Label editor

Purpose

Labels are used to define areas of interest in space or time. They are useful to refine tracking and/or analyses.

The Label editor is used to define and edit labels. You can analyze data via Label analysis or Chemotaxis analysis.

Procedures

Defining (drawing) a label (space or time dimension)

First define the area that includes the worm tracks of interest using one of the tools in the Draw New Label section:

  • Click to define a circular label, then drag the mouse in the Image Display window to delineate the area.

  • Click to define a rectangular label, then drag the mouse in the Image Display window to delineate the area.

  • Click to define a free form contour label, then click at points around the desired area and right click to close the contour.

  • Click to select the entire frame, then click the image. You should see an outline around the image.

Editing a label (space or time dimension)

In this step you can customize the label and set its properties. You can also use the label-editing tools to change the properties of labels.

Select the label from the Select Label for Editing/Name drop down. Adjust the following under Properties as desired and click Apply Changes.

  • To customize the label name, enter a name and click Apply Changes. The name is displayed under Select Label for Editing/Name drop down.

  • To change label type, choose full, circle, or rectangle from the Region Type drop down.

  • Indicate whether to track inside or outside the region using the Region Mode drop-down.

  • Set a time length for the label: Enter values for Start Frame and End Frame.

    To analyze the entire image sequence, use the last frame number as the value for End Frame.

Defining a recurring label (time dimension)

A recurring label will generate multiple labels of the same length (in frames) at regular intervals.

  1. Select the entire frame: Click Full image then click the image. You should see an outline around the image.
  2. Select the label from the Select Label for Editing/Name drop down.

    To customize the label name, under Properties, enter a name and click Apply Changes. The name is displayed under Select Label for Editing/Name drop down.

  3. Enter values for Start frame and End frame that define the first label.
  4. Check Recurrence.
  5. Enter an Interval length (label length + number of frames before next label).

 

Example: The label length is 50 frames, you want to start the analyses at frame 1 and add an interval of 10 frames between labels.