When switching to an image that has not loaded, show the previous image until the download completes

Feature Requests
#1

If I request an image level that is still downloading, the display turns grey until the download completes, then it shows the new image. If I am following a small process through the stack, then the discontinuity makes it difficult for me to keep following without backing up a few frames and starting again. This is particularly problematic from a slow connection when this will happen every few frames. To avoid this, I usually spend a few minutes flipping through the stack to force it to preload the images I think I’ll need (but this is considerably more tedious than tracing neurites).


It would be much better if the previous image stays visible until the next image is available to prevent change blindness.  (but do continue to show the “loading…” message)
#2

Thanks Icampagn,


We’re looking into better ways of showing notifying the user that things are loading.  We’ll keep this in mind.
#3

I agree with Icampagn, When you are so concentrated, it´s a little chok on the eyes every time the picture blinks.

Jens

#4

I agree. Extremely annoying when the gray screen pops up. Can’t you load the images in the background instead of having to scroll to them first? I’d rather wait a few seconds for the whole stack to load than to put up with gray screen. Also could send low-res images first google maps style.

#5

I’m not sure I like the solution just implemented. It’s a bit disconcerting to see the blue blob fill the neuron but the image doesn’t keep up because it’s still loading – I’ve been trained by the game to look for areas that the blue blob doesn’t fill, and now I see them all the time because the image doesn’t keep up! Can the outline be synchronized to the image?

#6

While I agree with @robertb, I also think that showing the previous image instead of a gray area is MUCH better for my eyes. So this is already a great improvement IMHO!

Still, I have a secret wish: a youtube-style loading bar, that ‘fills up’ as images are loaded. So I would know when all images are loaded, and start!

#7

@robertb


The current behavior is actually a bug. When you jump to a slice where the channel data has not loaded, the website is supposed to cancel all of the prefetching and instead load the slice you’re trying to view. Unfortunately what is actually happening is prefetching just keeps going, and the slice you’re waiting to view has to wait for the whole volume to load first.

I will be working on fixing this on Monday, I will post here when I have resolved this bug and will see if you think things are any better.

Thanks for the feedback


#8

@robertb


Can you tell me if things are any better now?
#9

What are you referring to @echo?
I find it worse: now when the images are already loaded, sometimes I see ‘flashes’ when I rapidly pass from a slice to the other. Looks like a browser problem.
Could be that I updated to Firefox 13?

#10
@robertb

The current behavior is actually a bug. When you jump to a slice where the channel data has not loaded, the website is *supposed* to cancel all of the prefetching and instead load the slice you're trying to view. Unfortunately what is actually happening is prefetching just keeps going, and the slice you're waiting to view has to wait for the whole volume to load first.

I will be working on fixing this on Monday, I will post here when I have resolved this bug and will see if you think things are any better.

I think I’m still seeing something related to this. When I go quickly through the sample, the images/slices appear one after other correctly, but the blue marked neuron stays in the old shape and hangs for a bit with the loading icon circling around.  I’ve often thought I needed to mark something but in fact it was just that the blue hasn’t caught up with where I am in the slices.  It’s all fine in 3D, but often seems to have this lag in 2D.

#11
What are you referring to @echo?
I find it worse: now when the images are already loaded, sometimes I see 'flashes' when I rapidly pass from a slice to the other. Looks like a browser problem.
Could be that I updated to Firefox 13?

This has just started for me too - the flashing between images. I just updated to Firefox 13 tonight… so looks like it is related. Quite annoying I have to admit.

#12

what robertb says above. no flashing but yes grey moves before blue so I click…but then, ah. never mind blue is there now (slowly there…). I’m using Chrome and Microsoft 7