PanPhyTrackManual

PanPhyTrack · User guide

From a video to motion data

Follow one bouncing-ball clip from import to a CSV or PanPhyPlot sheet you can graph.

Start the walkthroughBrowse the reference

Your first track

Work through these five steps in order. Screenshots match your theme; select one to enlarge it here.

Step 1 of 5

Open the sample video

  1. Open PanPhyTrack in a new tab, so you can keep this guide beside it.
  2. On the empty start screen, choose Try a sample. The clip shows a ball bouncing along a bench with a meter rule in view.
  3. Confirm Auto is selected in the tracking tools. Frame rate is detected for you; for your own slow-motion clips, open Setup → Frame rate and enter the filming rate.
What you should see

The video fills the left pane. The Results pane waits for marks. A meter rule lies along the bench for the next step.

PanPhyTrack with the sample bouncing-ball video open in the Video pane and an empty Results graph. Enlarge screenshot PanPhyTrack with the sample bouncing-ball video open in the Video pane and an empty Results graph. Enlarge screenshot
The workspace. Video on the left, results on the right. Enlarge the image to inspect a control.

Step 2 of 5

Set the scale

  1. Choose Scale in Setup.
  2. Drag along the meter rule in the video (or another object of known length).
  3. Type the real length, for example 1 with unit m, and confirm.
What you should see

Positions use meters instead of pixels. Without a scale, the axes stay in pixels — fine for practice, not for a lab report.

PanPhyTrack scale dialog after dragging along the meter rule in the sample video. Enlarge screenshot PanPhyTrack scale dialog after dragging along the meter rule in the sample video. Enlarge screenshot
Scale. Drag a known length, then enter its real size.

Step 3 of 5

Choose the origin

  1. Choose Origin in Setup.
  2. Click where x and y should be zero — often the start of the motion or a corner of the apparatus.
  3. If you skip this, the origin stays at the bottom-left of the frame.
What you should see

A cross marks the origin. Later x and y values are measured from that point.

PanPhyTrack with an origin cross placed on the sample video. Enlarge screenshot PanPhyTrack with an origin cross placed on the sample video. Enlarge screenshot
Origin. Click where x = 0 and y = 0 should sit.

Step 4 of 5

Track the ball

  1. Keep Auto selected. Click once on the ball in a clear frame.
  2. PanPhyTrack marks the object in each following frame until it is lost, leaves the frame or the video ends.
  3. Check the crosses. If tracking stops early, click the ball again to continue. Undo removes a whole auto run. Choose Manual to mark one frame at a time, or Edit to delete a single mark.
What you should see

Crosses follow the ball. The Results graph begins to fill with position against time. Auto works best against a plain background.

PanPhyTrack after auto-tracking the bouncing ball, with marks on the video and a position graph. Enlarge screenshot PanPhyTrack after auto-tracking the bouncing ball, with marks on the video and a position graph. Enlarge screenshot
Auto track. One click starts a run of marks; the graph updates live.

Step 5 of 5

Read and export

  1. In Results, switch between position and velocity. Velocity needs at least four marks.
  2. Open the Table to edit a mark by hand if a cross sat slightly off the object.
  3. Export a CSV, or send the data to PanPhyPlot for fitting and uncertainties.
What you should see

A CSV download named panphytrack_data.csv, or a new PanPhyPlot sheet named PanPhyTrack with time, x, y and velocities ready to plot.

PanPhyTrack Results pane showing a velocity graph and export controls after tracking. Enlarge screenshot PanPhyTrack Results pane showing a velocity graph and export controls after tracking. Enlarge screenshot
Results. Position or velocity graphs, table edits, CSV and PanPhyPlot export.

Reference

Details for filming, tracking modes, the table and exports.

Filming tips
  • Film side-on with the camera held still. A phone on a stand is enough.
  • Include something of known length in the same plane as the motion, such as a meter rule.
  • A plain background helps Auto tracking. High contrast between the object and the background matters more than resolution.
  • For slow motion, record the filming frame rate and enter it under Setup → Frame rate so analysis times match real time.
Auto, Manual and Edit
  • Auto (default): click the object once; marks continue frame by frame until the match is lost. Undo removes the whole run.
  • Manual: mark one frame at a time; each click advances by the step. Clicking a frame that already has a mark replaces it.
  • Edit: click a cross, then Delete to remove just that mark. For overlapping crosses, select the time in the Table or use the row’s delete button.
  • Undo and Redo step through changes. Esc exits selection or cancels setting the scale or origin.
Graphs, table and export
  • Results shows position or velocity against analysis time. Marks keep video playback times, so changing the filming rate recalculates analysis times.
  • The Table lists each mark for precise edits.
  • CSV downloads default to panphytrack_data.csv.
  • Transfer to PanPhyPlot opens a sheet named PanPhyTrack through the URL hash, ready for fitting.
Keyboard
KeysAction
← →Step back or forward
SpacePlay or pause
HHide or show the marks
Ctrl ZUndo (Cmd+Z on Mac)
Ctrl Shift Z / Ctrl YRedo
Delete / BackspaceDelete the selected mark
EscExit selection or cancel scale/origin

Contents

Screenshot

100%

Scroll or swipe to inspect the image. Use Actual size to read small labels.