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Overview

The DigiPathAI server provides a web-based interface for viewing whole slide images and running AI-powered segmentation. Server configuration is managed through command-line options when starting main_server.py.

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Command-Line Options

All server options can be specified when launching the server: 
python main_server.py [options]

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Host and Port Configuration

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--listen
string
default:"127.0.0.1"
IP address for the server to listen on. Use 0.0.0.0 to allow external connections.
python main_server.py --listen 0.0.0.0
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--port
integer
default:"8080"
Port number for the server to listen on.
python main_server.py --port 5000

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Slide Directory

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--slide_dir
string
default:"."
Directory containing the whole slide images. Defaults to current directory.
python main_server.py --slide_dir /path/to/slides
The slide directory is recursively scanned for compatible whole slide image formats detected by OpenSlide (.svs, .tiff, .ndpi, etc.).

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Deep Zoom Parameters

Deep Zoom configuration controls how whole slide images are tiled and served to the viewer.
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--size
integer
default:"254"
Tile size in pixels for Deep Zoom tiles. Standard value is 254 pixels.
python main_server.py --size 512
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--overlap
integer
default:"1"
Overlap of adjacent tiles in pixels. Helps ensure smooth viewing transitions.
python main_server.py --overlap 2
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--quality
integer
default:"75"
JPEG compression quality for tiles (1-100). Higher values produce better quality but larger file sizes.
python main_server.py --quality 90
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--format
string
default:"jpeg"
Image format for tiles. Allowed values: jpeg or png.
python main_server.py --format png
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--ignore-bounds
boolean
default:"false"
Display entire scan area instead of limiting to tissue bounds.
python main_server.py --ignore-bounds

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Operating Modes

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--viewer-only
boolean
default:"false"
Run in viewer-only mode, disabling AI segmentation functionality. Useful for systems without GPU or when only image viewing is needed.
python main_server.py --viewer-only
When --viewer-only is enabled, the segmentation button will be disabled in the web interface. The server will not load AI models or TensorFlow.

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Additional Options

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--config
string
Path to a Python configuration file. Settings in the config file can be overridden by command-line options.
python main_server.py --config myconfig.py
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--debug
boolean
default:"false"
Run server in debugging mode with auto-reload and detailed error messages.
python main_server.py --debug
Debug mode is insecure and should never be used in production environments.

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Configuration File

Instead of using command-line options, you can create a Python configuration file:
config.py
# Server configuration
SLIDE_DIR = '/data/slides'
VIEWER_ONLY = False

# Deep Zoom settings
DEEPZOOM_FORMAT = 'jpeg'
DEEPZOOM_TILE_SIZE = 254
DEEPZOOM_OVERLAP = 1
DEEPZOOM_LIMIT_BOUNDS = True
DEEPZOOM_TILE_QUALITY = 75

# Cache settings
SLIDE_CACHE_SIZE = 10
Then launch with: 
python main_server.py --config config.py

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Complete Example

Launch server with custom settings: 
python main_server.py \
  --listen 0.0.0.0 \
  --port 8080 \
  --slide_dir /data/pathology/slides \
  --size 256 \
  --overlap 1 \
  --quality 85 \
  --format jpeg

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Default Configuration

The following defaults are defined in main_server.py (lines 21-28): 
SLIDE_DIR = 'examples'
VIEWER_ONLY = True
SLIDE_CACHE_SIZE = 10
DEEPZOOM_FORMAT = 'jpeg'
DEEPZOOM_TILE_SIZE = 254
DEEPZOOM_OVERLAP = 1
DEEPZOOM_LIMIT_BOUNDS = True
DEEPZOOM_TILE_QUALITY = 75

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Troubleshooting

  • Check if the port is already in use: lsof -i :<port>
  • Verify firewall settings allow the port
  • Try changing the port with --port
  • Verify slide directory path is correct
  • Check that slides are in OpenSlide-compatible format
  • Review server console for error messages
  • Ensure slides don’t contain ‘dgai-mask’ or ‘dgai-uncertainty’ in filename (these are filtered)
  • Increase JPEG quality with --quality 90 or higher
  • Consider using PNG format with --format png (slower but lossless)
  • Adjust tile size with --size for different performance characteristics

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Source Reference

Configuration options are defined in main_server.py:245-297.

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