function out = f_and ( in1, in2 )
% out = f_and ( in1, in2 )
%
% performs in1 (feature and) in2
% feature and is like a normal 'and' operation only it operates on entire
% features rather than individual bits. 
% if any bit in a feature in the first image is in the second image the
% entire feature in the first image is kept.
% feature and is not commutative

out = double( in1 & in2 );
% class double so that i can manipulate it later.

in1_label = bwlabel (in1, 4);

% find all non zero points
[i,j] = find(out);
num = length(i);
for n = 1:num
    % include entire obj is one point in it is kept
    if (out(i(n),j(n)) == 1)
        temp = in1_label(i(n),j(n));
        out( find(in1_label == temp) ) = 2;
        % by making it 2 we make it so that each item is only searched
        % for once, rather than the (number of pixels in obj) times.
    end
end
out = out/2;

clear