Leica LAS ARCHIVE User Manual

Leica

Application

Suite

Archive

2

LAS archiving for

digital microscopy

The need for professional, customer-specific
digital data management solutions has
never been greater, particularly in view of
the increasing use of digital microscopes
and cameras. To meet these needs, Leica
introduces LAS Archive, a powerful application
designed to give rapid and convenient access
to digital images. Fully integrated with all Leica
microscopes and digital cameras this versatile
data management solution vastly improves
the acquisition, processing, measurement and
reporting of images. LAS Archive is a modular
and intelligent environment with a unique Leica
workflow interface that makes imaging quicker,
easier and more logical than ever before.

Implementation Overview

LAS Archive can be used to combine images
with text, numeric data, microscope information
and camera parameters in individual records
of a database. The content of a record can be
easily defined by use of the Archive Design
tool on the Setup workflow bar. With a focus
on simplicity, the Archive Designer allows you
to define hierarchical ‘levels’ by which data is
grouped (e.g. Lab Name, Procedure, Customer
Name, Experiment, Specimen Number, Result
etc.). There is virtually no limit to the number of
different fields you can specify or the volume
of information you can store. Image thumbnails
are saved in the database for rapid recall, while
the original high-resolution images are held
externally to the database. Additionally, new
fields can be added to an existing database or
redundant fields removed without any difficulty.
System information, including operator name,
date and time are added automatically, and
microscope and camera parameters are
included by default.

Advantages

LAS Archive is fully integrated with your •
microscope and camera ensuring that
data is stored quickly and accurately

The unique LAS user interface workflow •
concept optimises efficiency and
convenience and is designed for rapid
familiarity

Image and data display can be adjusted •
so that the presentation suits your
specific needs

A database design tool is incorporated •
allowing databases to be customised and
created easily

A hierarchy of levels allows the record •
data to be conveniently organised into
related categories

Audio recordings and a multiple of other •
files such as spreadsheets and Microsoft
Word documents can be attached to a
record to provide a complete collection of
project information

Sequences from multi-dimensional •
images may be acquired and handled as
conveniently as single images

Generate reports using predefined •
templates in Microsoft Word or design
your own with complete freedom

3

Acquiring Images

Capturing new images and adding new records
couldn’t be easier thanks to the structured
workflow of LAS. A live image can be viewed
and captured directly into the database and into
a pre-specified ‘capture location’. Alternatively
you can select a location in the Browse view
navigator and immediately capture the image
into the designated area. All camera and
microscope settings are automatically entered
into the database.

Data Views

LAS displays information in a variety of ways
on the workspace in “data views”. Single click
buttons are provided to turn the data displays
on and off as required. The region of the screen
occupied by each view can also be adjusted
and its position remembered between sessions
of operation and for each user.

Form View

The Form View displays data associated with the
selected image. This data includes text, memos,
numeric, date/time, Boolean, microscope data,
camera data and much more. Controls are pro­vided to select the most relevant data fields for
display.

Navigation View

The database consists of a hierarchy of levels
that allows data to be conveniently organised
into related categories. These categories can be
freely created and named during the acquisition
of images. The Navigator View shows categories
as a tree structure, allowing all records to be
instantly selected and shown.

Search View

A quick search facility is provided so that
text or numeric data can be simply entered
and a search made of the entire database of
nominated fields. The Search Navigator then
shows where the fields of interest are located.

Image View

This shows a single image of the selected record
and can be Zoomed and scrolled or shown in full
screen as required.

Gallery View

The sophisticated gallery shows multiple
thumbnail images, each associated with a
single record. By scrolling through the gallery,
either single or multiple records of interest can
be selected quickly and easily. The size of the
thumbnails can be adjusted to suit the available
screen space and amount of detail desired.

Table View

The Table View displays a grid of text records in
which the data columns correspond to the fields
selected in the Form View. This has a similar
format to a conventional database record list
containing text and numeric data. It can be
used as an alternative way of scrolling through
the archive and selecting records. The column
order can be freely modified and data sorted by
column in a logical and intuitive way.