VAL Sketch Annotation Tool

Instructions

Setup the database

We use the sqlite database system which basically stores the database in a single file (and doesn't follow the client-server model). The data is stored in valsketch/testing.db which must be created by the user. If the file already exists, then execute touch valsketch/testing.db to overwrite with a new file. Then, to create the relevant tables within the file:

python manager.py createdb

This would ensure that the database is now ready for use to store the sketch annotations.

Setup python environment

We recommend the use of virtual environments. Once a virtual environment is setup and activated, you should install all packages in listed in the requirements.txt file by pip install -r requirements.txt. This command can be executed even outside a virtual environment, but be aware that it will install these python packages globally and may require admin privileges.

Setup the per-user file limit

Since the tool was made to crowdsource sketch annotations, each user of the tool is limited to a fixed number of sketches to annotate. This number can be specified in the valsketch/static/idx.txt file.

Setup part names of objects

This annotator was made to annotate parts of sketches of different objects. For each object, a number of parts are listed in valsketch/static/parts.json file. You may edit the file to suit your needs. Note that the object name that is used in the parts.json file must match the directory name which stores sketches of that particular object.

Add sketches

All sketches must be stored in suitably named directories in valsketch/static/sketches_svg directory. The annotator tool only works with .svg files so make sure that sketches are of this format.

Usage

To get started, use the command python manager.py runserver

To see the annotator in action, watch this video https://youtu.be/PYfA-FYgqDs

A few notes:

• Complete a full path to annotate an object part
• Object parts are inserted in FIFO manner. This means that if you wish to remove an already annotated wheel, then clicking on - button next to the part name wheel will remove the latest annotated wheel. Thus, you'll have to cycle back if you wish to remove annotation for an earlier wheel.
• The annotation ink sticks to sketch lines to make it easier for annotators.
• Press Done when you're done annotating a sketch.