Display, Annote and export analog signal images

[Gseward]

John/George

If I interpret correctly, the problem is that users want to place saved images in an (EDS?) Report as they go. George, is this the point???
Given what you describe, I assume that the user wants to use PFE Imaging as a Work-Around because the EDS hardware can't acquire an image? I imagine the PFE Imaging interface is designed to maximise efficiency and support operation of PFE, not to work as a generic Imaging platform, e.g. the ability to add/remove/modify important spatially referenced overlays etc. But in the spirit of Work-Arounds, here are a few suggestions:

1)You could use PeakSight Imaging? It works much like an SEM interface (of sorts).

2)You could screensnap the Imaging window and paste directly into report or into IrfanView: 
-screen snap active Imaging window (rather than the desktop) is e.g. FN+ALT+PRNTSCN on my PC.
-If necessary Paste into report or Irfan (CTRL+V)
-'Save as' in Irfan  (hit the S key)
Using this method, the important image parameters are retained in the panel on the left.

3)You could do similar to above, perhaps even a little faster, using a Windows7 Snip tool.
-open Snip.
-click NEW (only necessary for the second time around)
-drag
-CTRL+S to save.
 
4)You can use the Output | Save Images to BMP option at any time, not just the end.
-collect image
-Click Output
-Click Save Images to BMP      (for the first image only you will need to set up desired overlays in Run | Display Images)
because all images are being output each time (~2 seconds per image), this will work OK unless you have lots and lots of images in one .mdb. If you get a message saying "can't paste to clipboard" just click the Cancel button at the bottom right of  the log window, and try output again.

Perhaps non of the above is ideal but hopefully you can tolerate one of them until you can get EDS software imaging working.

Cheers,

Gareth

[John Donovan]

Hi George,
I still think the method of clicking the Save To Database button once for each image acquisition you want to save, and then clicking once at the end to automatically output all images to BMP files with the data bar and scale bar burned in as you want, is the easiest but Gareth's suggestions will also work.

Or how about just telling Cameca to get the darn tootin' external scan inputs working on your Sx100?  That would make *everyone* happy!

Has Cameca explained to you why the external scan inputs don't work on your instrument?
john

[gmorgan@ou.edu]

Well, for many users I will want to use a single MDB to analyze multiple samples - say an experimental system in which multiple experiments are performed. If I wait until done and output the images in one batch from the MDB, won't the system give them image names based upon the MDB name and image in sequence rather than a sample name (and number in sequence) that I choose? (e.g., Expt#1-image#1, Expt#1-image#2, Expt#2-image#1, etc.)?  So won't I then need to go back and rename all of the images (likely using a printed version for reference, if there are a lot of them) to something meaningful to the user, or perhaps just remove the name of the MDB for brevity? Talk about make-work. Admittedly, I have not yet seen what the options are for the filenames during batch export.

For a single experimental system, if I perform multiple sessions with a single MDB the batch output method would again export previously exported images. To avoid this I would need to create a new MDB for each session, but then all of the images will not be saved in the same database - so the databases as backups would not be easily searchable for a particular experiment number (I guess not a big deal), especially if the same experiment is looked at in more than one session (which does happen). So why not just be able to save each image to a chosen directory with a scale bar and a name I choose at the time of creation? (Okay, is it obvious I come from the olden times of DOS file names rather than thumbnails in a folder?)

As far as getting the scan issue solved, we still don't know the problem. I am still waiting (expected it last week) for a cable to allow connection of external scan control directly through the scanning board (I believe will bypass internal scanning). Until I get that, and some instruction, I may not know if the problem is with one or two control IC's on the scanning board, or if a whole new scanning board is needed (and/or if a service visit is needed). Now, if you want to send me ~$15K for a new scanning board and another ~$10-15K for a service call we might can get this solved quickly and without actual diagnosis. I guess it's still remotely possible, however, that we will never get external scan control....?

[Probeman]

Well, for many users I will want to use a single MDB to analyze multiple samples - say an experimental system in which multiple experiments are performed. If I wait until done and output the images in one batch from the MDB, won't the system give them image names based upon the MDB name and image in sequence rather than a sample name (and number in sequence) that I choose? (e.g., Expt#1-image#1, Expt#1-image#2, Expt#2-image#1, etc.)?  So won't I then need to go back and rename all of the images (likely using a printed version for reference, if there are a lot of them) to something meaningful to the user, or perhaps just remove the name of the MDB for brevity? Talk about make-work. Admittedly, I have not yet seen what the options are for the filenames during batch export.

Hi George,
Good questions! 

Of course you can analyze any number of samples and associated images in a single MDB file. That said, the Output | Save All Images To BMP Files menu automatically names the image file names based on both the image name and the sample name. To make this process as easy as possible be sure to try and name the image the same as the sample that you want associated with the image.  This is easy if you create a new sample and then open the Imaging window, where it loads the image name based on the current sample.

Of course you can also double-click each image name in the image list and edit it to your heart's content!

But if you want to acquire all the images *before* you create the samples, be sure to name the images using the same name that you will utilize for the samples themselves.  That way you can utilize this feature to "synchronize" the images with their associated samples as described in this post here:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=138.msg559#msg559

I sometimes just create the digitized sample in the Automate! window (with or without any digitized points just yet), then I just click the Digitize Image button to automatically load the Imaging window with the image name loaded using the current automated sample name. On the other hand if you click the Imaging button from Acquire! it loads the image name with the current sample name.  The software is trying to make this easy!

For a single experimental system, if I perform multiple sessions with a single MDB the batch output method would again export previously exported images. To avoid this I would need to create a new MDB for each session, but then all of the images will not be saved in the same database - so the databases as backups would not be easily searchable for a particular experiment number (I guess not a big deal), especially if the same experiment is looked at in more than one session (which does happen). So why not just be able to save each image to a chosen directory with a scale bar and a name I choose at the time of creation? (Okay, is it obvious I come from the olden times of DOS file names rather than thumbnails in a folder?)

Hey, I resemble that remark!  I come from the olden times of DOS myself!

Well, you can easily create a new MDB for each session using the Load File Setup button, and in the same folder (or not) as the previous MDB file. That way (in both cases) you won't be outputting the previously acquired images each time you output the new ones...  hey you wanted flexible, you got flexible!

As far as getting the scan issue solved, we still don't know the problem. I am still waiting (expected it last week) for a cable to allow connection of external scan control directly through the scanning board (I believe will bypass internal scanning). Until I get that, and some instruction, I may not know if the problem is with one or two control IC's on the scanning board, or if a whole new scanning board is needed (and/or if a service visit is needed). Now, if you want to send me ~$15K for a new scanning board and another ~$10-15K for a service call we might can get this solved quickly and without actual diagnosis. I guess it's still remotely possible, however, that we will never get external scan control....?

Sorry, I don't understand. You already have external scan generation in the Thermo box...  Cameca just needs to fix the external scan inputs on your instrument, correct?   What did Gareth and Edgar say?  They're both real good at this type of troubleshooting...

Edit by John: just to clarify, since you are acquiring images in PFE using the Cameca internal scan generator and the Thermo scan generator is (presumably) working, the trouble must be between the Thermo cables and the Cameca scan coils.  But I'm no hardware guy!

[John Donovan]

Someone recently asked about adding a scale bar to an already acquired image. Just use the Run | Display, Annotate and Export Analog Signal Image menu dialog as seen here:

[John Donovan]

And if you want to save the displayed image with a scale bar, point labels, etc. just use the save To Clipboard button as seen here:



Then paste it into any imaging app and then save it to any image format you prefer.

I use Paint dot net which is very easy to use and does all the image processing and editing things I need to do:

https://www.getpaint.net/