About the uScope Navigator 4.6 Update

The uScope Navigator v4.6 Update is recommended for all users of uScope Navigator 4. This update improves the stability of your uScope Slide Scanner and adds new features.

To download the latest release of uScope Navigator...

1. Visit the Support Section of the Microscopes International web site.
2. Select Download Software Updates from the support page.
3. Enter your contact details and product information to access the latest updates.

Note
You must register your product to download product updates.

System Requirements for 4.6

Your PC and uScope must meet the following requirements to be compatible with uScope Navigator v4.6:

• Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, or Windows 10 Operating System
• uScopeMXII, uScopeHXII, uScopeDX, or uScopeGX
• uScope Serial Number beginning with M2D, H2D, D2D, or G2D
• uScope with Platform Controller Firmware A15.016 or later (how to locate your firmware version)

Features Added in 4.6

The following features have been added to uScope Navigator v4.6.

• uScope Control Panel - Scan Configuration
  • Added Ability to Save and Restore Scanner ROI Selections
    ROI (Regions of Interest) selections may now be saved and later restored (for the same or a different slide).
  • Added Device Scan Options Shortcut to Focus Settings Pop-Up Dialogs
    The pop-up dialogs for focus settings now include a shortcut to the Device Settings—Scan Options settings page.
• uScope Control Panel - Scan Operation
  • Blank Field Detection When Scanning
    When scanning a region of interest, blank fields are quickly detected and scanned. This speeds up scanning for many specimen types.
  • Blank Field Detection for Prediction Points
    Blank prediction point fields are detected and skipped when creating the prediction grid for predictive focus scans. This speeds up prediction point acquisition and helps eliminate focus creep during Predictive Focus and Predictive Stack scans.
• uScope Control Panel - Device Settings
  • Improved Speed of Camera Calibration
    Camera calibration in prior versions of uScope Navigator took up to 10 seconds to complete. The calibration algorithm is improved in v4.6 and now completes in about 3 seconds.
  • Added Access to Device Settings from Focus Setting Popup Dialogs
    Added a button to quickly access device focus settings from the focus setting popup dialogs.
  • Added an Option to Restore Factory Default Settings
    Added a method to restore factory settings to the Device Settings dialog. This provides an easy way to restore all settings to a known, good configuration.
• Filter Manager
  • New Image Processing Filter: 3DL Color Correction File
    This new filter type allows color correction from a 3DL lookup table file. 3DL files are commonly used in professional image processing software like Photoshop.
• Program Options
  • Added Image Type Specification for Whole Scan Image Tiles
    Added the ability to specify the image type (JPEG or PNG) used for the tiles in a whole scan image independently of the file type used for the scan fields.
• Whole Scan Images
  • Adjustable Whole Scan Image Tile Size
    Whole Scan Images typically have tiles that are 256×256 pixels. uScope Navigator v4.6 allows you to select tile sizes of 256×256, 512×512, 1024×1024, or 2048×2048 pixels. Larger tile sizes have a modest improvement in render performance and a significant improvement in folder copy speed.
  • Improved Image Stitching
    The image stitcher is improved and now considers more possibilities when combining images into a whole scan image. The result is a better quality stitched output image.
• Image Viewer
  • Various UI Improvements
    Added EDF Layer/Objective Position indicator for multi-layer scans.
    Excluded missing regions from the region drop-down list.
    Enhanced data shown in the Info Dialog.
    Modified dialogs to scroll when content is larger than the viewer window.
  • Updated Open Seadragon Deep Zoom Engine
    The Deep Zoom viewer engine was updated to the latest release (v2.4.2).

Issues Addressed in 4.6

The following issues have been addressed in uScope Navigator v4.6.

• Job Manager
  • Corrected a Problem Expanding/Collapsing Jobs
    Fixed a bug where expanding and collapsing an item in the job manager would scroll the list back to the top and the selected item would no longer be in view.
• uScope Control Panel - Browse Mode
  • Corrected a USB Data Communication Problem
    On occasion, the uScope Navigator application could lose communication with the uScope while browsing. This problem was related to the USB communication channel.
• uScope Control Panel - Scan Operation
  • Improved Image Quality for Some Scans
    After moving the uScope motion platform in the X, Y, or Z (focus) axes, there is a mandatory wait time (settle time) required before capturing a field image. The method used to determine the maximum settle time was improved. This may provide better image quality for some uScope models.
  • Corrected a Problem When Automatically Creating Whole Scan Images After Scanning
    When the Automatic option was selected for the Create a Whole Scan Image after a scan, the whole scan generator would hang at 0% complete.
• uScope Control Panel - Device Settings
  • Corrected a Problem Cancelling Overview Camera Calibration
    When calibrating the overview camera, the Close button on subsequent dialogs would not cancel the calibration. This issue has been addressed.
• Filter Manager
  • Corrected a Problem Viewing Test Images in the Filter Editor
    When viewing a test image in the Filter Editor, a pre/post processing synchronization problem could cause the before and after test images to get out of sync when defining a filter sequence. This synchronization issue has been corrected.
  • Corrected a Problem with Color Correction File Filters
    Corrected a user interface problem that could occur when the color correction file folder did not exist.
  • Corrected a Problem Updating the Test Image
    Fixed an issue where the test image in the filter editor did not update when changing the selected color correction file (BIN or 3DL).
• Whole Scan Images
  • Corrected a Resource Problem using Filters in Whole Scan Images
    Some filters (sharpen, blur), when used to create a Whole Scan Image, caused uScope Navigator to crash and completely exit. The resource allocated to these filters was not sufficient for the filter to complete. This has been corrected.
  • Corrected a Program Hang When Attempting to Create an EDF Image Without a License
    Attempting to create an EDF image from a multi-layer scan causes uScope Navigator to hang when no EDF license is installed.
  • Corrected a Problem Creating Multi-Angle Deep Zoom Images
    Deep Zoom images with multiple polarizer angles were created with missing XML file data and the images would not open using the Deep Zoom viewer. XML files now have the proper data included and Deep Zoom images open as they should.
  • Corrected a Problem Creating Multi-Layer Whole Scan Images
    When creating a whole scan image for a multi-layer scan, it was possible to select EDF Layer from the Create Whole Scan Image dialog even if the EDF libraries were not installed. This would cause uScope Navigator to hang looking for the EDF libraries.
  • Corrected a Whole Scan Image Render Problem
    Corrected a rare issue when creating whole scan images that caused fields to be rendered at one-quarter resolution.
  • Improved Underlapped/Unstitchable Whole Scan Image Output
    Improved output of underlapped/unstitchable whole scan images. The underlap amount is now taken into consideration for the gutter between fields on the final whole scan image. This maintains the aspect ration of the final image.
  • Corrected a User Interface Problem Creating EDF Images
    Corrected a problem with the EDF software opening multiple command windows when creating the EDF layer files.
• Image Viewer
  • Corrected a Problem Exporting Images from the Deep Zoom Viewer
    Clicking the Export Image button had no effect and did not export a copy of the whole scan image.
  • Corrected a Problem Exporting EDF Images from the Deep Zoom Viewer
    The Export Image button had no effect when attempting to export a copy or region of a EDF processed whole scan image.
  • Corrected a Problem with the Overview Image in the Scan Info Dialog
    The overview image did not appear if the scan file type was .PNG.
  • Corrected a Problem with User Buttons
    In some cases user buttons did not function as intended. This has been corrected.
  • Eliminated Unnecessary Screen Refreshing
    A screen flicker problem existed when unnecessarily updating the screen when selecting the current layer (for multi-layer scans) or when selecting the current angle (for multi-angle scans).
• Miscellaneous
  • Corrected User Interface Text
    Changed text in the user interface in a few places that should reference "Deep Zoom" but referenced "Open Seadragon" instead.
  • Corrected UI Formatting Issues
    Corrected a few minor layout problems in the uScope Navigator user interface.
  • Corrected a Problem Where JPEG Images were Saved with Q85 Instead of Q90
    JPEG images were saved at a quality level of 85 instead of 90. This made little difference when viewing images. Nonetheless, it has been corrected.