MATLAB: UEye USB camera in Matlab

cameradriverueye

Hi,
I have a uEye camera that I want to use in matlab but the imaqtool doesn't seem to recognise the camera. The camera works fine in its own software so I don't think there's a problem on that end of things. Does anyone know how to get Matlab to recognise the camera?
Thanks,
Serena

Best Answer

There are a couple of methods:
  1. Write a dll C-wrapper that can interface between Matlab and the uEye SDK and then use the loadlibrary functions (see documentation "Call C Shared Libraries").
  2. Similar to above, but write a mex-wrapper and compile into a mex code (see documentation "MEX-File Creation API").
  3. Connect to the .NET library (see documentation "Cell .NET Libraries").
I had previously used the first two methods, but this makes it difficult to maintain, and requires reproducing every feature you want. I am now using the latter method, which provides direct support to all features of the .NET assembly (use the uEye .NET SDK manual for further information and functions).
Using the .NET assembly is not quite as straightforward as with C# because Matlab does not directly support pointers, but there is a workaround as pointed out below.
Remember to "EXIT" your camera before trying to re-initialise the same camera
%   Add NET assembly if it does not exist
%   May need to change specific location of library
asm = System.AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies;
if ~any(arrayfun(@(n) strncmpi(char(asm.Get(n-1).FullName), ...
        'uEyeDotNet', length('uEyeDotNet')), 1:asm.Length))
    NET.addAssembly(...
        'C:\Program Files\IDS\uEye\Develop\DotNet\signed\uEyeDotNet.dll');
end
%   Create camera object handle
cam = uEye.Camera;
%   Open 1st available camera
%   Returns if unsuccessful
if ~strcmp(char(cam.Init), 'SUCCESS')
    error('Could not initialize camera');
end
%   Set display mode to bitmap (DiB)
if ~strcmp(char(cam.Display.Mode.Set(uEye.Defines.DisplayMode.DiB)), ...
        'SUCCESS')
    error('Could not set display mode');
end
%   Set colormode to 8-bit RAW
if ~strcmp(char(cam.PixelFormat.Set(uEye.Defines.ColorMode.SensorRaw8)), ...
        'SUCCESS')
    error('Could not set pixel format');
end
%   Set trigger mode to software (single image acquisition)
if ~strcmp(char(cam.Trigger.Set(uEye.Defines.TriggerMode.Software)), 'SUCCESS')
    error('Could not set trigger format');
end
%   Allocate image memory
[ErrChk, img.ID] = cam.Memory.Allocate(true);
if ~strcmp(char(ErrChk), 'SUCCESS')
    error('Could not allocate memory');
end
%   Obtain image information
[ErrChk, img.Width, img.Height, img.Bits, img.Pitch] ...
    = cam.Memory.Inquire(img.ID);
if ~strcmp(char(ErrChk), 'SUCCESS')
    error('Could not get image information');
end
%   Acquire image

if ~strcmp(char(cam.Acquisition.Freeze(true)), 'SUCCESS')
    error('Could not acquire image');
end
%   Extract image

[ErrChk, tmp] = cam.Memory.CopyToArray(img.ID); 
if ~strcmp(char(ErrChk), 'SUCCESS')
    error('Could not obtain image data');
end
%   Reshape image

img.Data = reshape(uint8(tmp), [img.Width, img.Height, img.Bits/8]);
%   Draw image

himg = imshow(img.Data, 'Border', 'tight');
%   Acquire & draw 100 times
for n=1:100
    %   Acquire image
    if ~strcmp(char(cam.Acquisition.Freeze(true)), 'SUCCESS')
        error('Could not acquire image');
    end
      %   Extract image
      [ErrChk, tmp] = cam.Memory.CopyToArray(img.ID); 
      if ~strcmp(char(ErrChk), 'SUCCESS')
          error('Could not obtain image data');
      end
      %   Reshape image
      img.Data = reshape(uint8(tmp), [img.Width, img.Height, img.Bits/8]);
      %   Draw image
      set(himg, 'CData', img.Data);
      drawnow;
  end
%   Close camera
if ~strcmp(char(cam.Exit), 'SUCCESS')
    error('Could not close camera');
end
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