function auto_objects(img_name,output_name)
% AUTO_OBJECTS utility
%
% Used to segment objects in a black background image.
% usage is auto_objects(image_name,output_filename)
%
% By Yan Levasseur, ETS 2004
% yan AT leyan DOT org

% Verifying number of inputs
if(nargin ~=2)
    error('Incorrect number of inputs : usage is ''auto_objects(img_name,output_name)''');
end

% Reading the image from file
img = imread(img_name);
[Height,Width,Bands] = size(img);

% Computing graythreshold value
level = graythresh(img);
level = level * 0.6; % Threshold arbitrary adjustment (after a few tries)
                     % This can be modified for your need

% Computing a binary image as the result of thresholding
bw = im2bw(img,level);

% Creating labels for the image's regions
lab = bwlabel(bw);

% Computing statistics of all of the image's regions
stats =  regionprops(lab,'Area','BoundingBox','FilledImage');

% Fixed minimum area to be considered object
area_min = 500; % This can be modified for your need
count = 1;

% For each of the objects in 'stats'
for i=1:length(stats)
    if(stats(i).Area > area_min) % Objects with small area are discarded
        
        % Segementing the object in RGB image

        % BoundingBox contains the objects' coordinates
        BB = stats(i).BoundingBox;
        corner_x = ceil(BB(1)); length_x = BB(3);
        corner_y = ceil(BB(2)); length_y = BB(4);
       
        % We use the FilledImage to get the entire object even if
        % there are holes or segmented regions inside the objects' contour
        FI = stats(i).FilledImage;
        
        % Final image size
        final=zeros(length_y,length_x);

        % Copying the object from orininal image into another image
        for j=1:Bands
            final(:,:,j) = double(FI).*double(img(corner_y : corner_y + length_y - 1, ...
                corner_x : corner_x + length_x - 1,j));
        end
        
        % Return in a image compatible type
        final = uint8(final);

        % Computing the image's number (name)
        no = '000';
        chiffre = sprintf('%i',count);
        lc = length(chiffre);
        no(4-lc:3)=chiffre;    
        fichier = sprintf('%s%s.bmp',output_name,no);
        
        % Write the image to 'bmp' format image file
        imwrite(final,fichier,'bmp'); % You can change format here
        
        % Little code to print '.' for each object processed
        fprintf('.',fichier);
        if(mod(count,20)==0)
            fprintf('\n');
        end
     
        % Here we count the number of object 
        count = count+1;
    end
end

% Print of the total number of objects processed
fprintf('\n%i objects have been written to files.\n',count-1);

% End of function
return