Skip to content
PathcoreFlow User Manual

Advanced Share Link Options

[add-on]

Advanced share link options can be used to track viewing patterns of recipients and to customize the controls that are accessible in the Viewer when the share link is accessed.

To enable advanced options, see Image Share Links and Folder Share Links.

Advanced Options

View Tracking

View tracking is a feature of share links and has been designed for studying the viewing habits of pathologists. When enabled for a given share link, the image regions displayed in the Viewer are logged when the image is accessed via the share link. The logged information includes a timestamp for every region displayed.

View tracking can be enabled for an image share link and for a folder share link. When view tracking is enabled for a folder, viewing logs will be generated for all of the images within the folder and its subfolders, recursively, when the folder share link is used to access images.

To enable view tracking, see Image Share Links and Folder Share Links. To download logs associated with view tracking history, see Downloading Logs.

All access (from any user) to the image via the share link will affect the logged information.

Collection of Annotations

While share links are typically read-only, an exception exists for annotations. Share links can be configured to allow their recipients to create annotations. Any of the supported annotation types can be individually allowed for a given share link, to provide maximum control over the collection.

Annotations that are created via the share link will appear as shared annotations in the Annotations Panel for the image, are associated with the “Anonymous” user, and are visible by anyone that accesses the share link.

To enable collection of annotations, see Image Share Links and Folder Share Links. To download logs associated with annotations, see Downloading Logs.

Hiding Viewer Tools

The set of Viewer tools that are visible in the Viewer when an image is accessed via a share link can be controlled to some extent. The following Viewer tools can be hidden: Rotation Controls, Color Management, and the Overview Tool.

Downloading Logs

Some of the advanced share link options can generate logs, including view tracking and collection of annotations. However, logs will only be generated when the view tracking has been enabled.

To download logs of regions viewed for a share link

  1. Navigate to any folder in the Repository (click on the Folder Repository button from the Navigation Menu then navigate to a folder)

  2. Bring up the context menu for the item

  3. Click Share

  4. In the popup dialog, click on the name of a share link with the View Tracking Enabled label

  5. Select the Advanced tab

  6. Click on the Download Download Data button underneath the Track view history toggle

To download logs of regions viewed for all share links associated with an item

  1. Navigate to any folder in the Repository (click on the Folder Repository button from the Navigation Menu then navigate to a folder)

  2. Bring up the context menu for the item

  3. Click Share

  4. In the popup dialog, click on the Download button to the right of the New Share Link button

Log File Format

The log file is provided in the TSV (tab separated value) file format and is compatible with popular spreadsheet applications.

Each entry in the log file has the following columns:

  • Timestamp: provides event time
  • Source: describes the reason the event generated the event
  • Source ID:
    • for Viewport events, the ID of the image
    • for Annotation events, the ID of the annotation
  • Data: contains the event data
  • Data Type: describes the type of data in the Data column
  • Modification Method: describes the action taken
  • Magnification: for Viewport events, the new magnification
  • Image Rotation: for Viewport events, the new rotation value (in degrees)
  • Width: the width of the image region on display in image coordinates @ base-level
  • Height: the height of the image region on display in image coordinates @ base-level
  • Client Height: width of the viewport in screen pixels
  • Client Width: height of the viewport in screen pixels
  • Region Download Link: a URL that provides image region overlapping with certain events and currently only supported for rect annotations (i.e. when Source is “Annotation” and Data Type is “rect”)

Source Types

The following source types are possible:

  • Annotation: produced when the annotation is created
  • Viewport: produced when the displayed image region changes (i.e. a pan or zoom)

Data Types

The following Data Types are possible:

  • Arrow: Indicate the Data column contains a JSON blob that describes a series of two points produced by the arrow annotation tool
  • Freehand: Indicate the Data column contains a JSON blob that describes a series of points produced by the freehand annotation tool
  • Point: Indicate the Data column contains a JSON blob that describes a series of points produced by the bookmark annotation tool
  • Polygon: Indicate the Data column contains a JSON blob that describes a series of points produced by the closed polygon annotation tool
  • Rect: Indicate the Data column contains a JSON blob that describes a rectangle
  • Ruler: Indicate the Data column contains a JSON blob that describes a series of points produced by the freehand annotation tool

Modification Methods

The following modification methods are possible:

  • create: A new annotation was created
  • delete: An annotation was deleted
  • modify: An annotation was modified
  • move: The displayed image region was changed

Log File Example

Example of an abbreviated log file
TimestampSourceSource IDDataData TypeModification MethodMagnificationImage RotationWidthHeightClient WidthClient HeightRegion Download Link
2022-09-21T16:09:24.951-03:00Viewport6GCMGgpoSS[{'x': -6900, 'y': 0}, {'x': 24900, 'y': 0}, {'x': 24900, 'y': 15847}, {'x': -6900, 'y': 15847}]rectmove1.14031799158471856943
2022-09-21T16:09:35.048-03:00Annotation23[{'x': 7032, 'y': 4831}]bookmarkcreate1.1401856943
2022-09-21T16:09:38.714-03:00Annotation24[{'x': 8139, 'y': 6184}, {'x': 9580, 'y': 6184}, {'x': 9580, 'y': 9030}, {'x': 8139, 'y': 9030}]rectcreate1.140144128461856943https://pathcore.com/api/image/6GCMGgpoSS/region?area=8139,6184,1441,2846
2022-09-21T16:09:44.326-03:00Annotation24[{'x': 7840, 'y': 9733}, {'x': 9281, 'y': 9733}, {'x': 9281, 'y': 12579}, {'x': 7840, 'y': 12579}]rectmodify1.140144128461856943https://pathcore.com/api/image/6GCMGgpoSS/region?area=7840,9733,1441,2846
2022-09-21T16:09:50.518-03:00Annotation24rectdelete1.1401856943
2022-09-21T16:09:53.885-03:00Viewport6GCMGgpoSS[{'x': -6900, 'y': 0}, {'x': 24900, 'y': 0}, {'x': 24900, 'y': 15847}, {'x': -6900, 'y': 15847}]rectmove1.1429931799158471856943
2022-09-21T16:09:58.879-03:00Viewport6GCMGgpoSS[{'x': -5602, 'y': 615}, {'x': 23472, 'y': 615}, {'x': 23472, 'y': 15104}, {'x': -5602, 'y': 15104}]rectmove1.2529929074144891856943
Example of an abbreviated log file in raw format 
Timestamp   Source  Source ID   Data    Data Type   Modification Method Magnification   Image Rotation  Width   Height  Client Width    Client Height   Region Download Link
2022-09-21T16:09:24.951-03:00   Viewport    6GCMGgpoSS  [{'x': -6900, 'y': 0}, {'x': 24900, 'y': 0}, {'x': 24900, 'y': 15847}, {'x': -6900, 'y': 15847}]    rect    move    1.14    0   31799   15847   1856    943
2022-09-21T16:09:35.048-03:00   Annotation  23  [{'x': 7032, 'y': 4831}]    bookmark    create  1.14    0           1856    943
2022-09-21T16:09:38.714-03:00   Annotation  24  [{'x': 8139, 'y': 6184}, {'x': 9580, 'y': 6184}, {'x': 9580, 'y': 9030}, {'x': 8139, 'y': 9030}]    rect    create  1.14    0   1441    2846    1856    943 https://pathcore.com/api/image/6GCMGgpoSS/region?area=8139,6184,1441,2846
2022-09-21T16:09:44.326-03:00   Annotation  24  [{'x': 7840, 'y': 9733}, {'x': 9281, 'y': 9733}, {'x': 9281, 'y': 12579}, {'x': 7840, 'y': 12579}]  rect    modify  1.14    0   1441    2846    1856    943 https://pathcore.com/api/image/6GCMGgpoSS/region?area=7840,9733,1441,2846
2022-09-21T16:09:50.518-03:00   Annotation  24      rect    delete  1.14    0           1856    943
2022-09-21T16:09:53.885-03:00   Viewport    6GCMGgpoSS  [{'x': -6900, 'y': 0}, {'x': 24900, 'y': 0}, {'x': 24900, 'y': 15847}, {'x': -6900, 'y': 15847}]    rect    move    1.14    299 31799   15847   1856    943
2022-09-21T16:09:58.879-03:00   Viewport    6GCMGgpoSS  [{'x': -5602, 'y': 615}, {'x': 23472, 'y': 615}, {'x': 23472, 'y': 15104}, {'x': -5602, 'y': 15104}]    rect    move    1.25    299 29074   14489   1856    943