Options

Overview

The following options are available via Tools > Options in the main menu.
General
Color Theme Dark: Default. Dark mode - swaps to dark background. Light: Light mode - swaps to bright background.
Show welcome window on startup Yes: Default. Display the startup dialog which allows user to open new workspace, recent projects, weblinks and news. No: Disable startup dialog on opening eCognition.
Toolbar button size Small: small icon size Medium: Default. Intermediate size of icons. Large: Large icon size.

Ask on closing project for saving project or rule set

Yes: Default. Open a message box to prompt saving before closing.
No: Close without asking for saving.

Save rule set minimized

No: Default. Does not save features with the rule set.
Yes: Save the features used in the Image Object Information windows with the rule set.

Automatically reload last project

No: Start with a blank map view when opening eCognition Architect.
Yes: Useful if working with the same project over several sessions.

Use standard windows file selection dialog

No: Display the default, multi-pane selection dialog
Yes: Use classic Windows selection dialog

Predefined import connectors folder

If necessary, enter a different folder in which to store the predefined import connectors.

Enable point cloud cache (will consume extra disk space) Yes: Default. Point cloud cache uses disk space. No: Disables point cloud cache.

Portal selection timeout

If necessary, enter a different time for automatic start-up of the last portal selected.

Save Layer assignment with the Rule set

Yes: Default. Stores layer assignment in the rule set when rule set is saved.
No: No layer assignment is saved.

Save temporary layers with project

This setting is available in the Set Rule Set options algorithm. Yes: Default. Stores temporary layers when project is saved.
No: No temporary layers are saved.

Save classifier training data with project/ruleset/solution

Can be changed only using algorithm Set rule set options.

Yes: Default. Stores classifier sample statistics when project, rule set or solution are saved ([RuleSet/ProjectName/Solution].ctd).
No: No classifier sample statistics is saved.

Check for updates at startup

Yes: Default. Check for software update at startup.
No: No update check.

Check for maintenance at startup

Yes: Default. Check maintenance state at startup.
No: No maintenance check.

Multi-level selection in view settings Yes: Default. Multiple image object levels can be selected in the view settings dialog. No: Option to select only a single image object level.

Participate in customer feedback program

Yes: Join customer feedback program. For details see chapter below.

No: No participation in customer feedback program.

 

 

Display

Image position

Choose whether an opened image is displayed at the top-left or center of a window . Default image position is "Center".

Annotation always available

No: The Annotation feature is not available for all image objects.
Yes: The Annotation feature is available for all image objects.

Default image equalization

Select the equalization method of the scene display in the map view. The Options dialog box allows several optional settings concerning:
· Linear
· None
· Standard deviation
· Gamma correction
· Histogram
· Manual
The default value (automatic) applies no equalization for 8-bit RGB images and linear equalization for all other images.

Display default features in image object information

If set to ‘yes’, a small number of default features will display in Image Object Information.

Display scale with

Select a type of scaling mode used for displaying scale values and calculating rescaling operations.
Auto: Automatic setting dependent on the image data.
Unit (m/pxl): Resolution expressed in meters per pixel, for example, 40 m/pxl.
Magnification: Magnification factor used similar as in microscopy, for example, 40x.
Percent: Relation of the scale to the source scene scale, for example, 40%.
Pixels: Relation of pixels to the original scene pixels, for example, 1:20 pxl/pxl.

Display scale bar

Choose whether to display the scale bar in the map view by default.

Scale bar default position

Choose where to display the scale bar by default.

Import magnification if undefined

Select a magnification used for new scenes only in cases where the image data has no default magnification defined. Default: 20x

Display selected object’s distance in status bar

Shows or hides distance values from the active mouse cursor position to the selected image object in the image view. Because this calculation can reduce performance in certain situations, it has been made optional

Instant render update on slider

Choose whether to update the rendering of the Transparency Slider instantly.
No: The view is updated only after the slider control is released or after it has been inactive for one second.
Yes: The view is updated instantly as the slider control is moved.

Use right mouse button for adjusting window leveling

Select yes to activate window leveling by dragging the mouse with the right-hand button held down

Show hidden layer names

Select yes or no to display hidden layers. This setting also applies to any action libraries that are opened using other portals.

Show hidden map names

Select yes or no to display hidden map names. This setting also applies to any action libraries that are opened using other portals.

Display disconnected image object with horizontal lines

Select yes to display disconnected image object with horizontal lines.

Manual Editing

Mouse wheel operation (2D images only)

Choose between zooming (where the wheel will zoom in and out of the image) and panning (where the image will move up and down)

Snapping tolerance (pxl)

Set the snapping tolerance for manual object selection and editing. The default value is 2

Include objects on selection polygon outline

Yes: Include all objects that touch the selection polygon outline.
No: Only include objects that are completely within the selection polygon.

Allow manual object cut outside image objects

Defines if object can be cut outside image objects.

Image view needs to be activated before mouse input

Defines how mouse clicks are handled in the inactive image view.
If the value is set to Yes, inactive image view is activated when clicked in the (previously inactive) image view. If the value is No, image view is activated and the currently active input operation is applied immediately (for example, image object is selected).
This option is especially important while working with multiple image view panes, because only one image view pane is active at a time.

Order based fusion

Defines if fusion is order based or not. Default value is no.

Output Format
CSV
 

Decimal separator for CSV file export

Use point (.) as separator.

Column delimiter for CSV file export

Use semicolon (;) as column delimiter.
This setting does not apply to .csv file export during automated image analysis.

Reports

Date format for reports

DD.MM.YYYY or MM/DD/YYYY
Select or edit the notation of dates used in reports exported by export actions.

Developer

Default feature unit

Change the default feature unit for newly created features that have a unit.
Pixels: Use pixels as default feature unit.
Same as project unit: Use the unit of the project. It can be checked in the Modify Project dialog box.

Default new level name

Change the default name for newly created image object levels. Changes are only applied after restart.

Load extension algorithms

No: Deactivate algorithms created with the eCognition Architect SDK (Software Development Kit).
Yes: Activate algorithms created with the eCognition Architect SDK.

Keep rule set on closing project

Yes: Keep current rule set when closing a project. Helpful for developing on multiple projects.
No: Remove current rule set from the Process Tree window when closing a project.
Ask: Open a message box when closing.

Process Editing

Always do profiling

Yes: Always use time measurement of processes execution to control the process performance.
No: Does not use time measurement of processes.

Action for double-click on a process

Edit: Open the Edit Process dialog box. Execute: Execute the process immediately.

Switch to classification view after process execution

Yes: Show the classification result in the map view window after executing a process.
No: Current map view does not change.

Switch off comments in process tree

No: Comments in process tree are active. Yes: No comments in process tree.

Ask before deleting current level

Yes: Use Delete Level dialog box for deletion of image objects levels.
No: Delete image objects levels without reconfirmation. (Recommended for advanced users only.)

Undo

Enable undo for process editing operations

Yes: Enable undo function to go backward or forward in the operation’s history. No: Disable undo to minimize memory usage.

Min. number of operation items available for undo (priority)

Minimum number of operation items available for undo. Additional items can be deleted if maximum memory is not exceeded as defined in Max. amount of memory allowed for undo stack (MB) below. Default is 5.

Max. amount of memory allowed for operation items (MB)

Assign a maximum of memory allowed for undo items. However, a minimum number of operation items will be available as defined in Min. length of undo stack above. Default is 25.

Sample Brush

Replace existing samples

Yes: Replace samples that have already been selected when the sample brush is reapplied.
No: Do not replace samples when the sample brush is reapplied.

Exclude objects that are already classified as sample class

No: Applying the sample brush to classified objects will reclassify them according to the current sample brush.
Yes: Applying the sample brush to classified objects will not reclassify them.

Unit Handling

Initialize unit conversion from input files

Used for image files with geocoding information.
Yes: Use the unit in the image file.
No: Ignore the unit in the image file and use the last settings selected in the Create Projects dialog box.

Engine

Raster data access

Direct: Access image data directly where they are located.
Internal copy: Create an internal copy of the image and accesses data from there.

Project Settings
These values display the status after the last execution of the project. They must be saved with the rule set in order to display after loading it. These settings can be changed by using the Set Rule Set Options algorithm.

Update topology

Yes (default): Object neighbor list is created.
If No, object neighbor list is created on demand

Polygon compatibility mode

Several improvements were made to polygon creation after version 7.0.6. These improvements may cause differences in the generation of polygons when older files are opened.
Polygon compatibility mode ensures backwards compatibility. By default, compatibility mode is set to “none”; for rule sets created with version v7.0.6 and older, the value is “v7.0”. This option is saved together with the rule set.

Point cloud distance filter (meters)

Change the value for point cloud distance filter. The default value is 20 meters.

Save project history in workspace

Yes (default): New project version is inserted in the workspace history folder.

No: History tracking for workspaces is disabled.

Resampling compatibility mode

The rendering of resampled scenes has been improved in version 7.0.9. This mode enables old rule sets to deliver same analysis results as before.

Current resampling method

The current resampling method. Default is Center of Pixel.

Distance calculation

The current distance calculation. Default is Smallest Enclosing Rectangle. Can be changed only using algorithm Set rule set options.

Evaluate conditions on undefined features as 0

The current value. Default is Yes.

No means ignore.

Polygons base polygon threshold

Display the degree of abstraction for the base polygons. Default is 1.25.

Polygons shape polygon threshold

Display the degree of abstraction for the shape polygons. Default is 1.00.

Polygons remove slivers

Display the setting for removal of slivers.

Default is No.

Customer Feedback Program

We are passionate about providing reliable and useful tools - that just work for you in the real world. We use our Customer Feedback Program (CFP), along with our own internal testing and direct customer feedback to make sure we're achieving that goal.

If you elect to participate in the CFP, the session data recorded will be sent to us securely and in the background. Participation is voluntary and your choice will not affect your ability to get support from us. We encourage you to participate so that everyone can benefit from what we can learn by seeing the widest set of user experience data possible.

What Information is collected for the CFP?

The CEP collects detailed information only about used buttons, algorithms, features, dialogs/windows and summary information about the computer that it is running on (i.e. OS, RAM, Screen size, etc.). No information about other applications running or just installed is collected.

Who can access the data?

The data gathered from your participation in the CFP is only accessed by the Trimble eCognition development team and its affiliated employees. Data is used solely by Trimble eCognition Software. It is not shared, traded, or sold to third parties.

Can I change my Opt In or Opt Out decision?

Yes. At any time you can select Customer Feedback Options from within eCognition and change your decision. If you opt out then data will stop being submitted within seconds.

How is my privacy protected if I participate?

The CFP data does not include your name, address, phone number, or other contact information. The CFP generates a globally unique identifier on your computer to uniquely identify it. This is randomly assigned and does not contain any personal information. This allows us to see continuity of issues on a single system without requiring other identifiers.

The host name of your computer and the windows user name of the user running the affected application is recorded and sent. To the extent that these individual identifiers are received, we do not use them to identify or contact you. If information gathered from the CFP is ever published beyond the authorized users it is as highly derived, summary data that cannot be related to a specific user or company.