MFM Usage Tips

Basics

Some keyboard controls:

1. 'h' to show/hide help menu (list of all keyboard controls)
2. 'i' to show/hide info panel (population counts, timer, some controls)
3. 't' to show/hide toolbox (create/destroy objects, edit settings)
4. SPACEBAR to start/stop simulation
5. Arrow keys - pan view of MFM grid

Saved state feature

From Professor Ackley:

   "When you click 'Save State', it writes out a file in a temporary directory.  You can find the name of 
    that file by looking at the console output or typing 'l' in the interface.  It's usually some kind of 
    name like
                 /tmp/NUMBERS/save/10.mfs
    Because /tmp is temporary, if you get a save file you like, you should probably copy it off someplace    
    else.  To restart from a saved position, you need to mention its path name in a -cp argument on the
    command line.  Like if you ran:
                 mfms -cp file1.mfs -cp /path/file2.mfs
    
    then it will try to load file1.mfs on startup, and if you then hit 'Reload', it'll alternately load
    /path/file2.mfs and file1.mfs each time you click it.

These are questions and comments on how to use / usability of the mfms GUI tool.

• Q: Is there a way to change the brush radius? I see a 2 next to the nuke icon, but I don't know how to change it.
  • A: Use the scroll wheel, with the mouse positioned over grey background in the toolbox
• Q: Is there a way to start back at 0 kAEPS? I cleared the grid, but I would like to reset the timer. I clicked Reload, but it doesn't seem to do anything…
  • A: At present (29-Aug-2014 02:44:17AM-0600) the only way to reset the timers is to restart. There's a lot of distributed internal counters and stats behind the main AEPS display so resetting it properly is a little more involved than might appear.
• Q: I would like to be able to change the variables of an Atom after right clicking, but it seems like the variables only appear on a left click, which changes the bindings.
  • A: Good point! Have to look into that!
• Q: Having the toolbox be a separate window would be nice so I could see the grid and the toolbox at the same time.
  • A: mfms is a 'one window' app by pretty deep design, so that would be a major change. But you can get much of the effect by using the scroll wheel over the grid to shrink it a bit, and/or use the arrows or Ctrl-Left-Drag to move the grid, so that the toolbox doesn't cover it up.