Category: alpr

One feature to implement is to have the plate number recognized from image – the user, instead of entering the number, take a picture of the plate and sends to the application. So I decided to do this. Roxana Beloiu pointed me to https://github.com/openalpr/openalpr   –  that can recognize the plate number. I have had some problems with the application in .NET- the latest releases are better than the source code. However, this was done in .NET 4.6 – and my site has .NET Core. First idea: having a mix between those frameworks – no!

Second idea: why not port from .NET 4.6 to .NET Core ? No – too many things that are not yet into .NET Core( e.g. Image)

Third idea: why do not make a serverless function in Azure ?

And this struggle me for 4 hours . The problem? The .NET Dll alpr depends on C libraries and other data – that are copied in the bin folder when you are making a reference from  a console application – but not when you are making a reference from a VS Azure function project.

Solution? Old times to the rescue

Making a console application that receives the file name and send as output the plate number

Uploading this console application and all the necessary dlls with Kudu

Receiving a base64 array in the Azure function, converting to byte, write to file, running the console, delete the file, sending text back.

Not the most advantageous, but hey,. it works.