Using Image Tools

The Tools button is available in the Well, Drop, and Compare menus to help you manipulate images using available options. Once you click the Tools button, its panel appears on the right side of your window.

Tools Panel

Image Tools

Tools	Icon	Description
Pointer		Lets you change the cursor to the pointer while using Tools, allowing you to point the image more comfortably.
ROI		Allows you to define a region of interest in the image. To do so, click the ROI button and click anywhere in the image, then drag the mouse over an area.
Annotation		Allows you to add notes to your images.
Scribble		Lets you scribble on your images.
Ruler		Allows you to measure crystals in your images.
POI		Allows you to mark any point within a drop to get its coordinates.

Drawing Regions of Interest

To draw a region of interest:

1. Click the ROI button in the Image Tools field in the Tools panel.

   

   ROI Button

2. Go to your image. Click anywhere in the image and drag your mouse over a desired area.

   

   Using ROI Button

Adding Annotations

To add an annotation:

1. Click the Annotation button in the Image Tools field in the Tools panel.

   

   Annotation Button

2. Go to your image. Your mouse cursor will change to a + icon. Click a point in your image to open the Enter Text dialog box.

   

   Enter Text Dialog Box

3. Write a note in the box. Then, click YES, PROCEED, and the note appears on your image.

   

   Adding an Annotation

   Note

   You can modify your text format (type, size, style) using the options in the Annotate field in the Tool Options section.

   

   Annotate Field

Using Scribble

To create a free-form drawing with Scribble:

1. Click the Scribble button in the Image Tools field in the Tools panel.

   

   Scribble Button

2. Hold down the left mouse button to scribble on the image.

3. Release the mouse button when finished.

   

   Using Scribble

Measuring Crystals with Ruler

To measure crystals with Ruler:

1. Click the Ruler button in the Image Tools field in the Tools panel.

   

   Ruler Button

2. Click a desired starting point from the crystal you want to measure and drag your mouse until you reach the desired endpoint.

3. The measurement of the crystal appears at the end of the ruler.

   

   Measuring a Crystal

Marking a Point with Point of Interest (POI)

To mark a point with POI:

1. Click the POI button in the Image Tools field in the Tools panel.

   

   POI Button

2. Mark a point by clicking on any point within the drop.

   

   Marking a Point

Disable Imaging Section

Disable Imaging Section

In this section, you can disable or enable the imaging of:

• The experiment by clicking the Imaging Experiment radio button.

• The selected drop by clicking the Imaging Drop radio button.

Tool Options Section

Tool Options Section

In this section, you can:

• Modify your text format (font, size, style) using the options in the Annotate field.

• Change the color of Scribble and Ruler using Color Picker. By default, Color Picker displays light blue color.

• Delete the selected image tool by clicking the Delete button .

• Lock or unlock ROI and POI by clicking the Lock radio button.

• Initiate an on-demand imaging session for an ROI by clicking the Imaging ROI button .

• Disable ROI imaging by clicking the Disable ROI radio button.

• Hide or unhide the scale bar in the image by clicking the Hide Scale Bar radio button.

• Hide or unhide annotations in the image by clicking the Hide Annotations radio button.

Image Tuning Histogram

You can use Image Tuning to adjust your image brightness and contrast level. This feature is important for UV and SONICC images. You can adjust the level on a per-plate or per-drop basis, depending on whether you view the entire plate from the Image submenu in the Canvas menu or a single drop from the Drop or Compare menu.

Before Image Tuning

After Image Tuning

Image tuning settings can be defined at three levels in ROCK MAKER: global, plate, and drop.

To access Image Tuning

1. Open an imaged experiment.

2. Go to the Well, Drop, or Compare menu. Then, click Tools and locate the Image Tuning section at the bottom of the panel.

   

   Image Tuning Section

In the Image Tuning section, you can adjust the settings if necessary.

• Click on the Show Override checkbox to view images in a tuned mode; otherwise, you view the original image.

  

  Show Override Checkbox

• To level the image, select one of the options.

  OPTION 1: Drag the blue buttons along the line until you find the best result.

  

  Leveling in Image Tuning

  OPTION 2: Define the minimum value in the left box and the maximum value in the right box. The value ranges from 0 to 255.

  

  Boxes to Define Image Level

• Click the AUTO button to let the software automatically level the image.

  Important

  If you click the AUTO button, other features in the Image Tuning histogram will be disabled.

  

  AUTO Button

• Click the RESET button to reset all changes made.

  

  RESET Button

Related Topics:

• Using Navigator Button

• Marking Drops as Interesting

• Viewing Focus Level Images Using Focus Level Button

• Scoring Images

• Saving Images