# How to setup Slicer4 as a developer

**URL:** <https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [October 29, 2019, 11:46am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935 "2019-10-29T11:46:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Samuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@Samuel](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Samuel)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 11:46am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/1 "2019-10-29T11:46:21Z")

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Hi 3D slicer,  
I want to setup the slicer4 as a developer but could not find any guide. Can you guide me about this?  
Thanks

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**Author:** ![rprueckl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/rprueckl/32/4240_2.png) [@rprueckl](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/rprueckl)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 11:47am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/2 "2019-10-29T11:47:50Z")

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There are build instructions here:  
[https://www.slicer.org/wiki/Documentation/Nightly/Developers/Build\_Instructions](https://www.slicer.org/wiki/Documentation/Nightly/Developers/Build_Instructions)

If you get stuck, the community here is very helpful.

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**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:** [October 29, 2019, 12:13pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/3 "2019-10-29T12:13:06Z")

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If you program in C++ then you need to build Slicer as @rprueckl describes above.

If program in Python then you don’t need to build Slicer but start development right away. See for example this tutorial: [https://www.slicer.org/wiki/Documentation/Nightly/Training#PerkLab.27s\_Slicer\_bootcamp\_training\_materials](https://www.slicer.org/wiki/Documentation/Nightly/Training#PerkLab.27s_Slicer_bootcamp_training_materials)

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**Author:** ![Samuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@Samuel](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Samuel)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/4 "2019-11-13T15:30:23Z")

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Hi Andras Lasso,  
Thank you for the answer and it helped me understand more. But I still quite don`t understand how to build it. Is it possible for you to make a video tutorial on youtube using python. Thank you.

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**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:** [November 14, 2019, 1:28am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/5 "2019-11-14T01:28:33Z")

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You don’t need to build Slicer to develop modules for it - as long as you implement your modules in Python.

In case you want to work in C++ then you need to follow the written build instructions and ask specific questions if you get stuck anywhere. Video tutorials would not be ideal for describing a software build procedure and it would be very hard to maintain.

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**Author:** ![Samuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@Samuel](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Samuel)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2019, 9:24am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/6 "2019-11-14T09:24:37Z")

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okay… Thanks for the help.

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**Author:** ![Samuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@Samuel](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Samuel)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 3:16pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/8 "2019-11-18T15:16:01Z")

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I could not find the markups data. Do you know where the data is located?

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**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:** [November 18, 2019, 9:51pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/9 "2019-11-18T21:51:53Z")

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What do you mean by markups data?

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**Author:** ![Samuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@Samuel](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Samuel)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 7:02am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/10 "2019-11-20T07:02:28Z")

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In the scripting and module development tutorial, slide 27 manipulating markups.  
The command : f = getNode(‘F’)  
I`m not sure what is the 'F' in the command because it`s not stated in the tutorial and couldn`t find the data to load.

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**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 20, 2019, 1:02pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/11 "2019-11-20T13:02:54Z")

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`F` is the name of the node (the default name). It’s the one that shows up in the user interface.

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**Author:** ![Samuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@Samuel](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Samuel)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 8:42pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/12 "2019-11-20T20:42:26Z")

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Hi pieper thanks for trying to help me but I think u got the wrong idea of my question.  
What I`m trying to say is I do not know where is the F data stored because in order for me to run this command: f = getNode(‘F’). I need to able to load the F data before typing the command.

Sorry I `m not good at explaining. Hope you can understand what I` m trying to say. Thank you.

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**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:** [November 20, 2019, 8:51pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/13 "2019-11-20T20:51:19Z")

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You do not need to “load” the `F` node. You just need to follow instructions on the slide “Create 2 markup points”. These markup points will be stored in a new node and the node’s name will be `F` by default.

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**Author:** ![Samuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@Samuel](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Samuel)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 1:02pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/14 "2020-03-20T13:02:58Z")

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@lassoan Hi, I would like to ask something about the segmentation module.  
What type of segmentation method is used to segment the image. Is it 3d closed surface segmentation?

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**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:** [March 20, 2020, 3:52pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/15 "2020-03-20T15:52:38Z")

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There are many segmentation tools (“segment editor effects”). Which ones you are interested in?

Or, are you interested in how the segmentation data is represented in Slicer? You can find the answer [here](https://www.slicer.org/wiki/Documentation/Labs/Segmentations).

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Samuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@Samuel](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Samuel)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 4:24am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/16 "2020-03-22T04:24:44Z")

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In the segmentation tutorial of " [Video tutorial: Whole heart segmentation from cardiac CT](https://youtu.be/BJoIexIvtGo)", what is the segmentation algorithm used to segment the heart.

Sorry for the trouble, the community here is indeed very fast response and helpful. Thank you.

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**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:** [March 22, 2020, 4:32am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/17 "2020-03-22T04:32:16Z")

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“Grow from seeds” is based on the “Fast grow-cut method” - see more information here: [http://interactivemedical.org/imic2014/CameraReadyPapers/Paper%204/IMIC\_ID4\_FastGrowCut.pdf](http://interactivemedical.org/imic2014/CameraReadyPapers/Paper%204/IMIC_ID4_FastGrowCut.pdf)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Samuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@Samuel](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Samuel)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 11:54am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/how-to-setup-slicer4-as-a-developer/8935/18 "2020-03-22T11:54:34Z")

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Thanks, you really helped me alot. Have a nice day!!!