RELEASE NOTES

TrimbleeCognition® Suite

Version 9.2.0
April.2016
www.eCognition.com

1Trimble DocumentationeCognition 9.2
Release Notes
Imprint and Version
Document Version 9.2.0
Copyright © 2016 Trimble Germany GmbH. All rights reserved. This document may be copied andprinted only in accordance with the terms of the Frame License Agreement for End Users of therelated eCognition software.
Published by:
Trimble Germany GmbH, Arnulfstrasse 126, D-80636 Munich, Germany
Phone: +49–89–8905–710
Fax: +49–89–8905–71411
Web: www.eCognition.com

Dear User,
Thank you for using eCognition software. We appreciate being of service to you with image analysis
solutions. At Trimble we constantly strive to improve our products. We therefore appreciate allcomments and suggestions for improvements concerning our software, training, anddocumentation. Feel free to contact us via the web form on www.eCognition.com/support. Thankyou.

Legal Notes
Trimble® and eCognition® are registered trademarks of Trimble Germany GmbH in Germany andother countries. All other product names, company names, and brand names mentioned in thisdocument may be trademark properties of their respective holders.
Protected by patents EP0858051; WO0145033; WO2004036337; US 6,832,002; US 7,437,004; US
7,574,053 B2; US 7,146,380; US 7,467,159 B; US 7,873,223; US 7,801,361 B2.

Acknowledgments
Portions of this product are based in part on third-party software components:
eCognition Developer © 2016 Trimble Germany GmbH, Arnulfstrasse 126, 80636 Munich, Germany.
All rights reserved.
The Visualisation Toolkit (VTK) © 1993–2006 Ken Martin, Will Schroeder, Bill Lorensen. All rights
reserved.
Insight Segmentation and Registration Toolkit (ITK) © 1999-2003 Insight Software Consortium. All
rights reserved.
All rights reserved. © 2016 Trimble Documentation, Munich, Germany.
Day of print: April 7th, 2016

Release Notes_____2

Contents
1 Overview
1.1 About eCognition Suite
1.2 Key Features
1.3 eCognition Suite 9.2 Highlights

2 New Features - Bug Fixes and Limitations
2.1 New Features
2.2 Bug Fixes
2.3 Known Issues and Limitations

3 Acknowledgments
3.1 The Visualization Toolkit (VTK) Copyright
3.2 ITK Copyright
3.3 Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL) Copyright3.3.1 gcore/Verson.rc
3.3.2 frmts/gtiff/gt_wkt_srs.cpp

4
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7

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12

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Release Notes_____3

1 Overview

1 Overview
1.1 About eCognition Suite
Trimble® eCognition® Suite is an advanced analysis software available for geospatial applications. It
is designed to improve, accelerate and automate the interpretation of a variety of geospatial dataand enables users to design feature extraction or change detection solutions to transform
geospatial data into geo-information.
eCognition imports a variety of geospatial data, fusing them together into a rich stack of geo-data
for the analysis. The analysis logic is structured into series of steps to create a computer-based
representation of an expert’s geospatial interpretation process a so called Rule Set. eCognition then
combines the analysis logic with scalable computing power to identify changes over time or featureson the earth’s surface across very large sets of data.
eCognition Suite version 9.2 is a major release and includes a range of new features and bug fixes.
We recommend upgrading to this new version to benefit from the new features and improvements.
For an overview of the highlights please refer to chapter eCognition Suite 9.2 Highlights, page 7. A
complete list of new features and bug fixes can be found in chapter New Features - Bug Fixes andLimitations, page 9.

Release Notes_____4

1 Overview

1.2 Key Features
Building Analysis Solutions
The eCognition technology examines image pixels not in isolation, but in context. It builds up a
picture iteratively, recognizing groups of pixels as objects. Just like the human mind, it uses color,shape, texture, shape and size of objects, as well as their context and relationships, to draw thesame conclusions that an experienced analyst would draw.
To build an analysis solution, it is possible to flexibly combine the image interpretation steps like
object creation (segmentation), object classification (knowledge based, fuzzy logic, machinelearning), object detection (template matching) and object modification (fusing, smoothing,orthogonalization, simplification) into a Rule Set or even a new application (Rule Set with UI) to solve
the analysis problem.
The result is a unique approach to translate mind models (why a human interpreter can see theobjects, changes, or features in the geospatial data) into computer understandable code (Rule Set)or an individual/customized application.

Leveraging Data Synergies
eCognition can fuse a variety of geospatial data, such as spectral image data, 3D structure data frompoint clouds and spatial/thematic data from GIS vectors.

Release Notes_____5

1 Overview

The proximity of eCognition to GIS, its ability to link and fuse the available data in an analysis combined with the straightforward export of results to GIS layers - help eCognition users to achieve
outstanding results.

Efficient workflows
The eCognition Suite offers three different components which can be used stand-alone or in
combination to solve even the most challenging fully automated and semi-automated production
tasks:
eCognition Developer is the development environment for object-based image analysis. It is
used in geospatial industry to develop Rule Sets or applications for eCognition Architect for the
automatic analysis of geospatial data.
l eCognition Architect enables non-technical professionals such as vegetation mapping experts,
urban planners or foresters to leverage eCognition technology. Users can easily configure,calibrate and execute analysis applications (Rule Set in combination with a UI) created in
eCognition Developer.
l eCognition Server software provides a powerful processing environment for batch and parallel
execution of analysis jobs, based on Rule Sets or applications.
lRelease Notes_____6

1 Overview

1.3 eCognition Suite 9.2 Highlights
Extended Multi-Core Processing Capabilities for Faster Project
Completion
With the introduction of multi-core processing in eCognition 9.1, customers have been enabled tocomplete projects faster than before. Further enhancements in eCognition 9.2 now allow users toutilize up to 8 cores with selected algorithms that typically require longer processing times(multiresolution segmentation, template matching, and layer arithmetics).

For example, the multiresolution segmentation algorithm on an 8,000 by 8,000 pixel image would
take approximately 6 minutes using 1 core, 4 minutes using 4 cores and 2 minutes using 8 cores. The
new multi- core capabilities maximize the power of computing hardware, reduce processing
bottlenecks and allow users to complete projects in up to a third of the time taken with priorversions.

Release Notes_____7

1 Overview

Advanced Data Support
To reduce time taken in converting data, eCognition 9.2 includes a new integrated driver thatsignificantly reduces the time required to utilize a range of industry-standard data products. The
new drivers support users working with JPEG2000 (*.JP2) or MrSID (*.SID) image files and the point
cloud compression format LASzip (*.LAZ).

Enhanced Interactive Functions for Improved Usability
To allow users to create a more intuitive and complete solution within eCognition, a range ofoptions have been enhanced in version 9.2. Solution developers now benefit from enhanced
capabilities to edit, visualize and check GIS layers within the process tree. For better visualization,
developers can make use of new color ramps and configure a legend that is visualized in the image
data view.

Release Notes_____8

2 New Features - Bug Fixes and Limitations

2 New Features - Bug Fixes andLimitations
2.1 New Features
New Features in eCognition 9.2.0:
Story

FeatureDescription

Application
New algorithm: 'Delete
Development thematic vector object'

New algorithm to delete point, line or polygon vector
object(s) in a thematic vector layer based on
attribute(s)Application
New feature 'Is image
Development layer displayed'

New feature added to Scene Features > UI-related > Is
image layer displayed

Application
New feature 'Is folder
Development writable'

New feature added to Scene Features > File-system >Is folder writable

Application
Improved 'find/replace'
Development

User can now search not only in rule set but also
action library code

Application
Improved algorithm 'Set
development custom view settings'

New parameter 'Show color ramp legend' added andoption to set image layer mixing including false color
mixing modes (hot metal and rainbow).

Application
Improved algorithm 'Start
development thematic edit mode'

New parameter 'New layer type' added to selectpoint, line or polygon layer type for new thematic
layer

Application
Improved algorithm
Algorithm allows usage of variables, array items anddevelopment 'Modify thematic attribute features
column'Application
Improved algorithm 'Set
development cursor tooltip'

Algorithm allows usage of variables for tooltip

Application
Improved algorithm
development 'Configure object table'

New parameter 'Object table visibility' added to
specify change of table visibility

Classification

Algorithm allows usage of domains

Improved algorithm'cluster analysis'

Release Notes_____9

2 New Features - Bug Fixes and Limitations

Classification

Possibility to annotate
image objects manually

Annotation can be added using image object table oralgorithm 'Select Input Mode'

Data Import

New driver: '.laz' support

It is now possible to import files in laszip format

Data Import

Lizardtech driver for
JPEG2000 and MrSID fileformatImproved JEG2000 (JP2) reading support and importof MrSID image files in SID format

Datavisualization

Visualization of color ramp Shows a gradient for single image layer and displays
legend in the viewcorresponding layer values

Image
analysis

Improved algorithm 'Pixel
filter 2D'

New convolution filter added with parameters'Custom kernel' and 'Border'

Native vector
handling

New algorithm: 'Create
thematic vector object'

New algorithm to create a new point or line vector
object to be inserted it in a thematic vector layer

Native vector
handling

New feature 'Is vector at
active pixel'

New vector feature added to Vector-related >Position > Coordinate > Is vector at active pixel

Native vector
handling

New features 'X max', 'Y
max', 'X min' and 'Y min'New vector feature added to Vector-related >Position > Coordinate

Native vector
handling

New feature 'Is vector
selected'

New vector feature added to Vector-related > Is
vector at active pixel

Performance

Improved viewer: multicore support for feature
view

Users benefit from multi-core support in the 'feature
view'

Performance

Improved algorithm:'multiresolution
segmentation'

Additional benefits from multi-core support in the'feature view'

Performance

Improved algorithm:'template matching'

Performance improvements in template matchingalgorithm (multi-core support and algorithmic
improvements)

Performance

Improved algorithm:'layer arithmetics'

Multi-core support for the 'layer arithmetics'
algorithm

Security

Updated licensing library
FlexNet Publisher toversion 11.13.1.2

This update addresses a security vulnerability
described in https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/485744

Release Notes_____10

2 New Features - Bug Fixes and Limitations

SoftwareInstallation

Trimble Software
Publisher's Digital
Certificate introduced

Code signing implemented to confirm software
authorUsability

New option 'Save project
history in workspace'

Users can decide if project history for workspaces
should be saved or not

Usability

Improved features 'Active
pixel x-value' 'Active pixel
y-value'

Features support selection of unit

Usability

Enhanced display
functionality of vectors

Visualization of multiple vector layers in manual
editing mode

2.2 Bug Fixes
The update includes the usual bug fixes and improved performance and system stability.
Bug Fixes in 9.2.0:
Reference

Description

ECOG-2813

No error message provided after license activation failure

ECOG-3186

eCognition License Server installation fails at Suse Linux Enterprise Server 12

ECOG-3306

Widget 'radio button' sometimes stays off after clicking on it

ECOG-3328

License borrowing tool not working with specified LS port

ECOG-3335

Actions can be moved in read-only solution

ECOG-3408

Customized vector features do not work as expected

ECOG-3426

Algorithm 'write thematic attributes' clears vector selection

ECOG-3454

Not possible to load file .gdb with 'select file' widget

ECOG-3462

Unnecessary refreshing of thematic attribute table affects performance

ECOG-3522

Autonaming of output layer in 'pixel sliding filter' algorithm is sometimes incorrect

ECOG-3527

Selection in 'select array widget' not kept even when item is not in available items
anymoreECOG-3529

FT Coordinate system not handled properly for LAS files

ECOG-3544

HSI features incorrectly evaluate to zero in some cases

Release Notes_____11

2 New Features - Bug Fixes and Limitations

ECOG-3551

Ruleset with distance to vector object feature does not load if vector layer is not
assigned

ECOG-3566Platform version not displayed with 3 digits in system info

ECOG-3573

Edge 3d filter produces incorrect results on Linux

ECOG-3575

Exported image has incorrect geoinformation

ECOG-3576

Object outlines appear in template matching samples

ECOG-3584

Inquiry about saving vector layer pops up even if vector layer does not exist
anymoreECOG-3590

Tooltip not working for 'check box' widget

ECOG-3592

Error message when exporting temporary layer to ASCII format

ECOG-3642

Features only used in action library and not ruleset might disappear

ECOG-3655

Multiple error messages (one for each layer) are displayed when image location
has changed

ECOG-3670

Multiresolution-segmentation algorithm sometimes crashes on large images (lowmemory conditions)

ECOG-3682

Subset export for images with "feet" as unit doesnt work properly

ECOG-3687

When multi-resolution segmentation is using thematic vector layer, therasterization step of segmentation was not cancelable

ECOG-3689

Area features sometimes do not evaluate correctly when project unit is 'feet'

ECOG-3702

Number of vector objects' not always calculated correctly for polygons and lines
located outside the map limits

ECOG-3709

License return causes error 'Service for Activation or Return is unavailable'

ECOG-3710

The "show/hide comment window" button doesnt work in process tree and classhierarchy windows

2.3 Known Issues and Limitations
An intended limitation is that the trial version of eCognition Developer does not allow saving of
projects.
Since eCognition 9.0 it is not possible to create and use 3D raster stacks based on point cloud data,
because the Z resolution of LAS files is not supported by the LAS driver anymore.
The License Server does not support the Linux distribution CentOS 6.

Release Notes_____12

3 Acknowledgments

3 Acknowledgments
Portions of this product are based in part on the third-party software components. Trimble isrequired to include the following text, with software and distributions.

3.1 The Visualization Toolkit (VTK) CopyrightThis is an open-source copyright as follows:
Copyright © 1993–2006 Ken Martin, Will Schroeder and Bill Lorensen.
All rights reserved.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted
provided that the following conditions are met:
Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions
and the following disclaimer.
l Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of
conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
with the distribution.
l Neither name of Ken Martin, Will Schroeder, or Bill Lorensen nor the names of any contributors
may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific priorwritten permission.
l

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS “AS IS” AND ANY
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIESOF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENTSHALL THE AUTHORS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR
BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANYWAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

Release Notes_____13

3 Acknowledgments

3.2 ITK Copyright
Copyright © 1999–2003 Insight Software Consortium
All rights reserved.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted
provided that the following conditions are met:
Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions
and the following disclaimer.
l Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of
conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
with the distribution.
l Neither the name of the Insight Software Consortium nor the names of its contributors may be
used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written
permission.
l

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS “AS IS” AND ANY
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIESOF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENTSHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITEDTO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR
BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANYWAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

3.3 Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL)
Copyright
3.3.1 gcore/Verson.rc
Copyright © 2005, Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam@pobox.com
All rights reserved.
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software andassociated documentation files (the “Software”), to deal in the Software without restriction,
including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to doso, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial
portions of the Software.

Release Notes_____14

3 Acknowledgments

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHTHOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF
CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE
SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER

3.3.2 frmts/gtiff/gt_wkt_srs.cpp
Copyright © 1999, Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam@pobox.com
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software andassociated documentation files (the “Software”), to deal in the Software without restriction,
including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to doso, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial
portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHTHOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF
CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE
SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

Release Notes_____15