Project Fractal 5.22.2017 Update – Features Three New Option Generation Methods

From the Project Fractal website.

5.22.2017

Update parallel coordinates display to be faster.

3 new methods of option generation added in addition to the existing Cross Product method: Random, Like This, and Combine Favorites.

Fractal Design Option Generation Methods

Cross Product (default)

1. Generate divides the input slider range (set by the max and min on publish from Dynamo) by the set number of variations
2. Generate creates all possible combinations of inputs with the  “vary” checkbox selected, using non-varying inputs as constants.
3. Calculated stop values are rounded down to the closest, smaller step value
4. The maximum slider value will always be used for a stop, regardless of if it is a valid step value
5. The calculated number of designs indicates the number of designs that can be created. This number does NOT account for existing designs.

Random

1. "Generate" uses a random value for each input slider within the min/max/step as published from Dynamo Studio
2. Boolean Inputs: 50/50 random selection of true or false value
3. Only inputs that have the “vary” checkbox selected are varied
4. Up to 10 designs can be created per "Generate" 
5. Will not duplicate existing designs

Like This

1. The number of inputs with the vary checkbox checked is multiplied by 0.3 and rounded down to an integer with a minimum of 1. The resulting value is the number of inputs that will be varied from their original values.
2. Using the number of inputs calculated above,  input values are randomly selected from the set of inputs that are available. 
3. Inputs are varied by +/-20%. If the initial value is close to either the min or max end the window is truncated so that the final value is within the min/max range. For example, if the min value is zero, and the current value is zero, then the value will be varied by +0% to +20%.
4. For boolean inputs, the value of the input is negated to be the opposite of the current value.
5. Up to10 designs can be created per "Generate" (duplicate designs will not be repeated)

Combine Favorites

1. 2 designs are randomly chosen from favorites
2. Values will be swapped from one to the other and then saved as a new combined design 
3. The number of inputs with the vary checkbox checked is multiplied by 0.3 and rounded down to an integer (minimum 1). The resulting value is the number of inputs that will be swapped between the 2 chosen designs.
4. Using the number calculated above,  inputs are randomly selected from the set of inputs that are available for swapping.
5. For each input that is selected the value are swapped between the 2 chosen designs.
6. Up to 10 designs can be created per "Generate" (duplicate designs will not be repeated)

There's more information available on the Project Fractal website.