User Guide

Annotation Tools

Learn how to create and edit regions, textlines, and baselines in the editor.

Annotation Tools

LAREX annotations are built from three element types:

  • Regions
  • Textlines
  • Baselines

Drawing Tools

ToolShortcutNotes
SelectVSelect/edit existing elements
MoveGMove selected element(s)
Region (Polygon)PDraw polygon region
Region (Rectangle)RDraw rectangular region
Textline (Polygon)TDraw polygon textline
Textline (Rectangle)Shift + TDraw rectangular textline
BaselineBDraw polyline baseline
Cut LineCCut using a polyline
Cut PolygonShift + CCut using a polygon
Cut RectangleAlt + CCut using a rectangle

View Modes and Auto-Parenting

The view mode affects creation behavior:

  • Default (1): standard hierarchical editing
  • Textline (2): textline creation can auto-create/find parent regions
  • Baseline (3): baseline creation can auto-create/find parent textline/region context

Drawing Behavior

Polygon and Polyline Modes

  • Click to add points.
  • Double-click to finish.

Rectangle Modes

  • First click starts rectangle.
  • Second click completes rectangle.

Cut Modes

  • Cut line/polygon: click to add points, double-click to apply cut.
  • Cut rectangle: first click starts, second click applies cut.

Selection and Navigation

ActionBehavior
ClickSelect element
Shift + ClickToggle item in multi-selection
Shift + DragMarquee multi-selection
Tab / Shift + TabNavigate next/previous selectable element
Arrow Down / Arrow UpNavigate next/previous selectable element
Ctrl/Cmd + ASelect all selectable polygons
EscCancel active drawing or clear selection

Editing

Geometry Editing

  • Drag polygon or baseline nodes to reshape.
  • Click near an edge/segment to insert a new node, then drag it.
  • Parent/image constraints are enforced when enabled.

Structure Operations

From the Structure panel:

  • Delete selected
  • Hide selected
  • Show selected

Merge

  • M merges selected elements when they are compatible (same type).

Delete

  • Delete or Backspace removes selected elements.

Undo/Redo

ActionShortcut
UndoCtrl/Cmd + Z
RedoCtrl/Cmd + Shift + Z or Ctrl/Cmd + Y

Next Steps

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