How can I create draggable lines in a BW-Mask in an image overlay?

Hi!

I created a GUI which is able to plot agarose gels (<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gel_electrophoresis>) and automatically recognize the gel lanes by the intensity profile. The minima get eroded and detected and these positions are used for the creation of a black and white mask for my image. Then I isolate the edges of the regions yielding rectangles which actually surround the individual lanes. The problem is that the lanes in a gel are not always 100% straight or easy to recognize. I need something, where the user can correct the lane mask by manually dragging the edges of the rectangles in horizontal direction.

Is this possible? If not, are there maybe any work-arounds like drawing imrect over the rectangles of the mask?

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks! Janett

Answer 1

[ChristianW]

This might be usefull for you:

function test
close all
imagesc(peaks), axis off, axis image, hold on
d = [10 25 20 30]; % rectange distances [x1 x2 y1 y2]
p = plot_rect(d);
set(gcf,'KeyPressFcn',@adapt_rect)
def_str = 'Press keyboard for rectangle adaption';
t = text(1,-2,def_str,'fontsize',10,'color',[1 1 1]);

      function adapt_rect(src,event)
      set(t,'string','Locate a new rectangle corner.')
      [x,y] = ginput(1); % [x, y] = getpts
      [~,Ix] = min(abs(d(1:2)-x));
      d(Ix) = x;
      [~,Iy] = min(abs(d(3:4)-y));
      d(Iy+2) = y;
      delete(p)
      p = plot_rect(d);
      set(t,'string',def_str)
      end
  end

function p = plot_rect(d)
R = [d(1) d(3); d(1) d(4); d(2) d(4); d(2) d(3); d(1) d(3)];
p = plot(R(:,1),R(:,2),'k','LineWidth',2);
end

[Janett Göhring]

Thank you very much, that works fine. I adapted it to my needs.

%get input for which lane needs to be modified --> here lane 3
d = posRectsorted(:,3);         % rectange distances [x1 x2 y1 y2]
[x,~] = ginput(1);              % [x, y] = getpts
[~,Ix] = min(abs(d(1:2)-x));
d(Ix) = x;
newRect=[d(1),d(3),d(2)-d(1),d(3)+d(4)-1];
p = rectangle('Position', newRect);

One further Question though. Is it possible to drag the lines? With your solution it is possible to change the rectangle by clicking a certain coordinate. It would be more convenient for the user to just click the existing line and drag it.

thanks for the help!

[ChristianW]

Yes sure, you can. I am sorry, I overread this part. Basically its the WindowButtonMotionFcn doing that job. I've learned alot regarding this from Matt Tearle's doodle.

function test
close all
f = figure;
ax = axes;
imagesc(peaks), axis off, axis image, hold on
d = [10 25 20 30]; % rectange distances [x1 x2 y1 y2]
p = plot_rect(d);
set(f,'WindowButtonDownFcn',@start_drag)
uiwait(f)

function start_drag(src,event)
    cp = get(ax,'CurrentPoint');
    z = cp(1,[1 1 2 2]);% [x x y y] x and y position to compare with d
    [~,I] = min(abs(d-z)); % find the closest
    d(I) = z(I); % drag the found one
    set(src,'pointer','crosshair')
    set(src,'WindowButtonMotionFcn',@drag)
    set(src,'WindowButtonUpFcn',@stop_drag)
    function drag(~,~)
        cp = get(ax,'CurrentPoint');
        z = cp(1,[1 1 2 2]);% [x x y y] x and y position to compare with d
        d(I) = z(I); % drag the found one
        delete(p)
        p = plot_rect(d);
        drawnow
    end
    function stop_drag(src,~)
        set(src,'Pointer','arrow')
        set(src,'WindowButtonMotionFcn',[])
        set(src,'WindowButtonUpFcn',[])
        uiresume(f)
    end
end
end

function p = plot_rect(d)
R = [d(1) d(3); d(1) d(4); d(2) d(4); d(2) d(3); d(1) d(3)];
p = plot(R(:,1),R(:,2),'k','LineWidth',2);
end