This Guide walks you through the steps of counting livestock with the CountThings from Photos app.
For each type of object to be counted, you need to add the right Counting Template to your device.
You only need to select the Counting Template once, before counting multiple photos of the same item type.
1. Adding a Counting Template
From the
Template Library, select the
Livestock (new) ID: 089 Counting Template by clicking on the
GET button and click Done.
Step 2 - Open Image
From the
CountThings from Photos app,
open the image file.
Step 3 - Verify & Select the Template to be Used
Verify that your selected template is shown in the top left side of the app.
If you have more than one template, you may need to use the drop-down control.
Step 4 - Optional: Define Area of Interest
Defining an area of interest is optional, but may be useful in some cases, it allows you to count only a portion of the image.
Make sure the "Count Area" button on the left is selected.
Hold down the left mouse button and drag around the area.
Use the 4 point method, left clicking along the area containing the items you want counted.
You can refine the area by adding, deleting or moving handles.
Left click along an area line (the blue line) to add a handle and also to drag a handle to move it.
For more details, see the
Define an Area guide.
Step 5 - Count
Click
Count.
Step 6 - Improve accuracy using Count Sensitivity
If necessary, you can adjust the "Count Sensitivity" slider (on the left side) to improve counting accuracy. Click on the + (plus) button to add more tags to the result.
Step 7 - Review the Results - Make Modifications if Necessary
If you notice any counting mistakes, you can easily correct them by adding, deleting, or moving tags.
It's very helpful to use the "Count Review," which divides the image into cells that can be reviewed one cell at a time.
You can add, delete, or move tags: left click to add, right click to delete, and left press and drag to move a tag.
Make sure the "Edit Tags" button on the left side is selected.
Left click to add a tag:
Right click to delete a tag:
Left press and drag to move a tag to a new location:
For more details, see the
Review large counts using grid guide.
Step 8 - Save results
Click
Save.
Step 9 - Saved Image
The results are located on your desktop in a folder named
CountThingsResults.
To open the results folder, click on the green Saved button.
The results folders are structured by date: the top level folder is named by year, inside each year folder are folders by month, and inside each month folders are folders by day.
Other options typically used when counting Livestock
Step A - Create Form
Create a form with additional information (e.g. Pen Number)
The additional information in the form can be displayed as an annotation on the results image or included in a CSV file, if created.
For more details, see the
Create and customize forms guide.
Step B - Multiple Count
If you want to count multiple times from the same image, e,g. you want to count multiple Pens separately:
Open the Settings window by clicking on the Settings icon (top right).
Go to
Save, and select the
How to save tab.
The checkbox outlined below should be un-checked.
If you are only counting one time per image, then it should be checked. In this situation, the CSV file will be updated when you count again from the same image, instead of creating a new line in the CSV file when unchecked.
Step C - Calibration Tool
In some particular cases, you have to create a new Counting Template optimized to your photos by using the Calibration Tool.
Turn the Calibration Tool on by selecting it. The tool will appear over your image.
The Calibration Tool and its ToolBox will be displayed over the image. Move the Tool over a cow.
Use the Calibration ToolBox to adjust the typical size of a cow.
When you have completed the calibrations, assign a name to the new Counting Template and click Save to apply the changes.
If you need help, email
Support@CountThings.com and send us a few images from which you would like to count.
Make sure to send images with the highest possible resolution available to you. Do not resize the image to save space.