Copyright 1996-2005 Seraline Pty. Ltd., Sydney, Australia All Rights Reserved.
What is Seractal
Screensaver
Settings
License
Customer Support & FAQ
Web Site & Other Screensavers
Uninstall
Disclaimer
Seractal Screensaver is a Windows screensaver which uses the beauty of fractals to create full-screen designs while your computer is not being used.
Seractal saves each fractal to disk after it is created, building up its own library of images. These are redrawn with new colors dirung the time taken to create a new one. Redrawn fractals are drawn from the outside-in, and new ones are drawn from the inside-out. It is recommended to let Seractal run for a while to build up its initial library so that there is more variety in the images, especially on slower computers.
General
The settings screens have some sliders which you may use to control what Seractal does.
| Delay between images | The minimum amount of time to wait after drawing one fractal before creating the next. The default is 20 seconds. It may take longer depending on the complexity of the next fractal. To reduce battery usage for notebooks, it is recommended that the maximum wait of 10 minutes be used. Seractal will still display previously saved fractals every minute, but the CPU-intensive calculation of new fractals occurs less often. Naturally, this way it will take longer to build up a library of saved images, but battery usage will be saved. |
| Maximum time to draw fractal | Depending on the speed of your computer and the complexity of the fractal, it can take some minutes to completely finish drawing the fractal. If the maximum time is reached, the fractal created so far is drawn, and a new one is started. |
| Include slower fractals | Some fractals take longer to draw than others. Turn this option off if you prefer to just draw the faster ones. |
| Blank screen after specified period | If you are using automatic power-down, or perhaps overnight disk utilities such as back-up, then you may want the screensaver to cease disk activity after a while. |
| Always overwrite the previous fractal while creating the new one | Depending on the speed of your computer, and the complexity of the fractal, each image can take several minutes to create. During this time, every 30 seconds, Seractal redraws one of the fractals it has previously saved, using new colors. If you turn on the checkbox, then each new fractal will be drawn as it is being created, overwriting the previous fractal. (This is also how Seractal V3 operated, so if you have updated and prefer the old style, turn this option on). |
| Show progress status bar | A black line is drawn along the bottom of the screen to show how much of the next fractal has been created. Shortly after the line has reached the right-hand side, the new fractal will be drawn. |
Saving images
| Save each fractal to disk |
If this option is selected, then Seractal will save a copy of each new fractal to disk. (Only new fractals are saved, not one whose colors have been changed while waiting for the next fractal). Images are saved in JPEG format, with file names Seractal00000.jpg, Seractal00001.jpg, and so on up to the maximum number specified. When the maximum number is reached the numbering starts again from zero, overwriting older images. You can delete images from the disk at any time. Images are not saved when running in animation mode. Each saved file can be around 1 megabyte in size, so make sure you have enough free disk space to save them all. |
| Folder to use | By default, Seractal saves each image in the folder it was installed in. Use the Browse button to select a different folder. |
| Number of recent fractals to keep |
Set the maximum number of fractals you wish to keep. Note that each fractal file can be up to a megabyte or so in size, so make sure you have enough disk space to store them all. The next time Seractal starts running, the first fractal shown will be selected at random from the images saved so far. |
Animation
When running in 256 color mode, Seractal animates the color, giving a sliding, hypnotic effect. Use the checkbox to turn the animation on or off. The "How Quickly" slider controls how quickly the colors are animated. If your computer's display is set to High Color or True color mode (16 or 24-bit color), then normally color animation is not possible, as those modes do not support it. However, if you have the Microsoft DirectX drivers installed on your machine, then Seractal can use them to temporarily shift your machine to 256 color mode, and back again at the end of the run. If you don't want this to happen, or you experience problems using it, then turn animation off by clicking the checkbox off.
If you do not have DirectX installed, then your can download the DirectX End User Software from the Microsoft DirectX web site. The download is about 5.5 Meg.
Animation using DirectX is not available under Windows NT for Seractal.
Colors
Adjust the sliders to increase the frequency of use of your favorite colors.
Seractal Screensaver is NOT a public domain program. It is copyrighted by Seraline Pty Ltd. This software and accompanying documentation are protected by Australian copyright law and also by international treaty provisions.
The registration fee will license Seractal Screensaver for use on any computers in your home, and on one computer at work on which you are the main user.
You may not use, copy, rent, lease, sell, modify, decompile, disassemble, otherwise reverse engineer, or transfer the licensed program except as provided in this agreement. Any such unauthorized use shall result in immediate and automatic termination of this license.
You may not provide the software to any other user, nor may you upload the registered version to any online service, such as a bulletin board or internet ftp site or web site.
Seraline Pty Ltd may revoke any permissions granted here, by notifying you in writing. All rights not expressly granted here are reserved to Seraline Pty Ltd.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions are available on-line from http://www.seraline.com/faq.htm. Please consult this page before emailing for support.
Seraline provides its registered users with free support via email. If you have a question, please send an email message to support@seraline.com.
Other screensavers are available on Seraline's WWW Home Page:
3aline Screensaver - Dynamic 3D shapes move and hover around your screen, creating colorful images.
Dynamania Screensaver - draws dynamic animated 3D shapes that spin and tumble around your screen.
Seraline Screensaver - displays an endless variety of colorful abstract-art-like images.
Adrift Screensaver - draws floating lines across the screen, creating beautiful patterns.
Photo Mishmash Screensaver - stretches, squeezes and swirls your own photographs.
Serandom Screensaver - a screensaver manager, or randomizer, which allows you to specify how often and how long each of your selected screensavers should run.
Redecorator Fractal Wallpaper Manager - Redecorator can change your desktop wallpaper as often as you like, as well as create seamless tiles and beautiful fractals.
If you used a full Seractal Setup procedure to install, then you will be able to uninstall Seractal by using Control Panel / Add/Remove Programs.
Otherwise, delete the file Seractal4.scr from your Windows\System folder. You can find the file using Windows Explorer.
SERACTAL SCREENSAVER IS SOLD "AS IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OR MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. BECAUSE OF THE VARIOUS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ENVIRONMENTS INTO WHICH THIS PROGRAM MAY BE PUT, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED. IN NO EVENT SHALL SERALINE P/L OR ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CREATION, PRODUCTION OR DELIVERY OF THIS SOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE SERACTAL SCREENSAVER. IN NO EVENT SHALL SERALINE P/L'S LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES EVER EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR THE LICENSE TO USE THE SOFTWARE, REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF CLAIM. THE PERSON USING THE SOFTWARE BEARS ALL RISKS AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NSW, AUSTRALIA, AND ANY ACTION BY EITHER PARTY SHALL BE BROUGHT ONLY IN A COURT LOCATED IN NSW, AUSTRALIA.