Copyright: © Media Cybernetics L.P.


Help Contents
Contents

Section 1 - Imaging Discussion

Section 2- Tool and Command Reference

The File Menu

The Edit Menu

The Acquire Menu

The Process Menu

The Measure Menu

The Macro Menu

The Window Menu

The Help Menu

Keys Used By Image-Pro

License


Section 1 - Imaging Discussion

What is Image Processing?

Image Digitization

Pixel Depth

Image Class

Color Models

Enhancing Your Image

Modifying the Intensity Index

Spatial Filtering

Frequency Filtering

Intensity Analysis

Measuring and Counting

Customizing the Command Menus and Buttons


Section 2- Tool and Command Reference

Image-Pro Tools

The Image Window

Managing Open Image Windows

Image-Pro Dialog Boxes

Common Dialog Boxes

Data Exchange


The File Menu

New

Open

Image Database

Reload

Close

Save

Save As

Archive

Convert

Send Mail

Remote File Transfer

Remote Conference

Screen Capture

Print Screen

Print

Test Strips

Exit


The Edit Menu

Undo

Cut

Copy

Paste

Paste New

Paste Options

AOI

Annotate

Fill

Convert To

Duplicate/Crop

Rotate

Resize

Info

Palette

Preferences


The Acquire Menu

Video/Digital

Using a Digital Camera

Video Print

Scan

Select Scanner

Sequencer Files

Sequencer Tools


The Process Menu

Display Range

Contrast Enhancement

Equalize

Invert Contrast

Reset Contrast

Apply Contrast

Invert Image

Background Correction

Threshold

FFT

Filters

Operations

Color Channel

Color Segmentation

Pseudo-Color

Registration

Image Overlay


The Measure Menu

Calibration

Count/Size

Measurements

Manual Tag

Histogram

Line Profile

Bitmap Analysis

Report


The Macro Menu

Macro

Record Macro/Stop Recording

Edit Macro

Output Window

Insert


The Window Menu

Tile Images

Cascade Images

Overlap Images

Next Image

Prev. Image

Hide/Show Tools

Close All


The Help Menu

Index

Books Online

Image-Pro Plus

Macro Language

Using Online Help

About Image-Pro Plus


Keys Used By Image-Pro

Types of Keys

Image-Pro Keys

Cursor Movement Keys

Dialog Box Keys

Help Keys

Menu Keys

System Keys

Window Keys


License

License Agreement


What is Image Processing?

An image is a visual representation of an object or group of objects.  Image processing manipulates information within an image to make it more useful. Digital image processing is a specific type of image processing performed with a computer.

You are probably most familiar with photographic images; however, photographic images do not lend themselves to computer analysis because computers work with numerical rather than pictorial information.  In order to process an image with a computer, the image must be converted into numeric form.  This process is known as image digitization.


Image Digitization

The digitization process divides an image into a horizontal grid, or array, of very small regions called "picture elements," or "pixels."  In the computer the image is represented by this digital grid, or bitmap.  Each pixel in the bitmap is identified by its position in the grid, as referenced by its row (x) and column (y) number.  By convention, pixels are referenced from the upper-left position of the bitmap, which is considered position 0,0 (row 0, column 0).

pixel bitmap

Note - for illustrative purposes, the pixels in the drawing above are shown much larger than their actual size.  A pixel usually represents a very small region within an image, often 1/300th of an inch square, or less.

When a source image, such as a photograph, is digitized, it is examined in grid fashion.  That is, each pixel in the image is individually sampled, and its brightness is measured and quantified.  This measurement results in a value for the pixel, usually an integer, which represents the brightness or darkness of the image at that point.  This value is stored in the corresponding pixel of the computer's image bitmap.

When the image is digitized, the width and height of the array are chosen and fixed.  Together, the bitmap's pixel width and height are known as its spatial resolution.


Pixel Depth

Depending upon the capability of the measuring hardware and the complexity of the image, anywhere from 1 to 32 bits might be used to store each pixel value.

Pixel values for line art images, which contain only black and white information, can be easily represented by a single bit: 0=black, 1=white.  However, a photographic-like image contains much more information...it takes 24 bits to represent all the possible colors that might occur in a true color image.  Given 24 bits, over 16 million colors, far more than the human eye can differentiate, can be represented.

an example of a simple line drawing that can easily be
 represented with a single bit per pixel

The number of bits used to represent the pixel values in an image is referred to as its pixel depth, or bits-per-pixel (BPP).  The number of bits per pixel used to represent each pixel value determines the image's class.


Image Class

While the bit depth (BPP) tells us how many unique colors an image can possess, it does not tell us what colors are actually contained within the image.  Color interpretation is determined by bit depth and one of several conventions, which Image-Pro refers to as image class.  The following classes are supported by Image-Pro:

•	Bilevel

•	Gray Scale

•	Gray Scale 12

•	Gray Scale 16

•	Floating Point

•	RGB

•	Palette

Each class is discussed below.

Note - Although Image-Pro supports all the classes listed above, not every operation can be used with every class.  For example, FFT operations cannot be performed on a True Color image, and a filtering function cannot be performed on a Bilevel image.  The Command Reference in Section 2 of this manual documents such class considerations for each Image-Pro command.  Commands that are not supported for a given image class are ghosted (dim) in the menu.

More:

Bilevel

Gray Scale

RGB

Palette


Bilevel

A Bilevel image stores image data with 1 bit-per-pixel (1 BPP).  Each pixel is interpreted as either completely black (0) or completely white (1).  Bilevel images are commonly referred to as either "Black and White" images, "Line Art" or "Halftones."

Internally, Image-Pro makes frequent use of Bilevel images.  In order to print a color or gray scale image to a black and white device (such as a laser printer), Image-Pro must first convert the image to bilevel form.  The conversion is done using "halftoning" techniques, which simulate gray tones with patterns of very small black dots.


Gray Scale

Gray Scale pixel values represent a level of grayness or brightness, ranging from completely black to completely white.  This class is sometimes referred to as "monochrome."  In an 8-bit Gray Scale image, a pixel with a value of 0 is completely black, and a pixel with a value of 255 is completely white.  A value of 127 represents a gray color exactly halfway between black and white (medium-gray), and a pixel value of 64 has a gray color halfway between medium-gray and black.

256 shades of gray

Although Gray Scale images with bit depths of 2, 4, 6, 12, 16 and 32 exist, 8 BPP Gray Scale images are the most common.  This is for two reasons:  1)  its 1-byte-per-pixel size makes it easy to manipulate with a computer, and  2)  it can faithfully represent any gray scale image because it provides 256 distinct levels of gray (the human eye can distinguish less than 200 gray levels).

Image-Pro supports the following gray scale bit depths:

NAME	BPP	DESCRIPTION
Gray Scale	8	The most common gray scale format in use.  Used by most popular monochrome image formats (e.g., TIFF, PCX). Intensity values are represented with 8-bit integers.  Provides 256 (0 - 255) levels of gray.
Gray Scale 12	12	A gray scale format generated  by many specialized imaging systems.   Intensity values are represented with 12-bit integers.  Provides 4096 (0 - 4095) levels of gray.
Gray Scale 16	16	A gray scale format generated  by many specialized imaging systems.   Intensity values are represented with 16-bit integers.  Provides 65,536 (0 - 65,535) levels of gray.
NAME	BPP	DESCRIPTION
Floating Point	32	A gray scale format that is not native to any device or image format, but is useful for certain arithmetic and filtering operations.   Intensity values are represented with 32-bit floating point values.  Provides a virtually unlimited number of gray levels.
The Gray Scale 12, Gray Scale 16, and Floating Point classes are used for specialized operations and applications.  Gray Scale 12 and Gray Scale 16 images are often generated by specialized imaging equipment such as infrared cameras and medical imaging devices.

A Floating Point image is not native to any application or device.  Unlike all other image classes, a Floating Point image does not have a fixed intensity range.  The lowest value in the image is displayed as black, and the highest value in the image as white.

A Floating Point image is created within Image-Pro using its Convert To command.  The advantage of a Floating Point image is that data are not lost to truncation or clipping when arithmetic and filtering operations are performed upon it ("clipping" refers to the loss of data that occurs when a pixel value falls outside a fixed intensity scale.  An example is a negative value that is generated during a filtering or subtractive operation -- in a fixed-point image, these negative values get "clipped" to 0).  This characteristic makes it especially valuable for image restoration applications.

Note - If you plan to use Floating Point images routinely, we recommend that your workstation be equipped with a math co-processor.  Because of their large size and complexity, operations involving Floating Point images are very processor -demanding.  You may not be satisfied with their performance on a system without a math co-processor.

Although Image-Pro supports Gray Scale 12 and Floating Point images for analysis purposes, there are no popular file formats that support either of these image classes (Gray Scale 16 images can be written as TIFF files).  If you want to store a Gray Scale 12 or Floating Point  image, it can be saved in Image-Pro's "flat" file format.  If you have a program that accepts 12-bit or floating point image data, you can tailor the format of this file to suit your needs.  See Appendix B, File Format Specifications, for more information about using flat file format.


RGB

The RGB image class, referred to as True Color in Image-Pro, uses the most straightforward way of representing color images.  RGB stands for "Red, Green and Blue," the three primary colors of light.  From the development of color photography and color television we have learned that any color can be represented as a mixture of varying levels of pure red, green and blue light.

In a True Color bitmap, each pixel contains a 24-bit value, called an RGB "triple" or "chunk."  This RGB-triple is made up of three separate 8-bit samples.  Each sample represents the level of brightness of its respective color channel: Red, Green or Blue.  These brightness values represent levels within a 256-level scale, just as they do in a Gray Scale image.  The first sample is a level of Red, ranging from 0 (black) to 255 (brightest red).  The second sample is interpreted as a level of green, and the third sample is the level of blue.  Equal levels of Red, Green and Blue always generate a level of gray.


Section 1 - Imaging Discussion - Image Class - Palette
Palette

The Palette image class uses 8 bits-per-pixel to store color information.  Palette format is a convenient and efficient way to store images that have fewer than 256 colors.  It requires far less storage space than encoding an image in True Color (RGB-triple) form.

Unlike all other image classes, the pixel value in a Palette image does not represent a brightness value.  Instead, the value within the pixel is an index (pointer) to an entry in the image's "palette."  The palette, which is stored with the image, is a 256-entry table of RGB values.  Each entry in the table contains the 24-bit RGB value for that particular index.  In a Palette image, you could change the color of all pixels with a certain value, say 10, by simply redefining the contents of entry 10 in the palette.

It is important to understand that the values in a Palette image have no significance in terms of intensity; i.e., you cannot assume that a pixel value of 0 means black, a value of 255 means white, or that low values are dark and high values are bright.  Because of this, Palette images should not be used for intensity-driven calculations, such as filtering, or intensity analysis operations such as histogram and line analysis.  If you want to perform such operations on a Palette image, you should first convert it to a continuous-tone image class such as True Color or Gray Scale.


Color Models

Although Image-Pro internally maintains a color image in "RGB-chunky" form, it can express a color's value in terms of other color models.  A color model is simply a standard way to represent color in mathematic terms.  Most color models use a 3D-coordinate system.  Each point within the system's subspace represents a unique color.  The RGB color model, for example, can be visualized as a cube where Red is the X-axis, Blue is the Y-axis and Green is the Z-axis.  Each one of the 16.8 million colors is described by a unique point within this cube.

There are many color models in use today: the RGB (Red, Green, Blue), HSI (Hue, Saturation, Intensity) and HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) models are most frequently used in digital image processing.  The CMY (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow) model is a standard used to describe color in the color printing industry, and YIQ (Y-axis, In-phase, Quadrature) is used in broadcast television.  Image-Pro lets you analyze and modify your image using any of these models.

The RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color model is an especially important one in digital image processing because it is used by most digital imaging devices (e.g., monitors and color cameras).  In the RGB model, a color is expressed in terms that define the amounts of Red, Green and Blue light it contains.  In a 24-bit, color image, pure red would be represented as 255/000/000, where 255 represents the highest level of red light possible, untainted by any green (000) or blue (000) light.  Various combinations of the Red, Green and Blue values allow us to define 224 (over 16 million) colors.

The HSI (Hue, Saturation, Intensity) color model describes a color in terms of how it is perceived by the human eye.  "Hue" is what an artist refers to as "pigment"; it is what we think of as "color" -- yellow, orange, cyan and magenta are examples of different hues.  An artist usually starts with a highly saturated (i.e., pure), and intense (i.e., bright) pigment, and then adds some white to reduce its saturation and some black to reduce its intensity.  Red and Pink are two different "saturations" of the same hue, Red.

Green: 120 Yellow: 60 Cyan: 180 [image] Red: 0 Blue: 240 Magenta: 300 Hue Hexagon	In the HSI model, a hue is specified by its position on a "color hexagon" as measured by its distance, in degrees, from the red axis (e.g., a Hue value of 120 would indicate Green, which is 120o from Red).  A color's Saturation and Intensity components are identified using additional coordinates in 3D space (see the HSI glossary entry for details).
The HSI model is useful when processing images to compare two colors, or for changing a color from one to another.  For example, changing a value from Cyan to Magenta is more easily accomplished in an HSI model; only the H value needs to be changed (from 180 to 300).  Making the same change in an RGB view is less intuitive; since you must know the correct amounts of Red, Green and Blue needed to create Magenta.  The HSI model is also a more useful model for evaluating or measuring an object's color characteristics, such as the "redness" of a berry or the "yellowness" of an autumn leaf.

The HSV model is very similar to the HSI model.  The main difference between the two is the calculation used to produce the brightness value.  In the HSI model, a pixel's brightness (I) is derived from the mean of its three (R, G and B) color values.  In the HSV model, a pixel's brightness (V) is determined from the mean of the minimum and maximum value of its three color values.

Within Image-Pro, a color model can be specified when performing channel analysis operations with the Histogram and Line Analysis commands.  You can also specify a color model when editing or adding a color in the Palette window, or when performing a channel extraction process using the Extract Channel tools.


Enhancing Your Image

More often than not, an image will require some form of enhancement to improve its appearance for aesthetic reasons, or to improve your ability to extract data from it.  Enhancement techniques range from simple operations such as brightness and contrast adjustment, to the sophisticated and complex spatial and morphological filtering operations designed to "tease out" and refine visual information.

There are three basic ways to enhance an image:

•	modify the intensity index

•	apply a spatial filter, or

•	manipulate the image frequencies

Image-Pro gives you a variety of tools in each category, allowing image enhancement for a variety of purposes and applications.  Depending upon your application, you may use some techniques and not others, or you may find that you need to combine several techniques to achieve the results you need.

The following section contains material to help you select the appropriate tool for the task at hand.  It describes Image-Pro's enhancement features, and gives you some insight into the uses for each.


Modifying the Intensity Index

One way to enhance an image is to change the way intensity values are interpreted.  For example, if your image was very dark overall, you could boost all the values by a certain amount.  You might boost all values by 20 points, or flatten a range of intensities to a single value (e.g., set all intensities from 75 to 150 to 127).

Image-Pro gives you many tools and controls to manipulate the intensities within your image.  Although you will see the effect of an index modification immediately upon your image, pixel changes are not actually written to your image.  They are written to an intermediate "table" called a "Lookup Table" (LUT).  This is done so that intensity changes can be executed quickly, and so that they can easily be undone.  When you are satisfied with the intensity changes you have made, you must make the changes permanent by either storing your image or explicitly writing the changes to the image bitmap using the Contrast Enhancement command.

The following intensity manipulation tools are provided by Image-Pro.

More:

 Brightness

 Contrast

 Gamma Correction

Thresholding

Histograms

Accumulated Histograms

Histogram Equalization


 Brightness

Brightness is a term used to describe the overall amount of light in an image.  In Image-Pro, brightness is modified using the "Brightness"  slider control on the BCG Controls.  This control affects the overall image.  In a color image, the "Brightness" slider control adjusts luminance, which is the combined intensity of the RGB channels.  Brightness for an individual color channel can be modified using the "Brightness" control in the Contrast Enhancement dialog box.

When brightness is increased, you increase the value of every pixel in the image, moving each pixel closer to 255, or white.  When brightness is decreased, you reduce the value in each pixel, moving it closer to 0, or black.


 Contrast

Contrast is a term used to denote the degree of difference between the brightest and darkest components in an image.  An image has poor contrast if it contains only harsh black and white transitions, or contains pixel values within a narrow range (an image whose values ranged from 100 to 140 would have poor contrast).  An image has good contrast if it is composed of a wide range of brightness values from black to white.  The amount of the intensity scale used by an image is called its "dynamic range."  An image with good contrast will have good dynamic range.

In Image-Pro, contrast is modified using the "Contrast"slider control on the BCG Controls.  This control affects the overall image.  In a color image, the "Contrast" slider control operates upon the luminance channel, which is the combined intensity of the RGB channels.  Contrast for an individual color channel can be modified using the "Contrast" control in the Contrast Enhancement dialog box.

During a contrast operation, each pixel value is scaled by a contrast value, which serves to redistribute the intensities over a wider or narrower range.  Increasing the contrast spreads the pixel values across a wider range, while decreasing contrast squeezes the values into a narrower range.


 Gamma Correction

Gamma correction is a specialized form of contrast enhancement that is designed to enhance contrast in the very dark or very light areas of an image.  It does this by changing the midtone values, particularly those at the low end, without affecting the highlight (255) and shadow (0) points.  Gamma correction can be used to improve the appearance of an image, or to compensate for differences in the way different input and output devices respond to an image.

In Image-Pro, Gamma adjustments are made using the "Gamma" slider control on the BCG Controls.  In a color image, the "Gamma" slider control operates upon the luminance channel, which is the combined intensity of the RGB channels.  The Gamma value for an individual color channel can be modified using the "Gamma" control in the Contrast Enhancement dialog box.

The Gamma control modifies an image by applying standard, nonlinear gamma curves to the intensity scale.  A gamma value of 1 is equivalent to the identity curve, which has no effect on the image.  An increase in the gamma value (setting it to a value greater than 1) will generally lighten an image and increase the contrast in its darker areas.  A decrease in the gamma value (setting it to a value less than 1) will generally darken the image and emphasize contrast in the lighter areas.  The figure below illustrates the effect of the gamma curves on pixel values 0 through 255.

Gamma Correction Curve


Thresholding

Thresholding allows you to reduce your image to just two colors: black and white.  This is done by specifying a range of intensities to be emphasized (set to white), and converting all others to black (0).  Thresholding is often used to segment an image in order to extract its important features, or to reduce an image to two intensity levels in preparation for a watershed or thinning filtering operation.

Thresholding is performed using the Threshold command on the Tools menu.  When this command is selected, you will be asked to specify the range of values you want emphasized (set to white).

The Threshold command operates upon gray scale values, so if you are working with a True Color or Palette image, it must be converted to Gray Scale before it can be thresholded.


Histograms

Histograms measure and illustrate in graph form, the brightness and contrast characteristics of an image.  Histogram data can be created and viewed for data gathering and analytical purposes (discussed in more detail in the Intensity Analysis section), or can be manipulated for image enhancement purposes.

A histogram is created using the Histogram command on the Measure/Analysis menu.  As you can see in the example below, the X-axis in a histogram represents the intensity scale (0 to 255 in this example), and the Y-axis measures the number of pixels in the image possessing that value.  When you are working with Gray Scale images, the X-axis represents gray values 0 through 255; when working with True Color images, you can choose to measure either the image's combined luminosity or its separate color channels (e.g., Red or Green or Blue, Hue or Saturation or Intensity...).

A histogram will show you what kind of brightness/contrast deficiencies exist in an image.  Images with low contrast will have histograms that are clustered around  a very narrow portion of the color range.  The position of the cluster will indicate whether the image is too dark, too light, or simply too gray, as shown in the three examples below.

Poor Contrast Histograms

Brightness, contrast and gamma adjustments modify the shape of a histogram.  The series of images on the pages that follow illustrate the effect of a Brightness, Contrast or Gamma adjustment upon the histogram.


Accumulated Histograms

A cumulative, or accumulated, histogram can also be used to assess the brightness and contrast characteristics of an image.  An accumulated histogram measures the number of pixels that have a given pixel value or a lesser value.  The result is an integral of the regular histogram distribution function.

The accumulated histogram indicates the evenness of the intensity distribution.  An even distribution will produce a histogram that resembles a linear progression

Accumulated histograms are created using the Accumulated command on the Report menu in the Histogram command window.


Histogram Equalization

Image-Pro provides several ways to automatically reshape a histogram.  Using the Contrast Enhancement command on the Image menu, you can optimize the Brightness and Contrast characteristics by directing Image-Pro to stretch the histogram to achieve the best possible contrast distribution for the given image.

You can also use one of the specialized distribution functions provided by the Equalize command on the Image menu.  These histogram redistribution functions enhance contrast and dynamic range in a nonlinear manner.  When you use the Equalize command, Image-Pro analyzes your image's accumulated histogram and redistributes it to fit the shape you specify:

•	Linear:   distributes the histogram equally across the intensity scale.  This function produces a high contrast image with the highest possible dynamic range.

•	Bell:   Distributes the histogram evenly around the center of the intensity scale.  This function produces a high contrast image with less dynamic range than the "Linear" distribution.

•	Logarithmic:   Concentrates the histogram at the low end of the scale.  This function produces a high contrast image with little dynamic range.  It will tend to darken the image overall.  Useful for stretching the contrast in a very light image.

•	Exponential:   Concentrates the histogram at the high end of the scale.  This function produces a high contrast image with little dynamic range.  It will tend to lighten the image overall.  Useful for stretching the contrast in a very dark image.


Spatial Filtering

Filtering operations reduce or increase the rate of change that occurs in the intensity transitions within an image.  Areas in which there are sudden or rapid changes in intensity appear as hard edges in an image.  Areas where there are gradual changes produce soft edges.  Filtering acts to detect and modify the rate of change at these edges.  It can increase the intensity differences in a soft edge to make it appear sharper, or reduce the intensity differences in a hard edge to smooth and soften it.

Filtering operations produce their effect by modifying a pixel's value based upon the values of the pixels that surround it.  For example, blurring is accomplished by averaging all of the pixel values in a specified region, and replacing the center pixel with the averaged value.  This produces reduced variation among neighboring pixels, which visually softens the image.  A sharp black/white edge would be softened with intervening levels of gray.

Filtering techniques are divided into two categories:  convolution filters (linear filters) and nonconvolution (nonlinear) filters.  Both techniques accomplish their results by examining and processing an image in small regions, called pixel "neighborhoods."  A neighborhood is a square region of image pixels, typically 3x3, 5x5 or 7x7 in size.

In Image-Pro spatial filtering is performed using the Filtering command on the Tools menu.

More:

Convolution/Enhancement Filters

Nonconvolution/Morphological Filters


Convolution/Enhancement Filters

Enhancement or Convolution filters process image neighborhoods by multiplying the values within a neighborhood by a matrix of filtering coefficients (integer values).  This matrix is called a "kernel."  It is the same size as the neighborhood that it is being applied to.  The results of this multiplication are summed and divided by the sum of the filter kernel.  The result replaces the center pixel in the image neighborhood.

This process is further illustrated and described on the following page.

The Convolution Filtering Process

THE CONVOLUTION FILTERING PROCESS
STAGE	DESCRIPTION
1.	Each pixel in the image neighborhood is multiplied by the contents of the corresponding element in the filtering kernel.
2.	The results from the multiplication are summed and divided by the sum of the kernel.
3.	The result is scaled and boosted, and used to replace the center pixel in the image neighborhood.
Note - the convolution process always uses a neighborhood's original (unfiltered) pixel values as input.  When, in the example above, the kernel's focus is moved to pixel 6, the filtering process will use pixel 5's original value, not the one it was just assigned by the convolution.

The following convolution filters are provided by Image-Pro:

•	Lo-Pass  This filter blurs an image by modifying a pixel value to be more like its neighbors.  This eliminates harsh edges by reducing the intensity differences between adjacent pixels.  The Lo-Pass filter can be used to blur an image for aesthetic reasons, to eliminate detail in preparation for object segmentation, or to eliminate random image noise (see also Median Filter in the Nonconvolution Filters section).

•	Hi-Pass  This filter accentuates intensity changes in an image by modifying a pixel's value to exaggerate its intensity difference from its neighbors.  This filter produces an image with harsh intensity transitions, and generally results in an image with only edges of high contrast visible.  Fine detail with low contrast is usually lost to the background.  This filter can be used when you need to pull out just the elements having high contrast to the image background.

•	Sharpen  This filter accentuates all edges within an image by significantly enhancing all intensity transitions in the image.  This is accomplished using a technique called "unsharp masking," which essentially sharpens an image by subtracting its low-pass results from the original image (although this is the result, it is accomplished using the convolution process, not by actually subtracting a blurred image from the original).  Sharpening is used to bring out fine detail in an image, or to re-focus an image that has been blurred.

•	Laplacian  The Laplacian filter is an edge filter that accentuates intensity changes in an image by modifying a pixel's value to exaggerate its intensity difference from its neighbors.  Its results are very similar to those of Hi-Pass.  It produces an image with harsh intensity transitions, and results in an image with only edges of high contrast visible.

•	Horizontal Edge  This edge filter accentuates the horizontal edges in an image by highlighting pixels with significant intensity differences from those above and below it.  It produces an image with just its horizontal edges visible against a flat background.  Horizontal Edge filtering is used when horizontal features need to be extracted from an image.

•	Vertical Edge  This edge filter accentuates the vertical edges in an image by highlighting pixels with significant intensity differences from those to the left and right of it.  It produces an image with just its vertical edges visible against a flat background.  Vertical Edge filtering is used when vertical features need to be extracted from an image.

Note - if your image appears black after applying any of the above edge filters, use your brightness, contrast and gamma controls to lighten the image and bring out the edge detail.

Convolution filters can be applied in kernels of  3 x 3, 5 x 5, or 7 x 7.  Generally, the smaller the kernel, the more subtle the result.  Appendix B, File Format Specifications, identifies the coefficients contained in each of the kernels used by the convolution filters described above.


Nonconvolution/Morphological Filters

Nonconvolution filters also work with pixel neighborhoods; however, unlike convolution filters, they do not multiply the neighborhood values by a kernel of filtering coefficients.  Instead, a nonconvolution filter works only with the data in the neighborhood itself, and uses either a statistical method or a mathematic formula to modify the pixel upon which it is focused.

The following nonconvolution filters are provided by Image-Pro:

•	Median  This filter smoothes an image by modifying pixels that vary significantly from their surroundings.  This is accomplished by replacing the center pixel in a neighborhood with the median value of the neighborhood.  Although median filtering will soften an image, it generally preserves its edges.  This filter is particularly effective at removing random, high-impulse noise from an image (e.g., spots or points that vary significantly from the background), as shown in the example below.

•	Erode  The Erosion filter is a morphological filter that changes the shape of objects in an image by eroding (reducing) the boundaries of bright objects, and enlarging the boundaries of dark ones.  It is often used to reduce, or eliminate, small bright objects.

•	Dilate  The Dilation filter is a morphological filter that changes the shape of objects in an image by dilating (enlarging) the boundaries of bright objects, and reducing the boundaries of dark ones.  The dilation filter can be used to increase the size of small bright objects.

•	Open  The Open filter is a morphological filter that performs an erosion, then a dilation.  In images containing bright objects on a dark background, the opening filter smoothes object contours, breaks (opens) narrow connections, eliminates minor protrusions and removes small dark spots.  In images with dark objects on a bright background, the opening filter fills narrow gaps between objects.

•	Close  The Close filter is a morphological filter that performs a dilation followed by an erosion.  In images containing dark objects on a bright background, the opening filter smoothes object contours, breaks narrow connections, eliminates minor protrusions and removes small bright spots.  In images with bright objects on a dark background, the closing filter fills narrow gaps between objects.

Note - the morphological filters: Erosion, Dilation, Open and Close, are named for their effect on bright objects on a dark field.  For example, the erosion filter "erodes" bright objects, the closing filter "closes gaps" between bright objects, and so forth.  To obtain a morphological effect upon dark objects on a bright field, use the opposite morphological filter -- e.g., use the dilation filter to do an erosion, use the opening filter to close gaps. etc.

•	Roberts  This filter extracts and enhances fine edges in an image by expressing the differences between neighboring pixels (cross pairs) as an intensity value.  In neighborhoods where there is no difference among values in the neighborhood the pixel's intensity is set to 0 (black); where there is the greatest possible difference, the pixel is set to 255 (white).  Intermediate levels of gray reflect varying amounts of difference.  The result is an image in which edges and contours are highlighted against a dark background.

Unlike most other filters, which use an odd-sized square neighborhood, the Roberts filter operates upon a 2 x 2 neighborhood.  Since this neighborhood has no center, the pixel in the upper left-corner is the one replaced with a new value.  Its filtered value is calculated using the following formula:

[(A - D)2  +  (C - B)2]½

where the neighborhood is arranged as:
The Roberts filter enhances all edges within an image, even those introduced by noise.

Note - if your image appears black following a Roberts filter, use your brightness, contrast and gamma controls to lighten the image and bring out the edge detail.

•	Sobel  This filter extracts and enhances edges and contours in an image by expressing intensity differences (gradients) between neighboring pixels as an intensity value.  This is done by combining the difference between the top and bottom rows in a neighborhood, with the difference between the left and right columns, using the following formula:

(X2 + Y2)½

where: 	X  =  (C + 2F + I) - (A + 2D +G)

Y  =  (A + 2B + C) - (G + 2H +I)

and the neighborhood is arranged as:
In neighborhoods where there is no difference among values in the neighborhood the pixel's intensity is set to 0 (black); where there is the greatest possible difference, the pixel is set to 255 (white).   The results are similar to the Roberts filter: highlighted edges against a dark background, but the Sobel filter is less sensitive to image noise.  This generally results in an image with smoother, more pronounced outlines of only the principal edges.

•	Phase  This filter produces an image that expresses the direction of intensity change (the gradient) in a neighborhood as an intensity value (this filter is a complement of the Sobel filter).  The phase filter gives a 3-dimensional relief look to the image -- areas that have no intensity differences are flat, and those with any variation are coded to indicate whether they are brighter or darker than those above it.  Generally, the lightest intensities depict vertical transitions to brighter intensities.

•	Thinning  This filter reduces an image to its skeleton.  It operates on a binary basis; pixels are part of an object if their intensity is greater than 127, otherwise, they belong to the background.  To identify what objects the thinning filter will operate upon, it is best to threshold the image before applying the thinning filter.


Frequency Filtering

Image interference that presents itself as a regular pattern across an image can be especially difficult to remove using a spatial approach.  The best way to eliminate such periodic or coherent noise is by converting the image to a set of frequencies, and editing out the frequencies causing the problem.

Converting an image to its frequency domain is called a Fourier Transform (named for its inventor, Joseph Fourier), and is performed in Image-Pro using the FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) command on the Tools menu.  Using the Forward button within the FFT command window, you can express the  image's frequency domain as a symmetrically centered cloud of points, where brightness represents amplitude of the waveform, and the position represents the frequency of the waveform.

In a normal image, the spectrum will appear as a roughly circular cloud that is brighter and denser near its center.  Images containing a regular pattern will reflect pattern-like effects in their spectra.  It is this characteristic that can be manipulated to remove coherent noise.  Coherent noise usually manifests itself as bright points outside of the central cloud.  Removing these points eliminates the frequency causing the noise.

In Image-Pro, frequency spikes are removed by defining an AOI around the spike, then selecting the Spike Cut option on the FFT command window.  The frequencies within the AOI are either removed (set to zero), or attenuated depending upon the Transition value you have specified in the Inverse/Filter Options dialog box.

Just as frequencies can be removed or reduced, they can also be boosted.  You might want to do this to accentuate a periodic pattern in an image.

Fourier transformations can also be used to perform image sharpening and blurring.  In fact, the Lo-Pass, Hi-Pass and Sharpen convolution filters, and their Lo-Pass and Hi-Pass counterparts on the FFT command window, serve exactly the same purpose -- they both allow only the specified frequencies (low or high) to remain in an image.  When you use these filtering options from the FFT command window, you define an AOI in the spectrum, within which, or outside of which, frequencies will be eliminated or attenuated according to the Transition value you have specified in the Inverse/Filter Options dialog box.


Intensity Analysis

Intensity analysis operations let you collect data from your image based upon the intensity values it contains.  Image-Pro provides the following intensity analysis tools:

•	Histogram Analysis

•	Line Profile Analysis

•	Bitmap Analysis.

Histogram Analysis lets you create a histogram of an image or AOI.  Line Profile Analysis lets you plot the intensity values along a given line.  Manual Tagging allows you to select and analyze specific points in an image. Bitmap Analysis allows you to display the values of individual pixels in a bitmapped image. Using the Save... commands on the Histogram... , Line Profile. , and Bitmap Analysis.... file menus, you can store the results of your analysis to a file for use with other applications.

Although the analysis tools actually measure the intensity levels within your image, you can calibrate Image-Pro to express these values in units relevant to your application.  For example, by setting Image-Pro's Optical Density option on the Intensity Calibration dialog box, the intensity scale can be calibrated to standard optical density values used by most transmitted light experiments.  You could also calibrate the intensity scale to indicate temperature, or protein content, for example.

Intensity calibration is performed using the Calibration command on the Image menu.

More:

Optical Density

Custom Calibration

Intensity Analysis Tools

Histogram Analysis

Line Profile Analysis

Bitmap Analysis


Optical Density

Optical Density (OD) analysis is a common image processing application.  Optical Density analysis determines the amount of matter in a material by measuring the amount of light it transmits (lets pass through it).  Because OD analysis measures the amount of light passing through a material, OD measurements are meaningful only in the analysis of images that have been captured with the light source radiating from behind them.  Some examples are: images captured from a microscopic slide (where light passes through the sample from underneath the slide) or gel samples captured in a light box  (where light passes through the gel from the back of the box).  Optical density measurement is not useful in the analysis of images captured under reflected light.

The Standard Optical Density option in the Intensity Calibration dialog box, uses the following standard light transmission formula for calculating OD from intensity.  This formula assumes an exponential decay of light inside the transmitting material:

OPTICAL DENSITY(x,y) = -log[(INTENSITY(x,y) - BLACK) / (INCIDENT - BLACK)]

where:

INTENSITY(x,y) is the intensity at pixel (x,y)

BLACK is the intensity generated when no light goes through the material,

INCIDENT is the intensity of the incident light.

A material through which no light is transmitted has an infinite optical density, and one through which all light is transmitted, has zero optical density.  As you will see by viewing the OD curve, the OD scale is inversely related to the intensity scale -- that is, on an optical density scale, dark pixels produce high values, and light pixels produce low values.

Standard Optical Density Curve
X-axis depicts intensity, Y-axis depicts density

When working with optical density, it is important to establish the intensity values representing the "black" and "incident" levels in your image.  By default, Image-Pro assumes these values are 0 and 255, respectively; however, due to camera noise and other interference, these pure values are rarely appropriate for real-life images.  The black and incident values should always be calibrated to your camera or image.  For accuracy, this calibration should be performed for each experiment or image.

To calibrate the black level to your camera you must acquire an image while your camera's lens is shut.  Then, use the black level Image button in the Optical Density Calibration dialog box to select a pixel from this image (you should select a pixel located near the center of the image).  The value of this pixel will indicate the black level for your camera.  It represents the value that your camera registers when no light at all is transmitted to its lens.

You must similarly set the incident level to your camera.  To calculate incident light, you must acquire an image with nothing between the camera's lens and the light source.  Then, use the incident light Image button to measure the intensity of a pixel near the center of the empty image.

Hint - With the proper preparation, you can also obtain black and incident levels from within an image itself.  If a solid material (such as a penny) can be affixed to your sample, your image will contain an area through which absolutely no light is passed.  You can then select a pixel in this area to calibrate the black level.  Similarly, you can set the incident level if your image contains an area where there is no absorbing material present.


Custom Calibration

If Image-Pro's intensity or Optical Density scales do not fit your application, you can define a scale that meets your needs.  This is done using the Freeform option in the Intensity Calibration dialog box.  Within this dialog box, you can define the name of your unit (e.g., degrees, luminance, disintegration/minute) and calibrate the scale.

Custom calibration is accomplished by specifying "reference points" that define how your scale relates to the intensity scale associated with the image.  Reference points are specified in the Freeform Intensity Calibration dialog box. If your scale is linear, only two points on the scale need to be identified.  In the example below, intensity has been linearly mapped to temperature.  This curve was established by setting:   0 = 0   and   255 = 100.

Linear Intensity Scale
X-axis depicts actual intensity, Y-axis depicts calibrated intensity

If your scale is nonlinear, more than 2 reference points must be used to define your scale (many medical imaging devices have nonlinear scales).   The scale below is an example of a nonlinear intensity relationship.

Nonlinear Scale
Intensity scale on bottom; your scale on left

Generally, test strips, with documented reference points, can be purchased for calibrating a non-linear curve.  By capturing an image containing this strip, you can calibrate Image-Pro to the values it represents (for optical density analysis, this strip is referred to as a density "wedge").

If the reference values are not readily available, a test image, made up of various index levels and known intensity values, should be created.


Intensity Analysis Tools

The intensity analysis commands, Histogram..., Line Profile..., and Bitmap Analysis...are located on the Measure menu.  If you have calibrated an intensity and/or spatial scale of your own, these tools will express their results in your units of measure.

When one of the intensity analysis commands is selected, a command window is presented.  This window contains a graph of the intensity data and, optionally, a list of statistics.  This command window is specifically linked to the image under analysis.  The name of the image to which an analysis window is linked is displayed in the title bar.

The graph and statistics are obtained from the intensity values contained in the image's bitmap.  They do not reflect intensity adjustments contained in the Lookup Table (LUT).  If you want your analysis to measure the pixel values as modified by the Lookup Table, you must first apply the table values using the Apply LUTs command on the Image menu.


Histogram Analysis

As discussed earlier in this manual, histograms measure and illustrate in graph form, the intensity characteristics of an image.  They can be used to manipulate the image for enhancement purposes (as discussed under Enhancing Your Image), or can be used for data gathering purposes to measure the area associated with a specific intensity value.

In a histogram, the X-axis represents the intensity scale (as defined by the current intensity calibration), and the Y-axis measures the spatial value (as defined by the current spatial calibration).  A satellite image that had been calibrated to express intensity as temperature, would show temperature along the X-axis, and area (perhaps in square miles) along the Y-axis.  The axes may be scaled using the Scaling menu in the command window.

You can produce a cumulative histogram by selecting the Accumulated option on the Histogram window's Report menu.  An accumulated histogram measures the number of pixels (in terms of the current spatial unit) that have the measured value, or a lesser value.

Accumulated Histogram

Histogram data can be viewed in graphic or numerical form using the View option of the Report menu in the Histogram command window.

When an accumulated histogram is selected, the numerical data will reflect the accumulated index values at each point along the X-axis.

Histogram data (the numerical data) can be saved into a file using the Save... command on the Histogram window's File menu.  Data and statistics are stored in an ASCII file (assigned the extension .HST), which contains descriptive information followed by the data points.  An excerpt from a *.HST file is shown below.  You can learn more about .HST files in Appendix B, File Format Specifications.

# Image-Pro Plus Histogram Data

# Time: Mon Jun 12 17:16:55 1995

# Image: newmoon.tif

# Spatial Unit: Pixels

# Intensity Unit: Pixels

# Number of Data Sets: 1

# Set Size: 256

#      Mean        Min        Max    Std.Dev

   175.3897        4.0      254.0   69.91221

# Gray Level      Pixels

         0.0         0.0

         1.0         0.0

         2.0         0.0

         3.0         0.0

         4.0       874.0

         5.0        38.0

         6.0        19.0

         7.0        22.0

         8.0         0.0

         9.0        24.0

        10.0         0.0

        11.0      1404.0

        12.0         0.0

        13.0       560.0

.

.

.


Line Profile Analysis

Line profile analysis allows you to collect the actual index values along a line that you define.  A profile plot shows the pixel positions of the line along the X-axis, and, on the Y-axis, measures the index value for each position along the line.

In a line profile, the X-axis represents the spatial scale (as defined by the spatial calibration), and the Y-axis measures the intensity value (as defined by the current intensity calibration).  A DNA gel that had been calibrated to express intensity as density, would show density along the Y-axis.

Image-Pro lets you obtain data for a single line (as shown above), or for a band of lines.  A profile for a band of lines is called a thick profile.

Both single-line and thick-line profiles are created using the Line Profile... command on the Measure/Analysis menu.  By default, a single line profile is created when this command is initially invoked.  You can create a band profile by selecting the Thick Horz or Thick Vert options on the Report menu.  A line profile can be of any length and position.  While the line for a "Normal" line profile can be of any orientation, a thick profile can only be obtained for a horizontal or vertical band of pixels.  If the pixels you want to measure are at an angle, you will need to rotate your image until they are aligned vertically or horizontally, before defining your band.

Profile data can be written to a file using the Save command on the File menu in the command window.  Like histogram data, line profile data is stored into an ASCII file, which is assigned a *.HST extension.  An excerpt from a line profile .HST file is shown below.  You can learn more about .HST files in Appendix B, File Format Specifications.

# Image-Pro Plus Line Profile Data

# Time: Mon Jun 12 17:53:35 1995

# Image: stripes.tif

# Spatial Unit: Pixels

# Intensity Unit: Pixels

# Number of Data Sets: 1

# Set Size: 148

#      Mean        Min        Max    Std.Dev

   153.7973       33.0      231.0   80.95961

           1       231.0

           2       231.0

           3       231.0

           4       231.0

           5       231.0

           6       231.0

           7       231.0

           8       231.0

           9       231.0

          10       231.0

          11       231.0


Section 1 - Imaging Discussion - Intensity Analysis - Bitmap Analysis
Bitmap Analysis

Bitmap Analysis command on the Measure menu is used to view the pixel values of the active window (or AOI) in numeric format.  These values can be saved to an ASCII file for later use with an external program, or copied to the Clipboard and pasted into another application (a 3D plotting package, for example).

Pixel values can be displayed as they actually exist in the image or in their calibrated form. They are not interpreted through the display LUT however.

Bitmap data can be written to a file using the Save command on the File menu in the command window.  Like histogram data, bitmap data is stored into an ASCII file, which is assigned a *.BIT extension.  The bitmap data are saved in a spreadsheet format, as shown above. You can learn more about .BIT files in Appendix B, File Format Specifications.


Measuring and Counting

One of Image-Pro's most powerful capabilities is its ability to let you perform spatial measurements upon your image, manually or automatically.  There are two basic ways to perform measurements within Image-Pro:

•	Manually measuring single objects.  Using the Measurements... command in the Measure menu, you can manually measure the length of lines or polylines that you define, the area of polygons that you define, and the angles of arcs that you define.  The Measurements... command also lets you automatically trace and measure the edge of an object or feature in your image.  The manual tools are useful for collecting measurements of unique objects recorded on multiple images.  Measuring fracture position and orientation from a series of femur X-rays would be an application that might call for manual measuring.

•	Automatically counting and measuring multiple objects.  Using the tools on the Measure menu, you can collect multiple measurements of multiple objects within a single image.  If your objective is to count the number of cells in a sample, and measure the area, roundness or perimeter of these cells, this is the tool to use.  Once the objects have been counted and measured, you can use the Count/Size window's Measure menu options to automatically sort and classify the objects by any of the measured characteristics.  You can also visualize the classified data by plotting it on a scattergram, or pseudo-coloring the counted objects by class.

•	Manually counting and measuring multiple objects.  Using the Manual Tagging selection on the Measure menu, you can collect multiple measurements of multiple objects within a single image.  You may select the number of objects in a class (up to 256) and the number of classes in a single image (up to 16), as well as the color, symbol, and name to identify each class.

Note - the counting and measuring operations will take advantage of your math co-processor if your system is so equipped.  If you do not have a math co-processor, and plan to do a lot of work with counting and sizing, you may want to consider having one installed.

When a measurement is made, Image-Pro highlights the measuring outline and assigns a reference number to it as shown in the object trace example below.

By default, Image-Pro displays its measurement outlines in Red, and reference numbers in Green, but if you prefer other colors, you can assign them using the Options button in the Count/Size or Measurements window.  Measurements remain on the screen until you close the image or explicitly delete the measurements using the Delete Measurements button.

When you have taken automatic measurements using the Count/Size... command, the measurement values are recorded on a data sheet.  You can view measurement information by simply double-clicking the measured object within the image.  You can view all current measurements by selecting the Measurement Data command on the Count/Size window's View menu.  This will open the Measurements window, into which the data sheet for the active AOI or image will be displayed.  Measurement data can be saved using the Save Data... command on the Count/Size window's File menu.  Measurements are stored in ASCII form.  The format for a measurement file is defined in Appendix B, File Format Specifications.

More:

Before Measuring, Calibrate Your Image

Aspect Ratio

Taking Manual Measurements

Automatic Counting and Sizing

Identifying Objects to be Counted

Pre-Processing

Selecting Your Measurements

Selecting Your Ranges

Selecting Other Measurement Options

Performing the Count

Editing the Count

Manual Tagging

Using the Outlines

Viewing Measurement Data

Visualizing Your Measurement Data

Saving your Counting Environment

Population Density Analysis


Before Measuring, Calibrate Your Image

Measurement operations are performed in terms of screen pixel positions, e.g., the length of a measurement is determined by the number of pixels along the line, the area of an outlined object is determined by the number of pixels within the outline, and so forth.

Note - when Image-Pro performs a measurement, the pixels included in the outline are included in the measurement.  For example, when you are measuring the area of an object you have outlined, the pixels making up the outline are included in the area calculation.

Image-Pro's pixel-level measurements can be scaled to fit any coordinate system.  This allows you to obtain measurements which are reported in terms meaningful to your application.  For example, you can calibrate the measurement scale so that one pixel is equal to one foot, or so that 5 pixels are equal to one foot (or inch, or mile, or micron...).  Fractional values are allowed.  Image-Pro will express your measurements in terms of that unit.  Additionally, if your image contains a measurable object of the unit length, you can calibrate your scale directly from that object, using the Image button in the Spatial Calibration dialog box.

Important - calibrate your scale before taking your measurements.  Once measurements are recorded, their values are not affected by a subsequent change in spatial calibration.  For example, if after taking a line measurement of 50 pixels where 1 unit equals 1 pixel, you changed calibration to 1 unit equal to 10 pixels, the first measurement you recorded would remain at 50; Image-Pro will not automatically re-scale it to 5 to after the calibration is changed.  You must take the measurement again in order for the new calibration to be reflected.


Aspect Ratio

With respect to spatial calibration, the aspect ratio reflects the relationship between the length of the vertical and horizontal axes in your image, and is expressed as X/Y.  Aspect Ratio is also calibrated using the Calibration command.  If your camera's aspect ratio is not equal to your video card's aspect ratio, an image of a square object will not appear square when viewed on your display.  To correct for this inconsistency, you can  calibrate the aspect ratio from a reference square within an image.

Note - camera/video card inconsistencies are not the only reason a square might not appear square on your display.  It might simply be a misadjustment of your monitor's Vertical Size control.


Taking Manual Measurements

The manual measuring tools are accessed using the Measurements... command on the Measure/Analysis menu.  The manual tools are useful for obtaining individual measurements, and they are the only way to obtain straight-line length and thickness measurements. The following manual measuring tools are available:

•	Length:   This tool is used to measure the length of a straight line (any angle) in terms of the current spatial unit.

•	Area:   This tool is used to measure the area of a polygon that you define.  Area is determined by calculating the number of pixels encompassed by the shape.  Area is reported in terms of the current spatial unit.  The area for which you want to obtain an area measurement is defined using the AOI tools.  A rectangular, elliptical or freeform shape can be defined (see AOI Tools in the next section of this reference).

•	Angle:   This tool is used to measure an angle in degrees.  Angles are specified by positioning two defining lines to form the angle you want to be measured.

•	Thickness:   This tool is used to obtain the distance between two existing measurements (any measurement but an angle).  The minimum, maximum and mean distance between the two measurements can be reported (you set the measurement you want in the Options dialog box).  Before selecting the Thick tool, you must select the two measurements for which you want to measure the distance between.  This can be done by selecting (clicking) them in the data sheet (a measurement is darkened when it is selected), or clicking the measurement label in the image itself (again, its measurement will darken in the data sheet).

•	Trace:   This tool is used to measure the length of a polyline in terms of the current spatial unit.  A polyline is defined by specifying its nodes using the left mouse button.  A smooth curve can be drawn by holding the left mouse button as you draw your line (in effect, specifying lots of nodes, very close together).  You can also enable the Auto feature in the Outline box and automatically trace and measure feature/object edges in your image.

•	The automatic tracing tool works by following an edge of significant contrast.  When you start a trace, select the point at which you want the trace to begin by clicking your mouse button.  Then, click a second point along the edge to indicate the direction that Image-Pro should begin following the edge.  If Image-Pro gets lost during its trace (loses the edge), it will stop.  If it has wandered beyond the edge of your object, you can press Backspace to back up the trace to the edge, then manually lead the trace by moving the cursor to the next significant point along the boundary and clicking the left mouse button.

•	Successful tracing is dependent primarily on how well differentiated your object is from the background.  If there is good contrast between it and the pixels that surround it, your automatic traces will perform very well.  Edges that have low contrast from the background, or have lots of competing edges intersecting them, will be interrupted more frequently.  To adjust for some of these conditions you can adjust the Tracking controls located in the Outline box.

These controls let you fine tune Image-Pro's edge detection mechanism, used by the Trace and Freeform AOI tools.

•	Edge Threshold:   this value (from 1 - 10) describes the level of contrast distinguishing the edge you want to track from its surrounding elements.  If there is low contrast, this value should be set to a low number.

•	Search Depth:   this value (2 - 6) specifies how far ahead Image-Pro will look when tracking an edge.  Use a larger value if there is a lot of noise in your image which creates dropouts in your edge.  For normal images, keep this value small or your traces will take longer to do.

•	Track Step:   this value (1 - 6) specifies the number of pixels Image-Pro advances when moving to the next edge position.  A larger value here results in a smoother outline (it won't follow every nook and cranny) and faster trace, but may cause it to get lost more frequently.  Specifying values over 3 or 4 generally causes the Trace to overshoot curves along your edge.

•	Track Speed:  this value (0 - 5) specifies the rate at which the outline will be drawn.  A small value here will slow down the trace function.  You might do this to make it easier for you to watch the trace as it progresses.


Automatic Counting and Sizing

Using the Count/Size... command on the Measure/Analysis menu you can count and measure multiple objects automatically.  Once the objects have been counted and measured, you can use the Count/Size window's Measure menu to automatically sort and classify them by any of the measured characteristics.  You can also visualize the data by plotting it using the Count/Size window's View menu options, or color the counted objects by class using the Auto Classification command.


Identifying Objects to be Counted

For counting purposes, objects are identified by their intensity (monochrome images) or color (True Color-class images).  Therefore, it is best to begin with an image that contains objects that are clearly distinguishable from the background, and have an intensity range/color different from other elements in the image.  Because many images do not initially fit such ideal conditions, there are a number of "pre-processing" steps you can take to correct such deficiencies (pre-processing is discussed a little later in this section).

The first step in performing a count is to identify the objects you want to include in your count.  This is done by specifying the range of intensities or colors that uniquely identifies your objects.  The way in which you do this first step depends upon whether your image is Gray Scale or True Color.

Note - if your image is not one of these classes, it must first be converted before the Count/Size... command can be used with it.

•	If you are working with a gray scale image, selecting your object's intensity range in a Gray Scale image can be done manually, or automatically.  To manually specify object intensity, use the Manual option and the Select Range button.  With your image on the screen, move the range markers until all your objects are highlighted.  If you highlight a few extraneous objects in addition to the ones you want, don't worry -- they can be manually removed from the object group after the count using the Hide option in the Object Window command.  However, if you find that your objects can't be highlighted without including numerous unwanted elements, you will need to use one of the pre-processing tools to increase object differentiation or eliminate unwanted noise.  See Pre-processing below.

To have Image-Pro automatically set the intensity range that defines your objects, you can use its Automatic option.  When a count is performed with the Automatic option,  Image-Pro will analyze your image, calculate the intensities distinguishing objects from background, and establish the intensity range based upon the objects that it finds.  When running a count with the Automatic option, you must be sure to set the Bright Objects or Dark Objects option to describe your objects.

•	If you are working with a True Color Image, selecting your object's color range is done by identifying an AOI that encompasses the colors of your objects.  Selecting a color for counting purposes is essentially performed in the same way as extracting a set of colors using the Color Segmentation tool -- that is, you select a set of colors that separates certain features (in this case, objects to be counted) from the rest of your image.  To confirm that your color selection is extracting just the objects you want, use the Preview button to view your image with all but the selected colors grayed out.  Refine your selection using the Add and Remove options, until just the objects you want to count are visible.


Pre-Processing

If you are having difficulty separating your objects from other elements within your image, a number of pre-processing techniques are offered to help you enhance object definition.

•	Contrast Enhancement:   Often, simply increasing the contrast in your image will improve your ability to extract objects more successfully.

•	Background Flattening:   The Flatten Background command on the Count/Size window's Image menu is used to "even out" intensity variations in the background of a Gray Scale image (flattening is not applicable to True Color images).  When flattening the background, you will be required to describe your object size and color in the Flatten Background dialog box.  If your image has lots of objects, or your objects are very large, leaving only small patches of background showing, you may need to set the Background option to specify the color of your objects, rather than the background.

You can also perform background flattening using Image-Pro's Filtering... command.

•	Background Subtraction:   The Background Correction command on the Tools menu can be used to produce a flat background, and compensate for nonuniform lighting, nonuniform camera response or minor optic artifacts (such as dust specks that mar the background of images captured from a microscope).  To use the Background Correction tools, you must have, or be able to capture, an image of the background light (to produce a background image, capture an image with the slide removed from the stage, or with the optics completely defocused).  When the background image is subtracted from your image, areas that are similar to the background will be replaced with values close to the mean background intensity.

Note - within the Background Correction dialog box, are two correction options:  Background Correction and Background Subtraction.  If the purpose of the correction is to facilitate object segmentation, use Background Subtraction  If the purpose of the correction is to obtain accurate density measurements, use Background Correction instead.


Selecting Your Measurements

Once you have defined your objects, you must choose the measurements you want to take.  This is done in the Select Measurements command on the Count/Size window's Measure menu.  Image-Pro gives you the following measurement options, and you can select as many as you need.  All spatial measurements are reported in the current spatial unit; all intensity measurements are reported in terms of the current intensity calibration.

•	Angle:   Reports the angle between the vertical axis and the major axis of the ellipse equivalent to the object (i.e., an ellipse with the same area, first and second degree moments), where 0°  Angle°  180°.  The vertical angle is 0°, unless an offset has been set with the Calibration command.

•	Area:   Reports the area of each object (minus any holes).  The area comprised of pixels having intensity values within the selected range is reported unless the Fill Holes option has been enabled.  If Fill Holes is enabled, all pixels within the object perimeter are included in the area measurement.

•	Area/Box:   Reports the ratio between the area of each object, and the area of its imaginary bounding box, as determined by Area of Object / Area of Box.

•	Aspect:   Reports the ratio between the major axis and the minor axis of the ellipse equivalent to the object (i.e., an ellipse with the same area, first and second degree moments), as determined by Major Axis/Minor Axis.  Aspect is always  1.

•	Average Diameter:   Reports the average length of diameters measured at 5° intervals around the centroid of each object.

•	Box X/Y:   Reports the ratio between the width (X) and height (Y) of each object's imaginary bounding box, as determined by Box Width / Box Height.

•	Blue:   Reports the mean blue value for the measured object..

•	Centroid X:   Reports the X-coordinate position of the centroid of the object from the ledt side of the image.

•	Centroid Y:   Reports the Y coordinate position of the centroid pixel  of the object from the top of the image.

•	Class:   Reports the class number to which the object belongs.  This value will only be reported if the objects have been previously classified using the Single Variable Class command.  If they have not, a Class measurement will not appear on the Measurements data sheet.

•	Cluster:   A cluster is a group of objects defined by an AOI. Cluster reports the number of individual objects contained within the outline.

•	Optical Density:   Reports the average intensity/density of each object.  This value will be expressed in terms of the current intensity/density mode and calibration.

•	Green:   Reports the mean Green value for the measured object..

•	Holes:   Reports the number of holes inside an object.  A "hole" is defined as any contiguous set of pixels within an object that have intensity values outside the selected range for objects.  If the Fill Holes option is set, this value will be 0.

•	Hole Area:   Reports the area of holes within an object.  A "hole" is defined as any contiguous set of pixels within an object that have intensity values outside the selected range for objects.  If the Fill Holes option is set, this value will be 0.

•	Hole Ratio:   Reports the ratio of the object area excluding holes, to the total area of the object, as determined by Area / (Area + Holes Area).  Remember, when a Hole measurement is selected, Area is the area of the object less the area of the holes.  If the Fill Holes option is set, this value will be 1.

•	Length:   Reports the length of the bounding box along the major axis (i.e., the bounding box is the smallest rectangle that completely encompasses the whole object).

•	Major Axis:   Reports the length of the main axis of the ellipse equivalent to the object (i.e., an ellipse with the same area, first and second degree moments).

•	Minor Axis:   Reports the length of the minor axis of the ellipse equivalent to the object (i.e., an ellipse with the same area, first and second degree moments)

•	Max Diameter:   Reports the length of the longest line that can be drawn to pass through the centroid position and join two points on each object's perimeter.

•	Min Diameter:   Reports the length of the shortest line that can be drawn to pass through the centroid position and join two points on each object's perimeter.

•	Max Radius:   Reports the maximum distance between each object's centroid pixel position and its perimeter.

•	Min Radius:   Reports the minimum distance between each object's centroid pixel position and its perimeter.

•	Perimeter:   Reports the length of the outline of each object.  When holes are outlined, the perimeters of the holes are added to the perimeter of the object.

•	PerArea:   Reports the ratio between the area of the counted object to that of the entire area. The ratio is determined by (Object Area/Total Area) where Total Area is the area of the active image or AOI (whichever was in effect when the measurement was taken).

•	Radius Ratio:   Reports the ratio between Max Radius and Min Radius for each object, as determined by Max Radius / Min Radius.

•	Red:   Reports the mean red value for the measured object..

•	Roundness:   Reports the roundness of each object, as determined by the following formula:  (perimeter2) / (4 * p * area).  Circular objects will have a roundness = 1; other shapes will have a roundness > 1.

•	Width:   Reports the width of the bounding box along the major axis (i.e., the bounding box is the smallest rectangle that completely encompasses the whole object).


Selecting Your Ranges

Once you have identified the measurements you want to take, you can set measurement criteria that will determine which objects Image-Pro includes in the count.  For example, you can instruct Image-Pro to include only objects larger than a certain size.  This is done by establishing a valid range (i.e., specifying minimum and maximum values) for each measurement using the Set Ranges command in the Measure menu.  If the object's measurement is within this range (min and max, inclusive), it will be included in the count.  Objects with values outside the range are ignored.


Selecting Other Measurement Options

Image-Pro offers several additional options that let you tailor your count to your needs, including how partial objects will be treated, and how objects will be labeled.  These miscellaneous options are selected using the Options button in the Count/Size window:

•	Smoothing:   This option lets you set a  factor that determines whether or not the perimeters of the counted objects will be smoothed.  A factor of 0 indicates that no smoothing should be done.  Values greater than 0 turn smoothing on, and indicate the degree of smoothing that should take place.  If perimeter and roundness are critical measurements to your analysis, you may want to use this option.  Bear in mind that smoothing will lengthen the time it takes to perform your count, so you will want to use this option only when it is truly necessary.

•	Clean Borders:   This option determines whether partial objects that lie at the border on an image should be included in the count (partial objects can skew your results).  If Clean Borders is selected, these partial objects will be ignored.

•	Outlines:   This option determines whether outlines of the counted objects will be shown or not.  If objects are to be outlined you can select one of several outline formats:  perimeter, elliptical, filled or class.  When Outline is selected, the object's perimeter is outlined.  When Ellipse is selected, the object's equivalent ellipse (an ellipse with the same area, first and second degree moments as the object) is displayed.  The Ellipse option is particularly meaningful in grain-counting experiments, because it identifies an object's ideal domain, from which binding sites can be identified.  The Filled option shows counted objects in solid color, and the Class option colors the objects by category (see Visualizing Measurement Data below).  This option also allows you to select the color in which you want the outlines displayed. Dot marks each counted object with a small cross hair positioned in the center of each object's bounding box.

•	Label:   This option determines whether an object's unique numeric label should be displayed following the counting process, and what color should be used to display it.  The displayed labels allow you to visually match objects with your results, and should rarely be turned off.  The only times you may want to turn labeling off are to eliminate screen clutter or inspect the details of a particular outline.

•	Object Limits: Up to 16,000 objects can be included in a single  count.  If your image contains more than 16,000 objects, consider using AOIs to process the count in a series of small batches.  Image-Pro also has an internal limit of 250,000 object "segments."  A counted object is built of segments, which are horizontal, single-pixel "slices" of the object.  Each segment is represented internally by its beginning and endpoint coordinates.

Objects containing lots of fissures or holes will require many segments to describe their shape.  If you have many such objects, the internal limit of 250,000 segments could be exceeded.  Consider using AOIs to process the image in a series of small batches if this limit is encountered.

The Outline option in the Count/Size Options dialog box can outline object perimeters comprised of up to 4096 vertices.  If your object has a very, very large, irregular perimeter, you may exceed this limit and its outline will not be displayed correctly (all measurements taken for the object are correctly reported, however).  To display an outline of a very, very large object, select either the Filled or With Holes outline styles.


Performing the Count

Once you have identified your objects, selected your measurements and tailored the count with the options you need, you are ready to initiate the count itself.  To do this, click the Count button.

Image-Pro will analyze your image, and will outline and measure the objects it finds meeting your selection criteria.  When it is done measuring, it will display the object outlines, and write all the requested measurements to the measurement data sheet.  You can view the measurements for an individual object by double-clicking the object in the image.  This produces a pop-up window that contains the measurements for the selected object.  The measurement data sheet, which is a table of all the measurements, can be viewed by selecting the Measurements... command in the View menu.


Editing the Count

Before working with the data sheet, you should take a moment to review the display to make sure you are satisfied with the objects that have been extracted -- you may want to eliminate extraneous objects, separate clusters that have been counted as a single object, or combine separate outlines into one.  On the Edit menu, Image-Pro gives you a number of tools that let you edit and finalize your count.

•	Merge/Draw Objects:   This option lets you manually outline an object that was not included in the count, or combine two objects so that they are counted as one.

To manually include an outline, select Merge/Draw then draw a polygon that traces the object, using any of the standard AOI tools:  rectangular, elliptical or freeform (you can even use the Freeform tool's Auto Trace feature to automatically trace an edge:  See AOI Tools.)  When you have finished drawing the polygon, the specified measurements for that shape will also be added to the data sheet.

Note - you can draw a polygon that defines an object that doesn't visibly exist in your image.  This is usually done to define a region from which population density can be calculated.

To combine two closely positioned objects into a single object, simply draw a narrow polygon that connects (not outlines) the two existing objects

Once connected, the measurements of the two objects will be outlined and considered as a single object.  In the data sheet, the combined measurement will replace the measurements of one of the original objects and the other's measurements will be deleted.

You can also merge more than two objects into a single object.  The objects needn't be close together, either.  As shown in the drawing below, you can merge multiple objects into a group by drawing a polygon around them, or by drawing a polygon with its vertices inside the individual objects.

Split Object:   This option lets you manually divide clusters into single objects.  Dividing is done drawing a division line between the objects you want to separate

After separation, the measurement data sheet will be updated to reflect the additional object, and the measurements of the original object will be adjusted to reflect the remaining object.

•	Auto Split:   You can also use the Auto Split command to  instruct Image-Pro to analyze all existing outlines and automatically split any clustered objects it finds.  Of course, not all clustered objects can be separated with Auto Split; in general, circular objects with minimal overlap work best.  Use the following criteria for determining whether your objects are clustered in a way that can be easily separated by the Auto Split operation:

•	individual objects within the cluster should be convex-shaped.  An object is considered convex if all lines joining two points of the outline fall within the object.

•	objects should not overlap each other by more than 30%.

•	the intersection of two overlapping objects should be identifiable by two concave points.

•	object outlines should be smooth enough to readily distinguish a concavity created by an overlap from a concavity that is simply part of the object.

Note - Image-Pro splits objects with a straight line.  It does not attempt to reconstruct the missing or hidden portions of an object.

If the Auto Split command does not yield satisfactory results, try using the Watershed Split.  This method does not rely on object concavities to determine lines of separation.  Instead it erodes an object until it disappears, then dilates it back to its initial size, but does not allow it to touch its neighbors.

You may remove an extraneous object from your count by double-clicking the object in the image and enabling the Hide option in the Object Attributes window.  When an object is hidden, its outline and label are removed from the display and its measurements are eliminated from the data sheet.  Deactivated measurements are also excluded from global statistic, classification and visualization operations.  You may reactivate a hidden object by disabling the Hide option.


Manual Tagging

Another option to identify objects in your image is to use the Manual Tag option from the Measure menu.  Manual Tag allows you to select points in an image, and assign them to a specific class.  You can define up to 16 classes of objects for a single image, and assign each class a name, color, and identifying symbol. Image-Pro Plus automatically keeps track of the points as you select them.  You can display information about each class including minimum, maximum, mean, standard deviation, and total by using the Manual Tag : View menu.

Manual Tag : Options allows you to see the x and y position, intensity, and class of  each  tagged object in the image.

Manual Tag measurement information can be stored using the Save Data command on the Manual Tag : File menu. Data and statistics are stored in an ASCII file (assigned the extension .CNT), which contains location information about the different markers. A portion of a .CNT file appears below. You can learn more about .CNT files in Appendix B, File Format Specifications.

Marker	     Class	         X	         Y	 Intensity

     1	   Class 3	        78	        88	       169

     2	   Class 3	       178	        88	       180

     3	   Class 3	       181	       179	       185

     4	   Class 3	        79	       177	       168

 A Manual Tag file is created when you store your class and/or tag marker information in the Manual Tag selection from the Measure menu.  A *.TAG file is created using the Save Points command on the File menu in the Manual Tag dialog box.

A *.TAG file is an Image-Pro file that contains the class and marker information that is  to be applied to the objects in an image.  This data is not in ASCII format. Users should not attempt to modify a *.TAG file


Using the Outlines

There may be situations where you will need to generate your outlines from one image, then superimpose the outlines onto another image to identify object position, or to obtain an average intensity measurement.  Such is necessary in Auto-Radiography applications, where cell position and shape is captured in visible light, but cell contents are captured with a different apparatus which does not produce a cell outline.  To measure the intensity within a cell, the outlines are generated by the first image, then superimposed upon the second image.  Then, an intensity measurement is performed using the Density measurement in the Count/Size command.

Object outlines can also be stored using the Save Outlines... command on the Count/Size window's File menu.  Outlines are stored to Image-Pro's outline files (.OUT).   An outline file contains a list of all the polygonal shapes comprising your outlines.  The format of this file is described in Appendix B, File Format Specifications.

Stored outlines can be used as input to an external program, or can be reloaded into Image-Pro.  A stored outline can be subsequently loaded into Image-Pro for positioning purposes or for additional measuring.  Outline files are also an essential component to the population density process (see Population Density Analysis later in this section).


Viewing Measurement Data

When a count operation is performed, the requested measurements (those selected with the Select Measurements... command) for all counted objects are written to the measurement data sheet.  This data sheet can be viewed by selecting the Measurement Data command from the View menu.

The data sheet contains only values for the requested measurements; if you want to incorporate additional measurements in your data sheet you will need to select them, then re-measure the outlines by clicking the Measure button (keep the original measurements selected too, if you want them to appear in the data sheet).

Statistics, such as Minimum, Maximum, Mean and Standard Deviation can be viewed using the Statistics command on the View menu.  A set of these statistics is produced for each measurement you have selected:

Measurement data can be stored to a file using the Save Data command on the Count/Size window's File menu, or on the Measurement window's File menu.  Data can be stored in ASCII or LOTUS 123  WK1 format.


Visualizing Your Measurement Data

Two plotting devices, Scattergram and Histogram, are provided to let you visualize your data in chart form.  You can also render your objects using color to represent the measurement values they possess.

More:

Scattergrams


Scattergrams

A Scattergram plots two measurements against each other.  Scattergrams can be used to illustrate a correlation between two measurements.  For example, a scattergram can graphically show you whether or not there is any relationship between two measurements, or whether there is any clustering of the data points.

A scattergram is created by selecting the Scattergram command from the View menu.  Image-Pro displays the scattergram along with its correlation factor and a best fit line drawn through the points.

To select the measurements you want to plot on each axis, use the list boxes provided in the Scattergram window.

Measurement histograms (not to be confused with intensity histograms) provide another way to plot your measurement data.  Measurement histograms illustrate the distribution of your object population over a measurement range.  The histogram's X-scale identifies the measurement's range (from its Minimum value to its Maximum value), and the Y-scale measures the number of objects within each measured interval.

Measurement histograms are created using the Histogram command on the Count/Size window's View menu.  Within this menu, you must select both the measurement you want to plot, and the number of intervals (from 2 - 100, inclusive), into which you want your X-axis segmented.

Scattergrams and Histograms can be captured and saved into an image file using Image-Pro's Screen Capture facility.  The captured image file can be printed in Image-Pro, or imported into your word processing program to be included in a report.

You can also visualize your measurement data with color, using the classification commands on the Count/Size window's Measure menu and coloring the objects by class.  This lets you distinguish the objects with a color that represent their measurement values.  Objects may be classified using one of two methods.  The Single Variable Class. command lets you divide the results of a single measurement type into the number of categories that you define.  If you then select the Class outline options in the Count/Size options dialog box, your objects will be colored according to the class to which they belong.

You may also classify your measurement results using the Auto Classification command.  This lets you categorize data into groups of objects with similar measurement characteristics.  In the Auto-Classification dialog box, you must define the number of groups you want your data sorted into and the measurements you want used as classifiers.  Image-Pro will look for clusters of data points that are created when the selected measurements are plotted against each other you can check for clusters yourself by generating a Scattergram for each measurement pair in your classifier selection list (see Scattergram discussion earlier in this section).  Creating a scattergram is a good way to determine whether or not you have selected meaningful classifiers - if your scattergram yields a correlation close to 1, you only need to use one of the plotted measurements as a classifier because the values of the two are so similar.

After your measurements have been classified, you can select the Class outline options in the Count/Size options dialog box, and your objects will be colored according to the class in which they belong.


Saving your Counting Environment

You may spend a considerable amount of time tailoring the counting options, intensity ranges  and classifiers to a particular image.  Instead of manually resetting these parameters next time you work with a similar image, you can save all these settings, then reload them when they are needed.  This is done using the Save Settings command on the Count/Size window's File menu.

Environment parameters are stored in .ENV files.  A counting environment can be restored by loading the appropriate .ENV file using the Load Settings option.


Population Density Analysis

Population Density is the measurement of the number of objects per unit of area.  It is often used to determine the density of a cell sample.

Calculating population density is performed using the Population Density command on the Count/Size window's Measure menu.  However, there are two very important steps that must be performed before the Population Density command is selected.  The three steps required to produce a population density analysis are:

Step 1 -	The outlines of the sites to be measured must be created and saved to a file.

Step 2 -	The individual objects within the areas to be measured must be counted.

Step 3 -	The Population Density command must be called.

Each step is discussed below.  You may also want to refer to the Population Density tutorial in the Image-Pro Installation Guide for additional background.

More:

Step 1 - Defining the Areas to be Measured

Step 2 - Counting the individual objects

Step 3 - Calculating Density


Step 1 - Defining the Areas to be Measured

Defining the sites to be measured can be done in two basic ways:

•	If your image contains small objects (cells or nuclei, for example) inside of a visibly defined larger object (site), you can use the normal object counting process to measure and outline the large objects (sites).

•	If your small objects are not contained within any visible entity, you can use Count/Size window's Draw/Merge command or the Measurements window's Area tool to manually draw outlines of the sites to be measured.

Regardless of which method you use to define the outlines of the sites, once you are satisfied with the outlines on the screen, they must be saved to an outline file using the Save Outlines command on the window's File menu.  This file will be requested when you perform the Population Density command in Step 3.


Step 2 - Counting the individual objects

Next, you must count the individual objects (grains, nuclei, or whatever the case may be).  If the site outlines and measurements from the previous step are still active, be sure to clear them before you begin.  Then, count (and measure, if needed) all the small objects using any the normal counting procedure.

It is important that you have an accurate count of the number of individual small objects in your image.  If some of your small objects are overlapping and clumped into groups, the objects within the groups will need to be measured.  This is done by selecting the Clusters measurement when you perform the count (select Cluster in the Select Measurements dialog box).  A cluster measurement calculates and records the number of objects contained in each counted outline.  This value is written to the measurement data sheet.


Step 3 - Calculating Density

Once you have the small-objects outlined and count on the screen, you are ready to begin the density analysis.  To do this, select the Population Density command from the Count/Size window's Measure menu and select the file that contains the site outlines created in Step 1.  The site outlines will be superimposed over the small objects you've just counted, and the object density within the outlines will be calculated.  The results of the density calculations are displayed in the Population Density window.  The following data is reported:

•	Site Number:   This number identifies a site outline within the image.  Each site is given a unique numeric label, which is displayed in brackets, [ ], to distinguish it from the small object labels.

•	Object Count:   This number identifies the number of objects within the site.  An object is considered within a site if its center of gravity lies within the site outline.

•	Site Area:   This number reports the area of the site.  It will be reported in terms of the current spatial unit.

•	Density (raw):   This number reports the gross density for the site as calculated by dividing Object Count by Site Area.

•	Density (corrected):   This number reports an adjusted density for the site as calculated by subtracting the AOI's background density from the Site's raw density.  This gives a value that represents the density of the site independent from the background population.

•	Sites (mean):   This row of number reports the average object count, area density statistics for all sites within the AOI.

•	Sites (sum):   This row reports the total number of objects and the total area for all sites within the AOI.

•	Background:   This row reports the number of objects that fell outside of the site outlines, the area of the AOI that fell outside the site outlines (the background area), and the density of the background calculated by dividing the Background Site Area value by the Background Object Count value.  The background density value is used to create a Corrected Density value for each site.

•	Total:   This row reports the total number of objects within the AOI (those within the sites and those within the background), the total area of the AOI and the population density of the entire AOI.


 Customizing the Command Menus and Buttons

The appearance of the menus on the command bar and the buttons on the tool bar can be tailored to suit your needs.  If, for example, your work never involves the processing of color images, you might want to remove all of the color-related commands to simplify the menus.  Or, if your application involves routine Line Profile analysis, you might want to add this command to the tool bar so it can be quickly accessed via a command button.  You can even add your own macros to a menu.

Note - You can completely customize Image-Pro using Image-Pro's Software Development Kit (SDK).  The SDK allows you to incorporate your own, custom-designed DLL's and toolbar icons, letting you create powerful, vertical-market applications based upon Image-Pro.  For more information about the Image-Pro SDK, contact Media Cybernetics or your Image-Pro dealer.

The presentation of the menus and buttons is defined by the IPWIN32.MNU file.  This file is located in your Image-Pro directory.  By editing the contents of this file using any ASCII editor (the Window's "Notepad" could be used, for example), you can modify the appearance of your menus and command buttons.

Note - although you may edit the IPWIN32.MNU file while Image-Pro is active, your changes will not take effect until Image-Pro is restarted.  Also, be sure to close the IPWIN32.MNU file in your editor before starting Image-Pro; otherwise Image-Pro may not load properly.

Important - always make a copy of your IPWIN32.MNU file before making any changes to it.  Mistakes in this file can easily affect the operation of Image-Pro, and render commands inoperable.  A back-up file will ensure that you can revert to a previous, good, version of this file in the event of problems with your edits.

More:

Customizing the Menus

Removing a Menu Item

Moving a Menu Item

Renaming a Menu Item

Adding a Macro to a Menu

Advanced Menu Editing

IPWIN32.MNU Syntax

Bit Flag Options


Customizing the Menus

The first section of the IPWIN32.MNU file defines the contents of the command bar.  You can edit this section to remove, rename or re-organize the Image-Pro main menu and commands therein.

Note - IPWIN32.MNU provides the controls for modifying the main Image-Pro menu.  Menus that are presented within command windows, such as Count/Size and Histogram, are not defined by IPWIN32.MNU and are not modifiable.

Before editing this file, you should familiarize yourself with the elements of its structure.  The following table introduces you to the basic statements that are used to create a menu in Image-Pro.  A complete, syntactical description of each of these statements is documented at the end of this section under IPWIN32.MNU Syntax.

STATEMENT	DESCRIPTION
columnbegin	Marks the beginning of a menu
endcolumn	Marks the end of a menu
progitem	Defines a menu item — i.e., a "command" listed in the menu.  Differs from item, below, in that it invokes a procedure, or macro, that is resident in the main Image-Pro program.
item	Defines a menu item — i.e., a "command" listed in the menu.  Differs from progitem, above, in that it invokes a procedure that resides in an Image-Pro DLL.
group	Marks the beginning of a sub-menu within the current menu (i.e., a "pop-out" menu).
endgroup	Marks the end of a sub-menu within a menu.
separator	Draws a line between items in a menu.
The example below shows a portion of the Image-Pro File menu description, and points out the menu components within it.


Removing a Menu Item

You can remove an item from a menu by placing the "#" character in the first position of the item or progitem line.  The "#" character tells Image-Pro to ignore that particular statement.  In the following example, the three color-processing commands have been removed from the Tools menu.

columnbegin &Tools,3

   item &Threshold, Binarize Image,contrast.dll,770,10

item &FFT...,Fourier Transform operations,fftdlg.dll,902, 100

item Fi&ltering..., Spatial Filtering,filtrdlg.dll,910, 100

item &Operations...,Arithmetic Operations,opsdlg.dll,815,100

item &Background Correction...,Background Ops.,opsdlg.dll,815,101

#	item &Color Transform...,Color Models.,colordlg.dll,56,100

#	item &Extract Channel...,Extract Color Channel.,colordlg.dll,56,101

#	item &Merge Channel...,Merge Color Channel.,colordlg.dll,38,102

#	item Color &Segmentation...,Segment by Color.,colorseg.dll,168,100

   item &Pseudo-Color, Colorize Image,pseudoco.dll,770,100

endcolumn


Moving a Menu Item

You can move a command from one menu to another by simply moving its item (or progitem) statement to another menu.  Be sure you move the entire statement, including the carriage-return character that terminates it.

Note - be sure to consider the documentation impact when modifying your menus.  Commands in the Image-Pro Reference Manual are documented in the order in which they appear on the default menus.  Rearranging commands will reduce your user's ability to "thumb-through" the manual to locate a command.


Renaming a Menu Item

You can rename a command on the menu by changing the contents of the Title parameter in its item or progitem statement (see IPWIN32.MNU Syntax for the position and content of the Title parameter).

Within the Title parameter, the "&" character must precede the character designated as the "access" key (sometimes called "accelerator" key); the access character specifies the key that can be used to select the command once the menu is opened — it appears as an underscored character when the menu is displayed.  Try to choose a character that is not in use as an access key by any other command in the menu.

If you want an ellipsis (i.e., ...) to appear after your command name, be sure to include it as part of your command name in the Title parameter (by convention, an ellipsis is used to denote commands that produce a dialog box when selected — e.g., Print...).

Note - keep in mind that if you rename a command, your users may have difficulty locating information about it in the Image-Pro Reference Manual and on-line help system.


Adding a Macro to a Menu

You can add your own macro to a menu by creating a progitem statement for it in the IPWIN32.MNU file (the progitem statement, not the item statement, must be used when assigning a macro to a menu).

As with menu statements for built-in features, the progitem statement for a macro consists of the Title, Descrip, BitFlags and ID parameters (see IPWIN32.MNU Syntax for more about the position and content of these fields).  For a macro, however, the ID parameter, which is the last parameter in the statement, must contain a value in the 5000 to 5999 range.  This value notifies Image-Pro that a macro is to be invoked, and specifies the macro's position in the current script file, as follows.

An ID of...

5000 	identifies the first macro in the selected script file,

5001 	identifies the second macro in the selected script file,

5002 	identifies the third macro in the selected script file,

and so forth.

The following example shows a progitem statement defined for the 4th macro (#5003) in a script file.

progitem &Color Correct,Custom Gamma Correction,0,5003

Important - a macro is always invoked from the currently selected script file.  If you change script files mid-session, a menu item will invoke the specified macro number from the new script file.  To ensure that the macro you intended is always the one invoked by a menu command, do not change script files during your Image-Pro session.


Advanced Menu Editing

By following the syntax outlined under IPWIN32.MNU Syntax at the end of this section, you can structure your IPWIN32.MNU file such that it creates, deletes or renames entire menus.  You can also regroup the existing menu commands so that they appear in any order you'd like.

More:

Customizing Command Buttons

Assigning an Image-Pro Command to a Button

Assigning a Macro to a Command Button


Customizing Command Buttons

The second section in the IPWIN32.MNU file contains the statements that determine which command buttons are shown on the tool bar.  You can even assign a macro that you have developed to a command button on the toolbar.  This allows you to customize your tool bar with just the tools you want to have close at hand.

A command button is defined by one of the following statements in the IPWIN32.MNU file:

STATEMENT	DESCRIPTION
progbutton	Defines a command button that is to be displayed on the Toolbar.  Differs from button, below, in that it invokes a command that is resident in the main Image-Pro program.  The progbutton statement is also used to assign a user-defined macro to a command button.
button	Defines a command button that is to be displayed on the Toolbar.  Differs from progbutton, above, in that it invokes a command that is resident in an Image-Pro DLL.
The IPWIN32.MNU file contains definitions for all of the Image-Pro commands that can be assigned to the Toolbar.  By default, only a few of these statements are active.  You can selectively activate/deactivate buttons by including or removing the # character (the "comment" character) at the beginning of each statement.  Button statements that begin with the "#" character are ignored by Image-Pro, and the buttons for such statements are not shown on the Toolbar.

The example below shows an excerpt from the IPWIN32.MNU file.  In this example, the first 3 statements are "active" — the command buttons for these will be displayed.  The last 3 statements are commented out — these buttons will not be displayed.

button MEASURE,Manual Measurements.,measure.dll,943,0

button OPER,Perform Arithmetic Operations,opsdlg.dll,815,100

progbutton MACRO,Macro management...,0, 751

#button BACKSUB,Perform Background Ops.,opsdlg.dll,815,101

#button EXTRACT,Extract Color Components.,colordlg.dll,56,101

#button MERGE,Merge Color Components.,colordlg.dll,38,102

See the next section (IPWIN32.MNU Syntax) for syntactical descriptions of the button and progbutton statements.

Note - approximately 20 command buttons can be shown simultaneously, however, the exact number will depend upon the resolution of your monitor.  You will need to experiment with the button statements in IPWIN32.MNU to determine just how many buttons will fit on your Toolbar

.


Assigning an Image-Pro Command to a Button

You may assign any of the menu commands to a command button by following the procedure below:

1.	Copy the item or progitem statement from the menu definition section at the top of the IPWIN32.MNU file to the button description section (do not delete the statement from the menu definition section unless you deliberately intend to remove it from the menu).

1. 	Change the statement's keyword as follows:

IF THE KEYWORD IS...	CHANGE IT TO...
progitem	progbutton
item	button
3.	Change the contents of the Bitmap parameter to the name of one of the pre-defined button bitmaps.  See the progbutton or button definition under IPWIN32.MNU Syntax for a description of the Bitmap parameter.

The following example shows how a copy of the "Video Average" item statement would be modified to assign it to the "Camera" button.  The underscoring denotes the parts of the statement that would be changed.

This item statement...

item Video Avera&ge...,Average Video Frames,capt.dll,32,102

would be changed to...

 	button CAMERA,Average Video Frames,capt.dll,32,102


Assigning a Macro to a Command Button

You can assign a macro to a command button by creating a progbutton statement for it in IPWIN32.MNU (the progbutton statement, not the button statement, must be used when assigning a macro to a button).

Like the progbutton statement for a built-in feature, the progbutton statement for a macro consists of the Bitmap, Descrip, BitFlags and ID parameters (see IPWIN32.MNU Syntax for more about the position and content of these fields).  For a macro, however, the ID parameter, which is the last parameter in the statement, must contain a value in the 5000 to 5999 range.  This value notifies Image-Pro that a macro is to be invoked, and specifies the macro's position in the current script file, as follows.

An ID of...

5000 	identifies the first macro in the selected script file,

5001 	identifies the second macro in the selected script file,

5002	identifies the third macro in the selected script file,

and so forth.

The following example shows a progbutton statement for the 4th macro (#5003) in a script file.

progbutton ICAL,Custom Gamma Correction,14,5003

Important -  a macro is always invoked from the currently selected script file.  If you change script files mid-session, a button will invoke the specified macro number from the new script file.  To ensure that the macro you intended is always the one invoked by a button, do not change script files during your Image-Pro session

The Bitmap field specifies the name of one of the predefined bitmaps that can be used as button icons.  Any of the icons listed under Pre-defined Button Bitmaps at the end of this manual can be used.


IPWIN32.MNU Syntax

The IPWIN32.MNU file contains the description of Image-Pro's main menu and sub-menus, as well as descriptions for the command buttons that appear on the Toolbar.  Each statement in IPWIN32.MNU is made up of a keyword followed by several parameters.  Within the IPWIN32.MNU file, the following rules must be followed:

•	Keywords must appear entirely in lower case (i.e., progitem, not PROGITEM or ProgItem)

•	The first parameter must be separated from its keyword with a space.  Parameters must be separated from each other by commas.

•	You may use spaces to indent statements (usually done to improve readability), but you must not use tabs.

Note - the "#" character is the "comment" character.  It can be used to designate a statement that should not be processed.  This is usually done to include lines of descriptive information, or to "comment-out" a statement that is to be excluded from the file.  The "#" character must appear in the first position of the line.

The following describes the syntax for each allowed IPWIN32.MNU statement:

Statement:	columnbegin Title, Position
Description:	Marks the beginning of a menu description.
Parameters:	Title	The name of the menu as it will appear on the Image-Pro command bar.  The "&" character precedes the accelerator key (the character that can be used with the Alt key to open the menu).
	Position	A number denoting the position of the menu on the command bar.   The first position on the bar is position 0, (not 1).  By convention, the "File" menu occupies position 0, and the "Help" menu occupies the last position.
Example:	columnbegin &Edit,1 item &Fill,Fill an AOI.,ipfill.dll,47,1 progitem &Copy,Copy to Clipboard.,0,3001 progitem &Paste,Paste to image.,0,3002 endcolumn The columnbegin statement in this example marks the beginning of an "Edit" menu description.  "&E" designates "E" as the accelerator key.  The "1" indicates that it is to be displayed as the second menu on the command bar.
Statement:	endcolumn
Description:	Marks the end of a menu description.
Example:	columnbegin &Edit,1 item &Fill,Fill an AOI.,ipfill.dll,47,1 progitem &Copy,Copy to Clipboard.,0,3001 progitem &Paste,Paste to image.,0,3002 endcolumn
Statement:	progitem Title, Descrip, BitFlags, ID
Description:	Defines a menu item (i.e., a command) that resides in Image-Pro's main program.  It is also used to assign a user-developed macro to a menu.
Parameters:	Title	The name of the command as it will appear in the menu.  The "&" character must precede the accelerator key (the character that can be used to select this command once the menu is open). The "\t" character string can be used to right-align a string of text with the right margin of a menu.  Note - if the progitem statement is moved outside of a columnbegin/endcolumn structure, the command itself will be listed on the command bar.  Do not include any tab-aligned text in such a statement (i.e., "\t").
	Descrip	The string of text to be displayed in the status bar when this command is highlighted.
	BitFlags	A number that determines the image class to which the command can be applied, and, when selected, the dialog-box mode that will result.
		For built-in Image-Pro commands, this value must not be changed! For user-defined macros, refer to the Bit Flag Options at the end of this section.
	ID	A number that identifies the command procedure or macro. For built-in Image-Pro commands, this value must not be changed! For user-defined macros, this parameter must specify a value between 5000 and 5999, which indicates the macro's position in the current script file.  Where: 5000 specifies the first macro in the script file, 5001 specifies the second macro, 5002 specifies the third macro and so forth.
Example:	progitem &Save...,Save document.,783,104 The example above defines the "Save..." menu item.  "&S" designates "S" as the accelerator key.  "Save document." will be displayed in the status bar when this command is highlighted. progitem &Correct Color,Apply Gamma.,0,5001 The example above assigns the second macro in the script file to a menu item called "Correct Color."  "&C" designates "C" as the accelerator key.  "Apply Gamma." will be displayed in the status bar when this command is highlighted.
Statement:	item Title, Descrip, DLL, BitFlags, ID
Description:	Defines a menu item (i.e., a command) that resides in a DLL.
Parameters:	Title	The name of the command as it will appear in the menu.  The "&" character must precede the accelerator key (the character key that can be used to select this command when its menu is open). The "\t" character string can be used to right-align a string of text with the right margin of the menu. Note - if the item statement is moved outside of a columnbegin/endcolumn structure, the command itself will be listed on the command bar.  Do not include any tab-aligned text in such a statement (i.e., "\t").
	Descrip	The string of text to be displayed in the status bar when this command is highlighted.
	DLL	The name of the DLL in which the command procedure resides.  This parameter must not be changed!
	BitFlags	A number that determines the image class to which the command can be applied, and, when selected, the dialog-box mode that will result.  This value must not be changed!
	ID	A number that identifies the command procedure.  This value must not be changed!
Example:	item &Acquire,Video Capture.,capt.dll,32,100 This example defines the "Acquire" menu item.  The "&A" designates "A" as the accelerator key.  "Video Capture." will be displayed in the status bar when this command is highlighted.
Statement:	group Title
Description:	Defines a menu item that displays a pop-out menu when selected.  This statement marks the beginning of a sub-menu definition.
Parameters:	Title	The name of the menu item (sub-menu) as it will appear in the menu.

group (continued)

Example:	group R&otate item &Left 90,Rotate left.,xfrm.dll,815, 1 item &Right 90,Rotate right.,xfrm.dll,815, 2 item &Free Angle,Rotate Any.,xfrm.dll,815,4 endgroup The group statement in this example creates a menu item called "Rotate," and marks the beginning of the definition for the "pop-out" sub-menu, which is presented when the "Rotate" item is selected.  "&o" designates "O" as the accelerator key.
Statement:	endgroup
Description:	Marks the end of a sub-menu description.
Example:	group R&otate item &Left 90,Rotate left.,xfrm.dll,815, 1 item &Right 90,Rotate right.,xfrm.dll,815, 2 item &Free Angle,Rotate Any.,xfrm.dll,815,4 endgroup
Statement:	separator
Description:	Draws a line between menu items.
Example:	progitem &Save,Save image.,0,104 progitem Save &As,Save to new file.,0,105 separator item &Print,Print image.,ipprint.dll,783,0 item Sca&n,Scan image.,ipscan.dll,32,0 The separator statement in this example creates a line between the "Save As" and "Print" commands listed in the menu.
Statement:	progbutton Bitmap, Descrip, BitFlags, ID
Description:	Creates a button on the Toolbar for a command that resides in Image-Pro's main program.  It is also used to assign a user-developed macro to a button on the Toolbar.
Parameters:	Bitmap	The name of one of the pre-defined icons (button bitmaps) supplied with Image-Pro.  The icons and their names are listed at the end of this section.

progbutton (continued)

	Descrip	The string of text to be displayed in the status bar when the cursor touches this button.
	BitFlags	A number that determines the image class to which this button can be applied, and, when selected, the dialog-box mode that will result. For built-in Image-Pro commands, this value must not be changed! For user-defined macros, refer to the Bit Flag Options at the end of this section.
	ID	A number that identifies the command procedure or macro. For built-in Image-Pro commands, this value must not be changed! For user-defined macros, this parameter must specify a value between 5000 and 5999, which indicates the macro's position in the current script file.  Where: 5000 specifies the first macro in the script file, 5001 specifies the second macro, 5002 specifies the third macro and so forth.
Example:	progbutton OPEN,Open image file.,0, 102 The above example displays the "OPEN" icon on the Toolbar.  When the cursor touches this icon, the description "Open image file." will be displayed in the status bar.  When selected, this button will execute procedure #102, which is the "Open" command. progbutton ICAL,Apply Custom Gamma.,0,5001 The above example displays the "ICAL" icon on the Toolbar.  When the cursor touches this icon, the description "Apply Custom Gamma." will be displayed in the status bar.  When selected, this button will execute macro #5001 (i.e., the second macro in the current script file).
Statement:	button Bitmap, Descrip, DLL, BitFlags, ID
Description:	Creates a button on the Toolbar for a command that resides in an Image-Pro DLL.
Parameters:	Bitmap	The name of one of the pre-defined icons (button bitmaps) supplied with Image-Pro.  The icon names are listed at the end of this section.
	Descrip	The string of text to be displayed in the status bar when the cursor touches this button.

button (continued)

	DLL	The name of the DLL in which the command procedure resides.  This parameter must not be changed!
	BitFlags	A number that determines the image class to which this button can be applied, and, when selected, the dialog-box mode that will result.  This value must not be changed!
	ID	A number that identifies the command procedure.   This value must not be changed!
Example:	button CAMERA,Video Capture.,capt.dll,32,100 This example displays the "CAMERA" icon on the Toolbar.  When the cursor touches this icon, the description "Video Capture." will be displayed in the status bar.  When selected, this button will load and execute procedure 100 from CAPT.DLL, which is the "Acquire" command.


Bit Flag Options

The Bit Flag parameter is used by the item, progitem, button and progbutton statements.  It determines the class of image upon which the command or button will operate, and the mode in which a DLL's  dialog box (if there is one) will be opened.  If the bit flag for a particular class is disabled (i.e., not "on"), the command will be dimmed when an image of that class is active.

The table below describes the basic Bit Flag parameter values and their meanings.  The flags can be combined by simply adding their values (e.g., a value of 6 would denote Gray Scale (4) and Palette (2) images — 4 + 2 = 6).

VALUE	DESCRIPTION
1	BILEVEL - specifies that the command can be invoked when a Bilevel image is active.  This value "turns on" the BILEVEL flag in bit position 0.
2	GRAY SCALE - specifies that the command can be invoked when a Gray Scale image is active.  This value "turns on" the GRAY flag in bit position 1.
4	PALETTE - specifies that the command can be invoked when a Palette image is active.  This value "turns on" the PALETTE flag in bit position 2.
VALUE	DESCRIPTION
8	RGB - specifies that the command can be invoked when a True Color image is active.  This value "turns on" the RGB flag in bit position 3.
16	Reserved.  Do not use.
32	Reserved.  Do not use.
64	Reserved.  Do not use.
128	MODELESS - specifies that a DLL procedure invokes a modeless dialog.  This value "turns on" the MODELESS flag in bit 7. This flag is used only by the button and item statements.  It is not used when adding a macro to the menu or toolbar.
256	GRAY12 - specifies that the command can be invoked when a Gray Scale 12 image is active.  This value "turns on" the GRAY12 flag in bit position 8.
512	FLOAT - specifies that the command can be invoked when a Floating Point image is active.  This value "turns on" the FLOAT flag in bit position 9.
1024	STARTUP - specifies that the DLL is to be invoked automatically when Image-Pro is loaded.    This value "turns on" the STARTUP flag in bit 10. This flag is used only by the button and item statements.  It is not used when adding a macro to the menu or toolbar.
2048	GRAY16 - specifies that the command can be invoked when a Gray Scale 16 image is active.  This value "turns on" the GRAY16 flag in bit position 11.
4096	Reserved, do not use.
If none of the image class flags (BILEVEL, GRAY, PALETTE, RGB, GRAY12, GRAY16, or FLOAT) are set, your macro will never be dimmed, even no image is active.  Therefore, to make a macro available to all image classes, set its Bit Flags parameter to 0.

If any of the image class flags (BILEVEL, GRAY, PALETTE, RGB, GRAY12, GRAY16, or FLOAT) are set (i.e., turned "on"), your macro will be available only if the active image is of one of the enabled types.  Otherwise it will be dimmed.  For example, if a macro were valid for Gray Scale and True Color images, its Bit Flags would be set to 10 (i.e., 2 + 8).


Image-Pro Tools

The following tools are located on the toolbar immediately below the menu bar.  If no toolbar is being displayed below the menu bar, you may show it by invoking the Hide/Show Tools command on the Window menu or pressing <F5>.  If the menu bar and title bar are not being displayed, you may invoke them by pressing <F4>.

When you position the mouse cursor over one of the icons, a brief description of the command appears.  This "tool tip" does not appear if the command is disabled (not available) because, for example, no image is available for its use, or the active image is not in the correct image class for the command.

AOI Tools:  The Area-of-Interest (AOI) tools are used to isolate an area from the rest of an image.  When an AOI is active in an image, many of Image-Pro's commands will operate only upon the pixels within the AOI.  The filter command, for example, filters only the pixels within an AOI if one is active when it is used.

Note - not all of Image-Pro's commands are constrained by an AOI.  Some, such as Save... and Color Segmentation... operate upon the entire image regardless of whether an AOI is active or not.  This behavior is generally noted in the command descriptions contained in this reference.

An Area-of-Interest can be defined in any shape (it will always be a closed figure, however).  It is created by:

1)	Selecting the tool for the AOI shape you need.  This is done by clicking the appropriate AOI tool button (Rectangular, Elliptical or Freeform -- see AOI button descriptions below).  When an AOI tool is selected, the button will darken to indicate that it is enabled.

2)	Drawing the shape in the image with your mouse

Once an AOI has been created in an image it can be toggled off and on by clicking its AOI tool button.  When an AOI is active, the outline of the AOI appears in the image, and its AOI tool button is highlighted.

You may toggle off an active AOI by clicking its AOI Tool button.  When toggled off, the AOI disappears from the image and its AOI tool button returns to normal.

Image-Pro allows you to have multiple AOIs active and visible when you are in Multiple AOI mode (see Multiple AOI Tool below).  When not in Multiple AOI mode, only one AOI can be active (and visible) at any given time, although you may keep one of each type (that is, up to three AOIs) defined in an image.  For example, you can define a rectangular AOI, toggle it off, then define an elliptical AOI, then toggle it off, and then define a freeform AOI.  When you return to the rectangular tool, Image-Pro will reactivate the rectangular AOI you defined.  Likewise, when you select the elliptical or freeform tool, the last elliptical or freeform AOI is activated.

The AOI Manager allows you to preserve individual AOIs for future use.  See the AOI... command on the Edit menu for more information.

The individual AOI tool buttons, used to create and activate AOIs, are described further below.

New AOI Tool:   Use the AOI reset tool when you want to eliminate the currently defined AOI and create a new one of the same type.

For example, if you already had a freeform AOI active in your image, but you wanted to create a new one, you would click the New AOI button.  This would clear the old AOI from the image and give you the freeform drawing cursor so you could define a new one.

See below for the steps used to define an AOI.

Rectangular AOI Tool:   Use this tool to create and/or activate a square or rectangular AOI in your image.  To enable the tool, click it.  The button will be highlighted when it is enabled. Holding down the <Shift> key while creating or editing a rectangular AOI will create a square AOI (height = width).

The behavior of this tool will vary depending upon whether a rectangular AOI has already been defined in the image.

If you have already defined a rectangular AOI in the image, enabling this tool will activate it (the AOI outline will appear in the image).  If you want to create a new rectangular AOI, click the New AOI button.  This will eliminate the current AOI and give you the drawing tools to define a new one.

If you have not already defined a rectangular AOI in the image, the rectangular drawing cursor will be given to you.  Move this cursor to the upper-left corner of the AOI, then drag it to the lower-right corner and release the mouse button.

The rectangle you have just defined will appear as an AOI in your image.

You may adjust the boundaries and position of a rectangular AOI while it is active.  To adjust a boundary, place the cursor along the edge or corner of the AOI and drag it when the 2-way cursor appears.  To move the AOI, place your cursor in the middle of the rectangle and drag it when the 4-way cursor appears.

Elliptical AOI Tool:   Use this tool to create and/or activate a circular or elliptical AOI in your image.  To enable the tool, click it.  The button will be highlighted when it is enabled. Holding down the <Shift> key while creating or editing an elliptical AOI will create a circular AOI.

The behavior of this tool will vary depending upon whether an elliptical AOI has already been defined in the image.

If you have already defined an elliptical AOI in the image, enabling this tool will activate it (the AOI outline will appear in the image).  If you want to create a new elliptical AOI, click the New AOI button.  This will eliminate the current AOI and give you the drawing tool to define a new one.

If you have not already defined an elliptical AOI in the image, the elliptical drawing cursor will be given to you.  Drag the cursor until the circular or elliptical shape you need is produced, then release the mouse button.

The ellipse you have just defined will appear as an AOI in your image.

You may adjust the boundaries and position of an elliptical AOI while it is active.  To adjust a boundary, place the cursor along the edge of the AOI and drag it when the 2-way cursor appears.  To move the AOI, place your cursor in the middle of the ellipse and drag it when the 4-way cursor appears.

Freeform AOI Tool:   Use this tool to create and/or activate a freeform AOI in your image.  A freeform AOI is made up of any polygonal shape you care to define.  To enable the tool, click it.  The button will be highlighted when it is enabled.

The behavior of this tool will vary depending upon whether or not a freeform AOI has already been defined in the image.

If you have already defined a freeform AOI in the image, enabling this tool will activate it (the AOI outline will appear in the image).  If you want to create a new freeform AOI, click the New AOI button.  This will eliminate the current AOI and give you the drawing tool to define a new one.

If you have not already defined a freeform AOI in the image, the freeform drawing cursor will be given to you.  You can define a freeform AOI using one or more of the following techniques:

Defining polyline vertices:   use this technique to create polygons that are made up of straight line segments.  To create such polygons, simply click the left mouse button at each vertex (including the beginning point) in the polygon, then click the right mouse button to close the figure.

Drawing freehand:  use this technique to create smooth edges.  Smooth edges are created by simply holding the left mouse button down while you draw with the cursor.  This method was used to create the curved edges in the figure below

To close the figure, click the right mouse button.  Image-Pro will automatically connect the first and last points in your line.

Auto-tracing an object:  when you select the Freeform AOI Tool, the Outline dialog box appears in the upper-left corner of the Image-Pro window.

The Auto-Trace option lets you create an AOI by automatically tracing an object in your image. Once the Auto-Trace option has been selected, you must define the first two points along the edge you want to trace.  The first point defines the beginning of the outline, and the second point defines the direction in which you want the outline to proceed.  The example below shows how you would begin an auto-trace for an object.

When the beginning point is reached, Image-Pro will stop the trace.  Click the right mouse button to close the figure.

The trace will also stop if Image-Pro loses the edge it is tracing, or encounters the edge of the image window.  When this occurs, you may either click the right mouse button to end the trace, disable the Auto-Trace option and complete the trace manually, or lead Image-Pro to the next point along the edge (just click a point where you want the trace to continue).

Image-Pro will not pick up the trace at all if it does not discern an edge.

The options in the Outline box are used to fine tune Image-Pro's edge detection mechanism.  Adjust these values if Image-Pro is having difficulty following an edge, or is tracing elements you do not want to included in your AOI.

Threshold:   Set this value to describe the level of contrast between the feature you are tracing and surrounding elements.  The threshold scale extends from 1 to 10.  A low value represents low contrast; a high value, high contrast.

Depth:   Set this value to specify how far ahead to look when tracing an edge.  Depth values from 2 to 6 can be specified.  Use a large value if your image contains a lot of noise creating dropouts along your edge.  For normal edges, keep this value small, or your trace will take longer to do.

Step:   Set this value to specify the number of pixels (1 to 6) Image-Pro should use between nodes along the edge it outlines.  A large value results in a smoother outline (Image-Pro won't trace every nook and cranny), but it may cause Image-Pro to lose the edge more frequently.  Also, specifying values over 3 or 4 can cause Image-Pro  to overshoot curves along the edge.

Speed:   Set this value to control the speed at which the trace is performed.   A value from 1 to 5 can be specified.  The lower the value, the slower the trace is drawn.  You might slow down a trace to make it easier for you to track its progress.

Note - you can interrupt an auto-trace at any point by pressing the space bar.  You may back up the trace by pressing Backspace.  To continue the trace again, simply click on the next point.

Regardless of which method you have used to create your freeform AOI, your freeform shape will appear in your image when the right mouse button is clicked to close the figure.

The boundaries and position of a freeform AOI cannot be modified once it has been defined.  If you need to change the position or edge of a freeform AOI, you must redraw it.  To do this, click the New AOI button to eliminate the existing freeform AOI from the image, then draw the AOI again.

Important -  some operations that read or write to elliptical and freeform AOI's require rectangular dimensions.  An FFT, for example, can only operate upon a rectangular set of pixels.  The same is true of the Save As and Paste commands.  In these instances, the rectangular requirements are satisfied by using the pixels encompassed within a nonrectangular AOI's "bounding-box" to perform the operation.

The bounding-box is defined by the smallest rectangle that completely encompasses the nonrectangular AOI.  The drawing below depicts the bounding boxes that would be used for a few example elliptical and freeform AOIs.

Both the AOIs themselves and the point of origin for the bounding box are important considerations in understanding how an individual command operates upon the multiple AOI.  When Image-Pro can perform a command on the AOI itself, it does so.  Otherwise, it uses the bounding box for the AOI.

Multiple AOI Tool:  The Multiple AOI Tool is used to associate more than one area of interest with an image for simultaneous processing.  A Multiple AOI's outlines appear in a different color to distinguish them from that of a single AOI.

In the process of creating Multiple AOIs, the Multiple AOI Tool and one of the Single AOI Tools will both be highlighted

To create a Multiple AOI:

1)	Create an AOI:  Click the AOI tool you want to use and place the AOI where you want it (the Multiple AOI tool need not be on at this point).  The rectangular, elliptical, and irregular tools work as described above.

2)	Add it to the Multiple AOI:  Click the Multiple AOI button.  A pop-up menu appears.  Click Add.  An AOI outline in a distinctive color is superimposed over the single AOI.  The single AOI remains active, and you may move it and change its shape, or you may leave it in place.

Repeat steps 1 and 2 for as many AOIs as you want (the maximum is limited by the available memory on your computer).

Note...	Image-Pro commands that operate upon an AOI will use both the Multiple AOI and the active Single AOI.  If you do not want one of them to affect your application, clear its AOI tool.

To make the Multiple AOI inactive, click the Multiple AOI button, then click Show to turn it off.

To reset the multiple AOI, click the Multiple AOI button, then click Reset.  All the AOIs in the Multiple AOI will be reset .

The point of origin for a multiple AOI is determined by its bounding box.  A multiple AOI's bounding box is defined by the smallest rectangle that completely encompasses all individual AOIs.  Zoom Tool:  The Zoom Tool is used to magnify or reduce the appearance of the image in the window.  The Zoom Tool does not change the actual size of your image in terms of spatial resolution; it simply enlarges or reduces your view of the image by the specified percentage.

To use the Zoom tool, click the Zoom button (the button will be highlighted indicating that it is enabled), and move the cursor into the image window.  The cursor will change into a magnifying glass.

If you want to magnify an area.  Place the magnifying glass over the area that you want to magnify, then click the left mouse button to "Zoom-in" on that area.  Image-Pro will enlarge the view by a factor of two.  Clicking again will enlarge the original image by a factor of 4, clicking again by 8 and so forth up to 16.

To "undo" the magnification (i.e., "zoom-out" back out), click the left mouse button while holding down the Shift key.  Each click of the Shift-left mouse button will "undo" the magnification, a level at a time.

If you want to reduce the image view.  Place the magnifying glass anywhere in the image and click the left mouse button while holding down the Shift key  to "Zoom-out" on the image.  Image-Pro will reduce the screen dimensions of the image by half.  You can continue to click until the image is reduced to 10% of it original screen size.

To enlarge the image again, click the left mouse button.

Note - you can also magnify and reduce an image using the Zoom command in the pop-up  menu that you create by clicking the right mouse button.  This command allows you to select Zoom In, Zoom Out, or Zoom to a specific magnification.  See The Image Window below.

Pan Tool:  The Pan Tool is used to position an image that does not fit entirely within the image window.  It is an alternative to using the arrows on the scroll bars for positioning the image within the window.

To use the Pan tool, click the Pan button (the button will be highlighted indicating that it is enabled), and move the cursor into the image window.  The cursor will change into the panning hand.  Place the hand over the area of the image you want to move, then drag it to its new position.

Contrast Enhancement Button:  Click this button to display the BCG and other Contrast Controls.  To remove, or hide, the BCG Controls, click this button again

BCG Controls:  The Brightness, Contrast and Gamma (BCG) controls are used to adjust the visual qualities of your image.  There is an independent slider control for each characteristic:

Brightness:   Move this slider up to increase, or down to decrease, the image brightness.  A value of 50 represents no change to the image values.

Contrast:   Move this slider up to increase, or down to decrease, the image contrast.  A value of 50 represents no change to the image values.

Gamma:   Move this slider up to increase the Gamma value (increase dark area contrast) or down to decrease the Gamma value (increase bright area contrast).  A value of 1 represents no change to the image values.

Important - these controls change the appearance of your image as it is interpreted through the Lookup Table.  They do not actually change the pixel values in your image bitmap.  If you want to apply the changes to your bitmap you must write the values to the bitmap by using the Apply LUTs command or by clicking the Apply button.


The Image Window

Open images are placed into image windows within the imaging area of the Image-Pro application window.  You may have more than one image open simultaneously.  The active image will be the frontmost image window, and its title bar will be highlighted.

Each image window has its own set of Control-menu, Minimize, Maximize, and Close buttons.

Like any window, an image window can be moved and resized.  To move an image window, drag its title bar.  To resize an image window, drag its borders.

The Minimize and Maximize buttons can also be used to affect the disposition of your image window.  The Maximize button will enlarge the image window to its maximum possible size in the imaging area.  The Minimize button will reduce the image to an icon (you might want to minimize an open image to reduce screen clutter).  Minimized images are placed along the bottom of Image-Pro's imaging area.  You can reactivate a minimized image by double-clicking its icon.

The Close button offers a quick way to close the image.  Click the Close button once to close the image immediately.

The Control-menu icon is used to access the image window control menu.  This menu contains the standard Windows control commands.

In addition, a few commands that are unique to Image-Pro may be obtained by placing the mouse cursor over the image and clicking the right button.

These commands are used to enlarge/reduce the active image, use the on screen ruler, and obtain information about the image.  Each of these commands is described below

Note -  if you have modified an image before attempting to close it, Image-Pro can issue a warning asking if  you want to save it first.  To do so, set Edit : Preferences to issue a warning.  Otherwise, set the preference not to warn you.

Zoom In:   Use the Zoom In command to double the view of the image in the window.  To double the view a second time, repeat the process.

Zoom Out:   Use the Zoom Out command to reduce by half the view of the image in the window.  To halve the view a second time, repeat the process.

Zoom:   Use the Zoom command to enlarge or reduce the view of the image in the window.  This command can be used as an alternative to the Zoom tool located on the ribbon along the left edge of the screen.

When you select the Zoom command, a pop-up menu is presented.  In this menu select the size at which you want to view the image.  Choices range from 10% to 1600%.  Selecting 100% returns an image window to its actual size.

Ruler:   Use the Ruler command to activate the image ruler option.  When the Ruler option is enabled, rulers are displayed along the top and left edges of the image window.  The rulers are displayed in units-of-measure that have been specified with the Ruler Units command

This command is a toggle.  To disable the ruler display, select the Ruler command again.  When rulers are enabled, a check will appear next to the Ruler command in the menu.  By default, rulers are disabled.

Ruler Units:   Use the Ruler Units command to specify the units in which you want the rulers measure.  When you select the Ruler Units command, a pop-out menu is presented.  From this menu select the unit-of-measure you want to use.  You may select Inches, Centimeters, or Pixels.  A check appears next to the unit that is currently selected.

Information...:   Use the Information... command to obtain information about the image


Managing Open Image Windows

When you have several images open, perhaps with accompanying dialog boxes, you may use several Image-Pro tools to manage them. We recommend that you close windows when you have finished using them.  When you need to have several open, you may place them as you will, using the Tile Images, Cascade Images, or Overlap Images command, or by dragging each one by its title bar.  The active image has its title bar highlighted and will be on top of any other images that are stacked (although the Palette dialog box, if open, may overlay it).

To select a different image, you may do any of the following:

•	click anywhere on it with the left mouse button;

•	choose it by name from the list at the bottom of the Window menu;

•	choose the Next Image (<F2>) or Prev. Image  (<F3>) command on the Window menu;

•	use the <Ctrl>+<Tab> key combination to toggle between the current active image and the most recently active image.

•	To create a larger imaging area (in order to view more of an oversize image, for example), you may do either of the following:

•	select the <F4> function key (Hide/Show Borders) to remove the Image-Pro window border (including title bar, command bar, tool bar, and status bar);

•	select the Hide/Show Tools command (<F5> function key) to remove the Image-Pro tool bar.

Image-Pro commands can be accessed while the borders are hidden by using the keyboard instead of the mouse.  To access a pull-down menu, press Alt plus the menu's access key (e.g.,< Alt>+<F> for the File menu, <Alt+<E> for the Edit menu).  Then select the command within the menu using the arrow keys and the enter key or the command's own access key   Some commands, such as Undo, also have a shortcut key combination (<Alt+Bksp> for Undo), which allows you to access the command directly.

To restore the toolbar or borders, repeat the process that removed them (e.g., <F4> function key to show borders again).


Image-Pro Dialog Boxes

Most of Image-Pro's commands utilize dialog boxes within which you specify options and parameters pertaining to the task at hand.  A variety of standard Windows user interface techniques are utilized within the dialog boxes -- list boxes, group boxes, buttons, edit boxes and so forth, which you are already probably familiar with.

These symbols can be used to enter or reset the value you have just typed.  Clicking the check mark enters the value, and performs a limit test upon it if appropriate.  As an alternative to clicking the check mark, you can press Enter.  If the value is not within the allowable range the check mark and x-symbol will not be cleared.  Clicking the x-symbol resets the contents of the field to its original value.

Network Button:   If your computer is on a network, a Network... button may appear on some dialog boxes.  If one is present, refer to your network documentation for details.  (Do not be concerned if there is no Network... button.)


Common Dialog Boxes

Image-Pro uses common dialog boxes for the commands that open, load, and save files.  We describe here the features that these dialog boxes hold in common.  Individual dialog boxes will then be described briefly as they appear in their proper order.

Note - The common dialog boxes shown below reflect the Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 style.  The common dialog boxes forWindows 3.1 and  Windows NT 3.5  differ from these.

More:

Open and Load Dialog Boxes

Save and Save As Dialog Boxes

Defining a Flat File Descriptor

Append Dialog Box


Open and Load Dialog Boxes

Image-Pro uses several commands that open or load specific types of files (such as Image : Calibration : Open..., Edit : AOI : Load, and Windows : Show Gallery : File : Open...).  In addition, the File : Open command is based on the same common dialog box, but with additional features; those features that it holds in common operate in exactly the same way.

Look in:   This list box shows the available folders (sometimes called "directories") and files.  To see how the current folder fits in the hierarchy on your computer, click the down arrow.  To see what is inside a folder, click it.  The folder's contents will then be listed in the large list box (see File list, below). If you close Image-Pro and reopen it later, the program will remember the location of the last file you opened, and will return you to the same location.

File list:  This list box shows the folders and files in the location selected in Look in.  To see what is inside a folder, double-click it.  To open a file immediately, double-click it.

File name:  This text box provides a space for you to type the name of the file you want.  You can use * as a wildcard.  For example, you can type *.* to see a list of all files.  You can also type the full path of a file.  For example, you can type c:\myimages\image1.tif.  Or, if you have used a long filename, you might type c:\myimages\view from the top..

Alternatively, you can click any file in the File list, and the File name is entered for you.

If you are opening a specialized file, such as a calibration file, a filename for that file type (e.g., .CAL) will be offered for your consideration.

Files of type:  This list box shows the types of files to display.  This is useful for narrowing the list of files displayed to only those files with the filename extension you want..

If you are opening a specialized file, such as a calibration file, only files of that  type (e.g., .CAL) can be opened.

Open:   Click this button to close this dialog box and open the file with the name, file type, and location you specified.

Cancel:   Click this button to close this dialog box without saving any changes you have made.


Save and Save As Dialog Boxes

Image-Pro uses several commands that save files (such as Image : Calibration : Save Active... and Measure : Count/Size : File : Data to File...).  In addition, the File : Save As command is based on a nearly identical common dialog box, but with additional features; those features that it holds in common operate in exactly the same way.

Save in:   This list box shows the available folders and files.  To see how the current folder fits in the hierarchy on your computer, click the down arrow.  To see what is inside a folder, click it. If you close Image-Pro, and reopen it later, the program will return you to the location of the last file that you saved.

File list:  This list box shows the folders and files in the location selected in Look in.  To see what is insider a folder, double-click it.  To save to an existing file, double-click its name..

File name:  This text box provides a space for you to type the name of the file you want.  You can use * as a wildcard.  For example, you can type *.* to see a list of all files.  You can also type the full path of a file.  For example, you can type c:\myimages\image1.tif.  Or, if you have used a long filename, you might type c:\myimages\view from the top...

Alternatively, if you want to overwrite an existing file, you can click its listing in the File list, and the File name is entered for you.

If you are saving a specialized file, such as a histogram file, a filename for that file type (e.g., .HST) will be offered for your consideration.  You may overwrite or modify this suggested name as you choose.

Save as type:  This list box shows the type of files to save.  This is useful for narrowing the list of files displayed to only those files with the filename extension you want...

If you are saving a specialized file, such as a histogram file, you will only be able to save to that type.

Save:   Click this button to close this dialog box and save the file with the name, file type, and location you specified.

Cancel:   Click this button to close this dialog box without saving any changes you have made.

More:

Opening and Saving Flat Files


Opening and Saving Flat Files

If you have images stored in FLAT file format, you will want to be able to open and save them using Image-Pro Plus. To do so, you will need to define the image type in  the Open and Save dialogs.

To Open a Flat File:

For example, if you want to define and open a new image type, called MYTYPE. These files will have the file extension ".MYT". Follow the steps below to open a flat file:

1.	Click on the Open command from the File menu.

2.	Select the FLAT file type, as shown below:

3.	Click on the Options button.

4.	Change the File Format to MYTYPE and the File Extension to MYT.

5.	Use the Browse button to select the descriptor file or type in the name i.e. mytype.des

6.	Click OK to define the new image type.

7.	Cancel the Open command.

8.	Reselect the Open command.

The MYTYPE file type will be there, just as TIF and PCX files are.

Select your MYT flat file image and it will be displayed on the screen.

You can perform the same operations using the Save command to save a flat file image.


Defining a Flat File Descriptor

You can use the Flat File dialog to generate descriptions of your files. Follow the steps below:

1.	Select the File Format and File Extension for the files you are going to create.

2.	Click on the Define New button from the Flat File Descriptor dialog. From the dialog box,  define the following settings:

3.	Select the image class.

4.	Select the bits/sample (8,12, 16)

5.	5Select the byte order

6.	Define the Width, Height, Header Size and line offset.

7.	Click Save to save your new description in a file.

8.	Click OK to finish.

You should have very specific information about the image before attempting to save it into a flat file.


Append Dialog Box

Image-Pro uses several commands that attach (such as Measure : Count/Size : File : Append  Data to File...) files to the end of other files.  In addition, the File : Save As command is based on a nearly identical common dialog box, but with additional features; those features that it holds in common operate in exactly the same way.

File name:  This text box provides a space for you to type the name of the file you want to append the information to. ..

Folders:  You can type the full path of a file. To attach to an existing file, you can click its listing in the File list, and the File name is entered for you.

If you are saving a specialized file, such as a histogram file, a filename for that file type (e.g., .HST) will be offered for your consideration.  You may overwrite or modify this suggested name as you choose.

Save as type:  This list box shows the type of files to save.  This is useful for narrowing the list of files displayed to only those files with the filename extension you want..

If you are saving a specialized file, such as a histogram file, you will only be able to save to that type.

Header:  Check this box to create a head for the appended file..

Left Column: Check this box to align the appended file with the left column of the existing file..

OK:   Click this button to close this dialog box and append the file with the name, file type, and location you specified.

Cancel:   Click this button to close this dialog box without saving any changes you have made.


Data Exchange

Image-Pro offers several ways for you to transfer data between Image-Pro and other Windows applications.  These include clipboard transfers and dynamic data exchange.

More:

Clipboard Transfer

Dynamic Data Exchange

Using DDE To Excel


Clipboard Transfer

In Windows, the Clipboard is a temporary storage location used to transfer data (including images) between documents and between applications.  Image-Pro's Edit menu has one command for placing image data on the Clipboard (Copy) and one for moving it from the Clipboard to the destination location in the active image (Paste).  When you Copy an item from your document (such as copying an AOI from an image), that item is placed on the Clipboard.  It is not removed from the original location, nor is it copied to any other location than the Clipboard.  To place the item in the destination image, use the Paste command; this puts whatever image data are currently on the Clipboard into the new location.  (Note that if the Clipboard contains any data other than image data, the contents cannot be pasted into your image.)  You may then use the 4-way mouse cursor to move the item to be pasted within its destination document; set the item by clicking the right mouse button.  Pasting an item does not remove it from the Clipboard; placing something else on the Clipboard overwrites it.  If nothing is on the Clipboard, the Paste command will be dim.

Only one item may be placed on the Clipboard at a time.  The next time you place information on the Clipboard, even if it is from a different application, the new information overwrites what you had placed on the Clipboard.


Dynamic Data Exchange

Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) is another mechanism to exchange data between applications.  Image-Pro allows you to insert reports directly into Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet application.  The Window : Show Output Window command has a File menu containing the DDE to Excel command.  When you select DDE to Excel, the transfer takes place right away (unless Image-Pro is unable to open Excel).

You may prefer to set some options before you perform the data exchange.  Do so with the DDE Options command, which lets you set the name of the sheet in Excel that will receive the data, as well as the row and column number with the sheet and whether or not the row and column are to be incremented before sending data the next time (thus allowing a time sequence of information to be preserved).

DDE is a language-dependent protocol.  We recommend that you use it with an English version of Excel only.  If you want to work with another language, modify the English commands found in IPWIN32.INI in section [DDEEXCEL].  The "Comma" parameter is not an Excel command; it tells Image-Pro to use the comma (",") instead of the period (".") for a decimal point.


Using DDE To Excel

 Select the DDE To Excel command to transfer  data to Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet.  Before selecting DDE To Excel, you should use DDE Options to determine the correct placement (within Excel) for the data.  When you select DDE To Excel, the transfer occurs with little visible evidence that it has happened.  By switching to the Excel application, you can confirm that the transfer has occurred.  If you select DDE To Excel before opening your Excel application, Image-Pro attempts to start it

DDE Options...:  Select the DDE Options command to tell Image-Pro how and where to export the current data via DDE.

Target Program:  Select Excel as the target program.:

Sheet:  Select the sheet within Excel to which you want the data transferred..

Position data set at: Row and Column:  Use the spin buttons to select the starting row and column within Excel to receive the transferred data.  This setting tells Image-Pro where to place the data the first time you execute the DDE to Excel command after setting this option.  If you want successive calls to be placed below or to the right of the current data, choose one of the option buttons below..

Append next data set to the bottom:  Choose this option button if you want successive DDE to Excel commands to array your data below the previous data.  Image-Pro will augment the row by the amount needed. .

Append next data set to the right:  Choose this option button if you want successive DDE to Excel commands to array your data to the right of the previous data.  Image-Pro will augment the column by the amount needed.

Increment position for next data set by: Choose this option button if you want successive DDE to Excel commands to array your data a fixed number of rows and columns to the right and down.  The default increment setting of 0,0 will overlay successive data..

Note - Image-Pro Plus has an automatic detection feature to find Excel's path name. This means that you can go directly to Excel without setting the path in DDE Options. You can override the autodetection feature by setting the path in the DDE Options.


File menu commands are used to capture, open, close, print, store, and retrieve images. You may also use the commands on this menu to convert an image or group of images from one format to another. The File menu also contains the Image-Pro Internet functions that allow you to transfer text and images from one Image-Pro user to another.


New

Use the New... command to create an empty image window of the specified dimensions and class.  After creating an empty image window, image data can be copied into it using the Paste command.

Note -  to create an image window from the contents of the clipboard, use the Paste New command.

When an empty window is created, all pixels are initialized with the highest intensity value for its type (e.g., 255, or white, for an 8-bit Gray Scale image).  If a Palette window is created, its palette will be initialized with 256 increasing levels of gray.

Image Type:   From this list box select the kind of image you want to create.  Image Type defines the tyoe and depth in bits per pixel (BPP) of your new image.  :

Resolution:   Within this box you can specify a logical image resolution in terms of dots-per-inch (DPI).  If the Units selection is set to Inches, this value will be used to calculate the spatial resolution (i.e., dimensions in pixels) of your new image.  For example, if you set Resolution = 100, and Width and Height = 2" x 2", your image dimensions will be established at 200 pixels x 200 pixels.  If the Units selection is set to Pixels, you may assign a logical resolution to the image, but it will not be used to determine the image's spatial resolution.

After the image is created, Resolution can be viewed and changed using the Info. command.  Image-Pro stores the resolution value with certain file types (TIFF, for example), but otherwise makes no direct use of it (many external programs, however, use this resolution to scale an image when it is imported -- see the Info. command for more about this).

Width:   Enter image width in inches if the Unit field is set to Inches, or in Pixels if the Unit field is set to Pixels.  The width value establishes the number of pixels the new image window will contain in the horizontal direction.

Height:   Enter image height in inches if the Unit field is set to Inches, or in Pixels if the Unit field is set to Pixels.  The height value establishes the number of pixels the new image window will contain in the vertical direction.

Unit:   From this list box, select the terms (Inches or Pixels) in which you want to express the Width and Height values.  When  Inches is selected, the image's spatial resolution is derived by multiplying the Resolution value by the Width and Height values (e.g., if Resolution is set to 100, and Width and Height to 2" x 2", image dimensions will be established at 200 pixels x 200 pixels).  When Pixels is selected, image dimensions are established directly from the Width and Height values that you enter.

Memory:   This item displays the amount of memory the image requires.  Memory requirements are determined by:

Height * Width * BPP  *  1/8

where Height and Width are measured in pixels.

Note - Gray Scale 12 uses 16, not 12, as BPP in the above memory requirement calculation.  Although a Gray Scale 12 image uses only 12 bits per pixel, the 12 bits occupy 2 bytes (16 bits) of memory.

New:   Click this button to create a new, empty window of the specified size and class.


Open

Use the Open... command to open an existing image file, or to create a new image from just a portion of an existing image.  Open can also be used to preview a miniature of the image, or to view its statistics and information without actually having to open the image itself.  These capabilities can be used to locate a particular image quickly.

Image-Pro supports, and will open, many image format types.  These are identified in the Files of type list box.

When you open an image, Image-Pro places it into a new image window.  It becomes the active image.  More than one image can be open within Image-Pro simultaneously.

Note - Image-Pro maintains, at the bottom of the File menu, a list of the last four files you have opened.  You can access any of these files by simply clicking on its file name.  If no files are listed (beneath Exit...), then you must use the Open... command to open the file.

File Name:   From this list box, select the name of the file you want to open.  You can either type the name of the file (with its entire path, if it is not in the current folder), or use the Look in and Files of type selections to obtain a list of file names from which you can select.

Double-clicking on a file name in the large list box (where both folder and file names are listed) will automatically open it.

Note - if you simply type in the file name, be sure that the Files of type field correctly identifies the format of the file you want to open.  Otherwise you will receive an error message when Image-Pro tries to open the file.

Files of type:   In this list box, select the image format of the file you want to open.  If you select All Formats, Image-Pro uses the file's extension to identify its format (e.g., TIF for TIFF, PCX for ZSoft files, .BMP for bitmap files, and so forth).  If your image file does not use standard format-identifying extensions, you must type the name of your file in the File Name field, then select its format from the File Type list box. Otherwise, Image-Pro will select a format based on the file name extension.

Note - Image-Pro will read only the bitmap (raster, not vector) data from a PICT file.

Look in:    In this list box, select the folder from which you want to select your file

Info:   Click this button to display the following statistics and information about your image.  See Info command for a description of the fields in this box.

Note - description information (e.g., Title, Artist) will be displayed only if such information had been stored with the image.  Otherwise these fields will be blank.

When you have finished viewing the image information, click OK or Cancel to return to the Open dialog box.

Preview:   Click this button to preview your image in miniature size.  In preview mode, you can use the Clip Margins options to select a portion of your image to open, rather than opening the whole thing.

Units:   From this list box, select the unit of measure you want the Clip Margins values expressed in.

Clip Margins:    Within the margin boxes, enter the corner coordinates of the image area you want to open.  The Clip Margins values determine whether all or part of the image is opened.  If these values are untouched, the entire image will be opened; if the values are changed, Image-Pro will open the part of the image specified by these fields.

To open just a portion of your image, enter the coordinates of the upper-left and lower-right corners of the region you want opened.  These coordinates can be specified by typing the appropriate coordinate value in each of the margin boxes, or by adjusting the frame around your image using your mouse (this way is easier -- see tip below).

If you modify the corners of your image, then change your mind, you can quickly reset the corner coordinates to their original positions by clicking the Reset button.

Once you have defined the portion of the image you want to open, press the OK button to return to the Open dialog box, and proceed to open the image as usual.

TIP...	A frame, initially encompassing the entire image, is located around the miniature in the preview box.  Using the handles located at each corner of this frame, you can position it to define just the portion of the image you want to open.

•	To reduce or increase the dimensions of the frame, place your cursor on one of the corner handles and drag it vertically, horizontally or diagonally, to stretch or shrink the frame to the size you need.

•	To reposition the frame, place your cursor anywhere within the frame and drag it into position.

Note - when you open just a portion of your image, the portion you select is loaded into a new, untitled image window.  The original image itself is not opened.

Stretch LUT:   This option takes effect only for Gray Scale 12 and Gray Scale 16 images.  Select this check box if you want Image-Pro to modify the look-up table (LUT) to compensate for the narrow dynamic range of an image.  In the Color Map, Image-Pro will then set the maximum value to white and the minimum value to black, and the intervening values to proportional gray levels.

This may be useful, for example, if you have a 16-bit TIFF file that contains 12-bit image data.

Note - this option changes only the LUT.  The actual pixel values are unchanged.


Image Database

Use the Image Database command to access the Image Database. This plug-in module is provided as part of your Image-Pro Plus system.  For more information about the Image Database, please refer to the Image Database Users Guide provided with your Image-Pro Plus package.


Reload

Use the Reload command to fill the active window with a new copy of the file it is linked to (the file listed on the window's title bar).

You might want to use this command if, after considerable editing, you wanted to restart with an untouched copy of the image.  Reload is also very useful in automated procedures where a routine needs an image free from any effects of a preceding routine.

Note - Image-Pro loads the active window from the current copy of the file associated with it.  If you have made  changes to the stored file (whether from this window or another) after the image was opened, the changes will be reflected in the reloaded image.

Performing a Reload on an untitled image window has no effect.

Performing a Reload has no effect on the Lookup Table.  If you have modified the Brightness, Contrast, Gamma settings, they will remain as you set them. If you want to return the LUT to the original settings, use the Reset button on the BCG tool bar.


Close

Use the Close... command to close an active image and remove its window from the screen.  When an image is closed, its associated Histogram and Line Profile windows are closed along with it.

Note -  if you have modified an image before attempting to close it, Image-Pro can issue a warning asking if  you want to save it first.  To do so, set Edit : Preferences to issue a warning.  Otherwise, set the preference not to warn you, and Image-Pro will close the file immediately with no changes and no warning.


Save

Use the Save command to immediately store the contents of the current window to its file (the file listed on the window's title bar) while leaving the image active in its window.  If the image is in an untitled window, Image-Pro will issue the Save File As dialog box.

The Save command can be used to save your most recent changes to disk.  It is often performed as a precautionary measure during lengthy or involved processes to reduce the amount of reprocessing that might be required in the event of a system failure or operational error.  When you close an image and choose not to save its changes, Image-Pro discards all changes made since the last Save operation.

Note - the Save... command always saves the contents of the entire window, even if there is an AOI defined within it.  If you need to store just the contents of an AOI, use the Save As... command.


Save As

Use the Save As... command to store the contents of the current window, or the current AOI, to a file that you specify, in the format that you specify.  At the end of a Save As operation, your image window will be associated with the new file and the new format (i.e., its title bar will display the new file name).

The Save As... command serves several important uses beyond simply storing an image to a new file name.  It is also used to:

•	convert a single image from one format to another (see the Convert command for converting multiple files).  For example, if you needed a TIFF file converted to PCX format, you would simply open the TIFF image, then use Save As... with the PCX format option to save it to a new file.

•	save an image with different compression or quality options from those it was originally created with.  For example, if your original TIFF file was uncompressed, you can use Save As... with the LZW compression option to store it in compressed form.

•	save an image to another disk or folder

Save As... will allow you to store the active image back to its original file name.

Save in:   Find the folder into which you want to save the file.  You may create a new folder using the New Folder button.

File name:   Enter the name of the file you want the image saved to.  To specify the file's location, you can either enter its entire path (disk and folder), or specify its location using the Save in list box.

Save as type:   In this list box, select the format in which you want the image saved.

Important - EPS (Encapsulated Postscript) format is provided for export purposes only.  Image-Pro cannot read an EPS file.  An image should never be stored in EPS format alone.  You should always save it in EPS and in one other format such as TIFF or PCX.

Save in:    In this list box, select the drive and folder to which you want your image file saved.

Compression:    In this list box, select the form of compression you would like the file stored in.  The available compression methods will vary from one file format to another.  For example, LZW (Lempel-Zif encoding) compression is an option with TIFF files, but it is not available in PCX.  Moreover, some formats have no compression options (None is the only choice).  For JPEG files, a compression factor of 25 is used.

Note - if you plan to use the image with another program, be sure it is compatible with the selected compression method.  Not all programs support compressed and uncompressed format variants.

Output BPP:   In this list box select the bit depth (bits-per-pixel) to store the image in.  The choices in this list box will vary from one file format to another.  For example, PCX supports bit depths of 4 BPP and 8 BPP, and TIFF supports several depths ranging from 2 BPP to 16 BPP.

Storing an image at a lower bit depth will reduce its size (in terms of disk and memory space, not in terms of spatial dimensions), but will result in loss of information. To reduce its depth, the least significant bits in each pixel are eliminated.   A Gray Scale image written to 4 BPP would be reduced from  256 gray levels to 16.  Once an image is stored without this information, it can never be recovered. Output BPP should be changed only when image quality is less important than file size.

Note - Output BPP is not available with JPEG format.


Archive

Use the Archive... command to store images in the Image Database. When you open Image-Pro Plus after you have installed the new database module, nothing will appear to be different at first. However, if you look on the File menu, you will see a new menu item, Archive. This selection is available when an image is open in the Image-Pro Plus workspace. Clicking this item displays the following archive dialog :

This dialog allows you to add the image that you currently have open in Image-Pro Plus to a folder in your database.

Archiving: This field indicates the name and location of the image  that you are adding to the database. If you have multiple images open, the current active image will be subject to archiving.

Database: This field indicates the name and location of the current open database where the image will reside.

Folder: This field indicates the name of the current open folder in the database where the image is associated.

Show Database view after archiving: Checking this box automatically displays the database, allowing you to see the image thumbnail after the archive process is complete.

Note - the Image Database is a separate application. Please refer to your Image Database Users Guide, which was included with your Image-Pro Plus package.

Click OK to archive the active image, or Cancel to return to Image-Pro Plus.

To start the database from the Image-Pro Plus window, select Image Database from the File menu, or click on the Database button from the Tool Bar.

The Image Database offers you a number of methods for keeping track of your images and folder information. Information about your images can be stored in the database. You can view this information by selecting  Database Info from the database Edit menu.

The Image Database window is an application window.  When the  Image Database is the active window, the remainder of Image-Pro  is inactive, and vice versa.  If you click anywhere outside the Database window, you activate the application you've just clicked.


Convert

Use the Convert... command to convert multiple files from their existing file format to a new file format.  It can be used to convert a group of files of varying formats (e.g., True Color PCX, Bilevel TIFF, etc.) to a single format in one operation.  It can also be used as an alternative to the Save As command for converting a single file from one format to another.

Convert... writes the converted files to a folder that you specify.  Converted files are given the same 8 character file names as the files from which they are converted, and are assigned an extension denoting the format they have been converted to (default extensions are noted in parenthesis after format name in the File Format list box).

If a file with the same name is found in the destination folder, Image-Pro will present the following alert, asking whether the file should be overwritten.

Convert... does not delete the source files.

Source:   From this list box, select the image files you want to convert to the new format.  Clicking on a drive letter will select that device; clicking on a folder name will display the image files within that folder.:

To select a file, click on its file name.  To deselect a file you have inadvertently selected, click on its file name again.  To select multiple files, press the <Ctrl> button when clicking an additional file.

Destination:    From this list box, select the folder in which you want the converted files stored.  The destination folder cannot be the same as the source folder.  Double-clicking once on a drive letter will select that drive; double-clicking once on a folder name will select that folder.:

File Format:   In this list box, select the format you want the selected source images converted to.:

Image Class:    In this list box, select the image class you want the source images converted to.  The classes available in the Convert To list box will vary depending upon the format you have selected in File Format.  In JPEG format, for example, only the True Color and Gray Scale classes are available.:

If you are converting to a Palette image, the M/Color method will be used to create the palette.

Compression:   In this list box, select the form of compression you would like the files stored in.  This option should be selected after you have made your File Format and Image Class selection, because the available compression methods vary from one file format to another, and from one class to another.  For example, LZW (Lempel-Zif encoding) compression is an option with TIFF files, but it is not available in PCX, and CCITT compression is available for TIFF Bilevel images, but not for TIFF Gray Scale.  Some formats have no compression options (None is the only choice).

Note - if you plan to use the image with another program, be sure it is compatible with the selected compression method.  Not all programs support compressed and uncompressed format variants.

Halftone:   Select your halftoning options if you are converting to a Bilevel-class image.  The options in this box will only be active if Bilevel is selected in the Image Class list box.  These options determine which technique is used to convert an image's color or gray values to regularly spaced black dots (Bilevel images contain only black and white information).

You might want to use Image-Pro to convert an image to Bilevel so it can be imported into another application.  Many programs do not accept True Color, Palette or Gray Scale images.  Even those programs that accept these images may not give you control over how the image is halftoned for output.  If you convert these images to Bilevel in Image-Pro before you import them into the other application, you can control the halftoning that is applied.

Output DPI:   Enter the resolution at which you want the image halftoned.  If you are halftoning an image, this option should be selected first because it determines the values you can choose in the Screen field.

If the converted image is targeted for a specific device or application, the DPI should be set to match that of the destination application/device.  If you use the wrong resolution, the image will be printed at the wrong size and/or appear grainy.

If your image will be printed at more than one resolution by the receiving application, e.g., on a 300 DPI proofing printer, and on a 1200 DPI typesetter, leave it in gray/color form if you can (do not convert the image to Bilevel).  Halftoning such an image at 300 DPI would cancel the resolution benefits of the high-end system;  your image would look as though it had been printed on a 300 DPI device.

Type:   Use this list box to select the halftone method you want to use.  Each method produces gray tones from patterns of very small black dots.  The configuration of the pattern distinguishes each technique:

•	Dot Screens  use black dots of various sizes to represent different intensities.  The dots can be oriented 45° (Angle Dot Screen) or 90° (Flat Dot Screen) to each other.

•	Line Screens  use black lines of various thicknesses to represent different intensities.  The lines can be oriented horizontally (Horz Line Screen), vertically (Vert Line Screen) or at a 45° angle (Angle Line Screen).

•	Diffuse Screens  use a digital technique to simulate shades with seemingly random black and white patterns.

•	Threshold  uses a very simple intensity evaluation technique, which simply converts a pixel to white if it is  128, and to black if it is  127.

The Angle Dot Screen is the most commonly used halftoning technique.  It produces the best results for all kinds of imagery.  Error Diffusion techniques produce the smoothest output on low resolution devices.

Note - if you want to see the effects of the different halftone types on your images, use the Test Strips command to create samples of an image halftoned with the various techniques and screens.

Screen:   Use this list box to select the resolution at which the dot and line halftone patterns will be produced.  The choices presented by this box will vary depending upon the printer and the halftone type you have selected.  Generally, the larger the resolution value, the less obvious the halftone pattern; however, larger values also produce fewer distinct levels of gray.  For example, a 70 LPI Angle Dot Screen (the largest available on a 300 DPI printer) will render only 19 shades of gray.  On images with subtle shading, this may produce some undesired contouring.  To correct, try printing with the next lower Screen resolution.

The Screen option is also used to specify the method to apply when using the Error Diffusion halftone type.  Because Error Diffusion does not produce a halftone using a traditional screening technique, the options presented for it are not resolution related.  Instead, they identify the kinds of diffusion processes that can be applied. There are no Screen options associated with the Threshold halftone Type option.]


Send Mail

Use the Send Mail command to send text and images to one or more people using Internet or Microsoft e-mail. You can compose a message and include one of the active images as a file attachment.

Enter the email address(es) of the person or people who will receive this mail in the To: field. The CC: field allows you to send other people copies of this message. The Subject:  field provides a header for your message. You must fill in at least one recipient in the To: field.

Note - the format of the email address specified in the To: and CC: fields will depend on your email system configuration. Enter the addresses in the same for mat that you would use in your main email program.

The Send Mail window can be resized by clicking on the control buttons, or dragging the window handles. You may have more than one Send Mail window open at the same time.

Configure: Click on this button to set up your email addresses. The Send Mail command supports both Microsoft Mail system protocol, and the Internet email SMTP protocol.

Select either Microsoft Mail or Internet Mail. Microsoft Mail  does not have any user-defined settings. If you are using Internet Mail, you must enter the SMTP server and email address information accurately for the Send Mail function to work.

SMTP mail server information can be entered using either a domain name, as shown above, or an IP address, such as 172.16.1.1. The timeout parameters should not be adjusted, unless you are specifically directed to do so by Image-Pro Plus technical support.

Verify: Click on this button to validate the addresses in the To: and CC: fields. This is only useful when using Microsoft Mail, as it is not possibly to verify Internet mail addresses beforehand.

Attach: The Attach button permits you to attach an image file to your email message. Any open Image-Pro workspace can be selected from the workspace list and attached.

The current contents of the workspace will be attached to the email as a file. Microsoft Mail only supports attaching files, so the image must be stored on disk. If the image has not been saved to a file, or has been modified, you will be prompted to save the image prior to sending the message. At present, it is possible to attach only one image at  a time.  Attaching a new image replaces any previous attachment.

 Save As: Clicking on this button allows you to save your email message in text file format.

You can select the drive and folder where you want your mail stored. Email messages may only be stored in text (.TXT) format. Images that are sent as attachments are stored in their original form. For more information about Save and Save As commands, please refer to pages 2-23 through 2-24.

Send: Clicking on this button delivers your email message to the intended recipients.

Cancel: Clicking this button returns you to the Image-Pro workspace without sending your email message.


Remote File Transfer

Use the Remote File Transfer command to open files stored on any remote FTP server, or save files to a remote server. This feature makes Image-Pro an FTP client for the Internet File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Both standard anonymous FTP and account/password log-in FTP are supported. Clicking on this command displays the following options:

•	Open remote file

•	Save remote file

•	Personal file server.

Open allows you to browse the remote file system for the desired file, select a file, and transfer it to your local system. Any transferred files that are recognized as image files will automatically be opened in a new workspace.  You will be prompted to save unrecognized files in a location of your choice in your local file system.

Save allows you to save your selected image or file to a location on the remote server.  Images will be saved in the original image format if possible, or in TIFF format (the default).

You may have multiple Open and Save dialogs open at the same time.

Personal File Server allows you to configure your Image-Pro system as a personal FTP server. You can choose to make open images and/or files available to remote clients. You control whether to allow anonymous log-in, or to require a specific account and password, as well as all the aspects of what to make available to those clients.

More:

Open Remote File

Save Remote File

Personal file server


Open Remote File

Remote Host is the name and/or Internet address of the remote server (or Host) where your file is located. The drop-down box contains the names of the last four Hosts that you used, or you may enter a new Host name. You may specify the Host using either an IP address, such as 172.16.1.8 or by using a domain name, such as ftp.mediacy.com.

Remote File Name indicates the directory location and name of the file to look for. Clicking on Browse for Remote File allows you to search the server, and will insert the path into the Remote File Name field.

Browse for Remote File retrieves a directory of the remote file system, allowing you to search for the file you want. You must specify the remote Host and connect to it before you can browse for a file.

Current Remote Directory displays the directory where you are currently searching. The drop-down box displays any other directories that you have recently searched on this Host.

Remote Directories displays the list of directories on the Personal file server. File sub-directories and UNIX links appear in this list. When you double-click on a directory name in this list, the remote directory is changed to the current directory, and the contents of the other windows is refreshed. Each path that you have browsed is added to the Current Remote Directory combo box.

Remote Files: This combo box displays a list of all the files in the current server directory. When you double-click on a name in this list, or click the OK button, this becomes the current Remote File Name.

Configure: Clicking on this button allows you to set up the transfer protocols.

The Anonymous FTP and Use Account buttons are used to select the log-in method when connecting to the FTP server.  The EMail address field contains your email address, which is customarily used as the password with anonymous log-ins. When the Use Account button is selected, this field will change to Account Password, and the password will be echoed with asterisks (*).

Under most circumstances, using anonymous FTP should be sufficient. In this case, all you need to enter is your email address.

The timeout parameters should not be adjusted, unless you are specifically directed to do so by Image-Pro Plus technical support.

Connect: Clicking on the Connect button connects you to the remote server. After the connection is made, Connect becomes Disconnect.

Retrieve: Once you have identified the file you want, clicking on the Retrieve button will get the file for you.

Cancel: Clicking on the Cancel button closes your remote FTP connection without transferring any files.


Save Remote File

Remote Host is the name and/or Internet address of the remote server where your file is located. The drop-down box contains the names of the last four Hosts that you used, or you may enter a new Host name. You may specify the Host using either an IP address, such as 172.16.1.8 or by using a domain name, such as ftp.mediacy.com.

Image or Local File: If you have a file open in the Image-Pro workspace, its name will appear here.

Remote File Name indicates the directory location and name of the file to look for. Clicking on Browse for Remote File allows you to search the server, and will insert the path into the Remote File Name field. The drop-down box displays any other directories that you have recently searched on this Host.

Browse for Remote File retrieves a directory of the remote file system, allowing you to search for the file you want.  Clicking on this button displays the following dialog:

Current Remote Directory displays the directory where you are currently searching.

Remote Directories displays the list of directories on the Personal file server. File sub-directories and UNIX links appear in this list. When you double-click on a directory name in this list, the remote directory is changed to the current directory, and the contents of the other windows is refreshed. Each path that you have browsed is added to the Current Remote Directory combo box.

Remote File Name: This box displays the name and path of the remote file that you have currently selected.

Remote Files: This combo box displays a list of all the files you have browsed. When you double-click on a name in this list, or click the OK button, this becomes the current Remote File Name.

Configure: Clicking on this button allows you to set up the transfer protocols.

The Anonymous FTP and Use Account buttons are used to select the log-in method when connecting to the FTP server.  The EMail address field contains your email address, which is customarily used as the password with anonymous log-ins. When the Use Account button is selected, this field will change to Account Password, and the password will be echoed with asterisks (*).

Under most circumstances, using anonymous FTP should be sufficient. In this case, all you need to enter is your email address.

The timeout parameters should not be adjusted, unless you are specifically directed to do so by Image-Pro Plus technical support

Select: Clicking this button enables you to select the file for transfer.

Clicking on Select an Image-Pro workspace will transfer the image file currently open in Image-Pro Plus.

To select a local file from a diskette or hard drive, choose Select a local file. Then, click on Browse for file. Double-click on the file name, or select it and click the Open button. The name of your selected  local file will appear on the Select File dialog,

Click OK when you have the image you want to transfer, or Cancel to change your mind.

Connect: Clicking on the Connect button connects you to the remote server.

Transfer: Once you have identified the file you want, clicking on the Transfer button will send the file for you.

Cancel Clicking on the Cancel tab closes your remote FTP connection without transferring any files.


Personal file server

The Personal file server options allow you to set up and customize Image-Pro Plus as the remote server. This allows other users to have access to the files you have made available, using their copies of Image-Pro or any other FTP client software.  Your Image-Pro system controls the degree of access each user has.

Any messages about the status of the server will appear in this window.

Configure: This button displays the user log-in, notification, and file access controls used by the system administrator for security purposes. User Log-In: This group contains the controls that permit anonymous log-ins, or require the user name and password.

Notifications: This group controls over the verbosity level, and  specifies when you will see status messages. Verbose status provides information about the connection process. It is useful for diagnosing failed connection attempts. The three additional checkboxes control whether a status message will indicate when user logs in, transfers a file, and/or disconnects from the remote server.

File Access: This area contains controls that determine which files the client will see in the server's virtual file system. By default, the server will not list any files from the user's local file system, but this can be changed by checking Supply files to all users or Let me decide when the user logs in . Clear File List when user disconnects assures that the file list is emptied when the user leaves, preventing sensitive file lists from being revealed to subsequent users.

The Edit File List button controls which files the user will see  in the virtual "misc" directory  when he or she connects.

The files, drives, and directories list boxes are used to locate the files of  interest. Whenever a file is highlighted, the Add button is enabled.

Selected Files: This list box contains the presentation name and path of the requested file(s). The presentation name is usually the actual file name, except in the case of duplicates or Win-32 long file names that contain spaces. In the case of duplicates, a number is appended. In the case of long file names, spaces are replaced with periods.

Add: Clicking this button includes the highlighted file name in the Selected Files list.

Add All: Clicking this button includes all the files from the files list in the Selected Files list.

Clear List: Clicking this button empties all files from the Selected Files list box.

Cancel: Clicking this button returns you to the Configure dialog box without changing the current file list.

Done: Clicking this button saves your selections and returns you to the Configure dialog box.

Edit: Clicking this button allows you to edit the presentation name of a file in the Selected Files list box.

Enter the revised file name, and click OK to save, or Cancel to return to the Edit Files dialog.

Refresh List: Clicking this button refreshes the files list with the contents of the current search directory.

Remove: Clicking this button removes a highlighted file name from the Selected Files list box.

The Edit Image List button controls which image files the user will see when he or she connects.

Open Images: This list box contains the names of all the open image workspaces. Whenever an image name is highlighted, the Add button is enabled.

Selected Images: This list box contains the presentation name and workspace name of the selected images. The presentation name is usually the workspace name, except in the case of duplicates or Win-32 long file names that contain spaces. In the case of duplicates, a number is appended. In the case of long file names, spaces are replaced with periods.

Add: Clicking this button includes the highlighted image name in the Selected Images list.

Add All: Clicking this button includes all the images from the Open Images list in the Selected Images list.

Clear List: Clicking this button empties all images from the Selected Images list box.

Cancel: Clicking this button returns you to the Configure dialog box without changing the image list.

Done: Clicking this button saves your selections and returns you to the Configure dialog box.

Edit: Clicking this button allows you to edit the presentation name of a image file in the Selected Images list box. Enter the revised image file name, and click OK to save, or Cancel to return to the Edit Files dialog

Remove: Clicking this button removes a highlighted image name from the Selected Images list box.

When you have finished editing the files and images, click Done to return to the Configure Personal file server dialog.

The Server Identification area allows the system administrator to edit the "welcome message" that the user sees when he or she logs into the system.

When you have finished configuring the system, click OK to return to the main Remote file server dialog.

Start-Up: Clicking this button puts your personal FTP server online, and ready to receive user connections. While the server is online, the Start-Up button changes to Shut Down.

Shut Down: Clicking this button takes the server off-line.

Cancel: Clicking this button returns you to the main Image-Pro workspace.


Remote Conference

Use the Remote Conference command to communicate with other on-line individual using the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) protocol. You may send image files in TIF format to other users. For Image-Pro users, these files will be opened automatically. Other IRC client users will be able to save the image to a file. When you select the Remote Conference command, you will have two options:

•	Open Remote Conference

•	Personal Conference Server.

Each of these options will be discussed in the following section.

More:

Open Remote Conference

Personal Conference Server


Open Remote Conference

This option allows you to initiate a link between your computer and any other users currently logged-in to the remote server.

Messages typed in to the edit box entry field at the bottom of the dialog will be sent to the current channel whenever  your press the <Enter> key or click the Send button. Messages that you send through the remote conference channel appear in the message window preceded by the ">" character.  Messages from other users will appear preceded by their nicknames. Status or informational messages appear preceded by three asterisks (***); IRC actions are preceded by two asterisks (**); and other types of messages by one asterisk (*).

Configure: This button lets you specify the name of the remote host, your name and nickname, and the conference channel used for communication between machines.

Remote Host: The remote IRC host can be specified using an IP address, such as 172.16.1.8, or as a domain name, such as ImagePro.mediacy.com. Once you have entered and saved a remote host name, it can be selected from the pull-down box.

Your real name: Enter your real name, including spaces and abbreviations here.

Your nickname: The IRC protocol requires each person to connect using a nickname. This nickname is limited to eight characters, does not allow for punctuation or spaces, and is case-sensitive.

Alternate nicknames: Because the nickname is limited to eight characters, there is the possibility that more than one person will try to use the same nickname, which the IRC protocol does not allow. If this occurs, Image-Pro will attempt to connect using the alternate nicknames. Failure of all three nicknames will cause the connection to fail.

Conference channel: The IRC protocol requires all communication to take place on a "channel." Users can join an existing one, with #ImageProcessing  being the default setting for Image-Pro.  Every channel name must begin with the # character (pound sign).  Other types of punctuation and spaces are not allowed in the channel name.

Connect/Disconnect: The Connect button is used to connect to the IRC server currently configured. When the connection is established, this button changes to Disconnect.  Disconnect is used to close an active connection at any time.

Cancel: Click this button at any time to close the active connection and return to the Image-Pro main window.

Send: Click this button to send your message, or press <Enter>.

Actions: Extensions to the IRC protocol provide the ability to indicate "actions" to the other users in the channel. Typically, these are used to extend the range of communications when not available fact-to-face. For instance, if you send the message "wave hello to Judy" the other users in the channel will see "Yournickname waves hello to Judy."  This same set of extensions can be used to transfer a file to one of the other users in the channel.

Image-Pro implements a special action that other Image-Pro systems can recognize. It allows you to place an indicator at a specific position on a file that was previously transferred via FTP or the conference facility from one user to another.

Clear Log: Clicking this button empties any text from the log area.

Save Log: Clicking this button enables you to keep the record of the communications in a file.

Your communications log will be saved as a text file in the directory that you specify. For more information about saving files, please refer to the section about Open and Save dialog boxes in the first part of this manual.


Personal Conference Server

This option allows your Image-Pro system to host a conference with another Image-Pro system. This is useful if the IRC servers are busy, and it ensures a "private" conference.  Once the connection is established, the user interface looks identical to the Open Remote Conference option.

Messages typed in to the edit box entry field at the bottom of the dialog will be sent to the current channel whenever  your press the <Enter> key or click the Send button. Messages that you send through the remote conference channel appear in the message window preceded by the ">" character.  Messages from other users will appear preceded by their nicknames. Status or informational messages appear preceded by three asterisks (***); IRC actions are preceded by two asterisks (**); and other types of messages by one asterisk (*).

Configure: This button lets you specify the name of the remote host, your name and nickname, and the conference channel used for communication between machines. Your real name: Enter your real name, including spaces and abbreviations here.

Your nickname: The IRC protocol requires each person to connect using a nickname. This nickname is limited to eight characters, does not allow for punctuation or spaces, and is case-sensitive.

Alternate nicknames: The alternate nicknames are not required when hosting a channel.

Conference channel: The IRC protocol requires all communication to take place on a "channel." Users can join an existing one, with #ImageProcessing  being the default setting for Image-Pro.  Every channel name must begin with the # character (pound sign).  Other types of punctuation and spaces are not allowed in the channel name.

Connect/Disconnect: The Connect button is used to put your server online. When the server is online, this button changes to Disconnect.  Disconnect is used to take your server off-line.

Cancel: Click this button at any time to close the active connection and return to the Image-Pro main window.

Send: Click this button to send your message, or press <Enter>.

Actions: Extensions to the IRC protocol provide the ability to indicate "actions" to the other users in the channel. Typically, these are used to extend the range of communications when not available fact-to-face. For instance, if you send the message "hello to Judy" the other users in the channel will see "Yournickname says hello to Judy."  This same set of extensions can be used to transfer a file to one of the other users in the channel.

Image-Pro implements a special action that other Image-Pro systems can recognize. It allows you to place an indicator at a specific position on a file that was previously transferred via FTP or the conference facility from one user to another.

Clear Log: Clicking this button empties any text from the log area.

Save Log: Clicking this button enables you to keep the record of the communications in a file.Your communications log will be saved as a text file in the directory that you specify. For more information about saving files, please refer to the section about Open and Save dialog boxes in the first part of this manual.


Screen Capture

Use the Screen Capture... command to specify the options for Image-Pro's Screen Capture utility.  The Screen Capture utility lets you record all or part of the screen display to an image file.  For example, you might want to capture one of the graphs produced by Image-Pro (e.g., histogram, scattergram, line profile) and import it into your word processor so it can be included in a report.

Important - The Screen Capture utility does not function if the copy protection plug is not installed.

To use screen capture,

1)	Use the Screen Capture command to set the capture options you need (optional).  These options determine how much of the screen will be captured, what key will invoke the capture and to what file the image will be stored.  If you want to use the existing settings for these options, this step can be skipped.

2)	Display the screen you want to capture.  It can contain anything you would like: image windows, dialog boxes, menu choices.

Press the Hot Key (F7, by default).

The image file created by Image-Pro can be used just as any ordinary image file -- you can read it, edit it, save it or paste it into another application (the screen shots for this entire manual were captured using Image-Pro's screen capture facility).

When you select the Screen Capture command, the Capture Options dialog box is presented.  Tailor the options in this dialog box to suit your needs.  They will become effective as soon as you close the dialog box.

Destination Directory:    In this list box, select the folder to which you want the captured screen image saved (if the folder is on another drive, select it in the Drive field first).

Drive:   In this list box, select the drive to which you want the captured screen image file saved.

File Format:   In this list box, select the format in which you want the captured screen image saved.

File Name:   In this group box, select the name for the captured image. A file name can be generated automatically or manually.  If you select automatic, Image-Pro will assign a prefix (such as GRAB) and a number to the captured image. You may also use the name of the window by clicking on the Use Window Title check box.

If the capture selection is on Window or Client, and the Use Window Title check box is selected, the screen capture will use the title bar of the window as the file name. (Note: in Windows 3.1, the file name cannot be more than 8 characters long.)  If the window does not have a title bar, such as a toolbar, the screen capture tool will use the prefix.

File numbers will keep increasing to a maximum of 9999. After this maximum is reached, the file numbers will be reset to zero.  You can reset the number manually by entering a number in the Next # edit box.

Selecting  Prompt for file name, allows you to enter  the name of each captured file manually. Image-Pro will ask you for the name of each file as part of the capture process,

Resolution:  You can set the resolution at which the captured image will be displayed. The default is 72 dots per inch. Clicking on the Screen button sets the image resolution to the same as the display device resolution. Setting the resolution allows you to resize the captured images without resizing the pixel width and height.

Selection:   In this list box, specify the part of the screen you want to capture.  You may select from one of the following:

•	Screen:   Select this option if you want to capture the entire screen.

•	Window:   Select this option if you want to capture the entire screen area occupied by the active  window, including its window borders, title and menu bars.

•	Client:   Select this option if you want to capture the contents of the active window.  This option excludes the window borders, title and menu bars from the captured image.

•	Area:   Select this option if you want to capture an area of your choice.  This option lets you specify the screen area at capture time.  When you invoke the screen capture utility, Image-Pro will provide a cross hair cursor with which you can draw a box around the portion of the screen you want to capture.

Capture Cursor:   Select this check box if you want the cursor included in your captured image.

Note - Be sure to use either the Window, Screen, or Client "Selection" options when you need to include the cursor in your image.  An Area screen capture will not include the cursor.

Tone:   You may choose to save your captured image in either color (as it appears on the screen) or monochrome. If your image will be reproduced in black-and-white,  saving the captured file as a monochrome image creates smaller files.

Captured images can be converted immediately to gray scale. Monochome images saved in TIFF file format will be compressed with LZW compression to further reduce the file size.

 Hot Key:   The currently assigned key sequence used to invoke the Screen Capture utility, and the button used to change this assignment, are enclosed in this group box.

Set:   Click the Set button to change the key sequence used to invoke the Screen Capture utility.

While this message box is displayed, press the key sequence you want to use to invoke Screen Capture.  You may set any Character Key (e.g., a, b, c, 1, 2, 3), Function key (e.g., F1, F2, F3) or Command key (e.g., Insert, Home, Page Up), singly or in combination with one or more of the Mode keys (Shift, Alt or Ctrl).

Obviously, certain key sequences are more practical than others -- you wouldn't want to use "A" or "6" as a hot key because this would cause Screen Capture to take place any time you typed one of these keys in another application.  You also want to avoid key combinations that have special meaning to Windows or your other applications.  Unusual sequences such as <Ctrl> + <Shift> + <F12> or <Alt> + <Ctrl> + <End> are usually safe choices.

When you press a key combination, it appears in the Set Hot Keys message box.  When you are satisfied with your choice, click OK to return to the Capture Options dialog box.


Print Screen

Use the Print Screen... command (<F6>) to print your screen exactly as it is.  You might want to do this if you have the capture options for your Screen Capture... command set for a selection other than the entire screen, or if you want only the print copy and do not want to retain a copy of the file that Image-Pro creates.

When you issue the Print Screen command, using either the menu command or the <F6> function key, Image-Pro immediately scans the screen and creates a file holding the image information.  Settings, such as where the file is placed, its format, and whether or not the cursor is captured, are determined by the Screen Capture... command's current settings.

Then the Print dialog box appears, allowing you to set the print and other controls as you need them.  These controls function just as they do in the Print... command.

Click Print to initiate the print.  When you have completed the print process (the Message Box reports progress), or if you want to abort the command, click the Close button.  Image-Pro deletes the image file that it created.

Note - you will not be able to use the Print Screen... command from the File menu when  certain types of dialog boxes are open.  These include Open..., Save As..., New..., and any other command that requires information before processing can continue.  If you want to execute a Print Screen with one of these dialog boxes open, use the <F6> function key.


Print

Use the Print... command to print one or more copies of the current image, or the current AOI, to the selected output device.  Image-Pro's Print... command lets you take full advantage of your printer's capabilities.  If your printer has built-in halftoning or color dithering capabilities, you can use them.  Or, you can instruct Image-Pro to perform these processes before sending the image to the device.

The Print... command also has facilities that let you adjust the size and position of your image on the printed page.

Note - if you want to print just part of your image, use one of the AOI-defining tools to define the area you want to print before you select the Print... command.

Printer:   In this list box, select the printer to which you want your image printed.

Setup:   Click this button to access the setup panel for the printer you have selected.  Image-Pro will present the standard setup panel for your particular printer (this is the same panel you would receive if you were setting up your printer from the Windows Control Panel).  Change your printer's setup to suit your needs, then click its OK button to return to Image-Pro's Print dialog box..

Copies:   Enter the number of printed copies you want.  If your printer supports multiple copy printing, and its buffer is large enough to contain the entire image, the additional copies will be created by the printer; otherwise, Image-Pro will copy the image to the device multiple times.

Print:   Click the Print button when your settings are made to your satisfaction.  The Message Box in the Status Bar announces the file it is printing and registers progress.

Close:   Click the Close button when printing is complete or if you decide not to print anything.  If you click Exit during print processing (while the progress indicator shows the job is incomplete), Image-Pro may print all, none, or a portion of your image.

Position:   Click this button to access the print size and position options.

Position:   Use these options to specify the position of your image upon the printed page.  Use the Center button to automatically place the image in the middle of the page.  Or, use the Top and Left option boxes to specify a margin from the top and left edges.

Size:   Use the options within this box to specify the printed size of your image.

Width/Height:  Use the Width and Height selectors to scale the image to a specific height and width.  If the Allow Distortions option is checked, you can set the height and width values independently, i.e., you can stretch or shrink the width without affecting the height and vice versa.  If Allow Distortions is not selected, the Width and Height values are linked.  When either value is changed, a proportional change is automatically made to the other dimension to maintain the aspect ratio of your image.

Width and Height values can be set in your unit-of-measure, or in percentage form.  The Pg option boxes are used to specify the height and width dimensions (in pages) when the Poster Print option is enabled.

Fit to Page:   Click this button to automatically scale your image to its largest possible dimensions given the current page size and orientation.  If the Allow Distortions option is checked, the image will fill the entire page, from edge to edge; stretching will occur where necessary to accomplish this.  If Allow Distortions is not checked, the image will be scaled to its largest dimensions without changing the aspect ratio between its height and width.

Actual:   Click this button to return your image to its original dimensions after you have modified its size using either the Width, Height, Fit to Page, or Poster Print options.

Allow Distortion:   Select this option if you need to set the Width and Height dimensions independently.  While this gives you full flexibility, it may result in some image distortion as Image-Pro stretches or shrinks the edges to achieve the specified dimensions.  If Allow Distortions is not checked, the height and width values are linked, to maintain your image's proportions.  When one dimension is changed, the other is automatically adjusted to preserve the ratio between height and width (the aspect ratio).

Poster Print:   Select this option if you want to enlarge your image beyond a page.  To produce the oversized image, Image-Pro "tiles" the image across an array of pages.

Note - the Position options affect the position of the entire image with respect to the entire page array.  There are no mechanisms for modifying the margins of each page within the array individually.  When you click the Center button, for example, the entire image is centered within the array.  Image-Pro does not center each tile within its respective page.

To print selected pages of the array, use the Pages to Print options.

Pages to Print:   Use these options when printing a postered image (see Poster Print above) to specify the pages you want printed.  If you want to print only a few pages of the array, click the Selected button to deactivate all the tiles.  This will block them all with patterned tiles.  Then use your mouse button and click on the pages to uncover just those you want to print.

The Pages to Print option will not be active unless the Poster Print option has been selected.


Test Strips

Use the Test Strips command to create a single page of several image miniatures, each with various Brightness, Contrast and Gamma settings.  Test Strips can also be used to create similar miniatures at various halftone patterns.

Test strips let you quickly identify which BCG or halftone options will give you the best image results on your particular printer or system.  Once you have generated and evaluated a test strip, you can make the appropriate BCG corrections with the BCG Controls, or select the most suitable halftoning options for your image.  The example below shows a test strip of an image rendered with a range of Gamma and Brightness values.

If you want to create a test strip from just a portion of your image, define an AOI before selecting the Test Strips command.

The Test Strips command presents a menu from which you must first select the type of strip you want to create.  For intensity settings, you can generate test strips for Brightness, Contrast, Gamma, or combinations of any two.  The choices are:

•	Gamma

•	Brightness

•	Contrast

•	Gamma*Brighness

•	Gamma*Contrast

•	Brightness*Contast

•	Halftone

Select the type of test strip that you want to create.

When you select one of the intensity menu options (Brightness, Contrast, Gamma or combination), Image-Pro will present a Test Strips dialog box.  With this box you control the number and size of the images generated on your strip, and the range of values over which the samples are spread.

Once you have made your selections in this box, click OK to create the strip.  Image-Pro will generate the specified number of images in a single image window.  You can view, print, store and manipulate this image just as you would any other image within Image-Pro.

Number of Images:   Within this box, select the number of test images you want to create.  The test images will be arranged in an array of the dimensions that you specify here.  You might want to create an arrangement that is compatible with your output device, if you plan on printing the strip -- e.g., one that is wider than long, if you will be printing on a landscape oriented page, longer than wide if printing in portrait.

Resize Images:   Within this box, set the size you want each test image created at.  Keep in mind that the entire set of examples in the strip (as defined by the values you have set in Number of Images) will be placed into a single image window.  So, reduce them to a size that will allow you to easily view or print the strip as a group.

Brightness / Contrast / Gamma Range:   Depending upon the type of strip you selected from the Test Strips... menu, you will have one or two boxes of range values to set.  The From and To values in these boxes determine the intensity settings that will be assigned to the first and last test images (respectively).  The remaining images will be distributed at equal intervals within the range (if a combination of intensities has been selected, Image-Pro will generate equally distributed permutations).

The From and To values are expressed as percentages for Brightness and Contrast operations, and in absolute value for Gamma operations.  This is consistent with the way these functions are adjusted with the BCG Controls.  When you set a value below 50 for Brightness or Contrast, you are reducing the level.  When you set a Gamma value below 1, you are reducing Gamma.

Channel(s):   Within this box, select the color channel or channels (more than one can be simultaneously selected), you want adjusted when it produces the sample images.  If you want it to operate upon the combined intensity, select all three.

The Channel(s) option box will only be active if you are creating a test strip for a True Color or Palette image.

When you select the Halftone menu option, Image-Pro will present a Halftone Test Strips dialog box.  Within this box you select the halftone types and screens you want to sample.

Once you have made your selections in this box, click OK to create the strip.  Image-Pro will generate the specified samples in a single image window.  You can view, print, store and manipulate this image just as you would any other image within Image-Pro.

Options:   Within this box, select whether you want a strip of Halftone variants, or a strip of Screen variants.  For color images, you must also select whether you want a strip of color or bilevel (black & white) output.

Select Type, Use all Screens:   Set this option if you want to produce a strip containing all the screen options for a particular halftone type.  You would set this option if you wanted to produce a strip of all the Error Diffusion halftoning variants.

Select Screen, Use all Types:   Set this option if you want to produce a strip containing all halftone types for a particular screen setting.  You would set this option if you wanted to produce a strip at the highest screen resolution for each of the halftone types.

Color:   Select this option if you want to produce a color test strip.  A color strip will show you how an 8-color output device will dither the 8 colors to produce your image.  The Color button can only be set if your window contains a True Color or Palette image.

Bilevel:   Select this option if you want to produce a black and white test strip.  A Bilevel strip will show you how a black and white device will dither the black dots to produce your image.

Halftone Type:   If you have set the Select Type, Use all Screens button, select the kind of halftone you want a test strip of.  All halftone types in this box will be automatically selected if you have set the Select Screens, Use all Types button in the Options box.

Halftone Screen:   If you have set the Select Screen, Use all Types button, select the resolution you want to sample.  Since the resolutions vary with each halftone type, Image-Pro creates a strip of ordinally equivalent resolution options -- i.e., when you select the lowest resolution for Flat Dot, a strip of the lowest resolution screen for all halftone types is produced.  The resolution of the samples in the strip may not exactly match the resolution you selected.

All screen values in this box will be automatically selected if you have set the Select Types, Use all Screens button in the Options box.

Resize Image:   Specify the size you want the sample images created at.  Enter size in terms of percent of the original image's size.  Keep in mind that large samples will create a very large image window.


Exit

Use the Exit... command to leave Image-Pro and return to Windows.

Important - be sure you Save all images that you want to keep before you exit.  You can direct Image-Pro to prompt you to save modifications or untitled images when you exit.  To do so, set Edit : Preferences.  If your preferences are set not to warn you, Image-Pro will close all files with no changes and no warning.

Before Image-Pro returns to Windows, it updates its initialization file to record information such as your current filtering options and window arrangements.  Next time you start Image-Pro, the environment will be returned to its present state.

You may also exit Image-Pro by double-clicking the Control-menu icon, clicking its Close button, or by pressing <Alt> + <F4>.


The Edit menu contains commands that help you manipulate the display of your image. You can cut, copy, and paste images or portions of images, make notes on the image itself, change the display of the image on the screen, and change the image class. The Edit menu also supplies information about the image and lets you adjust the screen display.


Undo

Use  the Undo command (<Ctrl>+<Z>) to reverse the most recent actions.  You can undo up to the last three operations (see the Preferences... command for information on setting the number of Undo Buffers).

When you select Undo, a menu of the last three reversible operations is displayed.  When you select an operation from this menu, you revert your image to its state prior to that operation.  For example, if you had applied a Sharpen filter, an Edge filter, then a Sculpt filter, undoing the Sharpen operation would revert to the way the image looked before the Sharpen.

You can undo an Undo operation by selecting Redo from the Undo menu.


Cut

Use the Cut command (<Ctrl> + <X>) to copy the contents of the selected AOI to the Window Clipboard and replace the AOI in the image with white.  If no AOI is active, Image-Pro copies the entire active image to the Clipboard and replaces it with white.  Cut changes the contents of the image in the active window (i.e., Cut deletes the cut pixels).  Any data already existing on the Clipboard will be replaced.

The data copied to the Clipboard can be pasted into the active window or into another open window using the Paste command.  You can also create a new window directly from the Clipboard contents using the Paste New command.


Copy

Use the Copy command (<Ctrl> +<C>) to copy the contents of the selected AOI to the Window Clipboard.  If no AOI is active, Image-Pro copies the entire active image to the Clipboard.  Copy will not change the contents of the image in the active window (i.e., copy does not delete the copied pixels).  Any data already existing on the Clipboard will be replaced.

The copied data can be pasted into the active window or into another open window using the Paste command.  You can also create a new window directly from the Clipboard contents using the Paste New command.


Paste

Use the Paste command (<Ctrl> + <V>) to place the contents of the Windows Clipboard into the active image.  You would use Paste to transfer part of one image into another.

Before you can execute the Paste command, you must have somehow placed valid image data on the Windows Clipboard (see the Copy command).  If there are no data on the Clipboard, the Paste command will not be active.

Image data can be pasted into any image class that Image-Pro supports.

Image-Pro will accept image data from other applications via the Clipboard as long as it is in Windows bitmap (BMP), Device Independent Bitmap (DIB) or Windows' Picture form.  If you attempt to Paste non-image data (e.g., text or spreadsheet data) to an image window, you will receive an error message.

When you select the Paste command, Image-Pro will initially position the Clipboard data in the upper-left corner of the currently active rectangular AOI (or of the entire image if there is no active rectangular AOI).  Position your cursor over the Clipboard data.  Your cursor will appear as a 4-way arrow and will allow you to drag the Clipboard data to the correct position.  When you are happy with its position, click the right mouse button, or press the Enter key, to permanently set the Clipboard data into the image.  The Clipboard pixels will overwrite those at the specified position. Press <Esc> to cancel the Paste operation.

If the Clipboard image is larger than the destination image, it will be cropped along the bottom and right edges.


Paste New

Use  the Paste New command to place the contents of the Windows Clipboard into a new image, which becomes the active image.

Before you can execute the Paste New command, you must have somehow placed valid image data on the Windows Clipboard (see the Copy command).  If there are no data on the Clipboard, the Paste command will not be active.

The class of the new image will be the same as that of the original image.

Image-Pro will accept image data from other applications via the Clipboard as long as it is in Windows bitmap (BMP), Device Independent Bitmap (DIB) or Windows' Picture form.  If you attempt to Paste non-image data (e.g., text or spreadsheet data) to an image window, you will receive an error message.

If a nonrectangular AOI is copied into the Clipboard, Image-Pro uses its bounding box for the new image.


Paste Options

Use  the Paste Options.. command to specify settings that affect the way in which image data, pasted from the Clipboard, is combined with the target image.  When you select this command, the Paste Options dialog box  is presented.

Preview with blend:   Enable this option to view the Clipboard data as it would appear if you were to paste it with the specified Blend Control options (see below).  This allows you to see the effect of your blend settings while you are positioning the Clipboard data prior to actually pasting it into your image.

Apply with blend:   Enable this option to blend the Clipboard data with the destination image.  When enabled, the Clipboard and image data will be blended in accordance with the percentages and intensities specified in the Blend Control group box.  When disabled, Clipboard data will simply overwrite the specified pixels in the destination image, regardless of the Blend Control values.

Halftone:   Use the options in the Halftone group box to select the way in which continuous tone (color or gray scale) Clipboard data will be converted to patterns of black dots (halftones) when it is pasted into a Bilevel image.  These options can only be set when a Bilevel image is the active image.

Type:   Use this list box to select the halftone method you want to use.  Each method produces gray tones from patterns of very small black dots.  The configuration of the pattern distinguishes one technique from another.  See the Convert To command for a description of the available halftone types.

Screen:   Use this list box to select the resolution at which the dot and line halftone patterns will be produced.  The choices presented by this box will vary depending upon the halftone Type you have selected.  Generally, the larger the resolution value, the less obvious the halftone pattern; however, larger values also produce fewer distinct levels of gray.  For example, a 70 LPI Angle Dot Screen will render only 19 shades of gray.  On images with subtle shading, this may produce some undesired contouring.

The Screen option is also used to specify the method to be applied when the Error Diffusion halftone type is selected.  Because Error Diffusion does not produce a halftone using a traditional screening technique, the options presented for it are not resolution related. Instead, they identify the kinds of Error Diffusion processes that can be applied.

Blend Control:   Use the options in this group box to control the ratio at which Clipboard data is blended with the destination image.  These values are only utilized when the Apply with blend or Preview with blend options are set (see above).

Src:   Select the percentage at which Clipboard data will be applied to the image.  The larger the number, the heavier the Clipboard data is applied (e.g., if 100% is set, only the pasted Clipboard data will be visible in the result).  This value is linked to the Dest value, such that when Src is changed the necessary change is automatically made to Dest to maintain a sum of 100%.

Dest:   Select the percentage of the destination image allowed to "show through" the applied Clipboard data.  The smaller the number, the less the original image will remain visible (e.g., if 0% is set, only the Clipboard data will be visible in the result).  This value is linked to the Src value, such that when Dest is changed the necessary change is automatically made to Src to maintain a sum of 100%.

Apply Blended Image To:   Specify the intensity values that are to be affected by the blend.  Select from the following:

All:  The Clipboard data will be applied, in the specified blend ratio, to all pixels in the paste area, regardless of their intensity.

On Lighter Only:  The Clipboard pixels will be pasted (in the specified blend ratio) only in places where the destination pixel is lighter than the corresponding Clipboard pixel.

On Darker Only:    The Clipboard pixels will be pasted (in the specified blend ratio) only in places where the destination pixel is darker than the corresponding Clipboard pixel.


AOI

Use the AOI... command to save and recall AOI outlines.  There are many instances in which it is useful to save an AOI — if your analysis involves the repetitive use of the same size AOI, you might store the AOI for use with other images.  You might also save an AOI at the end of the day so that your analysis can be easily resumed at some later point.  Or you might save an AOI to give to a co-worker on another workstation.

The following steps are required to save an AOI:

1. Create the AOI if it has not yet been created.  You may use any of the AOI tools (rectangle, ellipse or free-form).

2. Activate the AOI.  The AOI that is to be saved must be active (i.e., visible in the image) before proceeding to the next step.

3.  Select the AOI command.  This command is located on the Edit menu.  The AOI Manager command window will be presented.

4.  Click the Add button in the AOI Manager command window.  The AOI will be given a name and will be placed in the list of reusable AOIs.

5.  Rename the AOI.  You may assign a more meaningful name than the one automatically assigned by Image-Pro.  To do this, highlight the current name in the list, then enter a new name in the edit box at the top of the AOI Manager command window.

6.  Save the AOI list (optional).  If you want to use the AOI on another workstation, or if you want to organize your outlines into related groups, you can save the AOI to a file.  Click the Save button to do this.

Note - AOI outlines are automatically saved from one session to the next.  Once you add an AOI to the AOI Manager list, it will remain there until you delete it or replace the current list with one from another file.

To recall an AOI that has been saved, follow the steps below:

1.	Select the image to which the AOI will be applied.  The image into which you want the AOI placed must be active.

2.	Select the AOI command.  This command is located on the Edit menu.  The AOI Manager command window will be presented.

3.	Load the AOI list from an AOI file, if necessary.  If the AOI you want to recall is not in the current list, click the Load button to load the proper AOI file.

4.	Highlight the AOI in the list, then click the Set button.  This will apply the selected AOI to the active image. You may also double-click on the AOI to set it.

When you select the AOI command, the AOI Manager window is displayed.

AOI name:  Use the edit text box at the top to give your AOI the name you choose.  Otherwise, Image-Pro provides a name consisting of the AOI type and its number in the series.

Add:  Use this button to add the active AOI to the list of reusable AOI outlines.  Before selecting this button you must have created an AOI, and it must be the active AOI (see the procedure at the beginning of this topic).  When an AOI is added to the list it is given a generic name made up of its type and a number — e.g., Box1, Ellipse2, Polygon3.  You may rename your AOI by highlighting its current name in the list box, then typing its new name in the edit box at the top of the AOI Manager window.

You will receive an alerting message if you attempt to add an AOI that has the same coordinates as one already contained in the list.  You may choose to discard or save the duplicate AOI.

Del:  Use this button to delete an AOI from the current list.  Before selecting this button, be sure the AOI you want to delete is the one highlighted in the list.

Set:  Use this button to apply an AOI to the active image.  Before selecting this button, be sure the name of the AOI you want to apply is the one highlighted in the list (see procedures at the beginning of this section). You may also double-click on the AOI to set it.

When an AOI is applied, it is put in the same position at which it was initially defined.  If this position is outside the boundaries of the receiving image, the AOI will not appear.  If parts of the AOI extend beyond the image boundaries, only part of the AOI (the part that exists within the image) will appear.

Save:  Use this button to save the current set of AOI outlines to a file.  You might do this if you use various sets of AOIs for different purposes, or if you want to use a set of AOIs on another workstation.  When you click the Save button, the Save AOI List dialog box is presented.  Within it, type the name of the file to which you want the outlines stored.  AOI outline coordinates are stored in ASCII format to an *.AOI file.

Note - the current AOI list is maintained from session to session, so it is not necessary to explicitly save AOI outlines to a file simply to make them available next time you work with Image-Pro.

Load:  Use this button to load a new set of AOI outlines to the current list.  The new list will replace the current list.  When you click the Load button, the Load AOI List dialog box is presented.  Within it, type the name of the AOI file from which the outlines will be read, then click OK.  The names of the AOIs contained in that file will appear in the list box in the AOI Manager window.

Close:  Click this button to close the AOI Manager window.


Annotate

Use the Annotate command to add text or drawings to your images.

When you select this command, you will see the drawing tool palette

When you select the Text Tool, the Text window is displayed.  The controls in this window are used to select the typeface (font) and other font characteristics such as size, spacing and attributes. This window is also used to compose the text that is to be written to the image.

Be aware that when text is added to an image, the text overwrites the pixels in the places where it is applied. The original pixel information is essentially gone (unless you immediately remove the text with the Undo command).

The basic steps involved in adding text to an image are to:

1.	Select the font type and size in the Font Face and Font Size fields, respectively.

2.	Select font attributes in the Font Styles group box (see attribute definitions below).  These attributes let you apply special font characteristics such as underlining and shadowing.  Note that these attributes are applied to the entire character string that will be applied to the image.

3.	Select the Foreground color in the Colors window.  If it is not open, open it by double-clicking on the color patch.  Within the Colors window, set the Foreground color to the color to be used for the text.

4.	Select the Background color in the Colors window.  If you are using the Shadow or Enclosed options, set the Background color to the color to be used for these elements.

5.	Type the text that is to be placed in the image.  Enter your text in the large, empty, text-entry box in the Text window.  You may enter multiple lines by  pressing <Enter> at the end of a line.

6.	Click Update.  Your text will appear in a box in the upper-left corner of the image window.

7.	Drag the text to its required position.  Place your cursor over the text in the upper-left corner, and when the 4-way cursor appears, drag the text to its appropriate position.  When the text is properly positioned, continue to the next step.

Click the right mouse buttonto write the text into the image. If you don't, the text will not be added to the image. Be sure your cursor is within the boundaries of the image; otherwise this action will have no effect.

You may "undo" the text by selecting the Undo command from the Edit menu.  You may cancel the placement of text by pressing Esc at any point before setting it into the image (i.e., before clicking the right mouse button).

The following section describes the controls in the Text window.

Font Face:  In this list box select the typeface (font) in which the text is to be generated.

Font Size:  In this list box select the size at which text is to be generated.

Font Styles:  In this group box select the attributes that are to be applied to the text.  You may select as many as you need, although you will see that some attributes are mutually exclusive (Normal and Bold, for example).  The selected attributes will be applied to all text typed into the text box.  The following attributes are provided:

Normal:  Specifies the unitalicized and unbolded version of the selected font.

Bold:  Specifies the emboldened (heavy face) version of the selected font.

Italic:  Specifies the italicized version of the selected font.

Underline:  Underscores the text placed into the image.

Strike Out:  Draws a horizontal line through the text placed in the image.

Drop Shadow:  Produces a shadow of the text pasted into the image.  Drop shadows are used to add character definition to the text.  They make it easier to read when there is little contrast between the character color and the image.  The shadow color should be one that is readily distinguished from the image background.

Enclosed:  Produces text encompassed by a box of the Background color.

Color Button:  Double-click this button to change the foreground or background color.

You may change the foreground or background color, or both.

Image-Pro uses the foreground color for the typeface and the background color for the enclosure or drop shadow, if selected (otherwise the background color is not used).

Spacing:  Use this field to adjust the character spacing in your text string, where a value of 0 fits characters at their normal spacing, and larger values increase the space between characters.  If you change this value while the text is presented in the placement box, you can see the effect of your change.

Persistent:  Check this box to save the annotation text in the dialog text window. The next time you open this dialog, your annotation text will still be there. If unchecked, closing the text dialog erases the annotation text from the window.

Auto-Update: Check this box to modify the text on your image as you type the changes into the text window.  If this box is not check, you will need to click the Update button to change the text on the image. Use the Line Draw Tool   to annotate an image with lines, boxes, arrows, ellipses, freeform polylines and/or automatic edge traces.  You might use the drawing tools to point out a specific feature, highlight a particular area or emphasize the edge of an object.

Be aware that when drawing is performed, the drawn lines and objects overwrite the pixels in the places where they are applied. The original pixel information in these areas is essentially gone, unless you immediately remove the annotated element with the Undo command.

The basic steps involved in annotating an image are to:

1.	Click on the Color tool to set the Foreground color in the Colors window.

2.	Enable the Thick attribute using the thickness tool (optional).  This attribute, which is enabled by the tool at the bottom of the tool palette, produces heavy lines when the line tool is used.  It produces an object with heavy outlines when a shape tool is used.

3.	Select a drawing tool appropriate to the line or object you want to draw.  To select a tool, simply click the appropriate tool button (buttons are described below).  If you want an arrow, select the line tool).  If you want a filled rectangle, ellipse, or polyline, choose the tool from the right side of the Draw window.

4.	Draw your line or shape.  Depending upon the tool you have selected, you will use different techniques to produce your line or shape.  See the tool buttons descriptions below for an explanation of these techniques.

1. 	Click the right mouse button, or click OK to write the line or shape into the image.  If you use the right mouse button, be sure your cursor is within the boundaries of the image, otherwise this action will have no effect.

Use the Line tool to draw straight lines and arrows.  When you select this tool, a "defining line" is placed in your image, and the Line Drawing dialog box is presented.

Use the defining line to define the length and position of your line.  You may change its length by placing the cursor over either end of the line and, when the wheel-like cursor appears, dragging the endpoint to a new position.  You may change the line's position by placing the cursor anywhere between the endpoints and dragging the line when the
4-way cursor appears

Use the Rectangle tool to draw boxes (outlined:left or filled:right).  When you select one of these tools, the rectangular drawing cursor is placed in your image, and the Drawing dialog box is presented.

A rectangle is drawn by placing the cursor in the upper-left corner of the rectangle, then dragging the cursor down to the lower-right corner of the rectangle and releasing the mouse button.  Once a rectangle has been created, its size can be modified by placing your cursor anywhere on its border and dragging the edge to a new position.  The entire rectangle can be moved by placing your cursor over the middle of the rectangle and dragging it to a new position when the 4-way cursor appears.

Use the Ellipse tool to draw circles and ellipses (outlined:left or filled:right).  When you select one of these tools, the elliptical drawing cursor is placed in your image, and the Drawing dialog box is presented.

An ellipse is drawn by dragging the cursor until an ellipse of the size and shape you need is produced.  Once an ellipse has been created, its size can be modified by placing your cursor on a quarter-hour position (12, 3, 6 or  9 o'clock) and dragging the edge to a new position.  The entire ellipse can be moved by placing your cursor over the middle of the ellipse and dragging it to a new position when the 4-way cursor appears.

To draw a perfect circle, hold down the <Shift> key as you drag the edge of the ellipse.

Use the freeform Polyline tools to draw a line made up of many segments (outlined:left or filled:right).  It can also be used to draw a curve or trace the outline of a feature.  When you select one of these tools, the Polyline Drawing and Outline dialog boxes appear..

To draw a polyline made up of may straight-line segments, simply click the left mouse button at each vertex.  To remove a vertex, press Backspace.

To draw a smooth polyline, hold the left mouse button continuously, while moving the mouse.

To produce a line that traces the edge of a feature, enable the Auto option in the Outline check box and click the first point of the line.  Then move the cursor several pixels along the edge of the feature and click a second point.  A line will be drawn that traces the edge of the feature you have identified.  See the Trace button in the Measurements command if you need additional information about using the Auto-Trace option.

The colors button invokes the Colors dialog box.  Use it to change the foreground or background color of the tool you select.  The foreground color determines the typeface, line, or outline color.  The background determines the enclosure, drop shadow, or fill color.

To change the foreground color, click  Foreground, then choose the color you want from the palette.

To change the background color, click  Background, then choose the color you want from the palette.

The only colors available are those currently on the palette.  If the image class is Palette and you want to change colors, use the Edit : Palette command.

This button invokes the Thickness tool.  Use it to enlarge or reduce the thickness of the line or outline.  Toggle this button before you select the line or shape tool that you want to modify.  The tool itself will reflect the new thickness.  Use of this tool has no effect on drawings already placed on the image.


Fill

Use  the Fill... command to fill the active image or AOI with a solid color or a pattern from another image.  You might want to use Fill to highlight an AOI with a color or pattern, to clear a portion of an image, or to superimpose one image over another.

Image-Pro will fill an AOI if you select one.  Otherwise, the entire active image will be filled.  When a Multiple AOI is active, Image-Pro will fill all the AOIs it contains.

Image-Pro will fill with a pattern, a texture, or a color of your choice.

If you plan to fill with a pattern, your active image must be either a True Color or gray scale (Gray Scale, Gray Scale 12, Gray Scale 16, or Floating Point ) class.  Patterns cannot be placed in Bilevel or  Palette images.  If your image is not gray scale or True Color, you can convert it to one of these classes using the Convert To command.  When filling with a pattern, you must also have an image file that contains the pattern you want Image-Pro to fill the area with.  The pattern file can be any class but Bilevel.

Within this dialog box, indicate whether you want to fill with a color, or with a pattern or texture.  If you choose to fill with a pattern or texture, you will need to specify the image file that contains the pattern.  Select Fill once you have made your choices.  Image-Pro will fill the AOI (or the entire image, if no AOI is present) with the color or pattern you have selected.  Select Close if you want to close the dialog box.

Note - The Fill dialog box is modeless.  When you click Fill, the fill is performed, but the dialog box remains open.  You may perform other Fill operations on the same image or other open images.

Solid Color Fill:   Use this group box if you want to fill with a solid color, by choosing the appropriate color button for background and foreground.  The color options (Color, Hue, and Tint) relate to ways in which color can be applied.

Color:   Select this option if you want the AOI or image to be filled with a solid color.  Select the color to be used by clicking on the appropriate button.

Hue: When filling with Hue, the image is internally converted to the HSV color model, and the color filling is performed on the color (hue) channel only. After filling, the filled image is converted back to the RGB color model.

The Hue option replaces the color values in your image. Depending on the degree of transparency you select, Hue mixes the colors in the original image with the color you select. Elements of the image that are white or black will not be replaced.

Visually, selecting Hue colors your image without affecting those areas that are black or white.  Select this option if you want the pixels filled with the Hue value from the color selected with the Color buttons.

Note - the Hue option can only be used with True Color images.  This option will be dimmed if the active image is not of this class.

Tint:   When filling with Tint, the image is converted to the HSV color model, and the color filling is performed on both the color (hue) and saturation channels. After the fill process is complete, the image is converted back the RGB color model.

The Tint option replaces the color  and saturation values in your image. Depending on the degree of transparency you select, Tint replaces the values in the original image with new values.

Visually, Tint colors entire image, including elements that are white or gray. Select this option if you want the image or AOI tinted with the color selected with the Color buttons.

Note - the Tint option can only be used with True Color images.  This option will be dimmed if the active image is not of this class.

Pattern/Texture Fill:   Use this group box if you want to fill with a pattern or texture.  These two options determine how a pattern file will be combined with the active image or AOI.

Pattern:   Select this option if you want to fill the area with the contents of the image file specified in the  Pattern/Texture group box.

Conceptually, the active image and the pattern image are aligned at the (0,0) pixel (upper left-hand corner).  The portion of the pattern image that shows through will be that portion that corresponds to the active image's AOI.  If the active image or AOI is larger than the pattern file, the pattern file will be repeatedly applied until the image or AOI has been entirely filled.

This button will be dimmed if the active image is not of True Color or one of the gray scale classes.

Texture:   Select this option if you want to give the image a textured appearance by applying the specified pattern file to just the luminance channel.  This results in intensity variations that give a textured look to the image.

Note - the Texture option can only be used with True Color images.  This option will be dimmed if the active image is not of this class.

Foreground/Background Color:   Select Foreground or Background if you want Image-Pro to use the Colors window currently selected foreground or background color for the fill operation.  If the color buttons do not currently specify the color you want to use, double-click the Foreground or Background box.  The Colors window appears.

You can select another color by clicking on the color value currently selected and moving the cursor to the desired value.

Note - both Foreground and Background fill according to the Color, Hue, Tint, and Transparency selections you have made.

Black/White:   Use one of these color options if you want Image-Pro to fill with black or white.  For Bilevel images, these are the only two color options that will be available.

Note - the options in the Solid Color Fill group box will only be enabled when the Color, Hue or Tint option is selected.

Select File:   Click this button to specify the file containing the pattern you want Image-Pro to use to fill the image or AOI.   This button will only be enabled when the Pattern or Texture option is set in the Type group box.

When you click this button, the Open File dialog box is presented.  Select the pattern file as you do any image file (see the Open command if you need assistance).

A pattern file must be an image file, and can be any class but Bilevel.  A pattern file can contain any image you want.  If the pattern file is smaller spatially than the active image or AOI, Image-Pro will repeat the pattern image until the entire AOI or image is filled.  Pattern file opacity is determined by the value set in the Transparency field.

This button will be dimmed if the active image is not of True Color or Gray Scale class.

Transparency:   Set this field to indicate the level of transparency you want the color or pattern applied with.  This lets you control how much of your active image shows through the applied color or pattern.  A transparency of  "0" indicates no transparency.  A transparency of "100" indicates total transparency. The Transparency button will be dimmed if the active image is not of True Color or Gray Scale class.

Color/Transparency - Set the transparency value to indicate how much of the original image you want to show through the color you apply.

Hue /Transparency - If  transparency is set to zero, the full Hue value of the specified color range will be applied to the pixels in the AOI or image. If transparency is set to a higher value, more of the original pixel's Hue value will be blended with that of the specified color.

Tint/Transparency - If  transparency is set to zero, the hue and full saturation of the selected color will be applied to the pixels in the AOI or image. If  transparency is set to a higher value, the color will be applied in a less saturated form, and the hues will be mixed.

Pattern/Transparency -  If  transparency is set to zero, the pattern file's pixel values will replace those in the AOI or image entirely. If transparency is set to a higher value, the two images will be blended so that some of the original image shows through.

Texture/Transparency -  Use the transparency value to control how much of the texture file's intensity should be applied to the luminance channel. Set transparency to zero to apply the full intensity; set a higher transparency value to retain more of the original image's intensity characteristics.


Convert To

Use the Convert To command to create a copy of the active image in the specified class.  You might do this to convert a True Color image to a Gray Scale image if only its intensity information is required, or change a Gray Scale image to Floating Point in preparation for arithmetic operations.

You might also consider converting a Bilevel image to Gray Scale or True Color while you work with it in Image-Pro.  Even though it will still contain only two colors, you will be able to work more flexibly with the image if it is in one of the "continuous-tone" classes (many operations cannot be performed on a Bilevel image).

When you select the Convert To command, you will receive a menu from which you must choose the class of image you want to create.  The class of the active image will be dim in the menu. Select one from the list below:

•	Bilevel

•	Gray Scale

•	Palette

•	RGB

•	Gray Scale 12

•	Gray Scale 16

•	Floating Point.

The converted image will be placed into a new image window.  Your original image will not be affected by the conversion.

•	Select Bilevel from the pop-out menu if you want to convert your image to a 1-BPP (bits -per- pixel) black and white image.  You might want to convert an image to Bilevel to import it into another application.

When you select a Bilevel conversion, you must complete the Select Halftone Pattern dialog box.  This specifies the halftoning method that Image-Pro will use to convert your image's color or gray values to regularly spaced black dots.  Once you have made your selections, click OK, and the conversion will begin.

Type:   Use this list box to select the halftone method you want to use.  Each method produces gray tones from patterns of very small black dots.  The configuration of the pattern distinguishes each technique:

•	Dot Screens  use black dots of various sizes to represent different intensities.  The dots can be oriented 45° (Angle Dot Screen) or 90° (Flat Dot Screen) to each other.

•	Line Screens  use black lines of various thicknesses to represent different intensities.  The lines can be oriented horizontally (Horz Line Screen), vertically (Vert Line Screen) or at a 45° angle (Angle Line Screen).

•	Error Diffusion Screens  use a digital technique to simulate shades with seemingly random black and white patterns.

•	Threshold  uses a very simple intensity evaluation technique, which simply converts a pixel to white if it is greater than or equal to  the mid-point value, and to black if it is less than the midpoint value.  In a Gray Scale image, the mid-point is 128.  In a Gray Scale 12 image, the mid-point is 2048.

The Angle Dot Screen is the most commonly used halftoning technique.  It produces the best results for all kinds of imagery.  Error Diffusion techniques produce the smoothest output on low resolution devices.

Note - if you want to see the effects of the different halftone types on your images, use the Test Strips command to create samples of an image halftoned with the various techniques and screens.

Screen:   Use this list box to select the resolution at which the dot and line halftone patterns will be produced.  The choices presented will vary depending upon the halftone type you have selected.  Generally, the larger the resolution value, the less obvious the halftone pattern; however, larger values also produce fewer distinct levels of gray.  For example, a 70 LPI Angle Dot Screen (the largest available on a 300 DPI printer) will render only 19 shades of gray.  On images with subtle shading, this may produce some undesired contouring.  To correct, try printing with the next lower Screen resolution.

The Screen option is also used to specify the method to apply when using the Error Diffusion halftone type.  Because Error Diffusion does not produce a halftone using a traditional screening technique, the options presented for it are not resolution related.  Instead, they identify the kinds of diffusion processes that can be applied.

There are no Screen options associated with the Threshold halftone Type option.

Select Gray Scale from the Convert To pop-out menu if you want to convert your image to an 8-BPP monochrome image.  You might want to convert a True Color image to Gray Scale to work with just its intensity information.

A progress indicator will be displayed in the Message Bar as the conversion take place.

A few things to keep in mind when you convert to Gray Scale:

Bilevel Images are converted by converting Black pixels to 0 and White pixels to 255.

Palette Images are converted by converting each pixel to its palette-specified intensity value.  Intensity is calculated as follows:  ( .3 x Red + .59 x Green + .11 x Blue) .

True Color Images are converted by converting each pixel to its intensity value.  Intensity is calculated as follows:  (.3 Red + .59 Green + .11 Blue).

Gray Scale 12 Images will be converted by truncating the low-order 4 bits of image data.

The options in this box let you determine how much of the 12-bit data is scaled to 8 bits.  This feature is useful for converting images with limited dynamic range.  If for example, much of your 12-bit data existed in the 0 to 600 range, you might want to convert just this range to 8 bits.  This measure will reduce the amount of data that is lost when the 12-bit values are rescaled.

Note - if you don't know the dynamic range of your 12-bit image, click the Best Fit button.  Image-Pro will automatically set the range based upon a statistical analysis of the values in your image.  See Best Fit, below.

Input Range:  In the Start and End fields, set the beginning and ending values of the range that is to be converted to 8 bits.  If you do not know the range, click the Best Fit button and Image-Pro will automatically set it for you (see Best Fit, below).

Output Range:  In the Start and End fields, set the beginning and ending values of the range to which you want the 12-bit data scaled.  In most cases you will want to scale to the largest possible 8-bit range, so the default values of 0 and 255 should be used.

Best Fit:  Click this button to automatically set the Input Range values.  Image-Pro will automatically set the Start and End fields to define a range that encompasses 98% of the values in the image (the highest 1% and lowest 1% are ignored).

Gray Scale 16 Images will be converted according to the options in the Select Range dialog box:

Input Range:  In the Start and End fields, set the beginning and ending values of the range that is to be converted to 8 bits.  If you do not know the range, click the Best Fit button and Image-Pro will automatically set it for you (see Best Fit, below).

Output Range:  In the Start and End fields, set the beginning and ending values of the range to which you want the 16-bit data scaled.  In most cases you will want to scale to the largest possible 8-bit range, so the default values of 0 and 255 should be used.

Best Fit:  Click this button to automatically set the Input Range values.  Image-Pro will automatically set the Start and End fields to define a range that encompasses 98% of the values in the image (the highest 1% and lowest 1% are ignored).

Floating Point Images will be converted by scaling the range to 256 values.  You may narrow the range of values to be converted by setting the Range values with the Info command.  Floating Point values less than the specified range will be converted to 0; values greater than the end value in the specified range will be set to 255.

•	Select Palette from the Convert To pop-out menu if you want to convert your image to an 8-BPP, Palette-class image.  You might want to convert a True Color image to a Palette image to reduce its size (Palette images require only 8 BPP, whereas True Color images require 24 BPP).  You might also convert a True Color image to Palette to create an image that can be displayed on a 256-color device.

You can convert an existing Palette image to Palette, too.  This might be done to reduce the number of colors in the existing image, or to change from one type of palette to another (see Median and M/Color below)

When you select a Palette conversion, you must complete the Convert To Palette dialog box to specify the method Image-Pro will use to create the 256-color palette in the new image.

Method:   Within this box, select the method you want Image-Pro to use when creating a palette for this new image.

M/Color:   Select this option if you want to apply Media Cybernetics' proprietary M/Color palette to the image.  The M/Color palette is a 256-color palette that simulates the range of colors in a natural color image.  A dithering technique is used to convert pixel values in the source image, to indices into the M/Color palette.  This produces the smoothest possible result in the output image.

You might also want to use the M/Color palette if you are converting several images to Palette class, and you want them all to have the same palette.  If you use the Median method for multiple image, a unique palette would be generated for each image.  Consistent palettes across images are important if you need to use your images in an application that will display several images simultaneously.  Many systems allow only a single active palette for display purposes.

If you are converting a True Color image with many varying levels of color (as in a natural image), you will want to use this technique to perform the conversion.

The Color Index options will not be active when the M/Color method is selected.

Note - the M/Color palette does not have a wide range of gray colors in it.  If your image is primarily gray, you might want to convert it with the Median option.

Median:   Select this option if you want to create a palette based upon the most frequently occurring colors in the source image.  Set the options in the Color Index box to specify the number of colors you want Image-Pro to put in the palette, and indicate where they should be placed within the palette.

Because the Median method allows you to specify the number of colors that remain in the image, you can reduce your image to far fewer color levels than with the M/Color method.  This can be important when image size is more important than image quality -- the fewer colors in the image, the better it will compress because more of its pixel values will be repeated.

For an artistic effect, you might want to use the Median method, with a small Number value, to achieve a "posterized" look.

Pseudo-Color : Select this option to convert a pseudo-colored image to a palette image.

Color Index:   Within this box, select the number of colors you want to place in the palette.  Also, specify the position of these colors within the palette.

Number:   Specify the number of colors you want left in the image.  If you want all possible colors to remain in the image, set this value to 256.  Reducing this value will place fewer colors in the palette, and will leave fewer colors in your image.

Regardless of what number you specify here, the palette itself will always contain 256 colors.  Unused palette entries are set to black (RGB = 000).

For example, if you were trying to reduce the image for compression results, you might want to constrain the palette to the 64 most frequently occurring colors in the image.  When the conversion is complete, your palette would contain 256 colors, but only 64 of them would contain color.  Moreover, every pixel in your image will be changed to one of these 64 colors.  Those pixels that were one of the most popular 64 will be converted to the color closest to it in value.

Start/End   Use these fields to specify the palette positions into which you want the specified number of colors placed.  For example, if you has specified 20 colors, and you wanted the first color to be assigned to palette position 0, set 0 as the Start value.  You will see that End will automatically change to 19.

Colors will be assigned consecutive palette positions.  If you adjust the End value, the Numbers value will be adjusted to reflect the exact number of indices between the specified Start and End values (you are not allowed, for example, to specify 10 colors positioned from indexes 0 to 20).

Any unused palette entries will be set to black (RGB = 000,000,000).

•	Select RGB from the Convert To pop-out menu if you want to convert your image to a 24-BPP (chunky), True Color image.  You might want to convert a Palette image to a True Color image to give you greater flexibility in working with it.

A progress indicator will be displayed as the conversion takes place.

A few things to keep in mind when you convert to RGB:

•	Bilevel Images are converted by converting Black pixels to RGB=000,000,000 and White pixels to RGB=255,255,255.

•	Palette Images are converted by converting each pixel to its palette-specified RGB value.  For example, if the pixel contained a value of 10, and the contents of index 10 was RGB=255,100,255 (magenta), the converted pixel would be changed to 255,100,255 (magenta).

•	Gray Scale Images are converted by converting Black pixels to RGB=000,000,000, White pixels to RGB=255,255,255 and pixels with intermediate levels of gray to RGB values equal to that level.  For example, a pixel with gray level 128 would convert to RGB=128,128,128.  A pixel with gray level 222 would convert to 222,222,222, and so forth.

•	Gray Scale 12 Images will be converted by converting the image to 8-bit Gray Scale (i.e., dropping the 4 low-order bits), then converting the Gray Scale data to RGB (see Gray Scale conversion above).

•	Gray Scale 16 Images will be converted by converting the image to 8-bit Gray Scale (i.e., dropping the 8 low-order bits), then converting the Gray Scale data to RGB (see Gray Scale conversion above).

•	Floating Point Images will be converted by converting the image to 8-bit Gray Scale (i.e., scaling the values to 256 levels), then converting the Gray Scale data to RGB (see Gray Scale conversion above).

•	You may narrow the range of values to be converted by setting the Range values with the Info command.  Floating Point values less than the specified range will be converted to 0; values greater than the end value in the specified range will be set to 255.

Select Gray Scale 12 from the Convert To pop-out menu if you want to convert your image to a 12 BPP, Gray Scale image.

A progress indicator will be displayed as the conversion takes place.

A few things to keep in mind when you convert to Gray Scale 12:

•	Bilevel Images are converted by converting Black pixels to 0 and White pixels to 4095.

•	Gray Scale Images are converted by increasing their pixel depth from 8 to 12 bits, and scaling the data to 4096 levels (i.e., the 8 existing bits are placed into the 8 high-order positions of a 12-bit pixel).  This produces an image with an intensity range of 0 - 4095.  Pixels that were black (0) in the original image are black (0) in the converted image.  Pixels that were white (255) in the original image are white (4095) in the converted image.

•	Palette Images are converted by converting each pixel to its palette-specified Intensity value.  Intensity is calculated as follows:  (.3 x Red + .59 x Green + .11 x Blue).  The resulting 8-bit intensity is placed into the 8 high-order positions of a 12-bit pixel, producing an image with an intensity range of 0 - 4095 (see Gray Scale above).

•	Gray Scale 16 Images are converted by truncating the low-order 4 bits of image data.  This produces an image with an intensity range of 0 - 4095.

•	True Color Images are converted by converting each pixel to its Intensity value.  Intensity is calculated as follows:  (. 3 x Red + .59 x Green + .11 x Blue).  The resulting 8 bit intensity is placed into the 8, high-order positions of a 12-bit pixel, producing an image with an intensity range of 0 - 4095 (see Gray Scale  above).

•	Floating Point Images are converted by scaling the intensity range contained in the image to 4096 levels (0 - 4095).  You may narrow the range of values to be converted by setting the Range values with the Info command.  Floating Point values less than the specified range will be converted to 0; values greater than the end value in the specified range will be set to 4095.

Select Gray Scale 16 from the Convert To pop-out menu if you want to convert your image to a 16 BPP, Gray Scale image.

A progress indicator will be displayed as the conversion takes place.

A few things to keep in mind when you convert to Gray Scale 16:

•	Bilevel Images are converted by converting Black pixels to 0 and White pixels to 65,535.

•	Gray Scale Images are converted by increasing their pixel depth from 8 to 16 bits, and scaling the data to 65,536 levels (i.e., the 8 existing bits are placed into the 8 high-order positions of a 16-bit pixel).  This produces an image with an intensity range of 0 - 65,535.  Pixels that were black (0) in the original image are black (0) in the converted image.  Pixels that were white (255) in the original image are white (65,535) in the converted image.

•	Palette Images are converted by converting each pixel to its palette-specified Intensity value.  Intensity is calculated as follows:  (.3 x Red + .59 x Green + .11 x  Blue).  The resulting 8-bit intensity is placed into the 8 high-order positions of a 16-bit pixel, producing an image with an intensity range of 0 - 65,535 (see Gray Scale above).

•	True Color Images are converted by converting each pixel to its Intensity value.  Intensity is calculated as follows: (.3 x Red + .59 x Green + .11 x  Blue).  The resulting 8 bit intensity is placed into the eight high-order positions of a 16-bit pixel, producing an image with an intensity range of 0 - 65,535 (see Gray Scale  above).

•	Gray Scale 12 Images are converted by increasing their pixel depth from 12 to 16 bits, and scaling the data to 65,536 levels (i.e., the 12 existing bits are placed into the 12 high-order positions of a 16-bit pixel).  This produces an image with an intensity range of 0 - 65,535.  Pixels that were black (0) in the original image are black (0) in the converted image.  Pixels that were white (4095) in the original image are white (65,535) in the converted image.

•	Floating Point Images are converted by scaling the intensity range contained in the image to 65,536 levels (0 - 65,535).  You may narrow the range of values to be converted by setting the Range values with the Info command.  Floating Point values less than the specified range will be converted to 0; values greater than the end value in the specified range will be set to 65,535.

Select Floating Point from the Convert To pop-out menu if you want to convert your image to a variable depth, Floating Point image.  You might want to convert a Gray Scale image to a Floating Point image to eliminate the clipping at 0 and 255 which occurs when arithmetic operations are performed (floating point images can contain negative values).

A progress indicator will be displayed as the conversion takes place.

A few things to keep in mind when you convert to Floating Point:

•	Bilevel Images are converted by converting the Black and White pixels to floating-point values of 0.0 and 255.0, respectively.

•	Gray Scale Images are converted by converting the pixel values to floating-point values from 0.0 to 255.0.

•	Palette Images are converted by converting each pixel to its palette-specified Intensity value.  Intensity is calculated as follows:  (.3 x Red + .59 x Green + .11 x  Blue).  The intensity result is converted to a floating-point value from 0.0 to 255.0.

•	True Color Images are converted by converting each pixel to its Intensity value.  Intensity is calculated as follows: (.3 x Red + .59 x Green + .11 x  Blue).  The result is converted to floating-point values from 0.0 to 255.0.

•	Gray Scale 12 are converted by converting the pixel values to floating point values that lie within the range of 0.0 (black) - 4095.0 (white).  The 4094 gray levels possible in a Gray Scale 12 image are represented as fractional values between these two endpoints.

•	Gray Scale 16 are converted by converting the pixel values to floating point values that lie within the range of 0.0 (black) - 65535.0 (white).  The 65,534 gray levels possible in a Gray Scale 16 image are represented as fractional values between these two endpoints.


Duplicate/Crop

Use the Duplicate command to create an exact copy of the active image, or AOI, in a new, untitled image window.

When you select the Duplicate command, Image-Pro will instantly generate a new copy of the active image, or AOI, in a new window.  If a nonrectangular AOI is active when the Duplicate command is selected, the new image will contain an image made up of the pixels contained within the AOI's bounding rectangle.

The duplicate image will be of the same class and logical resolution as the image from which it was created.  If a Palette image is duplicated, its palette will be copied to the new image too.  Regardless of  image class, however, descriptive attributes, such as Description, Artist, and Date, will not be passed to the new image (these attributes are considered unique to a single image).


Rotate

Use the Rotate command to rotate the image or the active AOI to a specified angle.

When you rotate an image or AOI, Image-Pro places the rotated result in a new image window; the original image is not be affected.  When an image or AOI is rotated in 90° increments, the dimensions of the new image are adjusted to match the new image.  If you were to rotate a  2" x  3" image 90°, its dimensions would change to 3" x 2" in the rotated window.  Images and AOIs that are rotated to angles other than 90° increments, will increase dimensionally to encompass the entire rotated image.

When you select the Rotate command, a menu will be presented from which you must select the kind of rotation you want to perform.  Several "quick-step" methods, in pre-defined increments are offered, along with choices that let you specify the precise angle and origin of rotation.  Select the type of rotation you want from the following list:

•	Left 90

•	Right 90

•	Rotate 180

•	Any Angle

•	Flip Left/Right

•	Flip Up/Down

•	Transpose

Angle:   Enter the slope of the angle (in degrees) to which you want your image or AOI rotated.  If you are rotating an entire image to a angle that is not a 90° increment, the dimensions of the new window will increase to encompass the entire rotated image.

Direction:   Set the direction in which you want the rotation to occur.


Resize

Use the Resize command to create a new copy of your image at a specified size.  When you resize an image, Image-Pro places the resized result in a new image window; the original image is not affected.

This process actually changes spatial resolution by adding (replicating) or removing (decimating) pixels to achieve the specified dimensions.  If the smoothing option is used, a bilinear scaling technique is applied to reduce jagged edges.

Units:   From this list box, select the unit of measure you want the Width and Height measurements expressed as.

Width/Height:  Use the Width and Height selectors to scale the image to a specific height and width.  If the Allow Distortions option is checked, you can set the height and width values independently, i.e., you can stretch or shrink the width without affecting the height and vice versa.  If Allow Distortions is not selected, the Width and Height values are linked.  When either value is changed, a proportional change is automatically made to the other dimension to maintain the aspect ratio of your image.  Width and Height values can be set in your unit-of-measure, or in percentage form.

Allow Distortion:   Select this option if you need to set the Width and Height dimensions independently.  While this gives you full flexibility, it may result in some image distortion as Image-Pro stretches or shrinks the image to achieve the specified dimensions.  If Allow Distortions is not checked, the Height and Width fields are linked to maintain your image's proportions.  When one dimension is changed, the other is automatically adjusted to preserve the ratio between height and width (the aspect ratio).

Smooth:   Select this option if you want Image-Pro to use its bilinear scaling technique to re-size the image.  With bilinear scaling, adjacent pixels are evaluated and interpolated to produce smooth results.  Smoothing will produce the best possible re-sized image, but it may take longer to produce.


Info

Use the Info command to view and/or modify information such as resolution and description.  Not all image information can be modified from this menu (the image's size, for example, is fixed).  Further, not all file formats are capable of storing every information field.  You will need to check with your file specification manual to determine which fields apply to your format.

More:

General Tab

File Tab

Image Tab

Calibration Tab

Report Tab


General Tab

The fields on this tab provide general information about the active image:

Name: Indicates the name of the active image. This field can be modified to change the name.

Class:  This "view-only" field displays the class of the active image.  If you need to change an image's class, use the Convert To command.

Date:  Indicates the date the workspace was created. The date and time are displayed.

Modified: Indicates if the image was changed the last time it was opened.

Size:   The fields in this group box are used to view size related values.  The are displayed in different units of measure: pixels, inches, dots per inch. Note that only the metric dimension (inches or centimeters) can be changed; the spatial resolution (dimensions in pixels) cannot be modified here. Note that many of the fields in this box are "view-only."

Pixel: This field indicates the size of the measurement in pixels.

Resolution: This field displays the logical resolution associated with the active image.  This field can be changed.  The logical resolution can be used to determine how much space the image will occupy in its printed form.  For example, if you set Dots / Inch (width) to 300, you can use the Size fields to obtain the image's printed dimensions at that resolution.

The logical resolution is not stored in all file formats.  When it is, it is used by many applications to determine how to scale the image's X-dimension when it is imported (or linked during OLE operations).

Print: This field describes how much space the image will occupy in its printed form.

Calibrated: This field describes how much space the calibrated image will occupy.  Changes in the spatial calibration of the image affect this field.

Width/Height:   These fields display the active image dimensions in terms of pixels and in terms of width and height.  If you need to change Width/Height in terms of pixels, use the Resize command.

Units: Indicates the units used to provide the measurements.


File Tab

The fields on this tab display the file information stored with your image.  Not all file formats accept such information.  For example, TIFF accepts all description fields; JPEG accepts none.  Refer to your file format specification to determine which fields are used.

File Name: This "view-only" field displays the name of the stored  image.

Size:  This "view-only" field displays the file size of the image in bytes.

Date:   This field is generally used to record the date the image was created.  Image-Pro will read and write date information in any format that you enter here.  If you will be using this image with a program that expects the date in a certain format, enter the date in that format within Image-Pro.  (The convention for TIFF files is YYYY:MM:DD format).

Access: Indicates if the image is stored with  Read Only or Read/Write properties.

Multi-Image: Indicates if there is more than one image stored in the file.

File Format: Indicates the format of the stored image: bitmap, Tiff, JPEG, etc.

Image: If this is a multi-image file, the active image will be designated as 2 of 5, for example, or 1 of 3. Single image files are always 1 of 1.

Compression: Indicates the compression method used to store the image, i.e. JPEG, LZW, etc.

Title:   This field is generally used to store a brief name for your image (distinct from its file name).  For example, you might want to store an experiment name here, or store process information (e.g., segmentation performed with edge filter).

Artist:   This field is generally used to record the name of the artist who produced the image.  You might want to use this field to store the name of the operator, device or laboratory that generated a particular image.


Image Tab

The fields on this tab display information about the image layout and display:

Layout: The fields in this group box provide information about the layout of the image in memory.

Class:  This "view-only" field displays the class of the active image.  If you need to change an image's class, use the Convert To command.

Allocation Type: This field indicates where the image is allocated and stored: memory, disk, or direct-access (in 16-bit systems). Disk allocation is the slowest.

Bytes per Line:  This "view-only" field displays the number of bytes in each line of the image.

Memory Size:   This "view-only" field displays the amount of memory the current image requires.

Number of Channels: This "view-only" field displays the number of color channels in the image

Bits/Channel: This "view-only" field displays the active image's depth per color channel.

Bits / Pixel:   The bits per pixel is equal to the bits per channel multiplied by the number of channels.  This field displays the active image's bit depth (the number of bits per pixel).  Although Image-Pro always works with images in byte-defined classes, some file formats support lesser bit depths.  For example, TIFF format supports Gray Scale images in depths of 2, 4, 6, and 8.  Although Image-Pro always treats such files in 8 bit form, this field will display the depth associated with the file when it was read.  If you want to change this value, you can do so using the Output BPP option in the Save As menu.

Bytes/Pixel: For True Color, RGB, 8-bit , and 16-bit, images, the bytes per pixel equals the number of channels. Bytes per pixel for floating point image equals 4.  For 12-bit images, the bytes per pixel equals 2. For Bilevel images, bytes per pixel = 1/8.

Display: The fields in this group box provide information about the image display.

Pseudo-Color: Indicates if the image is psudo-colored or not.

Dynamic Range: This  field displays the dynamic range of the image. Most images have a dynamic range of 0 -255; 12-bit images have a range of 0 - 4095; 16-bit images have a range of 0 - 65535. Floating -point images have no fixed range. If the range of a floating-point image contains values greater than 255, they will be displayed as 255.

Clicking on the auto-set button  sets the ends of the range for a floating-point image with their actual values.

Display Range:   This field displays the intensity range associated with the active image.  The values will be displayed but cannot be changed.

Clicking on the Edit button resets the values at each end of the range to 0 and 255.


Calibration Tab

The fields on this tab display information about the type of calibration used on this image:

Spatial: The fields in this group box contain information about the type of spatial calibration used with this image. For more information about these fields, please refer to the Calibration Command on the Measure menu.

Intensity: The fields in this group box contain information about the type of intensity calibration used with this image. For more information about these fields, please refer to the Calibration Command on the Measure menu.


Report Tab

The fields on this tab allow you to select the type of image information to be included in the printed report.

Contents:   Use these fields to select the image information for the report, or click All to print all of it. The report is stored in text format.

Destination: Use these buttons to select a destination for the printed report.

File: Click on this button to store the image information in a file. The name of the file is diplayed next to the button. To select a file, click on the Browse button.

Printer: Click on this button to send your report to the printer.

Clipboard: Click on this button to send your report to the Windows Clipboard.


The Edit Menu - Palette
Palette

Use the Palette command to invoke the 256-color palette associated with a palette image.  These colors can be edited, and changes made by editing them will affect the colors seen within the image (e.g., if you change palette entry 15 from Red to Green, all pixels in your image with a value of 15 will change to Green).

The palette window is a floating window.  Once it has been opened via the Palette... command, it will remain visible until you close it.

Index:   The Index field displays the palette index value and the RGB values it contains.

When a Palette image is active, you can edit the color values in the palette.  For example, you might want to add an entirely new color to the palette (keep in mind you cannot really "add" another color: the palette has a fixed number of entries; a color is added by replacing an existing color).  When you change the value of an index in a Palette image, the new color will actually be applied to your image...all pixels containing that index will be displayed with the new color.

To change the values on a palette, simply double-click on the index you want to change.  This action will activate the Edit Selected Color dialog box.

Use this dialog box to specify the new color values you want assigned to the selected index.  You may set your values using any of the color models Image-Pro supports.  Component values may be entered directly into the value fields, or can be set interactively using the color window on the left-hand side of the dialog box (procedures below).  When you are satisfied with the color you have specified, click OK to return to the palette window.

Color Model:   From this list box, select the color model you want to use to specify your color values.  If you are making minor adjustments to the existing color, you might want to use the RGB model, and simply tinker with the values in the RGB fields until they create the color you need.  But, if you are looking for an entirely new color, your search will be easier if you change the model to HSV.

R/G/B:   In these fields, specify the amount of Red, Green or Blue (from 0 to 255) in your color.  All three set to 0 will create black, all three set to 255 will create white.  All three set to the same intermediate level (somewhere between 0 and 255)   will create a level of gray.

You may either type the values directly, or select them using the color window on the left.  To specify an RGB color using the color window:

1.	Select your Red value using the arrow and the vertical scale.  Move the arrow up to increase the Red value, and down to reduce it.

2.	Select your Green and Blue values using the circlet within the color window.  Move the circlet up and down to increase or decrease the Blue component, and right and left to increase or decrease the Green component.

Watch the New color swatch to monitor the color as you create it.

H/S/V:   In these fields, specify the Hue, Saturation and Value settings.  The H/S/V fields will only be present if HSV has been selected in the Color Model field.  Setting Value to "0" will create Black.  Setting Value to 100 and Saturation to 0 will create White.  Setting Saturation to 0 with a Value less than 100 will create a level of gray.

Colors are created by specifying a Hue value, its level of saturation (0 "Saturation" indicates that none of the Hue is present) and its intensity in the Value field.

You may either type the values directly, or select them using the color window on the left.  To specify an HSV color using the color window:

1.	Select your Hue using the arrow and the vertical scale.  Move the arrow to the color you want to work with.

1.	Select your Saturation component by moving the circlet within the color window from right to left to increase and left to right to decrease the Saturation. Higher saturation displays a purer color; lower saturation mixes the color with white.

1.	Select your Value component by moving the circlet within the color window up and down to increase and decrease the Value component. Higher values display brighter colors.

Watch the New color swatch to monitor the color as you create it.

Current:   The color swatch in this field will display a sample of the original color assigned to the index you are editing.

New:   The color in this swatch will display a sample of the color generated by the values specified in the value fields.  Use this field to monitor the effects of the changes you make, or to see the color you've selected using the color window controls.


Preferences

Use  the Preferences... command to specify certain default settings that affect the way in which Image-Pro operates.  When you select the Preferences... command, you will be presented with the Preferences tab dialog.

More:

Application Tab

Document Tab

Tool Bar Tab

Status Bar Tab


Application Tab

Click on this tab to select options related to the current application: Image-Pro Plus.

Undo Buffers:   Select the number of buffers you want reserved for Undo operations (up to three).  The number you set here determines the number of operations you can Undo.  Undo buffers use memory, and when you are working with large images, undo buffers can increase the time it takes Image-Pro to perform some operations.  Depending on your memory availability, and the speed of your CPU, you may want to change the buffer value from its default level of one.

Progress update rate:   Set the frequency at which you want the progress indicator to be updated.  A value between 1 and 1000 milliseconds (inclusive) can be specified.  A high value will result in fewer updates to the progress indicator, thus allocating more time to the process being tracked.  A low value will result in more frequent updates of the progress indicator.

This will take time away from the task at hand, but will result in very precise progress measurement.

Prompt before closing modified images:   Check this box if you want Image-Pro to prompt you before closing an image that has been modified since it was last saved.  Disable this box if you want Image-Pro to close a modified image immediately (the image will not be saved, and Image-Pro will issue no warning).

Repaint background images:   Check this box to maintain the color integrity of all open images.  Enabling this option causes Image-Pro to repaint every open image whenever you switch image windows.

Disabling this option allows Image-Pro to ignore color integrity for all but the active image.  Because Image-Pro does not have to spend time repainting other image windows, performance is faster.  However, it can produce some unexpected color distortion in the inactive images (to demonstrate this, load a Gray Scale and an RGB image and switch between the two).

This distortion is simply an artifact of the display process — your actual image data are not affected.  A distorted image will be correctly rendered once it becomes the active image.


Document Tab

The selections on this tab allow you to specify settings for a new document or image window in the Image-Pro Plus workspace.

New Document Settings: The options in this group box specify the name and position of the new document or image window.

Prefix: Indicate the name of the new document or image window. For example, if you select Test as the prefix, your new documents will be named Test0, Test1, Test2, etc..

Fit window size to screen: If you have a very large image, checking this box will automatically fit the entire image to the screen. If you leave this box unchecked,  your image will be displayed with a 100% zoom factor (you may not be able to see the entire image on your screen)..

Always at top left corner: Checking this box places the new document or image window in the top left corner of the Image-Pro Plus workspace..


Tool Bar Tab

The only option on this tab allows Image-Pro Plus to create a double line of buttons on the tool bar, if necessary.

Wrap buttons to next line: Check this box to allow Image-Pro to wrap the toolbar to the next line.


Status Bar Tab

The selections on this tab relate to the display of the status bar at the bottom of the Image-Pro workspace..

Show Pane:   Check options in this group box to display the selected information within the status bar.  If necessary, Image-Pro will create a new pane for placing the information.

Note - if the information you have selected (Free memory available, for example) is not displayed on the  bar, your application window may be too small to display it.  Widen the window to display the full complement of panes.

Cursor Position:   Check this option if you want Image-Pro to report the X and Y coordinates of the mouse cursor in its message bar.  If Cursor Position in the Show Calibrated group box is selected and a spatial calibration has been set, Image-Pro reports the calibrated cursor position .  Otherwise, cursor position is expressed in pixels.

Pixel Value:   Check this option if you want Image-Pro to report the intensity value of the pixel identified by the cursor.  If Pixel Value in the Show Calibrated group box is selected and an intensity calibration has been set, Image-Pro reports the calibrated pixel value.  Otherwise, Image-Pro reports the actual pixel value.

Frame size:   Check this option to display the width and height (in pixels) of the active image or AOI.

Frame Extents:   Check this option to display the coordinates of the upper-left and lower-right corners of the active AOI.

Intensity calibration unit:   Check this option to display the name of the intensity calibration in use.

Spatial calibration unit:   Check this option to display the name of the spatial calibration in use.

Free Memory Available:   Check this option to display the amount of system memory (in kilobytes) free.

Show Calibrated:   Check options in this group box to change the way information is displayed.

Pixel Value:   Check this option if you want Image-Pro to report calibrated intensity in the pixel value pane (see the Calibration command for more about intensity calibration).  If no intensity calibration has been set, Image-Pro displays the actual pixel value.

Cursor Position:   Check this option if you want Image-Pro to report calibrated X and Y coordinates in the pixel value pane (see the Calibration command for more about spatial calibration).  If no spatial calibration has been set, Image-Pro displays the coordinates in pixels.


Use the Acquire menu commands and tab dialogs to capture an image directly from a video camera or other video input device (e.g., VCR).  The Acquire commands let you monitor the video as you make camera and/or subject adjustments (refocusing, relighting, repositioning, and so forth).  It also lets you monitor the video for the right subject matter to come into view.  Once the conditions are as you want them, you can manually capture an image from the continuous video feed.

These commands also help you to select the appropriate hardware and software drivers, and configure your setup correctly. For information about specific device drivers, please refer to the Device Notes for Image-Pro Plus 3.0 included in your Image-Pro Plus package.

Note - the form of the Acquire controls vary  slightly according to the capture board you use.  With certain boards, only the controls available for your driver will be present.

The procedure for acquiring an image involves the following basic steps:

1) 	Setting up your video input device and frame grabber using the Setup Tab.  Image-Pro stores these settings, so your next usage of the same hardware will not require resetting.

2) (Optional)  Activating the video signal using the Start Preview button.    Once activated, the video image is displayed into the Acquire window.  As you view the image, you may make additional adjustments to it via the Signal tab,  or by adjusting the Brightness and Contrast sliders (if the minimal dialog is displayed).

1) 	Capturing a frame from the live video using the Snap button.  This step initiates a snap operation according to the parameters you have selected.

Note - if you have set the External Trigger option on the Signal tab  Image-Pro will not capture the image immediately when you click the Snap button.  Instead, Image-Pro will wait, allowing no other activity, until it also receives a signal from the frame grabber's trigger.

You may want to use a second monitor with Acquire, if your frame grabber gives you that capability.  One way to configure a second monitor would be to display the real-time image captured by the frame grabber on an auxiliary monitor that has been connected directly to the frame grabber itself.  The following diagram illustrates how the video image is routed when the second monitor option is enabled.

Note - your frame grabber may support both monitors directly, obviating the need for a separate VGA board.

To use a second monitor with Image-Pro,

1. You must have a frame grabber that supports dual-monitor mode (refer to the Acquisition Feature Support Table in your Device Notes to determine whether your particular board supports a second monitor), and...

2. You must configure your frame grabber to operate in dual-monitor mode.  This configuration process, which varies from board to board, may require that you rejumper switches, copy drivers to your hard disk and/or select options via a configuration program.  You must refer to your board manufacturer's user manual for the exact procedures required by your board.

Important - you may need to disconnect the VGA passthrough cable to your frame grabber.  Dual-monitor mode can only be enabled if  Windows is being output directly to the system monitor by the VGA board.

Once your frame grabber has been set up for a second monitor, you can toggle between Software Passthrough and 2nd Monitor modes within Image-Pro.  This is done by enabling or disabling the Live w/2nd Monitor acquire option, accessed on the Preview tab.

If your frame grabber conveys the video at a static size via hardware passthrough, the video image is combined directly with the VGA output and is presented in the Acquire window (see Appendix A, Acquisition Device Support, in the Start-Up Guide for more information about passthrough modes).  The video is real-time.  When viewing your video in this mode, you may need to adjust the size of the Acquire window to encompass the entire image.

 If your frame grabber conveys the video, dynamically scaled to fit the window, using hardware passthrough, the video image is combined directly with the VGA output and is presented in the Acquire window.  The video image is scaled, by the hardware, to fit within the Acquire window on your display.  The video is real-time.  With dynamic hardware passthrough, the size of the image window is fixed (i.e., it cannot be enlarged or reduced).

If the hardware passthrough method for your board conflicts with your VGA card, you can disable the hardware passthrough using the Disable Hardware Passthrough checkbox on the Preview tab.


Video/Digital

The Video/Digital controls are used to activate and adjust your continuous video or digital camera and capture an image from it.  When you select this command, you will see a set of tab dialogs that allow you to select and configure your hardware drivers, capture images, and save them to a file. Each of the Acquire tabs is discussed in the following section.

Note - if you have digital capture selected, instead of analog, some of the tab dialogs will look different.

More:

The Setup Tab

The Image Tab

The Preview Tab

The Integration Tab

The Signal Tab

The Macro Tab


The Acquire Menu - Video/Digital - The Setup Tab
The Setup Tab

Clicking on this tab displays options that allow you to select a capture driver, configure it correctly, and load and save settings for that device, :

Current Driver: Select the appropriate driver from the drop-down list box.

Settings File: If you do not load a different file, the settings file for your driver will be default.vpf.

Load Settings: The settings file stores all the parameters for capturing images that you have defined on the different tabs. Clicking this button allows you to load settings that you have previously saved.

Please refer to the section about Open and Save Dialog Boxes earlier in this manual.

Save Settings: Clicking this button allows you to save the settings that you have defined for this driver.

Please refer to the section about Open and Save Dialog Boxes earlier in this manual.

Default Settings:  Clicking this button restores the default.vpf settings file.

NTSC (Video Standard): This group box displays the video standard that your frame grabber uses.  Consult the documentation for your hardware if uncertain.  This group box will not appear if Image-Pro can obtain the information from configuration files for the video input device or if your frame grabber only supports one type.

•	NTSC (National Television System Committee):  in general use in the United States.

•	PAL (Phase Alternation Line):  in general use in Europe.

Composite: This drop-down list box contains all the available camera types. Select the appropriate camera type from the list..

Configure: click the Configure button to initialize settings for your hardware.  When you select Configure, the Configuration dialog box for your acquisition hardware appears.

Select the appropriate options for your capture board. You may need to consult the manufacturer's information packaged with your board  for the correct settings.  The Configure button will not appear if the hardware you are using has no additional options to configure.

Remember - the options that you see may vary with different types of capture boards.

Start Preview:  Clicking this button allows you to preview the image before actually capturing it.

Snap:   Click this button to initiate a snap operation according to the settings you have defined, and place the captured image(s) into an untitled image window.  The size and class of the captured image will be derived from the capabilities of your frame grabber (i.e., 640 x 480 monochrome hardware will produce a 640 x 480 Gray Scale image,  512 x 400 color hardware has the capacity produce a 512 x 400 True Color image).

Minimal Dialog: Clicking on this button presents a  reduced form of the Acquire dialog, :

Start/Stop:   Click this button to activate and deactivate the live-video display.

Snap:   Click this button to initiate the snap. The number of images, destination, and averaging are determined by the controls on the other tab dialogs.

Options: Clicking the Options button returns you to the full Acquire tab dialog:

Brightness/Contrast: You can adjust the brightness and contrast of the captured image using the slider bars, if your hardware supports this.

Close: Clicking this button returns you to the Image-Pro workspace without capturing any images.


The Image Tab

The Image tab contains the controls that determine how your image is captured, and where your images are stored. You can choose to use images in the open workspace, or images stored in a file. You may also select multiple image (multi-frame acquire).

Use the Image tab dialog  if you want to automatically capture images directly from a video camera or other video input device (e.g., VCR) on a timed basis. You may specify both the total number of images you want to capture and the frequency at which you want them acquired (Timed Acquire). For example, you could direct Image-Pro to capture an image every 20 minutes until 10 images had been accumulated.

Note -if you have not yet installed or configured your frame grabber, you may want to refer to the manufacturer's information for installation  and configuration instructions.

The Image tab contains the following options:

New Image:   Click this option button to create a new image when you click Snap.

Active Image:   Click this option button to replace the current image when you click Snap.

Sequence: Click this option button to store your images in a sequence file. (See the description of the Sequencer commands later in this chapter.)

File: Click this option button to store an image in a file when you click Snap.

Set Filename: Clicking this button sets the destination for the capture image.

Path: Enter the name of the drive and directory into which your captured images will be saved.  Relative path names (i.e., "." and "..") can be used.  You may either type the path information, or use the Browse button to select it from a standard File dialog box.

File Name Prefix:   Enter a file name "prefix" for Image-Pro to use when generating files names for the accumulated images.  This prefix will be combined with a sequence number to form a file name.  For example, if a prefix of "PROC" was specified, and 11 images were to be acquired, they would be stored to files PROC0.TIF to PROC10.TIF (acquired images are always stored in TIFF format, so an extension of .TIF is automatically assigned).

You may type the prefix in this field, or you can specify it by selecting the name of an existing file using the Browse button; you may then modify it in this field to create a unique name.

If you select an existing file name, Image-Pro will issue a message giving you the choice of replacing the existing file or not.

Start Numbering:   Enter the sequence number to be appended to the file name "prefix" when the first image is stored.  Image-Pro will automatically increment this number (by 1) when storing subsequent images.

Browse: Clicking this button displays the Save As dialog box. Please refer to the section about Load and Save Dialog Boxes in the first part of this manual.

Click OK to save your file destination information, or Cancel to return to the Image tab dialog.

Multiple Images : This group box contains the controls for acquiring several images at once.

Number of Images:   Enter the total number of images you want to accumulate during the timed-acquired session.

Time Between Images:   Specify the interval, in Hours, Minutes, Seconds, and  Hundredths of Seconds, at which you want to collect images.  When accumulating images, Image-Pro will begin to capture images at the specified interval after you press Start (and the next at  2*Interval after you press Start, and so forth).

Set Time: Clicking on this button displays the Time Interval dialog boxEnter the hours, minutes, seconds and milliseconds using the spin buttons in each box. Click OK to save your time interval, or Cancel to return to the Image tab.

Use Minimum Possible Interval: Check this box to minimize, as much as possible, the time between images.  When acquiring images in rapid succession, be aware that storing an image to disk takes a certain amount of time.  For practical purposes, intervals less than 900 milliseconds do not work well (this assumes you have a fast machine -- the interval would be longer for slower systems).  If your system is still processing an image when the interval for the next image arrives, Image-Pro will capture the next image as soon as it completes its processing of the current one.  It will not simply skip the missed image and wait for the next interval to occur.


The Preview Tab

The Preview tab contains those options for video capture that control the size and refresh rates of the image.

Preview on second monitor - click this check box to toggle the live-video display between dual-monitor (video conveyed to the second monitor) and software passthrough (video conveyed to the system monitor) mode.  This check box will not appear if the board is configured for a single monitor.

Zoom: Indicate the degree to which you want your image increased or decreased. Within the limits of your equipment and the refresh time you have set, the preview image will display current information.  A smaller preview size may provide better response time than a full-size image.   These options are enabled if your passthrough type is software controlled; otherwise, they will not appear. Clicking zero restores Zoom to its original settings.

Refresh Rate: Indicates (in milliseconds) the interval at which you want your image refreshed.


The Integration Tab

Use the Integration tab commands if you want to collect a number of frames and create a single image by averaging the corresponding pixel values of the collected images.  This is usually done for noise-reduction purposes.  You can also use Integration to accumulate frames (instead of averaging them), which might be done to boost intensity values under low-light conditions.

When you perform an Integration operation, Image-Pro accumulates the specified number of frames (i.e., adds the corresponding pixel values), then divides the result by the specified divisor.  The resulting image is placed into a new, untitled image window within Image-Pro.

Accumulate:   In this field, enter the number of frames you want to accumulate.  If your hardware supports it, the specified number of frames will be collected and averaged by the hardware itself.

For noise-reduction purposes, an accumulation of 16 frames is usually sufficient.  Very minimal quality gains are achieved by averaging more than this amount.

You must check this checkbox to have Image-Pro Plus generate averaged images.

Divide By:   Specify the number to use as the divisor.  Any integer value from 1 - 255 (inclusive) can be specified here.  Specifying a value equal to the value in the Accumulate field will produce an average (mean).  Specifying a value of "1" will produce a straight accumulation.


The Signal Tab

This tab dialog contains information about the video signal that you camera uses.

Channel:  Use the spin buttons or type in the value to select the input channel your camera cable is attached to:  0, 1, 2 or 3 (your hardware may have fewer channel choices than this - e.g. 0,1 or 0, 1, 2).

Genlock: Click this check box to toggle the external sync (also known as Genlock or PLL) on and off.

External Trigger: Click this check box to toggle the use of an external trigger to snap an image.  If you want to use the external trigger, you must first click this check box on, then click the Snap button, then press the external trigger when you are ready to capture the image.  After clicking Snap, control of the computer is totally controlled by the external trigger; no further action can be taken until the trigger is activated.

Upper Voltage: Use the spin buttons or type in the value for the upper bound of the signal voltage (read from the signal source).

Lower Voltage: Use the spin buttons or type in the value for the lower bound of the signal voltage (read from the signal source).

Brightness:   Use the spin buttons to decrease or increase the Brightness of the incoming live signal.

Contrast:  Use the spin buttons to decrease or increase the Contrast of the incoming live signal.

Options Button: If your driver supports other signal options, a driver-specific button may appear on the Signal tab. In the example on the previous page, this is indicated by "Options Text Here."


The Macro Tab

The Macro tab contains any specialized routines that you have created to run before or after capturing an image.

Pre-Snap Macro:   Enter the name of a macro you want Image-Pro to run before each snap.  For example, you might want to sound a bell before each snap occurs.  If the time required for your hardware to perform the Pre-Snap Macro and acquire the image exceeds the interval you have selected, Image-Pro will acquire images as rapidly as your hardware permits.  Select None if you do not want a Pre-Snap Macro.

Post-Snap Macro:   Enter the name of a macro you want Image-Pro to run after each snap.   For example, you might want to load the image just saved, apply a filter, and resave the image.  If the time required for your hardware to perform the Post-Snap Macro and acquire the image exceeds the interval you have selected, Image-Pro will acquire images as rapidly as your hardware permits.  Select None if you do not want a Post-Snap Macro.

If you have selected "minimum interval" from the Image tab, the macros are played before the sequence, and after, but not during the capture.


Using a Digital Camera

If you have selected a digital camera driver from the Setup tab, some of the options on that tab will be different. Some of the other tab dialogs, such as Preview, will be slightly different also.  You will not see the Integration and Signal tabs; and there will be an Acquire tab.

More:

The Setup Tab

The PreviewTab

The Acquire Tab


The Acquire Menu - Using a Digital Camera - The Setup Tab
The Setup Tab

If you select the digital camera driver on the Setup tab, your tab dialog will contain some different options:

Current Driver: Select the appropriate driver from the drop-down list box.

Settings File: If you do not load a different file, the settings file for your driver will be default.vpf.

Load Settings: The settings file stores all the parameters for capturing images that you have defined on the different tabs. Clicking this button allows you to load settings that you have previously saved.

Please refer to the section about Open and Save Dialog Boxes earlier in this manual.

Save Settings: Clicking this button allows you to save the settings that you have defined for this driver.

Please refer to the section about Open and Save Dialog Boxes earlier in this manual.

Default Settings:  Clicking this button restores the default.vpf settings file.

8-Bit Gray Scale Acquire: Check this box if you are going to be capturing 8-bit gray scale images.

Configure: click the Configure button to initialize settings for your hardware.  When you select Configure, the Configuration dialog box for your acquisition hardware appears.

Select the appropriate options for your capture board. You may need to consult the manufacturer's information packaged with your board  for the correct settings.  The Configure button will not appear if the hardware you are using has no additional options to configure.

Remember - the options that you see may vary with differenent types of capture boards.

Start Preview:  Clicking this button allows you to preview the image before actually capturing it.

Snap:   Click this button to initiate a snap operation according to the settings you have defined, and place the captured image(s) into an untitled image window.

Minimal Dialog: Clicking on this button presents a  reduced form of the Acquire dialog, :

Start/Stop:   Click this button to activate and deactivate the live-video display.

Snap:   Click this button to initiate the snap. The number of images, destination, and averaging are determined by the controls on the other tab dialogs.

Options: Clicking the Options button returns you to the full Acquire tab dialog:

Close: Clicking this button returns you to the Image-Pro workspace without capturing any images.


The PreviewTab

This tab lets you set options for the live preview only. The acquisition (through the snap button) is controlled by the settings on the Acquire tab.

Exposure Time: Enter the hours, minutes, seconds and milliseconds using the spin buttons in each box.

Horizontal/Vertical Binning: Indicates pixel area for horizontal/vertical pixel accumulation. Binning affects the final preview resolution, as indicated in the final preview resolution.

Gain: Indicates the digital gain. Please see your camera documentation for the appropriate specifications.

Preview Area: Selects an AOI for the preview area.

Set Area: Clicking this button allows you to define the AOI for previewing. :

Indicate the pixel locations for the corners of the AOI.

 Select area from current image: If you have an active image, clicking this button allows you to set the area of interest on the current image.

Reset area to full frame: Clicking this button resets the capture area to the maximum supported by your camera, i.e. erasing your preview area.

OK: Click OK to add the AOI to your image.

Cancel: Click Cancel to return to the Live tab.

Apply: If the Preview are is not live, the settings take effect immediately. Otherwise, you must click apply to apply the settings to the live preview.


The Acquire Tab

This tab lets you set the options for actual image capture using the digital camera.

Exposure Time: Enter the hours, minutes, seconds and milliseconds using the spin buttons in each box.

Horizontal/Vertical Binning: Indicates pixel area for horizontal/vertical pixel accumulation. Binning affects the final preview resolution, as indicated in the final preview resolution.

Gain: Indicates the digital gain. Please see your camera documentation for the appropriate specifications.

Capture Area: Selects an AOI to capture the image.

Set Area: Clicking this button allows you to define the AOI for image capture.

Select area from current image: If you have an active image, clicking this button allows you to select an area of interest on the current image.

Reset area to full frame: If you have an active image with a preview are selected, clicking this button resets the capture area to the entire image enclosed within the frame, i.e. erasing your preview area.

OK: Click OK to add the AOI to your image.

Cancel: Click Cancel to return to the Acquire tab.


Video Print

Use the Video Print command on systems configured with an auxiliary monitor (see dual monitor discussion above) and a video printer.  It is used to pass the active image or AOI from Image-Pro's application window back to the frame grabber, such that it is displayed on the auxiliary monitor and can be optionally printed.

If you have modified the image being printed (using a filter, for example, or drawing on the image), the modifications are reflected in the video print.

To print an image or AOI to your video printer, select the Video Print command.  Your image (or AOI) will appear on the auxiliary monitor.  From there you must perform whatever steps are required by your particular frame grabber and/or printer to initiate the print.  Consult your device manufacturer's manuals for this procedure

To close the Acquire dialog, double-click its control-menu box.  When you exit, your setup options are recorded so that next time you select the Acquire command it will already be configured to these specifications.

If you minimize the Acquire window without clicking Stop, Image-Pro continues acquiring real-time video.

If you close the Acquire window without clicking Stop, the last image acquired remains on your second monitor (if you have one).


Scan

Use the Scan... command to scan images into Image-Pro, using a TWAIN-compliant scanner.  Use the Select Scanner... command to select your TWAIN drive from those available on your system.  The Scan... command then initiates the scanning process directly.

The scanning process involves the following three basic steps:

1.	Selecting your scanner using the Select Scanner... command.  If you know that the scanner you plan to use has already been selected, this step is not required.

2.	Initiating the scan using the Scan... command.  When you select the Scan... command, Image-Pro transfers control to the manufacturer's TWAIN interface for the scanner you are using.

3.	Controlling the scan process.  See the manufacturer's user manual for operating instructions.  When the scan is complete, your image will be displayed in a new window.

Note - before selecting the Scan... command, be sure the current scanner matches the scanner connected to your system.

The options available to you during the scan process depend upon the specific scanner you are using.  Some or all of the following options may be available to you.

DPI (Dots per inch):  This sets the resolution at which the scanner will acquire the image.  Combined with the Margins setting, DPI will determine the size of the resultant scanned image.  For example, a 3" x 4" area scanned at 100 dpi will result in an image that is 300 x 400 pixels in size.  The available DPI settings will be dependent on the scanner.

Gamma Correction:  Some scanners have built-in correction tables that will attempt to correct the image for various display and output devices.  Experiment with this setting to determine which gives you the best results.

Threshold:  This sets the cutoff point when scanning a tonal image (many levels of grays and/or colors) as a bilevel image (two tones, black and white).  Higher threshold settings will result in more areas of the image appearing white; lower settings will result in greater black areas.  See Halftone Type below.

Brightness:  This setting controls the brightness of the initial scanned image.  This is similar to the brightness control on the BCG Controls and in the Color Map, but it is applied at the hardware level.

Monochrome/Color:  This selection is available if you have a color scanner.  Along with the Bit Depth setting, this option will determine the image class of the scanned image.  See Bits per Channel below.

Bits per Channel:  This determines the image class of the scanned image.  For example, Monochrome at 1 bit per channel will result in a bilevel image; Monochrome at 8 bits will be a 256 gray scale image; Color at 8 bits will be a 24-bit true color image; Color at 1 bit (binary) will result in an 8-color Toolbar class image that looks similar to color newsprint when used with an appropriate halftone type (see below).

Halftone Type:  If the Bits per Channel is set at binary (1), this option will be selectable in some scanners.  The type of halftone patterns that are available will be determined by the scanner.  Usually, the Threshold setting will affect the dot density of a halftone.

Black/White Reverse:  This option will toggle negation of the image at scan time.  The result is equivalent to performing a NOT Operation on an image.

Margins:  This option allows you to scan just a portion of your image.  This is useful for eliminating unwanted text, graphics or white space that surround the image you want to scan.

Preview:  This option lets you view your image while you specify the margins of the area to scan.

Width/Height:  Note that the width and height of the image you are scanning do not necessarily reflect the width and height on your screen.  Factors affecting screen size are the scanning resolution (dots per inch), the resolution at which Windows is operating (a lower resolution yields a larger image), and the physical size of your monitor.


Select Scanner

Use the Select Scanner... command to select or change the current TWAIN-compatible scanner.

Sources:   This list box presents all TWAIN drivers found on your system (Image-Pro searches the TWAIN folder located in the WINDOWS working folder for these drivers—e.g., \WINDOWS\TWAIN or \WINDOWS\TWAIN). Select the scanner you want to use.  If your scanner is not listed under Sources, install it first, then select it.

Select:   When you are happy with your choice, click the Select button.  Control then passes to your scanner's TWAIN-compliant software.


Sequencer Files

The Sequencer functions in Image-Pro Plus allows you to view and work with a group of image files called a sequence. Each sequence is made up of individual files in TIFF format, stored together in one file. By clicking on Sequence Files command, you can open the sequence of images, control the speed at which the images are displayed, add images to a sequence, and save that sequence. When you click on the Sequencer Files command, you will see the following options:

•	Open Sequence

•	Save

•	Save As

•	Merge Images

Each of these options is described in the following section.

u	Clicking on the Open Sequence command allows you to open and "play" an existing sequence of images.

Image sequence files have the extension .seq or .tif .  Individual image files have the extension .tif. Select the file you wish to view. (For more information about opening files, see Open and Load Dialog boxes earlier in this manual.)

Starting Frame:  This number indicates the number of the starting  image frame in the sequence.  If you want to start at a frame other than frame 0, use the spin button to advance to the correct frame.

Number of Frames: This number indicates the total number of the frames in the sequence.  If you want to play only a few of the frames, use the spin buttons to select the number of frames to play.

When you have finished, click OK. If not click Cancel.

Clicking OK displays the first frame in the sequence file in your workspace. This is usually frame 0. You will also see the Sequencer Toolbar tool bar.

The buttons on the Sequence Toolbar are very similar to the buttons used to control your VCR or CD player. You can scroll forward and back through the group of images, using the buttons for next image, previous image, last image, etc. The Update Rate controls the amount  of time, in milliseconds, that each image is displayed on the screen. Lower numbers indicate a higher rate, because each image is displayed for a shorter period of time, therefore the sequence appears to be displaying at a faster rate.

•	Selecting Save or Save As allows you to save a new or modified image sequence file under its current name, or create a new name. Sequence files have the extension  .seq or .tif.  For more information about saving files, please refer to the section on Save and Save As Dialog Boxes earlier in this manual. Note that sequence files cannot be saved using the Save or Save As commands from the File menu.

•	Selecting Merge allows you to combine two sequence files into one file, or to add a new image to an open sequence file. The Merge command always places the new sequence file or image at the end of the open one (append). Selecting this option displays the Merge Images dialog box:

You should already have a sequence open. Select the name of the file you want to merge into your open sequence. You can select the starting frame of the sequence being opened, and number of frames that you want to merge into your existing sequence.


Sequencer Tools

Sequencer Tools include the Sequencer Toolbar, and a limited set of operations that you can use to modify the images in the sequence. Clicking on this command displays the following options:

•	Toolbar

•	Operations

The Toolbar is described in the preceding pages.  The Operations command is described in the following section.

•	Clicking on the Operations command opens the Operations dialog box.

Difference of Frames: Clicking this button tells Image-Pro to look at the differences between frames 0 and 1, 1 and 2, etc. It finds the elements that are different and creates a new sequence based on the differences between each of the frames. There will always be one less frame in the "difference" sequence than in the original sequence.

AOI Cut: To use this operation, you must first create an AOI in one of the frames in the sequence. Selecting this option and  clicking Apply creates a new sequence based on the area enclosed by the AOI. The new sequence will be composed of frames showing the area enclosed by the AOI in each frame.

Average Sequence: Clicking this button creates a new image based on the average of corresponding  pixel values in each of the collected images.  This is usually done for noise-reduction purposes.  When you perform an averaging operation, Image-Pro accumulates the specified number of frames (i.e., adds the corresponding pixel values), then divides the result by the specified divisor.  The resulting image is placed into a new, untitled image window within Image-Pro.

For example, if you have a sequence of 3 frames, the averaging operation will look at the pixel  in position x1, y1 in each of the three frames. The value of the pixel in position x1,y1 of the new image will be the average of those pixel values.

Running Average: Clicking this button creates a new sequence where each frame is composed of the average values in  n number of frames. (N is specified in the Frames field.)

For example, in a sequence of 4 frames, where N equals 2, (and Drop Incomplete Frames is not checked) the first frame in the sequence created by the running average will be the average of frame 0 and itself. The second frame will be the average of frame 0 and frame 1, the second frame will be the average of frame 1 and frame 2, etc. If Drop Incomplete Frames is not checked, the new sequence will contain more frames than the original sequence,because the first and last frames will be duplicated.

Drop Incomplete Frames: Clicking the button instructs Image-Pro to remove any partial or blank frames from the running average. If this option is checked, the new sequence created by the running average will contain fewer frames than the original sequence,because the first and last frames will not be duplicated.

Frames: Indicates the number of frames to average for the Running Average.

Click Apply to modify the sequence, or Cancel to leave the sequence unchanged.


Process menu commands are used to manipulate your active image. You may adjust the lookup table to increase the contrast and enhance the display of  images in low-light situations. The Process menu commands allow you to invert the image, filter it, change the colors, and overlay one image with another.


Display Range

The Display Range command allows you to set the Intensity levels of 12-bit and 16-bit images to increase contrast and enhance display in low-light situations. Up to 65535 gray levels can be displayed.

The Display Range dialog shows the histogram of the active image.  Two vertical markers show the upper and lower limits of the Intensity levels. These markers can be moved with your cursor.

Two edit controls indicate the values for the Intensity levels. You can use the spin buttons to increase or decrease these values.

The Z+  and Z- controls allow you to zoom in and out on the area between the markers.

The Reset button allows you to reset the Intensity levels to the high and low ends of the dynamic range. The Best Fit button automatically sets the Intensity levels to the "best fit".  Best fit instructs Image-Pro to optimize the Brightness and Contrast values for your particular image (see more about Best Fit under the Equalize command).

The Inv button reverses the display.


Contrast Enhancement

Use the Contrast Enhancement command to adjust the current Brightness, Contrast and Gamma settings. You can also make adjustments to the Luminance, Red, Blue, and Green color channel settings.

When the Contrast Enhancement controls are adjusted, the pixel values in your image bitmap are not actually modified; the controls modify a Lookup Table (LUT) through which your image is interpreted.   For example, when you increase brightness in an image, all of the intensity values in your image are increased by a certain amount.  The pixel values in your image are not actually changed; the changes you see on the screen are calculated by reading the image's original value and processing it through the Lookup Table.  The LUT dictates how each pixel value is interpreted.  In our brightness example, the table might convert a Gray Scale pixel value of 120 to 140, and a value of 50 to 70.

Image-Pro uses a LUT for processing intensity enhancements because 1) it is the fastest way to apply multiple adjustments to an image, and 2) it lets you easily reverse adjustments you have made.

When contrast modifications are performed, your actual image bitmap is not enhanced; all changes are simply placed into the LUT.  If you were to copy, resize or otherwise perform an operation that produces a new window from your bitmap, the results would be derived from the unenhanced values.  To make the LUT enhancements permanent, you must select the Apply Contrast command to write the modified pixel values to your image bitmap, or click the Apply button on the Contrast Enhancement window. If an AOI is active when the Apply Contrast command is performed, the LUT values will be written to just the pixels within the AOI.

When you select the Contrast Enhancement command, the Contrast Enhancement window appears, in either the "simple" or the "expanded" mode.

Contrast Enhancement Controls: These controls are used to adjust the visual qualities of your image.  There is an independent slider control for each characteristic:

Brightness:   Move this slider up to increase, or down to decrease, the image brightness.  A value of 50 represents no change to the image values.

Contrast:   Move this slider up to increase, or down to decrease, the image contrast.  A value of 50 represents no change to the image values.

Gamma:   Move this slider up to increase the Gamma value (increase dark area contrast) or down to decrease the Gamma value (increase bright area contrast).  A value of 1 represents no change to the image values.

Important - these controls change the appearance of your image as it is interpreted through the Lookup Table.  They do not actually change the pixel values in your image bitmap.  If you want to apply the changes to your bitmap you must write the values to the bitmap by using the Apply Contrast command or by clicking the Apply button.

   Color Channel: Select the Luminance, Red, Green or Blue channel button corresponding to the color in your image.   If your image is not True Color or Palette, the Luminance channel will be your only option here. The Luminance channel is the intensity produced by the combined RGB channels.  Click on the color button, and move the slider controls until the new color values are reflected in your image.

Clicking Apply writes the modified pixel values to your image bitmap.

Important - If you want to save the LUT so it can be applied to similar images at a later date, or you want to save the LUT to a printer or scanner calibration file, you must do this before you perform the Apply Contrast command.  Apply Contrast clears the LUT; if you save the LUT after the Apply Contrast is performed, your LUT will be empty.

Once the LUT has been applied, you will see the Contrast Enhancement controls return to their initial, flat positions.

•	Invert reverses the values in the lookup table.

•	Reset restores the lookup table to its linear state.

•	More expands the Contrast Enhancement window to display the expanded (advanced) mode

The expanded mode of the Contrast Enhancement window lets you modify the Lookup Table (LUT) using the advanced controls, giving you more control over the results. For example, you might want to modify the contrast to interpret all values above 200 as white (255), or boost the blue channel between values 0 and 128.

 It contains controls that allow you to select the curve type, load and save Lookup Table settings, and track your cursor position. The controls are scaled to use values ranging from 0 to 255.

The Contrast Enhancement operates by letting you reshape the curve that describes your intensity scale.  Initially, the values on your scale are linearly distributed from its smallest value to its largest.  As shown in the example below, this produces an identity response curve, describing a function where the input and output values are identical (e.g., an intensity value of 125 is interpreted as 125).

The Contrast Enhancement command lets you view this curve, and change its shape by changing the output value of certain control points along the curve.  Image-Pro gives you the ability to control intensity values at 2, 5, 9 or 256 points along the curve.  When you change the value of a control point, the values between it and the preceding/ succeeding control point are linearly derived as shown in the 5 point example below.  As you can see, our example value of 125 no longer generates a response of 125.  Instead, 125 is interpreted as 195.  With this map, any pixels with a value of 125 would be rendered as if they possessed a value of 195.  Other pixel values would be similarly adjusted, according to what output value is described by this map.

Any changes you make are not written directly to your image.  Instead, they are written to the LUT which dictates how each pixel value is interpreted.  Once you are satisfied with the enhancements you have made, you must click on the Apply button to write the modified pixel values to your image.  If an AOI is active when the LUT is applied, the LUT values will be written to the AOI only.

Curve Type:   In this combo box, select the number of control points you want to be given.  When you select a Curve Type, the appropriate curve will be displayed in the curve window.  You can modify the curve's shape by dragging a control point to a new position.  When you drag a control point, its initial and modified values are displayed in the x and y fields in the Control Position group box.

You will also see the results of a change immediately in your image.  When you are happy with the changes you have made, select Apply to write the changes permanently to your image.  If you want to undo the curve changes you have made, use the Reset command.

The following curve types are provided:

•	Highlight and Shadow:   This option lets you modify two control points:  the Highlight point (the largest value on the scale) and the Shadow point (the smallest value on the scale).  Highlight and Shadow differs from all other control point options in that it allows you to move the control points in a horizontal direction only.  Moving the highlight point to the left specifies the point at which you want the scale to become white -- all values from this point on are set to the highest value on your scale (255 if you are working with a Gray Scale image).  Moving the shadow point towards the right sets the point up to which you want the scale set to black -- all values less than or equal to this point are considered black (0).

•	Tone:   This option lets you modify the curve using 5 control points, allowing you to change the shape of the curve in 4 segments.  Moving a control point up increases the intensity value of that point and points along the segments it touches.  Moving a control point down decreases the intensity value of that point and points along the segments it touches.

•	Tone:   This option lets you modify the curve using 9 control points, allowing you to change the shape of the curve in 8 segments.  Moving a control point up increases the intensity value of that point and points along the segments it touches.  Moving a control point down decreases the intensity value of that point and points along the segments it touches.

•	Image Intensity:   This informational field shows you before and after intensity settings of the pixels under your curson in the Red, Green, and Blue value of the active image before and after the LUT is applied.

•	Show Grid:   Check this option if you want a grid displayed within the curve window. Each square on the grid is 16 pixels x 16 pixels.

•	Load/Save: These options allow you to load and save the Lookup Table settings in *.LUT files. For more information about Loading and Saving, please refer to the section, Load and Save Dialog Boxes at the beginning of this manual.

•	Before/After: Click this button if you want to view your image in its original state without any interpretation through the Lookup Table.  When you click Before/After, Image-Pro opens the Display window, allowing you to view your document in its original or enhanced form.  This window allows you to toggle between views of the two versions of your image.  When you have finished viewing your image, you must close the window (click on the Display window's close button).  You will not be able to proceed within Image-Pro until you do so.  When you close the window, Image-Pro will automatically revert the image to its enhanced form.

•	Cursor position: This group box shows the input (x) and output (y) values of the cursor in the curve control window.

•	Control position: This group box shows the input (x) and output (y) values of the selected controls on the line in  the curve control window.


Equalize

Use the Equalize command to use one of Image-Pro's advanced histogram manipulation functions to enhance the contrast and dynamic range of an active image.

When you click on the Equalize command, you will have several options:

•	Best Fit

•	Linear

•	Bell

•	Logarithmic

•	Exponential.

When you select one of the options, Image-Pro will analyze your image's accumulated histogram and redistribute it into the shape you have specified (see the Histogram and Intensity Analysis discussions in Section 1 for more information about Histograms).

Note - When you apply an Equalize option, Image-Pro implements the modifications through the Lookup Table (LUT).  Your original image bitmap is not updated.  If you want to make the enhancements permanent, you must write them to the image with the Apply Contrast command.

•	Best Fit: Use the Best Fit command to instruct Image-Pro to optimize the values for your particular image.  The results are achieved by stretching the histogram to achieve the best possible contrast distribution of pixel values in your image in this way: Best fit assigns the bottom 3% of the values to the shadow point, (0) and the top 3% of the values to the highlight point (255). The rest of the values are distributed evenly across the scale).

•	Linear:   This option distributes the histogram equally across the intensity scale.  This function produces a high contrast image with the highest possible dynamic range.

•	Bell:   This option distributes the histogram evenly around the center of the intensity scale.  This function produces a high contrast image with less dynamic range than the Linear distribution.

•	Logarithmic:   This option concentrates the histogram at the low end of the scale.  This function produces a high contrast image with little dynamic image.  It will tend to darken the image overall.  Useful for increasing the contrast in a very light image.

•	Exponential:   This option concentrates the histogram at the high end of the scale.  This function produces a high contrast image with little dynamic image.  It will tend to lighten the image overall.  Useful for increasing the contrast in a very dark image.


Invert Contrast

Use the Invert Contrast command to instruct Image-Pro to reverse the values in the lookup table for your active imageIf you are happy with the contrast adjustments, and want to make them permanent, use the Apply Contast command to write the modified values to your image.


Reset Contrast

Use the Reset Contrast command to undo any Lookup Table modifications that have not yet been applied to your image, and reset the Lookup Table to its linear state. You can reset changes made to a single channel, or to all channels.

Note that when Reset Contrast  is performed, your image returns to it unaltered state, and the Contrast Enhancement controls are reset to their initial, flat positions.

Note - the Reset Contrast command can also be performed by clicking the Reset button located in the Contrast Enhancement window, or by clicking on the Reset button in the toolbar.


Apply Contrast

Use the Apply Contrast command to make the current Lookup Table adjustments permanent.

When the Contrast Enhancement controls are adjusted, the pixel values in your image bitmap are not actually modified; the controls modify a Lookup Table (LUT) through which your image is interpreted.   For example, when you increase brightness in an image, all of the intensity values in your image are increased by a certain amount.  The pixel values in your image are not actually changed; the changes you see on the screen are calculated by reading the image's original value and processing it through the Lookup Table.  The LUT dictates how each pixel value is interpreted.  In our brightness example, the table might convert a Gray Scale pixel value of 120 to 140, and a value of 50 to 70.

Image-Pro uses a LUT for processing intensity enhancements because 1) it is the fastest way to apply multiple adjustments to an image, and 2) it lets you easily reverse adjustments you have made.  The following intensity operations modify the LUT for the image:

•	the Brightness, Contrast, and Gamma controls

•	the Contrast Enhancement command options

•	the Equalize command options, or

•	the Invert Contrast command.

To make the LUT enhancements permanent, you must select the Apply Contrast command to write the modified pixel values to your image bitmap.  When these operations are performed, your actual image bitmap is not enhanced; all changes are simply placed into the LUT.  If you were to copy, resize or otherwise perform an operation that produces a new window from your bitmap, the results would be derived from the unenhanced values.  If an AOI is active when the Apply Contrast command is performed, the LUT values will be written to just the pixels within the AOI.

When you select Apply Contrast you will be prompted to confirm your request.

Important - If you want to save the LUT so it can be applied to similar images at a later date, or you want to save the LUT to a printer or scanner calibration file, you must do this before you perform the Apply Contrast command.  Apply Contrast clears the LUT; if you save the LUT after the Apply Contrast is performed, your LUT will be empty.  See the Contrast Enhancement command for information about saving a Lookup Table.

Once the contrast has been applied, you will see the Contrast Enhancement controls return to their initial, flat positions.

Note - the Apply Contrast command can also be performed by clicking the Apply button located beneath the BCG sliders.


Invert Image

Use the Invert Image command to instruct Image-Pro to reverse the pixel values for your active image without going through the lookup table. The example below shows the original image, and the inverted  image.

Note that this command does not write the changes to the lookup table, but directly to the image.


Background Correction

Use the Background Correction... command to make adjustments to the background of your image.  This tool is used to better distinguish image background from image objects, making it easier to extract the objects during a counting or measurement operation.  The Background Correction... command can correct uneven background intensities, and compensate for irregularities due to uneven lighting, nonuniform camera response or minor optic imperfections.  It might be used to remove evidence of dust on the lens, or to correct for bright spots caused by the light beneath the microscope's stage.

Background Correction... can only be performed if at least two images are open.  The active image must be the one you want to perform the background operation upon.  You must also have a "background" image open.  A background image contains only the background.  You can produce a background image by acquiring an image with the sample removed (e.g., remove the slide from the microscope's stage) or with the optics defocused entirely.

Two types of background correction are provided by Image-Pro:  Background Subtraction should be used for all images except those of transmitted light experiments which will be used to measure optical density.  For optical density applications, the Background Correction option should be used instead.  Background Correction accounts for the fact that optical density is not a linear function of the gray scale.

Note - if you do not have at least two images open when you select the Background Correction command, Image-Pro will issue the message "(Cannot find background image)" at the bottom of the Background dialog box.

Background Subtraction:   Click this option button if you want to subtract one of the open images from the active image.  Background Subtraction will compare the active image to the background image, and pixels deemed to be part of the background, will be replaced with a value close to the mean background intensity.

The algorithm is based on the following formula:

where

 is a pixel value of the original image at location (x,y);

 is a pixel value of the background image at location (x,y);

M is the average pixel value of the background image; and

 is the new pixel value in the corrected image.

Note - Do not use Background Subtraction on transmitted light experiments where optical density will be measured; use Background Correction instead.

Background Correction:   Click this option button if you want to correct the background of an image measuring optical density via transmitted light.  Background Correction is similar to Background Subtraction, but uses division instead of subtraction, to account for the fact that optical density is not a linear function of the gray scale.

The algorithm is based on the following formula:

where

 is a pixel value of the original image at location (x,y);

 is a pixel value of the background image at location (x,y);

M is the average pixel value of the background image;

BL is the level of black; and

 is the new pixel value in the corrected image.

Background Image:   From this list box, select the open image that represents the background.  The background image must be the same class as the image for which it will be used to correct.

Black Level :   This field will contain the black level as specified by the current Intensity Calibration.

Destination Image:   Select the window into which you want the corrected image written.

Current Image:   Select this option if you want the corrected image written to the active image window.

New Image:   Select this option if you want the corrected image written to a new image window.


Threshold

Use the Threshold command to "binarize" your image so it contains only two values -- Intensity.  Binarizing an image with the Threshold command is distinct from converting an image to a 1-bit Bilevel image.  When you "threshold" an image, you maintain its pixel depth (BPP).  An 8-BPP image thresholded to Black & White remains 8-BPP, but contains only two values: 0 and 255.  Contrast this with a Convert To : Bilevel operation, which converts an image to Black & White by reducing each pixel to a single bit.

Thresholding can be used as a tool to segment an image into its constituent elements, or to prepare an image for certain filtering operations.  It is useful in applications that analyze object shape, since it removes cluttering shading information.  The Watershed and Thinning filters produce better results if an image is binarized before they are applied.

The Threshold command can only be used on gray scale images (Gray Scale, Gray Scale 12, Gray Scale 16, or Floating Point).  If you need to threshold an image of another class, it must first be converted to gray scale (see Convert To).

Thresholding is performed by specifying the range of intensities that are to be highlighted (usually with white).  All pixels with values within the specified range will be set to white, and all pixels with values outside the range will be set to black (if you want, you can reverse this color key and use black as the highlighting color).

When you select the Threshold command, a dialog box with an intensity scale is presented.  Use the markers along the scale to specify the range of intensities you want emphasized.  As you move the marker, the image reflects the results of your selection.

The left and right arrow buttons can be used as an alternative to dragging the markers up and down the scale.  There are a pair of buttons at each end of the scale.  The upper button in the pair moves the top marker, and the lower button moves the bottom maker.  Clicking the right arrow moves its indicator to the right; clicking the left arrow button moves the indicator to the left.

White on Black:   Select this button if you want to use white to emphasize the pixels falling within the specified range.  All values outside of the range will be set to black.

Black on White:    Select this button if you want to use black to emphasize the pixels falling within the specified range.  All values outside of the range will be set to white.


FFT

Use the FFT... command to edit your image in its spectral form.  FFT editing is useful for removing periodic noise from an image.  This type of noise can be very difficult to remove using spatial filters, but tends to generate isolated energy spikes that are easily de-emphasized or removed in the FFT spectrum.

The following general steps are required to perform an FFT transformation:

1.	Selecting the area of the active image that will be transformed.  Define an AOI if you want Image-Pro to transform just a certain part of your image.  If a nonrectangular AOI is defined, the pixels within its bounding-rectangle will be recognized as the AOI.  If no AOI is active, the entire image will be transformed.

Important - Regardless of whether you have selected the entire image or just an AOI, the FFT... command may actually transform only a portion of the data.  This is because the FFT requires dimensions that are in powers of two - e.g., 256 x 256, or 512 x 2048.  Given this constraint, Image-Pro will utilize the largest possible area within the defined image or AOI, as measured from the upper-left corner of the image or AOI that you have specified.

2.	Performing an FFT : Forward transformation using the Forward button to display the image as an energy spectrum.

3.	Editing the spectrum to enhance, attenuate or eliminate certain characteristics.  This is done by drawing an AOI around a particular group of frequencies to isolate them from the rest of the spectrum, then filtering the spectrum using the Filter button.

4.	Performing an FFT : Inverse transformation to write the edited data back to its original window, or to a new window.

Additionally, the FFT... command lets you save FFT results to a file.  You might want to do this to use the data as input to an external program.  You can also reload the saved data back into Image-Pro.

The options available to you in the FFT dialog box are determined by whether the active window contains an image, or an FFT spectrum.  This dependency is discussed in each of the FFT dialog-box components below.

Forward:   Click this button to generate a transformation of the active AOI or image.  The Forward button will produce a new window containing a representation of the FFT data for the image.  The FFT data will be represented in the form that you have specified in the FFT Options... dialog box .

If an AOI is active when the Forward button is clicked, just the pixels within the AOI will be transformed.

Before clicking the Forward button, you should click the Options... button to make sure your transformation options are set as you would like.  See Options... below.

The Forward button will only be enabled when an image is in the active window.  If the FFT window is active, this button will be dimmed.

Forward FFT Options...:   Click this button to select the options for the Forward transformation.

Note - if the Inverse/Filter dialog box is displayed when you press the Options... dialog box, it means that the active window contains FFT data, not an image.  To get the Forward FFT Options dialog box, simply close the Inverse/Filter dialog box, and click on your image window.  Then select Options... again.

The Forward FFT Options dialog box allows you to specify the way in which you want the data represented, and how much of it you want to generate.

Spectrum:   Select this Display option if you want the FFT data represented as the traditional "cloud of points" spectrum.

Phase:   Select this Display option if you want to display the phase of the FFT.

Half FFT:   Select this Generate option if you want to create just half of the FFT data.  Because an FFT data set is symmetrical around its "zero frequency factor," it is not always necessary to create the full set of data, since the missing half may easily be calculated from the half that is generated.  If you do not plan to export your FFT data, use this option instead of Full FFT as Full FFT generations take longer to produce.

Full FFT:   Select this Generate option if you want to create the full set of FFT data.  You might select this option if you want to export the FFT data to an external program that is not capable of calculating the missing half of an FFT data set generated with the Half FFT option.

FFT Math Engine:  Within this group box, select Integer or Floating.  Default will be the currently installed math engine.  Floating-point processing is more precise but requires more time.  You may want to use integer processing until you reach a critical point in your processing, then switch to floating point.

Important - if you elect to change  from one math engine to another, you must exit Image-Pro and restart it in order for the changes to occur.

Spectrum Gain:   You can select a number between 1 and 200 in order to provide the best visual representation of the spectrum for your processing.

Filter:   Use the buttons in this box to edit the data in the FFT window.  The FFT spectrum is edited by:

1.	Selecting an FFT Filtering option in the Filter group box (see filtering descriptions below).

2.	 Defining an AOI that isolates the frequencies you want to have addressed by the selected filter.

3.	Clicking Filter to initiate the filtering operation.  Before clicking the Filter button to perform the specified filtering operations, you should click the Options... button to make sure your filtering options are set as you would like.  See Options... below.

Low Pass:   Select this filtering option if you want to eliminate or attenuate the frequencies above a specified range.  When you select the Low Pass option, you must define an AOI around the center of the spectrum.  Adjust the AOI so that it encompasses only the frequencies you want to remain in the image.  Frequencies outside of the AOI will be eliminated if the Rectangle filtering option is selected, or attenuated if the Hanning filtering option is selected.

Low Pass frequency editing has the same effect as applying a Low Pass spatial filter in that it softens the image.  The advantage of using the Low Pass frequency filter over the Low Pass spatial filter is its flexibility and ease of use.  Experimenting with the frequency spectrum is usually easier to do than developing the exact spatial kernel configuration to produce the desired effect.

Hi Pass:   Select this filtering option if you want to eliminate or attenuate the frequencies below a specified range.  When you select the Hi Pass option, you must define an AOI around the center of the spectrum.  Adjust the AOI so that it encompasses the frequencies you want to remove from the image.  Frequencies inside of the AOI will be eliminated if the Rectangle filtering option is selected, or attenuated if the Hanning filtering option is selected.

Hi Pass frequency editing has the same effect as applying a Hi Pass spatial filter in that it produces an image with only high contrast elements.  The advantage of using the Hi Pass frequency filter over the Hi Pass spatial filter is its flexibility and ease-of-use.  Experimenting with the frequency spectrum is usually easier to do than finding the exact spatial kernel configuration to produce the desired effect.

Spike Cut:   Select this option if you want to eliminate or attenuate just a certain frequency, or group of frequencies, in an image.  When you select the Spike Cut option, you must define an AOI around the group of frequencies you want to cut.  Adjust the AOI so that it encompasses just the frequencies you want to remove from the image.  Frequencies inside of the AOI will be eliminated if the Rectangle filtering option is selected, or attenuated if the Hanning filtering option is selected.

Spike Boost:   Select this option if you want to accentuate a certain frequency, or group of frequencies, in an image.  When you select the Spike Boost option, you must define an AOI around the group of frequencies you want to enhance.  Adjust the AOI so it surrounds just those frequencies that you want to boost.  The energy of the frequencies inside the AOI will be increased up to twice their value.

Inverse FFT Options...:   Click this button to select the options for the Inverse FFT and Filter operations.

Note - if the Forward FFT Options dialog box is displayed when you press the Options dialog box, it means that the active window contains an image, not FFT data.  To get the Inverse/Filter Options dialog box, simply close the Forward FFT Options dialog box, and click on your FFT window.  Then select Options... again.

Filter:   Within this group box, select the type of filter you want to use, the transitions, whether or not you want spikes to be cut or boosted symmetrically, and whether or not you want to preserve the average intensity of the image.

Rectangle:   Select this option if  you want to set the specified frequencies to null.  If the Hi Pass or Spike Cut frequency filter has been selected, the Rectangle option will set all frequencies within the masking-AOI to null.  If the Low-Pass filter has been selected, the Rectangle option will set all frequencies outside the masking-AOI to null.

Note - avoid using the Rectangle option with AOI masks that are tightly defined around the center of the spectrum, as this will introduce an artifact known as ringing.

`	Hanning:   Select this option if you want to attenuate the specified frequencies, rather than setting them to null.  Attenuation is performed at the rate specified in the Transition field.  If the Hi-Pass or Spike Cut frequency filter has been selected, the Hanning option will attenuate all frequencies within the masking-AOI.  If the Low-Pass filter has been selected, the Hanning option will attenuate all frequencies outside the masking-AOI.

Transition:   Set this value to specify the rate at which the specified frequencies will be attenuated.  The closer the Transition value is to 0, the more the result will resemble the Rectangle option (setting the specified frequencies to null).

Symmetrical:   Check the Symmetrical check box if you want the Spike Cut and Spike Boost filters to affect the specified frequencies in both halves of the FFT data set.  When the Symmetrical option is set, you will see that the corresponding group of frequencies in the opposite half of the spectrum are also cut/boosted when you perform a Spike filtering operation.  If you do not want this to occur, disable the Symmetrical option.

Note - disabling the Symmetrical option affects only full FFT data sets.  When only half of an FFT data set has been generated, spike filtering is always performed symmetrically.  This happens because the missing half is automatically derived from the half that was initially generated.  The two halves, by definition, will mirror each other.

Preserve Nil Freq:   Check the Preserve Nil Freq check box if you want to preserve the average intensity of the image when using a Hi-Pass frequency filter.  This check box has no effect with Lo-Pass, Spike-Cut, or Spike-Boost filters.

Inverse FFT:   Within this group box, select the image into which you want the inverted image to be placed and whether or not the FFT data should be kept after inversion is complete.

Write Inverse FFT into:   In this list box, select the window you want the inverse FFT data written to when the Inverse button is clicked.  FFT data can be inversely transformed into any open image window, or to a new window.

This button has no effect on the filtering process; it is used by the Inverse operation only.

Preserve Data.:   Check this box if you want to maintain the FFT data after an Inverse operation is performed.  If this option is disabled, the FFT data will be cleared from the FFT window when the Inverse operation is complete.  Please note that this will not close the FFT window; the spectrum will still exist as an image; however, the data from which it was generated will no longer exist.

OK:   Click OK when the options for inverting the image are set to your satisfaction.

Inverse:   Click this button to generate an inverse transformation of the active FFT window.  The Inverse button will write the FFT data back to its spatial form.  Data will be written to the window specified in the Write Inverse FFT into list box in the Options... dialog box.  An FFT can be inversely transformed into any open image window, or into a new window.

The inverted data will be written back to the AOI if the original window is specified as the destination.  If a different window has been specified, the data will be written to the equivalent position within the image (it will match the position of the upper-left corner), or into an AOI, if one is active.

The FFT window will remain open after an Inverse operation.  If you have checked Preserve Data in the Options... dialog box, the FFT data will remain, too.  This lets you continue to edit the frequency spectrum until you are satisfied with the results.

The Inverse button will only be active when an FFT is in the active window.  If an image window is active, this button will be dim.

Load:   Click this button to load FFT data from a previously saved FFT data file (FFT data files are created using the FFT... command's Save button -- see below). All other functions perform as described in Open and Load Dialog Boxes.

Save:   Click this button to save FFT data from the active FFT window to an FFT data file.  FFT data are saved to a binary file containing the coefficients of the FFT array.  The saved data can be used as input to an external program, or can be reloaded into Image-Pro at a later time using the FFT... command's Load button.  See Appendix B, File Format Specifications, for a description of Image-Pro's FFT file format.

You may supply an extension or let Image-Pro automatically append an extension of ".FFT" to the file name you provide.  If you assign your own extension, you must give the full name with that extension to Image-Pro's Load routine and use the FFT file type.  Using a ".FFT" extension assures that Image-Pro will identify and list your file when you are ready to Load it. All other functions perform as described in Save Dialog Boxes.

Show >>:  Click this button to show frequency period, distance and angle values for the current cursor position or for a groups of selected frequencies.

Cursor Periods: After you have performed the Forward FFT on your image, these options become available. When you have the Cursor option selected, the x-axis, y-axis, absl(ute) and angle values are displayed in response to the placement of your cursor on the frequency image. Moving the cursor around changes the values that are displayed.

Show Pattern:   Check the Show Pattern check box if you want Image-Pro to display the frequency pattern generated by your filter on the source image.  In order to see this effect, be sure your source image is visible on your desktop, then in the inverted image create an AOI that surrounds the area that you want to alter.  The source image reflects where the changes will occur. Show Pattern works only when the Cursor option is selected.

Filter:  Click the Filter button at the bottom of the period group box when you want to display information relating to the currently selected FFT filter.

Cursor:  Click the Cursor button when you want frequency information associated with the current cursor position.

Hide >>:  Click the Hide button to suppress the display of frequency information.

Working with FFT Data Files

If you plan to develop programs that read Image-Pro FFT files, you may want to consult the source in Appendix D: Source Code.


Filters

Use the Filters... command to apply one of Image-Pro's numerous filters to the AOI or active image.  Filtering operations reduce or boost the rate of brightness change in an image.  If you are not familiar with the process and effects of filtering, you might want to review the Spatial Filtering discussion in Section 1 for additional discussion about this command.

Image-Pro provides an extensive set of convolution and nonconvolution (morphological) filters.  You can also create your own filtering kernels and apply them with the Filters... command.

When you select the Filters... command, the Filter tab dialog is opened.  Each group of filters has its own property sheet or tab, where you select the type and size of filter you want to use.  Filtered results are almost always written to the active image.  You may use the Undo command if you want to remove the effects of a filter you have applied.

The Filter window is a "common access" window.  That is, once it is activated, it can be utilized with any open image window (it is not linked to a specific image like a Histogram window).

Sample:  This group box contains a Preview window where you can see the effects of a filter before it is applied to the active image. . A brief description of the filter appears beneath the Preview checkbox.

To preview a filter, click your the left mouse button  inside the preview window . You will see the effect of that filter on a small portion of the image. You can scroll the cursor around inside the preview window to see different areas of the image. To end the preview, click on a different filter tab, or close the Filter dialog box.

Options:   The choices in this group box will vary depending upon the kind of filter you have selected. The options for each set of filters will be described in the following sections.

Apply:   Click this button to apply the specified filter.  Before clicking this button, be sure you have selected the filter you want to use (e.g., Lo Pass, Median, Hi Pass), and set the Options that you need.  Be sure to select the filter type first, because your choices are determined by the type of filter selected.

More:

Enhancement /Convolution Filters

Edge Filters

Morphological/Nonconvolution Filters

Kernel Tab

Special Filters


Enhancement /Convolution Filters

Select enhancement (also known as convolution) filters from this tab.

LoPass:   Select this filter if you want to soften an image by eliminating high-frequency information (this has the effect of blurring sharp edges).  The LoPass filter replaces the center pixel with the mean value in its neighborhood.  The LoPass filter can also be used to remove noise.

HiPass:   Select this filter if you want to enhance high-frequency information.  The HiPass filter replaces the center pixel with  a convolved value that significantly increases its contrast from its neighbors.  The HiPass filter leaves only elements of high contrast.

Gauss: Use this filter to soften an image by eliminating high-frequency information using a Gauss function. This has the effect of blurring sharp edges. The operation of the Gauss filter is similar to the LoPass filter, but it degrades the image less than the LoPass filter.

Higauss: Use this filter when you want to enhance fine details.  Its operation is similar to the unsharp masking technique (see the Sharpen filter), but it introduces less noise in the process.  It uses a Gaussian curve type of kernel.  Available in 7x7 and 9x9 kernel sizes.

Local Equalize: This filter is used to enhance pixel contrast based on the histogram of the local neighborhood.

Sharpen:   Select this filter if you want to enhance fine detail, or refocus an image that is blurred.  The Sharpen filter sharpens the image using the "unsharp masking technique."

Flatten:   Use the Flatten filter to even out background variations.  This is often done to prepare an image for a count/size operation if its objects are difficult to isolate because the background contains pixels of the same intensity as the objects of interest.  Flatten reduces the intensity variations in the background pixels.

Median:   Select this filter if you want to remove impulse noise from an image.  The Median filter replaces the center pixel with the median value in its neighborhood.  It will also blur the image.

Options: If you have selected one of the enhancement filters, the options will relate to kernel size and filtering strength.  The following options will be presented:

3 x 3:   Select this button to use the 3 x 3 kernel size.  A small kernel produces a more subtle filtering effect.

5 x 5:   Select this button to use the 5 x 5 kernel size.

7 x 7:   Select this button to use the 7 x 7 kernel size.  A large kernel produces a more extreme filtering effect.

9 x 9:   Select this button to use the 9 x 9 kernel size.  A large kernel produces a more extreme filtering effect.

Passes:   Enter the number of times you want the filter applied to your image.  When a filter is applied multiple times, its effect is amplified by each pass.  An image that has been softened by one pass of the LoPass filter, will be softened further by a second pass.

Strength:   Enter a value from 1 - 10 that reflects how much of the filtering effect you want applied to the image.  A value of 10 specifies that you want the full strength (100%) of the filtered result applied to each pixel.  Values less than 10 cut the full weight of the filter - a value of 1 indicates that only 10% of the difference between the filtered pixel value and the original pixel value should be applied, a value of 2 indicates that 20% of the difference should be applied, and so forth.

If you have selected Flatten, the options will relate to background intensity and object size:

Background:   Click the option button that describes the intensity of your background relative to the foreground objects.  If your image contains dark objects on a bright field, select Bright; if your image contains light objects on a dark field, select Dark.

Feature Width:   Enter a value that defines the diameter (in pixels) of the largest object in your image.

If you have selected Local Equalization, the options will relate to the histogram equalization. Local Histogram Equalization modifies the contrast of an image based on the pixel values in a small window surrounding each pixel.

Window: Image pixel statistics (min, max, histogram, mean, standard deviation, etc.) will be calculated on a small window of the image. These measurements are then used to derive the local contrast for that area of the image. In short, an area of Window x Window around each pixel is all that is considered when modifying the intensities in the image. Larger windows produce smoother results, while small windows more closely track small details.

Step: Calculation of the local image statistics is time consuming, so the statistics are calculated for an area, and then applied over a space of Step x Step. Decreasing this number causes the algorithm to track the image more closely, at a cost in computation time. Step is always less than Window.

Standard Deviation: This method will find the statistical mean or average, and standard deviation of the window used for local histogram equalization. It stretches the contrast so that black is set to the mean minus the desired number of standard deviations; and that full intensity is set to the mean plus that number of standard deviations. Using the statistical behavior of the image in this fashion prevents outlier pixels (extremely bright or extremely dark pixels) from unduely influencing contrast modifications.

By comparison, the Best Fit method stretches local contrast to the extrema of all the pixels in the window, and may produce areas where a single bright or dark pixel throws off the contrast. Use the Standard Deviation method in cases where the Best Fit method produces overly contrasted or jumpy results.

+/- Dev: This is the range of standard deviations plus and minus that will be scaled into the image contrast range. As an example, if the pixel values were distributed in a Gaussian fashion, and their mean, +/- (plus or minus) one standard deviation would include roughly 65% of the pixel values. Two standard deviations would include 95% of the pixel values, and three standard deviations would include 99% of the pixel values. This parameter is used only by the Standard Deviation method.

Best Fit: Use the Best Fit command to instruct Image-Pro to optimize the values for your particular image.  The results are achieved by stretching the local histogram to maximize contrast between the brightest and darkest pixels in the local window region.

Linear:   This option distributes the histogram equally across the intensity scale.  This function produces a high contrast image with the highest possible dynamic range.

Bell:   This option distributes the histogram evenly around the center of the intensity scale.  This function produces an image with somewhat less contrast than the Linear distribution.

Logarithmic:   This option concentrates the histogram at the low end of the scale.  This function produces a high contrast image with little dynamic image.  It will tend to darken the image overall.  Useful for increasing the contrast in a very light image.

Exponential:   This option concentrates the histogram at the high end of the scale.  This function produces a high contrast image with little dynamic image.  It will tend to lighten the image overall.  Useful for increasing the contrast in a very dark image.


Edge Filters

Select edge filters from this tab dialog.

Sobel:   Select this filter if you want to enhance just the principal edges in an image.  The Sobel applies a mathematical formula to a 3 x 3 neighborhood to locate and highlight its edges.

Roberts:   Select this filter if you want to enhance fine edges in an image.  The Roberts filter is not a convolution filter.  It applies a mathematical formula upon a 4 x 4 neighborhood to produce its effect.  The upper left pixel in the neighborhood is the one replaced.

Laplace: Select this filter if you want to enhance all the edges in an image.

Variance:   Select this filter if you want to detect and emphasize edges and textures.  The Variance filter replaces the standard deviation for its neighborhood.

Phase:   Select this filter if you want to enhance edges in a manner that also indicates the direction of the intensity change.  The Phase filter is the complement of the Sobel filter.

Horizontal: User this filter to detect and emphasize horizontal edges.

Vertical: Use this filter to detect and emphasize vertical edges.

Options: If you have selected the edge filters, the options will relate to kernel size and filtering strength.  The following options will be presented:

3 x 3:   Select this button to use the 3 x 3 kernel size.  A small kernel produces a more subtle filtering effect.

5 x 5:   Select this button to use the 5 x 5 kernel size.

7 x 7:   Select this button to use the 7 x 7 kernel size.  A large kernel produces a more extreme filtering effect.

Passes:   Enter the number of times you want the filter applied to your image.  When a filter is applied multiple times, its effect is amplified by each pass.  An image that has been softened by one pass of the LoPass filter, will be softened further by a second pass.

Strength:   Enter a value from 1 - 10 that reflects how much of the filtering effect you want applied to the image.  A value of 10 specifies that you want the full strength (100%) of the filtered result applied to each pixel.  Values less than 10 cut the full weight of the filter - a value of 1 indicates that only 10% of the difference between the filtered pixel value and the original pixel value should be applied, a value of 2 indicates that 20% of the difference should be applied, and so forth.

If you have selected Sobel, Phase or Roberts, no options are available.

If you have selected Variance, the Passes and Strength options are not available


Morphological/Nonconvolution Filters

Erode:   Select this morphological filter if you want to modify the size of objects in your image.  The Erode filter erodes the edges of bright objects, and enlarges dark ones.

Dilate:   Select this morphological filter if you want to modify the size of objects in your image.  The Dilation filter dilates bright objects, and erodes dark ones.

Open:   Select this morphological filter if you want to modify the shape of objects in your image.  Assuming your image contains bright objects on a dark field, the Open filter will smooth object contours, separate narrowly connected objects, and remove small dark holes.

Close:   Select this morphological filter if you want to modify the shape of objects in your image.  Assuming your image contains bright objects on a dark field, the Close filter will fill gaps and enlarge protrusions to connect objects that are close together.

Tophat: Use this filter to detect and emphasize points, or grains, that are brighter than the background.  Available in 3 kernel sizes; click on the radio button the indicates the  size that most closely matches the size of  the grains you want to detect.

Well: Use this filter to detect and emphasize points, or grains, that are darker than the background.  Available in 3 kernel sizes; click on the radio button the indicates the  size that most closely matches the size of  the grains you want to detect

Watershed:   Select this filter to separate objects that are touching.  The Watershed filter erodes objects until they disappear, then dilates them again, but will not allow them to touch.    The Watershed filter will not operate upon True Color images.  If you want to separate objects in a True Color image, you must first convert it to Gray Scale.

Thinning:   Select this filter to reduce an image to its skeleton.  When you choose this filter, you must set the threshold that determines whether a pixel is part of the subject, or part of the background (see Options below).  The Thinning filter will not operate upon True Color images.  If you want to thin a True Color image, you must first convert it to Gray Scale.  The following images show the source image and the image resulting from two passes of the Thinning filter.

Pruning:   Select this filter to eliminate projecting arms from an object.  The following images show the source image and the image resulting from three passes of the Pruning filter.

Distance: The distance filter is used for showing the distances of pixels within blobs to the outer boundaries of those blobs.  After applying the distance filter, the background will be black (ie, pixels with value 0).  Only the area within the blobs will have non-zero values.  The values of each pixel within the blob will be a count of the shortest distance from that pixel to the edge of the blob.  Thus, all pixels along the blob's border will have a value of 1 (since they are one pixel away from the edge of the blob), pixels that are a distance of 2 from the border will have the value 2, and so on. This creates create a distance map of the image.

Reduce: Select this filter to reduce the objects in an image to a single point or group of points.

Options: If you have selected the Distance or Reduce filters, the options are Diagonal, Square, or Threshold.

Threshold:   Enter a percentage value from 1 - 100 that specifies the intensity value you want Image Pro  to use for binarizing the image.  For example, a Threshold of 50% on a Gray Scale image would set all values  127 to 0 (black) and all values  128 to the maximum value for that image class (white).

Diagonal: Click this radio button if you want the Reduce or Distance filters slanted across the image.

Square: Click this radio button if you want the Reduce or Distance filters applied to the  image in a square pattern

Options: If you have selected one of the morphological filters the options will relate to kernel size and shape.  The following options will be presented:

2 x 2 Square:   Select this button to use the 2 x 2 square kernel configuration.
3 x 1 Row:   Select this button to use the 3 x 1 row kernel configuration.
1 x 3 Column:   Select this button to use the 1 x 3 column kernel configuration.
3 x 3 Cross:   Select this button to use the 3 x 3 cross kernel configuration.
5 x 5 Circle:   Select this button to use the 5 x 5 circular kernel configuration.
7 x 7 Circle:   Select this button to use the 7 x 7 circular kernel configuration.  This is a two-pass filter, accomplished using a 5 x 5 circle followed by a 3 x 3 cross.
11 x 11 Circle:   Select this button to use the 11 x 11 circular kernel configuration.  This is a three-pass filter, accomplished using a 5 x 5 circle followed by another 5 x 5 circle, followed by a  3 x 3 cross.
Passes:   Select the number of times you want Image-Pro to iterate the filter.

Note - the circular kernels are especially effective on round objects (cells, grains and so on) because their circular configuration preserves the circular shape of your objects better than square configurations.

If you have selected the Thinning or Pruning filter the option will relate to thresholding.  The following options will be presented:

Threshold:   Enter a percentage value from 1 - 100 that specifies the intensity value you want Image Pro  to use for binarizing the image.  For example, a Threshold of 50% on a Gray Scale image would set all values  127 to 0 (black) and all values  128 to the maximum value for that image class (white).

Passes:   Enter the number of times you want Image-Pro to iterate the filter.  Depending on the filter, successive passes will strengthen the effect of the filter.  Bear in mind that successive passes also require additional time for execution.

Converges:   Click this button to set Passes to the largest value supported by Image-Pro (65535).  This will ensure that the results of the filter will converge.  The number of passes performed will be the number required in order for the convergence to occur.

If you have selected the Watershed filter the option will relate to thresholding.  The following option will be presented:

Threshold:   Enter a percentage value from 1 - 100 that specifies the intensity value you want Image Pro to use for binarizing the image.  For example, a Threshold of 50% on a Gray Scale image would set all values  127 to 0 (black) and all values  128 to the maximum value for that image class (white).


Kernel Tab

The Kernal tab allows you to edit the kernel files for the morphological and convolution filters.

See Spatial Filtering discussion in Section 1 for more information about filters of this kind.

Note - the HiPass, LoPass, Laplace and Unsharp kernel files are used by the HiPass, LoPass, Laplacian and Sharpen options listed in the Filter window (i.e., there is no difference between selecting one of these kernel files and selecting its option button in the Filter window -- the two methods ultimately do the same thing).  Because these kernel files are essential to the operation of these filtering options, they must not be deleted or renamed.

Filter Type:   Click this button to modify the kernel for a selected filter type, either convolution or morphological filters.

Edit:   Click this button to modify the selected filter kernel.

Name:   This list box contains the path of the selected kernel file.  If you want to save the modified kernel file to the same file, leave it as is.  If you want to save the file to a new location, enter the new filename here.

Kernel Size:   Click the spin buttons or enter the number to change the size of the kernel.  Either direction may take into account from one to nine pixels.   As you modify the Kernel Size, the shape of the kernel representation changes accordingly.

(Kernel Size):   In the center of the dialog box, there are white boxes containing coefficients that will be multiplied with each pixel that will be taken into account by the filter kernel.  You can change any coefficient by clicking on it to select it, then changing it as you will.

Fill:   Click this button to fill every element of the kernel with a particular value.  The Fill Kernel dialog box appears.  You may enter a value between -128 and +128.  Using the Fill button is useful for setting all coefficients to the same value.  You may then change the coefficients that require a different value.Offset:   The pixel whose value is being changed is usually the center-most pixel.  You may, however, designate any pixel you want.  Image-Pro signals the pixel to be changed by putting a box around it.  Use the X and Y Offset spin buttons to do so.

Boost:   Enter here the constant value to be added to the result after the value of the modification has been calculated.

Note - if you are editing or creating a morphological filter kernel, the Boost option is not available.

New:   Click this button to create a new filter kernel.

This dialog box functions in the same way as the dialog box for editing, with the exception that you must provide the file name for the new kernel file.

Note - You may choose a different path for your kernel file, but Image-Pro will not list it when you invoke the Filter dialog box.

Observe that the above dialog box represents a configuration for a new morphological filter kernel (Boost and Kernel Sum are not represented).

Delete:   Click this button to delete the selected filter kernel file.

Options:   The choices in this group box will vary depending upon the kind of filter you have selected.


Special Filters

Sculpt: Use this filter  to apply a sculpted effect to the image

Background:   Select this filter to extract the background from an image.  The Background filter works by filtering out objects using a very large filtering kernel.  The background image, with objects removed, is placed into a new, untitled image window.

When performing a background extraction, it is very important to specify your background intensity and object size in the Options group box.  This tells Image-Pro how to distinguish objects from background, and what kernel size to use during the extraction process.  To achieve the best results, specify a Feature size that describes the largest object in your image.

Distance: Use this filter to create a distance map of the image.

Phase:   Select this filter if you want to enhance edges in a manner that also indicates the direction of the intensity change.

Options: If you have selected Background, the options will relate to background intensity and object size:

Background:   Click the option button that describes the intensity of your background relative to the foreground objects.  If your image contains dark objects on a bright field, select Bright; if your image contains light objects on a dark field, select Dark.

Bright:   Select this option button if your object is bright and the background dark.

Dark:   Select this option button if your object is dark and the background bright..

Feature Width:   Enter a value that defines the diameter (in pixels) of the largest object in your image.

If you have selected Distance, the options will relate to the shape and threshold of the distance map:

Square: Diagonal distances will be taken to be the same as horizontal and vertical distances.

Diagonal: Diagonal distances will be taken to be twice horizontal and vertical distances

Threshold:   Enter a percentage value from 1 - 100 that specifies the intensity value you want Image Pro  to use for binarizing the image.  For example, a Threshold of 50% on a Gray Scale image would set all values  127 to 0 (black) and all values  128 to the maximum value for that image class (white).

If you have selected the sculpt filter, the options will relate to kernel size and filtering strength.  The following options will be presented:

3 x 3:   Select this button to use the 3 x 3 kernel size.  A small kernel produces a more subtle filtering effect.

5 x 5:   Select this button to use the 5 x 5 kernel size.

7 x 7:   Select this button to use the 7 x 7 kernel size.  A large kernel produces a more extreme filtering effect.

Passes:   Enter the number of times you want the filter applied to your image.  When a filter is applied multiple times, its effect is amplified by each pass.  An image that has been softened by one pass of the LoPass filter, will be softened further by a second pass.

Strength:   Enter a value from 1 - 10 that reflects how much of the filtering effect you want applied to the image.  A value of 10 specifies that you want the full strength (100%) of the filtered result applied to each pixel.  Values less than 10 cut the full weight of the filter - a value of 1 indicates that only 10% of the difference between the filtered pixel value and the original pixel value should be applied, a value of 2 indicates that 20% of the difference should be applied, and so forth.

If you have selected Phase, no options are available


Operations

Use the Operations... command  to perform arithmetic and logic operations upon the active image, or AOI.  Such operations can be performed between two images (such as subtracting a "Hi Pass" filtered image from an original image to emphasize high-contrast elements), or between an image and a constant value (such as "ANDing" an image with 240 to retain only the 4 most significant bits of information).

The Operations... command can be used on both monochrome and color images.  When applied to a True Color image, the operation will be applied to all three channels.  For example, if you were subtracting a value of 10 from the image, 10 would be subtracted from the Red value, from the Green value and from the Blue value in each pixel.

Each image may have one or more AOIs.  If neither image has an active AOI, the operation is performed from the upper left corner (position 0, 0) of each image.  If only one image has an active AOI, the operation is performed between that AOI and the corresponding position in the other image.  If both images have an active AOI, the operation is performed on the two AOIs, starting at the upper left corner of the bounding box of each.

If the active image has a multiple AOI, the modifications occur within each AOI.  If the other image has an active multiple AOI, the bounding box for the AOI acts as the AOI for that image.

When you select the Operations... command, the Image Operations dialog box will be presented.  Within this box, select the kind of operation you want to perform, the image or value you want it to work with and a destination for the results.

Source Image:   Select one of the files in this list box to tell Image-Pro what active image to use for the operation.

Operation:   Select the kind of operation you want Image-Pro to perform.

AND:   Click this button to perform a logical "AND" between your active image and the specified operand.  Only bit values that are "on" in both operands, will be "on" in the result.

OR:   Click this button to perform a logical "OR" between your active image and the specified operand.  Bit values that are "on" in either operand, will be "on" in the result.

XOR:   Click this button to perform a logical "XOR" between your active image and the specified operand.  Only when a bit value is "on" in one operand and "off" in the other will the bit be "on" in the result.  If bit values are "on" in both operands, or if they are "off" in both operands, they will be "off" in the result.

NAND:   Click this button to perform a logical "NAND" between your active image and the specified operand.  "NAND" produces a result that is the complement of an "AND" operation.  Bit values that are "off" in either, or both, operands, will be "on" in the result.

NOR:   Click this button to perform a logical "NOR" between your active image and the specified operand.  "NOR" produces a result that is the complement of an "OR" operation.  Bit values that are "off" on both images, will be "on" in the result.

NOT:   Click this button to perform a logical "NOT" on the bit values of your active image .  Every bit value that is "on" in the active image will be "off" in the result.  Every bit value that is "off" in the active image will be "on" in the result.  Use this command to invert the pixels in your image, producing a "negative" effect.

Add:   Click this button to add the specified operand to the active image.  If a pixel's result falls outside of the image's intensity scale, it will be clipped to the highest /lowest permitted value.

If you have set the Offset value, each result will be added to the Offset before it is written.

Subtract:   Click this button to subtract the specified operand from the active image.  If a pixel's result falls outside of the image's intensity scale, it will be clipped to the highest /lowest permitted value.

If you have set the Offset value, each result will be added to the Offset before it is written.

Diff:   Click this button to obtain the absolute value between the specified operand and the active image.  If a pixel's result falls outside of the image's intensity scale, it will be clipped to the highest /lowest permitted value.

If you have set the Offset value, each result will be added to the Offset before it is written.

Multiply:   Click this button to multiply the active image by the specified operand.

If you have set the Scale value, each result will be multiplied by the Scale before it is written.

Divide:   Click this button to divide the active image by the specified operand.

If you have set the Scale value, each result will be multiplied by the Scale before it is written.

Average:   Click this button to replace each pixel with the mean value of the two operands.

Maximum:   Click this button to replace each pixel with the largest value of the two operands.

Minimum:   Click this button to replace each pixel with the smallest value of the two operands.

Accumulate:   Click this button to replace each pixel with the sum of pixels of the two images.  The operand image value will not be scaled to the destination image value before adding them.

If you have set the Offset value, each result will be added to the Offset before it is written.

Note - Accumulate will not be available if you have selected Number as the operand.

Operand:   Select one of the options in this box to tell Image-Pro what operand (besides the active image) to use for the specified operation.

Other Image:   Set this option if you want to use another image for the specified operation.  You must also select, in the adjacent list box, the image you want to use.  This image must be one that is currently open within Image-Pro; it cannot be an image on disk.  The two images need not be of the same image class.

Number:   Set this option if you want to use a constant value for the specified operation.  If a logical operation has been selected, numbers from 0 - 255 can be entered.  If an arithmetic operation has been selected, any value can be specified, including negative and fractional values.  Scientific notation may be used.

Options:   Use the options in this box to set an Offset or Scale value when you Add, Subtract, Difference, Multiply or Divide two images.  Offset and Scale allow you to maintain the resultant values within the allowable range for that image class.

Place Result Into:   Select one of the options in this box to tell Image-Pro where to write the results of the specified operation.

Source Image:   Click this button if you want to write the results back to the active image or AOI.  Results will be placed into the same pixel positions from which they originated.

New Image:   Click this button if you want Image-Pro to write the results into a new window.  The new window will be of the same size and class as the original image or AOI.

Image Equation:  Image-Pro summarizes your command here.


Color Channel

Use the Color Channel... command to transform an image to another color model, to extract a specific color channel from a color image, or to merge an active, 8-bit gray scale image into a True Color image.  (This tabbed dialog combines the Color Conversion, Extract Channel, and Merge Channel functions from Image-Pro 2.0.)

More:

Convert Tab

Extract Tab

Merge Tab


Convert Tab

Use the Convert tab to to transform an image to another color model. You might do this to perform editing or analysis upon the image in another model.  You might also do this to save the image data in a model other than RGB, for use with an external program.

The Convert command can only be used on True Color class images.  If your image is of another class, you may convert it to True Color using the Convert To command.

Source Image:   Select the Color Model through which you want the active True Color image interpreted.

Destination Image:   Select the Color Model in which you want the results written.

Source Image:   Click this button if you want the converted data written to the active image window.

New Image:   Click this button if you want the converted data written to a new image window.


Extract Tab

Use the Extract Channel tab to extract a specific color channel from a color image, and view it as an 8-bit Gray Scale image.  You might do this to reduce the saturation values in a HSI image, or boost just the Blue values in an RGB image.

Once a color channel has been extracted, it can be edited and analyzed it as you'd like (treat it like any ordinary Gray Scale image).  After editing, it can be merged back into the original image or another image, using the Merge Channel command.

The Extract Channel... command can only be used on True Color class images.  If your image is of another class, you may convert it to True Color using the Convert To command.

Source:  Select the Color Model through which you want the active True Color image interpreted.

Color Model:   Select the color model that describes the values contained in your source image.  If you are extracting a channel that is from a model other than that of your source image, Image-Pro will automatically convert the current data to the appropriate model to extract the channel you've selected in the Extract option list.

Color Image: Indicate the name of the source image containing the channel that you wish to extract

Select:   Select the color channel for which you want data extracted.  You may extract a channel for a color model other than the one in which your image is currently rendered.  For example, you can extract the Hue channel from an RGB image as long as your source is defined as RGB in the From option list.

Note - when a channel is extracted, its values are copied into the new image window; they are not removed from the original image.

Destination Image:   Select the Color Model in which you want the results written.

Generate Channel: Select the color channel for which you want data  stored after extraction. You may specify  Hue, Saturation, or Color.

Apply: Click this button to extract the color channel of your active image.


Merge Tab

Use the Merge Channel command to merge an active, 8-bit, Gray Scale image into a True Color image.  This is usually done to return a channel, extracted with the Extract Channel... command, to an image after the channel data have been manipulated.  However, you might use it to merge any Gray Scale image to a color channel in a True Color image.

When a Merge Channel function is performed, the values contained in the Gray Scale image replace the values in the specified color channel of the selected color image.  If an AOI is active in the Gray Scale image when the merge is performed, only values from within the AOI rectangle will be merged into the color image (if the AOI is nonrectangular, the pixels from its rectangular bounding box will be used).

If an AOI is active in the receiving True Color image when the merge is performed, the Gray Scale values will be merged with those in the True Color AOI.  If the AOI is nonrectangular, only those pixels within the AOI will be affected; however the nonrectangular AOI's rectangular bounding box will be used for positioning purposes (i.e., the upper-left corner of the Gray Scale image/AOI will be matched to the upper-left corner of the bounding-box in the receiving AOI).

The Merge Channel command will work only if the source image is Gray Scale and the target image is True Color (both images must be open).  The Gray Scale image (the source image) must be the active image when you select the Merge Channel command.  If the active image is not Gray Scale, the command will be dimmed.

Color Model:   Select the color model that describes the values contained in your destination image.

Source Image:  Select the color channel image from which you want the active Gray Scale image or AOI written

Merge Into:   From this list box, select the  True Color image into which you want the active Gray Scale image or AOI merged.  All active, True Color images will be listed here.

New Image: Check this box if you want to save the results of the color channel merges into a new image.

Apply: Click this button to merge the color channels.


Color Segmentation

Use the Color Segmentation... command to separate objects or features from the background, based upon their color characteristics.  You might do this to extract just the objects of interest from an image, modify them, then return them to the image using the Operations : Add command.

The Color Segmentation command extracts objects by locating all objects of the specified color(s) and setting everything else to black.  You can also do the reverse; and remove (set to black) objects of the specified colors, and keep everything else.  You may write the final segmented image using its remaining original colors, or convert it to Intensity.

In the example below, an image containing spots of various colors was segmented so only the yellow spots remained in the image.  Notice that the rest of the image is set to black.

The Color Segmentation... command works with all image classes except Bilevel.  The Color Segmentation command operates upon the entire active image.  It is not constrained by an AOI.

When the Color Segmentation... command is selected, the Color Segmentation tab dialogs are presented.

More:

Histogram Based Tab

Color Cube Based Tab

Input/Output Tab


Histogram Based Tab

This method of color separation uses the image histogram to extract the desired objects or features. It can be applied to all image classes. Depending on the characteristics of the image you select, choosing a different model will give you different segmentation results.

Color Range Selection: Indicate if your color model is RGB or HSI. Clicking on one of the color blocks selects that range.  The Zoom tools enable you to zoom in or out on a particular part of the range.

Reset:   Use this button to reset the current color-range list to the default values.

Undo: Use this button to return to the last settings.

Eyedropper: Click on  the Eyedropper button and move your cursor on to the area in the open image where you want to perform segmentation. You will see selected area in the box under the eyedropper. Click the left mouse button to select the color. The histogram range will be expanded to include the color you selected.

Color Channel Indicator:  The Color Channel Indicator shows the color gradient of each channel in the image. The arrows at either end of the bar indicate the range of each channel.

Preview:  The options in this group box let you monitor the accuracy of your color-range list as you develop it.

None: If you don't want the overlay color drawn on top of  any selected color range, click this button.

Current: If you don't want the overlay color drawn on top of your currently-selected color range, click this button.

All: Click this button  to draw overlay colors on the selected color range of all the current classes.

Unselected:  Click this button to draw overlay color on the unselected ranges for all classes.

Marker Spin Controls: When you activate a color channel, you will see two markers indicate the upper and lower values in the range. Use the spin controls to adjust these values, or use your mouse cursor to move the markets and drag them to the appropriate values

Range: The options in this group box allow you to create multiple ranges and select the colors for each range. To edit the color-range list, you must first select the kind of editing operation you want to perform using the New and Delete buttons.  Then, you must use the Select (colored) button to identify the color(s) you want added to or deleted from the color-range list.

Overlay Color Button: Click on this button to change the overlay color of the current class. The selected color is used as the overlay only.

New: Click this button to add a class.

Delete: Click this button to remove the current class shown in the Range list box.

Close:   Use this button to close the Color Segmentation dialog box.


Color Cube Based Tab

This method of color separation uses the color cube model to extract the desired objects or features. It applies only to RGB class images.

Select Image: Use the selections in this group box to indicate your image.

Size:  Choose the size in pixels of the area to be selected with the eyedropper and eraser tools.

Reset:   Use this button to reset the current color-range list to the default values..

Eyedropper: Click on the Eyedropper button and move your cusor on to the area in the open image which contains the color you want to include in the mask.

Eraser: Use this tool to deselect colors.

Options: Use the selections in this group box to further refine the color segmentation process.

Sensitivity:   Set this value to define, on a scale of 1 to 5, how much deviation from the selected colors you will allow.  The highest Sensitivity value (5) directs Image-Pro to separate out only colors that exactly match the ones you specify using the Color Selection tools.  A low Sensitivity value allows Image-Pro to widen the range to encompass colors that are also close to the ones you specify.

For example, if you had specified the color pure Red (255,000,000) with a Sensitivity of 5, only pixels with pure red would be segmented out.  However, if you had specified pure Red with a sensitivity of 1, Image-Pro would add colors that are close to pure Red in the segmentation - e.g., ones that have a little blue or green in them, and ones that don't have a full Red value.

Expand color selection by a degree of:   Use this button to generalize the color selection to a greater or lesser degree.  The colors represented by index value 245,084,119 and index value 239,079,114 may appear to the eye to be very similar to each other, while to Image-Pro they are distinctly different (each differs by five index points from the other).

Drop from consideration colors represented by fewer than:   Use this button to prevent small blotches of a slightly different color from creating unwanted "holes" in the resulting mask.

Important - be sure you set the Sensitivity value before you perform your color selection.  This value has no effect upon colors that have already been selected for segmentation.

Preview:  Use the buttons  in this group box to monitor the the accuracy of your color range list as you develop it.

None: If you don't want the overlay color drawn on top of  any selected color range, click this button.

Current: If you don't want the overlay color drawn on top of your currently-selected color range, click this button.

All: Click this button  to draw overlay colors on the selected color range of all the current classes.

Unselected:  Click this button to draw overlay color on the unselected ranges for all classes

Range: The options in this group box allow you to create multiple ranges and select the colors for each range. To edit the color-range list, you must first select the kind of editing operation you want to perform using the New and Delete buttons.  Then, you must use the Select (colored) button to identify the color(s) you want added to or deleted from the color-range list.

New: Click this button to add a class.

Delete: Click this button to remove the current class shown in the Range list box.

Close:   Use this button to close the Color Segmentation dialog box.


Input/Output Tab

This tab allows you to select the location of the input and output for your color segmentation files. You may also load and save color ranges from this tab dialog.

Use Method:   Select the method you wish to use to generate the mask.

Mask Type: Select one of the following:

Bilevel New:   Select this option if you want to produce a Intensity segmentation.  When this option is selected, the colors you specify using the Color Selection group box will be set to white (255), and everything else will be set to black (0).  When the Apply button is clicked, the segmented result will be placed into a new, untitled image window.

Bilevel Inplace:   Select this option if you want to produce a Intensity segmentation.  When this option is selected, the colors you specify using the Color Selection group box will be set to white, and everything else will be set to black.  When the Apply button is clicked, the result will be written back to the original image window.

Foreground:   Select this option if you want to remove (set to black) everything except the colors you specify using the Color Selection group box.  Only the specified colors will remain in the segmented image.

Background:   Select this option if you want to remove (set to black) just the colors you specify using the Color Selection group box.  Everything but the colors you specify will remain in the segmented image.

Make Mask:   Use this button to actually segment the image into the specified colors.  When Make Mask is selected, Image-Pro will read the color-range list and apply the colors to the image in the manner specified by the Mask type (see Mask above).  If the Bilevel New : Mask type has been selected, the segmented image will be written to a new image window, otherwise, the results will be written directly to the original image.

Save Ranges:  Select the Save Ranges command to store the current color-range list to disk.  The color-range list is saved to an ASCII file and contains all the color values that have been defined by the current Color Segmentation command.  Color data for the color-cube segmentation is stored as *.RGE (range) files.

The saved data can be re-loaded into Image-Pro using the Load Ranges command, for future segmentation processes on this or other images.  You might also use the data as input to an external program written to work with such data.  See Appendix B, File Format Specifications, for the format specifications for this file.

Save Ranges : When you select SaveRanges, the Save Ranges dialog box is displayed

Enter a file name for the color-range list, then click OK.

Load Ranges:  Select the Load  Ranges command to load a color-range list that has been stored to a disk file.  Generally, this would be a color-range list that you had previously saved using the Save Color Range command.  However, a color-range list created by an external program could also be loaded, assuming the format of the file matched that required by Image-Pro.  See Appendix B, File Format Specifications, for the format specifications for this file.

The color-range list that is loaded by this command replaces the current color-range list.  If you want to combine a saved list with one that is currently in memory, use the Merge Color Ranges command.

Note - there is no need for you to specify whether the color-range file contains RGE,  RGB,  or HSI values.  This will be detected automatically by a tag in the file.

Close:   Use this button to close the Color Segmentation dialog box.

File Format: RGB  Select this Color Segmentation : File menu option if you want to store the current color-range list to a disk file as a list of RGB values.  This option is only meaningful to the Save Color Ranges operation.  It is ignored by the Load Color Ranges and Merge Color Ranges commands, as color model information is automatically detected by a tag in the file itself.

File Format: HSI  Select this Color Segmentation : File menu option if you want to store the current color-range list to a disk file as a list of HSI values.  This option is only meaningful to the Save Color Ranges operation.  It is ignored by the Load Color Ranges and Merge Color Ranges commands, as color model information is automatically detected by a tag in the file itself.


Pseudo-Color

Use the Pseudo-Color... command to "colorize" the active monochrome (Gray Scale, Gray Scale 12, Gray Scale 16,  or Floating Point) image.  You might do this to highlight certain features in a gray scale image.  For example, you might want to display all densities above a certain point in red, or, if your imaging device recorded thermal information, all temperatures below a certain point in blue.

You might also use it to visually amplify specific intensities that are very difficult to distinguish from their surroundings.  For example, features produced by pixels with values of 122 in a field of pixels with similar values would be impossible to see in a gray tone image, but would jump out if that value were to be rendered in color.

When you pseudo-color a monochrome image, you build a special palette through which your monochrome image is displayed.  Pseudo-coloring an image does not modify the pixel values in your image bitmap in any way (it does not convert your image to True Color or Palette, for example).  It simply associates a pseudo-color palette with the image, that interprets the gray-level values in the image as color.

Pseudo-colored images are very similar in structure to Palette class images, but they differ in a couple of important ways.  First, the pixel values in a pseudo-colored image actually represent continuous-tone intensity information, whereas a Palette image's pixels carries no intensity significance.  Secondly, a Palette image includes a palette table that is actually part of the image file.

The pseudo-color palette associated with a pseudo-colored image is not a permanent part of the image.  It is a palette that you assign to the image while you work with it in Image-Pro.  Pseudo-color palettes can be saved to a disk file, and later loaded for subsequent use with any monochrome (Gray Scale, Gray Scale 12, Gray Scale 16, or Floating Point) image.

When you select the Pseudo-Color command, the Pseudo-Color dialog box is displayed.  It contains the tools you need to build, save and load pseudo-color palettes for monochrome images.

Note - because the Pseudo-Color command is only relevant to monochrome images, it will be dimmed if the active image is True Color.  If you want to pseudo-color a True Color image, you must first convert it to one of the monochrome classes.

The basic steps involved in pseudo-coloring the active, monochrome image are to:

1)	Specify the range of intensities you want to pseudo-color.  The intensity range is specified using the Upper Limit and Lower Limit spin buttons.

2)	Specify the number of distinct colors you want to associate with the selected intensity range.  The number of colors is selected using the Divisions spin buttons.  When you set Divisions to a positive number, a second color bar appears to the right of the first one, and both color bars and your image assume the default pseudo-color settings.  The color bar on the left represents the entire intensity range and illustrates the portion that is being colorized.  The color bar on the right represents just the colorized portion of the intensity range.

3)	Change the color assignments and refine the intensity division widths.  This is done using the color bar or the Edit button.

4)	Save the settings for future use (with the current image, or with another).  This step is optional.  You do not need to save the pseudo-color assignments in order for them to be applied to the active image.  When you click the OK button, Image-Pro saves the current setting.  If, however, you want to save it for continuing use or to exchange with a colleague, you need to save it.

When you have finished specifying/saving the pseudo-color palette, click OK to assign it to your image.  Your image will be displayed through this palette for as long as it (your image) remains open.  If you want to remove the effect of the palette upon the active image, select the Pseudo-Color command and click Reset.  Your image will be returned to its normal monochrome state. Pseudo-colored images can be converted to True Color or Palette images using the Convert To command.

Each of the buttons and fields in the Pseudo-Color dialog box are described in more detail below.

Division:   Within this group box, enter the intensity range and the number of distinct colors you want Image-Pro to use to pseudo-color. Image-Pro will divide the specified intensity range into the number of intervals you specify here, and assign a default color to each interval.  The color intervals are displayed in the pseudo-color scale located along the left edge of the dialog box.  Changing the number of divisions will divide the range into an equal number of intensities.

Using the Upper and Lower Limit controls, set the intensity scale to define the intensity range you want to colorize.  If you want to colorize just a segment of low intensities, for example, set the scale to specify just that segment.    If you want to pseudo-color a single intensity, set both limits to that intensity.

Note - when you set the range, the endpoint values are included in the range.

Upper Limit:   Use the spin buttons or select and overwrite the current intensity value that is the highest one you want to colorize.  If you have selected the number of divisions, the left color bars will reflect the change.

Lower Limit:   Use the spin buttons or select and overwrite the current intensity value that is the lowest one you want to colorize.  If you have selected the number of divisions, your image and the color bars at the left will reflect the change.

Divisions:   Use the spin buttons or select and overwrite the current number of distinct colors to be pseudo-color.  Your image and the color bars at the left respond to each change.  You can specify up to 128 divisions.

Edit:   Click this button to change a division's color or range.  When you click Edit, the Division Attributes dialog box appears.

Within this box, select the number of the division you want to modify (in the Div Number field), then modify the interval width (using Range fields) and/or change the color assignment using the RGB sliders.

Div Number:   In this field specify the number of the interval (on the pseudo-color scale) that you want to modify.  You may move the slider or click on the bar itself at the relative point you want to activate.  The color currently assigned to the division you select here, will be displayed in the swatch at the lower-right corner of the dialog box.

Range:   Use these fields to change the starting and ending values of the division associated with this color.  Set the smaller value to specify the beginning of the range, and the larger value to the last value in the range (values are inclusive).  The ranges of the divisions that adjoin the one you are editing will automatically be adjusted to compensate for your changes (e.g.., if you changed Division #4's Start value from 64 to 62, Divisions #3's End value would be adjusted down to 61).  If you extend a range by a large amount, the neighboring range(s) can be reduced to a single intensity value.

Color Edit:   Use the Red/Green/Blue sliders in this group box to specify the color you want assigned to the specified division.  A color is defined by entering the amount of each color component (RGB) it contains.  The color you specify here will be displayed in the swatch at the lower-right corner of the dialog box, as you create it.

TIP	You can access the Division Attributes options simply by double-clicking on the color bar in the Pseudo-Color window.  This allows, you to go directly to that color's division number.

Color Spread:   Within this group box, you may change the pseudo-color scale's predefined or custom color assignments.

Blue to Red:   When Image-Pro sets the initial color values for your image, they are roughly in the order the hues appear in the spectrum.  Click this button to array these colors with blue assigned to a lower value than red.

Red to Blue:   When Image-Pro sets the initial color values for your image, they are roughly in the order the hues appear in the spectrum.  Click this button to array these colors with red assigned to a lower value than blue.

Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow: Selecting one of these colors will display the color values in your images as graduated shades of that particular color.

Custom 1 - Custom 4: You may define one to four custom color palettes  for pseudo-color. To define a custom color, highlight the custom selection in the list box, and click on the Edit button.

Clicking the Color Spread Edit button displays the Color Spread dialog box:

End Colors: In this group box, select the colors for the top and bottom ends of your custom color range. Clicking on either Select button displays the Color dialog box:

Basic colors: Click on the appropriate color square to choose one of the basic colors for the end of your color palette.

Custom colors: Click on the Define Custom Colors >> button to create a new color. You can create a custom color by adjusting the Hue, Saturation, and Luminance values, and/or the Red, Green, and Blue color values. The 4-way cursor will appear on the color selection area. You can move this cursor around the color selection area, and the HSL and RGB values will change with it.

Method of Interpolation: In this group box select the method for displaying your custom colors:

Ramp RGB: Use this method to go directly across the Hue color wheel from color to color with no intermediate colors. For example, in gradiations from blue to red.

Ramp HSI (clockwise): Use this method go around the Hue color wheel clockwise. For example, from blue to red going through shades magenta.

Ramp HSI (counter-clockwise): Use this method go around the Hue color wheel counter-clockwise. For example, from blue to red going through shades of  yellow and green.

The Color/Solid block will show your custom color as the values change. When you are satisfied with your new color, click on the Add to Custom Colors button, and the new color will appear in the Custom Colors sampler.

When you have finished your color selections, click OK

Reset:   Click this button to reset the image to its prior (monochrome) representation.

Default:   Click this button to select the pseudo-color default settings (intensity range from 0 to 255, with 10 color divisions). The pseudo-color default in Image-Pro is the Red to Blue color assignment.

Last Setting:   Click this button to recall the pseudo-color settings as of the last time you saved them.  When you click the OK button on the Pseudo-Color dialog box, you save the settings.

Note - Any changes you have made to your settings will be lost when you recall the Last Setting.  If you want to keep them, use the Save command on the Pseudo-Color dialog box's File menu.

OK:   Click the OK button if you want to close the Pseudo-Color dialog box and assign the pseudo-color palette to the active image.

Cancel:   Click the Cancel button if you want to close the Pseudo-Color dialog box without making changes to the colorization of your image.

More:

Pseudo-Color File Menu

Pseudo-Color Areas Menu

Pseudo-Color : Pseudo-Color Areas File Menu

Pseudo-Color : Pseudo-Color Areas Report Menu


Pseudo-Color File Menu

Use the commands on the Pseudo-Color :  File menu to load or save pseudo-color settings.

Load Pseudo-Color:   Select this command to load a previously saved pseudo-color palette file (.PSC), and apply it to the active image.  Pseudo-color palette files are created using the Pseudo-Color Save button.

Specify the name of the file that contains the pseudo-color palette you want to load, then click OK.  The palette will be loaded into the Pseudo-Color dialog box.  You may edit the palette using the any of the Pseudo-Color tools described above.  When you click OK, the palette will be assigned to the active image.

Save Pseudo-Color:   Select this command to save the current pseudo-color palette to an Image-Pro pseudo-color file (a .PSC file).  It is important to save a pseudo-color palette file if you want to use it with the active image at some future point.  This is because only the most recent pseudo-color palette is stored automatically.  If you do not store the pseudo-color palette, you may need to manually recreate it next time you work with the image.  If the palette has been saved, it can simply be reloaded using the Pseudo-Color Load command (see above).

Note - The Last Setting palette is the one last used for any image.  If you want to keep settings specific to the active image, use the Save command.

Specify the name of the file to which you want the pseudo-color palette saved, then click Save.


Pseudo-Color Areas Menu

Use the command on the Pseudo-Color :  Report menu to show the counts associated with pseudo-color settings.

Areas:   Select this command to display a report of the number of pixels in each color representation (or the calibrated value if a spatial calibration is attached to the image) and to enable copying the report.

Use the File menu to save, copy, or link the report to other applications or to a file.

Use the Report menu to modify the amount of information given in the report, and you can select tabular or graphic representation.


Pseudo-Color : Pseudo-Color Areas File Menu

The commands on the Pseudo-Color :Areas: window's File menu are used to perform operations that copy and save your pseudo-color percentage areas to other applications or to disk files.

Save Areas As...:  Select the Save Areas As... command to store the current pseudo-color areas to disk.  Pseudo-color areas are saved in an ASCII file containing the starting and ending values within each division, the area in pixels (or calibrated area if the image is attached with a spatial calibration), and the percentage of total area covered by the division.

Enter the name of the file to which you want the pseudo-color areas stored, then click OK.  Your pseudo-color areas will be written to the file.

Append To... :  Select the Append To... command to store the current pseudo-color areas at the end of an existing pseudo-color file.

Select the file to which you want the current areas appended, then click Save.  The current pseudo-color areas will be written to the end of the specified file.

Note - if you enter the name of a file that does not exist, Image-Pro will create a new file with that name.

Copy To Clipboard:  Select the Copy To Clipboard command to copy the current pseudo-color areas to the Windows Clipboard.  From there, the areas can be pasted into any application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

Save Options:  Select the Save Options command to change the style in which pseudo-color areas files are written.

Click once on your selection to choose (if checked) or omit (unchecked) it.

 Header :  Select Header to save the heading information at the top of the pseudo-color areas file.

 Div Number :  Select Div Number to save the division number to the left of the pseudo-color areas.

 Statistics :  If Statistics is selected, the statistical information will be appended to the end of the areas file.

DDE To Excel:  Select the DDE To Excel command to transfer pseudo-color areas to Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet. For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion.


Pseudo-Color : Pseudo-Color Areas Report Menu

The commands on the Pseudo-Color : Areas window's Report menu are used to determine the report type and style.

Table:  Select the Table command to display the current pseudo-color settings in tabular form.  The information that is displayed is determined by the settings in Table Style....  If Table is selected, Graph is deselected.

Graph:  Select the Graph command to display the current pseudo-color settings in graphic form.  Choose the form of the graph in Graph Style.... If Graph is selected, Table is deselected.

Table Style...:  Select the Table Style... command to select the properties to include in the table.  When Graph is selected, this option has no effect.

When you select the Table Style... command, you will receive a menu from which you may choose the settings you want listed in the table.

You may choose any or all of these options.  A check mark to the left indicates that the option is selected.  Each option is described below.

•	Start of Div:  Select this option to display the starting pixel value in the division.

•	End of Div:  Select this option to display the ending pixel value in the division.

•	Absolute Area:  Select this option to display the total count of pixels whose value falls within the division (or the calibrated value if the image is spatially calibrated).

•	Relative Area(%):  Select this option to display as a percentage the number of pixels whose value falls within the division, divided by the number of pixels in the image or AOI.

Graph Style...:  Select the Graph Style... command to display the graph as a line or bar graph.  When Table is selected, this option has no effect.


Registration

Use the Registration... command to align one image with another by defining a set of "anchor points" common to both images.  This command is often used to prepare images, acquired from different angles or distances, for comparative analysis.  For example, if you needed to measure and compare vegetation growth of an area depicted in two aerial photographs taken several months apart from substantially different angles and / or altitudes, you would want to register one photograph to the other to ensure comparable measurements.

The Registration... command requires two input images: a "reference" image and an "object" image.  The reference image defines the standard perspective of the subject; the object image is the one that is to be spatially transformed to the reference's standard (i.e., the object image is warped to match the reference's anchor point coordinates).  The result of the transformation is written to a new image window.

The examples below show how a distorted image was corrected by registering it to a reference image.

Note - the registration process merely warps the object image to the specified anchor points; there is no blending of the two images, nor is there any attempt to match similar features.  The image data in the reference image are entirely ignored; only its anchor point coordinate information is used by the transformation process.

To register one image to another, follow the steps below:

1.	Open the reference image and the object image (the one to be warped).

2.	Select the Registration command from the Tools menu.  The Registration dialog box will be presented, and a set of "anchor point" markers will be placed in each of the images.

3.	Select the object image's name in the Transform list box.

4.	Select the reference image's name in the Into list box.

5.	Use your mouse to position the anchor point markers in the registration and object images.  An anchor point identifies a point of correspondence between the two images.  In the example above, an anchor point was established over each of the registration cross hairs in the reference and object images.  In an aerial photograph you might tie the images together with landmarks (e.g. buildings or geologic formations) or intersecting features (e.g., rivers, roads, fences).  When positioning your anchor points, keep in mind the following:

•	Position the anchor points as far apart as possible.  If anchor points are too close together, your registration request will be ignored.

•	Position the anchor points as accurately as possible.  Use the Zoom tool to magnify your images so that the markers can be positioned exactly over the designated point (you can use the Pan To Point button to move quickly from one point to another when you are zoomed-in on the image.  See Pan To Point below).

•	Be sure the anchor point numbers correspond between the two images.    If, for example, anchor point #1 marks the corner of Building A in the reference image, anchor point #1 in the object image must also mark the corner of Building A.

Note - the order of your anchor points is not significant (i.e., anchor point #1 does not have to be near #2, nor does it have to mark the upper-left corner of a quadrilateral).  Anchor point markers can appear in any order you'd like; just be sure that the #'s correspond between the two images.

•	You must define at least 4 anchor points (you may include more; see Options, below).  When more than four are defined, Image-Pro reduces your set to 4 points using a least-squares method before performing the transformation.

6. Click the Register button.  The object image is spatially transformed by matching its anchor points to the anchor points in the reference image.  The result is placed in a new image window.

If the image has been transformed to a smaller or nonrectangular shape, the unused image space will be padded with black pixels, Transform:  In this list box, select the name of the object image (this image must already be open).  The object image is the one that will be spatially transformed.

Into:  In this list box, select the name of the reference image (this image must already be open).  The reference image is the one that defines the perspective to which the object image will be transformed.

Note - generally the Registration command is used to align two images of the same subject; however, it can also be used to deliberately distort an image for aesthetic purposes (to change perspective, or to create an unusual effect, as was done in the previous example).  When used for this purpose, the reference image can be any image at all (it need not be a different "view" of the subject).  You merely need a workspace large enough to position the anchor points required to produce the effect you want.  In the example above, the reference image (not shown) was simply an empty (all white) image window of the same size as the object.

Pan to point:  Click this button to display the specified anchor point marker.  This feature is useful for quickly moving to a specific anchor point when you are zoomed-in on your image (it is a quick alternative to scrolling or zooming-out and zooming back in again).  To move to an anchor point, first select the anchor point number in the "#" list box, then click Pan to point.

Options:  Click this button to set the options associated with the Register command.

Number of points:  Select the number of anchor points that you want to define in each image.  You must define at least 4.  If you use more than four anchor points, Image-Pro will fit your set to just 4 points (using a least-squares method) before it performs the transformation.

Precision:  Select the precision, Floating or Fixed, in which you want the registration process performed.  This setting determines the level of accuracy that will be maintained by the transformation, as described below.

Floating Point:  Select this option if your application demands a very high level of data accuracy (if you are registering an image for measurement purposes, you should use Floating Point mode).  Floating-point transformations are time consuming when performed on a system without a math co-processor — if your work involves frequent transforms of this type, you will want to have one installed.

Fixed Point:  Select this option if your application does not demand a high level of data accuracy (if you are registering an image for aesthetic purposes, Fixed Point mode is appropriate).  A fixed-point transform will be significantly faster than a floating-point transform if your system is not equipped with a math co-processor.

Color of Points:  Select the color in which you want the anchor point markers displayed.

Correct for:  Select the combination of transformations that you want performed.  The placement of the anchor points is a critical factor in determining the outcome.  For this reason, a small displacement of an anchor point may introduce a skew or a scale factor that you don't want.. In that instance you may choose not to perform those transformations.

Select from the following combinations:

translation, rotation, scaling, perspective: Select this option to perform all transformations.

translation, rotation, scaling:  Select this option if you know there is no skewing to correct for.

translation, rotation:  Select this option if you know there is no scaling or skewing to correct for.


Image Overlay

Use the Image Overlay command to combine two images with varying degrees of transparency. It is similar to the Paste Options command. Selecting Image Overlay displays the Transparency Options dialog:

Source Image: The source image is the image with the characteristics you want to copy. The target or destination image is the active image.

Options: The check boxes in this group indicate how the two images will be combined.

Overlay Transparency determines how much of the destination image will be visible through the overlaid image. Turning this check box off means that that the overlaid portion will be opaque when placed onto the target image.

Overlay: Click this button to paste one image or AOI onto another temporarily. You can move the overlaid area around using the cross-shaped cursor. When you have the overlaid area positioned where you want it, click the right mouse button to merge the two images.

Merging Transparency determines  how much of the destination image will be visible through the overlaid image when the two images are merged.

Merge: Click this button to combine the two images (or AOI). This is identical to clicking the right mouse button after you have overlaid two images.

Blend Control:   Use the options in this group box to control the ratio at which Clipboard data is blended with the destination image.  These values are only utilized when the Overlay Transparency or Merging Transparency options are set (see above).

Src:   Select the percentage at which merged data will be applied to the image.  The larger the number, the heavier the merged data is applied (e.g., if 100% is set, only the pasted merged data will be visible in the result).  This value is linked to the Dest value, such that when Src is changed the necessary change is automatically made to Dest to maintain a sum of 100%.

Dest:   Select the percentage of the destination image allowed to "show through" the applied merged data.  The smaller the number, the less the original image will remain visible (e.g., if 0% is set, only the Merged data will be visible in the result).  This value is linked to the Src value, such that when Dest is changed the necessary change is automatically made to Src to maintain a sum of 100%.

Apply Blended Image To:   Specify the intensity values that are to be affected by the blend.  Select from the following:

All:  The merged data will be applied, in the specified blend ratio, to all pixels in the paste area, regardless of their intensity.

On Lighter Only:  The merged pixels will be pasted (in the specified blend ratio) only in places where the destination pixel is lighter than the corresponding merged pixel.

On Darker Only:    The mrged pixels will be pasted (in the specified blend ratio) only in places where the destination pixel is darker than the corresponding merged pixel.


Calibration

Use the Calibration command to work with intensity and spatial calibration scales.  It is used to modify the scales, store modified scales to disk, and re-load them when needed.  If you are not familiar with the calibration process, you may want to review the Intensity Analysis and Measuring and Counting discussions in Section 1 before proceeding.

When you select the Calibration command, you will receive a menu from which you must choose the calibration operation you want to perform.

•	Spatial

•	Intensity

•	Step Tablet

•	Open

•	Save Active

•	Save All

•	Linearize Image

•	Linerarize New.

•	Select Spatial from the pop-out menu if you want to calibrate the spatial scale.  By default, Image-Pro expresses spatial measurements in terms of pixels.  The Spatial command is used to change the terms in which Image-Pro reports such measurements.  You would use this command if you wanted to measure objects in terms of microns, or miles.

The Spatial command is also used to establish Aspect Ratio, Image Offset, and Angle Offset values.

When you select the Calibration : Spatial command sequence, the Spatial Calibration command window is displayed.  This window is linked to the active image, as is indicated by the image name in the Spatial Calibration title bar.

From within this command window, you can apply an open set of calibrations to the image by selecting the name of the set in the Name field, or you can create a new set of calibrations by clicking the New button and entering your calibration values in the appropriate group box.  When creating a new set, or modifying an existing set, you can use the Image buttons to obtain the calibrations from within the image itself.

Note - Your first step in using this window must be to either select an existing set of calibrations in the Name field, or click New to create a new set.  The fields and buttons in this window will remain dimmed until this is done.  See Name and New discussions below.

Name:   In this list box, select the set of calibration values you want to apply to the image.  If you want to use the Image-Pro default values, select (none).  Any calibration sets that were loaded (using the Calibration : Open command), or created since the Image-Pro application window was last opened, will be listed in this list box.

You will not be able to enter calibration values until a name other than (none) has been selected in the Name list box.  If (none) is the only set listed, you can create a set by clicking the New button and specifying its calibration values.

By default, Image-Pro will assign the name "Spatial Cal 0" to a new calibration set; however, you may change this to a more descriptive name if you'd like.  Up to 20 characters can be entered as a description.  Spaces and punctuation are allowed.

Note - naming a calibration set does not save the set to disk.  When a calibration set is created, it is stored in memory.  The name you assign in the Name field is used to reference the set while it exists in memory.  If you want to permanently save a set of calibrations, you must use the Save... command on the Calibration command's pop-out menu.

New:   Click this button to create a new set of calibration values.  When this button is clicked, Image-Pro will place the "Spatial Cal 0" name in the Name list box (the 0 digit may be incremented to make the set name unique) and activate the calibration fields in the 4 group boxes.  The values you enter in the group boxes will make up the new set.  You can change the "Spatial Cal 0" name to something more descriptive by simply typing over this name in the Name field.  You can store the new set of values to disk using the Save... command on the Calibration command's pop-out menu.

Unit:   Type the name of your unit in this field (e.g.,  microns, inches, miles) or select it from the list in the combo box .  This name will appear when Image-Pro reports spatial data in a report or graph.

Pixels/Unit:   In this group box, specify the number of pixels that represent a single unit in both the horizontal (X) and vertical (Y) direction.

You may either enter the Pixel/Unit values directly into the "X" and "Y" fields (by typing the values or using the  and  buttons), or you can click the Image button to specify the values from an object of known length in your image.

Note - if you enter "X" and "Y" values that are not the same, Image-Pro will automatically update the Aspect Ratio field to reflect the relationship between the two values (i.e., X/Y).  Similarly, if you change the Aspect Ratio value to anything but 1, Image-Pro will change the Y value to reflect the selected Aspect Ratio.

When you select the Image button, the Scaling dialog box is presented, and a "defining line" is placed in your image.

In the Scaling dialog box, specify the number of units your reference object represents.  If you will be calibrating from an object that is exactly one unit in length, leave the reference value at "1."  If it measures anything but 1, you must specify its known length here.  Then, you must place the defining line over the length of the object to specify its size in pixels.

Use your mouse to position the defining line over your object.  When you move your cursor over the line, special cursor symbols appear, letting you know that the line or one of its endpoints can be moved. '=

To move the entire line, place your cursor over the middle of the line.  When the 4-way arrow appears, drag the line to a new position.

To move an endpoint, place your cursor over the end of a line.  When the wheel-cursor appears, drag the endpoint to its new position.

Position the defining line such that it stretches the length of the reference object.  Then click OK to return to the Spatial Calibration dialog box.

Image-Pro will calculate the calibration by dividing the number of pixels under the defining line by the unit number you specified in the Scaling box.  The result will be placed in both the "X" and "Y" fields of the Pixel's/Unit group box.

Aspect Ratio:   Use this group box to specify the relationship between the horizontal and vertical axes in your image.  The value in this field represents X/Y.  It is used to compensate for an image acquired with a camera having an aspect ratio different from that of the displaying device.

You may either enter the value directly into the Aspect Ratio field (by typing the value or selecting it with the  and  buttons), or you can click the Image button to specify the value from an object that is known to be square in your image.

When you select the Image button, the Aspect Ratio message box is presented, and a "defining line" is placed in your image.

Use your mouse to position the defining line diagonally over your square object.  When you move your cursor over the line, special cursor symbols appear letting you know that the line or one of its endpoints can be moved. To move the entire line, place your cursor over the middle of the line.  When the 4-way arrow appears, drag the line to a new position.

To move an endpoint, place your cursor over the end of a line.  When the wheel-cursor appears, drag the endpoint to its new position

Position the defining line such that it stretches the diagonal length of the square object, from corner-to-corner.  Then click OK to return to the Spatial Calibration dialog box.

Image-Pro will calculate the Aspect Ratio and update the Y value in the Pixel's/Unit group box if necessary.

You may also indirectly specify Aspect Ratio by setting the "Y" value in the Pixels/Unit group box to a value not equal to the "X" value.  When "X" and "Y" values are not equal, Image-Pro will automatically calculate and update the Aspect Ratio value.

Origin:   Use this group box to specify an offset to the horizontal and/or vertical origin of your image.  These values establish what will be considered position 0,0 within your bitmap.  For example, if you wanted pixel 10,10 to be considered the upper-left corner of your image, you would enter offset values of 10 in each Origin field.  The Origin offset values affect the results produced by the Centr-X and Centr-Y measurements, which report the "X" and "Y" position of the center of a counted object..

You may either enter the Origin values directly into the "X" and "Y" fields (by typing the values or selecting them with the  and  buttons), or you can click the Image button to specify the values from a point in your image.

When you select the Image button, the Origin Offset message box is presented, and a "cross hair" is placed in your image.

Use your mouse to position the cross hair over the pixel that represents the upper-left corner of the image.  Then click OK to return to the Spatial Calibration dialog box.  Image-Pro will calculate the "X" and "Y" origin offsets based upon the point you selected.

Both positive and negative values are allowed. Negative "X" values move the origin to the left of the left edge of the image, and Negative "Y" values move the origin up above the top line of the image.

Angle Offset:   Use this group box to specify an offset, in degrees to the vertical axis.  This value affects the Angle results reported by the Count/Size command, which measures the angle between the vertical axis and the major axis of the measured object.  The vertical angle is equal to 0 unless an offset has been specified here.  If an ellipse measured 90° from vertical, but an offset of 10 had been specified, Image-Pro would report the measurement as 80.

You may either enter the Angle value directly into the field (by typing it or using the  and  buttons), or you can click the Image button to specify the angle from the image.

When you select the Image button, the Angle Offset message box is presented, and a "defining line" is placed in your image.

Use your mouse to position the defining line along the vertical axis of your image.

To move the entire line, place your cursor over the middle of the line.  When the 4-way arrow appears, drag the line to a new position.

To move an endpoint, place your cursor over the end of a line.  When the wheel-cursor appears, drag the endpoint to its new position.

When the defining line is positioned along your vertical axis, click OK to return to the Spatial Calibration dialog box.

Image-Pro will calculate the vertical offset in degrees and place the result in the Angle field.

When you are satisfied with your Spatial Calibration settings, press the Close button.  This holds them in memory.  To save them, see the Calibration : Save command sequence below.

Mark:   Use this button to add a Calibration Bar to your image.

To set the markers on the image, click OK and move the marker on the image to the desired position, and click the right mouse button. The marker remains on the image:

Note - the image itself is modified by marking the calibration bar.  If you want to be able to return to the original image, make a copy before marking it.

•	Select Intensity from the Calibration pop-out menu if you want to calibrate the intensity scale.  By default, Image-Pro expresses intensity measurements in terms of the actual pixel value contained in the image bitmap.  The Intensity command is used to express this value in other terms.  You would use this command if you wanted to relate intensity to optical density, or relate intensity to temperature or relate intensity to protein content, for example.

The Intensity calibration command is also used to establish Black and Incident levels for optical density experiments.

When you select the Intensity command, the Intensity Calibration command window is displayed.  This window is linked to the active image, as is indicated by the image name in the Intensity Calibration title bar.

When the window is initially activated, the curve window is blank, and most buttons and fields are dimmed.  This indicates that Image-Pro's default intensity calibration is in effect for the image.

To change the default calibration, you can apply an open set of calibrations to the image by selecting the name of the set in the Name field.  Or, you can create a new set of calibrations by clicking the New button and specifying your curve type.

Once a calibration set has been selected, the curve window is filled with the specified calibration curve, and the buttons along the right are activated.  Your window will look similar to the one below.

The curve describes how the intensity values within your image will be interpreted by Image-Pro.  The horizontal axis depicts the incoming intensity value, and the vertical axis, the output value produced by calibration.  Using the Options button, you can modify the shape of this curve.

Using the Intensity Calibration window to create a new intensity calibration involves the following basic steps:

1)	Clicking the New button to create a new set.  The default intensity curve will be displayed.

2)	Selecting the kind of curve you want to work with.  Highlight the Standard Optical Density option button if you want to apply the standard optical density curve to your image.  Otherwise, leave the Free Form option button enabled.

3)	Modifying the curve with the Options... button.  If the Free Form option button is active, the Options... button lets you define the calibration curve.  If the Standard Optical Density is active, the Options... button lets you define incident-light and black levels.

The specific elements of the Intensity Calibration window are defined below.

Name:   In this list box, select the set of intensity calibration values you want to apply to the image.  If you want to use the Image-Pro default values, select (none).  Any intensity calibration sets that were loaded (using the Calibration : Open command), or created since the Image-Pro application window was last opened, will be listed in this list box.

You will not be able to enter intensity calibration values until a name other than (none) has been selected in the Name list box.  If (none) is the only set listed, you can create a set by clicking the New button and specifying its calibration values.

By default, Image-Pro will assign the name "Intensity Cal 0" to a new calibration set; however, you may change this to a more descriptive name if you'd like.  Up to 20 characters can be entered as a description.  Spaces and punctuation are allowed.

Note - naming a calibration set does not save the set to disk.  When a calibration set is created, it is stored in memory.  The name you assign in the Name field is used to reference the set while it exists in memory.  If you want to permanently save a set of calibrations, you must use the Save... command on the Calibration command's pop-out menu.

New:   Click this button to create a new set of calibration values.  When this button is selected, Image-Pro will place the "Intensity Cal 0" name in the Name list box (the 0 digit may be incremented to make the set name unique) and activates the curve window.  The values you enter in the Options... dialog box will make up the new set.

You can change the "Intensity Cal 0" name to something more descriptive by simply typing over this name in the Name field.  You can store the new set of values to disk using the Save... command on the Calibration command's pop-out menu.

Unit Name:   Type the name of your unit in this field (e.g., density, degrees, disbursement).  This name will appear when Image-Pro reports intensity data in a report or graph.

Free Form:   Select this option button if you need to define a calibration curve unique to your application.  When the Free Form button is enabled, the Options button is used to specify (X,Y) pairs that define the shape of the calibration curve.  See Options... below.

Standard Optical Density:   Select this option button if want to interpret pixel values according to the standard optical density curve (see Optical Density discussion in Section 1 for a definition of this curve).  When Standard Optical Density is selected, the calibration curve appears as follows:

When Standard Optical Density is selected, the Options... button is used to establish Incident and Black levels.

Number of Samples:   Enter the number of samples to be used along the X-axis.  By default this value is set to the maximum value for the intensity range.  For Floating Point images, the sample value defaults to 100, but can be re-defined by setting a new value here.

Options...:   Click this button to access the options dialog box for the selected curve type: Free Form or Standard Optical Density.

•	Free Form Optical Density: If this button is checked the   FreeForm Intensity Calibration dialog box is presented.

Within this box, specify the (X,Y) pairs that define your particular curve.  If your curve is linear, only two pairs need to be entered.  If your curve is nonlinear, enter as many pairs as you need to define the curve to your satisfaction (you may enter a pair for each point on the X-axis if you want - e.g., 256 pairs for a Gray Scale image).  Once you have entered all your points, click Close to return to the Intensity Calibration window.  The calibration curve will be updated to reflect the points that you specified.

The following fields and buttons are used to create a list of coordinates that define your curve:

In/Out:   Enter the coordinate-pairs here.  The In value specifies the X-axis value (the intensity value actually contained in your image), and the Out value specifies the Y-axis value (the interpreted value).  For example, if you want the intensity value of 10 expressed as 50, type 10 as the In value, and "50" as the Out value.

The In value can also be obtained from within the image itself by using the Image button.  See below.

Add:   Click this button to add the In and Out values to the coordinate list.  (You can also use this button to add a 0,0 pair to the coordinate list , then use the Change button to assign new In and Out values to each of these 0,0 pairs).

Change:   Click this button to change the highlighted pair in the list to the new values specified by the In and Out fields.

Delete:   Click this button to delete the highlighted pair in the list.

Defaults:   Click this button to delete the entire list, and return to the Image-Pro default coordinates.

Image:   Click this button to select the In value from within the image itself.  This is generally used if you have a test image containing known calibration values.  For example, you might have an image that provides intensity examples for a range of temperatures.  The intensity value (In), would be selected from the image, and the temperature value it represents would be typed into the Out field (for optical density applications, such a test strip is known as a "density wedge").

When the Image button is selected, the Input Level dialog box is presented.  This box will report the actual intensity value of the pixel beneath the cursor.

To select an intensity value from your image, move the cursor to a representative pixel; the Current Value is updated as you move the cursor.  When satisfied, click with the left mouse button or press Enter.  The value from the selected pixel will be placed in the In field.

Note - Clicking OK places in the In field the value at the time you are clicking OK.  This may not be what you want.

Degrees of Fit:   Set a value from 1 to 7 in this field to specify how closely the custom curve will follow the points you have defined.  A low value in this field will produce a curve that passes through all of your points, but the result will not be smooth.  A high value in this field will smooth the curve considerably, but will not necessarily pass through the points you have specified.

•	If the Standard Optical Density option button is checked, the Optical Density Calibration dialog box is presented.

Use the options in this box to set you Black and Incident levels.  You may enter these values directly into the edit boxes, or set them by selecting a representative pixel within an image (that you have acquired from your camera) using the Image button.

Black/Incident Level:   In these two fields, specify the values that represent Black (no light being transmitted) and Incident (all possible light being transmitted) states in your image.  You may type the values directly into these fields, or use the Image button to obtain them from the image.

Image:   Use this button to obtain the Black or Incident level by reading the value of a pixel in the image.  When you select the Image button the Black Level or Incident Level message box is presented, and the wheel-like cursor appears.  Move the cursor to a pixel that represents the level you want to set, and click your left mouse button.  The intensity value for that pixel will be placed in the Black Level / Incident Level field.

•	Select Step Tablet from the Calibration pop-out menu if you want to use the Step Tablet to create a new intensity or optical calibration curve by using a calibrated step tablet.
Use the left mouse button to click on the first step in the image and then click on the OK button.

Follow the next set of instructions by clicking on the last step.

Image-Pro displays the outline of the various steps and labels them with step numbersEnter the optical density or intensity values in the appropriate cell corresponding to each of the steps of the Step Tablet Calibration dialog box. Image-Pro allows you to enter values for up to 28 steps for the calibration.  When you are finished entering the step values in the Step Tablet Calibration dialog box, click on OK.

Image-Pro creates a new intensity or optical density calibration curve according to the step values just entered, and returns to the Intensity Calibration dialog box described in the previous section.

•	Select Open from the Calibration pop-out menu if you want to load a calibration file that had been created using the Calibration command's Save... option.  Once a calibration file is loaded, its values are made available to any open image window.  The calibration values are applied to an image by selecting them in the Spatial Calibration and Intensity Calibration dialog boxes.

When the Open command is selected, the Open Calibration dialog box is presented.

File Name:   From this list box, select the name of the file you want to open.  You can either type the name of the file (with its entire path, if is not in the current directory), or use the Look in, and File Type selections to obtain a list of file names from which you can select.

Double-clicking on a file name in the File Name list box will automatically open it.

File Type:   Only calibration files (*.CAL) can be selected in this list box.

•	Select Save Active from the Calibration pop-out menu if you want to save the Intensity and/or Spatial calibration values currently selected for the active image.  Saved calibration files can be re-loaded at a later time and attached to any open image.  You might also distribute the calibration file to other Image-Pro-for-Windows users in your work group who need the same calibration settings for their analyses.

It is important to understand that it is the selections of the active image that are saved to a file.  If the active image has both Intensity and Spatial calibration sets assigned to it, both sets of data will be saved into the calibration file.  If the active image has only one type of calibration values, and the other type is set to (none), only the selected type will be saved to the file (for example, if Spatial values are set but Intensity values are not, only the Spatial values would be stored into the file).

When you select the Save Active... option from the Calibration pop-out menu, the Save Calibration dialog box is presented.

File Name:   Enter the name of the file you want the calibration values saved to.  To specify the file's location, you can either enter its entire path (disk and directory), or specify its location using the Save in list box.

Do not type an extension.  Image-Pro will automatically assign a ".CAL" extension to your file name.

Clicking once on a file displayed in the list of files under the File Name box will select that file name as the one to which you want the calibration values stored (i.e., you are requesting that the file be overwritten).  Double-clicking on the file name will automatically save the values to that file.  Any time you save calibration values to an existing file, Image-Pro will request confirmation.

File Type:   Only *.CAL can be selected here.  Calibration values are stored in ASCII format.  See Appendix B, File Format Specifications, for more information about this file format.

•	Select Save All from the Calibration pop-out menu if you want to save the Intensity and/or Spatial calibration values currently selected for the active image.  Saved calibration files can be re-loaded at a later time and attached to any open image.  You might also distribute the calibration file to other Image-Pro-for-Windows users in your work group who need the same calibration settings for their analyses.

It is important to understand that it is the selections of all open images that are saved to a file.  All Intensity and Spatial calibration sets assigned to any open image will be saved into the calibration file.  If the open images have only one type of calibration values and the other type is set to (none), only the selected type will be saved to the file (for example, if Spatial values are set but Intensity values are not, only the Spatial values would be stored into the file).

When you select the Save All... option from the Calibration pop-out menu, the Save All Calibrations dialog box is presented.

File Name:   Enter the name of the file you want the calibration values saved to.  To specify the file's location, you can either enter its entire path (disk and directory), or specify its location using the Save in list box.

Do not type an extension.  Image-Pro will automatically assign a ".CAL" extension to your file name.

Clicking once on a file displayed in the list of files under the File Name box will select that file name as the one to which you want the calibration values stored (i.e., you are requesting that the file be overwritten).  Double-clicking on the file name will automatically save the values to that file.  Any time you save calibration values to an existing file, Image-Pro will request confirmation.

File Type:   Only *.CAL can be selected here.  Calibration values are stored in ASCII format.  See Appendix B, File Format Specifications, for more information about this file format.

•	Select Linearize from the Calibration pop-out menu if you want to display the current image with the calibrated pixel values that were applied as a result of  the intensity calibration.

•	Select Linearize New from the Calibration pop-out menu if you want to create a new image with linearized, calibrated pixel values.


Count/Size

Use the Count/Size... command to perform counting and measurement operations.  The Count/Size window contains many functions and options.  Moreover, it contains a menu bar with an entire set of its own commands.

Counting/Sizing can be performed upon an entire image, or upon an active AOI.

Important - if you want to express your measurement results in terms other than the default intensity and pixel-width values, you must calibrate the intensity and spatial scales before you count and measure.  See the Calibration command.

The basic steps involved in a counting task are to:

1.	Set the range of intensities (monochrome images) or the colors (color images) that identify the object you want to count using the tools in the Intensity Range Selection group box.

2.	Select the kinds of measurement you want to record in the Count/Size : Measure menu's Select Measurements... command.

3.	Count and measure the objects using the Count button.

Then, using the Count/Size... menu commands, your measurements can be viewed, saved, and edited.  You can also classify, sort and graph your data using the menu commands.

When you select the Count/Size... command, the Count/Size window is displayed.

Before performing your counting or measurement operation, be sure your intensity and spatial scales have been calibrated for your application.  See the Calibration command.

Note - During a Count/Size operation, Image-Pro reports intensity and size data in terms of the currently specified intensity and spatial units.  In the command and option descriptions below, the general terms "intensity" and "pixels" are used, but keep in mind that these properties will actually be reported in the terms that you have specified with the Calibration command.

Intensity Range Selection:   Use the options in this box to specify the intensity values that define the objects you want counted and measured.  You can manually select the range by highlighting a segment of the intensity or color scale, or you can request to have Image-Pro automatically determine the range.

Current Range:   This informational field displays the boundaries of the currently selected intensity range.  All pixels containing intensities within this range (endpoints included) are considered part of a countable object.  These values are set using either the Manual or Automatic intensity selection options.

Automatic Bright Objects:   Click this option button if you want Image-Pro to analyze your image and automatically set the intensity range when it performs the count.  Image-Pro will interpret Bright Objects as foreground objects (on a dark background).

Automatic Dark Objects:  Click this option button if you want Image-Pro to analyze your image and automatically set the intensity range when it performs the count.  Image-Pro will interpret Dark Objects as foreground objects (on a bright background).

If Image-Pro does not successfully extract your objects from your image, you may need to use the Flatten Background command on the Count/Size window's Image menu to eliminate background intensities that compete with your objects.

Manual:   Click this option button if you want to define your intensity range manually.  After you have selected Manual, click the Select Range button (for monochrome) or Select Color button (for color), to specify the range of intensities/colors that define the objects in the active image.

•	If you are working with a monochrome image, click the Select Ranges... button to set from one to 16 intensity ranges that define the objects in the active monochrome image.  You might want to do this to distinguish objects at a particular intensity range from their background or from other objects.  An object is defined as that area whose pixels fall within the intensity values of its defined range.

Initially, one range will be selected.  You will set it and additional ranges, one range at a time, until you have as many as you need. For a description of this dialog, please refer to the Color Segmentation section.

Click the Color Bar to change the color representation of the current range.  To choose a different Basic Color, click the desired color, then click OK.  Custom colors are not enabled.

Click the OK button when you have completed your multiple threshold selections.

You may proceed with counting objects based upon the value ranges you have selected.

•	If you are working with a color image, click the Select Color button to specify the range of colors that define the objects within your image.  When you click Select Color the Color Segmentation dialog box is presented. For a description of this dialog, please refer to the Color Segmentation section

Use this dialog box to segment out the objects that are to be counted and/or measured.  See the Color Segmentation command for procedures on segmenting color ranges from an image.

Note - you do not have to apply the color segmentation to the image with Make Mask in order to count/measure the objects within it.  Once you have segmented out the objects to your satisfaction (as evidenced by a segment Preview), the Color Segmentation dialog box can be closed, and you may proceed to count and measure the objects.

Count: Click this button to initiate a counting and measuring operation.  When this button is clicked, Image-Pro will count and outline the objects within the active image or AOI, as shown in this example.

If either the Automatic Bright Objects or Automatic Bright Objects intensity option is enabled, Image-Pro will automatically analyze the image before performing the count, and    identify the intensities that separate the objects from the background.  Otherwise, it will count the objects as defined by the intensity range you have set manually.

Before clicking the Count button, be sure you have specified your measurement and outline options.  Image-Pro will measure as well as count if measurements have been selected with the Select Measurements... command, and if the Measure Objects option is on.  Otherwise, objects will simply be outlined and counted.  You can control whether measurements replace or are added to existing data in the data sheet using the Add Count option.  You can also count and measure only objects meeting certain criteria using the Apply Ranges option and Set Ranges command.  See option and command descriptions below for more information about these capabilities.

The count operation will outline the objects it finds in your image in the manner you have specified in the Options menu.  See Options below.

Options:   Click this button to access and change options relating to the way counted objects are identified and outlined.  These options can be used to change the outline color, or to display counted objects with a solid color instead of an outline.  It also contains options that determine how holes and partial objects are treated.

When you click the Options button, the Count/Size Options dialog box is presented.

Display Options:   Use the options in this group box to specify how you want your counted objects highlighted and labeled.  The results of each option you select will be depicted in the sample image to the right.

Outline Style:   This list box determines the way in which you want your counted objects distinguished.  Choose one of the following options:

•	None - counted objects will not be highlighted in any way (other than with their label number, if that option is enabled).

•	Outline - counted objects will be highlighted with a colored trace around their perimeter.

•	With Holes - counted objects will be highlighted with a colored trace around their perimeter and around any holes that are within the object (holes are defined as pixels within an object that are not of the specified intensity).

Note - if the Fill Holes checkbox is selected, the With Holes outline style has no effect.  Only a perimeter outline will appear.  This is because the Fill Holes option treats all pixels encompassed by the perimeter as part of an object, regardless of their intensity value.

•	Filled - counted objects will be highlighted with a solid color.  The entire object will appear in the color selected in the color option box.

•	Ellipse - counted objects will be highlighted with their ellipse equivalents (ellipse with same major and minor axes as object).

•	Class - counted objects will be colored according to their class.  This option will color-code the counted objects according to the classifications created by the Auto Classification or Single Variable Classification commands.  If there is only one object class, this selection will yield the same results as Outline.

•	Class Filled - counted objects will be colored according to their class, then highlighted with a solid color.  This option will color-code the counted objects according to the classifications created by the Auto Classification or Single Variable Classification commands.  If there is only one object class, this selection will yield the same results as Filled.

Dot -marks each counted object with a small cross hair positioned in the center of the object's bounding box.

Label Style:   This list box determines the kind of label that will be displayed.  Choose one of the following options:

•	None - label numbers will not be displayed.

•	Obj # - a counted objects will be displayed with the unique number that identifies it.

•	Class - a counted object will be displayed with the number of the class to which it has been assigned by the Auto Classification or Single Variable Classification commands.

Label Color:  The Label Color list box allows you to choose the colors for your labels.  If you elect to show labels, all the labels will be in the same color, even if you have several ranges or several classes.

Choose Color by Range:  If you have selected Multiple Thresholds, using the Manual: Select Range... option on the Count/Size dialog box, the (Range) list box will contain the names of those ranges.  Otherwise, only one range will be available to you.  If you make no color changes, the colors you chose for the Multiple Threshold will be used.

If you have trouble distinguishing some ranges, you may want to change one or more colors.  Note that you will be able to observe the distinction better if you select Filled for your Outline Style. From the list box, choose the range whose color you want to change.

Click the Choose Color button to change the color representation of the current range.

To choose a different Basic Color, click the desired color, then click OK.  Custom colors are not enabled.

Dark Background on Sample:  Check this box if your image has bright images on a dark background.  This allows you to observe on the sample image the color selections you have made.

Clean Border:   Select this option to exclude from the count any objects that intersect the edges of your image or AOI.  When Clean Border is checked, Image-Pro will count and measure only the objects that lie entirely within the area of study (the active AOI or image).

Pre-filter:   Select this option to include in the Total Count display, only those objects that are within the specified range.  When Pre-filter is not checked, the Total Count value represents all objects within the AOI or image, not just those meeting the range criteria.

Fill Holes:   Select this option to exclude from the count any objects that are embedded within other objects.  When Fill Holes is checked, Image-Pro will ignore any objects it finds that are totally encompassed by a larger object.

Convex hull:   Select this option to create a  smooth area around the perimeter of irregularly shaped objects. For example, if you have an area such as star or crescent shape, selecting this option will fill in the areas between the points before taking any measurements.

Smoothing:   Enter a smoothing value from 0 (no smoothing) to 100 (Maximum smoothing).  Any smoothing value greater than zero instructs Image-Pro to perform smoothing, and indicates to what degree smoothing should be performed.

If perimeter and roundness are critical measurements, do not use smoothing.

4-Connect: Check this box to use the 4-connect method of separating objects in the image.  If the 4-connect method is used, only objects that share a corner pixel will be counted separately.

8-Connect: Check this box to use the 8-connect method of separating objects in the image.  If the 8-connect method is used, objects that are connected in any way will be counted as one.

Measure Objects:   Select this option on the Count/Size window if you want Image-Pro to record measurements for the counted objects.  If this option is checked, Image-Pro will perform and record the measurements you have specified with the Select Measurements... command.  If this option is not checked, Image-Pro will only count and outline your objects.

Apply Ranges:   Select this option if you want Image-Pro to count only those objects that fall within the measurement ranges you have specified with the Set Ranges command.  If this option is unchecked, all objects are counted and measured; the Set Ranges criteria are ignored.

Note - the Measure Objects option must be checked when you use the Apply Ranges option.  If Measure Objects is not enabled, Image-Pro will not have the data it needs to determine whether an object is within the specified range.

Add Count:   Select this option if you want Image-Pro to keep the current outlines and measurements when you perform a new count (i.e., when you click Count).  Ordinarily, Image-Pro clears all previous measurements when it begins a new count; however, if the Add Count  option is enabled, the previous measurements are maintained, and the new ones are simply added to it.

There are a couple of instances where the Add Count option is useful.  First, you might use it to add the measurements from one AOI to another.  If you had collected measurements from one part of your image, then moved your AOI to collect additional measurements from another area, you might want to set Add Count option to collect all the measurement in a single data set.

You might also want to use Add Count if you were collecting data for more than one kind of object.  If, for example, you had counted a set of objects defined by one intensity range, then redefined the intensity range for a new set of features, you would use Add Count to combine the measurements of the two object sets.

Note - if the new intensity range causes a new object to touch an existing outline, the new object will be counted as a part of the previous outline.

Delete:   Click this button to clear the existing object outlines and measurements.

If you respond Yes or press Enter, Image-Pro will clear the outlines from your image, and clear the measurements from your data sheet.  A response of No will leave your outlines and measurements unchanged.

More:

Count/Size File Menu

Count/Size Edit Menu

Count/Size View Menu

Count/Size Measure Menu

Count/Size Image Menu


Count/Size File Menu

The commands on the Count/Size window's File menu are used to perform operations that load and save measurement, outline and environment settings to and from disk files.  It also contains the command to close the Count/Size window.

•	Data to File...:  Select the Data to File. command to store the current measurement data sheet to disk.  The measurement file can be saved to an ASCII file, or to a LOTUS 123™ WK1 spreadsheet file.  In either case, the file will contain a measurement record for each object in the count.  The saved data can be imported into a spreadsheet application or used as input to an external program.  See Appendix B, File Format Specifications, for the ASCII file format specifications.

Specify the type of file you want to create in the Save As Type field.  Then, enter the name of the file to which you want the measurement data saved and click OK.

Header: Check this box if you want Image-Pro to create a header for your file.

Left Column: Check this box if you want Image-Pro to place the data in the file starting with the far left column.

•	Append Data to File...:  Select the Append Data to File. command to store the current measurement data sheet as an attachment to an existing file.

The measurement file can be saved to an ASCII file, or to a LOTUS 123™ WK1 spreadsheet file.  In either case, the file will contain a measurement record for each object in the count.  The saved data can be imported into a spreadsheet application or used as input to an external program.  See Appendix B, File Format Specifications, for the ASCII file format specifications.

When you select Append Data, the Save Data dialog box is displayed (on preceding page). Specify the type of file you want to create in the Save As Type field.  Then, enter the name of the file to which you want the measurement data saved and click OK.

•	Data To Clipboard: Select the Data To Clipboard command to copy the current measurement data to the Windows Clipboard.  From there, the data can be pasted into any application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

•	DDE To Excel:  Select the DDE To Excel command to transfer  data to Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet.  For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion.

•	DDE Options...:  Select the DDE Options command to tell Image-Pro how and where to export the current data via DDE. For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion.

•	Save Outlines...:  Select the Save Outlines... command to store the current outlines to disk.  You may save your object outlines, as a list of polygonal shapes, to an ASCII or a binary file.  See Appendix B, File Format Specifications, for the format specifications for this file.

Saved outlines can be superimposed upon another image using the Load Outlines command.  Outline files are required by the Population Density command, as they define the area from which object density will be derived.  You might also use an outline file as input to an external program.

Specify the name of the file to which you want the counted object outlines saved, choose "*.OUT" for binary files or "*.TXT" for ASCII files, then click Save.

Note -  If you have highlighted your objects with the Fill option, Image-Pro will store the perimeter definitions to the outline file.  No data will be included to describe the "fill."

•	Load Outlines...:  Select the Load Outlines... command on the Count/Size window's File menu to superimpose an outline file onto the active image.  Outline files are created using the Save Outlines... command from the Count/Size... or Measurements command's File menu.  If you are preparing an image for a Population Density command, you must use this Load Outlines to superimpose the outlines encompassing your counted objects.  You might also load an outline file for positional or alignment purposes.

When you select the Load Outlines... command, the Load Outlines dialog box is presented.

Select the outline file you want to load, then click Open.  When the outlines are loaded, their measurements (as currently specified in the Select Measurements... command) are calculated and added to the measurement data sheet.  If the outline file is one created by the Measurements... command, and contains open outlines (e.g., lines, traces, angles), they will be closed when they are loaded (Count/Size works with polygons).

Note - an outline loaded from an outline file is simply "superimposed" upon your image.  It is not actually written to your image bitmap.

•	Save Settings...:   Select the Save Settings... command on the Count/Size window's File menu to store the current Select Measurements..., Set Ranges, and Options specifications.  The Save Settings command stores these values to a file so that, at some future point, you can simply reload these values instead of having to reestablish them manually.  Your Count/Size settings are saved to an environment (.ENV) file.

Specify the name of the file to which you want the count/size settings saved, then click OK.

•	Load Settings...:   Select the Load Settings... command on the Count/Size window's File menu to set the Select Measurements, Set Ranges, and Options settings to the values defined in the Image-Pro environment file (an .ENV file).  An environment file is created by saving these settings using Image-Pro's Save Settings command.

When the Load Settings... command is selected, the Load Environment dialog box is presented. Select the environment file you want to load, then click Open.

•	Record Environment: Select this command if you want to record your current environment settings in a macro.

•	Close:   Use this command on the Count/Size window's File menu to close the Count/Size window.  Closing the Count/Size window will not affect active measurements and outlines, nor will it close the Measurements data sheet window if it is open.


Count/Size Edit Menu

The commands on the Count/Size window's Edit menu are used to modify counted objects and their outlines.

•	Split Objects...:   Use the Split Objects command to manually split a single object (usually a cluster that Image-Pro has counted as one object) into two or more objects.  When you select Split Objects the Outline dialog box and the Split Objects message box are both presented, the freeform AOI tool is activated, and the drawing-arrow cursor appears in your image. Use the drawing arrow to draw a dividing line between your two objects.  To draw a line, click the left mouse button at each endpoint.  When both points have been defined, click your right mouse button.  Image-Pro will display the line that you have defined.  If you are satisfied with the line, click the right mouse button.  You may also split an object with a polyline (a continuous line with more than one segment).  To create a polyline, simply click the left mouse button at each node.  When the line has been entirely defined, click the right mouse button.

When placing the line to split your object, be sure the dividing line intersects the perimeter of the object that you are splitting (it's okay if the line extends outside the perimeter, as shown in the examples above). You may also use the Freeform AOI Tool to segment the object.  Simply click once on the Outline dialog box, then draw your AOI (or use the Auto-Trace feature).  When the line has been entirely defined, click the right mouse button.

When you have finished splitting the object, using any of the above methods, click the right mouse button

When you are satisfied with the object split, click OK in the message box.  The object will be split, and counted a two objects.

•	Auto-Split:   Use the Auto-Split command on the Count/Size window's Edit menu to automatically analyze every counted object and split any detected clusters into individual objects (note that Auto-Split will evaluate all objects in your image or AOI -- if you want to selectively split objects, use the Split Objects command above).

The Auto-Split command performs its splitting process by looking for concavities in objects.  It works best on clusters created by round objects that overlap by no more than 1/3.  Please refer to the Measuring and Counting discussion in Section 1 for more about clustering criteria. Click Yes to continue with the Auto Split operation, or No to cancel it.

•	Watershed Split:   Use the Watershed Split command on the Count/Size window's Edit menu to automatically analyze every counted object and split clusters using the Watershed separation technique.  The Watershed method erodes objects until they disappear, then dilates them again such that they do not touch.  The Watershed Split command may be more effective than the Auto-Split method if your objects are not convex.

•	Draw/Merge...:   Use the Draw/Merge... command on the Count/Size window's Edit menu to manually create an object outline or merge individual counted objects into one.  The basic steps involved when using the Draw/Merge command are to:

1. 	Draw an AOI that defines the object(s) you want to merge or create (you will probably want to use the Freeform AOI tool for maximum flexibility, but any of the AOI tools can be used).

You can combine objects by drawing the AOI to connect the perimeters of the objects (example, right).  Or you can define an entirely new object by simply drawing an AOI over the background (lower example).

Please refer to the Measuring and Counting discussion in Section 1 for more about defining AOI's to group objects for Draw/Merge.

1. 	Select the Draw/Merge command to create a counted object from the AOI you have defined.  When you select the Draw/Merge command, the Outline dialog box and the Draw/Merge Objects message box are presented and the freeform AOI tool is activated

If your AOI is already defined (as described in Step 1), click OK.  If you have not yet defined an AOI, or are not satisfied with the one you have defined, define one now.  Then click OK.

Once you click OK, Image-Pro will combine the objects, or add the new object to the count.

•	Smooth Objects:   Use the Smooth Objects command on the Count/Size window's Edit menu to smooth objects that have already been counted. Enter a smoothing value from 0 (no smoothing) to 100 (maximum smoothing).  This command performs the same smoothing as the Smoothing option in the Count/Size Options dialog box, but is done without recounting your objects (you won't lose any object edits, i.e., split, merge, hide, that have been done).

See also Smoothing in the discussion of the Count/Size Options dialog box.

•	Remove Holes...: Use the Remove Holes... command on the Count/Size window's Edit menu to remove counted objects that are embedded within other counted objects, and count as the area all pixels encompassed by the perimeter of an object, not just those falling within the selected intensity range.

 This command performs the same process as the Fill Holes option in the Count/Size Options dialog box, but is done without recounting your objects (you won't lose any object edits, i.e., split, merge, hide, that have been done).

Note - the Remove Holes command does not literally remove, or fill, the holes in your objects.  It does, however, remove embedded objects from the count and ensure that the entire area within an object is included in its area measurement.

See also Fill Holes in the discussion of the Count/Size Options dialog box.


Count/Size View Menu

Use the commands on the Count/Size : View menu to view the data and statistics associated with the counted objects in the active window.

•	Measurement Data:  Use the Measurement Data command to display the Measurements window.  The Measurements window contains the measurement data sheet for objects in the active image window.

The Measurements window, like other windows, can be moved by dragging its title bar.  It can be enlarged and reduced by dragging its borders.  Use the scroll buttons along the bottom and left side to scroll through your data.

Only measurements for the active objects are listed in the data sheet.  And, its contents are dynamic -- the measurements will change as you activate/deactivate objects, or add/remove measurement types.

The Sort options on this dialog box allow you to leave it in object number order (No Sort), or sort your measurement information in ascending or descending order, using your choice of measurements for the sort (using the On list box) .

Locate the object:  As you examine the measurement data, you may want to view a specific object.  To do so, click this check box, then select the object from the Measurement Data window (click anywhere on the row for that object's data).  A radiating signal identifies the object if it is in view.

Note - If the Measurement Data window is covering up your image, you may need to drag it aside, in order to see the located object.

Scroll to the object:  If you want to locate an object that may not be in view, click this check box before you select the object (see Locate the object, above).  Image-Pro finds the objects, scrolls your image to center it in your view, and signals its location.

If you do not check the Scroll to the object check box and the object you are locating is not visible, Image-Pro will signal this fact with a beep and a radiating flag at the side or corner of the image to which you should scroll, manually, in order to see the object.

View : Measurement Data : File Menu: The options on this menu allow you to save, append, or copy this information to the Windows clipboard.

Data to File...:  Select the  Data to File command to save the  current measurement data sheet as an attachment to a  file.

Append Data to File...:  Select the Append Data to File. command to store the  current measurement data sheet as an attachment to an existing file.  The measurement file can be saved to an ASCII file, or to a LOTUS 123™ WK1 spreadsheet file.  In either case, the file will contain a measurement record for each object in the count.  The saved data can be imported into a spreadsheet application or used as input to an external program.  See Appendix B, File Format Specifications, for the ASCII file format specifications.

Data To Clipboard: Select:  Select the Data To Clipboard command to copy the current measurement data to the Windows Clipboard.  From there, the data can be pasted into any application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

Table  To Clipboard: Select:  Select the Table To Clipboard command to copy the current measurement data to the Windows Clipboard in table format From there, the data can be pasted into any application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

Statistics:  Use the Statistics command on the Count/Size window's View menu to display the statistic data sheet for the active window.   The statistic data sheet contains a table of statistics for the measurements that have been made of the active objects.  It contains information such as Minimum, Maximum and Mean values for each measurement type selected in the Select Measurements... command. When you select the Statistics command, a Statistics window is opened.  It contains the statistics data sheet for the objects in the active image window.

The Statistics window can be moved by dragging its title bar.  It can be enlarged and reduced by dragging its borders.  Use the scroll buttons, if there are any, to scroll through your data.

The following statistics are listed for each measurement you have made:

•	Min:   This row lists the smallest value for each measurement you have specified.  The object possessing the minimum measurement is identified, by number, below the stated minimum.

•	Max:   This row lists the largest value for each measurement you have specified.  The object possessing the maximum measurement is identified, by number, below the stated maximum.

•	Range:   This row lists the difference between the maximum and minimum values for each measurement you have specified.

•	Mean:   This row lists the average (mean ) for each measurement you have specified.

•	Standard. Deviation:   This row lists the standard deviation for each measurement you have specified.

•	Sum:   This row lists the sum of the measurements for each measurement type (e.g., area, perimeter, etc.) you have specified.

•	Samples:   This row lists the total number of objects that have been included in the count from which these statistics were derived.

The contents of this window are dynamic -- the statistics will change as you activate/deactivate objects, or add remove measurement types.

Locate the object:  You can identify on your image any object that is the Max or Min object for a given statistic.  To do so, click this check box, then select the object from the Statistics window (click on the object number in the Obj.# row; Obj.# rows are flagged with a symbol  ).  A radiating signal identifies the object if it is in view.

Note - If the Statistics window is covering up your image, you may need to drag it aside, in order to see the located object.

Scroll to the object:  If you want to locate an object that may not be in view, click this check box before you select the object (see Locate the object, above).  Image-Pro finds the objects, scrolls your image to center it in your view, and signals its location.

If you do not check the Scroll to the object check box and the object you are locating is not visible, Image-Pro will signal this fact with a beep and a radiating flag at the side or corner of the image to which you should scroll, manually, in order to see the object.

View : Statistics : File Menu: The options on this menu allow you to save, append, or copy this information to the Windows clipboard.

Data to File:  Select the  Data to File command to save the  current statistics data sheet as an attachment to a  file

Append Data to File  Select the Append Data to File. command to store the  current measurement data sheet as an attachment to an existing file.  The measurement file can be saved to an ASCII file, or to a LOTUS 123™ WK1 spreadsheet file.  In either case, the file will contain a measurement record for each object in the count.  The saved data can be imported into a spreadsheet application or used as input to an external program.  See Appendix B, File Format Specifications, for the ASCII file format specifications.

Data To Clipboard: Select the Data To Clipboard command to copy the current measurement data to the Windows Clipboard.  From there, the data can be pasted into any application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

Table  To Clipboard: Select:  Select the Table To Clipboard command to copy the current statistics data to the Windows Clipboard in table format From there, the data can be pasted into any application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

•	Histogram:  Use the Histogram command on the Count/Size window's View menu to display measurement data in histogram form, where the X-axis represents the value of the measurement being graphed, and the Y-axis represents the number of objects with that measurement value.

Area:  From this list box, select the measurement type that you want to have graphed.

Bins:  In this field enter the number of intervals you want the X-axis divided into.

View : Histogram : File Menu: Graph to Clipboard: This menu allow you to copy this graph to the Windows clipboard.

•	Scattergram:  Use the Scattergram command on the Count/Size window's View menu to plot two measurement types against each other.

In the list box in the upper-left corner, select the measurement type you want plotted along the Y-axis.

In the list box in the lower-right corner, select the measurement type you want plotted along the X-axis.

View : Scattergram : File Menu: Graph to Clipboard: This menu allow you to copy this graph to the Windows clipboard.

•	Object Window:  Use the Object Window command on the Count/Size window's View menu to view the measurements for a specific object.  You can also use the Object Window command to deactivate an object (remove it from the list of measurements) and reactivate an object.

Object #:   In this field, enter the number of the object for which you want to view measurements.  You may type the number in, or use the spin buttons to select it.  When an object number has been entered, the measurements for that object are displayed in the window.

Range #:   In this field, enter the number of the object's range for which you want to view measurements.  You may type the number in, or use the spin buttons to select it.  When a range and object number have been entered, the measurements for that object are displayed in the window.

Note - You will not be able to change this field if you did not select ranges or colors manually.

Hide:   Check this box if you want to deactivate an object.  When an object is deactivated, its measurements are removed from the measurement list (and any statistics or graphs that are derived from the active measurements).  Its outline and label are cleared from the screen.

Note - this action does not delete an object, it merely deactivates it.  The object can be reactivated by selecting it again with the Object Attribute command, and unmarking the Hide box.


Count/Size Measure Menu

Use the commands on the Count/Size : Measure menu to select and modify the kinds of measurements you want to make upon your counted objects.  This menu is also used to perform population density and cluster analysis operations.

•	Select Measurements...:  Use the Select Measurements... command to specify the types of measurement data you want to record when your objects are counted.  You may select as many of these measurement types as you need (they can all be selected simultaneously if needed).   You also use the Select Measurements... command to specify the limits by which Image-Pro will exclude objects from the count.  When a range for a measurement is selected, and the Apply Ranges option in the Count/Size window is enabled, only objects that fall within the range (min and max inclusive) are included in the count and are recorded on the measurement data sheet.

Measurements:   Use this list box to select types of measurements.   Click on the measure you want taken upon the counted objects.  A measure will be highlighted when it is selected.  Clicking on a selected measure will deselect it.

See Measuring and Counting in Section 1 for a description of each of these measures.

Click OK to return to the Count/Size menu, or Measure to perform the specified measurement upon the counted objects.

Note - clicking OK will not perform the specified measurements.  Measurements are not taken until you select Count in the Count/Size window, or either Measure or Filter Objects in the Select Measurements dialog box.

Clicking Measure will remeasure all the counted objects in your image or AOI and update the measurement data sheet with the selected measurements.  If a measure has been deselected, its measurement values will be removed from the measurement data sheet.  If the Apply Ranges option on the Count/Size menu is enabled, only objects meeting the criteria set forth in the Set Ranges dialog box will be counted and measured.

Filter Ranges:   Use this list box to set a measurement range, in order to restrict the values that are measured for an object.  To set a measurement range, click on the measure you want to limit, then specify the minimum and maximum values for that measure.  Click OK to return to the Count/Size menu, or Filter Objects to apply a filter to the measurements for the counted objects.

Start/End:   Enter the minimum and maximum allowable values for the selected measure.  Image-Pro will count and record data for only those objects whose measurements equal or fall between the two values you specify here.

Note - Only measurements that have been specified with the Select Measurements dialog box can be selected and limited with Set Ranges.  If the measure you want to limit is not listed by Set Ranges,  you will need to enable it in the Select Measurement list  box.

Clicking Filter Objects will count only the objects meeting the specified criteria and update the measurement data sheet with the selected measurements.  This Filter Objects button ignores the status of the Apply Ranges option in the main Count/Size window.  When you click Filter Objects within this dialog box, Image-Pro always applies the specified limiting criteria to the count.

•	Population Density:  Use the Population Density command on the Count/Size window's Measure menu to overlay a set of previously stored outlines onto the current image, and calculate the object density within them.

Before selecting the Population Density command, you must have already performed the following steps:

1)	Created a set of site outlines and stored them into an outline file.  The site outlines define the areas for which population density will be determined.

2)	Counted the individual objects for which density is being measured.  This image must be the active image when the Population Density command is invoked.

If you are not familiar with the population density procedure, review the Population Density Analysis in Section 1.  It describes the entire population density process.

Select the outline you want to load, then click OK.  The outlines from the selected file will be overlaid onto your active image, and the population density for each site will be displayed in the Population Density window.

The Population Density window can be moved by dragging its title bar.  It can be enlarged and reduced by dragging its borders.  Use the scroll buttons along the bottom and left side to scroll through your data.  If you scroll to the bottom of the window, the following summary data are reported:

See Population Density Analysis in Section 1 for a description of the values reported in the Population Density window.

Locate the site:   Select this check box if you want Image-Pro to signal the site location on the image.    To do so, click this check box, then select the object from the Population Density window. A radiating signal identifies the object if it is in view.

Note - If the Population Density window is covering up your image, you may need to drag it aside, in order to see the located object.

Scroll to the site:  If you want to locate an object that may not be in view, click this check box and the Locate the site check box before you select the object (see Locate the object, above).  Image-Pro finds the objects, scrolls your image to center it in your view, and signals its location.

•	Clusters:  Use the Clusters command on the Count/Size window's Measure menu to perform a cluster analysis of your counted objects.  During cluster analysis, Image-Pro examines all of the counted objects, identifies objects that are clusters of single objects, and estimates the number of objects in the clusters.

Important - The Cluster Analysis command works by analyzing counted objects.  Therefore, you must perform a Count before you perform Cluster Analysis.  Your counted objects must include both the clusters you want analyzed and several typical single objects.

In the following example, objects 9, 16 and 17 are actually clusters of single objects.  A cluster analysis of this image would provide an estimate of the number of single objects contained in these three clusters.

When you select the Clusters command, the counted objects are analyzed, and the analysis results are presented in the Cluster Info window:

This window provides the following information:

•	Original Count:   This value reports the number of objects detected by the Count process.  This number reflects a cluster as a single object.

•	Single Objects:   This value reports the number of non-overlapping objects in the original count.

•	Clusters:   This value reports the number of groups of objects that have been counted as one, in the original count.

•	Objects in Clusters:   This value reports the number of single objects encompassed within the clusters.

•	Total Objects:   This value reports the total number of objects in the image, as determined by Single Objects + Objects in Clusters.

•	Object Type Size:   This value reports the average area for a single object.

•	Auto Classification:  Use the Auto Classification command on the Count/Size window's Measure menu to automatically categorize your counted objects into groups with similar measurements.  Before performing an Auto Classification you must have performed a count on the objects you want categorized.

When you select the Auto Classification command, the Auto Classification dialog box is presented.  In it, select the measurement types to be used as classifiers, and the maximum number of categories into which you want the data divided.   Then select OK.

Classifiers:   In this list box, select the measurement types by which you want the objects classified.  Image-Pro will analyze the data for clusters created when these measurement values are plotted against each other, and divide the data accordingly.  Only three classifications are allowed at one time.

Max. Classes:   In this field, enter the maximum number of categories into which you want the measurement data categorized.  Depending upon the number of clusters Image-Pro identifies, fewer classes than the number specified here may actually be produced.  However, the number of classes will never exceed the specified "Max. Classes" value.

Iterate:   Check this box if you want Image-Pro to repeat and refine the classification process until there is no change in the results.

When you click OK, the selected object measurements are classified, and the results are presented in the Classification window:

This window provides the information that is checked in the view menu (see below).  If nothing is checked, only the object class and object count are given.

•	Class:   This number identifies the class.

•	Objects:   This value reports the number of objects in the class.

Note - once objects have been classified, they can be color-coded by their class.  To do this, select the Class outline option in the Count/Size dialog box.

Use the Count/Size... command to perform counting and measurement operations.  The Count/Size window contains many functions and options.  Moreover, it contains a menu bar with an entire set of its own commands.

Counting/Sizing can be performed upon an entire image, or upon an active AOI.

Important - if you want to express your measurement results in terms other than the default intensity and pixel-width values, you must calibrate the intensity and spatial scales before you count and measure.  See the Calibration command.

The basic steps involved in a counting task are to:

1.	Set the range of intensities (monochrome images) or the colors (color images) that identify the object you want to count using the tools in the Intensity Range Selection group box.

2.	Select the kinds of measurement you want to record in the Count/Size : Measure menu's Select Measurements... command.

3.	Count and measure the objects using the Count button.

Then, using the Count/Size... menu commands, your measurements can be viewed, saved, and edited.  You can also classify, sort and graph your data using the menu commands.

When you select the Count/Size... command, the Count/Size window is displayed.

Before performing your counting or measurement operation, be sure your intensity and spatial scales have been calibrated for your application.  See the Calibration command.

Note - During a Count/Size operation, Image-Pro reports intensity and size data in terms of the currently specified intensity and spatial units.  In the command and option descriptions below, the general terms "intensity" and "pixels" are used, but keep in mind that these properties will actually be reported in the terms that you have specified with the Calibration command.

Intensity Range Selection:   Use the options in this box to specify the intensity values that define the objects you want counted and measured.  You can manually select the range by highlighting a segment of the intensity or color scale, or you can request to have Image-Pro automatically determine the range.

Current Range:   This informational field displays the boundaries of the currently selected intensity range.  All pixels containing intensities within this range (endpoints included) are considered part of a countable object.  These values are set using either the Manual or Automatic intensity selection options.

Automatic Bright Objects:   Click this option button if you want Image-Pro to analyze your image and automatically set the intensity range when it performs the count.  Image-Pro will interpret Bright Objects as foreground objects (on a dark background).

Automatic Dark Objects:  Click this option button if you want Image-Pro to analyze your image and automatically set the intensity range when it performs the count.  Image-Pro will interpret Dark Objects as foreground objects (on a bright background).

If Image-Pro does not successfully extract your objects from your image, you may need to use the Flatten Background command on the Count/Size window's Image menu to eliminate background intensities that compete with your objects.

Manual:   Click this option button if you want to define your intensity range manually.  After you have selected Manual, click the Select Range button (for monochrome) or Select Color button (for color), to specify the range of intensities/colors that define the objects in the active image.

If you are working with a monochrome image, click the Select Ranges... button to set from one to 16 intensity ranges that define the objects in the active monochrome image.  You might want to do this to distinguish objects at a particular intensity range from their background or from other objects.  An object is defined as that area whose pixels fall within the intensity values of its defined range.

Initially, one range will be selected.  You will set it and additional ranges, one range at a time, until you have as many as you need. For a description of this dialog, please refer to the Color Segmentation section.

Click the Color Bar to change the color representation of the current range.  To choose a different Basic Color, click the desired color, then click OK.  Custom colors are not enabled.

Click the OK button when you have completed your multiple threshold selections.

You may proceed with counting objects based upon the value ranges you have selected.

If you are working with a color image, click the Select Color button to specify the range of colors that define the objects within your image.  When you click Select Color the Color Segmentation dialog box is presented. For a description of this dialog, please refer to the Color Segmentation section

Use this dialog box to segment out the objects that are to be counted and/or measured.  See the Color Segmentation command for procedures on segmenting color ranges from an image.

Note - you do not have to apply the color segmentation to the image with Make Mask in order to count/measure the objects within it.  Once you have segmented out the objects to your satisfaction (as evidenced by a segment Preview), the Color Segmentation dialog box can be closed, and you may proceed to count and measure the objects.

Count: Click this button to initiate a counting and measuring operation.  When this button is clicked, Image-Pro will count and outline the objects within the active image or AOI, as shown in this example.

If either the Automatic Bright Objects or Automatic Bright Objects intensity option is enabled, Image-Pro will automatically analyze the image before performing the count, and    identify the intensities that separate the objects from the background.  Otherwise, it will count the objects as defined by the intensity range you have set manually.

Before clicking the Count button, be sure you have specified your measurement and outline options.  Image-Pro will measure as well as count if measurements have been selected with the Select Measurements... command, and if the Measure Objects option is on.  Otherwise, objects will simply be outlined and counted.  You can control whether measurements replace or are added to existing data in the data sheet using the Add Count option.  You can also count and measure only objects meeting certain criteria using the Apply Ranges option and Set Ranges command.  See option and command descriptions below for more information about these capabilities.

The count operation will outline the objects it finds in your image in the manner you have specified in the Options menu.  See Options below.

Options:   Click this button to access and change options relating to the way counted objects are identified and outlined.  These options can be used to change the outline color, or to display counted objects with a solid color instead of an outline.  It also contains options that determine how holes and partial objects are treated.

When you click the Options button, the Count/Size Options dialog box is presented.

Display Options:   Use the options in this group box to specify how you want your counted objects highlighted and labeled.  The results of each option you select will be depicted in the sample image to the right.

Outline Style:   This list box determines the way in which you want your counted objects distinguished.  Choose one of the following options:

•	None - counted objects will not be highlighted in any way (other than with their label number, if that option is enabled).

•	Outline - counted objects will be highlighted with a colored trace around their perimeter.

•	With Holes - counted objects will be highlighted with a colored trace around their perimeter and around any holes that are within the object (holes are defined as pixels within an object that are not of the specified intensity).

Note - if the Fill Holes checkbox is selected, the With Holes outline style has no effect.  Only a perimeter outline will appear.  This is because the Fill Holes option treats all pixels encompassed by the perimeter as part of an object, regardless of their intensity value.

•	Filled - counted objects will be highlighted with a solid color.  The entire object will appear in the color selected in the color option box.

•	Ellipse - counted objects will be highlighted with their ellipse equivalents (ellipse with same major and minor axes as object).

•	Class - counted objects will be colored according to their class.  This option will color-code the counted objects according to the classifications created by the Auto Classification or Single Variable Classification commands.  If there is only one object class, this selection will yield the same results as Outline.

•	Class Filled - counted objects will be colored according to their class, then highlighted with a solid color.  This option will color-code the counted objects according to the classifications created by the Auto Classification or Single Variable Classification commands.  If there is only one object class, this selection will yield the same results as Filled.

•	Dot -marks each counted object with a small cross hair positioned in the center of the object's bounding box.

•	Label Style:   This list box determines the kind of label that will be displayed.  Choose one of the following options:

•	None - label numbers will not be displayed.

•	Obj # - a counted objects will be displayed with the unique number that identifies it.

•	Class - a counted object will be displayed with the number of the class to which it has been assigned by the Auto Classification or Single Variable Classification commands.

Label Color:  The Label Color list box allows you to choose the colors for your labels.  If you elect to show labels, all the labels will be in the same color, even if you have several ranges or several classes.

Choose Color by Range:  If you have selected Multiple Thresholds, using the Manual: Select Range... option on the Count/Size dialog box, the (Range) list box will contain the names of those ranges.  Otherwise, only one range will be available to you.  If you make no color changes, the colors you chose for the Multiple Threshold will be used.

If you have trouble distinguishing some ranges, you may want to change one or more colors.  Note that you will be able to observe the distinction better if you select Filled for your Outline Style. From the list box, choose the range whose color you want to change.

Click the Choose Color button to change the color representation of the current range.

To choose a different Basic Color, click the desired color, then click OK.  Custom colors are not enabled.

Dark Background on Sample:  Check this box if your image has bright images on a dark background.  This allows you to observe on the sample image the color selections you have made.

Clean Border:   Select this option to exclude from the count any objects that intersect the edges of your image or AOI.  When Clean Border is checked, Image-Pro will count and measure only the objects that lie entirely within the area of study (the active AOI or image).

Pre-filter:   Select this option to include in the Total Count display, only those objects that are within the specified range.  When Pre-filter is not checked, the Total Count value represents all objects within the AOI or image, not just those meeting the range criteria.

Fill Holes:   Select this option to exclude from the count any objects that are embedded within other objects.  When Fill Holes is checked, Image-Pro will ignore any objects it finds that are totally encompassed by a larger object.

Convex hull:   Select this option to create a  smooth area around the perimeter of irregularly shaped objects. For example, if you have an area such as star or crescent shape, selecting this option will fill in the areas between the points before taking any measurements.

Smoothing:   Enter a smoothing value from 0 (no smoothing) to 100 (Maximum smoothing).  Any smoothing value greater than zero instructs Image-Pro to perform smoothing, and indicates to what degree smoothing should be performed.

If perimeter and roundness are critical measurements, do not use smoothing.

Measure Objects:   Select this option on the Count/Size window if you want Image-Pro to record measurements for the counted objects.  If this option is checked, Image-Pro will perform and record the measurements you have specified with the Select Measurements... command.  If this option is not checked, Image-Pro will only count and outline your objects.

Apply Ranges:   Select this option if you want Image-Pro to count only those objects that fall within the measurement ranges you have specified with the Set Ranges command.  If this option is unchecked, all objects are counted and measured; the Set Ranges criteria are ignored.

Note - the Measure Objects option must be checked when you use the Apply Ranges option.  If Measure Objects is not enabled, Image-Pro will not have the data it needs to determine whether an object is within the specified range.

Add Count:   Select this option if you want Image-Pro to keep the current outlines and measurements when you perform a new count (i.e., when you click Count).  Ordinarily, Image-Pro clears all previous measurements when it begins a new count; however, if the Add Count  option is enabled, the previous measurements are maintained, and the new ones are simply added to it.

There are a couple of instances where the Add Count option is useful.  First, you might use it to add the measurements from one AOI to another.  If you had collected measurements from one part of your image, then moved your AOI to collect additional measurements from another area, you might want to set Add Count option to collect all the measurement in a single data set.

You might also want to use Add Count if you were collecting data for more than one kind of object.  If, for example, you had counted a set of objects defined by one intensity range, then redefined the intensity range for a new set of features, you would use Add Count to combine the measurements of the two object sets.

Note - if the new intensity range causes a new object to touch an existing outline, the new object will be counted as a part of the previous outline.

Delete:   Click this button to clear the existing object outlines and measurements.

If you respond Yes or press Enter, Image-Pro will clear the outlines from your image, and clear the measurements from your data sheet.  A response of No will leave your outlines and measurements unchanged.


Count/Size Image Menu

Use the commands on the Count/Size window's Image menu to perform pre-processing functions that can prepare your image for a more successful count/size operation.  You might use the options on this menu to better distinguish objects from background, or to separate objects or particles that touch.

Flatten Background:  Use the Flatten Background command to even out backgrounds that contain the same intensities as the objects you want to count.  Backgrounds containing such intensities make it difficult to isolate just the objects you want to count.  The Flatten Background command filters the background and reduces the intensity variations within it.

Background:   Select the option, Dark or Bright, that describes the background of your image.  Usually you will select the intensity that specifies the field upon which your objects lie.  However, if your objects are large or numerous and they occupy most of the area within your image or AOI, this option should be set to describe your objects.

Max. Feature Size:   Enter the approximate diameter of the largest object in your image or AOI.  This value is used by the Flatten Background operation to distinguish objects from background.  When selecting a Max. Feature Size value, it is better to estimate high rather than low.  Selecting a value that is too large will increase processing time, but will not adversely affect the image.  Selecting a value that is too low may produce unwanted results.

Note - because of the large filtering kernel that is used by this operation, some distortion will be introduced at the edges of your image or AOI.

Make Mask:   Use the Make Mask command on the Count/Size window's Image menu to create a gray scale image in which only the counted objects are shown.  Before using the Make Mask command in the active image, you must have performed a count, or have loaded the saved outlines from a previous count.  The mask will be created from the objects that the count describes.  Pixels that are part of a counted object will be rendered in white; all others in black.


Measurements

Use the Measurements... command to make individual, manual measurements of objects in your image.  Measurements such as Length, Area and Angle can be performed.  You can summarize the measurements into a set of statistics, or save the data to a file.  You can also load object outlines created using the Count/Size... command into your image, and add their area measurements to your measurement list.

Important - if you want to express your measurement results in terms other than the default intensity and pixel-width values, you must calibrate the intensity and spatial scales before you measure.  See the Calibration command.

When you select the Measurements... command, the Measurements window is opened.  The Measurements window is a common-access window.  It displays the measurement data associated with whatever image is active at the time.  Within this window are the tools you need to perform manual measurements, and the data sheet onto which your measurements will be recorded.

The basic steps involved in taking manual measurements are:

1.	Selecting the measurement tool you need to obtain your measurement.  This is done by selecting the appropriate tool button (e.g., Length, Area, Thickness) along the left edge of the window.

2.	Taking the actual measurement in your image.  Each tool has its own way of obtaining a measurement -- you might stretch a defining line to obtain a straight-line length, or trace an object to obtain an area.  The process for each is defined in the tool descriptions below.

3.	Collecting and saving the measurements in the data sheet.  When you take a measurement, the measurement is highlighted and numbered in the image, and the result is placed in the Measurements window's data sheet.  You may take as many measurements as you need.  The values of each will be recorded in the data sheet.  Within the data sheet, measurements can be deleted.  The data sheet can be saved to an ASCII file for use with an external program.

Length:   The Length button is used to perform straight-line length measurements in your image.

Click the location where you want the measurement line to begin, then at the prompt click an ending location.  Image-Pro superimposes your line on the image and allows you to make any desired modifications.

When you move your cursor over the line, special cursor symbols appear, letting you know that the line or one of its endpoints can be moved.

To move the entire line, place your cursor over the middle of the line.  When the 4-way arrow appears, drag the line to a new position.

To move an endpoint, place your cursor over the end of a line.  When the wheel-cursor appears, drag the endpoint to its new position

When you are satisfied with the position and length of the line, click OK.  The length measurement, expressed in terms defined by the current spatial calibration, is placed in the data sheet.  The measurement itself is highlighted and labeled in the image.  The label is listed with the measurement in the data sheet (length labels are always prefixed with an "L").

Area:   The Area button is used to obtain the area measurement of an object that you draw or trace. To take an area measurement, use the AOI tools to define an AOI within your image.  Any of the AOI tools, Rectangular, Elliptical or Freeform, can be used for this purpose.  You may even use the Freeform tool's Auto-Trace option to trace an object in your image.  Use the tool that best suits your particular needs.

When you are satisfied with the size and shape of your AOI, click OK in the Area Measurement message box.  The AOI's area measurement, expressed in terms defined by the current spatial calibration, will be placed in the data sheet.  The AOI within your image will be highlighted and labeled.  The label will accompany this measurement in the data sheet (area labels are always prefixed with an "A").

Angle:   The Angle button is used to obtain an angle measurement from your image.  Angle measurements are obtained by manually angling two measurement lines within the image.  When the Angle tool is selected, a pair of measurement lines is placed in the image. Use your mouse to position the lines such that they form the angle you want to measure.  The lines can be moved individually by moving your cursor over one of the lines and, when one of the special cursor symbols appears, moving the line or one of its endpoints.

To move the entire line, place your cursor over the middle of the line.  When the 4-way arrow appears, drag the line to a new position To move an endpoint, place your cursor over the end of a line.  When the wheel-cursor appears, drag the endpoint to its new position.

You may also connect the two lines, by selecting the Connect Vertex option in the Angle Measurement dialog box.  This joins the two lines to form a polyline.  You may position the two segments of the polyline by dragging its endpoints or the vertex.

When you are satisfied with the angle defined by your measurement lines (or polyline), click OK in the Angle Measurement message box.  The angle measurement, expressed in degrees, is placed in the data sheet.  The angle within your image will be highlighted and labeled.  The label will accompany this measurement in the data sheet (angle labels are always prefixed with an "G").

Trace:   The Trace button is used to obtain a length measurement of a polyline (a line made up of many segments).  This tool would be used if you wanted to measure the length of an edge, or the perimeter of an object.  When the Trace tool is selected, a drawing arrow is placed in your image.A trace (polyline), is defined just like a Freeform AOI - you click the left mouse button to define nodes along the line.  The following line would involve 4 mouse clicks, one at each of the indicated points:

If you continuously press the left mouse button while moving the mouse you can define smooth traces like this:

 You can also turn on the Auto-Trace feature in the Outline box (located in the upper left corner of the Image-Pro window), to automatically trace the outline of a feature in your image.  Once the Auto feature has been enabled, you must manually define the first two points in the trace. Do this by clicking on the first point (which defines the starting point), then moving (not dragging) the mouse to the second one (which identifies the direction).

Once the second point has been selected, Image-Pro will automatically begin tracing the edge.  It will continue the trace until it hits the image boundary, or can no longer detect an edge (you may continue the trace by manually clicking on the next point -- the trace will pick up from there).

Note - you can interrupt a trace by pressing the space bar.  To continue again, simply click on the next point.

Regardless of the method you have used to define your trace, you must click the right mouse button (or click OK in the Trace Measurement dialog box) after the last point is defined.  This will place the trace's length measurement, expressed in terms defined by the current spatial calibration, in the data sheet.  The trace within your image will be highlighted and labeled.  The label will accompany this measurement in the data sheet (trace labels are always prefixed with an "R").

Thick:   The Thick button is used to obtain a distance measurement between two existing measurements.  In order to use the Thick tool you must first create the two measurements for which you want to measure the distance between.  To obtain the distance measurement between these two measurements you must:

1)	Select the two measurements.  This can be done in one of two ways.  You can either select the measurement in the data sheet by clicking it (it will darken to indicate that is selected), or you can click the measurement's label in the image itself (you will see also see its data sheet record darken to indicate that is selected).

2)	Select whether to measure Min, Max or Avg distance.  In the Options dialog box, select the kind of thickness measurement you want calculated and recorded in your data sheet.

3)	Select the Thick button.  Image-Pro will calculate the distance between the surfaces of the two measurements, and write the result to the data sheet.

Note - if you have more than two measurements selected, Image-Pro will measure the distance between the first two selected measurements it finds in the data sheet (starting from measurement #1).

The thickness result will be expressed in the terms defined by the current spatial calibration.  This value represents the mean, minimum or maximum distance (depending upon you made in Step 2) between the two surfaces.  This distance will be highlighted and labeled in your image.  The label will accompany this measurement in the data sheet (thickness labels are always prefixed with a "T").

Del. All:   Click this button to delete all measurements from the list.  When a measurement is deleted, it is removed from the data sheet and the image.

Delete:   Click this button to delete selected measurements from the list.  To delete a single measurement, select the measurement (click its record in the data sheet, or its label in the image), then click Delete.  To delete multiple measurements, simply select all of the ones you want to remove, then click Delete.

Warning - be sure only the measurements you want to delete are selected when you click Delete.  This tool deletes every measurement it finds highlighted in your data sheet.

Options:   Click the Options button to access the options associated with the Measurements window.  These options let you assign the colors to be used for the measurement outlines and labels.  They also let you select the distance to measure when a Thick measurement is performed.

Outlines Color:   In this list box select the color you want to have used to highlight the measurement outlines in your image.

Labels Color:   In this list box select the color you want to have used to display the measurement labels in your image.

Calculate Thickness: If you are attempting to find the thickness of an irregular sample, you can select one of these radio button which most closely represents the shape of the area to be analyzed. To use this option:

Draw two lines with your Trace tool to measure the thickness in between them. These two lines will be R1 and R2.

Indicate the shape of the thickness you want by clicking the appropriate radio button in Calculate Thickness.

Select Minimum, Maximum or Both from Display Thickness.

Click on R1 and R2 in the Measurements table.

Click on the Thick button in the Measuments table.

 The thickness will be displayed on the image as T1, T2, etc. and the calculated thickness will be shown in the Measurements table.

Display Thickness:   Select the distance measurement you want measured and reported when a Thick measurement is performed between two surfaces.

•	Min:   Reports the smallest distance between the surfaces of the two measured features.

•	Max:   Reports the largest distance between the surfaces of the two measured features.

•	Both:   Reports the minimum and maximum distances between the surfaces of the two measured features.

Click in Length and Angle tools: If this box is checked, Length and Angle tools will be displayed on your image to help you define your measurements. If this box is not checked, you must defined the lengths or angle you wish to measure manually.

All angles between 0 and 180 deg: If this box is checked, Image-Pro will display the angle tool to help you calculate angles between 0 and 180 degrees. If this box is not checked, you can manually calculate angles from 0 to 179 degrees.

Repeat tool selection: If this box is checked, Image-Pro will allow you to use the length, angle or other tools several times in succession without returning to the Measurements dialog box. If this box is not checked, Image-Pro will return to the Measurements dialog box after each measurement is taken.

More:

Measurements File Menu

Measurements View Menu


Measurements File Menu

The commands in the Measurement window's File menu are used to save measurement data (the measurement values) to a disk file.  You can also save the outlines you have generated in the image (the traces, polygons, straight lines, and so forth).  You may use the outline file as input to an external program, or you can reload them into Image-Pro for future use with this or another image.

Each command on the measurement  File menu is described below.

•	Data to File:   Select this command if you want to save the measurement values (the results in the data sheet) to a file.  Measurement data are saved in an Image-Pro tools file (.TLS) in ASCII format. The file will contain the data sheet, exactly as it appears in the window.  The saved data can be imported to a spreadsheet application or used as input to an external program.  See Appendix B - File Format Specifications for a description of Image-Pro's .TLS file format.

When you select the Save Data command, the Save Measurements dialog box is displayed. Specify the name of the file to which you want the measurement values saved, then click Save.

•	 Append Data To File: Use the Append Data to File command on Measurements: File menu to add the current measurement data to an existing file.

When the  Append Data to File command is selected, the Append Measurements To dialog box is presented. Select the file to which you want the current data appended, then click Save.  The current line profile data will be written to the end of the specified file.

•	Data To Clipboard:   Use the Measurement window's Copy To Clipboard command to copy the current measurement data to the Windows Clipboard.  Once on the Clipboard, the data can be pasted into any Windows application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

•	DDE To Excel:  Select the DDE To Excel command to transfer  data to Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet.  Before selecting DDE To Excel, you should use DDE Options to determine the correct placement (within Excel) for the data.  When you select DDE To Excel, the transfer occurs with little visible evidence that it has happened.  By switching to the Excel application, you can confirm that the transfer has occurred.  For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion.

•	DDE Options...:  Select the DDE Options command to tell Image-Pro how and where to export the current data via DDE.For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion.

•	Save Outlines..:   Use the Save Outlines command on Measurement window's File menu to save the outlines of your manual measurements (i.e., the geometric shapes -- your traces, polygons, angles and so forth) to a file.  Outlines are stored to an ASCII file as a list of points defining the outline's shape.  You might use this data as input to an external program, or load this data back into Image-Pro for use with the Measurements... or Count/Size... commands.  The format of an outline file (.OUT), is described in Appendix B, File Format Specifications.  When you select the Save Outlines... command, the Save Outlines dialog box is displayed.

Specify the name of the file to which you want the measured outlines saved, then click Save.

•	 Load Outlines:  Select the Load Outlines command on the Measurement window's File menu to superimpose an outline file onto the active image, and add the measurements it produces to the data sheet.  Outline files are created using the Save Outlines command from the Count/Size... or Measurement window's File menu.  You might load the outlines produced by a Count/Size operation so that you could perform additional manual measurements upon it.

When you select the Load Outlines command, the Load Outlines dialog box is presented.

Select the outline file you want to load, then click Open.  When the outlines are loaded, their measurements are calculated and added to the measurement data sheet.

Note - an outline loaded from an outline file is simply "superimposed" upon your image.  It is not actually written to your image bitmap.

•	Close:   Use this command on the Measurement window's File menu to close the Measurements window.  Closing the Measurements window will not affect active measurements and outlines.


Measurements View Menu

The commands in the Measurement window's View menu are used to switch between actual and statistical views of the measurement data.  The options selected in this menu determine the contents of the data sheet portion of the Measurements window.

Each command on the measurement View menu is described below.

•	Measurements List:   Select this View menu option if you want to view the actual measurement values in the data sheet.

•	Statistics:   Select this View menu option if you want to view the statistics associated with the current set of measurements.

It will list the following statistics and, where appropriate, identify the measurement associated with the statistic (displayed as the Tool number below the statistic).

•	Min:   Reports the smallest measurement of each type (e.g., Length, Area, Angle) in the data set.

•	Max:   Reports the largest measurement of each type (e.g., Length, Area, Angle) in the data set.

•	Range:   Reports the difference between the Min and Max values  for each measurement type (e.g., Length, Area, Angle).

•	Mean:   Reports the average (mean) for each measurement type (e.g., Length, Area, Angle) in the data set.

•	Std Dev:   Reports the Standard Deviation for each measurement type (e.g., Length, Area, Angle) in the data set.

•	Sum:   Reports the sum of the values for each measurement type (e.g., Length, Area, Angle) in the data set.

•	Samples:   Reports the number of measurements of each type (e.g., Length, Area, Angle) in the data set.


Manual Tag

Use the Manual Tag... command  to select individual objects or groups of objects in an image with your mouse.  You can create different classes of objects for analysis, and "tag" each object with a specific marker. Clicking on the Manual Tag command displays the Manual Point Count dialog box:

Tag Points:  Clicking on this button activates the manual tagging mode.  Manual tagging mode allows you to use the mouse to place markers on various classes of items in the image, and to switch among different classes of items for analysis.

Select the name of the current class from the list box. Then, using your left mouse button, click on the items in the image that belong to this class. There is a limit of 255 markers for any given image. When you have finished, click on the right mouse button or click OK.

Delete Points:  Clicking on this button allows you to delete one or several  of the markers  in the image. Use the left mouse button to select the markers to be deleted. When finished, click the right mouse button or click OK.

Delete All:  Clicking Delete All will erase all the tagged markers from your image.

Class:  Clicking on the Class button allows you to define the classes used to identify the different objects in your image.

You may select the name, color and symbol to identify the class of object.

•	Add Class:   Adds a new class with a default name to the list of available classes. There is a limit of 16 possible classes per image.

•	Delete Class:   Removes the highlighted class from the list of available classes.

•	Name:  Allows you to change the name of  the highlighted class.

•	Color:  Allows you to select a color to identify each class  of objects.

•	Symbol:  Allows you to select a symbol  to identify each class of objects.

•	OK/Cancel:  Click OK to save the class information; click Cancel to abandon the changes.

More:

Manual Tag File Menu

Manual Tag View Menu

Manual Tag Options Menu

Manual Tag Update Menu


Manual Tag File Menu

The commands in the Manual Tag window's File menu are used to save measurement data (the measurement values) to a disk file.  You can also save the points  and sets of  points you have generated in the image. You may use the files as input to an external program, or you can reload them into Image-Pro for future use with this or another image.

Each command on the Manual Tag : File menu is described below.

•	Save Data:   Select this command if you want to save the measurement values (the results in the data sheet) to a file.  Measurement data are saved in an Image-Pro count file (.CNT) in ASCII format. The file will contain the data sheet, exactly as it appears in the window.  The saved data can be imported to a spreadsheet application or used as input to an external program.  See Appendix B - File Format Specifications for a description of Image-Pro's .CNT file format.

When you select the Save Data command, the Save As dialog box is displayed.

Specify the name of the file to which you want the measurement values saved, then click OK.

•	Append Data...:   Use the Append Data... command on the Manual Tag: File menu to add the current measurement data to an existing file.

When the  Append Data command is selected, the Append To dialog box is presented.

Select the file to which you want the current data appended, then click OK.  The current measurement data will be written to the end of the specified file. If the file does not already exist, Image-Pro will create it.

•	Copy To Clipboard:   Use the Manual Tag window's Copy To Clipboard command to store the current  data to the Windows Clipboard.  Once on the Clipboard, the histogram data can be pasted into any Windows application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

•	Save Options: This selection offers you a choice saving the data in the top line or the left-hand column of a file.

•	DDE To Excel:  Select the DDE To Excel command to transfer  data to Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet.  Before selecting DDE To Excel, you should use DDE Options to determine the correct placement (within Excel) for the data.  When you select DDE To Excel, the transfer occurs with little visible evidence that it has happened.  By switching to the Excel application, you can confirm that the transfer has occurred.  For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion.

•	DDE Options...:  Select the DDE Options command to tell Image-Pro how and where to export the current data via DDE.  For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion.

•	Save Points..:   Use the Save Points command on the Manual Tag window's File menu to save the locations of your manual tags to a file.  The format of the .TAG file  is described in Appendix B, File Format Specifications.

When you select the Save Points... command, the Save As dialog box is displayed.

Specify the name of the file to which you want the measured outlines saved, then click OK.

•	Load Points:  Select the Load Points command on the Manual Tag window's File menu to superimpose a tagged file onto the active image, and add the measurements it produces to the data sheet. When you select the Load Outlines command, the Open dialog box is presented.

Select the tag file you want to load, then click OK.  When the tags are loaded, their measurements are calculated and displayed on the measurement data sheet.

Note - a  tagged image loaded from a file is simply "superimposed" upon your image.  It is not actually written to your image bitmap.

•	Save Settings...:   Select the Save Settings... command on the Manual Tag window's File menu to store the current  tagged points specifications.  The Save Settings command stores these values to a file so that, at some future point, you can simply reload these values instead of having to reestablish them manually.

•	Load Settings...:   Select the Load Settings... command on the Manual Tag window's File menu to set the tagged points settings to the values defined previously.

•	Close:   Use this command on the Manual Tag window's File menu to close the Manual Tag window.  Closing the Manual Tag window will not affect active measurements and outlines.


Manual Tag View Menu

Use the commands on the Manual Tag : View menu to view the data and statistics associated with the Tagged objects in the active window. Each command on the Manual Tag : File menu is described below.

•	Counts - displays the name of each class, the number of objects, the symbol for each class of objects, and the percent of the total number of objects for each class of objects in the image.

•	Points - displays the marker number, class, x and y position, and color identifier for each class of objects in the image.

•	Class Stats - displays the statistics  (min, max, mean, standard deviation, total) associated with each class of objects in the image.

•	Area - draws a circle around the selected markers. The radius of the circle is specified in the Options dialog box. This option allows you to zoom in/out to examine a selected tagged point.

•	Label - displays a label (number) for each marker, when selected.

•	Note - If the marker is hidden (see Hide/Show Marker, below), the label will not be visible.

•	Hide/Show Marker - hides or shows the class symbol associated  with each tagged point.


Manual Tag Options Menu

Use the  Options menu to select which characteristics in each class of objects will be displayed.   Options set in this dialog affect the display of the image on the screen when the Points option from the Manual Tag : View menu is selected.

.

•	X Pos: Displays the x position of the points.

•	Y Pos: Displays y position of the points..

•	Intensity: Displays intensity of  the points..

•	Class: Displays the class name of the points...

•	Red, Green, Blue:  Allows the user to choose red, blue, or green values for the points in the image..

•	Calculate Intensity Of: This selection offers you a choice of analyzing the intensity of the tagged points only, or within given area.

•	Points Only: Calculates the  RGB intensity of the pixel(s) under the marker.

•	Area of Radius:  Displays the RGB intensity of a circular area of a certain radius from 1-15 pixels. Use the scroll arrows to select the length of the radius or type in a number.


 Manual Tag Update Menu

Select the Manual Tag window's Update menu to refresh the values in the data sheet following a change to the image data.  For example, if you added a class while the View options were displayed, you would need to update the Manual Tag window to add the new class information.

To update the Manual Tag data sheet, simply click the Update menu.  The values in the data sheet will be rewritten based upon the contents of the active image or AOI.


Histogram

Use the Histogram... command to open the histogram window and display the intensity histogram and statistics for the active image or AOI.  A  histogram shows you a frequency distribution of the intensities in your image.  It describes, in graphic form, the contrast and dynamic-range characteristics of your image.  If you are not familiar with histograms, you may want to review the Histogram and Intensity Analysis discussions in Section 1 before you begin using the Histogram... command.

When you select the Histogram... command, a Histogram window is opened.  The Histogram window is not a "common access" window like the Count/Size or Measurement windows.  A Histogram window is associated with, and accessed by, only one image (the name of the owning image is displayed in its title bar).  The Histogram window remains open until you explicitly close it, or until you close the image to which it is attached.

By default, the histogram's X-axis will be calibrated to your intensity unit-of-measure, and the Y-axis to your spatial unit-of-measure.  However, histogram data can be displayed in uncalibrated form by disabling the Intensity/Spatial calibration options in the histogram Report menu.

Zoom:  Clicking on the Zoom button enables you to enlarge and focus on a particular area of the histogram.

Reset: Clicking on the Reset button returns the Histogram to its original size.

Color: For a color image, clicking on the color list box changes the color channel displayed on the Histogram.

Important - the histogram measures pixel values as they exist in the image bitmap.  It does not reflect values as they are interpreted though the LUT.  This allows you to make visual adjustments to your image for viewing purposes without affecting the data used for analysis.  In the event that you want to have LUT intensity adjustments reflected in your histogram, you must apply the LUT to your bitmap using the Apply LUT command.

The appearance of the histogram can be modified, and its data saved to a file, using the Histogram menu commands.  These commands are listed in the following sections.

Note - in the command and option descriptions below, the general terms "intensity" and "pixels" are used, but keep in mind that on your system these values will actually be reported in the terms you have specified with the Calibration command (optical density and millimeters, for example).

More:

Histogram File Menu

Histogram Color Menu

Histogram Report Menu

Histogram Update Menu

Histogram Scaling Menu


Histogram File Menu

The options on the Histogram window's File menu are used to store histogram data.  The current set of histogram data may be stored to a new file, or appended to an existing histogram file.  The File menu also contains an option that lets you close the Histogram window.

Data to File: Use the Histogram window's Data to File command to store the current histogram data to a file.  Histogram data are saved in an ASCII file containing the intensity intervals and the spatial frequency reported for each.  The saved data can be imported into a spreadsheet application or used as input to an external program.  See Appendix B,  File Format Specifications, for a description of Image-Pro's HST file format.

When the Data to File  command is selected, the Save Histogram dialog box is presented.

Enter the name of the file to which you want the histogram data stored, then click OK.  Your histogram data will be written to the file.

If you have sub-divided the X-axis into "bins" using the Histogram Bins command, the data will be expressed and recorded in the intervals you have specified.  Each bin along the X axis will be labeled with its midpoint value.

Append Data to File..:   Use the Histogram window's Append...command (on the File menu) to add the current histogram data to an existing  histogram file.

When the Append ... command is selected, the Save Histogram dialog box is presented.

Select the file to which you want the current data appended, then click OK.  The current histogram data will be written to the end of the specified file.

Statistics to File:   Use the Statistics to File command to store the  current Statistic or Range/Area data to a file.

Note - the "Statistics to File" command can also be used to save the current range information.  If the "Range/Area" option is enabled in the "Report" menu when the "Statistics to File" command is performed, the current range information will be saved to the file instead of statistics.

Data are saved to an Image-Pro histogram file (.HST) in ASCII format.  The saved data can be imported into a spreadsheet application or used as input to an external program.

When the  Statistics to File command is selected, the Statistics to File dialog box is presented.  Within it, specify the name of the file to which you want the statistic or range data saved.  Then click OK.

Append Statistics to File:   Use the Histogram window's Append Statistics command to add the current Statistic or Range/Area data to the end of an existing histogram file.

Note - the Append Statistics command can also be used to append the current range information to a histogram file.  If the Range/Area option is enabled in the Report menu when the Append Statistics command is performed, the current range information will be saved to the file instead of statistics.

When the Append Statistics command is selected, the Statistics to File dialog box is presented.  Within it, specify the name of the file to which you want the statistic or range data appended.  Then click OK.

Data To Clipboard:   Use the Histogram window's Data To Clipboard command to store the current Statistic or Range/Area data to the Windows Clipboard.  Once on the Clipboard, the histogram data can be pasted into any Windows application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

Graph To Clipboard: Select the Graph To Clipboard command to copy the current histogram graph to the Windows Clipboard.  From there, the data can be pasted into any application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

DDE To Excel:  Select the DDE To Excel command to transfer  data to Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet.  Before selecting DDE To Excel, you should use DDE Options to determine the correct placement (within Excel) for the data.  When you select DDE To Excel, the transfer occurs with little visible evidence that it has happened.  By switching to the Excel application, you can confirm that the transfer has occurred.

For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion.

DDE Options:  Select the DDE Options command to tell Image-Pro how and where to export the current data via DDE. For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion.

Close   Use the Histogram window's Close command (on the File menu) to close the histogram window.

If you close the image with which the Histogram window is associated, the Histogram window will automatically close, too.

More:

Saving Header, Legend and Axis Information


Saving Header, Legend and Axis Information

The Histogram Data to File, Append Data to File, Statistics to File  and Append Statistics to File commands provide the ability to include or suppress the following kinds of information:  the header, the legend and the X-axis values.

Header:  When enabled, this option will include descriptive header information at the beginning of the data set, as shown in the example below.

# Image-Pro Plus Histogram Data # Time: Mon Mar 07 16:06:31 1995 # Image: dna.tif # Spatial Unit: Pixels # Intensity Unit: Gray Level # Number Of Channels: 1 # Number Of Samples: 256		descriptive "header"  information.
30 30 32  .  .  .		histogram data
Legend:  When enabled, this option will include column headings with the data (see example below).  Columns will be labeled with the unit names specified by the Calibration command, or with the default labels of Intensity and Pixels, if unit names have not been specified.

#   Density      Pixels	__  data legends
0       30 1       30 2       32 .       . .       . .       .		histogram data
X-axis:  When enabled, this option will store the X-axis values (the intensity values for the histogram), along with the pixel counts for each intensity.  See examples below.

0       30 1       30 2       32 .       . .       . .       .		histogram data stored with X-axis data (leftmost column).
30 30 32 .      .      .		histogram data stored without  X-axis data.


Histogram Color Menu

The options on the Histogram window's Color menu are used to specify which color model you want your image's color information measured in, and which color channels you are interested in seeing.  If you are not familiar with color models, you may want to review the Intensity Analysis discussion in Section 1 before working with this command.

Each command on the histogram Color menu is described below.

Note - The Color command will be dim if the active image is not a True Color image.  If your image is a Palette class image, you must convert it to True Color if you want to extract histogram data for each color channel.  See the Convert To... command.

•	RGB:   Check this command on the Histogram window's Color menu if you want your color data expressed in terms of its Red, Green and Blue components.

When RGB is checked, you can select the channels you want to measure, Red, Green or Blue, in the middle segment of the Color menu.  If there is a check by the channel name, it will be measured.  Click on the channel name to toggle it off and on.

•	HSI:   Check this command on the Histogram window's Color menu if you want your color data expressed in terms of its Hue, Saturation and Intensity components.

When HSI is checked, you can select the channels you want to measure, Hue, Saturation or Intensity, in the middle segment of the Color menu.  If there is a check by the channel name, it will be measured.  Click on the channel name to toggle it off and on.

•	HSV:   Check this command on the Histogram window's Color menu if you want your image data expressed in terms of its Hue, Saturation and Value components.

When HSV is checked, you can select the channels you want to measure, Hue, Saturation or Value, in the middle segment of the Color menu.  If there is a check by the channel name, it will be measured.  Click on the channel name to toggle it off and on.

•	YIQ:   Check this command on the Histogram window's Color menu if you want your image data expressed in terms of its Y-axis (luminance), In-phase and Quadrature components.

When YIQ is checked, you can select the channels you want to measure, Y-axis, In-phase or Quadrature, in the middle segment of the Color menu.  If there is a check by the channel name, it will be measured.  Click on the channel name to toggle it off and on.

•	Order...:   Use this command on the Histogram window's Color menu to arrange the way in which the individual channel plots are layered in the graph.  This might be used when you have graphed more than one channel simultaneously, and the plot for one channel is obscured by another.

When the histogram Order command is selected, the Histogram Order dialog box is presented.

The channels listed inside the box show you the order in which the plots are currently layered, from front to back.  In the Line Profile Order box above, the Blue channel is in front, and the Red channel is in back.

To rearrange the layers, click on the channel you want to reposition, then click the Up or Down button to exchange the two channels.

Note - if you have selected a different color model (e.g., HSI or YIQ), then your choices will be expressed in terms of the color model chosen (e.g., "hue, saturation, intensity").


Histogram Report Menu

The options on the Histogram window's Report menu are used to determine the format in which data are presented in the histogram graph.  Choices relating to interval width and X/Y-axis calibration are available within this menu.  You can also choose to display the data in bar/line/table form, or summarize the data into a set of statistics.

•	Bins:   Select this command on the Histogram window's Report menu to specify the number of intervals you want the  X-axis segmented into.  When you select the Bins... command, the following dialog box is presented.

Type the number of intervals (bins) you want your scale divided into.  By default, Image-Pro will divide the scale into the following number of segments:

Gray Scale	256

True Color	256

Gray Scale 12	4096

Gray Scale 16	65536

Floating Point	256

You may change the number of intervals to any whole number that does not exceed the intensity range defined by the image bit depth; i.e., no more than 256 for an 8-BPP image, no more than 4096 for a 12-BPP image.  Floating Point scales can be segmented into a maximum of 65536 bins.

The Bins command on the Histogram window's Report menu now offers the option of locating the tick mark between adjacent bins to the Left of each bin or in the Center of each bin. The calculation is the same in both instances.  Only the placement of the value on the report changes.

Important - Changing the bin value affects your histogram in a couple of important ways.  First, it affects the statistics produced by the Report menu's Statistics command.  Some precision will be lost due to averaging that occurs within the consolidated bins.  Second, if histogram data are saved to a file, the data will reflect the number of bins selected here (i.e., if 10 bins were specified, 10 data points would be recorded in the file).

•	Accumulated:   Select this command on the Histogram window's Report menu to display pixels values cumulatively.  An accumulated histogram indicates the number of pixels having the measured intensity value, or a lesser value, as shown in the example below.

When you select Accumulated, a check will appear next to it indicating that it is enabled.

•	Spatial Cal:   Toggle this option on the Histogram window's Report menu ON to measure Y-axis values in their calibrated form.  Toggle this option "off" to measure spatial values (Y-axis data) in uncalibrated form.  In uncalibrated form, the Y-axis reflects the number of pixels for a given intensity value.  By default this option is enabled.

•	Intensity Cal:   Toggle this option on the Histogram window's Report menu ON to measure X-axis values in their calibrated form.  Toggle this option "off" to measure intensity values (X-axis data) in uncalibrated form.  In uncalibrated form, the X-axis measures the pixel's actual intensity value.  By default this option is enabled.

•	Bar:   Select this option on the Histogram window's Report menu to display your histogram in bar graph form.  In bar form, Image-Pro indicates the measurement points with a bar.

•	Line:   Select this option on the Histogram window's Report menu  to display your histogram in line form.  In line form, Image-Pro connects the measurement points with a line.

•	Table:   Select this option on the Histogram window's Report menu to display the histogram data in tabular form.

•	Statistics:   Select this option on the Histogram window's Report menu to display statistics concurrently with the histogram, as shown in the example below.  If the active image contains True Color data, the statistics in this box will relate to the color channel that is the backmost layer in the graph (you can relayer the channels using the Order... command on the Color menu). The following statistics will be included:

Mean:   Reports the average (mean) intensity value for your the active image or AOI.

Std Dev:   Reports the standard deviation of the intensities contained in the active image or AOI.

X Min:   Reports the smallest intensity value contained within the active image or AOI.

X Max:   Reports the largest intensity value contained within the active image or AOI.

Sum:   Reports the sum of all the intensity values contained within the active image or AOI.

•	Range / Area:   Select this option to isolate a segment (range) of  the X-axis, and display information relating to this range.  When selected, two movable boundary markers are placed in the histogram.

The boundary markers can be positioned to select just the range you want to study (see also the Histogram window's Scaling menu, which can be used to accomplish the same thing).  Information about the selected range is displayed along the right-hand side of the Histogram window.  The window also contains a Zoom button to re-scale the graph to the selected range.

Note - the Range/Area and Statistics options are mutually exclusive, i.e., they cannot be enabled simultaneously.  Image-Pro will automatically disable the Statistics option when Range/Area is selected.

The following information is reported for the selected range.

X1:   Reports the intensity level that marks the beginning of the current range (it identifies the position of the left boundary-marker).

X2:   Reports the intensity level that marks the end of the current range (it identifies the position of the right boundary-marker).

Area:   Reports the number of pixels between the left and right boundary-markers ("the area under the curve").

%:   Reports the number of pixels within the current range (under the curve) expressed as a percentage of the number of pixels in the entire histogram.

Zoom:   Click this button to "zoom-in" on the selected range, and display just that portion of the histogram.  Data outside the boundary markers are eliminated from the graph.  The Y-axis is re-scaled to accommodate the largest value in the selected range.

Note - if the Statistics command is enabled while the display is "zoomed-in" on a segment of the X-axis, the reported statistics represent the entire histogram, not just the selected segment.

Reset:   Click this button to reset the X and Y axes to their default values after having "zoomed-in" on a histogram range using the Zoom button (see above).


Histogram Update Menu

Select the Histogram window's Update menu to refresh the contents of the histogram window to reflect any changes that have been made to the image data.  For example, if you moved the AOI from which the histogram was generated, you would need to select Update to plot the data at the AOI's new position.  Or, if you filtered an image after creating its histogram, you would need to update the histogram to reflect the intensity changes produced by the filter.

To update the histogram, simply click the Update menu.  The contents of the histogram will be rewritten based upon the contents of the currently selected image or AOI.


Histogram Scaling Menu

The Scaling menu lets you define how much of the data you want graphed by controlling the length of the X and Y axes.  This lets you graph just part of your intensity data.

By default, the Auto-Scaling option will be selected for both axes.  If you want to change the endpoints of an axis, you must disable this option.  Doing so will allow you to enter values into the From and To fields.

For each axis, the following fields are available:

Auto-Scaling:   Check this box if you want Image-Pro to use the default length of the axis.  For the X-axis, the default length is the full intensity range (e.g., 0 - 256 for Gray Scale and True Color images, 0 - 4095 for Gray Scale 12).  For the Y-axis, the default range is determined by the largest value measured on the Y-axis for that particular AOI or image.  When the Auto Scaling box is selected for an axis, its From and To fields and values are dimmed.

From/To:   In these fields, enter the values to be used as the axis beginning and end points.  When you define a range on the X-axis, just the intensities within the range you specify are graphed.  You can also specify the Y-axis limits.  This is usually done to reduce its scale to make small values visible.  For example, in the histogram below, the huge number of pixels at 79 dwarfed the measurements at either end of the X-axis.

By scaling both the X and Y axes, the intensity measurements at the lower-end of the scale can be visualized:

In this case, the X-axis was changed to range from 0 to 101, and the upper limit of the Y-axis was set to 5000.

In cases where the upper limit of the Y-axis is not large enough to accommodate a value in the graph, the value is simply clipped at the top of the chart.

Note - the values specified in the Graph Scaling dialog box do not affect your actual histogram data in any way.  These values merely determine how much of the data will be displayed in the graph, and how it will be scaled vertically.  If the histogram data were to be viewed in table form, or stored to a file while these scaling value were in effect, the entire set of histogram data would be displayed or stored.


Line Profile

Use the Line Profile... command to obtain a plot of the intensity values of a single line within your image, or the average values of a band of lines.  When you select the Line Profile... command, the Line Profile window is opened.  The Line Profile window is not a "common access" window like the Color Map or Count/Size windows.  A Line Profile window is associated with, and accessed by, only one image (the name of its owner is displayed in its title bar).

The Line Profile window will remain open until you explicitly close it, or close the image to which it is attached.

When you select the Line Profile... command, a Line Profile window is opened, and a defining-line is placed within your image.  The defining-line specifies the line of pixels to be plotted.

Use the mouse to position the defining-line over the line of pixels you want to measure.  The line can be drawn to any length or angle.  When you move your cursor over the line, special cursor symbols will appear, letting you know that you are in a position to move the line or one of its endpoints.  To move the entire line, place your cursor over the middle of the line.  Your cursor will change into a 4-way arrow.  When you see the 4-way arrow, drag the line to its new position.

To reposition an endpoint, place your cursor over the endpoint you want to move.  Your cursor will change into a wheel.  When you see the wheel, drag the endpoint to its new position.  Image-Pro will redraw your Line Profile graph to reflect the line's new position.

Note - you can change the size of the dialog box by positioning your cursor near an edge or corner and dragging the two-way arrow to the desired position.

The Line, Circle, and Freeform options allow you to select the area to be graphed. An example of the Line option is shown above.

The Circle option places a circle on the image, and you can use your cursor to position it.

The Freeform option allows you to draw an irregular shape on the image. Clicking the Del Freeform button removes the drawing from the image.

The graph in the Line Profile window displays the type of plot you have selected in the Line Profile : Report menu (i.e., Normal, Thick Horizontal, or Thick Vertical).  By default, a Normal line plot is created.  It plots intensity values along a single line of pixels.  If you have calibrated your intensity and/or spatial scales, the calibrated values will be reflected in the graph (the Y-axis depicts intensity values, and the  X-axis, spatial values).

Important - the line profile measures pixel values as they exist in the image bitmap.  It does not reflect values as they are interpreted through the LUT.  This allows you to make visual adjustments to your image for viewing purposes without affecting the data used for analysis.  In the event that you want to have LUT intensity adjustments reflected in your line profile, you must apply the LUT to your bitmap using the Apply LUT command.

If the Reference option is checked, the defining line becomes a "baseline" against which a subsequent line is measured (see Reference below).  You can also Freeze a line plot on the graph so that it, and a subsequent line, can be viewed simultaneously (see Report menu below).

If True Color data are being measured, Image-Pro will plot the values of the color channel(s) you have specified in the Color menu.

Line profile commands are performed using the commands from its menu bar.  These commands are described in the sections that follow.

Note - The line profile X-axis will be calibrated to your spatial unit-of-measure, and the Y-axis to your intensity unit-of-measure.  In the command and option descriptions below, the general terms "intensity" and "pixels" are used, but, on your system, these values will actually be reported in the terms you have specified using the Calibration command (which might be optical density and millimeters, for example)

Reference:   Check this box if you want the current line to become the baseline against which all further measurements will be plotted.  This option lets you visualize the differences between two lines of pixels.  To create such a plot you must:

1.	Position the defining line in the image to represent the first line in the pair.

2.	Check the Reference option.  This will establish the first line as the baseline.  The defining line in your image will appear in dashed form to indicate this.  You will also see the profile for that line plotted as the baseline (0) in your graph,

3.	Place your cursor over the middle of the reference line in your image.  When the 4-way cursor appears, drag the line to its new position.  When the line is in its new position, the differences between it and the reference line are plotted in the .

Note - once a reference line has been established, its position can be moved, but its length should not be changed.  Changing its length will cause it to lose its reference attribute and will change it back into an ordinary defining line.

More:

Line Profile File Menu

Line Profile Color Menu

Line Profile Report Menu

Line Profile Update Menu


Line Profile File Menu

Use the Line Profile window's File menu to store your line profile data.  This menu lets you store the current data to a new file or append it to an existing histogram file.  The File menu also contains an option that lets you close the Line Profile window.

The commands on the Line Profile window's File menu are described below.

•	Data to File: Use the Data to File  command to store the current line profile data to a file.  Line profile data are saved in an Image-Pro histogram file (.HST), in ASCII format.

The file will contain the pixel positions along the line and the intensity associated with each.  If the reference option has been selected, Image-Pro will save the offsets (positive and negative) from the reference line.  The saved data can be imported to a spreadsheet application or used as input to an external program.  See Appendix B - File Format Specifications for a description of Image-Pro's .HST file format.

When the Data to File command is selected, the Save Profile dialog box is presented.

Enter the name of the file to which you want the line profile data stored, then click OK.  Your line profile data will be written to the histogram file.

•	Append Data to File: Use the Append... command on the Line Profile : File menu to add the current line profile data to an existing histogram (.HST) file.

When the Append command is selected, the Save Profile dialog box is presented.

Select the file to which you want the current data appended, then click OK.  The current line profile data will be written to the end of the specified file.

•	Statistics to File:    Use the Statistics toFile command to store current Line Profile statistics to a file.

Note - the Statistics to File command can also be used to save the current range information.  If the Range/Area option is enabled in the Report menu when the Statistics to File command is performed, the current range information will be saved to the file instead of statistics.

Data are saved to an Image-Pro histogram file (.HST) in ASCII format.  The saved data can be imported into a spreadsheet application or used as input to an external program.

When the Statistics to File command is selected, the Statistics to File dialog box is presented.  Within it, specify the name of the file to which you want the statistic or range data saved.  Then click OK.

•	Append Statistics to File:   Use the Line Profile window's Append Statistics command to add the current Line Profile data to the end of an existing file.

Note - the Append Statistics command can also be used to append the current range information to a  file.  If the Range/Area option is enabled in the Report menu when the Append Statistics command is performed, the current range information will be saved to the file instead of statistics.

When the Append Statistics command is selected, the Statistics to File dialog box is presented.  Within it, specify the name of the file to which you want the statistic or range data appended.  Then click OK.

•	Data To Clipboard:   Use the  Line Profile  window's Data To Clipboard command to copy the current  Line Profile data to the Windows Clipboard.  Once on the Clipboard, the histogram data can be pasted into any Windows application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

•	Graph To Clipboard:   Use the  Line Profile  window's Graph To Clipboard command to copy the current  Line Profile graph to the Windows Clipboard.  Once on the Clipboard, the histogram data can be pasted into any Windows application that accepts text from the Clipboard

•	DDE To Excel:  Select the DDE To Excel command to transfer  data to Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet.  Before selecting DDE To Excel, you should use DDE Options to determine the correct placement (within Excel) for the data.  When you select DDE To Excel, the transfer occurs with little visible evidence that it has happened.  By switching to the Excel application, you can confirm that the transfer has occurred.  For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion.

•	DDE Options...:  Select the DDE Options command to tell Image-Pro how and where to export the current data via DDE. For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion

•	Close:   Use the Close command on the Line Profile : File menu to close the Line Profile window.


Line Profile Color Menu

The options on the Line Profile window's Color menu are used to specify which color model you want your image's color information measured in, and which color channels you are interested in seeing.  If you are not familiar with color models, you may want to review the Color Models discussion in Section 1 before working with this command.

Each command on the line profile Color menu is described below.

Note - The Color command will be dim if the active image is not a True Color image.  If your image is a Palette class image, you must convert it to True Color if you want to extract histogram data for each color channel.  See the Convert To... command.

•	RGB:   Check this command on the Line Profile : Color menu if you want your color data expressed in terms of its Red, Green and Blue components.

When RGB is checked, you can select the channels you want to measure, Red, Green or Blue, in the middle segment of the Color menu.  If there is a check by the channel name, it will be measured.  Click on the channel name to toggle it off and on.

•	HSI:   Check this command on the Line Profile : Color menu if you want your color data expressed in terms of its Hue, Saturation and Intensity components.

When HSI is checked, you can select the channels you want to measure, Hue, Saturation or Intensity, in the middle segment of the Color menu.  If there is a check by the channel name, it will be measured.  Click on the channel name to toggle it off and on.

•	HSV:   Check this command on the Line Profile : Color menu if you want your image data expressed in terms of its Hue, Saturation and Value components.

When HSV is checked, you can select the channels you want to measure, Hue, Saturation or Value, in the middle segment of the Color menu.  If there is a check by the channel name, it will be measured.  Click on the channel name to toggle it off and on.

•	YIQ:   Check this command on the Line Profile : Color menu if you want your image data expressed in terms of its Y-axis (luminance), In-phase and Quadrature components.

When YIQ is checked, you can select the channels you want to measure, Y-axis, In-phase or Quadrature, in the middle segment of the Color menu.  If there is a check by the channel name, it will be measured.  Click on the channel name to toggle it off and on.

•	Order...:   Use this command on the Line Profile : Color menu to rearrange the way in which the individual channel plots are layered in the graph.  This might be done so you can view the statistics of a particular channel (statistics represent the values of the backmost layer in the graph).

The channels listed inside the box show you the order in which the plots are currently layered, from front to back.  In the Line Profile Order box above, the Blue channel is in front, and the Red channel is in back.

To rearrange the layers, click on the channel you want to reposition, then click the Up or Down button to exchange the two channels.

When the cross hair appears at the position of your choice, click your mouse.  The highlighted channel will be inserted at that point.  Press OK when the channels are arranged as you like.


Line Profile Report Menu

Use the options on the Line Profile... : Report menu to format the way in which data are presented in the line plot.  Choices relating to the X and Y axis calibration and  multiple line plotting are available within this menu.  It also allows you to display the data in tabular form, or summarize it into a set of statistics.

Each command on the line profile Report menu is described below.

•	Freeze:   Select this command if you want to maintain a copy of the current plot within the graph when you plot another line or band.  Freeze allows you to view the plots of two lines (or bands) simultaneously .

When you have a line or band that you want to freeze, select the Freeze command.  The defining line within your image will be displayed in blue to indicate that it is frozen.

To plot the intensities of a companion line, place your cursor over the middle of the frozen line.  When the 4-way cursor appears, drag the line to its new position.  The frozen line will remain in place, but an identical defining line will be created at the position you specify.  The same procedure can be applied to a band that you have frozen.

Once a companion line or band has been created, it can be moved about the image freely.  Each time you drag it to a new position, Image-Pro will plot the intensities for that location.

Although you can change the companion's position, you must not change its endpoints (modify its length or orientation).  Doing so will release your freeze line.

If you save data while both a frozen plot and a companion plot are active, the data from the companion line are written to the file.

A frozen line or band will remain active until you either toggle off the Freeze command, modify its endpoints or close the Line Profile window.  A check mark will appear next to this command when it is enabled.

•	Normal:   Select the Normal command on the Line Profile... : Report menu to measure the intensity of a single line of pixels.  When this mode is enabled, a check mark will appear next to it.  By default, this command is enabled when you select the Line Profile... command.

•	Thick Horz:   Select the Thick Horz command on the Line Profile... : Report menu to plot the specified measurement (mean or standard deviation) for a band of pixel columns.  Values are measured from left to right in the band.  To obtain the measurements for a Thick Horz plot, Image-Pro calculates and plots the requested statistic (average or standard deviation) for each column in the band.

When you select the Thick Horz command, Image-Pro will position two defining lines within your image.  You must position these two lines such that they encompass the band of pixels you want to measure. To define the height of your band, place the cursor over the middle of one of the defining lines.  When the cursor changes to a 2-way arrow, drag the line up or down to its new position. Note that a single line cannot be moved in a horizontal direction. To change the position of your band, place your cursor between the pair of lines.  When you see a 4-way arrow, drag the pair to their new position

•	Thick Vert:   Select the Thick Vert command on the Line Profile... : Report menu to plot the specified statistic (mean or standard deviation) for the specified band of pixel rows.  Values are measured from top to bottom in the band.  To obtain the measurements for a Thick Vert plot, Image-Pro calculates and plots the requested statistic (average or standard deviation) for each row in the band. To define the width of your band, place you cursor over the middle of one of the defining lines.  When the cursor changes to a 2-way arrow, drag the line left or right to a new position. Note that a single line cannot be moved in a vertical direction. To change the position of your band, place your cursor between the pair of lines.  When you see the 4-way arrow, drag the pair to their new position.

•	Thick Options:   Select this command on the Line Profile... : Report menu to specify the statistic (mean or standard deviation) you want plotted.

•	Average:   Select this option if you want Image-Pro to calculate the mean value for each strip of pixels in the band.  When you select Average, a check mark will appear next to it.  The Average option is the measurement Image-Pro sets as the default when Line Profile... command is selected.

•	Standard Deviation:   Select this option if you want Image-Pro to calculate the standard deviation for each strip of pixels in the band.  When you select Std Dev, a check mark will appear next to it.

•	Spatial Cal:   Toggle this option "on" to measure X-axis values in their calibrated form.  Toggle this option "off" to measure spatial values (X-axis data) in uncalibrated form.  In uncalibrated form, the X-axis reflects the pixel position along the line.  By default this option is enabled.

•	Intensity Cal:   Toggle this option "on" to measure Y-axis values in their calibrated form.  Toggle this option "off" to measure intensity values (Y-axis data) in uncalibrated form.  In uncalibrated form, the Y-axis measures the pixel's actual intensity value.  By default this option is enabled.

•	Statistics:   Select this option on the Line Profile... : Report menu to display statistics concurrent with your line profile, as shown in the example below.  If the active image contains True Color data, the statistics in this box will relate to the color channel that is the backmost layer in the graph (you can relayer the channels using the Order... command on the Color menu).

The following statistics will be included:

Mean:   Reports the average (mean) intensity value along the line.

Std Dev:   Reports the standard deviation of the intensities along the line.

Y Min:   Reports the smallest intensity value along the line (if you are plotting a band, this will be the minimum of the averaged values, not the actual minimum intensity value contained in the band).

Y Max:   Reports the largest intensity value along the line (if you are plotting a band, this will be the maximum of the averaged values, not the actual maximum intensity value contained in the band).

Sum:   Reports the sum of all the intensity values along the line.

•	Range / Area:   Select this option to isolate a segment (range) of the X-axis, and to display information relating to this range.  When this option is selected, two movable boundary markers are placed in the line profile.

The boundary markers can be positioned to select just the range you want to study.  Information about the selected range is displayed along the right-hand side of the Line Profile window.

Note - the Range/Area and Statistics options are mutually exclusive, i.e., they cannot be enabled simultaneously.  Image-Pro will automatically disable the Statistics option when Range/Area is selected.

The following information is reported for the selected range.

X1:   Reports the spatial position that marks the beginning of the current range (it identifies the position of the left boundary-marker).

Y1:   Reports the spatial position that marks the beginning of the current range (it identifies the position of the top boundary-marker).

X2:   Reports the spatial position that marks the end of the current range (it identifies the position of the right boundary-marker).

Y2:   Reports the spatial position that marks the beginning of the current range (it identifies the position of the bottom boundary-marker).

Area:   Reports the sum of all intensity values in the selected range ("the area under the curve").

%:   Reports the area of the selected range as a percentage of the entire profile's area.

•	Table:   Select this option on the Line Profile... : Report menu to display the line profile data in tabular form, as shown in the example below:

•	Full Scale:   Select this command to force a Line Profile plot to scale the Y-axis to the length of the entire intensity range (e.g., 0 - 255 in a Gray Scale image).  If this option is not set, the Y-axis is scaled to the minimum and maximum intensity values produced by the profile.


Line Profile Update Menu

Select the Line Profile window's Update menu to refresh the line profile to reflect changes that have been made to the image data.  For example, if you filtered an image after creating its profile, you would need to update the profile to reflect the intensity changes produced by the filter.

To update the line profile, simply click the Update menu.  The contents of the Line Profile window will be rewritten based upon the contents of the currently selected image or AOI.


The Measure Menu - Bitmap Analysis
Bitmap Analysis

The Bitmap Analysis command on the Measure menu is used to view the pixel values of the active window (or AOI) in numeric format.  These values can be saved to an ASCII file for later use with an external program, or copied to the Clipboard and pasted into another application (a 3D plotting package, for example).

When the Bitmap Analysis command is selected, the Bitmap Analysis window is opened and the pixel values associated with the active image or AOI are displayed.

Pixel values can be displayed as they actually exist in the image or in their calibrated form (see the Bitmap Analysis Options Menu, below).  They are not interpreted through the display LUT however.

The Bitmap Analysis window imposes no limit on the number of pixels that can be processed.  There is, however, a maximum of 30,000 pixels that can be saved, copied to the Clipboard or transferred to Excel.  If you need to save more than this number of pixels, you can define an AOI that is less than or equal to 30,000 pixels, and process the image in chunks (i.e., move the AOI systematically across the image and save the data at each interval).  Or, you can use the Sampling option to read the pixel values at larger intervals (see the Bitmap Analysis Options Menu, below).

Note - consider carefully how much data you actually need to save in ASCII form; a 100 x 100 segment of a Gray Scale image (10K in binary image form) will consume over 60K, and a True Color segment will take three times that amount.

More:

Bitmap Analysis File Menu

Bitmap Analysis Options Menu

Bitmap Analysis Update Menu


Bitmap Analysis File Menu

Use the commands on the Bitmap Analysis window's File menu to save the displayed bitmap values to disk or to the Clipboard.  This menu also contains the command to close the Bitmap Analysis Measure window.

•	Data to File:   Select the Data to File command to store the current bitmap values to a file in ASCII format. The bitmap values in the ASCII file are padded with leading spaces and are delimited with a tab character.

Note - A maximum of 30,000 pixels can be saved at one time.  You may save more by successively defining AOIs and saving the data.

If the Pixel Values Only option has been checked, Image-Pro will save the data without the pixel coordinates, which are contained in the first row and column of the Bitmap Analysis window.   See Pixel Values Only, below, for more information about this option.

When you select the Data to File command, the Save Bitmap dialog box is displayed.

Enter the name of the file to which you want the ASCII data saved, and click OK.  If you do not specify a file extension, Image-Pro will automatically attach the ".BIT" extension to your file name.

•	Append Data to File:   Select the Append Data command on the Bitmap Analysis window's File menu to add the current bitmap values to an existing ASCII file.  The ASCII values are padded with leading spaces and are delimited with a tab character.

Note - A maximum of 30,000 pixels can be saved or appended at one time.  You may save more by successively defining AOIs and saving the data.

If the Pixel Values Only option has been checked, Image-Pro will save the data without the pixel coordinates, which are contained in the first row and column of the Bitmap Analysis window.  See Pixel Values Only, below, for more information about this option.

When you select the Append Data command, the Save Bitmap dialog box is displayed.

Enter the name of the file to which you want the ASCII data appended, and click OK.  If you specify a file that does not already exist, a new file will be created.

•	Data to Clipboard:   Select the Data  To Clipboard command on the Bitmap Analysis window's File menu to copy the current bitmap values to the Windows Clipboard.  The values are placed on the Clipboard in ASCII (text) format (the values are padded with leading spaces and are delimited with a tab character).  The text can be pasted into any application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

Note - A maximum of 30,000 pixels can be copied to the Clipboard at one time.  You may copy more by successively defining AOIs and copying the data.

•	DDE To Excel:  Select the DDE To Excel command to transfer  data to Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet.  Before selecting DDE To Excel, you should use DDE Options to determine the correct placement (within Excel) for the data.  When you select DDE To Excel, the transfer occurs with little visible evidence that it has happened.  By switching to the Excel application, you can confirm that the transfer has occurred. For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion.

Note - A maximum of 30,000 pixels can be transferred to Excel at one time.  You may transfer more by successively defining AOIs and transferring the data.

•	DDE Options...:  Select the DDE Options command to tell Image-Pro how and where to export the current data via DDE.

•	Pixel Values Only:   The Pixel Values Only command on the Bitmap Analysis window's File menu determines whether the coordinate-identifying row and column (i.e., the first row and column in the table) are written along with the bitmap analysis when it is saved using the Data to File , Append Data or Copy To Clipboard commands.  A check mark appears next to this command when it is enabled.  When Pixel Values Only is checked, the first row and column of the data sheet are not saved with the data.  Clicking this command toggles the option off and on.

•	Close:   Use this command on the Bitmap Analysis window's File menu to close the Bitmap Analysis window.


Bitmap Analysis Options Menu

Use the commands on the Bitmap Analysis window's Options menu to set sampling rate and intensity calibration options.

Sampling...:   Use this command to specify whether the value of every pixel is to be displayed, or whether sampling should be performed at some other regular interval (e.g., you might choose to display the value of every other pixel, or every 10th pixel).

  When the Sampling command is selected, the Sampling Rate dialog box is presented.

Enter a value from 1 to 100 in the Read Every field.  This value specifies the frequency at which pixel values are presented in the Bitmap Analysis data sheet.  This value applies to both the X and Y dimension.

For example (assuming data were being viewed from the upper-left segment of an image):  a sample rate of 1 would display pixels 0,0  0,1  0,2  0,3   0,4... on the first line; a sample rate of 2 would display pixels 0,0   0,2   0,4   0,6...; a sample rate of 10 would display pixels 0,0   0,10   0,20   0,30..., and so forth.

Intensity Cal:   The Intensity Cal command on the Bitmap Analysis window's Options menu determines whether the pixel values displayed in the Bitmap Analysis menu are calibrated values or actual image values.  A check mark appears next to the command when this option is enabled.  When Intensity Cal is checked, the values are displayed in calibrated form.  Clicking this command toggles the option off and on.


Bitmap Analysis Update Menu

Select the Bitmap Analysis window's Update menu to refresh the values in the data sheet following a change to the image data.  For example, if you filtered the image while its bitmap values were displayed, you would need to update the Bitmap Analysis window to retrieve the filtered image values.

To update the Bitmap Analysis data sheet, simply click the Update menu.  The values in the data sheet will be rewritten based upon the contents of the active image or AOI.


 Report

Use the Report command to work with the Image-Pro Plus Report Generator. This feature lets you compile your Measure menu information into a report with graphs, tables , and images. For information about using the Report Generator, please refer to the supplemental Report Generator Users Guide included in your Image-Pro Plus package.


Use the Macro... command to work with the contents of the selected script (.SCR) file.  A script file (.SCR) contains one or more macros that have been created using the Record Macro command, or have been manually created using Image-Pro's macro editor.  By default all macros are stored in a file called "default.scr," but using the Macro command you can direct Image-Pro to store macros, or play them back, from a file of your choice.

Note - you can also incorporate Image-Pro macros into a Visual Basic or Visual C++ program.  See the Using Auto-Pro with Visual Basic and Using Auto-Pro with Visual C++ sections in your Auto-Pro manual.


Macro

Using the Macro command, you can run, rename, delete, or copy the macros that have been recorded into the selected script file.  You can also use the Macro command to edit a script file.

Script File:   In this group box, select the script file with which you want to work.  A script file contains zero, one, or more macros.  By default, the script file named "default.scr" is selected when you start Image-Pro, unless you specify a new default using the "-s" command line parameter (see the Start-Up Macro topic) .

Change:   Click this button to select a different script file.  When you click Change, the Select Script File dialog box is presented.  Within it, select the script file you want to use and click OK.  The name of the selected script file will appear in the Script File group box, and the macros it contains will be listed in the Macro Name box (see below).

Reload:   Click this button to reload the selected script file.  This action would be required if you had manually edited the selected script file using an editor other than Image-Pro's built-in Macro Editor, while Image-Pro was active.  The edited macros would not be recognized within Image-Pro until the script file was reloaded.

A Reload is required under these circumstances because macros are maintained in, and executed from, memory.  When you edit the selected script file, you are modifying the disk copy of the file, but the macros in memory are unchanged.  The Reload button instructs Image-Pro to refresh the macros in memory based upon the current contents of the disk file.

Note - besides clicking the Reload button, there are three other actions that will cause the contents of the selected script file to be written to memory:  1) starting Image-Pro (the macros in the default script are loaded into memory), 2) selecting a new script file using the Change button (see above), and 3) editing and saving the script file with Image-Pro's Macro Editor (see below) .

Edit:   Click this button to edit the selected script file.  This action will invoke Image-Pro's built-in Macro Editor, and will automatically load the current script file into it.  You may modify the macros as needed (refer to your Auto-Pro manual for macro-language syntax).  When you have finished your edits, remember to save the file using the Save command in the Macro Editor : File menu.  Then close the editor to return to Image-Pro.  The newly revised copy of the script file will automatically be loaded into memory.

Note - when you use the Macro Editor you will see a pair of numbers in the Title bar.  These numbers represent the cursor's position in terms of line number (the first number) and character position (the second number).  A displayed value of 103:16 indicates that the cursor is on line 103, and at position 16 on that line.  The line number is particularly useful for locating an error that Auto-Pro has reported to you, since error position is reported in terms of the line number on which it occurs.

When you click the Edit button, the Macro Editor window appears.  For a description of the menus and usage of this window, see the Edit Macro command.

TIP...	You can have Image-Pro open  the Macro Editor window and position the cursor at the macro of your choice.  This is especially helpful if you have many macros in the script file.  In the Macro dialog box, select the script file of your choice.  Names of macros within that file will be listed in the large central list box.  Select the macro name you want, then click the Edit button.  Image-Pro positions the cursor at the first line of that macro.

Macro Name:   In this list box, select the macro with which you want to work.  A macro is selected by clicking its name in the list box.  Once a macro is selected, you may apply the Rename, Delete, Run, and Copy to Clip. buttons to it (these buttons always work upon the selected macro).  You may also apply the Edit button (see Tip above).

Description:   This "view-only" field will display the selected macro's description, if one was assigned to it when it was created.

Sort by key:   Enable this option if you want the macros contained in the selected script file to be listed by their assigned shortcut keys.

When disabled, the macros will be listed in alphabetical order, by name.

Run in trace mode:   Enable this option if you want to run your macros in step-by-step fashion.  In "trace mode," Image-Pro presents each macro statement before it is executed.  The presented command is not executed until you click the Step button in the Trace panel.  Trace mode can be very useful for pinpointing a statement that is causing a macro to fail.  For more about trace mode, see Running a Macro in Trace Mode later in this section.

Show code while running:   Enable this option if you want to display the code during execution.  In this mode, Image-Pro presents each macro statement before it is executed, but the macro operates continuously, rather than in step-wise fashion.

Run:   Click this button to play back the selected macro (this is just one of several way to invoke a macro — see also Running A Macro later in this section).  This button will be dimmed if a macro has not been selected.

Delete:   Click this button to delete the selected macro from the script file.  Be careful with this button; once a macro has been deleted there is no way to retrieve it.

Rename:   Click this button to rename the selected macro.  When you click Rename, the Rename Macro dialog box is presented.  Enter the macro's new name and click OK.  You may enter up to 15 characters.  The name must conform to the naming conventions outlined under Record Macro/Stop Recording below.

The name you enter must also be unique to the selected script file — if you enter a name already assigned to another macro, you will be prompted to enter a new one.

Copy to Clip.:   Click this button to copy the contents of the selected macro to the Windows Clipboard.  You might use this feature to copy a macro into a Visual Basic or Visual C++ program.


Record Macro/Stop Recording

Use the Record Macro command to record a series of Image-Pro commands as you perform them.  When Record Macro is enabled, Image-Pro begins saving your commands to a script file using the Auto-Pro scripting facility.  It continues to record your actions until you instruct it to stop by clicking the Stop Recording button in the Recording dialog box, or selecting the Stop Recording command in the Macro Menu.

While a macro is being recorded, the message "Image-Pro - Recording" will flash in the Title bar and the Recording dialog box will be displayed.  The Template Mode option in this dialog box can be enabled at any point while the macro is being recorded.

Note - if you are recording a macro, and you call an image from the File menu that is no longer accessible, the steps requiring that image will not be recorded.

Enabling this option causes an IpTemplateMode(1) statement to be written to the script file.  This statement affects the behavior of the macro when it is played back — instead of using the actual data values written into the macro, the user will be prompted to provide input during playback.

The Template Mode option can be enabled and disabled at any time (even multiple times) in a macro.  When you disable the option, an IpTemplateMode(0) statement is written to the script file.  When played back, the commands following this statement are executed in "literal" mode.  For more about Template Mode see your Auto-Pro manual.

The Show Recording option, which can also be enabled at any time, lets you view the macro statements as they are being recorded (see the Output Window command for more information about this).

To begin recording a macro, select the Record Macro command.  The Record Macro dialog box is presented.  Within this box, enter a name that will uniquely identify the macro you are about to record and (optionally) assign it a shortcut key that can be used to play it back.  You may also enter optional comment information.

Macro Name:   Enter a name for your macro. You may assign a name of up to 15 characters.  This name must conform to the following rules (nonconforming names will cause an error during playback):

•	the name must begin with a letter.

•	the name must be made up of only letters, numbers, spaces or the "_" (underscore) character (note - Image-Pro will convert all spaces to the underscore character in the final name).

•	the name must not duplicate one of Auto-Pro's reserved words.  Reserved words are words with special meaning to Image-Pro, such as command names (e.g., IpDocClose, IpFftForward, IpLutApply) and BASIC-like keywords (e.g., If, Or, Open, loop).  See Appendix B in your Auto-Pro manual for a list of reserved words.

TIP...	If you want to ensure that your macro name does not conflict with a reserved word, you can make it distinct by appending the underscore character to it, e.g., Open_ , Close_ , LOOP_.

The name you enter must also be unique to the selected script file.  If you enter a name that is already assigned to another macro, you will be prompted to enter a new one.

Shortcut Key:   Enter a key combination that can be used to play back the macro you are about to record.

Note - you are not required to assign a shortcut key.  A shortcut key's purpose is simply to let you play back your macro quickly and easily — basically, with the touch of a key.  If you do not assign a shortcut key, you can play back your macro using the Run Macro or Macro command.

A macro can be assigned to a function key (activate the Key list box, to find the available function keys), or to a Ctrl+key, Shift+key or Ctrl+Shift+key combination.

Ctrl:   Select the Ctrl box to use the Ctrl key plus another key to activate your macro.  The Ctrl key can be used in combination with an available Function or Alphanumeric keys (activate the Key list box, to find the available keys).  It can also be combined with the Shift key to create Ctrl+Shift+key combinations.

Shift:   Select the Shift box to use the Shift key plus another key to activate your macro.  The Shift key can be used in combination with an available Function key.  It can also be used with an Alphanumeric keys (activate the Key list box, to find the available keys), as long as it is combined with the Ctrl key.  If the Ctrl key is not checked, the alphanumeric choices will be dimmed.

Description:   This field can be used to include an optional comment or description with your macro.  The description is displayed when you use the Macro command to browse the contents of a script file.

An unlimited number of characters can be entered.  Use Ctrl+Enter to enter a line ending.

More:

Running a Macro

Running a Macro in Trace Mode


Running a Macro

There are five ways of invoking a macro that you have created:

1.	Press its shortcut key, if one has been assigned to the macro.

2.	Click the macro's name listed at the bottom of the Macro menu.

3. 	Select the macro name in the Macro command's dialog box and click the Run button.

4.	Select it from a menu (or Toolbar button) to which it has been assigned (see Adding a Macro to a Menu under Customizing the Command Menus and Buttons).

5.	Call it from another macro or a Visual Basic program (see your Auto-Pro Reference for more about calling a macro from Visual Basic).


Running a Macro in Trace Mode

For debugging purposes, there are occasions when it is useful to run your macro in "trace mode."  Trace mode lets you execute the macro in step-by-step fashion, allowing you to see the effect of each command.  It can help you quickly identify the specific statement that is causing a macro failure.

Enable trace mode by selecting the Macro command's Run in trace mode option (see the Macro command earlier in this section).  When you run your macro, Image-Pro will display the first macro statement in the Macro Output window.  This statement is not executed until you click Step in the Trace panel.

Using the Trace panel, you can step though your entire macro one statement at a time, or step through just a portion of the macro and execute (or terminate) the remainder automatically.  Trace mode also lets you view the value of a symbolic construct (i.e., a variable or constant).

Note - the number displayed in front of the macro statement represents that statement's position (line number) within the script file.

Each button in the Trace panel is described below.

Step:  Click the Step button to execute just the Auto-Pro statement displayed in the Macro Output window.

Go:  Click the Go button to execute the Auto-Pro statement displayed in the Macro Output window and all successive statements in the macro.

End:  Click the End button to ignore the Auto-Pro statement in the Macro Output window, and terminate the macro.

Print:  Click the Print button to query the contents of a variable or constant.  When you click Print the following dialog box is presented:

Enter the name of the variable or constant, then click OK.  Its name and value will be written into the Macro Output window.


Edit Macro

Use the Edit Macro... command to edit an existing macro. This command can be used instead of selecting the macro with the Macro command and choosing Edit.

When you select the Edit Macro command, the Macro Editor window appears, opening the "default.scr" file.

To help you in editing, you may open other script files, print a file, search for a character sequence, cut, copy, paste, and delete text, and query the help files.

Using the commands on the Macro Editor window's menus, the contents of the window can be searched, edited directly, saved to a file or the Clipboard, and printed.

More:

Macro Editor : File Menu

Macro Editor : Edit Menu

Macro Editor : Search Menu

Macro Editor : Option Menu

Macro Editor : Window Menu

Macro Editor : Help Menu


Macro Editor : File Menu

Use the commands on the Macro Editor : File menu to create, open, save, or print the contents of the window.

•	New:   Select the New command on the Macro Editor : File menu to create a new script file.

•βOpen:   Select the Open... command on the Macro Editor : File menu to open an existing script file.

•	Save:   Select the Save command on the Macro Editor : File 	    menu to save the active script file.

•	Save As:   Select the Save As... command on the Macro Editor : File menu to save and rename the active script file.

•	Print:   Select the Print command on the Macro Editor : File menu to print the active script file.

•	Exit:   Select the Exit... command on the Macro Editor : File menu to exit the Macro Editor and return to the Macro dialog box.


Macro Editor : Edit Menu

Use the commands on the Macro Editor : Edit menu to delete or copy the contents of the window, or to undo an action.

•Undo:   Select the Undo command (<Alt> + <BkSp>) on the Macro Editor : Edit menu to undo the most recent reversible action.

•	Cut:   Select the Cut command (<Shift> + <Del>) on the Macro Editor : Edit menu to delete the selected text from the Macro Output window and also copy it to the Clipboard.

•βCopy:   Select the Copy command (<Ctrl> + < Ins >) on the Macro Editor : Edit menu to copy the selected text from the Macro Output window to the Clipboard.

•	Paste:   Select the Paste command (<Shift> + <Ins>) on the Macro Editor : Edit menu to save the contents of the Macro Output window to a text file.

•	Delete:   Select the Delete command (<Del>) on the Macro Editor : Edit menu to delete the selected text from the Macro Output window.

•	Select All:   Select the Select All command (<Ctrl>+ <A>) on the Macro Editor : Edit menu to highlight all the text in the Macro Output window.


Macro Editor : Search Menu

Use the commands on the Macro Editor : Search menu to search for a specific text sequence or to go to a line by number.

•0 Φινδ:   Σελεχτ τηε Φινδ... χομμανδ ον τηε Μαχρο Εδιτορ: Σεαρχη μενυ το σεαρχη φορ σπεχιφιχ τεξτ ιν τηε Μαχρο Ουτπυτ ωινδοω. Ιν τηε Φινδ τεξτ βοξ, τψπε τηε τεξτ ψου ωαντ το σεαρχη φορ.

Check the Case Sensitive check box if you want Image-Pro to search for an exact match of your text (upper and lower case).  Leave it unchecked to have Image-Pro search for the text regardless of case.

Click Next to search in a forward direction (looking at text below the current insertion point).

Click Previous to search in a backward direction (looking at text above the current insertion point).

•0 Νεξτ:   Σελεχτ τηε Νεξτ χομμανδ ον τηε Μαχρο Εδιτορ: Σεαρχη μενυ το σεαρχη ιν α φορωαρδ διρεχτιον (βελοω) φορ τηε σαμε τεξτ ασ λαστ σπεχιφιεδ.

•	Πρεϖιουσ:   Σελεχτ τηε Πρεϖιουσ χομμανδ ον τηε Μαχρο Εδιτορ: Σεαρχη μενυ το σεαρχη ιν α βαχκωαρδ διρεχτιον (αβοϖε) φορ τηε σαμε τεξτ ασ λαστ σπεχιφιεδ.

•	Γοτο Λινε...:   Σελεχτ τηε Γοτο Λινε... χομμανδ ον τηε Μαχρο Εδιτορ: Σεαρχη μενυ το γο διρεχτλψ το τηε λινε νυμβερ τηατ ψου σπεχιφψ.


Macro Editor : Option Menu

The Macro Editor Option menu contains only one command: Font. Use this command to change the font style in the macro editor output window.

In the Font dialog box, choose the text options you want to use.

Font: Highlight the name of your font selection in this list box.

Font Style: Choose the font style (bold or bold italic) from this list box.

Size: Indicate the point size for your font in this list box.

Sample: This box displays a few characters in each font to assist you in choosing the correct font.

Script: This list box indicates if the selected font appears in Western (i.e. Arabic) characters or a symbol set.


Macro Editor : Window Menu

Use the commands on the Macro Editor : Window menu to manage the display of script files in the imaging area.

•0 Τιλε:   Σελεχτ τηε Τιλε χομμανδ ον τηε Μαχρο Εδιτορ : Ωινδοω μενυ το αρρανγε ψουρ οπεν σχριπτ φιλεσ σο τηατ ωινδοωσ αρε ϖισιβλε ανδ ρουγηλψ εθυαλλψ σιζεδ αχροσσ τηε σχρεεν.  Τηισ χομμανδ αρρανγεσ ονλψ τηε οπεν σχριπτ φιλε ωινδοωσ.

•	Χασχαδε:   Σελεχτ τηε Χασχαδε χομμανδ ον τηε Μαχρο Εδιτορ : Ωινδοω μενυ το αρρανγε ψουρ οπεν σχριπτ φιλεσ σο τηατ ωινδοωσ αρε ρουγηλψ εθυαλλψ σιζεδ ανδ λαψερεδ, λεαϖινγ ονλψ τηειρ τιτλε βαρ ανδ λεφτ βορδερ ϖισιβλε.  Τηισ χομμανδ αρρανγεσ ονλψ τηε οπεν σχριπτ φιλε ωινδοωσ.

•	Χλοσε Αλλ:   Σελεχτ τηε Χλοσε Αλλ χομμανδ ον τηε Μαχρο Εδιτορ : Ωινδοω μενυ το χλοσε αλλ οπεν σχριπτ φιλεσ.

•	Σχριπτ Φιλε Αχτιϖατιον:   Υσε τηε λιστ οφ οπεν σχριπτ φιλεσ ατ τηε βοττομ οφ τηε Μαχρο Εδιτορ : Ωινδοω μενυ το αχτιϖατε α σχριπτ φιλε.  Τηε χυρρεντ αχτιϖε σχριπτ φιλε ισ ιδεντιφιεδ ωιτη α χηεχκ μαρκ.


Macro Editor : Help Menu

Use the commands on the Macro Editor : Help menu to access the on-line help features for Auto-Pro functions.

 Macro Language:   Select the Macro Language command on the Macro Editor : Help menu to query Auto-Pro's on-line help facility.  The following topics are covered:

•	Auto-Pro Functions:  this section describes each Auto-Pro function (e.g., IpLutShow, IpFltHiPass) and the options associated with each.  Auto-Pro Functions contains all the information in Section 2 of the Auto-Pro Reference Manual

•	IPBASIC Commands:  this section describes each IPBASIC command (e.g., For, Next, GoSub, Return).  IPBASIC Commands contains all or the information in Section 3 of the Auto-Pro Reference Manual

•	Data Types:  this section describes each Auto-Pro data type, as listed in Appendix D of the Auto-Pro Reference Manual

•	Variable Names:  this section describes the rules for designating a variable name in Auto-Pro, as listed in the Auto-Pro Reference Manual

•	Reserved Word List:  this section lists the keywords reserved for Auto-Pro use, as listed in Appendix E of the Auto-Pro Reference Manual

•	ANSI Character Table:  this section lists the ANSI Character Table, as listed in Appendix C of the Auto-Pro Reference Manual

•	Shortcut Key Assignments:  this section shows the shortcut key combinations supported by Auto-Pro, as listed in Appendix E of the Auto-Pro Reference Manual.

•	Software License:  this section contains a copy of your Image-Pro software license.


Output Window

Use the Output Window command to display the Macro Output window.  This window serves a variety of macro-related purposes.  It can be used to view Auto-Pro commands as they are being recorded.  It can be used to copy Auto-Pro commands to a file or the Clipboard.  It can be used as a "scratch pad" on which you can jot notes or annotate an Auto-Pro script.  It can be used as a window in which to display output from an Auto-Pro macro (see the Print and IpOutput statements in your Auto-Pro Reference).

When the Macro Output window is opened for the first time in the Image-Pro session, it is empty.

From that point on it will begin collecting information that is:

1.	Typed in directly.

2.	Passed from the macro recorder when Show Recording is enabled.

3.	Printed by the macro when it is played back (i.e., output produced by the Print or IpOutput statement).

4.	Passed from the debugger when a macro is run in "trace mode."  For more about "trace mode," see Running a Macro in Trace Mode, in the section above.

The Macro Output window retains the data it receives until its buffer becomes full (approximately 25,000 characters), Image-Pro is closed, or the window is cleared by the user (see the Edit menu, below).  When the buffer becomes full, the oldest lines are pushed out to accommodate the new text.

Using the commands on the Macro Output window's File and Edit menus, the contents of the window can be edited directly and saved to a file or the Clipboard.  See the descriptions of these commands, below.

See also, the Print and IpOutput statements in your Auto-Pro Reference.

More:

Output Window : File Menu

Output Window : Edit Menu


Output Window : File Menu

Use the commands on the Output Window : File menu to save the contents of the window to a file or the Clipboard.

•	Save:   Select the Save... command on the Output Window : File menu to save the contents of the Macro Output window to a text file.

•	Append:   Select the Append... command on the Output Window : File menu to add the contents of the Macro Output window to the end of an existing text file.

•	Copy To Clipboard:   Select the Copy To Clipboard command on the Output Window : File menu to copy the contents of the Macro Output window to the Windows Clipboard.  The text can then be pasted into any application that accepts text from the Clipboard.

•	DDE To Excel:   Use the DDE To Excel command on the Output Window : File menu to transfer the contents of the Output Window to Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet. Before selecting DDE To Excel, you should use DDE Options to determine the correct placement (within Excel) for the data.  When you select DDE To Excel, the transfer occurs with little visible evidence that it has happened.  By switching to the Excel application, you can confirm that the transfer has occurred.

•	For additional information about DDE, see the Dynamic Data Exchange discussion.

•	DDE Options:   Use this command on the Output Window : File menu to tell Image-Pro how and where to export the current output window data via DDE.

•	Print:   Use this command on the Output Window : File menu to print the Macro Output window.  The output window must be open to print the contents.

•	Close:   Use this command on the Output Window : File menu to close the Macro Output window.


Output Window : Edit Menu

Use the commands on the Output Window : Edit menu to cut, copy and paste text in the Macro Output window.

•	Undo Last:   Select this command on the Output Window : Edit menu to undo the last editing operation that was manually performed in the Macro Output window (e.g., a typing sequence, a cut operation or a paste operation).  This command does not undo data that have been printed by a macro or passed from the macro recorder. This command does undo all the pastes at once.

•	Clear Screen:   Use this command on the Output Window : Edit menu to delete the contents of the Macro Output window.

•	Copy:   Use this command on the Output Window : Edit menu to copy the selected text to the Clipboard (this command will be dimmed if there is no selected text).  Text is selected by dragging the mouse across it.  When text is selected, it will be highlighted.

•	Cut:   Use this command on the Output Window : Edit menu to copy the selected text to the Clipboard and simultaneously remove it from the Macro Output window (this command will be dimmed if there is no selected text).  Text is selected by dragging the mouse across it.  When text is selected, it will be highlighted.

•	Paste:   Use this command on the Output Window : Edit menu to copy the contents of the Clipboard into the Macro Output window.  Before selecting the Paste command, place your insert cursor in the position at which the text is to be inserted.  If the Clipboard is empty, or does not contain textual data, this command will be dimmed.


Insert

Use the Insert... command to add messaging and control commands to your macro while it is being recorded.  This command can be used instead of manually editing such statements into your macro after it is recorded.

Select the Insert command when you are recording your macro and have reached the point at which you want a control statement inserted.  You will receive a pop-out menu from which you must choose the kind of statement to insert, or a comment.

When you click Insert,  the IpAppMenuSelect statement is written into your macro.

•	Select by name:   Enable this option if you want the IpAppMenuSelect statement written with its Mode parameter set to MENU_NAME, which identifies the requested command by its title (as specified in the IPWIN32.MNU file).  See the IpAppMenuSelect statement in your Auto-Pro Reference for more about this parameter.

•	Select by ID:   Enable this option if you want the IpAppMenuSelect statement written with its Mode parameter set to MENU_ID, which identifies the requested command by its ID number (as specified in the IPWIN32.MNU file).  See the IpAppMenuSelect statement in your Auto-Pro Reference for more about this parameter.

Hint - it is often easier to use the Insert command if the "Show Recording" option is enabled so you can see your macro commands as they are being recorded.  Seeing a command sequence often makes it easier to identify the points at which a control statement should be inserted.

Each option on the Insert command's pop-out menu is described below.

More:

Run Program

Stop/Message

Break Point

Delay

Menu Selection

Comment


Run Program

Use this command to add an IpAppRun statement to your macro.  The IpAppRun statement is used to execute a DOS or Windows application from your macro.  When you select the Run Program command, the Run Program dialog box is displayed.

•	Run:   In this field, type the file name of the program that is to be called by your macro (you can also use the Browse button to select a program file using a dialog box; see below).  Then, set the options that describe the way in which you want the program called.  When you click Insert, the IpAppRun statement will be written into your program.

•	A DOS or Windows program can be invoked by this command.  A DOS program must be called by its PIF file, which is created with the Windows PIF Editor.

•	Refer to your Auto-Pro Reference for more about the IpAppRun statement and its options.

•	Browse:   Click this button to receive the Select Program Name dialog, with which you can display the contents of a directory and select a program file.  The file name you select will automatically be placed in the Run field.

•	Start program and continue:   Enable this option if you want your macro to continue processing after the external program has been loaded (i.e., the external application and your macro will be active, simultaneously).  The disposition of the external program when Image-Pro is subsequently closed, is determined by the End program upon exit value (see below).

•	Complete program and continue:   Enable this option if you want your macro to suspend its processing until the external application is closed.  Setting this option is equivalent to setting IpAppRun's RunMode parameter to RUN_MODAL.

•	End program upon exit:   Enable this option if you want the external program to close automatically when you exit Image-Pro.  Otherwise, the external program will remain active even if Image-Pro is no longer running.  Setting this option is equivalent to setting IpAppRun's RunMode parameter to RUN_AUTOCLOSE.  Setting Start program and continue without this option is equivalent to setting IpAppRun's RunMode parameter to 0.

•	Run program minimized:   Enable this option if you want the external program's window to be displayed as an icon when it is initially loaded.  Setting this option is equivalent to setting IpAppRun's ShowMode parameter to RUN_MINIMIZED.  If Run program minimized is not enabled, the ShowMode parameter is set to RUN_NORMAL.


Stop/Message

Use this command to add an IpMacroStop statement to your macro.  The IpMacroStop statement suspends macro processing, and displays a message box containing text that you have specified.  The box can be designed to include buttons such as Yes, No, Continue, and Cancel.  When the user clicks a button, macro processing resumes with the next statement.

When you select the Stop/Message command, the following dialog box is displayed:

•	Message:   In this field, type the text that is to be displayed when the macro is executed.  Set the options that describe the way in which you want the message to be displayed (see definitions, below) and click Insert.  The IpMacroStop statement will be written into your program.

•	Refer to your Auto-Pro Reference for more about the IpMacroStop statement and its options.

•	Exclusive message (modal):   Enable this option to display a "modal" message box.  A modal message box is one that "locks out" Image-Pro when it is displayed — i.e., the user is prevented from selecting an image or performing any Image-Pro operations while the message is on the screen.  Modal messages are useful for reporting events that do not require any user action (e.g., notifying the user that the last image was processed or that an error had occurred).  When Exclusive message (modal) is selected, the button options are activated, allowing you to include buttons that best suit the purpose of your message box (e.g., OK, Yes/No, or Continue/Cancel).  See button options, below.

•	If Exclusive message (modal) is not enabled, a "modeless" message box is issued.  A modeless message allows the user to access Image-Pro while the message is displayed.  This sort of message is generally used to request an action of the user.  You might use it to instruct the user to select an AOI, or remind him/her to adjust image brightness to a satisfactory level.  The button options (see below) are not active when the Exclusive message (modal) is not enabled.  A modeless message box can contain only a Continue button, which, when clicked, will resume processing of the macro.

•	Continue:   Enable this option to include a single button labeled Continue in your message box.  When the Continue button is clicked, macro processing will resume with the next macro statement.  This is the only button configuration that can be selected when Exclusive message (modal) is disabled (i.e., a modeless message box is requested).

•	OK / Cancel buttons:   Enable this option to include two buttons, labeled OK and Cancel, in your message box.  When either button is clicked, macro processing resumes with the next macro statement.  This statement should be the first statement of a decision structure that acts upon the value returned by the IpMacroStop function (you will need to manually add this structure with the Macro Editor).  See the IpMacroStop statement in your Auto-Pro Reference for the value that is returned by each button, and an example of a decision structure that handles them.

This option is available when Exclusive message (modal) is selected.  Otherwise, it is dimmed.

•	Yes / No buttons:   Enable this option to include two buttons, labeled Yes and No, in your message box.  When either button is clicked, macro processing resumes with the next macro statement.  This statement should be the first statement of a decision structure that acts upon the value returned by the IpMacroStop function (you will need to manually add this structure with the Macro Editor).  See the IpMacroStop statement in your Auto-Pro Reference for the value returned by each button, and an example of a decision structure that  handles them.

•	This option is available when Exclusive message (modal) is selected.  Otherwise, it is dimmed.

•	Yes / No / Cancel buttons:   Enable this option to include three buttons, labeled Yes, No, and Cancel, in your message box.  When any button is clicked, macro processing resumes with the next macro statement.  This statement should be the first statement of a decision structure that acts upon the value returned by the IpMacroStop function (you will need to manually add this structure with the Macro Editor).  See the IpMacroStop statement in your Auto-Pro Reference for the value returned by each button, and an example of a decision structure that handles them.

This option is available when Exclusive message (modal) is selected.  Otherwise, it is dimmed.


Break Point

 Use this command to add a Stop statement to your macro.  The Stop statement halts the macro and activates "trace mode."  It is often included during the debugging stage to stop a macro at a specific point so that the status of certain data values can be examined.

Refer to your Auto-Pro Reference for more about the Stop statement.


Delay

Use this command to add an IpMacroWait statement to your macro.  The IpMacroWait statement halts macro processing for a specified duration.  You might insert this command to "slow down" a particular step so that its results can be easily observed on the screen.  Or, you might use it to allow sufficient time for an external event to occur; perhaps to await a result from an external application.

When you select the Delay command, the following dialog box is displayed:

Enter the amount of time that must pass before Image-Pro processes the next statement in the macro.  When you click Insert, the  IpMacroWait statement will be written into your program (its time will be expressed in 1/10ths of a second).

Refer to your Auto-Pro Reference for more about the IpMacroWait statement.


Menu Selection

Use this command to add an IpAppMenuSelect statement to your macro.  The IpAppMenuSelect statement can be used to invoke any item from the Image-Pro main menu — it is typically used for user-defined menu commands, which are not recognized by the macro recorder.

When you select the Menu Selection command, the following dialog box is displayed:

To insert a menu command, simply select it from the menu listed at the top of the box.  (Alternatively, you may enter the command's Title or ID in the Select by Name or Select by ID number field, respectively.  When you use this method, you must enter the command name and program number exactly as they have been defined in the Title and ID parameters of the MENU.INI file — see item and progitem under the MENU.INI Syntax section later in this manual for more about the Title and ID parameters).


Comment

Use this command to add text  to your macro.  The text statement can be used to describe the actions performed by the macro. Comments do not affect the performance of the macro

More:

A Start-Up Macro


A Start-Up Macro

Any macro you create can be made to automatically run whenever Image-Pro is loaded.  Assigning a "start-up" macro is accomplished by using the
"-m" and "-s" switches on the "ipwin32.exe" command line.

To add these parameters, perform the following steps:

1.	Right-click on the Windows Start button, then click Open.

2.	Double-click the Programs folder.

3.	Double-click the Image-Pro Plus group.

4.	Right-click the Image-Pro Plus icon.

Select Properties.

The Image-Pro Plus Properties dialog box will be presented.

Add the "-m" switch to the end of the "ipwin32.exe" statement in the Command Line field.  Type the name of the start-up macro after this switch.  The example below shows how the statement should look to assign a macro called "init" as the start-up macro.

   C:\IPWIN\ipwin32.exe -m init

Note that a space is placed before and after the -m switch, separating it from both the "ipwin32.exe" file name and the "init" macro name.

If your macro is not contained in the "default.scr" file, you must also add the "-s" switch to specify the script file in which the macro is located.  The example below shows how the command line should look if the "init" macro were located in the "cellwork.scr" script file.

   C:\IPWIN\ipwin32.exe -m init -s cellwork.scr

Note - the specified script file becomes the "selected" script file once Image-Pro is loaded.  Also, be sure to include the extension in the script file's name.


Window menu commands control the display of images in Image-Pro Plus. You can arrange the display of multiple images in the Image-Pro Plus workspace, move back and forth from image to image, and hide or show the Image-Pro Plus toolbars.


Tile Images

Use the Tile Images command to arrange your open image windows so that all windows are visible and roughly equally sized across the screen.  Tile Images rearranges only the open image windows; command windows (such as Count/Size) and data windows (such as histogram windows) retain their positions.


Cascade Images

Use the Cascade Images command to arrange your open image windows so that they are roughly equally-sized and layered, leaving only their title bar and left border visible.  Cascade Images rearranges only the open image windows; command windows (such as Count/Size) and data windows (such as histogram windows) will stay in their positions.


Overlap Images

Use the Overlap Images command to arrange your open image windows so that they are stacked one above the other and the active window is on top.  Overlap Images rearranges only the open image windows; command windows (such as Count/Size) and data windows (such as histogram windows) retain their positions.


 Next Image

Use the Next Image command (<F2>) to select (activate) the next open image window  i.e., the one with the next higher window ID.  This is a useful way of specifying an image window in a macro.  Because window ID's vary greatly from session to session, it is difficult to ensure that a window ID at playback matches the ID it had when a macro was initially recorded.  Specifying an image window relatively using the Next Image and Prev. Image commands often alleviates this problem.


 Prev. Image

Use the Prev. Image command (<F3>) to select (activate) the previous open image window — i.e., the one with the next lower window ID.  This is a useful way of specifying an image window in a macro.  Because window ID's vary greatly from session to session, it is difficult to ensure that a window ID at playback matches the ID it had when a macro was initially recorded.  Specifying an image window relatively using the Next Image and Prev. Image commands often alleviates this problem.


 Hide/Show Tools

Use the Hide/Show Tools command (<F5>) to enlarge your imaging area by removing the tool bar from your workspace, or to restore the tool bar to your workspace.  The command works as a toggle:  if the tool bar is currently being shown, it hides it; if currently hidden, it restores it.


Close All

Use the Close All command to close all open image windows at once.

When an image is closed, its associated histogram and profile windows are closed with it.

Certain windows, such as those containing measurement data sheets and object outlines, will not be closed with the Close command from the File menu.  To close these windows, you must use the Close option on their Control icon  menu.


The Help menu contains the commands for accessing the Image-Pro Plus and Image-Pro plug-in online help systems.


Index

Use the Index command to access the table of contents for Image-Pro's online help facility.  Clicking on the Index tab displays the following dialog box:

To display help information on a specific topic:

1.	Type in the first few letters of the word you're looking for.

1.	Click on the index entry that most nearly corresponds to that topic.

The Help window will pop up with the requested information.


Books Online

Use the Books Online command to access the Image-Pro Plus electronic library.  Please see your Image-Pro Plus Start-Up Guide for more information.


Image-Pro Plus

Use the Image-Pro Plus command to access the table of contents for Image-Pro's online help facility.  To access one of these topics, simply click on the topic of your choice.

The following topics are covered:

•	Imaging Discussion:   this section discusses various imaging topics.  "Imaging Processing & Analysis Fundamentals" contains all of the information in Section 1 of the Image-Pro Reference Manual (this manual).

•	Tool and Menu Command Reference:   this section describes each Image-Pro menu command (e.g., SAVE AS, COUNT/SIZE, FFT) and the options associated with each.  "Commands" contains all the command information in Section 2 of the Image-Pro Reference Manual (this manual).

•	Key Assignments:   this section displays a list of help topics related to the actions of the keyboard keys.

•	Software License:   this section contains a copy of your Image-Pro software license.


Macro Language

Use the Macro Language command to access the table of contents for Image-Pro's Auto-Pro online help facility.  The following topics are covered:

Functions:   this section describes each Auto-Pro function (e.g., IpLutShow, IpFltHiPass) and the options associated with each.  "Auto-Pro Functions" contains all the information in Section 2 of the Auto-Pro Reference Manual.

IPBASIC Commands:   this section describes each IPBASIC command (e.g., For, Next, GoSub, Return).  "IPBASIC Commands" contains all of the information in Section 3 of the Auto -Pro Reference Manual.

Data Types:   this section describes each Auto-Pro data type, as listed in Appendix D of the Auto-Pro Reference Manual.

Variable Names:   this section describes the rules for designating a variable name in Auto-Pro, as listed in the Auto-Pro Reference Manual.

Reserved Word List:   this sections lists the keywords reserved for Auto-Pro use, as listed in Appendix B of the Auto-Pro Reference Manual.

ANSI Character Table:   this sections lists the ANSI Character Table, as listed in Appendix C of the Auto-Pro Reference Manual.

Shortcut Key Assignments:   this sections shows the shortcut key combinations supported by Auto-Pro, as listed in Appendix E of the Auto-Pro Reference Manual.

Software License:   this section contains a copy of your Image-Pro software license.

To access one of these topics, simply click on the topic of your choice.


Using Online Help

Use the Using Online Help command to learn how to use Image-Pro's help facility.  It describes the organization of the help system and the commands you can use to locate information within it.

Image-Pro's help system is a standard Windows help system.  As you are viewing topics you can jump to a cross reference, denoted with an underscore, by clicking on the underscored word or phrase.  You can also pop-up a definition, denoted with a dotted underscore, by clicking on the underscored term.

The Using Help command retrieves Windows Using Help topic panels from your Windows directory.


About Image-Pro Plus

Use the About Image-Pro Plus... command to access Image-Pro's  About information box.  The About dialog box contains important version and release date information, as well as pertinent copyright information.

If you need to contact our Technical Support Center, you will need to provide the version information supplied by this box.


Types of Keys

Select the kind of keys you want to learn about.

♦  Image-Pro Keys

♦  Cursor Movement Keys

♦  Dialog Box Keys

♦  Help Keys

♦  Menu Keys

♦  System Keys

♦  Window Keys


Image-Pro Keys

Key(s)	Function

F2 key	Activates the next open image..

F3 key	Activates the previous open image..

F4 key	Removes the Image-Pro border from the screen, so that just the open images are displayed.  To return to the normal view, press F4 again.

Image-Pro commands can be accessed while the borders are hidden by using the keyboard instead of the mouse.  To access a pull-down menu, press Alt plus the menu's shortcut key (Alt+F for the "File" menu, Alt+O for the "Tools" menu, and so forth).  Commands can be selected from within the menu using the arrow keys or the command's shortcut key.

F5 key	Removes the Image-Pro ribbon (i.e., the toolbar along the left edge) from the screen.  To display the ribbon after it's been turned off, press F5 again.

F6 key	Prints the entire screen.

F7 key	Default hot key for screen capture.

Ctrl+Tab	The Ctrl+Tab key combination is used to activate the last selected image window.


Cursor Movement Keys

Key(s)	Function

DIRECTION key	Moves the cursor left, right, up, or down in a field.

End or Ctrl+Right Arrow	Moves to the end of a field.

Home or CTRL+Left Arrow	Moves to the beginning of a field.

PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN	Moves up or down in a field, one screen at a time.


Dialog Box Keys

Key(s)	Function

TAB	Moves from field to field (left to right and top to bottom).

SHIFT+TAB	Moves from field to field in reverse order.

ALT+letter	Moves to the option or group whose underlined letter matches the one you type.

DIRECTION key	Moves from option to option within a group of options.

ENTER	Executes a command button.

Or, chooses the selected item in a list box and executes the command.

ESC	Closes a dialog box without completing the command. (Same as Cancel)

ALT+DOWN ARROW	Opens a drop-down list box.

ALT+UP or DOWN ARROW	Selects item in a drop-down list box.

SPACEBAR	Selects or clears a check box.

CTRL+SLASH	Selects all the items in a list box.

CTRL+BACKSLASH	Cancels all selections except the current selection.

SHIFT+ DIRECTION key	Extends selection in a text box.

SHIFT+ HOME	Extends selection to first character in a text box.

SHIFT+ END	Extends selection to last character in a text box


Help Keys

Key(s)	Function

F1	Gets Help and displays the Help Index for the application. If the Help window is already open, pressing F1 displays the "Using Windows Help" topics.

In some Windows applications, pressing F1 displays a Help topic on the selected command, dialog box option, or system message.


Menu Keys

Key(s)	Function

Alt	Selects the first menu on the menu bar.

Letter key	Chooses the menu, or menu item, whose underlined letter matches the one you type.

Alt+letter key	Pulls down the menu whose underlined letter matches the one you type.

LEFT or RIGHT ARROW	Moves among menus.

UP or DOWN ARROW	Moves among menu items.

Enter	Chooses the selected menu item.


System Keys

The following keys can be used from any window, regardless of the application you are using.

Key(s)	Function

Ctrl+Esc	Switches to the Task List.

Alt+Esc	Switches to the next application window or minimized icon, including full-screen programs.

Alt+TAB	Switches to the next application window, restoring applications that are running as icons.

Alt+PrtSc	Copies the entire screen to Clipboard.

Ctrl+F4	Closes the active window.

F1	Gets Help and displays the Help Index for the application.


Window Keys

Key(s)	Function

ALT+SPACEBAR	Opens the Control menu for an application window.

ALT+Hyphen	Opens the Control menu for a document window.

Alt+F4	Closes a window.

Alt+Esc	Switches to the next application window or minimized icon, including full-screen programs.

Alt+TAB	Switches to the next application window, restoring applications that are running as icons.

Alt+ENTER	Switches a non-Windows application between running in a window and running full screen.

DIRECTION key	Moves a window when you have chosen Move from the Control menu.

Or, changes the size of a window when you have chosen Size from the Control menu.


License Agreement

This single-use, end-user license agreement (License) governs the use of both Image-Pro Plus version 3.0 contained on these diskettes or CD ROM.  If you continue to use Image-Pro Plus version 3.0 then you agree to the conditions of this License.  If you are not willing to be bound by the terms of this License, promptly return this package to the place of purchase or to Media Cybernetics, L. P. (hereafter Media) with a copy of the receipt, and your license fee will be refunded.

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