Custom Instance Templates

User Defined Shapes and Pre-Set Attributes

Overview

There are many types of built-in shapes, like a box, that identify where something is. A box, line, circle, etc. are all examples of shapes.

Sometimes we already have a general idea of what a shape should be, and we want to save that for easier future shape creation. This could be a complex polygon, or a box that's usually a certain size, etc.

For example here, we expect from certain angles a shoe to look similar, so we can draw the custom polygon once, and the create a re-useable template to easily create that shape again. This is a custom spatial shape.

Note: The Keypoints type is different. Keypoints allow for edges and nodes. Go to the Schema section to create that.

Another Example with Ellipse shape

First, draw the desired shape like normal

In the studio, draw the desired shape using any shape tool. You can create templates for polygon, box, point, curve, line, ellipse, etc.

The template mirrors the type selected. So for example if I create a template with a polygon, it will be a polygon type, with a box, a box, etc.

Open the context menu (e.g. right click the instance)

Select Create Template

Name the new shape - this is what will appear for annotators in the menu

Use the shape by selecting it in the menu or assigning in a Task

Control the shape in Schema controls

If the shape can only be deleted, and you wish to edit the template, make sure to create the new template first, before deleting the old one.

Attributes too - not just spatial shape

By default, attributes are copied to. So - if you wish the attributes to be empty, then leave them empty when creating the instance. If you would like to pre-select attributes, (separate from the normal defaults), then do so.