Getting Support

This guide will help you find support resources and troubleshooting help for PyCAT-Napari.

Quick Support Guide

1. Check the Common Issues section below

2. Search existing GitHub Issues

3. Review our documentation

4. Ask for help in a new GitHub issue

5. Contact maintainers for urgent issues

Common Issues

Installation Problems

1. Python Version Mismatch

• Verify Python 3.9 installation

• Check your environment activation

• See Installation for detailed requirements

2. Dependency Conflicts

• Use a fresh environment

• Follow platform-specific instructions

• Try alternative installation methods from our installation guide

GUI Issues

1. Display Problems

• Update graphics drivers

• Verify PyQt5 installation

• Note: Windows logo display issue is known and cosmetic only

2. Performance Issues

• Slow processing, or spinnning wheel in Windows/Mac is normal for condensate segmentation

  • Unfortunately, PyCAT was not able to have much performance optimization due to timeline constraints of the project

  • Check the terminal for the progress printouts of the analysis

• Check RAM availability (8GB minimum, 16GB recommended)

• Close unnecessary applications

• Consider reducing image size if processing very large files

Analysis Errors

1. Segmentation Problems

• Verify input image format

• Check preprocessing settings

• Ensure sufficient contrast in images

2. File Loading Issues

• Use supported file formats (TIFF, CZI, PNG, JPG)

• Use PyCAT’s file menu rather than native napari import

• Verify file permissions

Getting Help

Documentation

• Installation - Installation guidance

• Usage - Usage tutorials and guides

• API Reference - API documentation

GitHub Resources

1. Issues

• Search existing issues

• Create new issues for bugs or feature requests

• Use issue templates when available

• Include relevant information:

  • PyCAT-Napari version

  • Python version

  • Operating system

  • Error messages

  • Minimal example to reproduce the issue

2. Discussions

• Join community discussions

• Share tips and tricks

• Help other users

Direct Support

For urgent issues or specific inquiries:

1. Repository Maintainers

• Open a GitHub issue marked as “urgent”

• Provide clear description of the problem

• Include impact and urgency details

2. Email Support

• For sensitive or urgent matters

• Contact the maintainers as at banerjeelab.org

Contributing to Support

Help improve our support resources:

1. Documentation

• Submit corrections or improvements

• Add examples and use cases

• Share troubleshooting tips

2. Community Support

• Answer questions in GitHub issues

• Share your experience and solutions

• Help test bug fixes

Best Practices for Getting Help

When seeking support:

1. Search First

• Check existing documentation

• Search closed GitHub issues

• Review common issues section

2. Provide Information

• Describe what you’re trying to do

• Explain what you’ve tried

• Include relevant error messages

• Share minimal example code or data

3. Be Specific

• Use clear titles

• One issue per report

• Include version information

• Describe your environment

4. Follow Up

• Respond to questions promptly

• Update if you solve the problem

• Mark issues as resolved when fixed

Troubleshooting Guide

Before Seeking Help

1. Verify Setup

• Check Python version

• Confirm environment activation

• Verify dependencies installation

• Test basic functionality

2. Update Software

• Update PyCAT-Napari to latest version

• Update dependencies

• Check for system updates

3. Check Resources

• Monitor RAM usage

• Verify disk space

• Check CPU utilization

4. Test Minimal Example

• Create simple test case

• Remove unnecessary steps

• Isolate the problem

Future Support Plans

We are working to expand our support resources:

• Comprehensive FAQ section

• Video tutorials

• Interactive troubleshooting guide

• Community forum

Stay updated by watching our GitHub repository and checking documentation updates.