Re: upgrade from v15 to v17.5

Hi,

we have a license for the v15 Document Imaging Suite and 1D barcode module and are considering an upgrade to v17.5 because we'd like to buy the 2D barcode module.
I'd like to know if the API remained backwards compatible and where I could see the changelist from v15 to v17.5. I only find the changelist for v17.5

thanks
matthias

Matthias,

I think you're using our C DLL APIs. Is this correct?

The different major releases (16, 17, etc.) are not direct plug replacements for each other. This means you cannot usually rebuild a large project directly after changing the toolkit that uses an older version when you upgrade, but the needed changes are not extensive.
The main design and most of the function will remain unchanged, but a few functions and/or structures might be modified.

For barcode in particular, almost all your old code will work without any change. This is evident from the following help topics:
Changes from version 15 to Version 16
Changes from version 16 to Version 16.5
Changes from version 16.5 to Version 17
Changes from Version 17 to Version 17.5
You can find links to these topics here:
http://www.leadtools.com/help/leadtools/v175/barcode/api/dllvers/highlights.htm
note: this link is valid at time of posting this reply.

using C API indeed, thanks for the link. I tried going up to see the changelog for other sdk parts (i'm using image processing and OCR too), but got access denied. Could you provide them too, please?
Particularly I hope the OCR api hasn't changed much.. :)

tia
matthias

Matthias,

For the OCR, the link is here:
http://www.leadtools.com/help/leadtools/v175/ocr/api/dllvers/highlights.htm
The old engine used in v15 is still available under the name Plus. However, there are new engines and new features that did not exist in v15. If you're going to use the same engine; most L_Doc...() functions have not changed much.

You can navigate to all the v17.5 help topics from the web help matrix Support menu in our website homepage.
Or you can use the help files that are shipped with the LEADTOOLS v17.5 main setup. If you don't have LEADTOOLS v17.5, you can try free evaluation from our site.

thanks.

So if I understand correctly: if I want to take advantage of the new OCR engine, I have to refactor my code. It is also still possible to use the old engine.

The old engine was omnipage, any hints on which engine you are employing now..? :)

Yes, you are correct on both counts. For the new engine, you must use the new functions named L_Doc2... and you need to change your code. The old engine still uses the old L_Doc.. functions.
The new engine is also from the same vendors (Nuance owners of OmniPage, formerly ScanSoft).

We also have a third engine in LEADTOOLS v17.5, which is not from Nuance. The LEADTOOLS Advantage OCR engine is only available as .NET and not in the C DLLs.

Please see the OCR Modules comparison chart in our website for details about the 3 engines.

Edit by moderator:
In version 19 of LEADTOOLS, the Advantage OCR engine can be used under Windows 32-bit and 64-bit (both C DLL and .NET), in addition to Linux, iOS/OSX, WinRT, WinRT Phone and Android.

Edited by moderator Wednesday, November 23, 2016 3:27:25 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Upgrading seems an interesting choice but I don't have the time right now, so I'll postpone it and stick with the v15 for the time being.
thanks for all the info.