This dialog allows you to convert a set of Navigator points on a rectangular or hexagonal grid into a subset of points set up for acquisition with the 'MultipleRecord' script command. The regular array geometry set up in the Multiple Record Setup dialog will be used (custom hole positions must not be selected). That dialog does not need to be open. Only points marked for acquisition will be included. There can be points missing from the grid and the grid can have ragged edges. This routine will incorporate into each Navigator item both the currently selected multi-hole geometry and which positions to skip in that array. The grid of points can come from either the Hole Finder routine (run from the Hole Finder dialog or the 'FindHoles' script command), or from the Add Grid of Points menu command.
The position used for a new item is averaged from the stage positions required to reach each point from the center of the pattern by image shift. In Low Dose mode, this image shift is computed at the magnification of the Record area. When the pattern contains an even number of holes in one or both directions, this position will lie between the holes, as is necessary for such a pattern. When the routine assigns the points to the various multi-shot positions, some of the multi-shot points may require fewer holes in one direction. The routine makes sure that such points have the same kind of center location relative to the holes as the points with full patterns: namely, centered in a hole for patterrns with an odd number of holes in both directions, or between holes otherwise. If selected points are members of different groups, the group boundaries will not be respected when assigning them to the multi-shot points, and each multi-shot point will be assigned the group number of the (or a) point closest to the center of the pattern.
When the center of the pattern is a hole (i.e., there is an odd number of positions in each direction), then the program tries to avoid placing a hole that is not marked for acquisition at the center of a pattern. It rejects layouts that place such missing points at the center in some cases, and it splits a pattern into two smaller ones if the two holes to either side are marked for acquisition. However, this mechanism is imperfect.
Combine points marked as acquire
Points are selected for combination based on the choice in this box:
On image in current buffer includes points located on the currently displayed image in the main buffer stack.
Inside current polygon includes points located inside a polygon item currently selected in the Navigator table. An error is generated if the current item is not a polygon.
In same group as current point includes all points in the same group as the current Navigator item, which must be a point and be in a group with a least 4 points. If your points within a grid square were divided into groups when they were created, you probably do not want to use this option.
Turn off group items outside polygon
When this option is selected and you have chosen to combine points inside a polygon, points outside the polygon that are in the same group or groups as the ones inside will be set not to be acquired and also not to be drawn. This option is particularly useful if you draw the polygon after finding the holes in order to exclude some points.
Delete points or Turn off item
Select one of these checkboxes to avoid acquiring from combined items that have fewer than selected number of holes.
Skip averaging of hole positions
When this option is off, the program obtains the center position of the pattern by averaging the center positions implied by the positions of each of the included points. This method is intended to reduce errors and works well when calibrations are sufficiently accurate, but otherwise it can result give center positions that are not centered on the holes. If this occurs, turn this option on to use just the position of the point at the center of the pattern when possible (i.e., when the center point is not missing and a rectangular pattern is odd in both directions).
Combine Points
Use this button to perform the conversion.
Undo
Use this button to remove the new multi-shot points and restore all of the individual points from the last conversion. All of the new points must still exist in the Navigator table.
Display multi-shot before combining
In order to see the full details of which locations will be acquired from each new point, both menu options Show Shots when Show Acquire and Show Whole Area for All Points need to be turned on. Also, either the 'Show acquire' check box in the Navigator window must be turned on, or the Multiple Record Setup dialog must be open. However, such a display is inappropriate and annoying on the original grid of points. Thus, the program suppresses the multi-shot display on all points as long as this Combiner dialog is open, unless there is a set of points that have been converted and still available to be reverted. This should make the display work nicely, but if you do want to see a pattern on all points, this checkbox can be used to restore the display as if the dialog was not open. Note that if you are not displaying the multi-shot pattern on all points, you can always see it for a individual point by making it the current point.