# 2D - 3D side by side

**URL:** <https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425>\
**Category:** Feature requests\
**Tags:** views\
**Created:** [November 9, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425 "2017-11-09T23:04:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dcantor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/dcantor/32/782_2.png) [@dcantor](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/dcantor)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425/1 "2017-11-09T23:04:58Z")

</div>

Hi Slicers, I am doing some segmentations in 2D and checking the result in 3D as I move from slice to slice. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to do a side by side between the slice you are segmenting and the 3D view? the only way to do this currently is by the 4-way view which is a waste of space that you don’t use. I would like for instance maximize the space of the slice where I am segmenting and have next to it the 3D view. What do you think?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pieper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/pieper/32/8_2.png) [@pieper](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/pieper)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425/2 "2017-11-09T23:18:04Z")

</div>

It’s possible to set up custom views with a little coding:

[https://www.slicer.org/wiki/Documentation/Nightly/ScriptRepository#Customize\_viewer\_layout](https://www.slicer.org/wiki/Documentation/Nightly/ScriptRepository#Customize_viewer_layout)

If that view is particularly handy it could be added to the layout menu (but that menu is already so long…)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MMMPPPMMM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9a28c/32.png) [@MMMPPPMMM](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/MMMPPPMMM)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2017, 11:06am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425/3 "2017-12-07T11:06:18Z")

</div>

I also would appreciate, if this three views could be added:  
Red + 3D  
Yellow + 3D  
Green + 3D

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pieper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/pieper/32/8_2.png) [@pieper](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/pieper)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425/4 "2017-12-07T18:52:23Z")

</div>

Did you try the customizer python script or is it too cryptic?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lassoan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/lassoan/32/13_2.png) [@lassoan](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/lassoan)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2017, 7:00pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425/5 "2017-12-07T19:00:18Z")

</div>

Although it is quite easy to define your own layouts using Python scripting, I agree that it would be nice to be able to define and switch between custom layouts more easily. I think this issue covers this feature request already: [https://issues.slicer.org/view.php?id=2384](https://issues.slicer.org/view.php?id=2384). Add a comment there to indicate there is interest in having this feature (when we prioritize issues, having recent comments from multiple users puts an issue ahead of the others).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Julio\_Pasinatto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/839c29/32.png) [@Julio\_Pasinatto](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Julio_Pasinatto)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 10:15am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425/6 "2018-02-08T10:15:54Z")

</div>

Is there a way to store my custom layout or every time I start slicer I have to do it again? Maybe put into the layout view selector?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lassoan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/lassoan/32/13_2.png) [@lassoan](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/lassoan)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 2:38pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425/7 "2018-02-08T14:38:14Z")

</div>

> [@Julio\_Pasinatto](#):
>
> Is there a way to store my custom layout or every time I start slicer I have to do it again?

Yes, of course. Either add the layout registration code to your application startup script (menu: Edit / Application Settings / General) or your scripted module initialization (triggered with a single-shot timer so that registration happens when Slicer startup is completed).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![akshay\_pillai](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/akshay_pillai/32/8301_2.png) [@akshay\_pillai](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/akshay_pillai)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 5:27pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425/8 "2021-01-12T17:27:45Z")

</div>

> [@lassoan](#):
>
> layouts

How and where do we add this code. I cant seem to find the mrmlLayoutlogic.cxx file

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![akshay\_pillai](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/akshay_pillai/32/8301_2.png) [@akshay\_pillai](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/akshay_pillai)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425/9 "2021-01-12T17:28:44Z")

</div>

Can you please tell me where to find the MRMLLayoutlogic.cxx file to make these changes

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lassoan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/lassoan/32/13_2.png) [@lassoan](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/lassoan)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 5:33pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425/10 "2021-01-12T17:33:51Z")

</div>

It should not be necessary to modify MRMLLayoutLogic.cxx. Nevertheless, you can find a link to the source code of this logic class and detailed description of how to register and use a custom layouts in the example referenced [above](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425/2).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mohammed\_alshakhas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/mohammed_alshakhas/32/10025_2.png) [@mohammed\_alshakhas](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/mohammed_alshakhas)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 5:45am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/2d-3d-side-by-side/1425/11 "2024-11-25T05:45:34Z")

</div>

Some user are pure clinicians that don’t have enough time / energy to put into learning a new skill like coding.  
As a matter of fact even the tech savvy ones are shocked when I they know I use slicer cause they think it’s too complicated , cause they want a software that do every thing for them in most straightforward way.

I still think the power of slicer is amazing but we ask for silly things to skillful programmer / user like you to help us make our lives even easier 😆