TakePicture - Using the internal camera from your application

[Erel]

I wanted to be able to take pictures using the internal camera of an Asus P750 right from my application.
I've first tried the "native" approach and downloaded the code of Wimo (worth a look).
However the pictures taken were distorted and the whole process was unstable (crashing from time to time).
My second attempt was to call the CameraCaptureDialog which has a "managed" api. Dzt has already created a wrapper for it: http://www.basic4ppc.com/forum/addit....html#post6033
I wanted to show the camera dialog and then send a keypress message that will take the picture and then somehow close the dialog.
However this didn't work as well, throwing InvalidOperationException every time.
After searching a little bit it is clear that it is a common problem and this api is not supported by all devices.

The third attempt seems to work.
Instead of calling the CameraCaptureDialog we are launching camera.exe.
The drawback is that we can't change the default settings like resolution and file name.

Using a timer we are waiting 5 seconds before sending the "Ok" key message which takes a picture and then after another 5 seconds we close the process with Process.CloseMainWindow.

This program requires agraham's threading library (only for the Process object).
The source code is attached.

Sub Globals
    tick = 0
End Sub

Sub App_Start
    Form1.Show
    process.New1
    hardware.New1
    timer1.Interval = 5000
End Sub

Sub btnTakePicture_Click
    timer1.Enabled = True
    process.Start("\windows\camera.exe","")
End Sub

Sub AfterPicture
    file = FindLastFile("\my documents\my pictures\","pic")
    label1.Text = FileName(file)
    image1.Image = file
End Sub
Sub FindLastFile (path, prefix)
    ArrayList1.Clear
    FileSearch(ArrayList1,path,prefix & "*.jpg")
    'We assume that the last taken image name will be the last name in the sorted list.
    'This assumption might be wrong.
    ArrayList1.Sort(cCaseSensitive)
    Return ArrayList1.Item(ArrayList1.Count-1)
End Sub

Sub Timer1_Tick
    tick = tick + 1
    If tick = 1 Then 'take picture
        hardware.KeyPress(13)
    Else
        timer1.Enabled = False
        process.CloseMainWindow
        tick = 0
        AfterPicture
    End If
End Sub

[JOTHA]

Hi Erel,
thank yo very much for this application:

Originally Posted by Erel

I wanted to be able to take pictures using the internal camera of an Asus P750 right from my application.

At the first download, it worked on the Desktop-PC, but not on the Pocket-PC, because the "Hardware.DLL" was not installed automatically.

Then I copied the "Hardware.DLL" onto the Pocket-PC.

1) The application started.
2) When clicking the Button "TakePicture", the internal camera started.
3) It seems, that the camera made a photo by itself (without pressing any key).
4) Then came this Error-Message:

[Erel]

You should change line 18 to the path used in your device, and also to the same prefix that is set in the camera settings.

    file = FindLastFile("\my documents\my pictures\","pic")

[JOTHA]

Hi Erel,

thank you for your help.

I did what you told me:

Originally Posted by Erel

You should change line 18 to the path used in your device, and also to the same prefix that is set in the camera settings.

    file = FindLastFile("\my documents\my pictures\","pic")

I changed the path into ...

file = FindLastFile("\My Documents\Meine Bilder\","jpg")

... after that there was another error-message, so I thought I did a mistake.

Then I changed the path into ...

file = FindLastFile("\Speicherkarte\DCIM\100MEDIA\","jpg")

... and the same error-message came again.

On my Pocket-PC I don´t have a choice by my own to set the path. I have an AMEO (= HTC ADVANTAGE X 7500) and there are 3 possible choices.
1) Gerät [= Device] The path is: ("\My Documents\Eigene Bilder\",jpg")
2) Speicherkarte [= Mini SD-Card] The path is: ("\Speicherkarte\DCIM\100MEDIA\",jpg")
3) MicroDrive [= built in 8 GB Drive] I didn´t try it yet.

--> Certainly I had a look at the right path (where the taken pictures were sent to).

The error-message was:

An error occurred on sub main.findlastfile.
Line number: 40
Return
ArrayList1.Item(ArrayList1.Count-1)
Error description:
Es kann keine Fehlermeldung angezeigt werden, da die optionale Ressource der Assembly, die die Fehlermeldung enthält, nicht gefunden wurde.
Continue?

Thank you in Advantage!

[Erel]

You should set line 18 to the same folder that your camera stores images by default.
Open this folder and see what are the names of the pictures files.
On my device the names are:
PIC001.jpg
PIC002.jpg
...

So 'pic' is the prefix (beginning) of the names.

[JOTHA]

Hi Erel,

I´m very sorry to have wasted your time!

Originally Posted by Erel

... So 'pic' is the prefix (beginning) of the names.

I made a mistake because I thought you meant the suffix.
In Germany we say: "If someone can read, he has the advantage!"

Thank you again - now it works!

[taximania]

This modified version of Erel's code works on my XDA.
'Modify the pictures location to suit your device.'
All it does is check the directory, and loads the newest picture,
(the one that's just been took).
Green bit below is optional.

Sub Globals
 tick = 0
End Sub

Sub App_Start
 Form1.Show
 process.New1
 hardware.New1
 timer1.Interval = 5000
End Sub

Sub Button1_Click
 timer1.Enabled = True
process.Start("\windows\camera.exe","")
End Sub

Sub AfterPicture
 ArrayList1.Clear
 FileSearch(ArrayList1,"<font color="Blue">\Storage Card\My Documents\My Pictures\</font>","*.jpg")
 file=ArrayList1.Item(arraylist1.Count-1)
 <font color="lime">label1.Text = file 'full path and file name
 'label1.Text = FileName(file) 'just file name</font>
 image1.Image = file
End Sub

Sub Timer1_Tick
 tick = tick + 1
 If tick = 1 Then 'take picture
  hardware.KeyPress(13)
 Else
  timer1.Enabled = False
  process.CloseMainWindow
  tick = 0
  AfterPicture
 End If
End Sub

[JOTHA]

Hi taximania,

thank you for your version. It works good!

I made a little workaround with yours an Erels code.

- Now you can change the location where the pictures are stored. (green)
- Now you can press the hardbutton to take a photo by yourself.
- It is made as a module, so you can implement it better to your apps.
- ... and some other little changes ...

The shell is in german, if someone needs it in english, please post here.

I hope it is helpful for someone.

Have fun!

'------------------------------------------------------
'Modul BildAufnahme
'Build 0066
'------------------------------------------------------
'ben�tigt Hardware.dll
'ben�tigt HardwareDesktop.dll
'ben�tigt Threading.dll
'ben�tigt Objekt "hardware" aus Hardware
'ben�tigt Objekt "process" aus Process
'------------------------------------------------------
Sub Globals
    tick = 0
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------
Sub BildAufnahme_Show
    process.New1
    hardware.New1
    Timer1.Interval = 5000
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------
Sub Button1_Click
    PanelEinstellungen.Visible = False
    If cPPC Then
    i = Msgbox ("Wollen Sie jetzt die Kamera starten?", " Hinweis", cMsgboxYesNo, cMsgboxQuestion)
    If i = cYes Then
    Panel1.Visible = True
    Button1.Visible = False
    Button3.Visible = True
    End If
    Else
    Msgbox ("Bilder aufnehmen funktioniert nur auf dem Pocket-PC mit eingebauter Kamera.", "Hinweis", cMsgboxOK, cMsgboxExclamation)
    End If 
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------
Sub AfterPicture
    ArrayList1.Clear
    FileSearch(ArrayList1,<font color="Lime">""&Speicherort.Text&"","*.jpg")</font>
    file = ArrayList1.Item (ArrayList1.Count-1)
    Label1.Text = file
    Image1.Image = file
    WaitCursor (False)
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------
Sub Button2_Click
    WaitCursor (True)
'    Panel3.Visible = True
    AfterPicture
    Button2.Visible = False
    Label7.Visible = True
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------
Sub Button3_Click 'Button "Weiter" nach der Anleitung
    WaitCursor (True)
    Timer1.Enabled = True
    Timer1_Tick
    Shell ("Camera.exe", "")
    Panel1.Visible = False
    Button1.Visible = False
    Button2.Visible = True
    WaitCursor (False)
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------
Sub Timer1_Tick
    tick = tick + 1
    If tick = 1 Then 'Panel2 "Kamera wird gestartet" zeigen
    Panel2.Visible = True
    Else
    Timer1.Enabled = False
    Panel2.Visible = False
    tick = 0
    End If
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------
'Einstellungen des Speicherorts f�r Bilder
'------------------------------------------------------
Sub ButtonEinstellungen_Click
    ButtonEinstellungen.Visible = False
    PanelEinstellungen.Visible = True
End Sub

Sub ButtonEinstellungenSchliessen_Click
    ButtonEinstellungen.Visible = True
    PanelEinstellungen.Visible = False
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------
'Bild im Verzeichnis l�schen
'------------------------------------------------------
Sub ButtonLoeschen_Click
    ArrayList1.Clear
End Sub

[JOTHA]

Hello Erel,

after I changed some details and put it into my app, there was an error message.

So I thought it was my fault.

Then I tried your original-code again, but with one change: the place where the photo is stored (see blue colored):

<font color="YellowGreen">'Original von Erel - Build 0002</font>

Sub Globals
    tick = 0
End Sub

Sub App_Start
    Form1.Show
    process.New1
    hardware.New1
    timer1.Interval = 5000
End Sub

Sub Button1_Click
    timer1.Enabled = True
    process.Start("\windows\camera.exe","")
End Sub

Sub AfterPicture
    file = FindLastFile<font color="Blue">("\Speicherkarte\DCIM\100MEDIA\","imag")</font>
    label1.Text = FileName(file)
    image1.Image = file
End Sub
Sub FindLastFile (path, prefix)
    ArrayList1.Clear
    FileSearch(ArrayList1,path,prefix & "*.jpg")
    'We assume that the last taken image name will be the last name in the sorted list.
    'This assumption might be wrong.
    ArrayList1.Sort(cCaseSensitive)
    Return ArrayList1.Item(ArrayList1.Count-1)
End Sub

Sub Timer1_Tick
    tick = tick + 1
    If tick = 1 Then 'take picture
        hardware.KeyPress(13)
    Else
        timer1.Enabled = False
        process.CloseMainWindow
        tick = 0
        AfterPicture
    End If
End Sub

I didn´t change anything else, but this error message was shown:

An error occurred on sub main.afterpicture.

Line Number: 22

image1IOmage = file
Error description;
OutOfMemoryExpection
Continue?

After a softreset it worked again for one time. After that it didn´t work again. I closed the app, but the message error was repeated again.

I closed the app again and opened it again - then it worked again!

One thing is really for sure: you have to close the app, if you want to take another photo.

Is there a way to make it more stable?

[Erel]

What resolution does your camera use?
When you load an image file the image file is converted to a raw bitmap. So even if the jpg file is not large, the memory it takes can be too large.

You can use a Bitmap object from the ImageLib library to store the image and before loading a new image dispose the old one:

Sub App_Start
  Bitmap1.New2(1,1) 'Create a dummy image.
End Sub

'After Picture
Bitmap1.Dispose
AddObject("Bitmap1","Bitmap")
Bitmap1.New1(file)
Image1.Image = Bitmap1.Value