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jit.bfg Reference

Evaluate a procedural basis function graph

jit.bfg

Description

Evaluates and exposes a library of procedural basis functions. Each of these basis functions can be evaluated in any number of dimensions, across any coordinate, without any need of referencing existing calculations. In addition, since they all share a common interface, basis functions can be combined together and evaluated in a function graph by cross-referencing several jit.bfg objects.

Examples

Discussion

There are several categories of functions, each of which are characterized by a different intended use. These categories include fractal, noise, filter, transfer, and distance operations. Functions contained in these folders can be passed by name to jit.bfg either fully qualified (category.classname) or relaxed (classname).
By default, jit.bfg will generate spatial coordinates across a grid, however, if a jit.matrix is attached to the left-most inlet, the matrix's planar values will instead be used (planar values correspond to dimensions for the coordinates e.g. RGB == XYZ). After creation, jit.bfg requires a basis to be specified before any evaluation will be performed.

Matrix Operator

matrix inputs:1, matrix outputs:1
Name IOProc Planelink Typelink Dimlink Plane Dim Type
out n/a 1 1 1 1 1 char long float32 float64

More about Matrix Operators

The Jitter MOP

Since the matrix is Jitter's focus, it is not surprising that the majority of Jitter objects fall in this category of Matrix Operators. Every Matrix operator has some number of matrix inputs and some number of matrix outputs. Matrix inputs are referred to by the names "in", "in2", "in3", etc., from left to right, and matrix outputs are referred to by the names "out", "out2", "out3", etc., from left to right--i.e. the names are appended by the input/output number except for the first (leftmost) input and first (leftmost) output which are simply named "in" and "out". We will refer to the input or output name names as the "I/O-name".

Matrix inputs and outputs typically each have their own matrices internally where information is kept. This is necessary because Jitter is an asynchronous framework (i.e. all the matrices don't arrive at all inputs at the same time). Various aspects of matrix inputs and outputs can be set using the command [I/O-name] combined with one of the following suffixes: "_dim" which will set the dimensions of the specified I/O matrix, "_type" which will set the type of the specified matrix, "_planecount" which will set the plane of the specified matrix, or "_name" which will set the name of the specified matrix. There is one special case which does not have an internal matrix and this is the first input "in". This is the case since this special input actually triggers the calculation of the matrix operator, so it doesn't need to be cached until a calulation takes place, unlike the other inputs. Therefore there is no mechanism to set the dim, planecount, type, or name of "in".

Matrix operators accept what we'll refer to as "matrix args"--i.e. [planecount (int)] [ type (symbol)] [dim (int list)]. if these arguments are present, the adapt attribute will be turned off, otherwise it will be turned on. If adapt mode is turned on, each time a matrix is received in the first input, there will also be the equivalent of setting the dim, planecount, and type attributes to that of the input matrix. If the other inputs and outputs are linked to these attributes, this will affect their linked attributes as well. See the "MOP" table to determine which inputs and outputs will be linked to which attributes when adapt mode is turned on. For the leftmost input this is not applicable, and hence all columns are labelled "n/a".

The jit.matrix object is a named matrix which may be used to matrix data storage and retrieval, resampling, and matrix type and planecount conversion operations.

MOP Arguments

planecount [int]

Optional

Explicitly sets the number of planes for the output and any righthand inputs. If this is absent, the Matrix Operator will typically adapt to the lefthand incoming matrix attributes, except for special case operators.

type [symbol]

Optional

Explicitly sets the type of the matrix for the output and any righthand inputs. If this is absent, the Matrix Operator will typically adapt to the lefthand incoming matrix attributes, except for special case operators.

dimensions [list]

Optional

Explicitly sets the dimensions of the matrix for the output and any righthand inputs. If this is absent, the Matrix Operator will typically adapt to the lefthand incoming matrix attributes, except for special case operators.

MOP Attributes

adapt [int]

Matrix adaptation flag (default = 0 if matrix arguments are present, otherwise 1) When the flag is set, the jit.matrix object will adapt to the incoming matrix planecount, type, and dimensions.

[in/out]_dim [32 ints]

The matrix data dimensions (default = 1 1)

[in/out]_name [symbol]

The input or output name of the matrix (default = UID)

[in/out]_planecount [int]

The number of planes in matrix input our output data. Except in special cases, this value is equal to the planecount.

[in/out]_type [symbol]

The input or output matrix data type. Except in special cases, this value is equal to type.

outputmode [int]

Output mode (default = 1 (calculate and output matrix))
0 = No output (no calculation)
1 = Calculate and output the matrix
2 = Pass input (no calculation)
3 = Pass output (no calculation)

type [int]

The matrix data type (default = char
Supported data types are char, long, float32, or float64.

MOP Messages

bang

Equivalent to the outputmatrix message.

clear

Sets all cell values in a matrix to zero.

exportattrs

Arguments

filename [symbol]
Exports an object's current attributes values in XML format. If no filename is specified, a file dialog will open to let you choose a file.

getattributes

Sends a sequence of lists out the object's right outlet describing the object's attributes, one line per attribute. Each line listing takes the form attribute attribute-name get get-value set foo set-value data-type(s) number-of-values .

getstate

Sends a sequence of lists describing the object's state out the object's right outlet, one line per attribute. Each line listing line takes the form attribute-name attribute-value1 attribute-value2 ... attribute-valueN .

importattrs

Arguments

filename [symbol]
Imports attributes specified in XML format to set the object's attributes. If no filename is specified, a file dialog will open to let you choose a file.

jit_matrix

Arguments

matrix-name [symbol]
Handles input for the named matrix. If this messages is received in the left inlet, output is typically triggered. If this message is received in any other inlet, the data is typically cached until the jit_matrix message is received in the left inlet.

outputmatrix

Sends the matrix out the left outlet.

summary

Sends a sequence of lists describing the object and it attributes and messages out the rightmost outlet of the object. The first output line takes the form summary objectname object-name . The second and third lines describe the number of inlets and outlets for the object in the form summary (matrixinputcount/matrixoutletcount) number-of-(inlets/outlets) . The fourth line describes the matrixoutput in the form summary matrixoutput descriptor planelink planelink-value typelink typelink-value dimlink dimlink-value types data-type(s) . Each attribute for the object is then listed, one attribute per line. Each line listing takes the form summary attribute attribute-name attribute-value1 attribute-value2 ... attribute-valueN .

Attributes

align [float]

The fractional alignment for offsetting each plane. (default = 10)

autocenter [int]

Flag for enabling or disabling automatically placing the origin at the center of the output matrix. (default = 0)

basis [symbol]

The name of the basis function to use for the evaluation. (default = none) Supported basis functions are:
Distance Functions
chebychev (Absolute maximum difference between two points)
euclidean (True straight line distance in Euclidean space)
euclidean.squared (Squared Euclidean distance)
manhattan (Rectilinear distance measured along axes at right angles)
manhattan.radial (Manhattan distance with radius fall-off control)
minkovsky (Exponentially controlled distance)
Filter Functions
box (Sums all samples in the filter area with equal weight)
gaussian (Weights samples in the filter area using a bell curve)
lanczossinc (Weights samples using a steep windowed sinc curve)
mitchell (Weights samples using a controllable cubic polynomial)
disk (Sums all samples inside the filter's radius with equal weight)
sinc (Weights samples using an un-windowed sinc curve)
catmullrom (Weights samples using a Catmull-Rom cubic polynomial)
bessel (Weights samples with a linear phase response)
triangle (Weights samples in the filter area using a pyramid)
Transfer Functions
step (Always 0 if value is less than threshold, otherwise always 1)
smoothstep (Step function with cubic smoothing at boundaries)
bias (Polynomial similar to gamma but remapped to unit interval)
cubic (Generic 3rd order polynomial with controllable coefficients)
saw (Periodic triangle pulse train)
quintic (Generic 5th order polynomial with controllable coefficients)
gain (S-Shaped polynomial evaluated inside unit interval)
pulse (Periodic step function)
smoothpulse (Periodic step function with cubic smoothing at boundaries)
sine (Periodic sinusoidal curve)
linear (Linear function across unit interval)
solarize (Scales given value if threshold is exceeded)
Noise Functions
cellnoise (Coherent blocky noise)
checker (Periodic checker squares)
value.cubicspline (Polynomial smoothed pseudo-random values)
value.convolution (Convolution filtered pseudo-random values))
sparse.convolution (Convolution filtered pseudo-random feature points)
gradient (Directionally weighted polynomially interpolated values)
simplex (Simplex weighted pseudo-random values)
voronoi (Distance weighted pseudo-random feature points)
distorted (Domain distorted combinational noise)
Fractal Functions
mono (Additive fractal with global simularity across scales)
multi (Multiplicative fractal with varying simularity across scales)
multi.hybrid (A hybrid additive and multiplicative fractal)
multi.hetero (Heterogenous multiplicative fractal)
multi.ridged (Multiplicative fractal with sharp ridges)
turbulence (Additive mono-fractal with sharp ridges)
Possible values:

'distance.euclidean'
'distance.euclidean.squared'
'distance.manhattan'
'distance.manhattan.radial'
'distance.chebychev'
'distance.minkovsky'
'filter.bessel'
'filter.box'
'filter.catmullrom'
'filter.disk'
'filter.gaussian'
'filter.lanczossinc'
'filter.mitchell'
'filter.sinc'
'filter.triangle'
'transfer.step'
'transfer.smoothstep'
'transfer.bias'
'transfer.cubic'
'transfer.saw'
'transfer.quintic'
'transfer.gain'
'transfer.pulse'
'transfer.smoothpulse'
'transfer.sine'
'transfer.linear'
'transfer.solarize'
'noise.cell'
'noise.checker'
'noise.distorted'
'noise.gradient'
'noise.simplex'
'noise.voronoi'
'noise.value.cubicspline'
'noise.value.convolution'
'noise.sparse.convolution'
'fractal.mono'
'fractal.hetero'
'fractal.multi'
'fractal.multi.hybrid'
'fractal.multi.ridged'
'fractal.turbulence'

classname [symbol]

The name of the basis function class (eg cellnoise) (default = none)

offset [32 floats]

The dimensional offsets to use for generating the spatial grid coordinates (only valid when an input matrix is not attached). (default = 0)

origin [32 floats]

The dimensional origin to use for generating the spatial grid coordinates (only valid when an input matrix is not attached). (default = 0)

precision [symbol]

Internal precision for to use for evaluation, independent of matrix datatype. (default = float32) Possible values:

'float32'
'float64'
'fixed'
'float'
'double'

rotation [32 floats]

The rotation angles to use for generating the spatial grid coordinates (only valid when an input matrix is not attached). (default = 0)

scale [32 floats]

The dimensional scale factors to use for generating the spatial grid coordinates (only valid when an input matrix is not attached). (default = 0)

seed [int]

The seed value to use for initializing the pseudo-random number generator for alignment. The same seed will result in the same output (default = -1138).

weight [32 floats]

The weight factors for scaling the output values. (default = 1)

Common Box Attributes

annotation [symbol]

Sets the text that will be displayed in the Clue window when the user moves the mouse over the object.

background [int] (default: 0)

Adds or removes the object from the patcher's background layer. background 1 adds the object to the background layer, background 0 removes it. Objects in the background layer are shown behind all objects in the default foreground layer.

color [4 floats]

Sets the color for the object box outline.

fontface [int]

Sets the type style used by the object. The options are:

plain
bold
italic
bold italic Possible values:

0 = 'regular'
1 = 'bold'
2 = 'italic'
3 = 'bold italic'

fontname [symbol]

Sets the object's font.

fontsize [float]

Sets the object's font size (in points). Possible values:

'8'
'9'
'10'
'11'
'12'
'13'
'14'
'16'
'18'
'20'
'24'
'30'
'36'
'48'
'64'
'72'

hidden [int] (default: 0)

Toggles whether an object is hidden when the patcher is locked.

hint [symbol]

Sets the text that will be displayed in as a pop-up hint when the user moves the mouse over the object in a locked patcher.

ignoreclick [int] (default: 0)

Toggles whether an object ignores mouse clicks in a locked patcher.

jspainterfile [symbol]

JS Painter File

patching_rect [4 floats] (default: 0. 0. 100. 0.)

Sets the position and size of the object in the patcher window.

position [2 floats]

g/s(set)

Sets the object's x and y position in both patching and presentation modes (if the object belongs to its patcher's presentation), leaving its size unchanged.

presentation [int] (default: 0)

Sets whether an object belongs to the patcher's presentation.

presentation_rect [4 floats] (default: 0. 0. 0. 0.)

Sets the x and y position and width and height of the object in the patcher's presentation, leaving its patching position unchanged.

rect [4 floats]

g/s(set)

Sets the x and y position and width and height of the object in both patching and presentation modes (if the object belongs to its patcher's presentation).

size [2 floats]

g/s(set)

Sets the object's width and height in both patching and presentation modes (if the object belongs to its patcher's presentation), leaving its position unchanged.

textcolor [4 floats]

Sets the color for the object's text in RGBA format.

textjustification [int]

Sets the justification for the object's text. Possible values:

0 = 'left'
1 = 'center'
2 = 'right'

varname [symbol]

Sets the patcher's scripting name, which can be used to address the object by name in pattr, scripting messages to thispatcher, and the js object.

Messages

setattr

The word setattr, followed by the name of an attribute and value or list of values, forwards attribute messages on to internal objects (e.g. setattr basis abs 0 would set the basis function object's abs attribute to zero.

See Also

Name Description
Working with Video in Jitter Working with Video in Jitter
jit.gencoord Evaluate a procedural basis function graph
jit.matrix The Jitter Matrix!
jit.normalize Normalizes a matrix.
Tutorial 50: Procedural Texturing & Modeling Tutorial 50: Procedural Texturing & Modeling