New Cells part 2

Now two examples with just two layers, a top layer for the lines and a bottom layer to color the cells. Here’s one with 200 rectangles. Because cells are colored with index equal to n/Nmax, shuffling the colors often gives a more pleasing result.
alt="5fab29ce64b66.jpg">
200Rectangles {
::fPzc0hn2tT1yutNMQw7Gw/DE6udkYEtiTBPU72EgAHggkDJ9UAj0KLmQRKQRna/33VP8jaJn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}
The original rectangle can also be divided into triangles. A few parameters are different. The first division of the rectangle can be into two, three, or four triangles. If two, a diagonal line crosses from corner to corner. If three, a point on one side is connected to two opposite corners. If four, a point in the center is connected to all four corners.

After the first division, triangles can be divided into two or four triangles. If two, a point on one side is connected to the opposite corner. If four, points on all three sides are connected to each other. Experiment.

200Triangles {
::EzUGWgn2tT1yutNMQw7Gw/DE6udkYksiTBPU72EgAHgikCk0TBMSrsYCFpAJdq9ffX9wPqlc
  aP3mbi7uzsLpmdyM8EHXe5wBEiT4kAzj67T+uRwVLlg1j8TRqLnFH5TyBxycX9nS+GwYZ0KY
  JGIV4sMvbEFkZyVwnCCOb6ZUfqvHhrcCuUwtC1S2GwOcQN06+lwLdCti5toKEh6R0l8EhbDL
  AHhCwlrTZShC4GizwV2SuBUuGaK4llInNEhRBDbk/4ozQg8lKWwwBZaTxKJvuiC+aRVJBkSw
  kkDJvy0ZZEe6Lrs1ESyESQxLw7/9OuKlbSHvKrwrCMyuZDz7bi1gEDIUWRK08iVNVZIvKtCG
  OQvy1NV7FwAlA3hFSsapIlFSnGOdykIacvtOReYrvGUgRkcthnKwQz1StBv8ekynSa/eukbx
  /BvIfe8K5zXeziZPNHkSbNNHV243eaZDj1v0dzu9cV6TgvdUOsy+IqaEOFLlPkLSyZ70adL4
  W+66LBj2PDWAwXyu4ecm2kiv9+j9j6tz/4gC6m9Khx6+i4N259CeeuWbB2CuZJYddzfHHl1s
  wexisiKkIsxB0e688HwMRvDywKkdT+NDgatFa8Hh/44+J4xrwd9K67m6epu80PW3KU3jtuqg
  +mZM9nNAnNm2P87QNtuoWzy6qRKXg7H2md6ugnV1U/z7EHKRV1XHNZ4gtCx6lOcX7VURUtPb
  L0a03q6Tj2xrNaGFERJCVKsmFRSaHomzxbPXRTToRB04jqCJoTE6ekt2X1jyfs/b96oRR7mh
  txOeK2F/g5obM6eODjfHj2gjNaRdchG/BnKyQVEoSgf399fF32o4gpf42+hb7/Lut0T52q0n
  2sN8v1st1hD3x2ZwNp1Lyv1TMKaKNKcrnXlotJe40Yak/F7d5o7TdRIevDbjf+u4Bh+B+x+h
  96yizw2Gfgt6wB/CJgSqoC==
}

Didn't paste the picture in the previous post.

This looks like fun, Jim - thanks very much for working up the code for this plugin for us!

The rectangular cells function of this reminds me of Matting and Framing* which produces various cell arrangements as well... but is hellishly complicated to use. You really need to think everything through meticulously and plan how to merge cells and whatnot manually to get the result you want. I just don't have the focus or patience needed for that. Your solution is both fun and quite easy to use though I appreciate it serves more as a fun mosaic-like effect than a practical framing function.

*This is an OCA in rkb.ucl. Is that the one you were thinking of when you mentioned rkb.ulb in your first post here? I still have Matting and Framing in my formulas.

Thanks, Chris,

No, I was unaware of Matting and Framing in rkb.ucl. It's over 4400 lines long, so it's not easy to understand how to use it n(an understatement).

What I had used (and still can, because somehow I saved an old copy of rkb.ulb) is Mondrian Maker (Layout), which is one of rkb's own variety of trap shape plug-ins to his outside coloring One Shape in rkb.ucl.

I'd be interested in unusual uses that someone might find for Cells. For instance, below is a 20,000-cell upr that could be used as a layer to provide some noise-like adjustment in a fractal. (No need to provide an image.)

I think that the only limit on the number of cells is computer memory. I've done up to 100,000 cells. It makes no sense to make cells smaller than a few pixels on a side.

20000GrayRectangles {
fractal:
  title="20000 Gray Rectangles" width=750 height=750 layers=1
  credits="Jim Blue;11/11/2020" antialiasing=yes
layer:
  caption="Layer 1" opacity=100 mergemode=difference method=linear
mapping:
  center=-0.5/0 magn=1
formula:
  maxiter=1 percheck=off adjust=yes filename="Standard.ufm"
  entry="Pixel"
inside:
  transfer=none
outside:
  transfer=linear repeat=no solid=4294965719 filename="Standard.ucl"
  entry="GenericGradientColoring" p_coloringClass="jlb.ulb:JLB_Cells"
  p_coloringClass.v_generic=100 p_coloringClass.v_coloring=100
  p_coloringClass.v_gradientcoloring=100 p_coloringClass.v_cells=100
  p_coloringClass.pWhich=Rectangles p_coloringClass.pMaxCells=20000
  p_coloringClass.seed=12345 p_coloringClass.pXBorder=0.0
  p_coloringClass.pYBorder=0.0 p_coloringClass.pFirstDiv=4
  p_coloringClass.pChoose=Larger p_coloringClass.pRatio=4
  p_coloringClass.pDivide5=0. p_coloringClass.pCW=0.5
  p_coloringClass.pDivide4=0.125 p_coloringClass.pPreferLong=0.75
  p_coloringClass.pXFrac=0.5 p_coloringClass.pSlop=0.05
  p_coloringClass.pMinSide=0.0 p_coloringClass.pMinArea=0
  p_coloringClass.pRandomColor=2 p_coloringClass.pLines=no
  p_coloringClass.B=0.004 p_coloringClass.eps=1E-6
gradient:
  comments="Simple grayscale gradient." smooth=yes rotation=70
  index=70 color=8289918 index=270 color=13882323
opacity:
  smooth=no index=0 opacity=255
}

Robert Bunney did provide some information and instructions for Matting and Framing on his Verizon website (now defunct) at the time of release. Being a bit of a hoarder I have a 21-page .pdf tutorial saved that he wrote to explain it all. It makes sense when you read it but the OCA IS hard work and I don't think I ever found a need for it or used it! I have example frame layers saved as well - all very clever and interesting and fancy but never used.

Let me know if you want a copy to look at.

Yes, I can see your random squares texture might be of use but, to be quite honest with you, there are other things like that texture that are not so CPU intensive. SFBM II for instance or Voroni texture are two possibilities that I would probably use in preference.