Focus Surface and Support Points Section

Selected Tile Region

Displays the number of currently selected tile regions.

Current Position

Adds a support point at the current stage and focus position. Only available if the stage is positioned within the yellow bounding of the selected tile region.

Center of Tile Region

Adds a support point at the center of the currently selected tile region.

Method

Selects which method is used to add multiple support points.

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Generic

Distribution method with a simple column and row approach. ZEISS recommends using this method for smaller tile regions (<200 tiles) of a regular shape, e.g. quadratic, rectangular, and circular.

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Onion Skin

Distribution method for mid- or larger tile regions (>200 tiles) of an irregular shape like you might use to image large area tissue specimens, e.g. brain slices.

Columns

Only available with Generic.
Sets the number of columns of support points within the selected tile region.

Rows

Only available with Generic. Sets the number of rows of support points within the selected tile region.

Density

Only available with Onion Skin.
Determines the number of support points (up to a preset maximum number) that are used to cover the tile region.

Example: A square tile region with 400 tiles has 20 support points with the default parameters. The parameter density is set with a standard value of 5%. This means that in an approximately square tile region of 400 tiles about 20 support points are created.

Margin

Only available with Onion Skin.
This parameter allows you to control how close support points can be placed along the edges of your tile region. The value defines the distance to the tile regions boundary as a number of tiles. The default is 1 and allows support points to be placed in the outer most "layer" of tiles. A value of 2 allows support points only from 2 "layer" of tiles from the boundary, etc. This feature is useful if a software autofocus (SWAF) is used to determine the z-values of your support points. Sometimes tiles in the boundary regions might not contain any structure. Thus, the SWAF cannot adjust the support points z-value.

Max.

Only available with Onion Skin.

Determines the maximum number of support points for a tile region. As the density parameter is set to 5%, this would necessitate for very large specimens that the number can get very large. But a larger number of focus points does not always mean a better quality calculation of the focus surface. For this reason, you can define a maximum number of focus points in the range of 24 to 36 points.

Distribute

Distributes the entered number of support points defined in the column and row input fields within the tile region. Previously defined support points will be deleted.

Auto-Distribute for New Tile Regions

Activated: Automatically adds and distributes support points for all newly created tile regions.

Deactivated: Support points are distributed only via the Distribute button.

Local (per Tile Region)/Global (on Carrier) tab

Displays a list with local or global support points. You have the following columns and options:

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X

Displays and edits the x coordinate of the focus reference point.

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Y

Displays and edits the y coordinate of the focus reference point.

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Z

Displays and edits the z coordinate of the focus reference point.

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Container

Allows you to sort the global support points according to their container on the sample carrier.

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Add

Only visible on the Global (on Carrier) tab.
Adds a new support point to the selected tile region at the current stage and focus position.

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Delete

Deletes the selected list entry.

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Options

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Add Support Point at Current Stage and Focus Position

Adds a new support point at the current stage and focus position.

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Set Current Z for Selected Support Points

Sets the current Z-Position for all selected support points.

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Set Current X/Y/Z for Selected Support Points

Sets the current X-Y-Z-Position for the selected support point.

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Delete

Deletes the current support point.

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Delete All

Deletes all support points from the current tile region.

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Delete all Support Points from Selected Tile Regions

Deletes all support points from the selected tile regions.

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Delete all Support Points from all Tile Regions

Deletes all support points from all tile regions.

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Set Current Z for Selected Support Points

Only visible on the Global (on Carrier) tab.
Sets the current z-position for all selected support points.

Verify

Opens the dialog to verify the support points.

Set current XYZ

Sets the current x/y/z position for the selected support point.

Set current Z

Sets the current z-position for all selected support points.

Interpolation Degree

Displays the selected degree of interpolation.
Selects a degree of interpolation from the dropdown list.