Dialog box - Select Object Measurements

The Select Object Measurements dialog box offers you a range of measurement parameters for automatic object analysis. In it, you specify which measurement parameters for individual objects are to be output in the Count and Measure Results tool window. You can hide measurement parameters that don't interest you, or make additional parameters appear. You can also change the order of the measurement parameters in the Count and Measure Results tool window, here. This way, you are configuring your own results sheet.

Opening the dialog box

You can open this dialog box from both the Object Measurements, and Object Filter results views by clicking the Select Object Measurements button.

Alternatively, you can also open the dialog box by clicking the Count and Measure Options button, located in the Count and Measure tool window. Select the Count and Measure > Measurements entry in the tree view, and click the Select Object Measurements button there.

Description of dialog box

The dialog box is divided into different areas. Click on one of the areas in the dialog box shown schematically above to jump to the corresponding help topic.

(1) List of the measurement parameters

(2) Description of measurement parameters

(3) Derivation of complex measurement parameters

(4) List of the selected measurement parameters

(5) Administration of parameter sets

See also

Overview - Automatic image analysis

Results view - Object Measurements

(1) List of the measurement parameters

The Object measurement definition group displays a list of all of the available measurement parameters. Click a measurement parameter to obtain an image and a brief description in the right-hand part of the dialog box.

Derived measurement parameters

From some measurement parameters other, more complex, measurement parameters can be derived. Please note that the derived measurement parameters will not be displayed in the Available object measurements list. There you will find only the basic measurement parameters.

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(2) Description of measurement parameters

Most of the measurement parameters are described by a drawing and a text in the dialog box. In the list of all the measurement parameters, click on the name of the parameter to display the description.

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(3) Derivation of complex measurement parameters

From some measurement parameters other, more complex, measurement parameters can be derived. In this case you will find the basic measurement parameters in the list of measurement parameters. Select the basis measurement parameter from the list (1) and define which measurement parameters are to be derived from it, in area (3) of the dialog box. The following possibilities are available for deriving measurement parameters:

Statistically evaluating measurement parameters

Measuring the convex hull

Determining the orientation of a line

Statistically evaluating measurement parameters

For some measurement parameters, the values for each single pixel in the object is determined. The result for the whole object can then be the mean, the smallest or the highest value.

One example is the Gray Intensity Value measurement parameter. To compute this measurement parameter, the gray intensity value is first determined for all of the pixels that compose the object. Then the mean of all of the intensity values is determined. This mean value is the gray intensity value of the object.

Note: The same statistic functions are not available for each measurement parameter. Select a measurement parameter in the Available object measurements list. Should statistic functions be available for this measurement parameter, they will now be displayed on the right-hand side of the dialog box.

For example: You are interested in the largest and smallest gray value of the measured object.

1.Select the Gray Intensity Value measurement parameter in the list of measurement parameters.

2.The statistic functions that are available for the selected measurement parameters will now appear below the explanation of the measurement parameters:

Min, Max, Mean, Sum, Std Dev, and Variance.

2.Select the statistical function Min, in order to determine the smallest gray value.

•The button shows the name of the measurement parameter and the active statistic function, Min (Gray Intensity Value) for example.

3.Click the button to have the Min (Gray Intensity Value) measurement parameter added to the list of selected measurement parameters.

4.Select the Max statistical function, then click the button again to add the Max (Gray Intensity Value) measurement parameter to the list of selected measurement parameters as well.

5.The next time an object is measured, the greatest gray value will be determined, as well as the smallest, and both will be output in the Object Measurements or Object Filter results view, in the Count and Measure Results tool window.

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Measuring the convex hull

When the perimeter of the object is very jagged, it might make sense to first compute its convex hull and then to compute the area, for example, from this derived object. This is possible for the following measurement parameters: Area, Orientation, Center of Gravity X/Y and Perimeter.

The illustration shows an object (orange) and the area of the convex hull (hatched).

1.Select a measurement parameter for an object from the list of measurement parameters, the Area measurement parameter for example.

2.The Measure on convex hull check box will now become available.

2.Then select the Measure on convex hull check box.

3.In the drawing of the measurement parameter you will then see this icon .

4.The button will then display the name of the derived measurement parameter Area - Convex.

3.Click the button to have the Area - Convex measurement parameter added to the list of selected measurement parameters.

4.When the next automatic object analysis is made, the convex area will be determined, and output in either the Object Measurements or Object Filter results view, in the Count and Measure Results tool window.

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Determining the orientation of a line

With some measurement parameters, diameter for example, the result of the measurement is a line. With these measurement parameters, you can measure the orientation of the segment with regards to the X-direction. The orientation is the angle between the resulting line and the X-axis.

1.Select the Diameter measurement parameter from the list of measurement parameters, for example.

2.The Measure the orientation check box will become available now.

2.Select the required statistical function, for example Min in order to measure the smallest diameter of the object.

3.Select the Measure the orientation check box.

4.In the drawing of the measurement parameter you will then see this icon .

4.Click the button to have the Orientation (Min (Diameter)) measurement parameter added to the list of selected measurement parameters.

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(4) List of the selected measurement parameters

The Measurements computed for all objects list shows the selected measurement parameters. Only these measurement parameters appear in the measurement display and will be adopted in the results sheet. Measurement parameters can be switched on or off at any time. The results will be updated. The measurement values of new parameters can also be output subsequently.

You can show measurement parameters that are not available at present.

1.To do this, select the required measurement parameter in the list of measurement parameters (1).

2.If necessary, change the settings for the selected measurement parameter (3).

3.Then click the Add <Measurement Parameter> button.

Should the measurement parameter you've selected already be in the list of selected measurement parameters, this button will be gray and is not available.

If you're not interested in one of the measurement parameters, hide it in the results display.

1.To do so, select the measurement parameter you wish to delete in the Measurements computed for all objects list.

2.Click the button with the red cross.

3.The removed measurement parameter will be immediately deactivated. It, however, can be reactivated any time.

You can specify the order of the measurement parameters in the measurement display and in the results sheet.

1.Select the measurement parameter you wish to move, in the Measurements computed for all objects list.

2.Click the arrow buttons to move the measurement parameter in the corresponding direction.

3.The first measurement parameter that is shown in the list (4), is then the first in the results sheet and so on.

Note: All of the parameters that you have selected in the Select Object Measurements dialog box, will also be displayed in the Object Filter results view. This enables you to define a filter range for every selected parameter in the Object Filter results view.

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(5) Administration of parameter sets

Click the Save Measurements button to save the current settings in a file. Both the measurement parameters and their order, will be saved.

In this way you can determine the appearance of various measurement sheets.

Click the Load Measurements button to load the appearance of a measurement sheet that has already been saved.

Click the Manage Measurements button to overwrite, edit, or delete settings that have already been saved.

See also

Working with parameter sets

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