Hello everyone,

I am pleased to announce the release of version 4.0 of Computree for Windows 7/8/10 and Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, in 64bits.

http://rdinnovation.onf.fr/projects/computree/wiki

This version has been completely redesigned compared to version 3.

Changes in the core, user side:

• Switch to OpenSceneGraph for 3D viewing:
  • Improved display performance
  • Unfortunately at the price of an important memory occupation
  • NB: a very significant improvement of the 3D view is planned for version 4.1 (first semester 2017)
• Reworking of the Step Management System
  • Themed menus
  • Possibility of creation of dedicated menus (level 2) by the plugins
  • User favorites
• Improved script management: possibility of interactive correction when loading an obsolete script
• Double-precision coordinate management
  • No more problems with data in geographic projection
  • Optimized points storage (single precision + offsets)
• Ergonomic improvements, including:
  • Parameterization of the input data of steps
  • Display of data types
  • Reordering of icons
  • Script saved in case of crash, reload possible at launch
  • Added points / attributes colorization features
  • Possibility to disable the log (lag during massive processing)
• Added multiple load steps for all formats
• Introduction of the "loops of scripts" steps
  • Used to iteratively load files and apply to them the same sequence of steps, = batch processing in interactive mode
• Implementation of a “Full batch” mode (no interface) for launching scripts
• Fixed many bugs

Modification of existing plugins:

• Fixed many bugs
• Plugin ONF and plugin Base:
  • Adding steps for processing and analyzing A-Lidar data
  • Adding interactive tree crown segmentation in T-LIDAR clouds

New plugins provided as standard:

• LERFOB Plugin: measurement of the curvature and inclination of stems
• SEGMA Plugin: Integration of Benoît Saint-Onge’s work on crown segmentation in A-LIDAR
• IGN - LIF (A-LIDAR): Integration of Cédric Véga algorithms
• SimpleTree (Only on Windows at the moment): QSM algorithms by Jan Hackenberg

Modifications of the core, developer of plugins side:

• Connection to external libraries:
  • Eigen 3 - Matrix computing
  • Point Cloud Library 1.7 - 3D point cloud processing (T-LIDAR)
  • GDAL / OGR 2.0 - GIS vector and raster formats
  • OpenCV 3.0 - Image processing
  • Gnu Scientific Library 2.1 - Numerical Computing
• Implementation of a system allowing a simplified integration of new libraries in the future
• Added new Computree enrichment solutions
  • In plugins: metrics, filters
  • Adding the concept of “library”: usable from plugins

Known Bugs:

• It is common that Computree plants when closing it. This non-blocking bug has been identified and will be corrected as soon as possible.
• The 3D component is efficient on powerful graphics cards (with a lot of dedicated memory), but can be inefficient on smaller configurations. In some cases fast manipulations while the display is being refreshed may cause a crash. It is recommended on large clouds to proceed calmly to avoid this. This bug will be fixed in 4.1.
• The SimpleTree plugin is not available in the Ubuntu version at the moment.
• The Ubuntu version has only been tested on one computer (but successfully). If it does not work on your configuration, please post a message on the forum with the details of the crash so we can fix any problems as soon as possible.

Resources:

• Computree compilation documentation for Windows and Ubuntu has been updated in English and French
• User documentation is being redesigned and will take the form of video tutorials. The first are scheduled for January 2017 and will be announced as soon as they are released.

Thanks for your patience, I know that version 4.0 took a long time to be released.
We are working hard to accelerate the pace of releases now.

Happy new year 2017 to all.
Alexandre Piboule.

Dear Computree users,

A new complete version of Computree is coming soon.
But for now, if you want to try the SimpleTree plugin alone, Jan Hackenberg has compiled a windows beta version of Computree, containing only SimpleTree (so note a lots of Computree functionalities are missing).
He is also providing the first videos on our new Youtube Computree tutorial channel: Computree_EN.

Below I let you read his announcement for all of that:

---

---

Dear Computree users,

I went with a new plugin semi public three months ago. Since today, all Computree users can download a windows exectuable without having to contact me first. Thanks to the users who sent me valuable feedback:

http://rdinnovation.onf.fr/projects/computree-simpletree-beta-version/files

The plugin is capable of segmenting plot scans and produce complete geometrical models out of segmented tree clouds, you can get an impression from the two attached screenshots.

You will find in addition to the executable (Windows) a PDF describing how to use the plugin. There is also three tutorial videos available on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAs1tLPP-X-DQ-oBf71FlfQ

If you find the plugin useful please give in your result/thesis/publication the following citation of my most recent publication, which might also be nice to read for you as a user:

Hackenberg, J.; Spiecker, H.; Calders, K.; Disney, M.; Raumonen, P. SimpleTree —An Efficient Open Source Tool to Build Tree Models from TLS Clouds. Forests 2015, 6, 4245-4294.

In case of problems, make sure you looked through the PDF and videos if you find the solution. Otherwise feel free to contact me: jan.hackenberg@inra.fr (my email changed recently). I am also interested in feedback. Both if you are fine with the plugin and also if there are problems. In case you find a way to crash my plugin, the feedback is really valuable.

Please do then so the following: upload you point cloud to dropbox or to another place, please do not sent me by mail. I most likely need the cloud to reproduce and fix the error. Sent me as well a step configuration script making this crash happen and link both with a minimal description in an email. I can remove the cloud after fixing from my computer if you ask me to do so.

Make sure to always visual validate the quality of my models. The nice models you see in the pictures are also derived from high quality clouds. Be careful if you work with DBH, you need to put the right parameter in the configuration file. If you do not put the right value, my program does not know the real world height of the z-coordinates. I discuss this in more detail in the PDF.

I hope you enjoy my plugin.
Jan

Below, a message from Jan Hackenberg:

Dear Computree Users,

A new plugin is available for Computree. It aims to model the complete tree structure including every branch for a tree cloud. See the attached screenshot. As the output you get a so called QSM model containing up to multiple
thousand cylinders per tree. The plugin is based on http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/6/11/4245 which presents a stand alone software called SimpleTree (http://www.simpletree.uni-freiburg.de/). The SimpleTree method is now rewritten in Computree.

A lot of improvements have been performed. The method does not rely on user given parameters any more. All parameters are computed within the method itself. Before the next official Computree release you can already get access to the plugin in form of a Windows exectuable. It just contains basic Computree functionalities and the SimpleTree method, as this is only a partial release.

Please sent an email to jan.hackenberg@nancy.inra.fr to get access if desired.

You will be able to download from:
http://rdinnovation.onf.fr/projects/computree-simpletree-beta-version/files

Here is also a small Readme PDF which should be read first. It contains in majority (page 2 until end) screenshots and should be read fast.

Please provide me with your Computree/rdinnovation user name. Let me in addition know if you want to be put in a small newsletter, as I do not want to post too much on the Computree platform announcements.

I plan at least weekly releases of this plugin. De-noising procedures will follow. To improve the method you can do the following:

• Provide me with feedback. In case you receive negative results, e.g. bad tree models, write me a short email with a screenshot of the modelling failure. If I cannot fix by the screenshot I will ask you to give me access to the cloud to reproduce the error and debug it.
• If you have Tree scan data with GT (complete tree volume or biomass + density), it would be hugely beneficial to get access to this data. I will not publish this data without your allowance and use it for training purposes only (or ask for allowance).

Thanks for your kind attention
Jan

Hello,

You will find below a post doctoral position at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) in Nancy, France and the Department of Geography from UQAM in Montreal, Canada. The Laboratory of Forest Inventory (LIF) of the National Institute for Geographic and Forest Information (IGN) and the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) department from the French National Forest Office (ONF) are also implied in the project.

The position is entitled:
Postdoctoral position in 3D modeling of forest canopies using digital photogrammetry and airborne laser scanning

Postdoctoral position in 3D modeling of forest canopies-modele.pdf

Best regards.
Alexandre Piboule.

Hello,

You will find below a post doctoral position in University of Sherbrooke, entitled :
METHODS DEVELOPMENT FOR TERRESTRIAL LIDAR APPLIED TO FOREST INVENTORY WITH A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON INTEGRATING A TREE ARCHITECTURAL MODEL

PostDocAd_TLiDAR_USherbrooke_v2.pdf

Best regards.
Alexandre Piboule.

English (le Français suit)¶

Hello,

There is a lot of activity on Computree forum since 3 weeks.
Some people have complain about the messages received in their mail box.
So if you wan’t to not receive forum messages anymore, you can do it at this address (after connecting) :
http://rdinnovation.onf.fr:8080/my/account
or if it doesn’t work, this one:
http://rdinnovation.onf.fr/my/account

Just change in email notifications: “For any event on all my projects” TO “Only for things I watch or I’m involved in”

Best regards.
Alexandre Piboule.

Français¶

Bonjour,

Il y a beaucoup d’activité sur le forum Computree depuis trois semaines.
Plusieurs personnes se sont pleintes du nombre important de messages dans leur boite mail.
Si vous ne voulez plus recevoir ces messages, vous pouvez le faire à cette adresse (après connexion) :
http://rdinnovation.onf.fr:8080/my/account
ou si cela ne fonctionne pas :
http://rdinnovation.onf.fr/my/account

Dans notifications par e-mail, changez “Pour tous les évênements de tous mes projets” EN “Seulement pour ce que je surveille”

Cordialement.
Alexandre Piboule.

Bonjour,

Vous trouverez ci-dessous un appel à candidatures pour une maîtrise en géomatique à l’Université Laval, proposée par Martin Béland :

“Suivi de la déforestation causée par la production d’huile de palme par télédétection”

Appel à candidatures pour une maîtrise en géomatique_francais_mf.docx

Cordialement.
Alexandre Piboule.

French (english follows):¶

Bonjour à tous,

Je fait cette annonce, afin de recenser les besoins de formation Computree pour 2016.

Merci à toute personne intéressée de m'envoyer un mail à l'adresse suivante : alexandre.piboule@onf.fr
Merci d’indiquer impérativement les informations suivantes :

• Quel type de formation : utilisateur / développeur ?
• Combien de personnes intéressée pour chaque type ?
• Période idéale de formation / période acceptable
• Lieu idéal de formation / lieux possibles (parmi Paris, Montpellier, Nancy en France ou Sherbrooke au Québec)
• Langue de formation : est-ce que l’anglais est possible ?

J’espère fixer le planning de formation mi-février.
Il devrait y a voir a minima une formation utilisateur en France métropolitaine.
Au niveau international, des formations utilisateurs sont envisageables au Québec.
Par contre il semble peu probable de pouvoir faire des formations dans d’autres pays en 2016.
Du coup, s’il y a une forte demande hors France et Québec, nous nous orienteront probablement vers une formation à distance (webinaire).

Cordialement.
Alexandre Piboule.

English:¶

Hello everyone,

I made this announcement, to identify formations needs for Computree in 2016.

Thank to anyone interested, to send me an email at the following address: alexandre.piboule@onf.fr
Thank you to give the mandatory following informations:

• What type of formation: User / Developer?
• How many interested people for each type?
• Ideal period / acceptable period
• Ideal place for the formation / possible places (Paris, Montpellier, Nancy in France or Sherbrooke in Quebec)

I would like to fix the formations schedule for mid-February.
There should be a minimum of one formation in France.
Internationally, User formations are possible in Quebec.
It seems unlikely for me to be able to propose a formation in other countries in 2016.
So, if there is a strong demand outside France and Quebec, we probably will consider webinar solutions.

Best regards.
Alexandre Piboule.

Dear Computree users,

You will find attached a 18-month post-doctoral position (DIABOLO project), in INRA – IGN, Nancy, France, entitled:

Tree and stand volume assessment from terrestrial lidar data for national forest inventories

Postdoc-DIABOLO-Tlidar-2016.pdf

English: (French follows)¶

This announcement follows Silvilaser 2015, which generated new registrations.

You’ve probably noticed that the version of Computree downloadable online is almost one year old. This is due to the fact that we have made significant changes to the platform (ergonomics, performance ...) and many innovations, which require large stabilization efforts, which are now almost completed.

We are working also to increase the number of plugins available with the standard version of Computree .

I therefore announce a release soon, in the autumn (early November if all goes well...).

In the future, releases will be closer. Thank you for your patience.

Best regards.
Alexandre Piboule.

French:¶

Cette annonce fait suite à Silvilaser 2015, qui a généré un certain nombre d’inscriptions nouvelles.

Vous avez probablement constaté que la version de Computree téléchargeable en ligne date de presque un an. Cela est dû au fait que nous avons apporté de profonds changements à la plateforme (ergonomie, performances...) ainsi que de nombreuses nouveautés, ce qui a nécessité de gros efforts de stabilisation, qui sont maintenant presque terminés.

Des travaux sont également en cours pour augmenter le nombre de plugins disponibles avec la version standard de Computree.

Je vous annonce donc une release pour bientôt, dans le courant de l’automne (début novembre si tout va bien...).

Dans le futur, les releases seront plus rapprochées. Merci de votre patience.

Bien cordialement.
Alexandre Piboule.