patrick.