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# Directory Contents Panel

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## Overview

This panel displays a list of files in the selected directory and provides the option to filter them based on known image and video formats.

## Multiple buffer buttons

Multiple buffer buttons at the upper part of the panel provide fast access to several datasets stored in memory. Each button represents a dataset, and the green color indicates that a dataset is loaded in that buffer.
When you hover your cursor over a button, a tooltip with the full file name of the loaded dataset appears, helping you identify the dataset.

You can switch between datasets by clicking on the desired buffer button.

Clicking on a buffer button opens a popup menu with the following options:

- Duplicate dataset: creates a duplicate of the currently shown dataset and places it in an available buffer.
- Sync view, (xy) with: synchronizes the view with another dataset in XY coordinates.
- Sync view, (xyz) with: synchronizes the view with another dataset in XYZ coordinates, for 4D-5D datasets.
- Sync view, (xyzt) with: synchronizes the view with another dataset in XYZT coordinates, for 5D datasets.
- Link view with: links views in two MIB buffers; shifts in one view automatically shift the other. Toggle buffers with Ctrl + E.
  Demonstration
- Close dataset: removes the selected dataset from memory.
- Close all stored datasets: removes all stored datasets from memory.

These buffer buttons and options provide convenient ways to manage and interact with multiple datasets in MIB.

## File list box

The major part of the panel is occupied by a list box that displays files in the selected directory, chosen from the Path panel.
Files are filtered based on the specified filter. Selecting Filter: all known displays all readable formats.

Navigating folders

- Double-clicking [.] changes the folder to the top level of the current logical drive.
- Double-clicking [..] changes the folder to one level up.
- Double-clicking [DIR NAME] navigates MIB into the clicked directory and shows files inside it
  (`MIB_Algn` folder in the snapshot)

Selecting and loading datasets

- Double- a file loads it into MIB and displays it in the Image View panel.
- Select individual datasets by holding Shift or Ctrl and clicking on files. Load them via the context menu ( options below).

Context menu options

The context menu, accessed with , provides these operations on selected datasets

- Combine selected datasets: combine selected datasets into a single 3D stack.
- Load part of the dataset (AM, TIF, BioFormats): load a specific part of a larger dataset, defining start/end points, z-step, and XY binning (available for Amira Mesh, TIF, and BioFormats-readable datasets)
  demo.
- Load each N-th dataset: assemble every N-th file into a 3D stack.
- Insert into the open dataset: insert selected files into the currently open dataset.
- Combine as color channels: combine selected datasets into a single 2D slice, each assigned to a color channel.
- Add as a new color channel: add images as a new color channel to the existing dataset. Select channels in the View Settings panel.
- Add each N-th dataset as a new color channel: add images with an N-step as a new color channel to the existing dataset.
- Rename selected file: rename the selected file.
- Delete selected files: permanently delete selected files from the disk.
- File properties: show file details like date/time and size in bytes.

Note

above the scroll bar scrolls the list to the top.

## Filter

The Filter dropdown allows filtering the file list based on available image type filters.
Available extensions depend on whether the standard or Bio-Formats reader is used and if virtual mode is enabled, resulting in four filter configurations.

Modify extensions in the filter list

To modify file extensions the list of filters:

- click over Filter.
- Choose an option:
  - Register extension: add extensions to the filter list.
  - Remove selected extension: remove a selected extension from the filter list.

## Update button

The Update button refreshes the file list in the Directory Contents panel.

## Left interchangeable panels

The selected panel appears in the lower-left part of MIB:

- Segmentation panel
- ROI panel

## Right interchangeable panels

The selected panel appears in the bottom-right part of MIB:

- Image Filters panel
- Mask Generators panel
- Fiji Connect panel

## Bio checkbox

When Bio is checked, the Bio-Formats reader loads datasets.
MIB supports specific biological image formats (native to various microscopes) via the Bio-Formats Java library, stored in the `MIB\ImportExportTools\BioFormats` directory.

Note

Performance of the Bio-Formats reader may be slower than standard native readers due to Java-related overheads.

## Help button

The ? button links to this help page.

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