IMAQ Error: Invalid Camera File

[aeskinaz]

I am working on a project I took over from another student so I am not very familiar with how the camera was set up and how it interacts with our LabVIEW VI.  I have come across
a minor problem with Measurement and Automation Explorer when trying to change Camera Attributes.  Basically, when I try to save the changed setting I get the following IMAQ Error: Error 0xBFF6800D: Invalid camera file.  Is there any way to tell if this is a software or hardware problem?  Being able to adjust the Gain and ShutterSpeed on the camera is very important to the project we are working on so I would appreciate any assistance you could provide!  Thanks!

[risheeb]

Hi aeskinaz,

This definitely sounds like a software problem, where your camera file has become corrupt in some way.  To fix this, we might just need to try to find a valid camera file for your camera.  If you are using a supported camera, you should be able to find a camera file for it by clicking on it in this list:

http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/nipc.get_camera_list?p_camera_status=C&asid=1102

If you are unable to find your camera on this list, please post which camera and IMAQ board you are using and we can go from there.  Thanks.


Rishee B.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments

[Marcpolo]

It is worth spending some time familiarising yourself with the camera file since this is crucial to how you configure your camera and some of the camera files obtained from NI contain errors.

The camera file provides a 'high level' command set for adjusting the camera settings to the IMAQ user, either via MAX or programmatically. The IMAQ application interfaces directly with the camera using the 'lower level' command set defined in your camera manual. The commands used for this are defined in the camera file. You should therefore familiarise yourself with the command interface defined in your camera manual and relate this to the camera file.

For each 'high level' command there is a current and default value defined in the camera file. By changing the camera settings in MAX and saving the file, the current values should change. If the original camera file is valid and loads up okay there shouldn't be a problem saving new settings. If this is failing, you could try modifying the 'current value' parameter directly in the camera file then reloading in MAX.

Hope this helps.

[aeskinaz]

I am using a Sony XCD-V50 on NI-IMAQ IEEE 1394.  The camera appears on the list you provided but no camera file is available.

[risheeb]

Hi aeskinaz,

Because the Sony XCD-V50 is a Firewire camera, there is no need to download a camera file for it.  The first time you plug in your Firewire camera and change one of the default settings, MAX will generate a camera file to save the current settings.

It sounds like the camera file that was originally generated for your Firewire camera has become corrupt in some way.  To fix this, you will need to delete the camera file to allow MAX to create a new one.  Here are the steps to do this:

1.  Open MAX and note the current settings for your Firewire camera.  When you delete the current camera file, the settings will revert back to their default values.
2.  Close MAX.
3.  Navigate to the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\National Instruments\NI-IMAQdx\Data folder.  If you are using the legacy IEEE 1394 drivers, you will navigate to the NI-IMAQ for IEEE-1394/Data folder.
4.  Delete the *.icd file that has the same name as your Firewire camera in MAX.
5.  Open MAX.  Your Firewire camera will now be set up with its default settings.  Once you change a setting and select Save, a new camera file will be generated.

Please give this a try and let us know if you still receive this error message.  Thanks.


Rishee B.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments

[Brad]

What I think is really happening is that When MAX reads the current values from the camera to generate the camera file, the camera tells MAX some value that is out of range. Since MAX only tries setting these values when they are changed, or when saving the camera, this is why you can acquire images in MAX, but when you save you have a problem. To narrow down which attribute is bad, try changing each attribute in MAX. Make sure you display all attributes. Some are read only, so don't worry about those, but hopefully this will return an error when you try changing the attribute that has the problem. Once you know which attribute the camera is returning that's wrong, you can adjust it in MAX to a valid value and then be able to save the camera file.

Hope this helps,

Brad

[aeskinaz]

Thanks Rishee,

Your suggestion worked out!

- Amanda

[aeskinaz]

So now for each time I go back to MAX I have to repeat this process in order to save the settings. Any suggestions to make this a one-time thing?

[risheeb]

Hi Amanda,

If this is occurring every time you go into MAX, then you may want to try Brad's suggestion to see if one of the camera's attributes is out of the camera's expected range.


Rishee B.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments