NAME

       lsys - builds an L-system fractal from multiple rules

SYNOPSIS

       lsys -help
         or
       lsys   [-width  integer]  [-height integer] [-border inte-
              ger] [-depth integer]  [-a0  double]  [-da  double]
              [-ds  double] [-unoise double] [-rule ... ] [-axiom
              string] [-inv] [-mag integer] [-term string]

DESCRIPTION

       An L-system is computed according to the specified  axiom,
       rules,  and step angle.  The L-system axiom is recursively
       expanded for the specified depth, with 'F', 'G',  and  '|'
       actions  resulting in movement of the virtual plotter, and
       '+' and '-' commands resulting in rotation of the  virtual
       plotter.   See  the  RULES  section of the manual page for
       more information on the format for legal rules.

OPTIONS

       -width integer
              Width of the plot in pixels.

       -height integer
              Height of the plot in pixels.

       -border integer
              Approximate number of border pixels.

       -depth integer
              Recursion depth to use.

       -a0 double
              Initial angle.

       -da double
              Delta angle for '+' and '-' commands.

       -ds double
              Delta step size.  Only  affects  '|'  commands  and
              should be less than 1.

       -unoise double
              Amount of uniform noise to add to step angle.

       -rule ...
              Specify  a  production  rule.  See RULES section of
              manual page.

       -axiom string
              Starting axiom.

       -inv   Invert all colors?

       -mag integer
              Magnification factor.

       -term string
              How to plot points.

RULES

       The L-system rules should always  take  the  form  "x=..."
       where  "x"  is  a  letter  and  the remaining portion is a
       sequence of turtle graphics  commands,  which  operate  as
       described below.

       'F'  is  the draw forward command, which moves the plotter
       forward by a fixed length, drawing a  line  from  the  old
       position to the new position.

       'G'  (Go  Forward)  is  similar to 'F', but only moves the
       plotter and does not draw a line.

       '+' and '-' turn the plotter to the right (or left)  by  a
       fixed  angle  determined by the -da switch.  If an integer
       precedes the '+' or '-' symbol, then  the  plotter  effec-
       tively makes that number of right-hand turns.

       '['  saves  the  current position and angle of the plotter
       for later use, which is restored by the ']' command.

       '|' move the turtle forward by a length computed from  the
       execution  depth,  drawing a line from the old position to
       the new.  Thus, this command is similar to 'F' but  it  is
       not  recursively expanded.  If DS is the value supplied by
       the -ds switch, then the step size will be proportional to
       DS^depth.   This allows for certain types of figures to be
       drawn that would otherwise be difficult to express without
       this command.

EXAMPLES

       A weed:
              lsys -da 20 -rule "F=|[-F]|[+F][-F]F"

       Kock curve:
              lsys -da 60 -rule F=F-F++F-F

       Penrose Snowflake:
              lsys    -da    18    -axiom   F4-F4-F4-F4-F   -rule
              F=F4-F4-F10-F++F4-F

       Sierpinski Arrowhead:
              lsys -da 60 -rule  "F=[-G+++F][-G+F][GG--F]"  -rule
              G=GG

       See  the  author's  book,  "The  Computational  Beauty  of
       Nature," for more examples.

MISCELLANY

       If you are using a UNIX command shell, be  sure  to  quote
       any  rules  with brackets so that the shell passes them to
       the program correctly.

BUGS

       No sanity checks are performed to make sure  that  any  of
       the options make sense.

       The  border  size is only approximately calculated because
       the author felt a bit lazy at the  time  of  writing  this
       program.  However, it's pretty close for most values.

AUTHOR

       Copyright (c) 1997, Gary William Flake.

       Permission  granted  for any use according to the standard
       GNU ``copyleft'' agreement provided that the author's com-
       ments  are  neither  modified nor removed.  No warranty is
       given or implied.