Camera Link serial VIs

[jsproul]

Is there an existing library of VIs to connect to CL serial APIs (clserall.dll)?

I'm using LabVIEW 7.0 with a BitFlow frame grabber, so the IMAQ serial VIs apparently won't work for this.

[MarcelJ]

I think you can just call the DLL from labview and use the API as described in the cameralink spec :
http://www.bitflow.com/pdfs/CameraLink%20v1_13.pdf

I'm not sure if you can tell Labview to use another dll besides clsernat.dll.

[jsproul]

I understand I can call the DLL, but was curious if anyone else had already done the necessary VIs. If not, I'll write them up and try to get approval to contribute them.

[josborne]

I am also wondering if there are any existing VIs out there for that DLL.  No need for us to reinvent the wheel if we don't have to.

If anyone finds any, please post a link!

Thanks

[GiGe]

Hi John,

Have you tried using the Imaq Serial Write and Read?  You can access the serial lines using those VI's, but it doesn't call the clserall.dll. What is it that you are trying to do with the clserall.dll? Let me know if those VI's don't work for you.

GG

[blitzcraig]

I use IMAQ serial read & write VIs to send serial commands over cameralink to my cameras.  It works just fine except I can not do a 'bytes at port' like with visa to read any number of bytes at the serial port.  My protocol does not have a termination character so I have to use IMAQ serial read bytes and know how many bytes to expect.

[RichMig]

I am also using a bitflow framegrabber (r3-PCI) with no experience programing a dll call but with a major need to use serial com talk to the camera.  IMAQ does not recognize the frame grabber. 

[blitzcraig]

It's funny you mention bitflow framegrabbers, I just talked to a sales rep for bitflow 5 minutes ago. 

IMAQ will not recognize the bitflow framegrabber because IMAQ and MAX only recognize NI hardware.  You should have a labview toolkit with your bitflow framegrabber, the rep told me they do support the serial over cameralink.  I'm interested in seeing how well the bitflow framegrabber works with labview (does it play nicely)?

[RichMig]

This issue has been driving me nuts.  I originally used an NI frame grabber, but was having issues with the camera's termination character screwing up the NI serial commands.  So I went with the Bitflow board recommended by the camera's VAR (BAE SCC500H).

The bitflow board works fine and I was able to modify one of their example VI's.  However, Bitflow does not provide any VI's or examples for serial communication.  They have a hyper terminal type program (BFCom) that works well, but it requires one to write the Labview VI's to call this programs DLL.  I tried playing around with it but am lost as I don't have experince with calling DLL's.  Both technical people at Bitflow (Rich C. and Bob W.) are on travel right now. ARRGH.

[blitzcraig]

The termination character issue was in sending commands?  If it was a problem with reading bytes, did you try the IMAQ read serial bytes VI?  My cameras do not use a termination character so I don't have this problem.

As far as calling the DLL goes, you should be able to use the code interface node to call that DLL and wire your serial command string bytes into the code interface node (after selecting the proper send serial function in the code interface node).

Sounds like the bitflow framegrabbers work with labview ok though.  I was just shown the Karbon-CL which will do 4 base cameralinks simultaneously from one framegrabber; pretty cool.