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Real-DRAW Basics

GenetX Procedural Colors and Textures

You can edit the GenetX color by clicking on the button on the Color Bar or from menu: Object select GenetX.

The GenetX procedural color and texture function is a powerful engine for generating and mutating artificial colors and textures. There are millions of combinations, and they can be sorted into about ten general categories: color washes, spirals, patterns, etc. We will call the procedural texture Gene and the key to it, DNA. It is a combination of 3 integer numbers and by varying these numbers, we increase or decrease the effects of the mutation procedure.

If you like any of the 12 random Genes, just click on it and it will be transferred into the large middle rectangle. Now by clicking on this middle rectangle this DNA will be mutated back into the 12 surrounding DNA's (by selecting similar patterns) and will produce mutated versions of the selected Gene. By repeating the mutation and selection process you can follow the mutation of the gene and find one which you really like. This is a really a fun process, but don't spend too much time on this option, as there's are a lot more in Real-DRAW.

On the left side is a window with libraries. A library is just a storage for the DNA key to the gene. You can create your own library by clicking the Create new Library button. The libraries are just very small *.dna files in the same directory as the program.

Clicking on any of the predefined libraries will open, and show the stored DNA. Remember the stored DNA codes are just bookmarks or keys to the gene. When a DNA is selected from the library, the exact Gene will be selected in the middle and it will be mutated into 12 similar genes around it, so you can pick or follow any pattern you like.

If you generate a gene you like, by pressing the Randomize button, or following any gene from library, and you want to store it into the library, just press the Add to Library button. You will see the DNA number and you can name this gene as you want. The Gene DNA then will be stored in the current opened library permanently.

If you want to add the current Gene in the middle to the active object just press OK.

Remember, some Genes take time to calculate and this is done every time the object changes size or any other property is updated !

If an object is using the GenetX, then the button on the Color Bar will change from to . If you don't want to use the GenetX texture on the object anymore, simply go back to the GenetX dialog and press Remove.

Note: You can't use GenetX colors on a Bitmap object, since they have already defined colors in the original image. In the Bitmap case, you don't have the button displayed, instead you see the button. This opens the Bitmap Effects.