Please note: Silicon Software runtime version 5.1.1 is published as a technical release ----------------------------------------- Technical release (TR) ----------------------------------------- TR versions cover enhancements and modifications, which were tested on certain hardware platforms. These versions are not completely tested and might be subject to limitations and restrictions. Functionalities, which are released in a TR version, will be confirmed in later official release. Silicon Software provides limited support for TR versions. Bitte beachten Sie: Bei der Silicon Software Runtime Version 5.1.1 handelt es sich um eine technische Vorveröffentlichung ----------------------------------------- Technical release (TR) ----------------------------------------- TR Versionen beinhalten neue funktionale Erweiterungen, die auf ausgewählten Platformen geteset wurden. Diese Versionen wurden nicht in komplette Breite und möglichen Variationen getestet und können bestimmten Beschränkungen oder Ausnahmen im Einsatz unterliegen. Funktionalitäten, die in TR-Versionen veröffentlicht wurden, werden in späteren offiziellen Versionen weitergepflegt. Für TR-Versionen bieten wir nur eingeschränkten Support. ----------------------------------------- Runtime domumentation addendum ----------------------------------------- The following chapters are extracted from the runtime domumentation. Please refer to the original documentation for detailed information Silicon Software Runtime Version 5.1.1 is published as a Technical Release (TR) ----------------------------------------- TR versions cover enhancements and modifications, which were tested on certain hardware platforms. These versions are not completely tested and might be subject to limitations and restrictions. Functionalities, which are released in a TR versions, will be confirmed in later official releases. SiliconSoftware provides for TR versions limited support 1. Changes in Runtime Version 5.1.1 Technical Release ----------------------------------------- 1.1 Improved DMA Engine for PCIe x4 Interface - New AcquistionApplet: FAG8_HS ----------------------------------------- The DMA Engine for the PCIe x4 interface has been improved. A new AcquisitionApplet FAG8_HS is available for the following frame grabber products: microEnable IV Full x4 with Firmware version: 1.27 (hex) microEnable IV AD4-CL with Firmware version: 1.02 (hex) microEnable IV VD4-CL with Firmware version: 1.27 (hex) Basic requirements for high-speed DMA transfer: - Frame grabber and firmware version, see list above - AcquisitionApplet: FAG8_HS - Driver versions: Win 32bit: Version 3.9.17 Win 64bit: Version 4.0.2 Linux 32bit: Version 3.9.12 Linux 64bit: Version 4.0.1 Recommendation for full performance (> 850 MB/s ): Mainboards with at least one PCIe x4, x8, x16 Slot and Intel x58 chipset, that support high-speed DMA transfers (can be checked with the new version of the tool microdiagnosis) 1.2 Windows 7 (32bit/64bit) compatibilty: Runtime 5.1.0 and newer ----------------------------------------- The Runtime Version 5.1.0 and Runtime Version 5.1.1 TR have been intensively and successful tested unter Windows 7 32bit and Windows 7 64bit. For safely running SiliconSoftware frame grabber applications it is strongly recommended to disable energy safe mode for PCI Express. Concerns Windows Vista 32bit, Windows Vista 64bit, Windows 7 32bit and Windows 7 64bit. 1.3 Miscellaneous Improvements, Changes and Bug Fixes ----------------------------------------- microDiagnosis improved: Display for high-speed PCIe x4 capability. Performancetest can shows results in Megabyte/s or Mebibyte/s (switchable). Improved thread-safety for the function Fg_setParameter / Parameter FG_LINETRIGGERDELAY AcquisitionApplet FAG8_HS: Well known Parameter CC_HDSync renamed to CC_Prescaler 2 Changes in Runtime Version 5.1.0 ----------------------------------------- 2.1 Frame Grabber Hardware - New Products ----------------------------------------- In the context of the product reorganization Runtime version 5.1.0 and newer supports new frame grabber hardware: microEnable IV AS1-PoCL microEnable IV AD1-CL microEnable IV AD1-PoCL microEnable IV AD1-mPoCL microEnable IV AD4-CL microEnable IV AQ4-GE microEnable IV VD1-CL microEnable IV VD4-CL microEnable IV VQ4-GE 2.2 SmartApplets ----------------------------------------- SmartApplets are application related image processing libraries. Once loaded these applets can immediately be run. System adaptation will be effected by a graphical configuration. SmartApplets are individually adapted to compliant hardware and optimally use the potential of the according onboard vision processor. Thematic focuses are combined in SmartApplets families, which are industry-, application- or technology-based oriented. SmartApplets are continuously enhanced. Hereby the number of families and the scope of each package will change. SmartApplets provides a high quality pre-stage of Machine Vision applications. It reduces the load of host CPU by a complete outsourcing on the onboard FPGA. SmartApplets doesn't cover single processing steps but a complete chain of concerted function blocks, from the acquisition over sensor corrections and image enhancements to special functions. Hereafter the images can the post-processed by embedding in own applications or transferring in 3rd party Machine Vision software [more]. 2.3 Frame Grabber Hardware - New Firmware Versions ----------------------------------------- microEnable IV-BASE x1 -CL / -PoCL / -miniPoCL-: 7.85 (hex): - Improved shaft encoder fault tolerance in specific if signal A toggles and signal B keeps level - Changed image trigger behaviour in line applets from level sensitive to edge sensitive microEnable IV- GigE x4-: 1.18 (hex): - Improved testability - Improved Linux support 2.4 Software Development Kit (SDK) ----------------------------------------- Miscellaneous Changes since Runtime 5 the type of all pointer concerning DMA memory is now void* (formerly the type was unsigned long *) the type of all pointer concerning DMA control objects is now dma_mem* (formerly the type was void *) all functions, that returns strings return now a string of type const char * shading functions based on RT3 uses now ShadingMaster* instead of void* as type of a control object- grabber configuration files (*.mcf) saved in Runtime2 compatibility format can not longer be used Important note and recommentation: Using the latest firmware together with the latest driver in combination with older SDK versions will possibly not work. Recommendation: Please use the driver and firmware versions shipped with the given SDK. 2.5 Features: Improvements / Changes / Bug Fixes ----------------------------------------- Runtime 5.1.0 is prepared for running SmartApplets Image based calculation of shading coefficients is improved. FG_LINESHADING_MULT_FILENAME calculates now correct shading values Improved shaft encoder fault tolerance, in specific if signal A toggles and signal B keeps level Changed image trigger behaviour in line applets from level sensitive to edge sensitive microDisplay functionality extended: Applet tree view, filter for Acquistion Applets/SmartApplets/VA Applets, Applet description field, rescan functionality for applet list, load function for recently used applets microEnable III blocking mode problem fixed Support for operating systems extended: Linux 32bit/64bit* (Kernel 2.6.23 and newer), QNX 6.4.1** *except for microEnable III frame grabbers, **except for microEnable III and GigE based frame grabbers The graphical tools are not available under QNX Linux device driver sources fully available microEnable III Camera Link port B usage is fixed Multithreading handling improved Improved GigE Vision support: MTU packet size changed to 1500 bytes, correct usage of CDATA in XML, bug in "% operator" (Swissknife) fixed, smaller fixes within the GigE Vision protocol RT5.1 32bit version is not running within the "compatibility mode" on Windows XP 64bit or Windows Vista 64bit Software trigger: Busy control logic bug fixed microDiagnosis does now support microEnable III licensing 3. Known Issues ----------------------------------------- If the grabber is configured to check for DVAL camera signal (which is the default) but the camera does not send DVAL for the whole frame one line of data is still returned. The FullArea and FullLine applets correctly return empty frames (frames of length 0). When very short frames (at most 128 bytes) are transferred on an FullX4 or GigEX4 grabber and the end of the transfer is 4, 8, or 12 bytes before any 128 byte boundary an additional empty frame is marked as transferred. The frame data of the original frame remains intact. VA processing applets e.g. using the Blob operators are very likely to hit this behaviour. If you see such empty frames this example code might help you detect if you have hit the problem: int isDmaFrameSkip(Fg_Struct *fg, dma_mem *membuf, int dmaport, int picnum) { size_t len; Fg_getParameterEx(fg, FG_TRANSFER_LEN, &len, dmaport, membuf, picnum); if (len != 0) return 0; Fg_getParameterEx(fg, FG_TRANSFER_LEN, &len, dmaport, membuf, picnum - 1); if (len > 128) return 0; uintptr_t bufaddr = (uintptr_t)Fg_getImagePtrEx(fg, picnum - 1, dmaport, membuf); if (((bufaddr + len) % 128) < 116) return 0; return 1; } microEnable IV-GigE applets may report too high transfer rates when running the performance test in microDiagnosis. Drivers and libraries for Windows 64bit are not compatible with any earlier release of Silicon Software Runtime. It is not possible to use the driver for Windows 64bit together with older releases of the Runtime software or vice-versa. If you update from earlier versions on a Windows 64 bit system, please be shure to switch to the driver included in this Runtime package. Furthermore, do not use older Runtime versions on the system you have updated. MPORTANT ISSUE concerning operating systems Microsoft Windows 7 32bit/64bit, Microsoft Windows Vista 32bit/64bit and Microsoft Windows XP 64bit: It is necessary and recommended to choose the user folder as destination installation folder. Alternatively any other folder with full access rights can be used. Wrong pixel reshuffling in sensor correction mode SMODE_TAB2_1 (Mode 4) | <2 <1 |: The pixel reshuffling is currently implemented in this way: | <1 <2 |. Concerns the following microEnable IV frame grabbers and Camera Link base configuration acquisition applets with sensor correction: microEnable IV-FULL x1, microEnable IV-FULL x4, microEnable IV AD4-CL, microEnable IV VD1-CL and microEnable IV VD4-CL. 4. Current Firmware Versions - Frame Grabber Hardware ----------------------------------------- It is strongly recommended and for a certain functionality mandatory to use the newest firmware version for a specific frame grabber, corresponding to the according runtime version including technical releases. Note: The products are basically shipped with the new firmware versions (except for firmware versions that are connected with Technical Releases) ? relating to initial shipments. Within a transition period products with the previous firmware version are shipped. Special shipment agreements are not affected. microEnable IV-BASE x1: 7.85 (hex) microEnable IV-BASE x1 -PoCL: 7.85 (hex) microEnable IV-BASE x1 -miniPoCL: 7.85 (hex) microEnable IV-FULL x1: 1.48 (hex) microEnable IV-FULL x4: 1.27 (hex) NEW RT5.1.1 Technical Release microEnable IV-GigE: 1.18 (hex) microEnable IV AS1-PoCL: 1.00 (hex) microEnable IV AD1-CL: 7.85 (hex) microEnable IV AD1-PoCL: 7.85 (hex) microEnable IV AD1-mPoCL: 7.85 (hex) microEnable IV AD4-CL: 1.02 (hex) NEW RT5.1.1 Technical Release microEnable IV AQ4-GE: 1.00 (hex) microEnable IV VD1-CL: 1.48 (hex) microEnable IV VD4-CL: 1.27 (hex) NEW RT5.1.1 Technical Release microEnable IV VQ4-GE: 1.18 (hex) ----------------------------------------- Mannheim, 14/07/2010