Highlighter Documentation

Video Labelling Shortcuts, Tools and Tips

Master video annotation with these essential shortcuts, tools, and productivity tips for Highlighter's video labelling interface.

Keyboard Shortcuts

See a summary of all keyboard shortcuts available in the Assessment Editor by typing ? (Shift + /)

Annotation Tool Shortcuts

  • q: Pointer/Selection tool
  • w: Bounding Box tool
  • e: Polygon tool
  • r: Brush tool
  • t: Eraser tool
  • y: Line tool
  • k: Clone mode
  • u: Auto segment mode
  • Spacebar: Play/pause video
  • Left/Right arrows: Frame-by-frame navigation
  • Shift + Left/Right: Jump 1 second
  • Alt + Left/Right: Jump to previous/next marker
  • Home/End: Go to start/end of video
  • Tab: Seek to next visible track
  • [/]: Decrease/increase playback speed

Track Operations

  • a: Join selected tracks
  • g: Union selected tracks
  • x: Truncate selected tracks
  • s: Split current track at current frame
  • z: Remove detection/keyframe
  • Shift + A: Assign entity ID to selected tracks
  • Ctrl + A: Select all tracks that match similarity
  • Delete/Backspace: Delete selected tracks

Markers

  • m: Add marker at current time
  • Shift + M: Remove nearest marker

Similarity

  • n: Set similarity anchors
  • Shift + N: Clear similarity anchor
  • b: Show similar tracks

Display & Panels

  • d: Fit editors to screen
  • f: Show/hide annotations/tracks
  • l: Show/hide left panel
  • c: Toggle chat
  • Shift + B: Change brightness/contrast

Object Class Selection

  • 1–9, 0: Select object class 1–10

General

  • Enter: Confirm/complete current annotation
  • Escape: Cancel current annotation or deselect all tracks
  • Ctrl + Z: Undo last action

Annotation Tools

Bounding Box Tool

Use for object detection tasks. Click and drag to create rectangular annotations around objects of interest.

Best Practices:

  • Keep boxes tight around objects
  • Include all visible parts of the object
  • Avoid overlapping unless necessary

Polygon Tool

Ideal for irregular shapes and precise object boundaries.

Best Practices:

  • Use minimum points necessary for accuracy
  • Close polygons by clicking on the first point
  • Use smooth, flowing lines for natural objects

Auto-Segmentation Tool

Leverage AI-assisted segmentation for complex shapes.

Best Practices:

  • Start with clear, high-contrast objects
  • Refine AI suggestions manually when needed
  • Use the brush tool for fine-tuning

Joining Tracks

If multiple tracks are actually for the same entity (in other words, for the same real-world object), you may want to join the tracks together. This process takes any number of separate tracks and joins them together, to result in one continuous tracks. To do this:

  • Select the tracks to be joined. To do this, select the first track, hold down the shift key, then select subsequent tracks until they are all selected. Select tracks either in the list in the left side panel (use keyboard shortcut 'l', lower-case L, to open the side panel if it is closed), or in the main panel.
  • In the top menu select Edit -> Join Tracks or use shortcut key 'a'.

Productivity Tips

Efficient Workflow

  1. Preview First: Scan through the entire video before starting
  2. Consistency: Maintain consistent annotation standards
  3. Save Frequently: Use the Save button regularly to avoid data loss
  4. Batch Similar Objects: Annotate similar objects in sequence

Quality Control

  • Review Mode: Use review mode to check completed annotations
  • Validation: Verify annotations meet quality standards
  • Feedback Loop: Use assessment workflows for continuous improvement

Timeline Navigation

  • Use the timeline scrubber for quick navigation
  • Set keyframes at important scenes
  • Use markers for complex sequences

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Video Won't Load

  • Check video format compatibility
  • Ensure stable internet connection
  • Try refreshing the browser

Annotations Not Saving

  • Verify write permissions
  • Check available storage space
  • Ensure proper workflow configuration

Performance Issues

  • Close unnecessary browser tabs
  • Use Chrome or Firefox for best performance
  • Consider reducing video resolution for complex annotations

Getting Help

← Upload a Local Dataset via the CLI
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