The module CAMETD

One entire source module, CAMETD, is dedicated to three dimensional von Neumann automata; seven binary cells per neighborhood yield 128 different neighborhoods, and accordingly different rules. This great number can be diminished by requiring symmetrically related neighborhoods to undergo the same transitions; and even more by stipulating that the rules be totalistic or semitotalistic. At present only these latter two alternatives are recognized by CAMEX .

The way to work with a three dimensional automaton in CAMEX is to locate one or the other of these alternatives in the master automaton menu, which can be called up from the main program by the function key f1. After making the selection, the option r (edit rule) will display a submenu in the graphic mode.

 
Figure: CAMETD console panels

Now the screen will show the usual commentary, together with a panel in which the rule specification may be entered, a graphics panel and a bar chart panel. At the graphics panel the rule's Bernstein polynomial, or mean field curve, can be shown (option t); during evolution points of the return map will appear in the same panel.

The bar chart shows the running percentage of live cells, provided that the color map chosen for the CAM/PC only assigns the intensity bit to one plane. If the frequency displays do not seem credible, the color assignment may be at fault.