Add a Manual De-Skew Tool to the Image Handling (Vertical) Web Indexing Toolbar

John Empoliti

Fairly often images are skewed so much that it is very difficult, if not impossible, even with the help of the ruler, to follow a Record from the left side of the page to the right side. It can be off by one or two lines (i.e. Records) by the time you reach the RHS of the image. I've seen this happen in the New York Land Records, City Directories, and others. This problem makes accurate Indexing and Reviewing nearly impossible, or at least very difficult, frustrating, and time-consuming. But even when it's not that severe, it is still annoying and would be nice to correct.

I am suggesting that a manual De-Skew be added as a new image-handling tool. This would work by allowing the user to draw a line (using the mouse) between two points - perhaps along one of the lines on a form or a ledger- that should be horizontal. The De-Skew tool would then adjust the image to make that line actually horizontal so that the built-in ruler could trace along a single record from left to right.

I am requesting a manual De-Skew because a two-page document might need a different treatment for the first page (left side of the image) than for the second (right side of the image). I don't believe that an automatic De-Skew would be able to handle those situations very well, and besides, would probably be much more complicated to design and implement. Windows 3D Paint has a feature like this, and it also exists in other image-handling programs. We need such a tool in the Web Indexing Program.

Thanks.

James Davis Moore

I just completed a page of birth records (32 lines of a register) which was filmed at an angle, not horizontally. The indexer kept confusing which right-hand records should be matching the left-hand names. It would be great if I could adjust (slightly rotate) either the microfilmed image by a few degrees or the ruler by a few degrees to line up with the image.

John Empoliti

That’s exactly the situation I was referring to, James. I’m sure it wasn’t fun to index nor Review. It sounds like you support my suggestion (at least as one option). Please give it a + (thumbs up/ vote) so it has a chance of eventually getting implemented. Thanks.

slotbuddy

Add my vote too.

John Empoliti

Check out the Indexing Q&A Comment at the link below. The FREE Windows app/photo viewer A Viewer For Windows by Rob Latour provides de-skewing, sharpening and much more, in an uncomplicated package that can be used in conjunction with the Web Indexing program. Or you can use it to easily improve old photos that you may want to post to your family tree.

https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/117704/a-viewer-for-windows-by-rob-latour-de-skew-enhance-sharpen-images

John Empoliti

For now, please use this first release for Web Indexing applications only, where it has had the most testing. Please give me feedback (problems, suggestions, etc.) if you try it out. I can suggest a workflow for your consideration.