Original Usenet thread from alt.ascii-art, started 2 Jun 1998.
ascii fractals
alt.ascii-art
· 6 messages · 2 Jun 1998 - 11 Jun 1998
pinbackstein, I don't have a quick answer to your questions. But your article gave me an idea on how to do "true" ascii fractals. Write a little fractal algorithm that outputs into a little drawing application, making sure that: * you only use a set of drawing elements that resemble ascii characters, for example you could limit yourself to the following subset of only four ascii characters: / \ _ | * you stay at the same element size throughout the algorithm * run the algorithm for several hundred to several thousand steps, i.e. until it "looks good" (You may need to add something into your algorithm to keep the resulting pic within certain bounds, say, within a printed page) * run the resulting picture which is a graphic, through an OCR that you restrict to the above predetermined set of four ascii characters and voila, you have a "true" ascii fractal, i.e. as true as a true ascii fractal can be. Rationale #1: If you try to output your little fractal algorithm directly into ascii, then you will run into the same ascii rendering problems that you described in your article below. Outputting into a little drawing application avoids this ascii rendering problem. Rationale #2: The ascii rendering problem is tackled in a separate step by the OCR. This step will certainly introduce singularities into the ascii pic as the OCR resolves ascii rendering problems that occur all over the pic. These singularities will in all likelyhood cut both ways, i.e. they can make or break the aesthetics. So you will have to diddle with the fractal algorithm. Enjoy the surprises! ======================================================= [] + [] [] \^^/ Visit the Gallery of the 'steins! [] [] ( "> http://www3.sympatico.ca/petecasso/ [] [] (> )> Birdstein, Queen of the backyard tree [] [] ^^ [] ======================================================= sgt pinback wrote: > > one type of 'fractal' (<-in quotes to avoid discussion of what a > fractal really is) is a dragon curve (i think the name comes from a > type of paper folding). they're made something like this: you start with two > things (one i think is called an 'initiator' the other i forget the name > of). like a line segment > _ > _ or a box |_| > > and a pattern made of bits it can replace > > __/\__ (<- here i am considering two underlines to be one line segment) > > the pattern goes in replacing the bits in the original: > > . __/\__ or __/\__ > . | | > . / \ > . \ / > . |__ __| > . \/ > > and repeat (in non-ascii usually things get replaced by smaller and > smaller version --here it can't...). > > . __/\__ > .and repeat: \ / > . __/\__/ \__/\__ > . __ / \ __ or the | | > . box bocomes / \ > .becomes: \ / > . __/ \__ | | > . \ / __/ \__ > . __/\__ / \ __/\__ \ / > . / \ > .(breaks added to help show \ / > . what replaces what) /_ _\ > . \ / > . | | > . / \ > . \ / > . |__ __ __ __| > . \/ \ / \/ > . /_ _\ > . \/ > > the aspect ratio distortion from using > . | as the verticle version of __/\__ > . \ > . / > . | > i think makes the box look pretty bad (as a fractal anyway). anybody got > ideas how to fix it? this also messed up things when i tried to use > things like __|\__ > > for the 'snowflakes' previously posted i > used > . __ > . \/ and __/\__ > > and (sort of) > . __ > . \/ and __/\__ for those with inside bits, but didn't follow > . \/ the 'rules' exactly and only replaced some segments. > > or using > > \ and ____/\__ (two segments on the left) > you get: (slanted to avoid wrapping tho it get long) > > \ > > . \ > . \__ > . / > . \ > > . \ > . \__ > . / > . \ > . \ > . \__ > . / > . \____/\__ > . / > . / > . _\ > . / > . \ > . \__ > . / > . \ > etc. > . __ > and a triange based one ( \/ and ____/\__ ) that i think looks kinda neat: > > __/\ > . \ \__ > . / / > . ____/\______/\__/ \____/\__ > . \ / > . /_ / > . \ _\ > . \ / > . __/ / > . \ / > . / _\ > . /_ ____ / > . \/ \ \ > . /_ \__ > . \ / > . \ __ ___\ > . \ / \/ > . /_ / > . \ _\ > . \/
> * run the algorithm for several hundred to several thousand steps, thousands? for a Koch curve? you're down to pixels in tens of steps, if that many. > * run the resulting picture which is a graphic, through an OCR that you > restrict to the above predetermined set of four ascii characters hmm. ocr for gif-ascii. never thought of that. one of your ideas or just something i missed (uh oh. i'm in trouble if it's in the FAQ'n'manual ain't i.) > Rationale #1: If you try to output your little fractal algorithm directly into > ascii, then you will run into the same ascii rendering problems that you > described in your article below. Outputting into a little drawing application > avoids this ascii rendering problem. i *was* running the algorithm directly into ascii, only with me head and fingers. in fact here's the (ob. a. a.) koch snowflake done right (i think) the lack of infinite levels ie why i like to include the first few 'iterations' to imply the limit to infinity. . __ using \/ and __/\__ . \/ . __/\__ . \_\/_/ . /_/\_\ . \/ . __/\__ . \_\/_/ . __/\__/ \__/\__ . \_\/ \____/ \/_/ . /_/ /_/\_\ \_\ . \__/\_\/_/\__/ . __/ \/_/\_\/ \__ . \_\ \_\/_/ /_/ . /_/\__/ \__/\_\ . \/ \____/ \/ . /_/\_\ . \/ . . __/\__ . \_\/_/ . __/\__/ \__/\__ . \_\/ \____/ \/_/ . /_/ /_/\_\ \_\ . \__/\_\/_/\__/ . __/\__ __/ \/ \/ \__ __/\__ . \_\/_/ \_\ /_/ \_\/_/ . __/\__/ \__/\__/ \__/\__/ \__/\__ . \_\/ \____/ \/ \__ __/ \/ \____/ \/_/ . /_/ /_/\_\ /_/ \_\ /_/\_\ \_\ . \__/\_\/ \__/\____/\__/ \/_/\__/ . __/ \/_/ __/ \/_/\_\/ \__ \_\/ \__ . \_\ \_\ \_\ \_\/_/ /_/ /_/ /_/ . /_/\__/ /_/\__/ \__/\_\ \__/\_\ . \/ \__ __/\_\/ \____/ \/_/\__ __/ \/ . /_/ \_\/_/ /_/\_\ \_\/_/ \_\ . \__/\__/ \__/\_\/_/\__/ \__/\__/ . __/ \/ \____/ \/_/\_\/ \____/ \/ \__ . \_\ /_/\_\ \_\/_/ /_/\_\ /_/ . __/\__/ \/_/\__/ \__/\_\/ \__/\__ . \_\/ \__ \_\/ \____/ \/_/ __/ \/_/ . /_/ /_/ /_/ /_/\_\ \_\ \_\ \_\ . \__/\_\ \__/\_\/_/\__/ /_/\__/ . __/ \/_/\__ __/ \/ \/ \__ __/\_\/ \__ . \_\ \_\/_/ \_\ /_/ \_\/_/ /_/ . /_/\__/ \__/\__/ \__/\__/ \__/\_\ . \/ \____/ \/ \__ __/ \/ \____/ \/ . /_/\_\ /_/ \_\ /_/\_\ . \/ \__/\____/\__/ \/ . __/ \/_/\_\/ \__ . \_\ \_\/_/ /_/ . /_/\__/ \__/\_\ . \/ \____/ \/ . /_/\_\ . \/ and from it a bird . ____ . ______/o__o\______ . \_\ \_\/_/ /_/ . /_/\__/ \__/\_\ . \/ \____/ \/ . //\\ . or a bat . /\____/\ . _____\/o o\/_____ . \ \_oo_/ / . /_ __/ \__ _\ . \/ \____/ \/ . // \\ (both so trivial they may look like someone elses...) ok. lets pull the bat out from one out from the side: . __/\ . \ \ __ . /_ \/_/ . \__/ o\ . __/ \\ o\__ . \ \_ /_/ . \__/ \ . / \ \ . /_ _\ . \/ hmmm. bit goofy looking.... there's a penguin or an otter in there doing the backstroke, but it hides when ever i try to pull it out. i thought there was a penguin looking over a wall but it turned out to be, dunno, kilroy's pet lobster? . __ __ . \____/ . /o o\ . ___________/|\_\/_/|\_____________ . |____|____|_\|/_|__\|/___|____|____| |_|_____|____|____|____|____|____|_| oh, yeah, and a pineapple :) __/\__ \_\/_/ / \ \____/ > sgt pinback wrote: [snip] quite a big quote. and i was wondering if it should be 2 posts...
one type of 'fractal' (<-in quotes to avoid discussion of what a
fractal really is) is a dragon curve (i think the name comes from a
type of paper folding). they're made something like this: you start with two
things (one i think is called an 'initiator' the other i forget the name
of). like a line segment
_
_ or a box |_|
and a pattern made of bits it can replace
__/\__ (<- here i am considering two underlines to be one line segment)
the pattern goes in replacing the bits in the original:
. __/\__ or __/\__
. | |
. / \
. \ /
. |__ __|
. \/
and repeat (in non-ascii usually things get replaced by smaller and
smaller version --here it can't...).
. __/\__
.and repeat: \ /
. __/\__/ \__/\__
. __ / \ __ or the | |
. box bocomes / \
.becomes: \ /
. __/ \__ | |
. \ / __/ \__
. __/\__ / \ __/\__ \ /
. / \
.(breaks added to help show \ /
. what replaces what) /_ _\
. \ /
. | |
. / \
. \ /
. |__ __ __ __|
. \/ \ / \/
. /_ _\
. \/
the aspect ratio distortion from using
. | as the verticle version of __/\__
. \
. /
. |
i think makes the box look pretty bad (as a fractal anyway). anybody got
ideas how to fix it? this also messed up things when i tried to use
things like __|\__
for the 'snowflakes' previously posted i
used
. __
. \/ and __/\__
and (sort of)
. __
. \/ and __/\__ for those with inside bits, but didn't follow
. \/ the 'rules' exactly and only replaced some segments.
or using
\ and ____/\__ (two segments on the left)
you get: (slanted to avoid wrapping tho it get long)
\
. \
. \__
. /
. \
. \
. \__
. /
. \
. \
. \__
. /
. \____/\__
. /
. /
. _\
. /
. \
. \__
. /
. \
etc.
. __
and a triange based one ( \/ and ____/\__ ) that i think looks kinda neat:
__/\
. \ \__
. / /
. ____/\______/\__/ \____/\__
. \ /
. /_ /
. \ _\
. \ /
. __/ /
. \ /
. / _\
. /_ ____ /
. \/ \ \
. /_ \__
. \ /
. \ __ ___\
. \ / \/
. /_ /
. \ _\
. \/
but i'm still not sure what it is. a penguin floating on his back or un underhull of a penguin on the surface . ~~ ____ ~~ ~~ . ~~ /\/o/\o\/\ ~~ . ~~ \ \ __ / / ~~ . ~~ \ / \ / ~~ . ~~ || || ~~ ~~ . ~~ \\____// ~~ . ~~ / /\ \ ~~ . ~~ \/ \/ ~~ or just a swimmer? . ~~ _\/_ ~~ ~~ . ~~ \\\/o o\/// ~~ . ~~ \ \_\/_/ / ~~ . ~~ \ / ~~ . ~~ |______| ~~ ~~ . ~~ \____/ ~~ . ~~ _/ /\ \_ ~~ . ~~ /__/ \__\ ~~
sgt pinback wrote: > > > * run the algorithm for several hundred to several thousand steps, > thousands? for a Koch curve? you're down to pixels in tens of steps, if > that many. I also said: * you stay at the same element size throughout the algorithm What I meant was to use the algorithm for the lateral propagation of the pic without increasing resolution, something that can not be done at the final conversion to an ascii pic, so why do it, you need to cut out this portion in your "fractal" algorithm. > > * run the resulting picture which is a graphic, through an OCR that you > > restrict to the above predetermined set of four ascii characters > hmm. ocr for gif-ascii. never thought of that. one of your ideas or just > something i missed (uh oh. i'm in trouble if it's in the FAQ'n'manual > ain't i.) Yes, one of my ideas, it is not in the FAQ. The point is that even simple OCRs allow you to prescribe the ascii character set for use in the output file/pic. > > Rationale #1: If you try to output your little fractal algorithm directly into > > ascii, then you will run into the same ascii rendering problems that you > > described in your article below. Outputting into a little drawing application > > avoids this ascii rendering problem. > i *was* running the algorithm directly into ascii, only with me head and > fingers. in fact here's the (ob. a. a.) koch snowflake done right (i think) > the lack of infinite levels ie why i like to include the first few > 'iterations' to imply the limit to infinity. Well, the basic idea of my previous post was to separate the pic generation from the ascii rendering. The former would be handled by the "fractal" algorithm, the latter would be handled by the OCR. But what I now see you are doing is that you are first generating a fractal (in a manual way) and use that pic for further processing with your brain (in a non-fractal way) and generate really great pics (and I mean it, _great_ pics!) As I see it, this little snowflake is an example of a fractal with zero post-processing in a non-fractal way. (And so are the big snowflakes that you posted.) > . __/\__ > . \_\/_/ > . /_/\_\ > . \/ This pineapple is an example of a fractal with a little of post-processing in a non-fractal way. > __/\__ > \_\/_/ > / \ > \____/ This bat is an example of a fractal with some post-processing in a non-fractal way. > . __/\ > . \ \ __ > . /_ \/_/ > . \__/ o\ > . __/ \\ o\__ > . \ \_ /_/ > . \__/ \ > . / \ \ > . /_ _\ > . \/ This "Luke, the Spook" kind of pic is an example of a fractal with considerable post-processing in a non-fractal way. > . __ __ > . \____/ > . /o o\ > . ___________/|\_\/_/|\_____________ > . |____|____|_\|/_|__\|/___|____|____| > |_|_____|____|____|____|____|____|_| Sometimes, composers play impromptu chords on the piano as an inspiration for a composition. You seem to use fractals as an inspiration for your pics. Human aided computer? Or computer aided human? In any case, that's great! Congratulations! P.S. You may want to sign your Fractalsteins, they deserve it. ======================================================= [] + [] [] \^^/ Visit the Gallery of the 'steins! [] [] ( "> http://www3.sympatico.ca/petecasso/ [] [] (> )> Birdstein, Queen of the backyard tree [] [] ^^ [] =======================================================
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