The Distance tool helps you measure distances in a variety of ways. Distances can be measured in real space or in data coordinates in 3 dimensions and the results can be saved to a file for off-line analysis.
Window | Coordinates | Method | Maximum Intensity | Box | Range | Last Point | Next Point | Total Points | Delete Group | Delete Last | Get Distances | Open File | Single Column | AutoSave | AutoPurge | Save Distances | Distances Saved | Insert Text
Enter the number of the window you will make measurements in.
By default, the distance between points is measured in Real space coordinates. Use this option menu to switch to Pixels (data coordinates) if that is how you want to make measurements.
There are four ways for points to be compared to each other. Use this option menu to select the method:
Compare Any Number - lets you pick as many points as you want and then measures the distances between all of them to each other. With this method, you must choose "Get Distances" to make a measurement.
Continuous - means that each point will be measured from the point clicked just before it. In this case, point 2 will always get the new point, and the previous coordinates from point 2 will move up to point 1. Measurements will be taken between the last two points after every point picked.
Every Two - alternates the points being replaced in point 1 and point 2 and only takes the measurement after every second point. A measurement will be taken between the two points after every two picked.
Manual - lets you select which point will get replaced so that it is possible to keep one point as a permanent point and measure the distances from that point to more than one other point. A measurement will be taken between the two existing points after every point picked.
With this toggle on, the program will search for the local maximum intensity based on the parameters Box and Range.
Set the box for the size of the area to be averaged for maximum intensity (pixels).
Set the range for the distance from the point picked by the mouse to search for the local maximum intensity.
This field reports the last point picked with its coordinates.
Shows the next point number that will be updated when a point is picked. you can change this number by entering a new number in the field or hitting increment or decrement arrows.
Shows the total number of points that have been picked for the current group.
This button purges all the points currently picked and resets for the next group of points to be picked.
This button deletes the last point.
When this button is hit, a measurement between the points currently selected is made. This is only necessary when using the Compare Any Number method. For the other methods the distance is measured automatically. The result is shown in the scrolled area, and if a file is opened and AutoSave is on, it will also be written to a file.
In order to save distances to a file, open the file before you start taking measurements. When you are finished making the distance file, close it if you wish to continue using the distance program without adding any more to that file.
If you are going to generate more than about 10 distances in one measurement set, you probably need to send the output to a single column. the default is to put the distances from one measurement into separate columns.
With AutoSave toggled On (as long as there is a file opened) every time distances are measured they will automatically be written to the file as well as reported on the screen.
With AutoPurge On, whenever distances are written to a file, the current set of points will be purged so you can start on a new set. Without this toggle On, you must click the Delete Group button in order to start a new set of points.
Click on the Save Distances button to save the currently shown distance to the file if you are not doing it automatically with AutoSave on.
The number of distances that have been saved to the currently open file will be shown here.
Each time you click the Insert Text button, the characters in the text space will be inserted in the output file. This lets you separate sets of distances in one file if needed.