Tools#

Media file#

Media file information#

Obtain information about your media file, such as duration, resolution, FPS, bitrate, etc.

Re-encode / resize video#

BORIS can re-encode and resize your video files to reduce their size and ensure smooth coding (especially when two video files play simultaneously). The re-encoding and resizing operations are performed using the embedded ffmpeg program with high-quality parameters (bitrate 2000k).

Select the files you want to re-encode and resize, and select the horizontal resolution in pixels (the default is 1024). The aspect ratio will be maintained.

You can continue to use BORIS during the re-encoding/resizing operation.

The re-encoded/resized video files are renamed by adding the re-encoded.avi extension to the original file names.

Rotate video#

BORIS can rotate your video files to allow coding with the correct view. The rotation operation is performed using the embedded ffmpeg program with the same quality parameters as the original video.

Select the files you want to rotate and select the rotation angle: Rotate 90 clockwise, Rotate 90 counter-clockwise, or Rotate 180.

The aspect ratio will be maintained.

You can continue to use BORIS during the rotation operation.

The rotated video files are renamed by adding rotated\<ANGLE> to the original file name.

Merge media files#

Use this function to concatenate multiple media files together.

Create video spectrogram#

Create a video with the spectrogram of the audio track.

Plot events in real-time#

This function can be activated with Tools > Plot event in real time.

The real-time plot of events

Geometric measurements#

Several geometric measurements are available: distances, areas, and angles can be measured, and point positions can be recorded.

Click Tools > Geometric measurements to activate the measurement tools.

Image title — The geometric measurements window

Mark color#

Use the Choose color of marks button to select a color. All marks will be drawn with the selected color. The color transparency can be set using the Alpha channel value (0 for 100% transparent, 255 for a solid color).

Setting the scale#

For distance and area measurements, you can set a scale so that the results are expressed in real units such as centimeters or meters.

Measure a reference object with a known size on the frame (with the distance tool; see the next section for details) and enter the pixel distance in the Pixel text box.
Enter the real size of the reference object in the Reference text box (must be a number without units).

Point#

Select the Point radio button. Click the left mouse button on the video/image to record the position of the clicked pixel.

Recording point positions

Distance measurements#

Select the Distance radio button. Click the left mouse button on the frame bitmap to set the start of the segment to be measured. A circle with a cross will be drawn. Click the right mouse button to set the end. A red circle with a cross will be drawn. The distance between the two selected points will be displayed in the text area of the Measurements window.

distances measurement

Area measurements#

Select the Area radio button. Click the left mouse button on the frame bitmap to set the area vertices. Circles with a cross will be drawn. Click the right mouse button to close the area. The area of the drawn polygon will be displayed in the text area of the Measurements window.

Angle measurements#

Select the Angle radio button. Click the left mouse button on the frame bitmap to set the angle vertex. A red circle with a cross will be drawn. Click the right mouse button to set the two segments. Circles with a cross will be drawn. The angle between the two drawn segments will be displayed in the text area of the Measurements window.

Persistent measurements#

If the Measurements are persistent checkbox is selected, the measurement overlays will remain visible on all frames; otherwise, they will be cleared between frames.

The marks selected on other frames will be drawn in red.

Coding pad#

During an observation, a coding pad with the available behaviors can be displayed (Tools > Coding pad). This Coding pad allows you to code using a touch screen or by clicking the buttons. When the Coding pad is displayed, you can still code using the keyboard or the ethogram.

Coding pad

The button size can be increased or decreased.

Button colors can be set per behavior, per behavioral category, or disabled entirely.

See the drop-down list in the upper-left corner of the Coding pad window.

Subjects pad#

A pad with all defined subjects, or only filtered subjects, can be displayed during the observation (Tools > Subjects pad). This Subjects pad allows you to select the focal subject using a touch screen or by clicking the buttons. When the Subjects pad is displayed, you can continue to select the focal subject using the keyboard or the subjects list.

Subjects pad

Transitions flow diagram#

BORIS can generate DOT scripts and flow diagrams from the transition matrices (see Observations > Create transition matrix to obtain the transition matrices).

DOT script (Graphviz language)#

Tools > Transitions flow diagram > Create transitions DOT script

Choose one or more transition matrix files, and BORIS will create the corresponding DOT script file(s).

The DOT script files can then be used with Graphviz (Graph Visualization Software) or WebGraphviz (Graphviz in the Browser) to generate transition flow diagrams.

See DOT (graph description language) for details.

Flow diagram#

If Graphviz (Graph Visualization Software) is installed on your system (and the dot program is available in the path), BORIS can generate a flow diagram (PNG format) from a transition matrix file.

Tools > Transitions flow diagram > Create transitions flow diagram

Choose one or more transition matrix files, and BORIS will create the corresponding flow diagrams.