EasyFigAssembler

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is EasyFigAssembler?

EasyFigAssembler is a web application designed to help scientific researchers create publication-quality composite figures by assembling individual image panels. It automates layouts, offers extensive customization, provides quality-checking feedback, and allows for high-resolution exports.

2. How do I upload my figure panels?

You can upload your image files (including .tiff) by dragging and dropping them into the designated "Drag & Drop Figure Panels Here or Click to Upload" area, or by clicking the area to open a file selector. If panels are already present, a "Add/Replace Panels" button will appear.

3. What layout options are available?

The app provides several layout options: Vertical Stack, 2x2 Grid, 3x3 Grid, and a 4xN Grid. There's also an "auto" mode that intelligently selects a default layout based on the number of panels. Grid layouts support flexible spanning, allowing individual panels to span multiple columns and rows.

4. How can I customize panel labels and spacing?

You can choose from preset label styles (e.g., a, b, c or A, B, C) or select a "Custom..." option. Label position (Top or Left), Font Family, Font Size, and Font Weight can also be adjusted. A slider allows for dynamic adjustment of spacing between panels.

5. What editing capabilities does the app offer for individual panels?

Double-clicking any panel on the main canvas opens a dedicated editing modal. Within this modal, you can make non-destructive adjustments like Brightness, Contrast, and Rotation, or toggle a Greyscale filter. You can also define a new crop area. Crucially, you can specify the Column Span and Row Span for each panel to create complex grid layouts. A toolbar allows adding Text, Arrows, and Rectangles, which can be styled and repositioned.

6. How does the Quality Advisor work?

The Quality Advisor provides feedback by checking the effective DPI of each panel and warns if it's too low. It also performs a colorblind-friendliness check for problematic red/green usage and displays a text size guide based on the selected journal's minimum font requirement.

7. What are the export options?

You can export the final composite figure at high resolution as TIFF, PDF, PNG, and JPEG. The export process uses an off-screen canvas to ensure high-quality output based on a user-selected DPI.

8. Can I save my project and work on multiple figures?

Yes, users can save their entire multi-figure project to a local .json file and load it back into the app. A tab-based interface allows working on and switching between multiple figures (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.) within a single project.

9. Is there Undo/Redo functionality?

Yes, Undo and Redo buttons are available above the main canvas to manage your changes.