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Settings for Importing RAW Files

To import a RAW file, you must provide the Image Loader with information about the data contained in the file, such as the image size, data type, byte ordering, and offset.

You should note that the Image Loader expects that the data is 3-dimensional and is formatted, as the name implies, in a raw manner. If there is metadata stored between data values, the Image Loader will not function correctly. It can, however, skip over some bytes at the beginning of a data file to accommodate typical header + value formats.

When exported from Dragonfly, RAW files are sometimes accompanied by a DAT file. It is almost always easier to import the DAT file that describes the contents of a RAW file than to import the raw data directly.

Raw data settings and preview

*Raw data settings*
	Description
Size (in pixels)	You must specify the sizes for the X, Y, and Z axes here — either by entering values in the edit boxes or by using the sliders associated with X and Y axes. Use the preview to help guide your size selections. For time-enabled data you can enter the number of time steps in the T edit box. You should note that changing the number of time steps will automatically update the size of the image stack (Z axis). During adjustments, you can click the Lock aspect ratio button to lock the current aspect ratio. When locked, the size of corresponding axes are updated automatically during your adjustments.
Data type	Choose the input data type here, as follows: Unsigned char (8 bits)… 8-bit unsigned bytes or 8-bit signed bytes, if the Signed data box is checked. Unsigned short (16 bits)… 16-bit unsigned shorts or 16-bit signed shorts, if the Signed data box is checked. Unsigned int (32 bits)… 32-bit unsigned integers or 32-bit signed integers, if the Signed data box is checked. Float (32 bits)… 32-bit floats.
Reverse byte ordering	If you selected Unsigned short, Unsigned int, or Float as the data type, you can reverse the byte ordering by checking this box.
Signed data	If you selected an unsigned data type, you can have the data interpreted as being signed by checking this box.
Offset into file	You can insert an offset to where the raw data really starts by entering a value in this edit box. You should note that offsets typically occur in PIC files, in which the raw data co-exists with header data. For most other image files, no offset (“0”) will produce the best results.
Z-Slice slider	Use the Z-Slice slider to scroll through all slices in the dataset and verify that the settings you selected are appropriate for the whole dataset.