The GigE-V Framework API Version 2.10 adds support for the inclusion of metadata, or “chunk” data in the terminology of the GigE Vision and GenICam standards.

Data transfers from acquisition device include both the image data and corresponding metadata, which taken together form a “payload”. The “payload” concept allows for other types of data transfers from a device as these types become available through updates to this API for support of newer revisions of the GigE Vision standard.

To provide support "payloads", future standard updates, and to enhance ease of use, the following API changes have been adopted for Version 2.10:

·         New names for functions were chosen to reinforce the concept of "frame" handling versus "image" handling. The functions can be used with the previous names also.

Previous Function Name (still supported)

New Function Name

GevFreeImageTransfer

GevFreeTransfer

GevStartImageTransfer

GevStartTransfer

GevStopImageTransfer

GevStopTransfer

GevAbortImageTransfer

GevAbortTransfer

GevWaitForNextImage

GevWaitForNextFrame

GetGetNextImage

GetGetNextFrame

GevReleaseImage

GevReleaseFrame

GevReleaseImageBuffer

GevReleaseFrameBuffer

GevQueryImagetransferStatus

GevQueryTransferStatus

·         A new function, GevIntializeTransfer, to communicate the size of the allocated buffer to the API so the full payload can be safely stored, especially chunk data that is beyond the end of the image data.

·         GenICam XML feature setup is now done automatically when the camera (or device) is opened. Manual XML handling can be restored by setting the "manual_xml_handling" entry in the GEVLIB_CONFIG_OPTIONS structure to TRUE (1) before opening a camera.

·         Demos have been changed to use the mandatory "PayloadSize" feature to allocate buffers for payload frames. Usually the "PayloadSize" is the proper size for allocating buffers, however, in the case of data with packed pixels that get unpacked during transfer (Mono10Packed/Mono12Packed), the "PayloadSize" is smaller than the unpacked pixel image size. The example programs demonstrate how to handle this.

·         New "passthru" mode to disable the automatic unpacking of packed pixel formats. The example programs provided in the archive_demo folder show how to use the “passthru” mode, demonstrating how to handle undisplayable packed formats

·         The "id" field in the GEV_BUFFER_OBJECT structure, returned with the arrival of a frame, is now 64-bits for future support of a newer GigE Vision standard.

 

Related Topics

GigE-V Framework API