Introduction
The Color By feature in IGB lets you customize annotation color based on annotation attributes like length, property, RGB, and score.
For example, here is an image from IGB showing splice junction features colored by their score. Redder features have higher scores and blue features have smaller scores.
How to customize annotation colors using Color By
To customize annotation colors in a track
- Right-click the track label
- Select Color by to open the Color by dialog
- Choose an attribute from the menu
- Select options and colors. Note that available options depend on attribute type.
Figure 1. Right-click annotation track label and select Color by... to open Color by dialog
Attributes and Options for setting annotation color
The menu in the Color By dialog shows annotation attributes you can use to configure annotation colors. The attribute names you see will depend on the type of data set (or file) you loaded into the track. When you select an attribute, the Color by dialog will then show you options for choosing colors. The options you see after selecting an attribute will depend on the attribute type - whether it's a number (like score) or a category (like name).
Color by Property
Coloring by Property is unique in that it lets you select a property from a drop down menu, enter a value for the property, and then select a color that indicates a match or a mismatch.
To select a color, click a color swatch and then choose a color from the color palette that appears. Click the OK button to confirm your selection.
Coloring by numeric values: Using the heatmap editor
You select a numeric attribute (like score) to color by, then the Color by dialog will show a heatmap Edit button that lets you color annotations using customizable heatmap.
To use the the Heat Map Editor:
- Click Edit in the Color by dialog to open the Heatmap Editor
- To set Min and Max values, click Set Range
- Use the color handles (triangles above the heatmap) to configure the heat map.
- To change a color range, click-drag a color handle triangle to a new location or edit its settings in the Handle Settings panel.
- Add new handles by clicking the Add button.
- To remove a handle, select the handle and click the Delete button.
- When the editor has at least two handles a gradient appears as in the example below.
Heatmap Handle Settings panel
Attribute Value displays the value for the selected handle. Enter a new value to change the setting.
Set Range sets the Min and Max values of the heatmap.
Add Handle adds a new handle to the editor.
Delete Handle deletes the selected handle.
Color swatch lets you choose a new color for the selected handle.
*Note: Population of the Attributes Menu is currently file format driven rather than data driven. Therefore, if the attribute is not present in your file, the Color By feature will not actually be applied when the OK button is clicked. Make sure the attribute you are trying to color by exists for your file!