NET question: How can I reference post-build IDS camera *.dll's with no manifest in Matlab as I do in C#?

IDS camera company literature informs that several of their camera *.dll's are to be used as assembly references, and there are also 15 *.dll's that are to be copied post-build into the C# project filespace, using 4 commands like: {copy "C:\Program Files\IDS\ids_peak\generic_sdk\api\binding\dotnet\x86_64\*.dll";"$(TargetDir)"}. I have been able to successfully use the assembly references and the copied post-build *.dll files in Visual Studio to interface to camera, and the test command "peak.Library.Initialize();" works fine there now.

I can sucessfully add the two reference files in Matlab by using modified NET.addAssembly commands, as done at

http://matlabtidbits.blogspot.com/2016/12/ueye-camera-interface-in-matlab-net.html, using the code:

asm = System.AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies; % copies the Assemblies of the CurrentDomain into asm

if ~any(arrayfun(@(n) strncmpi(char(asm.Get(n-1).FullName), ...

'ids_peak_dotnet', length('ids_peak_dotnet')), 1:asm.Length))

A=NET.addAssembly(...

'C:\Program Files\IDS\ids_peak\generic_sdk\api\binding\dotnet\x86_64\ids_peak_dotnet.dll');

B=NET.addAssembly(...

'C:\Program Files\IDS\ids_peak\generic_sdk\ipl\binding\dotnet\x86_64\ids_peak_ipl_dotnet.dll');

end

but I do not know how to get Matlab to recognize the the 15 *.dll's which seem to include the methods, but cannot be introduced using NET.addAssembly commands. Those *.dll's do not have a manifest, so I get the followig error message when I attempt to use NET.addAssembly:

Error using dualcams (line 19)

Message: Could not load file or assembly

'file:///C:\Users\skimbel\Desktop\Camera Info Files\PostBuildDLL

files\ids_peak_ipl_dotnet_interface.dll' or one of its dependencies. The

module was expected to contain an assembly manifest.

Source: mscorlib

HelpLink:

If I do nothing with the 15 additional *.dll's, the message that I receive when I try the "peak.Library.Initialize();" command is

Message: The type initializer for 'vision_apiPINVOKE' threw an exception.

Source: ids_peak_dotnet

HelpLink:

This was very similar to the message I received in Virtual Studio before I got the post-build copy commands to work to move the 15 *.dll files into the Visual Studio project filespace:

"Unhandled exception. System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'vision_apiPINVOKE' threw an exception . . .

Unable to load DLL 'ids_peak_dotnet_interface' or one of its dependencies: The specified module could not be found."

How can I get Matlab to recognize and use these other 15 *.dll's?

Thanks, Steve K

Answer 1

[Steven Kimbel]

Feedback from IDS shown below resolved the problem. not enough files were copiee to the same directory as used by the Matlab script:

To avoid this the "vision_apiPINVOKE" exception, we recommend that you manually copy the following files to the same directory as your Matlab script.

• c:\Program Files\IDS\ids_peak\generic_sdk\api\binding\dotnet\x86_64\

• ids_peak_dotnet.dll

• ids_peak_dotnet.xml

• ids_peak_dotnet_interface.dll

• c:\Program Files\IDS\ids_peak\generic_sdk\api\lib\x86_64\

• FirmwareUpdate_MD_VC140_v3_2_IDS.dll

• GCBase_MD_VC140_v3_2_IDS.dll

• GenApi_MD_VC140_v3_2_IDS.dll

• ids_peak.dll

• ids_peak.lib

• log4cpp_MD_VC140_v3_2_IDS.dll

• Log_MD_VC140_v3_2_IDS.dll

• MathParser_MD_VC140_v3_2_IDS.dll

• NodeMapData_MD_VC140_v3_2_IDS.dll

• XmlParser_MD_VC140_v3_2_IDS.dll

• c:\Program Files\IDS\ids_peak\generic_sdk\ipl\binding\dotnet\x86_64\

• ids_peak_ipl_dotnet.dll

• ids_peak_ipl_dotnet.xml

• ids_peak_ipl_dotnet_interface.dll

• c:\Program Files\IDS\ids_peak\generic_sdk\ipl\lib\x86_64\

• ids_peak_ipl.dll

• ids_peak_ipl.lib

[Luke Johnson]

Hi there,

I also am working with an IDS camera and IDS peak, trying to grab images in Matlab. From the very helpful response above I have finally got the test command "peak.Library.Initialize()" working as expected, my camera is recognised. I am now stuck and need some help to open the camera and capture frames. Could you offer some lines of example Matlab code to help with this? Any help would be much appreciated.

[Loïc Toraille]

Hi there,

Did you eventually get an answer to this question?

I'm having the same problem ; I tried duplicating what is done in the python examples but nothing works.

[Arden Chen]

I have a similar question, and whne I try to open the camera, MATLAB tells me that "SWIGTYPE_p_PEAK_DEVICE_HANDLE" is not in a namespace. Is there a way someone has solved this? Thanks

[Yonatan Wiegner]

Is it a way to get a code which saves a single frame from the NET?

I have copied the relvant files to the same folder and even can get the serial number of the device but how do I get a single frame from the device?

This is the code IDS sent me:

asmInfo2 = NET.addAssembly('ids_peak_dotnet.dll');

% initialize library

peak.Library.Initialize();

peakVersion = peak.Library.Version();

% create a device manager object

deviceManager = peak.DeviceManager.Instance();

% update the deviceManager

deviceManager.Update();

selectedDevice = 0;

deviceCount = deviceManager.Devices().Count();

fprintf('deviceCount: %i\n ', deviceCount);

%x= deviceManager.Devices().Item(0).IsOpenable();

%open the selected device

device = deviceManager.Devices().Item(0).OpenDevice(peak.core.DeviceAccessType.Control);

device.SerialNumber %this works OK

dataStreams = device.DataStreams();

%dataStream=peak.core.DataStream();

% get the remote device node map

nodeMapRemoteDevice = device.RemoteDevice().NodeMaps().Item(0);

NET.invokeGenericMethod(nodeMapRemoteDevice,'FindNode',...

{'peak.core.nodes.EnumerationNode'},"UserSetSelector").SetCurrentEntry("Default");

NET.invokeGenericMethod(nodeMapRemoteDevice,'FindNode',...

{'peak.core.nodes.CommandNode'},"UserSetLoad").Execute();

NET.invokeGenericMethod(nodeMapRemoteDevice,'FindNode',...

{'peak.core.nodes.CommandNode'},"UserSetLoad").WaitUntilDone();

% Get the payload size for correct buffer allocation

% ret = NET.invokeGenericMethod(nodeMapRemoteDevice,'FindNode',...

% {'peak.core.nodes.IntegerNode'},"PayloadSizea

% payload_size = ret.Value();

payload_size = NET.invokeGenericMethod(nodeMapRemoteDevice,'FindNode',...

{'peak.core.nodes.IntegerNode'},"PayloadSize").Value();

device.Dispose();

peak.Library.Close();

[Louise]

Did anyone find solutions to get their IDS camera fully working and capturing frames?