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FSX VogelTree, new tool for detecting vegetation like AgenT

Vogel

Vogel

Messages
211
Country
france
After trying to add a batch mode to AgenT vegetation detection with Macro Agent... Based on the principles of AgenT creator: Lars Hoyer, I've tried to make a new tool that I named very modestly VogelTree :D

!!! based on excellent Arno's DLL !!!

it's an utility dedicated to creation of sparse vegetation on AGN files from images derived from FSearthTile bmp format. The operation is almost identical to "Agent" with a few differences:
- Processing of batch files.
- support "Area_*********" bmp or tga file from FsearthTile and "xxxxxxxxxxx.Su.bmp" from FS2004, !! At that time the Picture must have LOD13 width !!
- support DXT compressed BMP (thx to Arno :) )
- The algorithm can be adapted to 10 profiles based on a personnal "brightness" value of picture.
- A special algorithm (filter 1) * detection of vegetation was coupled with the detection of the brightness function like AgenT(filter 2) .
- Possibility to change the settings of those two algorithms.
- support of FSX and FS9 out. (one more thx to Arno :) ) (with polygon number limitation if needed)

* Algorithm to differentiate plain area (field) of "rough" area (bushes, trees).

capt_vogeltree1.2_pal.jpg


Information about settings :
I arbitrarily defined ten category based on an almost average brightness of the image.
It is possible to set thresholds and transitions between two categories.
For each category it is possible to set both maximum values ​​of the two algorithms.
Filter 1: "Rough", higher is the value, more "scrubby"/"Rough" must be the area to be validated.
Filter 2: "brightness", smaller is the value, darker must be the area to be validated.

capt_vogeltree1.2_pref.jpg


Advice:
- the default parameter of this tool are more adapted to work with picture of 1024x1024 resolution. adjustement are surely needed.
- higher is the resolution, better is the detection, more time by frame is needed.
- It work with 256x256 picture but you need to desactivate the "rouh" filter to work with.


Well so far I have tested the product quickly and it seems to work not too bad ... although it should probably make some adjustments on the detection settings. New algorithm to further refine the detection probably ... Research can continue. test it if you want ...

In fact it is still a beta version so still full of bug and surely many other oversights. Indulgence desired :eek:

the tool: VogelTree 1.4 beta

french post on pilote-virtuel translated
 
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Hi,

Thanks for the tool, looks interesting.

Like I told you in the pm I have been experimenting with vegetation detection a bit as well recently. My scenery is for fsx, so I don't have texture tiles to feed through your tool though. But the way you describe the algorithm sounds interesting.
 
thanks Arno :)

This is the way I generate my Pictures Tiles to work on:

With FS Earth Tile 1.03 : Generate tiles corresponding to the desired area, here are my options:
- Download Resolution: 1 (for the 1024x1024) or 0 (for the 2048 x 2048) or -1 (for the 4096x4096)
- Scen Compiler: FSX
- Area Snap: LOD13
- Creat Masks: No (or Yes)
- Comp Scenery: No (or Yes)
- Use Cache: Yes

- Auto Ref. Mode: 4

20130525152630fsearthti.jpg
 
Hi,

What I meant is I only have geotiff files and a resample inf file for my project, I don't work with tools like FS earth tiles or so. I don't think your tool works in geotiff as well :)
 
Hmmm ... would be interesting if this could be fed a Geotiff, or similar.
 
I must say Vogel: Amazing work!
Looks like I'll be redoing my autogen soon!
 
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arno said:
Hi,

What I meant is I only have geotiff files and a resample inf file for my project, I don't work with tools like FS earth tiles or so. I don't think your tool works in geotiff as well :)
Click to expand...

you're all right, I will try to implement support of files with width different from LOD13...

Information on algorithm: the "rough" filter is based on something I've found when I watched the Color Histogram of a little "Tree" box compared to a little "field" box with photoshop. The first one have a larger base("eroded mountain", cause of wider range of brightness) compared to the second wich have a smaller base ("sharp moutain", smaller range of brightness).I compare just the range of green color(0->255) between min_value and max_value.
 
Looks impressive!

If you begin to support GeoTIFF, would it be possible to additionally read from a near infrared band to help determine vegetation location? Much of the freely available NAIP imagery has NIR data in the 4th channel.
 
@ollyau

first I will try to support GeoTiff ;) I don't know if I can (hard to manage projection)... but infra-red reading seems to be a good idea.
 
Hi,

I have been experimenting with GeoTIFF in the past already. So I might be able to help with that. And I would be willing to put similar functionality in scenProc as well. So maybe we can work together on that.
 
Hi Vogel,
I tried to start you programm and it crashed.. I dont see any gui, it just crash.
I tried it on other PCs same problem. Also other language dosn`t work.

I looked in the readme and if I understand it right there is nothing to configure, is that right?

What I am doing wrong?
Hope you could give me a hint :)

Best regards from germany

Sebastian
 
Hummmm !? Hi xflash, what is your system (xp,seven)? No error message ? Do you have framework 4 installed ?
 
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Oh sorry forgot it.. Win7 32/64 and Windows 2012 Server.. .net 4.0 is installed.

I get only the massage the program has stoped working.. I the event viewer i get this error:

Event 1026 .net Runtime:

Application: VogelTree.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException
Stack:
at System.Windows.Forms.TrackBar.set_Value(Int32)
at VogelTree.frm_principal.InitSetup()
at VogelTree.frm_principal.Initialisation()
at VogelTree.frm_principal..ctor()
at VogelTree.Program.Main()
Click to expand...

Event 1000 Application Error

Faulting application name: VogelTree.exe, version: 1.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x51a55ea8
Faulting module name: KERNELBASE.dll, version: 6.1.7601.17514, time stamp: 0x4ce7b8f0
Exception code: 0xe0434352
Fault offset: 0x0000b760
Faulting process id: 0xc50
Faulting application start time: 0x01ce5efa7d07ecd2
Faulting application path: Z:\vmshare\VogelTree1.2b\VogelTree.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll
Click to expand...
 
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thx Sebastian,

May be the problem come when the tool load & parse setup file :confused: So it could be a problem with the "decimal symbol", dot vs comma as Arno speak in SceneryDesign blog last week. First please check if you use "." and not "," as decimal symbol in your regional option... I hope it's only that :cool:
 
Hi Vogel.. That was the problem.
I use an english Windows with german regio setting.. It seemed i forgot it to switch.. :banghead:

Thanks for your help..
 
Update of VogelTree: VogelTree 1.3 beta

- Bug of "Area ..... bmp" file management fixed.
- The masks are now represented by only black & white picture.
- Ability to setup the default GUID used to create the FSX AGN ("Detection setup" window)
- Added checkbox's state of "Detection setup" window, the GUID and limit number of polygon into the saved parameters
- The Tile's Type is being henceforth also highlighted when pressing "preview"

! Sorry but not support of Geotiff yet !

Please note:
to adjust more accurately the various sliders:
- Left-click on the cursor set, then use the left and right arrow keys to increase or decrease its value accurately.
 
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Maybe you are aware of but you should take a look on this website: http://www.ecognition.com/

I played around a bit with the developer (trial) version in the past, it's a great tool for geospatial analysis. It's even possible to differ treetypes from (high resolution) aerial image analysis.

A very mighty and expensive tool though but maybe you could learn from the algorythms.

Regards,
Heinrich
 
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