Dalsa QuickCam User manual

QuickCam User’s
Manual
30-Aug-06
03-032-10187-04
www.dalsa.com

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Contents
Contents ______________________________________________________________1
DALSA QuickCam ________________________________________________________5
Getting Help ................................................................................................................................................... 5
Customer Feedback and Support....................................................................................................................5
Installing, Connecting, Detecting, and Saving ____________________________________7
2.1 Installing QuickCam and Camera Drivers...................................................................................................................7
Installing Drivers for Your Camera.................................................................................................................7
2.2 Running QuickCam......................................................................................................................................................8
2.3 Connecting, Detecting and Acquiring Images .............................................................................................................8
Detecting a Camera........................................................................................................................................8
Disconnecting and Reconnecting a Camera....................................................................................................9
Acquiring Images............................................................................................................................................9
Stopping Image Acquisition............................................................................................................................10
Rebooting a Camera....................................................................................................................................... 10
2.4 Saving and Restoring Camera Settings.......................................................................................................................10
Saving Camera Settings .................................................................................................................................10
Restoring Camera Settings.............................................................................................................................11
Restoring Factory Settings..............................................................................................................................11
Saving Camera Configuration to an XML File................................................................................................11
Loading Camera Configuration from an XML File .........................................................................................12
Saving, Loading, and Resetting Pixel Coefficients .........................................................................................12
Saving Images................................................................................................................................................13
Viewing, Resizing, and Moving the Image_______________________________________15
3.1 Viewing an Image......................................................................................................................................................15
3.2 Viewing a Saved Image..............................................................................................................................................15
3.3 Resizing the Image......................................................................................................................................................15
3.4 Zooming In or Out of an Image..................................................................................................................................16
3.5 Moving the Image in the Window...............................................................................................................................16
Configuring Image Readout ________________________________________________17
4.1 Overview: Configuring Image Readout.......................................................................................................................17
4.2 Setting the Camera's Sensitivity Mode ........................................................................................................................17
4.3 Selecting the Camera's Bit Depth................................................................................................................................18
4.4 Changing the Camera's CCD Shift Direction................................................................................................................18
4.5 Using Horizontal Binning............................................................................................................................................18
Exposure Control ________________________________________________________21
5.1 Exposure Control .........................................................................................................................................................21

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Overview: Exposure Control ...........................................................................................................................21
Setting the Camera's Exposure Mode.............................................................................................................21
Setting the Camera's Line Rate and Exposure Time ......................................................................................22
GPIO Control___________________________________________________________23
6.1 The GPIO Control Block...............................................................................................................................................23
GPIO Input Labels .......................................................................................................................................... 24
GPIO Output Labels........................................................................................................................................25
6.2 GPIO Control Block Programming Language.............................................................................................................27
6. 3 Configuring the GPIO (With Examples) .....................................................................................................................29
Overview......................................................................................................................................................... 29
6.4 GPIO Look-Up Table...................................................................................................................................................35
6.5 Pulse Generator ..........................................................................................................................................................37
6.6 Rescaler.......................................................................................................................................................................40
6.7 Counter........................................................................................................................................................................42
6.8 Input Debouncing........................................................................................................................................................44
6.9 GPIO Control Bits ........................................................................................................................................................45
6.10 GPIO Configuration...................................................................................................................................................47
6.11 Timestamp Counter...................................................................................................................................................48
6.12 GPIO Interrupts.........................................................................................................................................................49
6.13 Delayer......................................................................................................................................................................49
Performing Image Processing _______________________________________________51
7.1 Processing Chain Description ......................................................................................................................................51
7.2 Setting a Region of Interest ........................................................................................................................................53
7.3 Viewing a Region of Interest.......................................................................................................................................53
7.4 Performing Flat Field Correction ................................................................................................................................53
7.5 Adjusting Analog Gain and Offset...............................................................................................................................54
7.6 Adjusting Digital Gain, Offset, and Background Subtract...........................................................................................55
7.7 Enabling and Disabling Coefficients ...........................................................................................................................55
7.8 Setting Individual Pixel Coefficients............................................................................................................................56
7.9 Using Calibration Macros ............................................................................................................................................56
Recording a Camera Calibration Macro..........................................................................................................56
Loading a Camera Calibration Macro ............................................................................................................57
Troubleshooting ________________________________________________________59
8.1 Troubleshooting: Cannot Detect the Camera.............................................................................................................. 59
8.2 High Performance Driver is Missing in Device Manager.............................................................................................59
8.3 My Frame Rate is Lower than Expected ......................................................................................................................60
8.4 Troubleshooting: Creating an Error Report................................................................................................................60
Example Error Report..................................................................................................................................... 61
8.5 Troubleshooting: Switching Between Video and Test Patterns...................................................................................61
8.6 Troubleshooting: Using the Diagnostics Tab ............................................................................................................. 62
Communications and Verify Parameters........................................................................................................62
Verify Voltage................................................................................................................................................. 62
Verify Temperature ........................................................................................................................................62
Workspace Tour_________________________________________________________64

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QuickCam Application Windows........................................................................................................................................64
Camera Configuration Window ......................................................................................................................64
Image Output Window ...................................................................................................................................71
Message Window ............................................................................................................................................71
Network Device Finder .................................................................................................................................. 71
Camera Display Window ................................................................................................................................72
Time-outs & Packets Dialog Box....................................................................................................................73
Virtual Serial Port ..........................................................................................................................................74
Menus _______________________________________________________________76
Menu Bar Commands........................................................................................................................................................76
File Menu Commands.....................................................................................................................................76
Configure Menu Commands ...........................................................................................................................76
View Menu Commands ...................................................................................................................................77
Window Menu Commands..............................................................................................................................77
Help Menu Commands ...................................................................................................................................77
Toolbar Commands...........................................................................................................................................................78
Index ________________________________________________________________81

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1
DALSAQuickCam
elcome.The DALSA QuickCam application allows you to quickly control
and view output from a DALSA camera. Among the many available
options are controlling camera exposure, sensor readout and performing flat
field correction.
GettingHelp
The QuickCam application provides context-sensitive help on all dialog boxes,
providing descriptions of specific fields as well as conceptual information related
to those fields.
You can find help from the accompanying user guide or directly from the
QuickCam Help.
•For context sensitive help, place your cursor in the field where you want
more help and press F1.
or
•Click the Help button on the tab in QuickCam where you want more
information.
•For the complete Help, select HelpÆQuickCam Help on the QuickCam
menu bar. You can find topics from the Help by using the table of contents
and search tool.
CustomerFeedbackandSupport
For additional information or support, contact us at:
Address 605 McMurray Road
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada N2V 2E9
Voice [phone]
Fax [phone]
E-mail
Customer Support ([email protected])
Sales ([e-mail])
Web http://www.dalsa.com/
W

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2
Installing,Connecting,
Detecting,andSaving
2.1InstallingQuickCamandCameraDrivers
To install QuickCam:
1. Insert the camera CD into your CD-ROM drive.
If the installation wizard does not start automatically, click Start on the
Windows taskbar, and click Run. Type D:\Setup, where Dis the letter that
corresponds to your CD drive.
2. Click Install QuickCam and follow the online instructions to complete the
installation.
InstallingDriversforYourCamera
If you are using a Spyder3 GigE camera, you must install drivers before
running QuickCam.
Before installing drivers, ensure that your PC is equipped with a GigE network
interface (also referred to as a network adapter) based on Intel’s 82540 chip.
Many motherboard manufacturers are designing this chip directly into their
board in “LAN on the motherboard (LOM)” implementations. Alternately, an
Intel 82540-based network adapter, also known as a network interface card, can
be slotted into a PC.
To install Spyder3 GigE drivers:
1. Open the Driver Installation Tool. On the Windows task bar click Start,
point to Programs ÆDALSA QuickCam ÆTools ÆLaunch Driver
Installation Tool.
If you are using an Intel PRO/1000 adapter:
a) On the Pro 1000 Adapters tab, right click on an Intel PRO/1000
network interface card adapter with no installed driver (i.e. when
the Device Class is Ethernet Controller).
The following context menu appears:

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b) Choose Install High Performance IP Device Driver to install the
QuickCam High Performance IP Device Driver.
If you are NOT using an Intel PRO/1000 adapter:
a) On the Universal IP Filter Driver tab, click, Install Filter Driver…. This
button installs the QuickCam Universal IP Filter Driver on ALL network
adapters installed on the system that are using a network driver. This
excludes PRO/1000 adapters on which the QuickCam High
Performance Driver has been installed.
2.2RunningQuickCam
To run QuickCam:
1. On the Windows task bar, click the Start button, point to Programs Æ
DALSA QuickCam ÆDALSA QuickCam
2.3Connecting,DetectingandAcquiring
Images
DetectingaCamera
When you first open the QuickCam application, and after powering up the
camera, QuickCam automatically detects all cameras on the network and asks
you to set an IP address for each (or accept the suggested default). If you have
multiple cameras on your network, ensure you give each one of them a unique IP
address.
If you need to change the device’s IP or name after initial setup, use the Network
Device Finder dialog box (menu bar: Configure ÆAdvanced Connection…).
To access the advanced controls, right click on the device you want to configure.

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To manually detect a camera:
1. If your camera is not already connected, click the Detect icon on the
toolbar.
The connection to the camera should now be established. If you are having
problems detecting your camera, see section 8.1 Troubleshooting: Cannot Detect
the Camera on page 59.
DisconnectingandReconnectingaCamera
To disconnect a camera:
1. Open the Connection tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
On the Connection tab:
2. Click Disconnect.
The camera should now be disconnected
Toolbar equivalent:
To reconnect a camera after a disconnection:
1. Open the Connection tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
On the Connection tab:
2. Click Connect.
The camera should now be connected
Toolbar equivalent:
AcquiringImages
After QuickCam has detected your camera, you can begin grabbing images.
To begin grabbing images:
1. Open the Connection tab in the Camera Configuration Window.

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Under Acquisition Control:
2. Click the Start button.
The camera is now grabbing images in continuous mode.
From here you can also select whether or not to allow bad and/or incomplete
images to be acquired by selecting the Bad image passthrough and Ignore
Missing Packets options.
To switch between continuous mode and snapshot mode:
1. Click the button to continuously grab images
or
Click the button to take a snap shot of the image.
StoppingImageAcquisition
To stop acquiring images:
1. Open the Connection tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
Under Device Actions:
2. Click the Stop button.
Toolbar equivalent:
RebootingaCamera
To reboot the camera:
1. Open the Connection tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
On the Connect/Detect tab:
2. Click the Reset Camera button.
Toolbar equivalent:
2.4SavingandRestoringCameraSettings
SavingCameraSettings
You can save the current camera settings to the camera’s non-volatile memory,
allowing you to use them again after a camera reboot.

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Note: Pixel coefficients are saved separately from other settings.
To save camera settings to the camera’s non-volatile memory:
1. Open the Save/Restore tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
Beside User Settings:
2. Click Save to Camera.
Toolbar equivalent:
With the exception of pixel coefficients, the current camera settings are saved to
the camera’s non-volatile memory.
RestoringCameraSettings
You can quickly restore the last saved camera settings from non-volatile memory
through the Save/Restore tab.
To restore user settings from the camera’s non-volatile memory:
1. Open the Save/Restore tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
Beside User Settings:
2. Click Restore from Camera.
With the exception of pixel coefficients, the last saved camera settings are
restored.
RestoringFactorySettings
On first initialization, the camera operates using the factory settings. You can
restore the camera’s original factory settings at any time through the
Save/Restore tab.
To restore the camera’s factory settings:
1. Open the Save/Restore tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
Beside Factory Settings:
2. Click Restore from Camera.
SavingCameraConfigurationtoanXMLFile
You can save the current camera Ethernet configuration to an XML file, allowing
you to reload and re-use the settings at a later time.
To save the camera Ethernet configuration to an XML file:
1. Choose File →Save XML File….
In the Save As dialog box:
2. Select the location on your computer to save the file.
3. In the File name text box, enter a name for the settings script file.
4. Click Save.

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Toolbar equivalent:
A camera script file is created with the specified file properties.
LoadingCameraConfigurationfromanXML
File
You can load camera system settings from a previously saved XML file. This is
useful when you want to load the same settings on multiple cameras.
To load Ethernet configuration settings from an XML file:
1. Choose File →Load XML File….
In the Open dialog box:
2. In the Look in list, click the drive, folder, or Internet location that contains
the file you want to open.
3. In the folder list, locate and open the folder that contains the file.
4. Click the file, and then click Open.
Toolbar equivalent:
Saving,Loading,andResettingPixel
Coefficients
You can save the current FPN and PRNU coefficients to the camera’s non-volatile
memory, allowing you to reload and re-use the coefficients again at a later time.
You can also reset pixel coefficients to zero at any time.
To save or load pixel coefficients:
1. Open the Save/Restore tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
Under Pixel Coefficients:
2. Select the pixel coefficient set number from the Set Number drop down box.
You can save or load up to four different sets of pixel coefficients.
3. Click Save or Load.
The selected pixel coefficient set is now saved or loaded.
Remember that pixel coefficients must be enabled in order to see their
effect on your image. Refer to 7.7 Enabling and Disabling Coefficients for details.
To reset pixel coefficients to zero:
1. Open the Save/Restore in the Camera Configuration Window.
Under Pixel Coefficients:

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2. Select the pixel coefficient set number from the Set Number drop down box.
You can save or load up to four different sets of pixel coefficients.
3. Click Reset.
The selected pixel coefficient set is now set to zero.
To display pixel coefficients:
1. Choose View →Pixel Coefficients on the menu bar.
2. Select the pixel coefficient set number from the drop down box.
The pixel coefficient set displays.
SavingImages
You can save the contents of the Image Output Window in TIFF format, either as
a single frame, or as a series of frames. You can control the size of the frame
using the Width and Height controls in the Display section of the Connection tab.
Saving a Single Image
To save a single image you must stop acquiring images first (for example, with
the button). What you save will be either the last image acquired when you
stopped acquiring (in continuous mode), or an image acquired when you take a
snapshot with the button. To save a single image:

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1. From the File menu, select Save Image Output. If this menu option is not
available, you are likely still in continuous acquisition mode; stop acquiring
(use the Stop button in the Connection tab) and the menu option will be
enabled.
2. In the Save As file browser, select the location on your computer to save the
image.
3. Click Ok.
The image will now be saved to your computer.
Saving Multiple Image Frames:
You must be acquiring images in continuous mode save multiple image frames.
If you have not already done so, click Start in the Connection window or use the
button. To save multiple images:
Method 1:
1. Open the Save/Restore in the Camera Configuration Window.
2. In the Frames to Save spin box, select the number of frames to save.
3. Click Save As.
4. In the Save As file browser, select the location on your computer to save the
frames.
5. Click Ok.
The selected number of frames will now be saved to your computer.
Method 2:
1. From the File menu, select Save Image Frame(s).
2. From the Frames to Save spin box, select the
number of frames to save.
3. Click Save.
4. In the file browser, Select the location on your
computer to save the frames.
5. Click Ok.
The selected number of frames will now be saved to
your computer.

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Viewing,Resizing,and
MovingtheImage
3.1 ViewinganImage
After you have detected your camera and started grabbing images, you can view
the images in the Image Output Window. Refer to Chapter 1 if you need more
information on how to detect a camera and begin grabbing images.
To view what the camera is currently imaging:
1. Select Window ÆImage Output Window to show the Image Output
Window.
The image should now be displayed in the Image Output Window.
3.2 ViewingaSavedImage
Method 1:
1. From the Camera Display Window, select the file the images were saved to.
By default this will be the “Images” file.
2. Double click the name of the image you want to view.
The image will display in the Image Output Window.
Method 2:
1. From the File menu, select Load Image Output.
2. In the file browser, locate the file the image was saved to and select the
image.
3. Click Open.
The image will display in the Image Output Window.
3.3ResizingtheImage
You can adjust the image size in the Image Output Window to either fit to the
window size or display the image at actual size.

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To resize the image:
1. Click the button on the toolbar to fit the image to the size of the
Image Output Window.
or
Click the button on the toolbar to view image at its actual size.
3.4ZoomingInorOutofanImage
You can "zoom in" to get a close-up view of your image or "zoom out" to see
more of the image at a reduced size.
To change the zoom level:
1. Click the button to zoom in on the image.
or
Click the button zoom out on the image.
3.5MovingtheImageintheWindow
You can “unlock” an image in order to move it around the Image Output
Window. This feature is useful when viewing areas of an image that has been
zoomed in on.
1. Open the image you want to move in the Image Output Window.
2. Right click on the image and uncheck the “Lock on center” option.
3. You can now left-click-and-hold on the image in order to drag it around the
window.
Note that the ROI feature, as well as features dependent on set X & Y
coordinates, will be affected if the image is moved.

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ConfiguringImage
Readout
4.1Overview:ConfiguringImageReadout
To configure image readout:
1. Open the Readout tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
Under Readout:
2. Select the sensitivity mode to use from the Sensitivity Mode dropdown box.
For details, see Setting the Camera's Sensitivity Mode.
3. Select the bit depth to use from the Bit Depth dropdown box. For details, see
Selecting the Camera's Bit Depth.
4. Select the camera’s CCD shift direction from the Direction dropdown box.
For details, see Changing the Camera's CCD Shift Direction.
Under Binning:
5. Select the horizontal binning value from the Horizontal Binning dropdown
box. For details, see Using Horizontal Binning.
6. To save the settings to the camera’s nonvolatile memory, click Save Camera
Settings.
4.2SettingtheCamera'sSensitivityMode
You can operate the camera in high sensitivity, low sensitivity, or tall pixel mode.
To set the camera’s sensitivity mode:
1. Open the Readout tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
Under Readout:
2. Select the sensitivity mode to use from the list in the Sensitivity Mode
dropdown box where:
High Sensitivity: The camera uses both line scan sensors and its
responsivity increases accordingly

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Low Sensitivity: The camera uses a single line scan sensor.
Tall Pixel: The camera operates using both sensors, creating a 28µm x 14µm
pixel.
3. To save the settings to the camera’s nonvolatile memory, click Save Camera
Settings.
4.3SelectingtheCamera'sBitDepth
You can output either 8 or 12 bits.
To set the camera’s bit depth:
1. Open the Readout tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
Under Readout:
2. Select the bit depth to use from the list in the Bit Depth dropdown box.
3. To save the settings to the camera’s nonvolatile memory, click Save Camera
Settings.
4.4ChangingtheCamera'sCCDShift
Direction
When in high sensitivity mode, you can select either forward or reverse CCD
shift direction or external direction control. This accommodates object direction
change on a web and allows you to mount the camera "upside down".
To set the camera’s readout direction:
1. Open the Readout tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
Under Readout:
2. Select the direction to use from the list in the Direction dropdown box.
3. To save the settings to the camera’s nonvolatile memory, click Save Camera
Settings.
Available only in high sensitivity mode.
4.5UsingHorizontalBinning
Horizontal binning increases the horizontal pixel pitch and light sensitivity by
decreasing horizontal resolution. The amount of data being sent from the camera
is reduced by the horizontal binning factor.
To set the horizontal binning factor:
1. Open the Readout tab in the Camera Configuration Window.
Under Binning:
2. Select the horizontal binning factor to use from the list in the Horizontal
Binning dropdown box.