Setup Tab
The Setup tab is where you load input data, select a workflow, configure parameters, and launch a reconstruction job.
Input File
Drag and drop an MRI data file onto the drop zone, or click Browse to open a file picker.
Supported formats:
| Format | Extension | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ISMRMRD | .h5, .hdf5, .mrd | Standard MRI raw data format |
| Siemens TWIX | .dat | Siemens scanner raw data |
On load, FORGE Studio reads the file header and displays metadata in the inspector panel on the right.
ISMRMRD Metadata
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Protocol | Protocol name from the ISMRMRD header |
| Scanner | Vendor and model |
| Channels | Number of receive channels |
| Acquisitions | Total number of k-space lines |
| Matrix | Reconstruction matrix size |
| Trajectory | k-space trajectory type |
TWIX Metadata
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Protocol | Protocol name from ASCCONV |
| Sequence | Sequence string (e.g. gre, ep2d_diff) |
| Platform | Siemens software revision (e.g. VE11E, XA61) |
| Software | Full baseline string |
| Channels | Active receive channels |
| Base Res. | Matrix size — shown as Nx×Ny×Nz for 3D sequences |
| FOV | Field of view in mm — shown as R×P×S mm for 3D sequences |
| Measurements | Number of measurements (always 1 for the main protocol) |
Workflow Selector
A dropdown lists all available workflows. If the loaded file's protocol matches any workflow's protocol_match patterns, the best match is pre-selected.
Click the Edit icon next to the selector to open the full workflow editor for the selected workflow.
Output Directory
The reconstruction outputs are saved here. Defaults to the value set in Settings → General → Default Output Directory. Click Browse to choose a different location per-job.
Pipeline Diagram
Below the file and workflow selectors, the pipeline is shown as a horizontal sequence of stage blocks connected by arrows. Each block shows:
- Stage name
- Backend badge (Python, Julia, MATLAB, FORGE, etc.)
- Status indicator (pending, running, complete, failed, gated, cached)
Click any stage block to open its parameter inspector on the right.
Parameter Inspector
When a stage or step is selected, the inspector shows all configurable parameters. Changes here are per-job overrides — they don't modify the saved workflow.
Parameters are organised into sections:
- Ungrouped parameters appear first.
- Named groups (e.g.
"Advanced") follow as collapsible sections —"Advanced"starts collapsed.
See Workflow YAML Reference → Parameters for all parameter types.
Batch Mode
Toggle Batch Mode to process multiple files with the same workflow.
In batch mode:
- The drop zone is replaced by a file queue.
- Click Scan Directory to populate the queue from a folder (with optional glob pattern).
- Each queued item shows its file, status, and retry count.
- Failed items show a Retry button.
See Batch Mode → for full details.
Start Reconstruction
Click Start Reconstruction to launch the job. FORGE Studio runs a pre-flight check first:
| Check | What it validates |
|---|---|
| Backend available | Required executable is found and runnable |
| Disk space | Output directory has sufficient free space |
| Input readable | File can be opened and its header parsed |
If any check fails, you'll see a dialog with the reason and options to fix the issue or proceed anyway.
On success, the app switches to the Monitor tab.
Error Handling
If the header parse fails, a red error banner appears below the drop zone with the error details. Common causes:
- TWIX: File truncated, scan size too small (try a different file).
- ISMRMRD: HDF5 library missing or file corrupted.
- Unknown format: File extension not recognised.