Eolas Standalone Annotator v. 2.0 Help

  1. Getting Started - Open an image file
  2. Drawing a Polygon over an object
  3. Naming the new Object
  4. Adjusting the shape of an Object: Moving a vertex
  5. Adjusting the shape of an Object: Adding an vertex
  6. Saving the zMap Polygon File
  7. The Object Name List -- Identifying Objects
  8. Identifying Objects on the Image
  9. Edit Menu
  10. Viewing Annotations on Adjacent Sections
  11. Copy an Object Map to the Current Image
  12. Adjusting the Postion of an Entire Object Outline
  13. Choose Outlining and Fill Colors

Getting Started - Open an image file

Open a jpg image file using the Open Image File command in the File Menu. If the file has been annotated previously, the path and filename of the image will appear in the white box (C:/Annotator20d/075.jpg). If the image file has not been previously annotated, you will be warned that a map file cannot be opened (Cannot open Map Info: C:/Annotator20d/076.map) This file will created automatically when you save the zMap polygon file.

Drawing a Polygon over an object

If the image has not been previously annotated, you will be warned "Cannot open map file". This file will be created automatically when you outline an object and then save the data. Click on a point on the border of the object you want to annotate. A small white square appears at the point where a polygon is started. After the polygon is started, line segments join the points that you create as you click around the object. Complete the polygon by clicking on the small white square. Click "OK" in the Edit Object Info Window to save or "Cancel" to delete the object. If you save the polygon, it will be saved in the session, but a map file will not be created until you save the zMap polygon file.

When you start a polygon a white square must appear. If it does not, then an object was not started. You may have to close the image file and reopen it again.

Once a polygon is created, and before it is completed, it can be erased by right clicking if you want to start over.

Be careful when opening an image file that the cursor does not inadvertently start an object. If one does, be sure to Right-click it away.

When you complete the polygon it will instantly be painted blue. Click on the blue object and the "Edit Object Info" window will appear so you can name the new object.
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Naming the new Object

Click on the object you have just created to open the "Edit Object Info" window. The color of the object will change to red and the points of the polygon will be displayed. Give the object a unique name. Add your initials at the beginning of the "Notes" field. (This has not been done in the images shown here.) You can add additional information in the "Notes" space. You must Click OK on the Edit Object Info Window in order for changes to be saved!

Adjusting the shape of an Object -- Moving a vertex

Individual points (vertices) in the polygon can be adusted by holding down the Ctrl + Left mouse button while moving the point with the cursor. You must Click OK on the Edit Object Info Window in order for changes to be saved!

Adjusting the shape of an Object -- Adding a vertex

Click on the object to display the points. Place the cursor over the point to be replicated; hold down the Alt + Left mouse button while moving the point with the cursor. Move the white square representing the vertex to the desired position and release the mouse button. When you move the point, the white square representing the original point will not be visible. However, after you click the image or hit OK, and then click on the object again, the new vertex as well as the original one will be visible. You must Click OK on the Edit Object Info Window in order for changes to be saved! Back to top

Saving the zMap Polygon file

You must save the polygon file before opening another image or closing the session, otherwise, all annotations made during the session will be lost.
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The Edit Menu


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The Object Name List -- Identifying objects

The Object Name List window can be opened under Edit window. Click on the "poly" button adjacent to an object to highlight the respective object in the image. Object Names can be changed in this list. You must click OK to same any edits.
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Identifying Objects on the Image

As the mouse rolls over an object in the image, the object will be highlighted and the object name will appear in the white box above the image. If two or more polygons overlap, the polygon on the top takes precedence. Imagine you are looking down on the stack of polygons from above. You can determine the relative position of the polygon in the stack in the Object Name List, which can be opened in the Edit Menu
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View Objects on Adjacent Sections

The objects created on previously opened objects can be viewed by clicking on the arrows in the upper right hand corner. Objects from previously viewd sections appear grey. Clicking the home icon brings back the map file for the current image. These arrows bring back maps based on the sequence in which they were opened NOT by the file number.

Copy an Object Map to the Current Image

An object outline created on a previously viewed section can be copied to the current image map by right clicking on the grey object while holding down the shift key. The object name can then be entered in the Edit Object Info window. The Edit Object Info window preserves data entered previously during the session. If you enter the same object on adjacent sections you can eliminate the need to retype the Name and Note information.

Adjusting the Postion of an Entire Object Outline

After copying an outline from an adjacent image, you can adjust the position of the entire object by dragging it: while holding the Shift key and the Left mouse button, drag the object outline around with the cursor.
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Choose Outlining and Fill Colors

Currently the default color of line segments while annotating an object is white. This color can be changed by selecting Choose Outlining and Fill Colors... under the Edit menu selection. It may be especially useful to change the color from white when annotating black and white bromide images. The fill colors of the polygons can also be change here.
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Written by Maurice Pescitelli Jr

maury@bionetlab.org

Last modified 27 January, 2002 for version 2.0e7