Camera File (.icd) for Dalsa Piranha 4 (P4-CM-08K070)

[SebastianM]

Hi there

I am trying to use the Dalsa line-scan camera P4-CM-08K070-00-R together with the NI PCIe-1433 frame grabber in Labview.

Although there are lots of camera files for different Dalsa models (in the IMAQ driver collection and here on the NI site), I haven't found one for my camera.

I have tried to create one using the Camera File Generator, but without too much success.

Serial communication through Camera Link for reading & writing camera settings works well, but I can't get a signal.

When I use "Snap" in NI MAX or Labview, I just get a timeout.

Anybody here, who has experience with Dalsa cameras?

Thanks!

Sebastian

[udka]

Hi Sebastian,
-If you are able to see the camera in MAX, then there is no problem with camera file i guess.
-MAX will automatically generate the camera file and you don't have to do it manually most of the times.
-I don't know about line scan camera. But the timeout error is in general tells that the camera didn't give any signal within the time specified.
-Is it possible to post few screenshots of your MAX(So, that problem will be more clear)?

[SebastianM]

Hi uday

Thanks for the quick reply. Unfortunately, it did not bring me much further.

- I am able to load my camera file in MAX, but that does obviously not mean that there aren't any problems.

- I didn't know that MAX can automatically generate camera files. Where do I find this option?

- Yes, I also know what a timeout in general is. I made sure that the camera runs internally triggered, so it should send data all the time without waiting for a trigger from the frame grabber.

As a matter of fact; I got two steps forward and one back, when I tried to find that automatic camera file generation in MAX.

For a couple of times I could receive the test pattern from the camera; now I only get the following error when I try to snap an image: "Serial terminal string not found ..."

(See also the attached screen shots - the MAX error message is in German, but it has basically the same contents as the one in CFGen)

I wish I could tell what exactly I have done...

I am confused, because

- I wasn't aware that the image data transfer involves serial communication.

- the serial communication for setting parameters works flawless, and I am sure that I have set up the correct termination character in the camera file.

Any idea what this error message means exactly?

regards, seb

[SebastianM · Accepted solution]

Alright, it turns out that this camera simply requires an absurdly long frame timeout value.

For an acquisition window of width 8192 it needs a timeout of several seconds (even if I read out a single line at a line rate of 70 kHz).

Strangely, the acquisition window height doesn't matter.

Well, thanks for your thoughts.

Seb

[Sridhar94]

Hey Sebastian,

We recently got the same camera. Infact I got today. And I have been trying to set it up. But i am not able to. Can you tell me how and where did you get the camera file??

Thanks,

Sridhar

[SebastianM]

Hi Sridhar

Try my camera files (attached).

I finally got it to work by setting the timeout in the camera settings to 10 seconds (which I still find absurd, but well, if that's what it takes...)

Make sure to use the correct camera file according to the pixel format you have set (8 or 12 bit).

I have not implemented the camera control commands in these camera files. So, for setting the operating parameters you have to use Dalsa's Sapera CamExpert or some serial terminal program. Actually, communicating with the camera works very well for me using the IMAQ serial read/write VIs in LabView.

I hope that helps.

Sebastian

[Sridhar94]

Thanks a lot for the files, information and the quick reply!!!!  

Thanks,

Sridhar

[Sridhar94]

Hey Sebastian,

I am trying to connect to the camera using the same camera files that you have provided me but I keep on getting the Error 0xBFF60108: The camera file does not support the current interface type. And I tried googling this error but I couldn't find anything. Can you tell me why is that happening?

Oh by the way I am using NI PCIe 1429 frame grabber.

Thanks,

Sridhar

[SebastianM]

Hi Sridhar

That should be easy to fix.

You have to edit the camera file in NI's "Camera File Generator" and set the checkmark for the frame grabber model it shall support (under "CameraLink settings", I think).

I happen to work with the PCIe 1433, and simply didn't bother to activate all the other board models. Lazy me... 😉

Regards,

Sebastian

[SebastianM]

Hi Sridhar

That should be easy to fix.

You have to edit the camera file in NI's "Camera File Generator" and set the checkmark for the frame grabber model it shall support (under "CameraLink settings", I think).

I happen to work with the PCIe 1433, and simply didn't bother to activate all the other board models. Lazy me... 😉

Regards,

Sebastian