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Using the GenTL Interface#

With the GenTL Producer, you can do the following tasks:

  • Configure GenICam compatible cameras of diverse standards via the same (GenApi) interface. Supported standards are Camera Link, and CoaXPress.
  • View the hierarchical structure of an image acquisition system.
  • Develop generic applications (GenTL consumers) without considering the used camera standard.

The implemented GenTL producer provides GenTL 1.5.

GenTL Producers#

The Basler Framegrabber SDK contains two GenTL Producers ProducerCXP.cti (for CXP frame grabbers) and ProducerCL.cti (for Camera Link frame grabbers).

GenTL Configuration#

The GenTL Producer saves configuration files for each discovered frame grabber into the following directory:

  • Under Windows: %Appdata%\basler
  • Under Linux: ~/.config/basler

If you delete the *.config files, the GenTL Producer is reset to a default configuration.

Interface Applets#

The interface module XML contains information about the applets in the category node InterfaceApplets. In the node InterfaceApplets> InterfaceApplet you can select a different applet or .hap file than the currently loaded applet. An applet change is saved in the persistent GenTL configuration file, but it will only be effective after closing all the devices and updating the device list or after closing and reopening the interface. After you have selected an applet and updated the devices, you need to wait some seconds, then you can confirm with the parameter InterfaceAppletStatus whether the applet was loaded.

When is an applet available?

  • On imaWorx frame grabbers, an applet is available as soon as it is available in the file system of your computer (Framegrabber SDK installation directory, sub-directories DLL or Hardware Applets). If the applet isn't there, run the applet installer that contains the applet you want to use, or, if you need an applet created with VisualApplets, copy the applet file (*.hap) into the Hardware Applets folder of your Framegrabber SDK installation (e.g., ...\Basler\FramegrabberSDK5.x.x\Hardware Applets\*.hap).
  • On marathon frame grabbers, an applet is available as soon as it is flashed onto the frame grabber. If the applet you want to use isn't flashed on the frame grabber yet, flash it according to the instructions in Flashing Applets onto marathon Frame Grabbers.

For details on how to manage applets in microDiagnostics, see Managing Applets (microDiagnostics).

Applet Configuration#

In the UserSetControl category in the interface module, you can load and save the configuration file for the currently selected applet. To do this, write a path to an existing or non-existing *.mcf file into the UserSetFile parameter and execute the UserSetLoad or UserSetSave commands. If you leave the path empty or use a different file extension than *.mcf, the commands UserSetLoad or UserSetSave are not available.

The *.mcf configuration files save the configuration of the applet, while the *.config files save the configure of the GenTL Producer. The configuration loaded from an *.mcf file isn't persisted after an applet change or a system close. If the currently loaded applet doesn't match the applet in the loaded *.mcf file, the GenTL Producer first tries to set the InterfaceApplet to the one in the configuration file. In this case, you must close the devices and update the device list (without closing the system) for the configuration to be effective.

Pseudodevices#

In the interface module under the category TransportLayerControl, you find the DiscoveryMethod enumeration node. This node contains the values CameraDiscovery, EmulationDiscovery and MixedDiscovery, where CameraDiscovery is the default value for CXP frame grabbers, and EmulationDiscovery is the default value for Camera Link frame grabbers. The emulated devices are specifically important for Camera Link frame grabbers and for working with **.hap files.

If you select EmulationDiscovery, then emulation devices are detected automatically and a minimal remote device XML is generated. If the applet contains an image generator, the image generator is activated by default. You can deactivate the image generator inside the remote device nodes, to receive images from a camera link camera. There are always as many emulation devices as acquisition channels for the applet.

The MixedDiscovery discovers real cameras, but fills the empty acquisition channels with emulated devices. Use this value for .hap files of CXP frame grabbers.

Automatic ROI and FORMAT#

Under the Device ImageFormatControl category, you find the nodes AutomaticFormatControl, AutomaticROIControl and OutputPacketFormats. If AutomaticFormatControl and AutomaticROIControl are active, the GenTL Producer tries to set the correct format and ROI in the applet to match the one in the camera. This is relevant for applets of the microEnable 6 frame gabbers.