What exactly are the FILTERS in Fractal Explorer

[fractalatha]

When one hits the menu Item "Color control" in Fractal Explorer,
they are directed to window that contains the Color Mapping Mode
which has 5 possibilities:

Red Channel,
Green Channel,
Blue Channel,
RGB Average,
RGB Mapping

The program says that

"This value is meaningful only for filtered fractals."

What are "filtered fractals"? By "filters" the program does not mean
post-precessing filters. Any example of any filters used in some
formula code anywhere? For example, when one uses
"Stacks-1 (I)" in Filter properties, then the Color Mapping Mode is activated.
However, it is not activated when one uses "Abs(XXX)" in Filter properties.
So, the Abs(XXX) choice does not contain a filter, but the "Stacks-1 (I)"
does. What are these filters that may be used here?
I hope that I am not just "a voice crying out in the desert".
Thanks!

fractalatha

[lenord]

there is 2 different Color gradient choices in FE. One is Palette type (color palette Tab) and then 11 different palette type filters. The other Is the Gradient (UF colors) Tab, that tab is where you have color mapping available, it doesn't depend on any filters in the Fractal selection or transforms area, it's the Tabs on the palette editor.

[fractalatha]

lenord, I know the color control functions. Here is my problem.
When I load a file that uses "Stalks-1 (I)", e.g., I can view the different
channels in Color Mapping Mode. However, when I load a file that uses
Abs(XXX), I cannot. Why is that happening? How was the "Stalks-1 (I)"
file saved so that one can view the channels?
Thank you again!

fractalatha
I

[lenord]

Guess I'd have to see the spot file you are using to see what's going on, I can't reproduce the problem. I can select any filter on any formula and have access to all Palette gradient adjustments. Granted it's been a very long time since I even opened FE but I do remember there are a lot of wacked user formulas out there that did strange stuff, I don't know, like I said I'd have to see the file.

[fractalatha]

Lenord,

Here is such a fractal. I cannot see the channels in the Color Mapping Mode
because it is using the filter "Abs(X*X*X)".

http://gratis.fractalfairy.com/spots.php?position=1615

But I can see them when I save the same fractal with filter "Stalks-1 (I)", e.g.
Why is that?

Thanks!

fractalatha