SelectZRange

SelectZRange selects a Z slab from an image using Python-style slice bounds: start_z is included and stop_z is excluded. Leaving stop_z empty keeps planes through the end of the Z axis.

Inputs

• input_image: image with a declared Z axis.

• layout: axis order for the input array.

• start_z: first Z index to keep.

• stop_z: optional first Z index to exclude.

Outputs

• output_image: image containing the selected Z slab.

Dependencies and Core Libraries

imageio, NumPy-style slicing, and shared layout validation helpers.

The tool validates that the layout length matches image dimensionality and contains a Z axis.

Assumptions

The declared layout must match the array dimensions and use supported axis letters. Z ranges use Python slice semantics.

Use it to extract a projection-ready Z subset or a smaller volume before downstream analysis.

Minimal Example

from bioimageflow_core import Arguments
from bioimageflow_io_tools import SelectZRange

SelectZRange().process_row(
    Arguments(input_image="zyx.tif", layout="ZYX", start_z=2, stop_z=6, output_image="z2_6.tif")
)

Expected Results

The output preserves all non-Z axes and includes only the requested Z planes. Missing Z axes or reversed ranges raise errors.

Failure Modes

Layout mismatches, missing Z axes, and stop_z < start_z raise ValueError. Out-of-range slice bounds follow normal NumPy slicing behavior.