About Current and Upcoming Releases
ScanImage r3.5 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. 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 r3.5 is very similar to r3.0 and new users may refer to the documentation of that earlier version to become familiar with this software. A few changes were made, notably a simplified INI file format. In addition, a handful of new features have been added 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.
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 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.
New Feature Summary
- Compatibility with current Matlab/National Instruments releases (R2007B/DAQmx 8.6)
- Real-time RGB channel 'merge' display during Focus mode
- Continuous Disk-logging during Grab/Loop acquisitions
- Ability to accept external trigger (using separate trigger input terminal; facilitates Ephus-driven acquisitions)
- 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 configuration switching
- 'Infinite' focus mode
Bug Fixes
- 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