Pixelina
The problem
In almost every lab where there is a a microscope, there is a need to document images. But the needs varies largely for different labs and organizations. In the easiest case you probably just want to capture one or a few images, save it to file, and later use them in some kind of report. In the more advanced scenario, you might have requirement to document all samples analyzed, with thousands or even hundred of thousands images per year.
Almost certainly you want to share your images with others and even with other labs or departments in your organization.
Our products can do all the above. This article is to explain which products might suit you best.
Release History
2024
September 22, 2024
64-bit version, now supporting larger and more images
(Observe, support for DirectShow unfortunatelly not supported in Win64)
New Image Explorer, easier access and work with images in folders (similart to File Explorer in windows)
New activation and registration process. Now also possible to activate and register off-line.
Several improvments with Compare Window
Improvements to log file
Completely re-written installer software
Office integration now supports Office 365 .dotm and .xlsm files
Bug fixes:
Burn-in and Blob Measurement issues fixed!
Crop and Panning issues, fixed!
Fixed crashbug in Script engine.
Fixed issues with "wrapped" images when cropping to odd sizes!
Grid and Camera Spot Measure painting offseted in high zoom. Fixed!
Fixed bug with Auto-thresholding crashing. Fixed!
ROI Rectangle issues when mixing diffrent calibration units, Fixed!
Overview image not minimized, when main image minimized. Fixed
Advance Search show wrong default value upon restart. Fixed!
Issues with "Add scalebar" automatically. Fixed!
Several other minor
2023 (13.0 build )
November 1, 2023
Win 11 compatible
Major GUI improvment, now supporting dockable windows and restoring of previous state.
Completely rewritten Image Montage/stitching module
Completely rewritten Mutifocus module*
Several major improvments in memory handling and memory leaks, and now handles out of memory issues better
Fixed several crash bugs
Now always restores dialogs and windows in the visble area, even after changing resolution.
Fixed issue with some images loaded wrong
Fixed issue with saving/updating of config file, now less likely to lose Site Code etc
Fixed bugs and improved memory usage in Blob measurement
Fixed some minor GUI and mouse cursor issues
Fixed some weird error messages (especially when using script)
Improved usability for measurement labels
Fixed calibration line, now always defaults to be inside the images
Several fixes to the Welds tool
Fixed some issues with Circular ASTM tools
Fixed issue with not beeing able to use ROI with Analysis tools
2022 (12.8 build 5118)
July 9, 2023
Fixed bug, measurement stops working if clicking at a label (Affected Circular GrainSize, Radius tool and other tools with multiple steps)
2022 (12.7 build 5117)
April 19, 2023
Fixed a bug that changed the image size when freezing (in some computer setups occations)
Fixed a bug that made the ASTM Intercept line tool randomly stop working
2022 (12.6 build 5116)
April 10, 2023
Restored functionality to support old Buehler IMG files.
Several improvments with the result window, for example rembers visability of columns and by default show more relevant information and less clutter.
Fixed bug in where image size changes after freeze (only some cameras, and if not having window fully maximized)
Fixed bug where moving adjustable measurments (like parallel measure and ASTM) sometimes brought up the wrong cursor and caused weired exceptions.
Fixed potential bug of Mouse suddenly disapering
General code improvements
2022 (12.5 build 5115)
April 5, 2023
Fixed bug in Pixara installer, fixing errounlous behaviour if upgrading without de-installing. (bug did not affect Omnimet)
Fixed bug with Text-box annotation adorners (corners). Now much easier to resize and move textbox.
Fixed drag-and-drop bug of images into Compare Tool Window
Statistic Window and Routine Window position now always restored on visible location
Improvements with ASTM Intercept measurement, fixing issue if user clicks a short line by mistake.
Fixed icon flashing in task bar upon start.
Fixed several memory leaks and out memory/exeptions bugs.
2022 (12.4 build 5114)
March 21, 2023
Now possible to save personal camera default settings
Camera Settings dialog position is now rembered between sessions
Improved default toolbar layout (first time)
Windows that are saved outside visible area (perhaps after changing screen resolution) are now displayed in a visible position.
2022 (12.3 build 5113)
March 18, 2023
Removed Old GDI Drawing Mode since it has now been fully replaced by Direct 2D Mode
Improved presentation of Angle result for small angled measurements
Now possible to add images of different size to montage window (Making it possible to build a very large montage of montage images)
Fixed bug: in Camera Settings, RGB Gain values now updated when pressing Default
2022 (12.3 build 5112)
March 9, 2023
Added “Pixel Clock Limiter” for IDS uEye Native
This should make it possible to connect old IDS USB cameras in Native mode.Added warning if using to high Pixel Clock with IDS USB-2 cameras.
Added support Allied Cameras Mono cameras
Stability and performance fixes for Allied Cameras
Fixed bandwith Limit Settings for Allied not remembered between sessions.
GUI Improvements for Allied Vison Settings
Improved Missing frame counter for IDS Native
Fixed issue not possible to drag image into Case after using Annotation.
Fixed issue not being able to assign database forms to departments
Improved logging
2022 (12.2 build 5108)
December 25, 2022
Now possible to set processing mode for Allied cameras
(On camera, On Host or Mono)
This change should make it possible to use higer refreshrate for Allied cameras weaker computers.Added support for Allied U500 Color cameras (and many more)
Added Bandwith Limiter for Allied cameras
2022 (12.2)
August 10, 2022
Added new function "Camera Health" to get a in depth analysis of camera and computer performance, issus and bottlenecs. Implemented for IDS Native and Allied Vision cameras (Not Direct Show)
Added Device Link Limiter for Allied cameras
GUI Improvments for the grids
Several other minor GUI improvments
Several SQL database related improvments and bug fixes
Improved performance for Blob measurements
Added Link
Fixed bug when doing calibratations on a panned image
Fixed bug with Scale bar tool
Fixed crash bug when using Create database for non-english versions
Fixed bug with Radius tool
Fixed bug when loading some images with odd width
Fixed bug with Angle (parallel lines) tool
Fixed color issue for Alllied cameras
Fixed design for login dialog
Fixed memory leaks and other "rare" crash bugs
Error mamagement Improvmens to Excel reports
Optimization for the Script Builder
2022 (12.1)
March 23, 2022
Added support for Allied Vision Alvium camera range
Now possible to measure with magnifyer glass by pressing Shift while doing measurement
Fixed Memory leaks for the Montage Window, now possible to work with more images.
Improved Auto place and Auto burn in scale bar
Now possible to use very long passwords
Added waring message is using IDS Driver 4.95 (or newer)
Measurements settings now accesible from popup menu
Removed Retina function (remenants from Medical version)
Removed "Boxy" grid (not used)
New Splash Screen
Improved error management in the compare windows
Improvments in the Count dialog
11.0
December 10, 2019
Fixed installer issue
10.1 Rev 2
June 13, 2019
Bugfix: Fixed Issue in installer showing “PatterFile.pat missing ” during installation (Omnimet Only)
Bugfix: Fixed issue with security rights for new logfile history function, causing multiple error message when using Picsara/Omnimet on a clean computer.
10.1 Rev 1
May 20, 2019
Bugfix: Case and Project Item Descriptor in Search Case Result Tree View sometimes misses proper or correct name
Bugfix: On some systems, the selected columns, width etc in the Case Explorer Window did not save. Setting are now saved in config.file rather than registry.
Bugfix: Swedish translations and button selection combination in Message Box erroneous, now fixed!
Bugfix: The script command “Save image to case” gave erroneous message (multiple cases open) instead of no case open. Now fixed
Bugfix: For some unknown reason, the last measurement result was added to first empty number field in the case. This was all by design, but the function has been removed since it causes issues.
Bugfix: Not possible to threshold (B/W) on images loaded from file
Improvements: Fixed several issues in the Threshold (B/W) dialog. Now easier to use and faster screen update. The slider controls act more consistent and it’s easier to user arrow up/down keys on the keyboard to change the threshold.
10.1
May 1, 2019
News: Added Logging into text file (into c:\programdata\Picsara)
News: Added CrashManager, a tool that assist user in bringing up the log file upon a crash.
News: Selected columns, and column width, for Case Explorer window (search results), are now remembered between sessions
Bugfix: Fixed memory leak in PointCounting measurement, potentially crashing the application after many measurements.
Bugfix: Some text strings are sometimes truncated in the case result window (search), both for tree view and list view. Now Fixed!
Bugfix: Not possible to search in database (error: Data Truncated) if a text field in the database had text that was longer than 255 chars. Fixed!
Bugfix: Fixed issue with weird error message (SQL statement includes a reserved word) when opening a case. Also improved error handling in this area.
Bugfix: De-installation removes stage pattern settings file. (PatternFile.pat).
Bugfix: Security settings for Pattern.pat file was read only for regular user. Now fixed!
Bugfix: Fixed issue with Start line/End Line controls in multifield dialog, in script editor. Values changed randomly when editing start/end line. Fixed!
Bugfix: Command “Restore Image From image buffer” cleared both bitmap buffer and “bitmap buffer copy”, resulting in unexpected behavior in some special situations.
Bugfix: Command “Load Image” cleared both bitmap buffer and “bitmap buffer copy”, resulting in unexpected behavior (no result) in some special situations
Bugfix: Fixed crash when logging in to database in case of having SQL database and Omnimet (not Picsara), due to erroneous ODBC.DLL installed. Fixed!
Bugfix: Fixed crash when open cases with very large number of measurements (Changed from CResultRecordset to CTinyResultRecordset.
Bugfix: Changed Default buffer Size for MeasureObject to 5000
Bugfix: Fixed issue with export using Excel Template Exporter causing a crash, Fixed! (Bug probably introduced in 10.0 Rev9)
Bugfix: fixing memory leak issue when using CropToROI function, in some cases creating an “out-of-memory” crash bug after extensive usage.
Bugfix: Fixed bug with “Objective Scanner not found” message, even when the scanner was found correctly!
Change: Fixed some strange behavior when closing Script Editor or Application with unsaved script. For example, asking the user same question multiple times.
Change: Removed feature “block Print Screen” (only intended for medical app)
Change: Now possible to change default SQL Driver and connection string in config.ini file
Change: Added extensive logging
Changed FileOpen Dialog in Edit Excel Template command to Windows Standard Dialog. (removing support for relative path, but improving GUI)
10.0 Rev 11
August 12, 2018
Change: Change how motorized stage is closed down (resetting to same state as when starting Picsara/Omnimet). This will make the Olympus Stream software to behave better if/when running on same system.
Change: “Restore Bitplane Buffer” command now clears all bitplanes in case the “Bitplane buffer” is empty (before it didn’t do anything!)
Bugfix: Fixed bug that “Do not show again” check box for message and edit boxes (in script) does not always work.
Bugfix: Fixed crash bug when trying to save image (using script) to a write protected folder (or if failing by other causes)
Bugfix: Fixed Swedish translation issues with script steps
Bugfix: Fixed bug that dialog in script engine does not always show up on visible part of the screen after change of screen resolution.
Bugfix: Fixed potential crashbug when showing empty histograms
Bugfix: Header in dialog Edit Bitplane tools got an ampersand in the beginning. Fixed!
Bugfix: The unit column for Grid Count measurement is removed! (never a unit)
News: Added support for exporting individual grain sizes for statistical analysis
Bugfix: Fixed potential crash bug when starting application
Fix: Improved error management for the Crop function.
Fix: Optimized display/update of sub-measurements in Result window (when many objects)
Fix: Added progress bar for lengthy Blob calculation (when many objects)
Fix: Improved error management in case MSCHRT20.ocx is not properly installed or registered
10.0 Rev 8
May 24, 2018
Bug: Sometimes not possible to install. (Added Visual Studio 2010 redistribute to installer). Now Fixed!
Bug: When using Grainsize measurement it’s possible to unfreeze before the measurement is completed, with unexpected result. Fixed!
Improved error management when creating a new database.
Optimized freezing, removing unnecessary Hourglass and making it a bit quicker.
ASTM-tool, changed back so it’s now possible to use the tool over several fields of view
ASTM optimized screen drawing
Fixed bug, overlay not working after optimizations in rev 6
Added extended logging around opening/closing of case.
Fixed bug, not possible to print comparison image on Windows 10. Gave erroneous error message. Now fixed!
10.0 Rev 3
November 30, 2017
Bug: Installation fails on some computers (due to missing Visual Studio 2010 redistributable files). Fixed!
Bug: Auto Gain setting (uEye) is not remembered and activated after restart. Fixed!
10.0 Rev 2
February 26, 2017
Bug: Installation fails on some computers (due to missing Visual Studio 2010 redistributable files). Fixed!
Bug: Auto Gain setting (uEye) is not remembered and activated after restart. Fixed!
10.0 Rev1
December 8, 2016
Added support for much better error handling /information messages relating to MIL9 or MIL 10 license dongle (including relevant drivers) upon start and in License tab.
Improved Auto White function for IDS (uEye) cameras
Change: Order of columns exported to Excel changed to be more logical (OBSERVERE: In case you have automated scripts that depends on the order of column, you might need to adjust these scripts)
Bug: Burn in bit plane (used in script) erases the actual bit plane. Fixed!
Bug: Export of Relative Field Measurement to Excel includes text and unit why it was not treated as numbers. Now fixed and unit is exported to separate column.
Bug: Crash bug, happening when restarting a script) in Script window fixed
Bug: In script editor, commands are sometimes executed even though they are marked as disabled. Fixed!
Bug: The current unit for test load (kgf, gf or Newton) is not displayed correctly in measurement setup dialog. Fixed!
Bug: The Automatic Database Connection test tool sometimes reports erroneous messages. Now fixed! Also information in warning message improved
Bug: Database settings erroneously saved (introduced in 10.0). Fixed!
10.0
August 13, 2016
Added support for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10
Please see updated manual for new information on how to install and update
Added support for MIL 9 and MIL 10 added.
Fixed bug that caused configuration (for example license settings) to disappear.
Fixed some bugs in Script Editor
9.9
February 2, 2015
Please see old Release Notes document
9.8
February 1, 2014
Please see old Relese Notes document
9.7
April 10, 2012
Please see old Relese Notes document
9.5
February 2, 2010
Please see old Releas Notes document