genicam

The genicam module is the official Python binding of GenICam that is developed and maintained by the GenICam committee.

.. figure:: https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/8652625/44912527-715ca800-ad65-11e8-9a33-9a88d5411340.png :alt: GenICam

######################## About the genicam module ########################

The genicam module consists of two sub-modules. The one is genapi and the other is gentl. The genapi module gives you a way to control GenICam features of the target device supports. On the other hand, the gentl module gives you a way to control functionality that the target GenTL Producer supports.

######################## Using the genicam module ########################

The genapi module

In this section, you will learn how to use the genapi module.

========================== Creating a node map object

First, you create a node map object instantiating the NodeMap class:

.. code-block:: python

from genicam.genapi import NodeMap

node_map = NodeMap()

And then, load a device description file on the node map object. The NodeMap object supports several ways to make it. One is to load the file content as a str object:

.. code-block:: python

file_content = 'blabla'
node_map.load_xml_from_string(file_content)

Another way is to load the file as an XML file:

.. code-block:: python

file = an_xml_file
node_map.load_xml_from_file(file)

The other ways is to load the file as a Zip file:

.. code-block:: python

file = a_zip_file
node_map.load_xml_from_zip_file(file)

======================== Changing a feature value

Once you loaded a device description file on a node map object, you would start to control GenICam feature nodes to control the target device. Now assume that we are going to control a GenICam feature node called Foo. To get the value of Foo, we code as follows:

.. code-block:: python

a = node_map.Foo.value

On the other hand, if Foo is an Integer node then we code as follows to set a value:

.. code-block:: python

node_map.Foo.value = 42

If Foo is a Boolean node, then you code as follows:

.. code-block:: python

node_map.Foo.value = True

Or if Foo is an Enumeration node, then you code as follows; it also works for a case where Foo is a String node:

.. code-block:: python

node_map.Foo.value = 'Bar'

If Foo is a Command node, then you can execute the command with the following code:

.. code-block:: python

node_map.Foo.execute()

The gentl module

In this section, you will learn how to use the gentl module.

[TO BE DOCUMENTED]

Links

Harvester

There is a sister project of the GenICam Python binding. It's called Harvester and is a reference implementation of the GenICam Python binding. Harvester gives you an intuitive way for image acquisition to make your life easier.

Harvester is distributed under the Apache version 2 license so you can use it for free; however, note that GenICam applies for another license. The source code can be found at GitHub <https://github.com/genicam/harvesters>_.

In addition, Haveseter is also uploaded to PyPi repository so You can install that executing the following pip command:

.. code-block:: shell

$ pip install harvesters

EMVA

In the EMVA website <https://www.emva.org/standards-technology/genicam/genicam-downloads/>_, you can get useful resources to learn and use GenICam standards and its compliant devices and software:

It would be worth knowing the following keywords: GenApi, GenTL, SFNC, GenTL SFNC, CLProtocol, PFNC, and GenCP.