Importing Additional Image Volumes using Customization

Files in the Analyze and MINC Image formats should be loaded rather than imported. Several file types can be imported directly without the need for customization.

Customized images can be imported into MultiTracer in one of two ways:

by loading the images (8 or 16 bit) as raw images, specifying relevant offsets, dimensions and voxel sizes
by writing custom Java code to convert the images into a format that MultiTracer can import

To import import an additional image volume as raw images:

From the main MultiTracer window "File" menu, choose "Custom Import Volume Number" and select the submenu number that corresponds to the slot into which you want to load the volume. The sixteen available slots are arrayed in a four by four grid in the main MultiTracer window.
Select the file that you want to import from the "Open" dialog box. If the file is not in the current directory, the popup menu in the upper left of the dialog box will let you move up the directory tree, or you can double click on a subdirectory icon to move down the directory tree.
Once the file is selected, click the "Open" button in the dialog box
In the "Import" dialog box, set the type of image (8-bit, 16-bit signed, 16-bit unsigned)
Set the width (x-dimension) of the imported volume in voxels and the corresponding voxel width
Set the height (y-dimension) of the imported volume in voxels and the corresponding voxel heights
Set the number of bytes in the file to skip before loading the first plane of data
Set the number of images (z-dimension) of the imported volume in voxels and the corresponding voxel thickness (slice thickness plus any interslice gap)
Set the number of bytes to skip between planes
To invert black and white, check the "White is zero" box
To load data stored in little-endian order (e.g., PC's, DEC alphas), check the "Little-Endian Byte Order" box
Click the "OK" button
Large files may take several seconds to load
Once the file is loaded, the image should appear in the display region. If no prior image has been loaded, MultiTracer will automatically take you to a plane in the middle of the image and will adjust the intensity of the display to a (usually) reasonable value. If the display appears black, this may reflect a problem with the automatic intensity adjustment, and you may need to set the intensity manually.

To import an additional image volume using custom written Java code:

A Java programmer needs to write custom import code and provide you with the compiled custom class file
From the main MultiTracer window "File" menu, choose "Set Custom Import Class ..."
Select the compiled custom class that was provided to you using the "Open" dialog
From the main MultiTracer window "File" menu, choose "Custom Import Volume Number" and select the submenu number that corresponds to the slot into which you want to load the volume. The sixteen available slots are arrayed in a four by four grid in the main MultiTracer window.
Select the file to import and follow any instructions specific to the custom import class that you are using
You only need to set the custom import class once. The selection will remain in effect whenever you use the "Custom Import First Volume Using [YourCustomClass] ..." or the "Custom Import Volume Number.." menus until you choose a new custom import class or quit MultiTracer.

File importing in MultiTracer relies on public domain Java classes in Wayne Rasband's ImageJ 1.29 program. If you want to help support importing of additional file formats into future versions of MultiTracer, please consider contributing code to Wayne Rasband for incorporation into ImageJ.

Modified: April 22, 2003