Repository of ET Technologies

Repository of Technologies is completely redesigned.

The Repository is the core element of the system intended for technology learning, saving, and shared use in Easy Trace. It contains technologies specifically, i.e. image samples + corresponding series of operations supplied with comments (video-comments frequently).

Each technology is saved to an individual project-prototype. It helps to create the project example and start its execution with several clicks or create a similar project based on your image.

Most technologies contain not only video of the entire process but also short videos illustrating each step of the process flow.

The Repository contains both examples accessible in demo-mode and larger technologies. You may download our free distributive, install the package, and try to fulfill digitization by yourself.

You may add your own smoothly running projects-prototypes to the Repository for their repeated use or transfer to a group of operators. It makes all the catches and video-comments on difficult steps available for the entire group at once.

Surely, you may do without the Repository and just save projects-prototypes somewhere, but the frame of the system helps you to add detailed descriptions, image fragments, and digitization results, to view video without project creation or create a small tutorial project for operators. Thus, Repository of Technologies is really useful.

A new feature added to ET 11.0 enables quick illustrating of your technology.  In one click, you may get three pictures – the initial image, processed one, and the image with digitization results.  иллюстрирования свое технологии. Related video-files may be recorded in wide variety of formats and not only be saved locally but also loaded from Internet.

Compound Tool

Compound Tool (CT) is the key instrument for designing, commenting, and saving of digitization technologies. It enables you to form, debug, and save a smoothly running sequence of operations.

Add steps-messages where operator’s intervention is required. Describe what should be done and with what tools, or better record a small video with vocal comments. It is technically easy now.

Now, you may flesh out the CT not manually only, but also copy the entire current digitization session to it. Calls of all utilities with applied strategies (settings) will be transferred to the CT in proper order in one click. It remains only to add comments on the operations being executed and insert steps-messages where operator’s intervention is required.

A very important improvement in ET 11.0! Image processing strategies used in the CT are also saved to the project. Previously, chains of image processing operations executed at image preparing to digitization or subject layer extraction were saved to the ImageProcessing\Custom subfolder of the folder where ET was installed.  They could be lost at project-prototype transfer to another computer but now the prototype is really “self-sufficient”. 

Just in case, you may now save all messages and comments added to the CT to a RTF-file. Actually, it gives you a consistent description of the technology. The text may be edited in WordPad and returned back to the CT. We do it at new technology adding to the Repository of Technologies.

Text capture from any controls of dialog boxes of utilities and tools

Put the cursor on the text you want to capture and press Alt+Ctrl+W. Then, the text may be inserted to a comment or message in the CT. It simplifies work with the technology written to the Compound Tool, as all the necessary information gets to a single location. Besides, the function is useful when you want to download comments and messages from the CT to RTF to form a rather detailed technology description.

Logging of executed utilities

The log of operations (Project\Operation Log) contains now records about calls of almost all utilities. Previously, only image processing operations got to the log.

Besides, automatic deletion of canceled (by Undo command) operations from the log makes the latter a relevant report on operations that have resulted in creation / alteration of the current set of image and vector data. That is why it may be automatically transferred to the CT to fix the sequence of executed operations.

The program also generates an individual file called CompoundTool.txt, which contains the sequence of executed image operations, and saves it to the project folder.

You may add to the CT not only the log of the current session but also one on any specified date.

Tracing tools

Common changes

Wherever possible, the Ctrl+LB combination enables you to assign attributes to the last created object by a tracing tool. Assignment mechanism is similar to work of the Copy Attributes utility. Attributes will NOT be assigned if the line is snapped to another line.

Length ranges of smoothing filters in tracing strategies are extended as it is required for processing of space, high-resolution, and 2-3 times resampled-up images.

Search for Lines (vector-based tracing)

When in the Cursor Tracking mode, the program automatically detects and creates intersections with other objects.

Curvilinear Tracer \ Free Drawing mode

Line form optimization is improved: now, it depends on the output scale.

The Tracing by image mode will not be started at Ctrl press if another key or the mouse left button was pressed at the same time. It enables you to use the tool together with Dynamic Magnifier (Ctrl+Alt), snap lines, etc.

Mouse move slows down when you press Alt.

The program completes line tracing at snapping to a dangling node of a previously created line and tries to join the lines. Joining is possible if both lines belong to the same layer, have the same attributes and the same elevation (Z).

Curvilinear Tracer \ Spline mode

Cursor mode is changed. Now, it shows tangential direction to the last point of the line being formed. It simplifies drawing of the next line segment.

Outlining of Imagery Areas

Optimization of generated contours with jogged lines is added. It is convenient at digitization of artificial objects.

Automatic agreement of a generated contour with existing vector objects will be executed even if the contour has small openings or discontinuities.

Cursor modes are changed, hints added, initial values and ranges of contour generation parameters are adjusted.

An additional bar is added, which shows current values of the Diffuse, Caverns, and  Smoothing parameters.

Approximation precision may be specified at selection of the Broken lines filter type.

Non-linear slider is provided now for Diffuse setting as imagery resolution and homogeneity of areas being outlined may vary in a wide range.

Semiautomatic tracing

The bug is corrected: tracers could “run” along an already generated line part.

The bug is corrected: snapping to existing vector objects didn’t happen in some.

Editors

Object Editor

Joining of isolated  polygons is added. It is similar to merging of contiguous polygons but the gap filling area will be added to the resulting polygon.

Keep Alt pressed to change the form of a joining curve between existing polylines. Specify the first polyline, then hold the Alt key pressed and move the cursor to the end of the second line. The joining curve will be displayed. Move the cursor to change its form; Alt+LB to execute joining.

Keep Ctrl+Shift pressed for equidistant line joining. In this case, the generated joining curve will be drawn between neighboring lines. It may be useful at restoring of an isoline part missing in a bottleneck.

Keep Alt+Ctrl pressed for line joining with the generated curve drawn along the corresponding line  in the image, including color one.

Camber Editor

The Smooth Polyline / Flatten Polyline commands have become much more: you may specify the type and length of the smoothing filter for curves and approximation precision for broken lines.

A new option Merge polygons when crossing is added. Polygons will be merged if one of them "runs" into another at boundary editing with the tool. Match of attributes and Z-values is a enabling condition of polygon merging. When the Cohesion keeping deformation mode is on, merging is possible if the boundary being edited belongs to one polygon only. It is convenient at photo interpretation with polygonal coverage forming.

Cursor mode is changed: the cursor has become more recognizable and a point is added to the center. A joining curve generated by a double click at Alt key pressed will pass through this point.

Topology Editor and Corrector may use Alt+LB now

In the Cleaning mode, the Topology Editor decreases its operating zone three times if you keep Alt pressed. It is convenient in bottlenecks at editing of closely spaced lines.

The Corrector tool joins lines through the point specified with the cursor if you keep Alt pressed.

Tools

Shift / Resize Polyline

A new operating mode is added for shift of a line part connected with other objects. The tool executes “copy+shift of a line part” (Ctrl) or "shift of the entire line” (Shift).

Polyline shift: copying of the entire line or a selected line part is possible when the Ctrl key is pressed.

A new topological free mode is added: you may elongate the line part being shifted / copied by specifying additional vertices in it.

Nodes and point objects may be captured.

Nodes may be moved together with a line part (or entire line). It is true for pseudo-nodes between neighboring line segments and nodes of degree 3 and more.

Use RB to undo previous actions.

Reset to the fixed shift mode: Ctrl+LB – right shift, RB - cancel.

Inspector tool

The Alt+I hot key combination enables you to reset the current inspection zone and enlarge it to the entire project. It may be useful at project assembling (project field enlargement after adding of neighboring map sheets / photos).

Project field boundaries are considered now in horizontal inspection mode, and the program shifts таковыхframes of the lowermost line into the inspection zone.

Size of margins outside the inspection zone may be set separately from the Frame overlap parameter. It is equal to 8 screen pixels by default.

User Tool bar

User-specified hot keys override system ones now. It means that convenient keys (and such are few in number!) may be assigned to user tools even if they are already used for other tools.

A hot key is added for cycling of user tool selection.

Shears

At use of neighboring areas for the "Split & Select" operation, the program cuts vector data by boundaries of each area separately. Previously, the common outer boundary was used for this operation and for the "Split & Delete" as well.

View

The new Map Scale bar is added

It enables you to set the screen output scale equal to one of the hard copy. At that, objects on the screen will be of about the same size as in the paper map. The feature helps to estimate the level of map detail.

The new Dynamic Magnifier view mode is added

The mode enables you to adjust and use a magnifier, which zooms a small round area with the cursor in the center of it.
For example, you may set the screen output scale small enough to see all elevation marks in the map sheet at once and use the magnifier to digitize all of them with good precision. Similarly, a cut-through in a wood or a transmission line poles may be easily traced and digitized with the help of this tool.
The Dynamic Magnifier is accessible when using first-level tools (Tracers, Cumber Editor, Point, Text, Block, Circle).

Support for additional mouse buttons is provided. If the mouse has additional buttons, the Dynamic Magnifier is by default switched on and connected with the second button; otherwise it is switched out and may be called by Ctrl+Alt.

The new Restore Project Windows Position command

The command is accessible at hot key (“0” by default) stroke only. It restores the previous position and scale of the project windows – a kind of Undo for positioning and scaling. It may be very useful after you have stricken a wrong hot key by mistake (e.g., 4 – the next frame of inspection by default).

Screen scale of the project field

Manual zoom out of the project field is provided, which makes the field smaller than the View All command does.
The feature may be useful at data transformation. For example, all data have reduced to a point and flown away beyond the horizon because of wrong coordinates imported to the project. You may zoom out the project field badly, find the data, and move them to the proper place (e.g., on the space photo).

Utilities

Topology Optimization

Now, the utility can apply expanded and iteration algorithms of line form optimization that were previously accessible in the Line Form Optimization. utility only. Parameter ranges are enlarged, a button is added for transfer to additional settings as well as a new dialog box for optimization setting.

Topology Correction

The new Remove vertices inside reference polygons option is added.
It was designed to meet requirements of one project we executed: not to draw vertices near sheet borders. Buffer zones were generated along the borders and this new option helped to clean them quickly. It does not just delete vertices of course but moves them onto the border of the zone (polygon). Also, the utility marks complex sites that require manual intervention (e.g., nodes).

The new Create common vertices in edges within distance option is added.
It helps to delete short line segments located near vertices.

The new T-Joints Correction utility

Unlike the Raw Line Filtering utility, the new one processes all topologically connected layers at once. It restores the shape of Т- and Y-joints, which is often distorted in the image.

Polygon Decomposition

An option is added, which enables you to switch off arc generation (i.e., generate only centroids).

Autodetect Dot Lines

The utility is heavily modified:

By-screen specifying of dot line parameters is simplified and has become more plain. Maximal allowable turn angle and gap between dots may adjusted in this way, as well as snapping distance for free line ends.

It is enough to click in the gap between line ends you want to join to adjust joining. Operation settings will be adjusted, joining executed, and the result displayed. One click near a free line end adjusts line stretching and snapping.

Line rebuild starts right away at selective deletion of excessive vertices, and the result is displayed on the screen.

Similar to the Breakup Joining utility, the program generates smooth curves now to join lines through gaps.

Standard smoothing of generated lines with filter type and length selection is accessible at the final stage. The program does not build the curve through dot centers strictly any more.

Autodetect Point Symbols

An optional bar is added for parametric control of contour computation (caverns and holes in symbols). When it is opened, a symbol contour without small caverns and holes is displayed on the current mask. Move sliders to change minimal size of defects to be considered. Adjusted settings of preprocessing of image masks - symbol templates will be changed in all strategies of the utility.

Transformation of Vector Data

The dialog box is enlarged, a footer and prompts added.

Sorting of the reference point table is added.

The bug is corrected: a disjoint of vector layers at subsequent editing. It happened because the program didn’t round off transformed coordinates to the specified precision.

Automatic Outlining of color spots

the dialog box and therefore the table of colors being extracted is enlarged;

percentage of color being extracted is now specified with fractional part;

total percentage of selected colors is displayed in the column header;

sorting in this column is provided.

Object Conversion

A new variant of data conversion is added – Convert labels to text.

Working with images

TIFF-format support is improved

A new compression mode is added for grey-scale and TrueColor images. All tests (25) have demonstrated compression improved up to twofold. Image file reading time has decreased.

Image linking to project

Interface of the operation is completely redesigned. Tutorial mode is added for the most complicated version of image linking based on an arbitrary set of reference points.

On-the-fly displaying of corrected image is added for the processes of image move and rotation.

Navigation in the image / by correction points / edges and centers of triangles is profoundly altered.

The program automatically saves specified correction points at utility close. On failure, it is easy now to add or change position of some correction points and repeat the operation.

Control on exceeding of allowable correction error is added.

Displaying boundaries of the source image will not be lost at image relinking with a new name.

Displaying boundaries of the corrected image is recomputed (although not quite strictly in the case of local affine transformation).

The Error Log button is added to the Input and Editing of Reference Points page.

At manual saving of reference points to a file, an option is added, which enables you to save additional external points and thus improve correction along image edges. It is necessary if you are going to use the same set of reference points for vector data transformation.

Duplicate Image command

A drop-down list is provided for format selection at image doubling.

Rectangular Crop \ Copy commands:

the bug is corrected: incapacity of the commands to work in the two-screen computer configuration;

now, the commands called from the menu \ submenu \ by a hot key do the same – copy an area oа the image into Windows buffer for subsequent insertion into the same image or an external document.

Cut Images into Sections utility

The new Save as TIFF Files option is added.
Now, you may start incision of images saved in non-lossless formats and be unafraid of even worse degradation. Previously, you had to save the image as a TIFF file first, and it took time and disc space.

Multiband imagery support

Image writing is added. Previously, they could be only read.

Support of "Deflate ('Adobe-style')" TIFF-compression is added.

The bug is corrected: wrong displaying (reading) of bands for data saved in the (int/UINT) format.

Spectral image forming out of conventional images is added.

Imagery Processing \ new RGB Image Synthesis utility is developed.

Read-write support is added for images of an arbitrary colority (e.g., > 32 bpp).

CUDA kernel can now process images of colority > 32 bpp.

An image of any bpp can be generated at color difference image creating (accuracy improvement).

LAB-space support is added color difference images.

RGB->LAB conversion is added.

Spectral image conversion into grey-scale and binary images is added. Previously, it was possible for IEEFP data only.

Computation of CIE2000 color distance is added.

Diffuse tool

Maximum Diffuse Radius is enlarged up to 96 pix. Deep diffusion is useful at extraction of extremely non-homogenous areas (a forest, a dumose field, etc.)

Attributes

Attribute Table (F2)

An auto-completion list is added.

Attributes by Sample

It is possible now to copy only a part of custom attributes rather than all (click the “hammer” to open the Attributes by Sample Settings dialog box). The copy protection option is also accessible from it.

Miscellaneous

SHP-import correction

An object with invalid coordinates (e.g., because of an error in the file) will be skipped at data import. Previously, this situation might cause unexpected.

Recovery Point creation

Design of the dialog box is altered: all existing recovery points are now displayed in a table with sorting by name or date. The Create button is provided for creation of a new recovery point. It opens a dialog box where point name and description should be specified.

Compose Project

The bug is corrected: the program always copied strategies of the Image Compound Tool from the installation folder even though the Repository of ET Technologies was placed to another folder.

Only strategies of the Custom group are being copied (copying of base technologies and examples from the Fixed group has no sense).

Error and correction marks

Now, the program operates with all objects on the _CORRECTION_ layer in the same way as with error marks on the _ERRORS_ layer. Navigation from one object to another with the help of the F and V keys, as well as deletion at a right click or shift to another mark are provided.