BigBlueDodge
10th of July 2008 (Thu), 00:46
So I'm on Canon's SDK mailing list, and I get an email that they have a new SDK version released. So I figured I hadn't played with their stuff in a while, and figured it was time fiddle around with it.
After getting the SDK, I was immediately made aware of the following.
Canon is making it very clear that they will no longer support the PowerShot line of camera's after 08. Their SDK will begin focusing purely on the EOS cameras. What this means is external developers will not be able to provide custom applications to control the camera and it's functions.
So my first exercise was to write some code to control the camera via the USB cable. Do things like read the current setting from it, download files from the camera to the pc, while using functions they exposed to me.
Then I get a little more brave and decide to use their Image api calls to start reading some EXIF data from individual files (the usuals stuff, focal length, shutter speeds, iso, exposure, etc). After I get this working I decide to actually start drawing the images from the file to the screen. Now this was frustrating for me because they give you no documentation that tells you what is in the actual file stream and how it is format the data is encoded in. You simply see a stream of bits and have to decifer it yourself. So I got digging around and was able to find another sample that made it work, so I used the same principles and got to it to work for me. Now I can read a Canon RAW or JPEG file, get all of the exif data and draw the resulting image to the screen. Whoo hoo!!
However, the biggest part is to try and ifgure out how to do this all together. Canon offers these developement kits, but they come with minimal documentation that may or may not be usable to you. It's alot of rolling up your sleeps, and just digging in hoping you will strike gold. After a couple of hours of failing to get the image data to get drawn properly on the screen, I finally got it to work. I was was so happy, that I gave myself a high 5.
I'm continueing to struggle throught it, but the point it made clear to is that those who feel the EOS Manuals were written poorly haven't see anything. Try figuring out their documentation for the SDK and it appreciate what you got.
Anyway, I'm continuing to build up. My initial plan is to build a free version of an image import/cataloging tool, similar to what BreeseSys Downloader pro does. I think I can add some functionality that would make the process more intuitive, and give you greater flexibility and control over your image organization. Enough about that though, as I have very little built. I've just considered it a moral victory to get where I'm at right now with the Canon SDK.
Anyone else crazy enough to mess with the Canon SDK's? Curious what problems you have encountered
After getting the SDK, I was immediately made aware of the following.
Canon is making it very clear that they will no longer support the PowerShot line of camera's after 08. Their SDK will begin focusing purely on the EOS cameras. What this means is external developers will not be able to provide custom applications to control the camera and it's functions.
So my first exercise was to write some code to control the camera via the USB cable. Do things like read the current setting from it, download files from the camera to the pc, while using functions they exposed to me.
Then I get a little more brave and decide to use their Image api calls to start reading some EXIF data from individual files (the usuals stuff, focal length, shutter speeds, iso, exposure, etc). After I get this working I decide to actually start drawing the images from the file to the screen. Now this was frustrating for me because they give you no documentation that tells you what is in the actual file stream and how it is format the data is encoded in. You simply see a stream of bits and have to decifer it yourself. So I got digging around and was able to find another sample that made it work, so I used the same principles and got to it to work for me. Now I can read a Canon RAW or JPEG file, get all of the exif data and draw the resulting image to the screen. Whoo hoo!!
However, the biggest part is to try and ifgure out how to do this all together. Canon offers these developement kits, but they come with minimal documentation that may or may not be usable to you. It's alot of rolling up your sleeps, and just digging in hoping you will strike gold. After a couple of hours of failing to get the image data to get drawn properly on the screen, I finally got it to work. I was was so happy, that I gave myself a high 5.
I'm continueing to struggle throught it, but the point it made clear to is that those who feel the EOS Manuals were written poorly haven't see anything. Try figuring out their documentation for the SDK and it appreciate what you got.
Anyway, I'm continuing to build up. My initial plan is to build a free version of an image import/cataloging tool, similar to what BreeseSys Downloader pro does. I think I can add some functionality that would make the process more intuitive, and give you greater flexibility and control over your image organization. Enough about that though, as I have very little built. I've just considered it a moral victory to get where I'm at right now with the Canon SDK.
Anyone else crazy enough to mess with the Canon SDK's? Curious what problems you have encountered