Initialize Card (Activity)

This article is about the current version of Grooper. Note that some content may still need to be updated.
2025	2.80

view_module Initialize Card is a specialized Activity for processing microfiche in Grooper. It prepares and configures microfiche card images for further processing.

The Initialize Card activity is a specialized step in Grooper’s microfiche processing workflow. Its primary purpose is to organize and prepare the raw image tiles from a scanned microfiche card, setting the stage for accurate frame detection and extraction in subsequent activities.

• Grooper's microfiche processing components were developed for and tested using Mekel brand scanners. Please contact support (support@bisok.com) to verify compatibility with other microfiche scanners.

What is Initialize Card?

Initialize Card the first processing step applied to a newly imported microfiche card.

• Microfiche cards are typically scanned as a collection of small, overlapping image tiles, each representing a portion of the card.
• These tiles must be sorted, grouped, and assembled into a logical structure before further processing can occur.
• Initialize Card creates a logical folder structure in the Batch. This structure is hiearchical with:
  • Level 1 - The Card: The microfiche card is represented at the highest Batch Folder level (Initialize Card also creates and attaches a preview image of the whole card to this Batch Folder).
  • Level 2 - The Strips: A Batch Folder at the next level is created for each strip on the microfiche card.
  • Level 3 - The Tiles: Batch Folders in the strip folders form each tile in the strip. The raw image files are attached to each Batch Folder.
• Subsequent "Detect Frames" and "Clip Frames" steps must be completed to fully isolate page images from the raw image scans for subsequent Grooper processing.

Example image file and folder organization in a Batch after Initialize Card runs. Cards are at folder level 1. Strips are at folder level 2. Tiles are at folder level 3.

What is it for?

The main goals of the Initialize Card activity are:

• Sorting and organizing tiles: Automatically arranges the raw image tiles into subfolders by strip and tile position, based on their filenames.
• Preview assembly: Creates a low-resolution preview image of the entire fiche card surface, which is used for visual reference and quality assurance in later steps.
• Validation: Ensures that the expected number of strips and tiles are present, flagging any discrepancies for review.

This organization is essential for accurate frame detection, extraction, and downstream data processing.

How does it work?

Example preview image generated by Initialize Card (redacted to obscure document data).

The Initialize Card activity performs the following key operations:

1. Tile sorting and grouping:
   • Uses a configurable regular expression (the "Ordering Pattern" property) to extract row and column information from each tile’s filename.
   • Groups tiles into subfolders by strip (row) and tile (column), creating a logical folder structure within the Batch Folder.
   • Validates that the number of detected strips and tiles matches the expected configuration, raising errors if not.
2. Preview image assembly:
   • Combines the sorted tiles to generate a low-resolution preview image of the fiche card.
   • Handles vertical overscan (extra image area at the top or bottom of strips) using the "Overscan Size" property, cropping as needed for a clean preview.
   • Stitches the strip images together, aligning them to minimize visible seams.
3. Cleanup and finalization:
   • Removes the original "previews" folder after the preview image is created.
   • Saves the preview image as an attachment to the Batch Folder for use in review and diagnostics.

General configuration steps

The Initialize Card activity is typically one of the first steps in a microfiche Batch Process. To use it:

1. Add the Initialize Card (Sort Tiles) activity to your Batch Process.
2. Configure the "Ordering Pattern" property to match your tile filename format. For example:

   (?<Row>[A-Z])\d\d-(?<Column>\d+)\.jpg$

   • This pattern must include named groups "Row" and "Column" to extract the strip and tile identifiers.
3. Set the expected "Strip Count" and "Tile Count" to match your fiche card layout.
4. Adjust the "Overscan Size" if your tiles include extra image area at the top or bottom of strips.

Example workflow

After Initialize Card completes, the card’s images are organized and a preview is available. The next steps typically include:

• Detect Frames: Locates the boundaries of individual document frames within each strip.
• Clip Frames: Crops out each detected frame as a separate page for further processing.

A typical microfiche processing workflow might look like this:

1. Fiche scan files are imported into Grooper.
2. Initialize Card – Organize tiles and create a preview image.
3. Detect Frames – Detect frame locations on each strip.
4. Clip Frames – Extract each frame as a separate page.
5. Additional steps such as image cleanup, OCR, classification, and data extraction.

Best practices

• Ensure your tile filenames are consistent and match the configured "Ordering Pattern".
• Verify that the expected number of strips and tiles are present for each card.
• Review the generated preview image to confirm correct assembly and alignment.
• Use the error messages and flags generated by the activity to catch missing or misnamed tiles early.

Related concepts

• Microfiche Processing
• Detect Frames
• Clip Frames