Overlays, Layers, and Shapes

11 minute read

Images can be annotated with Tags, Properties, and Shapes. Shapes are organized into Layers and Overlays, and Overlays can be associated with Images. A Cell can contain multiple Overlays with Layers and Shapes.

Tip	Images and Overlays with the same name are connected and displayed together, including all the Layers and Shapes within them.

Shapes, Layers, and Overlays can be managed in the Editor app.

Overlays

Note	Overlays can be automatically created when adding Shapes to Images. These automatically created Overlays have the same name as the Images and are connected to them. Custom-made Overlays can have any structure, and the connection to the Images is optional and defined by name.

Create an empty Overlay

Left-click on the More button.

Figure 1. Overlays More options
Click Create empty overlay.

Figure 2. Create an empty overlay
Set the Overlay name and choose the Searchable option.

Figure 3. Enter overlay name window
The saved Overlay is added to the list of Overlays. The Overlay contains an empty virtual Layer called base.

Figure 4. New Overlay

Note
Name the Overlay the same as the Image to connect them. Images and Overlays with the same name will be displayed together.

Upload Overlay from disk

Left-click on the More button.

Figure 5. Overlays More options
Click Upload overlay.

Figure 6. Upload overlay
Select the Overlay to upload and choose the Searchable option.

Figure 7. Upload new overlay window
The uploaded Overlay is added to the list of Overlays.

Copy and paste Overlay

Note	Only one Overlay with the same name can exist in a Cell, so you can copy-paste Overlays between Cells. The copied Overlay includes all non-empty Layers and Shapes, while empty Layers or Overlays without any Shapes are ignored.

Right-click on the Overlay and select the Copy option.

Figure 8. Copy overlay
Go to the Cell where you want to paste the Overlay.
Left-click on the More button.

Figure 9. More options button
Click Paste overlay.

Figure 10. Paste overlay

Overlay details

Right-click on the Overlay and select the Details option.

Figure 11. Overlay options
The Overlay details contain information about the Overlay, its Tags, and Properties.

Figure 12. Overlay details

Rename Overlay

Right-click on the Overlay and select the Rename option.

Figure 13. Rename Overlay
Set the new Overlay name.

Figure 14. Set filename

Download Overlay

Right-click on the Overlay and select the Download option.

Figure 15. Download Overlay

The downloaded Overlay is a text file describing the Overlay with all its Layers and Shapes in JSON format. The file is named the same as the Overlay.

Copy Overlay name

Right-click on the Overlay and select the Copy filename option.

Figure 16. Copy filename

Delete Overlay

Right-click on the Overlay and select the Delete option.

Figure 17. Delete Overlay

Layers

Layers group Shapes within Overlays.

Create Layer

Empty Overlays have one virtual base Layer, which is replaced by the first created Layer.

Right-click on the Overlay and select the Add layer option.

Figure 18. Add layer
Set the Layer name.

Figure 19. Enter layer name

Note	If the Overlay contains only an empty `base` Layer, it will be replaced by the new one.

Copy and paste Layer

Right-click on the Layer and select the Copy option.

Figure 20. Copy layer
Right-click on the Overlay and select the Paste layer option.

Figure 21. Paste layer
Save the new Layer by pressing CTRL + S or clicking the Save changes button on the Shape panel.

Figure 22. Save button

The Layer can be pasted into an Overlay that already has a Layer with the same name. The new Layer’s name will be extended with (copy).

Duplicate

Right-click on the Layer and select the Duplicate option.

Figure 23. Duplicate layer
Set the new Layer name in the popup window.

Figure 24. Set Layer name

Rename Layer

Right-click on the Layer and select the Rename option.

Figure 25. Rename layer
Set the new Layer name in the popup window.

Figure 26. Set Layer name

Copy Layer name

Right-click on the Layer and select the Copy name option.

Figure 27. Copy Layer name

Delete layer

Right-click on the Layer and select the Delete option.

Figure 28. Delete Layer

Overlays and Layers visibility

Each Layer and Overlay can be manually enabled or disabled for any Image in the Cell. The Eye symbol associated with the Layer enables or disables the Layer for the active View. The same symbol associated with the Overlay enables or disables all Layers in the Overlay.

Figure 29. Overlay and Layer enabled

Figure 30. Overlay and Layer disabled

Tip	Layers and Overlays can be displayed on Images other than the ones they originally belong to.

Shapes

The annotation panel provides options to create various types of Shapes. Either create the Shapes manually or use one of the available smart tools.

Create Shape

The process to create a Shape is the same for all types, only the Shape definition differs.

Select an Image in a Cell.
Shapes always belong to a Layer and Overlay. Select the appropriate ones, or they will be automatically created if an Overlay with the same name as the Image exists, along with a base Layer.
Select the Shape to create.

Figure 31. Shape panel
Choose the Shape template.

Figure 32. Shape templates
Draw the Shape on the Image.

Figure 33. Draw Shape
Save the changes.

Figure 34. Save button

Copy and paste Shape

Right-click on the Shape and select the Copy option.

Figure 35. Copy Shape
Right-click on the Layer and select the Paste Shape option.

Figure 36. Paste Shape
Save the new Shape by pressing CTRL + S or clicking the Save changes button on the Shape panel.

Figure 37. Save button

Duplicate

Right-click on the Shape and select the Duplicate option.

Figure 38. Duplicate Shape
Set the Layer for the Shape copy. It can be the same Layer, another existing Layer from the list, or a new Layer defined by a unique name.

Figure 39. Select Layer
Save the new Shape by pressing CTRL + S or clicking the Save changes button on the Shape panel.

Figure 40. Save button

Shape Details

Right-click on the Shape and select the Details option.

Figure 41. Shape details
The Shape details window provides information about the Shape, including its size, position, color, and Properties. All these parameters can be changed.

Figure 42. Shape details window

Save as template

Each Workspace has a default set of Shape templates, one for each supported shape type. These templates can be managed in the Workspace settings, and new ones can be created in the Editor app. Different Shape templates can be used to add more information to annotations. Each template also has a default color setting.

Right-click on the Shape and select the Save as template option.

Figure 43. Save as a template
Set the Shape template name.

Figure 44. Set Shape template name

Delete Shape

Right-click on the Shape and select the Delete option.

Figure 45. Delete Shape

Shape types

Supported shape types include rectangles, oriented rectangles, crosses, polygons, ellipses, paths, and masks. The mask shape can be created manually or computed with the Smart tool. All shapes, except for the Mask, are described as vectors, while the Mask is described as a raster.

Rectangle

A Rectangle is defined by one point, width, and height. It can be rotated by changing the rotation value in the Shape details.

Add rectangle

Click the Add rectangle button.

Figure 46. Add rectangle button
First left-click to mark the first point.

Figure 47. First point
Keep the button pressed and move the cursor to define the rectangle Shape. Release the button to mark the second point.

Figure 48. Last point

Oriented rectangle

An Oriented rectangle is defined by one rotated edge and height.

Add oriented rectangle

Click the Add oriented rectangle button.

Figure 49. Add oriented rectangle button
First left-click to mark the first point.

Figure 50. First point
Keep the button pressed and move the cursor to define the angle of one edge of the Shape. Release the button to mark the second point.

Figure 51. Angle
Move the cursor to define the width of the oriented rectangle and left-click to select the point on the closing edge.

Figure 52. Width

Cross

A Cross marks a single point, and its visual style can be customized.

Add cross

Click the Add cross button.

Figure 53. Add cross button
Select the Shape template.
Left-click on the Image to define the cross Shape.

Figure 54. Create cross

Figure 55. Cross

Polygon

A Polygon consists of a minimum of 3 points. If a Polygon is created with fewer than 3 points, it will not be saved. Points can be added to the Polygon as it is being created. An existing Polygon can be edited by adding points to the closest edge, removing points, or moving them.

Add polygon

Click the Add polygon button.

Figure 56. Add polygon button
Select the Shape template.
Left-click to mark each point on the Polygon Shape.

Figure 57. First point

Figure 58. Second point

Figure 59. Third point

Figure 60. Fourth point

Figure 61. Fifth point
Right-click to finish the polygon Shape.

Ellipse

An Ellipse is created within a rectangle. Rotation can be set after the ellipse is created.

Add ellipse

Click the Add ellipse button.

Figure 62. Add ellipse button
First left-click to mark the first point.

Figure 63. First point
Keep the button pressed and move the cursor to define the ellipse Shape. Release the button to mark the second point.

Figure 64. Last point

Path

A Path consists of a minimum of 2 points. The default Path template displays the path with a filled area, which helps with selecting the Shape. To display the path Shape without the filled area, change the Alpha parameter in the color setup.

Figure 65. Path

Add path

Click the Add path button.

Figure 66. Add path button
Left-click to mark each point on the path Shape.

Figure 67. Second point

Figure 68. Third point
Right-click to finish the path Shape.

Mask

The Mask does not have any predefined shape. It is created by brush painting. There are various brush modes available, including a simple brush, eraser, brush with automatic area fill, and eraser with automatic area fill. The Mask is saved as a text shape description and an image file that shows the foreground and background.

Add mask

Click the Add mask button.

Figure 69. Add mask button
Select the brush mode. Options include a simple brush, eraser, brush with automatic area fill, and eraser with automatic area fill.

Figure 70. Mask brush options
Move the mouse and keep the left mouse button pressed or left-click to add an area under the cursor.

Figure 71. Mask
To erase part of the Mask, Click the Remove mask button..

Figure 72. Remove mask button
Move the mouse and keep the left mouse button pressed or left-click to remove an area under the cursor.

Figure 73. Mask reduced
To add an automatically filled Mask shape click the AutoFill add button.

Figure 74. AutoFill add button
Move the mouse and keep the left mouse button pressed to define the mask borders. Release the button to close the mask area, which will be automatically filled.

Figure 75. Mask borders

Figure 76. Mask filled
To erase part of the Mask with automatic area fill click the AutoFill remove button.

Figure 77. AutoFill remove button
Move the mouse and keep the left mouse button pressed to define the mask borders. Release the button to close the mask area, which will be automatically erased.

Figure 78. Mask borders

Figure 79. Mask filled

OCR

One of the special functions is OCR detection and recognition. OCR can be used in manual or automatic mode. In manual mode, an oriented rectangle is used as a Shape template, and the expected text needs to be filled in manually. Automatic detection allows selecting a area of the image that is processed automatically by one of the available tools. The detected text is then saved as a Property value.

Add manual OCR

Click the Add OCR button.

Figure 80. Add Ocr button
Select the Shape template and type. The type can be set to manual or automatic detection.

Figure 81. Shape template and type
Draw the Ocr Shape according to the selected Shape template.

Figure 82. Ocr selected area
If the type is set to manual, enter the expected text in the prepared Property window.

Figure 83. Enter expected text

Smart tool

The Smart tool is used to detect the background and foreground of an Image. The result is a mask that can be edited similarly to the Mask shape.

Use the Smart tool

Click the Smart tool button.

Figure 84. Use Smart tool
Select the desired type.

Figure 85. Select type
Select the area for detection.

Figure 86. Select area
The Smart tool detects the foreground and background and creates a mask.

Figure 87. Mask detected