CounterAndTimer.cpp

CounterAndTimer.cpp shows how to setup a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal using counters and timers.

CounterAndTimer.cpp shows how to setup a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal using counters and timers. The camera will output the PWM signal via strobe, and capture images at a rate defined by the PWM signal as well. Users should take care to use a PWM signal within the camera's max framerate (by default, the PWM signal is set to 50 Hz).

Counter and Timer functionality is only available for BFS and Oryx Cameras. Some cameras lack all the functionality required to output PWM. We have included a demonstration to acquire an image every 2 seconds via the counter in this example. For details on the hardware setup, see our kb article, "Using Counter and Timer Control"; https://www.flir.com/support-center/iis/machine-vision/application-note/using-counter-and-timer-control

Please leave us feedback at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TDYMVAPI More source code examples at: https://github.com/Teledyne-MV/Spinnaker-Examples Need help? Check out our forum at: https://teledynevisionsolutions.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/topics

//=============================================================================
// Copyright (c) 2001-2024 FLIR Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
//
// This software is the confidential and proprietary information of FLIR
// Integrated Imaging Solutions, Inc. ("Confidential Information"). You
// shall not disclose such Confidential Information and shall use it only in
// accordance with the terms of the license agreement you entered into
// with FLIR Integrated Imaging Solutions, Inc. (FLIR).
//
// FLIR MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES ABOUT THE SUITABILITY OF THE
// SOFTWARE, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
// IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
// PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. FLIR SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES
// SUFFERED BY LICENSEE AS A RESULT OF USING, MODIFYING OR DISTRIBUTING
// THIS SOFTWARE OR ITS DERIVATIVES.
//=============================================================================
 
#include "Spinnaker.h"
#include "SpinGenApi/SpinnakerGenApi.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <sstream>
 
using namespace Spinnaker;
using namespace Spinnaker::GenApi;
using namespace Spinnaker::GenICam;
using namespace std;
 
// This function prints the device information of the camera from the transport
// layer; please see NodeMapInfo example for more in-depth comments on printing
// device information from the nodemap.
int PrintDeviceInfo(INodeMap& nodeMap)
{
    int result = 0;
 
    cout << endl << "*** DEVICE INFORMATION ***" << endl << endl;
 
    try
    {
        FeatureList_t features;
        CCategoryPtr category = nodeMap.GetNode("DeviceInformation");
        if (IsReadable(category))
        {
            category->GetFeatures(features);
 
            FeatureList_t::const_iterator it;
            for (it = features.begin(); it != features.end(); ++it)
            {
                CNodePtr pfeatureNode = *it;
                cout << pfeatureNode->GetName() << " : ";
                CValuePtr pValue = (CValuePtr)pfeatureNode;
                cout << (IsReadable(pValue) ? pValue->ToString() : "Node not readable");
                cout << endl;
            }
        }
        else
        {
            cout << "Device control information not readable." << endl;
        }
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
inline int AssignEntryToEnum(INodeMap& nodeMap, gcstring enumName, gcstring entryName)
{
    CEnumerationPtr enumPtr = nodeMap.GetNode(enumName);
    if (!IsReadable(enumPtr) ||
        !IsWritable(enumPtr))
    {
        cout << "Unable to get or set " << enumName << "(enum retrieval). Aborting..." << endl;
        return -1;
    }
 
    CEnumEntryPtr entryPtr = enumPtr->GetEntryByName(entryName);
    if (!IsReadable(entryPtr))
    {
        cout << "Unable to get " << entryName << "(entry retrieval). Aborting..." << endl;
        return -1;
    }
 
    enumPtr->SetIntValue(entryPtr->GetValue());
    return 0;
}
 
int SetupCounterAndTimer(INodeMap& nodeMap)
{
    int result = 0;
    cout << endl << "Configuring Pulse Width Modulation signal" << endl;
    try
    {
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "CounterSelector", "Counter0") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
        if(AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "CounterEventSource", "MHzTick") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
        
 
        CIntegerPtr ptrCounterDuration = nodeMap.GetNode("CounterDuration");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrCounterDuration) ||
            !IsWritable(ptrCounterDuration))
        {
            cout << "Unable to get or set Counter Duration (integer retrieval). Aborting..." << endl << endl;
            return -1;
        }
        ptrCounterDuration->SetValue(14000);
        // Set Counter Delay to 6000
        CIntegerPtr ptrCounterDelay = nodeMap.GetNode("CounterDelay");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrCounterDelay) ||
            !IsWritable(ptrCounterDelay))
        {
            cout << "Unable to get or set Counter Delay (integer retrieval). Aborting..." << endl << endl;
            return -1;
        }
 
        ptrCounterDelay->SetValue(6000);
 
        // Determine Duty Cycle of PWM signal
        int64_t dutyCycle = (int64_t)(
            (float)ptrCounterDuration->GetValue() /
            ((float)ptrCounterDuration->GetValue() + (float)ptrCounterDelay->GetValue()) * 100);
 
        cout << endl << "The duty cycle has been set to " << dutyCycle << "%" << endl;
 
        // Determine pulse rate of PWM signal
        int64_t pulseRate =
            (int64_t)(1000000 / ((float)ptrCounterDuration->GetValue() + (float)ptrCounterDelay->GetValue()));
 
        cout << endl << "The pulse rate has been set to " << pulseRate << "Hz" << endl;
 
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "CounterTriggerSource", "FrameTriggerWait") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "CounterTriggerActivation", "LevelHigh") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
int SetupCounterAndTimerReduced(INodeMap& nodeMap)
{
    int result = 0;
    cout << endl << "Configuring Reduced CounterAndTimer Demo" << endl << endl;
    try
    {
        // Counter mode Active seems to block counter configuration and exposure configuration.
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "counterMode", "Off") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
        
        cout << "Turning off counter mode to enable counter configuration changes" << endl;
 
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "counterSelector", "Counter1") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
        
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "counterIncrementalSource", "InternalClock") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
 
        CIntegerPtr ptrCounterDuration = nodeMap.GetNode("counterDuration");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrCounterDuration) ||
            !IsWritable(ptrCounterDuration))
        {
            cout << "Unable to get or set Counter Duration (integer retrieval). Aborting..." << endl;
            return -1;
        }
        ptrCounterDuration->SetValue(2000000);
        cout << "Set Counter Duration to 2 seconds" << endl;
 
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "counterStartSource", "ExposureStart") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "counterResetSource", "Counter1End") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "TriggerMode", "On") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
        
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "TriggerSource", "Counter1End") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
 
        CFloatPtr ptrExposureTime = nodeMap.GetNode("ExposureTime");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrCounterDuration) ||
            !IsWritable(ptrCounterDuration))
        {
            cout << "Unable to get or set Exposure Time (integer retrieval). Aborting..." << endl;
            return -1;
        }
        ptrExposureTime->SetValue(15000.0);
        cout << "Set Exposure Time to 15,000us" << endl;
 
        cout << "Re-activating counter mode" << endl;
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "counterMode", "Active") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
 
        cout << endl << "Configuration finished" << endl << endl;
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
// Configure GPIO to output the PWM signal
int ConfigureDigitalIO(INodeMap& nodeMap)
{
    int result = 0;
    const gcstring cameraFamilyBFS = "BFS";
    const gcstring cameraFamilyOryx = "ORX";
 
    cout << endl << "Configuring GPIO strobe output" << endl;
 
    try
    {
        // Determine camera family
        CStringPtr ptrDeviceModelName = nodeMap.GetNode("DeviceModelName");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrDeviceModelName))
        {
            cout << "Unable to determine camera family. Aborting..." << endl << endl;
            return -1;
        }
 
        gcstring cameraModel = ptrDeviceModelName->GetValue();
 
        if (cameraModel.find(cameraFamilyBFS) != std::string::npos)
        {
            if(AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "LineSelector", "Line1") == -1)
            {
                return -1;
            }
        }
        else if (cameraModel.find(cameraFamilyOryx) != std::string::npos)
        {
            if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "LineSelector", "Line2") == -1)
            {
                return -1;
            }
 
            // Set Line Mode to output
            if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "LineMode", "Output") == -1)
            {
                return -1;
            }
        }
 
        // Set Line Source for Selected Line to Counter 0 Active
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "LineSource", "Counter0Active") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
 
        if (cameraModel.find(cameraFamilyBFS) != std::string::npos)
        {
            // Change Line Selector to Line 2 and Enable 3.3 Voltage Rail
            if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "LineSelector", "Line2") == -1)
            {
                return -1;
            }
 
            CBooleanPtr ptrVoltageEnable = nodeMap.GetNode("V3_3Enable");
            if (!IsWritable(ptrVoltageEnable))
            {
                cout << "Unable to set Voltage Enable (boolean retrieval). Aborting..." << endl << endl;
                return -1;
            }
 
            ptrVoltageEnable->SetValue(true);
        }
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
 
// This function configures the camera to set a manual exposure value and enables
// camera to be triggered by the PWM signal.
int ConfigureExposureandTrigger(INodeMap& nodeMap)
{
    int result = 0;
 
    cout << endl << "Configuring Exposure and Trigger" << endl;
 
    try
    {
        
        // Turn off auto exposure
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "ExposureAuto", "Off") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
        // Set Exposure Time to less than 1/50th of a second (5000 us is used as an example)
        CFloatPtr ptrExposureTime = nodeMap.GetNode("ExposureTime");
        if (!IsWritable(ptrExposureTime))
        {
            cout << "Unable to set Exposure Time (float retrieval). Aborting..." << endl << endl;
            return -1;
        }
 
        ptrExposureTime->SetValue(5000);
 
        // Ensure trigger mode is off
        //
        // *** NOTES ***
        // The trigger must be disabled in order to configure
        //
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "TriggerMode", "Off") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
        
        // Set Trigger Source to Counter 0 Start
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "TriggerSource", "Counter0Start") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
 
        // Set Trigger Overlap to Readout
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "TriggerOverlap", "ReadOut") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
 
        // Turn trigger mode on
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "TriggerMode", "On") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// This function acquires and saves 10 images from a device; please see
// Acquisition example for more in-depth comments on acquiring images.
int AcquireImages(CameraPtr pCam, INodeMap& nodeMap, INodeMap& nodeMapTLDevice, bool reduced)
{
    int result = 0;
 
    cout << endl << "*** IMAGE ACQUISITION ***" << endl << endl;
 
    try
    {
        // Set acquisition mode to continuous
        if (AssignEntryToEnum(nodeMap, "AcquisitionMode", "Continuous") == -1)
        {
            return -1;
        }
        cout << "Acquisition mode set to continuous..." << endl;
 
        // Begin acquiring images
        pCam->BeginAcquisition();
 
        cout << "Acquiring images..." << endl;
 
        // Retrieve device serial number for filename
        gcstring deviceSerialNumber("");
 
        CStringPtr ptrStringSerial = nodeMapTLDevice.GetNode("DeviceSerialNumber");
        if (IsReadable(ptrStringSerial))
        {
            deviceSerialNumber = ptrStringSerial->GetValue();
 
            cout << "Device serial number retrieved as " << deviceSerialNumber << "..." << endl;
        }
        cout << endl;
 
        // Retrieve, convert, and save images
        const unsigned int k_numImages = 10;
 
        //
        // Create ImageProcessor instance for post processing images
        //
        ImageProcessor processor;
 
        //
        // Set default image processor color processing method
        //
        // *** NOTES ***
        // By default, if no specific color processing algorithm is set, the image
        // processor will default to NEAREST_NEIGHBOR method.
        //
        processor.SetColorProcessing(SPINNAKER_COLOR_PROCESSING_ALGORITHM_HQ_LINEAR);
 
        if (reduced) 
        {
            CCommandPtr ptrSoftwareTrigger = nodeMap.GetNode("TriggerSoftware");
            if (!IsWritable(ptrSoftwareTrigger))
            {
                cout << "Failed to execute software trigger... Aborting" << endl;
            }
            ptrSoftwareTrigger->Execute();
        }
 
        for (unsigned int imageCnt = 0; imageCnt < k_numImages; imageCnt++)
        {
            try
            {
                // Retrieve next received image and ensure image completion
                ImagePtr pResultImage = pCam->GetNextImage(3000);
 
                if (pResultImage->IsIncomplete())
                {
                    cout << "Image incomplete with image status " << pResultImage->GetImageStatus() << "..." << endl
                         << endl;
                }
                else
                {
                    // Print image information
                    cout << "Grabbed image " << imageCnt << ", width = " << pResultImage->GetWidth()
                         << ", height = " << pResultImage->GetHeight() << endl;
 
                    // Convert image to mono 8
                    ImagePtr convertedImage = processor.Convert(pResultImage, PixelFormat_Mono8);
 
                    // Create a unique filename
                    ostringstream filename;
 
                    filename << "CounterAndTimer-";
                    if (deviceSerialNumber != "")
                    {
                        filename << deviceSerialNumber.c_str() << "-";
                    }
                    filename << imageCnt << ".jpg";
 
                    // Save image
                    convertedImage->Save(filename.str().c_str());
 
                    cout << "Image saved at " << filename.str() << endl;
                }
 
                // Release image
                pResultImage->Release();
 
                cout << endl;
            }
            catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
            {
                cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl << endl;
                result = -1;
            }
        }
 
        // End acquisition
        pCam->EndAcquisition();
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// This function returns the camera to a normal state by turning off trigger
// mode.
//
// *** NOTES ***
// This function turns off trigger mode, but does not change the trigger
// source.
//
int ResetTrigger(INodeMap& nodeMap)
{
    int result = 0;
 
    try
    {
        // Turn trigger mode back off
        CEnumerationPtr ptrTriggerMode = nodeMap.GetNode("TriggerMode");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrTriggerMode) ||
            !IsWritable(ptrTriggerMode))
        {
            cout << "Unable to disable trigger mode (node retrieval). Non-fatal error..." << endl;
            return -1;
        }
 
        CEnumEntryPtr ptrTriggerModeOff = ptrTriggerMode->GetEntryByName("Off");
        if (!IsReadable(ptrTriggerModeOff))
        {
            cout << "Unable to disable trigger mode (enum entry retrieval). Non-fatal error..." << endl;
            return -1;
        }
 
        ptrTriggerMode->SetIntValue(ptrTriggerModeOff->GetValue());
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// This function acts as the body of the example; please see the NodeMapInfo example
// for more in-depth comments on setting up cameras.
int RunSingleCamera(CameraPtr pCam)
{
    int result = 0;
    int err = 0;
    try
    {
        // Retrieve TL device nodemap and print device information
        INodeMap& nodeMapTLDevice = pCam->GetTLDeviceNodeMap();
 
        result = PrintDeviceInfo(nodeMapTLDevice);
 
        // Initialize camera
        pCam->Init();
 
        // Retrieve GenICam nodemap
        INodeMap& nodeMap = pCam->GetNodeMap();
 
        // Configure Counter and Timer setup
        err = SetupCounterAndTimer(nodeMap);
        if (err < 0)
        {
            cout << "Regular setup failed... Trying reduced functionality demo" << endl;
            // Try reduced functionality setup
            err = SetupCounterAndTimerReduced(nodeMap);
            if (err < 0)
            {
                return err;
            }
            // Set err to different value if reduced functionality setup succeeds
            err = 1;
        }
 
        if (err == 0)
        {
            // Configure DigitalIO (GPIO output)
            err = ConfigureDigitalIO(nodeMap);
            if (err < 0)
            {
                return err;
            }
 
            // Configure Exposure and Trigger
            err = ConfigureExposureandTrigger(nodeMap);
            if (err < 0)
            {
                return err;
            }
        }
 
        // Acquire images. 
        // err == 0, acquire normally
        // err == 1, start acquisition using sofware trigger for reduced functionality
        if (err == 0)
        {
            result = result | AcquireImages(pCam, nodeMap, nodeMapTLDevice, false);
        }
        else if (err == 1)
        {
            result = result | AcquireImages(pCam, nodeMap, nodeMapTLDevice, true);
        }
 
        // Reset trigger
        result = result | ResetTrigger(nodeMap);
 
        // Deinitialize camera
        pCam->DeInit();
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// Example entry point; please see Enumeration example for more in-depth
// comments on preparing and cleaning up the system.
int main(int /*argc*/, char** /*argv*/)
{
    // Since this application saves images in the current folder
    // we must ensure that we have permission to write to this folder.
    // If we do not have permission, fail right away.
    FILE* tempFile = fopen("test.txt", "w+");
    if (tempFile == nullptr)
    {
        cout << "Failed to create file in current folder.  Please check "
                "permissions."
             << endl;
        cout << "Press Enter to exit..." << endl;
        getchar();
        return -1;
    }
    fclose(tempFile);
    remove("test.txt");
 
    int result = 0;
 
    // Print application build information
    cout << "Application build date: " << __DATE__ << " " << __TIME__ << endl << endl;
 
    // Retrieve singleton reference to system object
    SystemPtr system = System::GetInstance();
 
    // Retrieve list of cameras from the system
    CameraList camList = system->GetCameras();
 
    unsigned int numCameras = camList.GetSize();
 
    cout << "Number of cameras detected: " << numCameras << endl << endl;
 
    // Finish if there are no cameras
    if (numCameras == 0)
    {
        // Clear camera list before releasing system
        camList.Clear();
 
        // Release system
        system->ReleaseInstance();
 
        cout << "Not enough cameras!" << endl;
        cout << "Done! Press Enter to exit..." << endl;
        getchar();
 
        return -1;
    }
 
    //
    // Create shared pointer to camera
    //
    // *** NOTES ***
    // The CameraPtr object is a shared pointer, and will generally clean itself
    // up upon exiting its scope. However, if a shared pointer is created in the
    // same scope that a system object is explicitly released (i.e. this scope),
    // the reference to the shared point must be broken manually.
    //
    // *** LATER ***
    // Shared pointers can be terminated manually by assigning them to nullptr.
    // This prevents an exception from being thrown when releasing the system.
    //
    CameraPtr pCam = nullptr;
 
    // Run example on each camera
    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < numCameras; i++)
    {
        // Select camera
        pCam = camList.GetByIndex(i);
 
        cout << endl << "Running example for camera " << i << "..." << endl;
 
        // Run example
        result = result | RunSingleCamera(pCam);
 
        cout << endl << "Camera " << i << " example complete..." << endl << endl;
    }
 
    //
    // Release reference to the camera
    //
    // *** NOTES ***
    // Had the CameraPtr object been created within the for-loop, it would not
    // be necessary to manually break the reference because the shared pointer
    // would have automatically cleaned itself up upon exiting the loop.
    //
    pCam = nullptr;
 
    // Clear camera list before releasing system
    camList.Clear();
 
    // Release system
    system->ReleaseInstance();
 
    cout << endl << "Done! Press Enter to exit..." << endl;
    getchar();
 
    return result;
}