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Capturing Images...

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    Capturing Images...

    Does anyone know if it is possible to capture an image (photo) directly from a digital camera into Alpha5?

    Thank you

    Louis

    #2
    RE: Capturing Images...

    Hi Louis.....

    Yeah, I think I have done that.... as long as the Camera/memory card is assigned a logical drive Alpha5 can find it!

    doug

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Capturing Images...

      Doug,

      Thanks for the reply.

      Now for the BIG question...

      HOW?

      Thanks again

      Louis

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Capturing Images...

        A bigger question is WHY?

        If you are capturing images, wouldn't you want to save them as files, and then display the proper image that goes along with the data? I am not sure that it is good to retain an image within a database. Images are fairly large, and would swell the database fairly rapidly if attached to all of the records in your table.

        We have a system where images are captured and stored as ".bmp" files using a unique identifier as the file name. In alpha, when we want to display the image, we use the identifier within the record and copy the proper bmp file to a specific location on the user's machine, then pop a window up with that image file attached. This makes things very standardized for all of the users. and simple for the form call.

        Tom

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Capturing Images...

          Louis.....

          I agree with Thomas all the way......
          I was up too late last night, not really hitting on all cylinders yet!!


          I took your original post to mean that you wanted to transfer the "files" to your hard drive, then either use them in an image reference field or display them with in an image object.


          doug

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Capturing Images...

            Tom,

            Thank you for the reply.

            Perhaps I should explain what I need the end result to be and ask how to accomplish the task.

            My client needs to store a photo of each of his customers. Ideally, there would be a button on the "New Customer" form that would cause the camera to snap a picture. That picture would then be AUTOMATICALLY saved to a file server(actually, an image file server) not within the database itself. The file name would be something like "customer_id.bmp"

            Hope this helps you help me!

            Thanks

            Louis

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Capturing Images...

              We need to capture images of our customers as well. We use an "Instant-ID" capture system. It also provides us with the ability to print full color plastic ID cards for our customers and employees. All images are stored on our server. From the "Instant-ID" system, we copy the images to a folder within our customer information folder. There each is named with a unique (case #) id. ie:"C0123456.bmp" In our customer information system, we can click on a "display Image" button which will copy the appropriate image to a file named "image" on the local PC, and then call a form that has an embedded bitmap mapped to the file "image". We needed to do this because bitmaps needed to be identified at form design time.

              If you would like, I can send you the code.

              This method works very well for us. I don't know if it answers your question, though.

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Capturing Images...

                Thomas,

                Thanks for the reply.

                I was hoping to make the entire capture/name/store process either happen solely within A5 or appear to the end user that this is what is happening.

                I'm tinkering with the idea of having Alpha5 send keystrokes to another program. Now all I need is a image capture program that will work entirely on keystrokes and hopefully in the background.

                I'll let you know if I get to the point of needing your code. Thanks for the offer.

                Louis

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Capturing Images...

                  Louis...


                  Not sure what you mean exactly by "capture" but you can definately re-name images from the camera, save them to the hard drive, & display them in a image reference field in an A5 database without the use of external software.

                  doug

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: Capturing Images...

                    Thomas,

                    I would be interested in your code, as I am trying to build an app for an estate agent and they now now take pictures of inside and outside of houses. Thank you in advance.

                    Keith Hubert
                    London.
                    Regards
                    Keith Hubert
                    Alpha Guild Member
                    London.
                    KHDB Management Systems
                    Skype = keith.hubert


                    For your day-to-day Needs, you Need an Alpha Database!

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Capturing Images...

                      I would also love to see your code.
                      please post it or could you send it to me?

                      Thanks
                      Rob
                      Originally posted by Thomas Henkel View Post
                      We need to capture images of our customers as well. We use an "Instant-ID" capture system. It also provides us with the ability to print full color plastic ID cards for our customers and employees. All images are stored on our server. From the "Instant-ID" system, we copy the images to a folder within our customer information folder. There each is named with a unique (case #) id. ie:"C0123456.bmp" In our customer information system, we can click on a "display Image" button which will copy the appropriate image to a file named "image" on the local PC, and then call a form that has an embedded bitmap mapped to the file "image". We needed to do this because bitmaps needed to be identified at form design time.

                      If you would like, I can send you the code.

                      This method works very well for us. I don't know if it answers your question, though.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Capturing Images...

                        I apologize for not getting back any sooner. Attached is a view of the capture screen. Under the button to capture the photo and signature is the code in this post. We are using a Kodak DVC 325 Digital camera attached to a USB Port. For the Signature we are using a TOPAZ Signature Gem LCD 4x3 signature pad. I did need to install these devices onto my computer, and then use the sketchy instructions that came with them to get them to work. I am NOT using active-x although I should be. I have not yet figured out how to get the code to work properly. If, and when I do, I will post that. Finian Lennon has done some excellent work with the signature pad, and I am checking out his code now.

                        What I do is to use OLE to open the camera, then using the PC's imaging product, I shoot the photo, then crop it to size. When the user accepts the image, I save it to a specified jpg name in an image folder. The photo is an OLE image that is displayed on a form.refresh

                        The signature code is processed in much the same way.

                        Code:
                        'Date Created: 24-Aug-2007 02:06:12 PM
                        'Last Updated: 22-Jan-2008 10:11:26 AM
                        'Created By  : Thomas Henkel
                        'Updated By  : 
                        dim tbl as P
                        tbl = Table.current()
                        if tbl.mode_get()>0
                        	sys_send_keys("{F9}")
                        end if
                        ans1 = ui_get_radio("Do you need a Photo, Signature, or Both","both","Photo","Signature","Both")
                        if ans1 = ""
                        	ui_msg_box(agency+" Customer Infomation","Action Cancelled at User Request")
                        	end 
                        end if 
                        if ans1 = "signature"
                        	goto getsig
                        end if
                        tw = ole.create("TwainControlX.Twain")
                        
                        for i = 0 to tw.devicecount
                        	if tw.devicename(i) = "Kodak DVC325 Digital Video Camera"
                        		tw.currentdevice = i
                        	end if
                        next i
                        photostart:
                        a5.Minimize()
                        
                        tw.acquire()
                        
                        a5.Maximize()	
                        
                        filename = "g:\images"+chr(92)+ut(image->image)+".jpg"
                        oldfile =  "g:\images"+chr(92)+ut(image->image)+"o.jpg"
                        if file.exists(oldfile)
                        	file.remove(oldfile)
                        end if
                        if file.exists(filename)
                        	file.rename(filename,oldfile)
                        end if
                        tw.savetofile(filename)
                        'now resynch to the new file
                        if .not.file.exists(filename)
                        	'user hit "cancel" in photo prog
                        	ui_msg_box(Agency +" Photo Capture","Action Cancelled at User Request")
                        	file.rename(oldfile,filename)
                        	goto getsig
                        end if
                        
                        if file.exists(filename) then 
                        	sys_open(filename)
                        else
                        	ui_msg_box("Error Opening File","File "+ filename +" does not exist.",ui_stop_symbol)
                        end if 
                        
                        
                        'display a message box
                        f = file.open(filename,FILE_RO_SHARED)
                        ui_bitmap_load("temp",f.readb(10000000))
                        f.close()
                        DIM SHARED varC_result1 as C
                        heading_string = "Is the Picture OK?"
                        yes_button_label = "&Yes"
                        no_button_label = "&No"
                        cancel_button_label = "&Cancel"
                        varC_result1 = ui_dlg_box("Photo Confirmation",<<%dlg%
                        	{region}
                        	{text=30,1:heading_string};
                        	{endregion};
                        	{region}
                        	{image=temp}
                        	{endregion};
                        	{line=1,0};
                        	{region}
                        	<*15=yes_button_label!Yes> <*15=no_button_label!No> <15=cancel_button_label!Cancel>
                        	{endregion};
                        	%dlg%)
                        if varC_Result1 = "No"
                        	ui_msg_box(Agency+" Photo Capture","Please Try Again")
                        	file.remove(filename)
                        	file.rename(oldfile,filename)
                        	goto photostart
                          elseif varC_Result1 = "Cancel"
                        	ui_msg_box(Agency+" Photo Capture","Action Cancelled at User Request")
                        	end
                          else
                          	topparent:Bitmap1.bitmap.filename = filename
                        	parentform.Refresh_Layout()
                        	
                        end if
                        
                        'topparent:Bitmap1.bitmap.filename = filename
                        'parentform.Refresh_Layout()
                        
                        getsig:
                        if ans1 = "Photo"
                        	end 
                        end if
                        dim sigplus1 as P
                        sigplus1 = ole.Create("SIGPLUS.SigPlusCtrl.1")
                        restart:
                        	sigplus1.initsigplus()
                        	sigplus1.tabletInvisible = .T.
                        	SigPlus1.ClearTablet()
                        	SigPlus1.EncryptionMode = 0
                                     SigPlus1.SigCompressionMode = 0
                                     SigPlus1.TabletState = 0
                                     SigPlus1.JustifyMode = 5
                                     SigPlus1.JustifyX = 10
                                     SigPlus1.JustifyY = 10
                                     SigPlus1.DisplayPenWidth = 16
                        	sigplus1.TabletState = 1
                        	sigplus1.lcdrefresh(0,0,0,240,128)
                        	sigplus1.lcdcapturemode = 2
                        	sigplus1.lcdwritefile(0,2,0,0,240,128,0,"C:\socsvcs\sigblock.bmp")
                        ans2 = ui_msg_box(Agency+" Signature Capture","Please Click -OK- When Finished Signing",65)
                        if ans2 = 2
                        	ui_msg_box(Agency +" Signature Capture","Action Cancelled at User Request")
                        	sigplus1.cleartablet()
                        	sigplus1.lcdrefresh(0,0,0,240,128)
                        	end
                        end if
                        
                        if sigplus1.NumberOfTabletPoints() >0
                        	filename1 = "g:\images"+chr(92)+ut(image->image)+"s.jpg"
                        	if file.exists(filename1)
                        		file.remove(filename1)
                        	end if
                        	sigplus1.ImageFileFormat=4
                        	sigplus1.ImageXsize = 450
                        	sigplus1.ImageYsize = 150
                        	sigplus1.ImagePenWidth = 16
                        	sigplus1.JustifyMode = 5
                        	sigplus1.tabletstate = 0
                        	sigplus1.WriteImageFile(filename1)
                        	sigplus1.cleartablet()
                        	sigplus1.lcdrefresh(0,0,0,240,128)
                        	'display a message box
                        	f = file.open(filename1,FILE_RO_SHARED)
                        	ui_bitmap_load("temp",f.readb(10000000))
                        	f.close()
                        	DIM SHARED varC_result as C
                        	heading_string = "Is the Signature OK?"
                        	yes_button_label = "&Yes"
                        	no_button_label = "&No"
                        	cancel_button_label = "&Cancel"
                        	varC_result = ui_dlg_box("Signature Confirmation",<<%dlg%
                        		{region}
                        		{text=30,1:heading_string};
                        		{endregion};
                        		{region}
                        		{image=temp}
                        		{endregion};
                        		{line=1,0};
                        		{region}
                        		<*15=yes_button_label!Yes> <*15=no_button_label!No> <15=cancel_button_label!Cancel>
                        		{endregion};
                        		%dlg%)
                        	if varC_Result = "No"
                        		ui_msg_box(Agency+" Signature Capture","Please Try Again")
                        		sigplus1.cleartablet()
                        		sigplus1.lcdrefresh(0,0,0,240,128)
                        		goto restart
                        	  elseif varC_Result = "Cancel"
                        		ui_msg_box(Agency+" Signature Capture","Action Cancelled at User Request")
                        		end
                        	  else
                        	  	topparent:Bitmap2.bitmap.filename = filename1
                        		parentform.Refresh_Layout()
                        		end 
                        	end if
                        	
                          else
                          	ui_msg_box(Agency+" Signature Capture","No Signature - Please Try Again")
                        	sigplus1.cleartablet()
                        	sigplus1.lcdrefresh(0,0,0,240,128)
                        	goto restart
                        end if
                        end
                        Last edited by Tom Henkel; 04-16-2008, 01:26 PM. Reason: terrible typing

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Capturing Images...

                          Hi Tom,
                          Thanks for this---kinda cool that someone can ask about something 5+ years down the way and still be able to get an answer!
                          Mike
                          __________________________________________
                          It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
                          It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
                          Henry David Thoreau
                          __________________________________________



                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Capturing Images...

                            As a follow-up to my prior post,

                            We need to capture images of our customers as well. We use an "Instant-ID" capture system. It also provides us with the ability to print full color plastic ID cards for our customers and employees. All images are stored on our server. From the "Instant-ID" system, we copy the images to a folder within our customer information folder. There each is named with a unique (case #) id. ie:"C0123456.bmp" In our customer information system, we can click on a "display Image" button which will copy the appropriate image to a file named "image" on the local PC, and then call a form that has an embedded bitmap mapped to the file "image". We needed to do this because bitmaps needed to be identified at form design time.
                            We no longer use the "image" named file. With the x-basic code in the example, the bitmap is pointed directly at the file name in question.

                            Because of problems with our original Photo-ID system (Company disbanded), we needed to provide a complete solution in alpha. Using ver 8, we have the photo and signature capture working very well for both client information and employee badge information.

                            Tom

                            Comment

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