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Rule table

Among the many motives for editing a rule table one finds the desire to enforce a desired course of evolution, transferring the problem to the domain of plane editing. This is the reason for two separate generation panels in CAMEML, together with several associated options.

Option t displays the rule table in the area of the help panel, together with a cursor reflecting the neighborhood surrounding the cursor in the first generation panel. Since we are editing a plane, not the table, this cursor cannot be moved on its own account; it always follows the neighborhoods. Nine cells imply 512 distinct neighborhoods, which are shown in two groups, according to the central cell; that implies two 16x16 tables, which are shown side by side.

Once the first and second generation patches have been edited for a desired effect, the option i will record the transition at the site of the cursor in mogrul. Similarly, I will record the transitions implied by the full panel; the order in which it is scanned determines the resolution of conflicts should there be inconsistencies.

To facilitate the handling of possible conflicts, it is possible to mark certain transitions, so that they will not be redefined. This is the purpose of the table mogaux, whose existence is invisible to the user. Option m will mark a single neighborhood, M causes wholesale marking for the whole panel, and n can remove any single mark. All of them can be removed, to start over again by selecting x. (This use of x is consistent with line editing in LCAU , but not with its use to generate random rule tables, another important convention).

If a rule table becomes hopelessly befuddled, clearing it by Z gives a fresh start. The option v is similar to m, but marks the whole Golay class of the neighborhood (that is, the neighborhood and all its symmetry images).

Colors have been chosen for the tables, cursors, and markers with the intention that they should be pleasant and distinctive. However, their assignments can all be changed from the main menu; a combination of cursor options and function key f7 suffices.



next up previous contents
Next: Mouse movements Up: Keyboard options Previous: Data exchange



Harold V. McIntosh
E-mail:mcintosh@servidor.unam.mx