Welcome to the world of image annotation with LabelMe! If you need a robust tool for online image labeling, you’re in the right place. This guide will walk you through the installation and usage of the LabelMe annotation tool on your server.

What is LabelMe?

LabelMe is a web-based image annotation tool written in JavaScript. Unlike traditional image annotation tools that require you to store a large dataset on your computer, LabelMe allows you and your collaborators to annotate images directly online from anywhere. A true game changer!

Quick Start Instructions

Ready to get started? Here’s how to set up the LabelMe annotation tool step by step:

1. Download the Source Code: You can either download a zip file of the source code, or clone it from GitHub:

sh
$ git clone https://github.com/CSAILVision/LabelMeAnnotationTool.git

2. Place the Code on a Web Server: Upload the LabelMe code onto your web server, ensuring it meets the configuration requirements.
3. Run the Make Command: Open the command line and run the following command:

sh
$ make

4. Prepare Your Images: Create a subfolder within the Images folder and place your images there. Ensure they all have a .jpg extension and alphanumeric folder names.
5. Access the Tool: In your web browser, navigate to:
   LabelMe Tool URL
6. Start Annotating: Use the interface to label your images. Click “show me another image” to move on to the next one.
7. Results: Your annotations will be saved in the Annotations folder!

Web Server Requirements

To successfully set up LabelMe, ensure that your server meets the following requirements:

• Run an Apache server with proper configuration.
• Enable authconfig in Apache for server-side includes (SSI).
• Allow perl CGI scripts to run.
• Install necessary libraries, which you can do on Linux by executing:

sh
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install -y php5.6 libapache2-mod-php5.6

Troubleshooting

If you’re experiencing issues, here are some troubleshooting tips:

• Ensure that you run the make command each time you move the code to refresh the global variable.
• Check your server settings to enable SSI which is crucial for SVG drawing capabilities.
• If you can’t draw polygons, confirm the page is loaded as application/xhtml+xml. This can be seen in Firefox under Tools – Page Info.
• Verify permissions for the images and folders—annotations need read and write permissions respectively.
• For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.

Features of the Annotation Tool

LabelMe provides various URL parameters to customize your annotation experience. For example:

• mode=im: Only show the image and drawing canvas.
• username=johndoe: Set a username for your labeling session.
• actions=rmd: Control user actions like renaming and deleting objects.
• Many more parameters for Mechanical Turk mode and collection features!

Understanding the Code Structure

Think of the LabelMe code structure as a well-organized bookshelf:

• tool.html: This is the cover of the book, the entry point to the tool.
• annotationTools/js: Imagine these as snippets of information within the book, containing all the functionalities.
• annotationTools/perl: Think of this as the back-end connectors—it communicates with the server.
• annotationTools/css: The aesthetics—these are the decorations that make your interface appealing.

At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions.
Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.

Conclusion

LabelMe is a powerful tool for anyone looking to conduct image annotation efficiently. Follow the steps outlined in this guide to get your server set up and start annotating images today!