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About This Release

ScanImage r33.5 has been developed primarily to support ScanImage users who no longer have ready access to the older Matlab version for which earlier ScanImage releases had been developed. ScanImage 3.5 is known to be compatible with Matlab 2007b. In addition, it is now compatible with the newer National Instruments driver (DAQmx), rather than the Traditional NI-DAQ driver required by earlier ScanImage releases.

At present, the version has been tested on Matlab 2007b (with serial port patch installed, as described in ScanImage installation instructions), and with DAQmx version 8.6. While future versions of Matlab or NI Drivers are likely to work, this cannot be guaranteed at this time.

ScanImage r3.ScanImage 3.5 is very similar to r33.0 and new users may want to refer to the documentation of that earlier version ScanImage r3.0 Documentation to become familiar with this software.

Changes

However, some important Some changes have been made, as described in the documentation section Important Changes in ScanImage 3.5. Notably:

• The Selection Dialog no longer appears at startup
• The handling of the INI file has changed somewhat and the Rig Configuration section of the model file supplied with the release has been considerably modified
• The board wiring required for trigger and clock synchronization has been modified
• The Main Controls window has several modifications

New Features

In addition to these changes, several new features have been added to ScanImage 3.5 well as the addition of a handful of new features to help support ongoing experiments by ScanImage users at Janelia Farm Research Campus. The documentation for ScanImage r3.5 describes these changes and new features.

To get started, users should in particular note the changes to the INI file handling described in the documentation.

New Feature Summary

• Compatibility with current Matlab/National Instruments releases (R2007B/DAQmx 8.6)
• Live RGB channel 'merge' display during Focus mode
• Unlimited & uninterrupted acquisitions via TIF streaming-to-disk
• Ability to accept external trigger, using separate trigger input terminal (e.g. facilitates Ephus-driven acquisitions)
• Enhanced MP-285 interface and configuration
• Improved support for case of 3 'beams' (i.e. 3 Pockels Cells)
• Tools to facilitate beam and scan alignment
• Command-line utility functions for commonly-needed tasks, including beam-parking and 'cusp'-delay optimization
• Enhanced 'hot-key' functionality to support rapid program control and configuration switching'Infinite' focus mode

Bug Fixes

A handful of bugs identified in ScanImage 3.0 have been addressed in this release.

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  The 'pixel time' and 'bin factor' parameters now update correctly following changes to the 'Fill Fraction' or 'ms/line' parameters. Power Box 'Constrain to Line' functionality is actually turned off at startup, matching the startup checkbox setting in the GUI Selecting 'Constrain to Line' no longer causes Power Box to 'shift' each time User preference to display grid on channel windows now correctly saves Prompted entry of file 'base name' actually pertains

About Upcoming Releases

Version 3.6 will be released soon after this version, adding features to support bidirectional and an improved sawtooth scanning user interface. This version will serve to support users requiring somewhat faster imaging.

Beyond these two versions, plans are underway to significantly rewrite ScanImage from the ground-up, in order to better support a growing number of laser scanning devices and applications.This work will occur during much of 2009.

We welcome feedback on ScanImage 3.5/3.6 and certainly will address any critical deficiencies that may be identified. Please note that any significant requests are more likely to be incorporated into plans for the new ScanImage package.