Video Client 2 Service Release 2 (Version 2.92 RC2) Quick Reference

Overview
Features
Menu description
Toolbar
Keyboard
Mouse functions
File formats
Preferences

Overview

The Video Client 2 is used to analyse the video data that comes from the tunnel. One can grab a certain number of frames or just watch live video. One can calculate spot position and size of the spot, subtract backgrounds using multiple algorithms, one can filter X-Rays out of the video frame data, print images or the whole application window, use false color (own or MATLAB Jet) or greyscale mode, monitor projections of the video signal, normalize the video data or calculate the laser power. In addition to this, one can load and save images in an application-specific format (IMM, BKG), application-specific compressed format (IMC, BKC) or in the Windows BMP file format and take a snapshot.

Cameras

At the moment, there are 10 cameras installed in the PITZ 1.5 experiment. These are:

Note: Information is outdated and subject to change soon.

Short name	Name of the Camera	Position	Description
VC 1	Virtual Cathode 1 (Laser)	Laser Beamline just before input window	transverse measurements of laser beam size and position
VC 2	Virtual Cathode 2 (Laser)	Laser beamline just before input window	transverse measurements of laser beam size and position (more exact)
Low.Scr1 (DDC)	Double diagnostic cross	just after gun	measuring spot size and center just after the gun
Low.Scr2 (DC)	Diagnostic cross	just after DDC	measuring spot size and center just after the gun
Low.Scr3 (RadHard)	Screen 3 (straight)	after DC and DDC	radiation hardened camera in test operation at Low.Scr3
Disp1.Scr1	Dispersive Arm (Low section)	Below low dipole	used for measuring momentum and momentum distribution in low energy section
High1.Scr1 (EMSY)	Emittance Measurement System	after Low.Scr3	used for emittance measurements
High1.Scr2 (PP)	Screen PepperPot	(after whole EMSY device)	measure spot size and center and analyse beamlet profiles
High1.Scr5 (Dump)	Screen at Dump	At the end of the beam pipe	tba
Disp2.Scr1	Dispersive Arm (High section)	Below high dipole	used for measuring momentum and momentum distribution in high energy section

Features of the program

Spot position and size calculation using Gaussian fitting analysis
Spot position and size calculation using Fourier analysis
Spot position and size calculation using Straightforward statistics
False color (classic, JET) and greyscale mode
projections of the video signal (in X and Y)
Printing of video images as well as the whole program window
Live video-mode (polling) and offline mode (grabbing)
Saving and loading of raw images and backgrounds using application-specific (IMM, IMC) and widely used format (Windows BMP)
Background subtraction
Acquiring backgrounds using grab single background, add to background, envelope background and average background
Snapshot mode (video snapshot to BMP file)
Automatic acquire of certain parameters of the experiment for DAQ and for information file of a saved video frame
Scaled values (obtain results directly in millimeters)
Image preview on loading files
Semi-automatic datataking (called: GrabAndSave) with interfacing of Laser shutter
X-Ray filtering
Selectable area of interest either circular or rectangular (all calculations are only done there and not on the whole video frame)

More technical:

RDP compatible on fast server/client
Multi-Monitor compatible (please, use 16 bit video color mode of graphic card(s) whereever possible!)
video frame taking uses multicasting when possible

Menu description and quick reference of functions

Menu	Entry	Submenu	Description
Application	Statistics Mode	Fourier	Switches on Fourier statistics (slow, more precise, less sensitive to noise)
		Straightforward	Switches on straightforward statistics (using MEAN and RMS formula) (fast, less precise, sensitive to noise)
		Streakcamera	Streak image analysis (experimental)
		Off	Switches off statistics
	Color Mode	Grayscale	Switches on grayscale colors (there could be problems observing weak signals)
		False-color mode	Switches on false color mode (better displaying of weak signals), black means no, blue means weak, green means medium, red means strong and white means saturated signal
		JET False color mode	Switches on false color mode (better displaying of weak signals), black means no, white means saturated signal, colors are drawn like in MATLAB when JET color table is used
	Projection mode	X Projection	Switches X projection on and off
		Y Projection	Switches Y projection on and off
		Off	Switches displaying of all projections off
	Area of Interest	Circular	Switches to circular area of interest. This also resets the area of interest to the biggest circular area of interest possible.
	Area of Interest	Rectangular	Switches to circular area of interest. This also resets the area of interest to the biggest rectangular area of interest possible.
	Normalisation		Switches normalisation of the video data on and off
	X-Ray filtering		Switches X-Ray filtering on and off
	Stay on top		Switches the "Stay on top" on and off, if on, the program is on top of all other windows all the time
	Keep aspect ratio		Switches the "Keep Aspect Ratio" on and off, if on, the program resizes the video frame inside the application window to respect the proper aspect ratio of the video frame
	Messages		Switches a message window on and off (one can observe the program)
	Preferences		Shows up the preferences dialog to set up snapshot directory, the repetition rate of the system, one can switch between TINE protocol (slow, state-of-the-art, saves network bandwidth) and Sockets (fast, more stable, wastes network bandwidth)
	Print image		Prints the current image (can also print to electronic logbook if a proper printer for this is installed)
	Print whole window		Prints the whole application window (can also print to electronic logbook if a proper printer for this is installed)
	Quit		Quits (exits) the application
Image	Load		Loads in raw images (either IMM, IMC or BMP file format)
	Save		Saves raw images (either IMM, IMC or BMP file), one also has the possibility to save important experiment data (like klystron forward power) together with the image file(s) to a text file. If saving multiple images to BMP file, one is not load them in again into the Video Client as a bunch.
	Grab	1 Frame	Grabs a single video frame
		2 Frames	Grabs two video frames, displayed image is a average image of these two images, all calculations are averaged over these two frames, too
		3 Frames	Grabs three video frames, displayed image is a average image of these three images, all calculations are averaged over these three frames, too
		4 Frames	Grabs four video frames, displayed image is a average image of these four images, all calculations are averaged over these four frames, too
		5 Frames	Grabs five video frames, displayed image is a average image of these five images, all calculations are averaged over these five frames, too
		10 Frames	Grabs 10 video frames, displayed image is a average image of these 10 images, all calculations are averaged over these 10 frames, too
		15 Frames	Grabs 15 video frames, displayed image is a average image of these 15 images, all calculations are averaged over these 15 frames, too
		20 Frames	Grabs 20 video frames, displayed image is a average image of these 20 images, all calculations are averaged over these 20 frames, too
		30 Frames	Grabs 30 video frames, displayed image is a average image of these 30 images, all calculations are averaged over these 30 frames, too
		40 Frames	Grabs 40 video frames, displayed image is a average image of these 40 images, all calculations are averaged over these 40 frames, too
		50 Frames	Grabs 50 video frames, displayed image is a average image of these 50 images, all calculations are averaged over these 50 frames, too
		100 Frames	Grabs 100 video frames, displayed image is a average image of these 100 images, all calculations are averaged over these 100 frames, too
		200 Frames	Grabs 200 video frames, displayed image is a average image of these 200 images, all calculations are averaged over these 200 frames, too
	Grab and Save...	10 Frames	Grabs and saves sequence of 10 images and 10 background source images
		15 Frames	Grabs and saves sequence of 15 images and 15 background source images
		20 Frames	Grabs and saves sequence of 20 images and 20 background source images
		30 Frames	Grabs and saves sequence of 30 images and 30 background source images
		40 Frames	Grabs and saves sequence of 40 images and 40 background source images
		50 Frames	Grabs and saves sequence of 50 images and 50 background source images
		100 Frames	Grabs and saves sequence of 100 images and 100 background source images
	Poll		Start or stop Poll mode (live video)
	Analyze		Analyses the current video buffer again (after one changed some settings)
Background	Load		Loads in background images (either BKG, BKC or BMP file format)
	Save		Saves background images (either BKG, BKC or BMP file)
	Grab		Grabs a single background that replaces the old background
	Add		Adds a background to the current background (addition)
	Get->Envelope	5 Frames	Creates a enveloped background of five grabbed images (grabs five images and creates the enveloped background)
		10 Frames	Creates a enveloped background of 10 grabbed images (grabs 10 images and creates the enveloped background)
		20 Frames	Creates a enveloped background of 20 grabbed images (grabs 20 images and creates the enveloped background)
		30 Frames	Creates a enveloped background of 30 grabbed images (grabs 30 images and creates the enveloped background)
		40 Frames	Creates a enveloped background of 40 grabbed images (grabs 40 images and creates the enveloped background)
		50 Frames	Creates a enveloped background of 50 grabbed images (grabs 50 images and creates the enveloped background)
		100 Frames	Creates a enveloped background of 100 grabbed images (grabs 100 images and creates the enveloped background)
		200 Frames	Creates a enveloped background of 200 grabbed images (grabs 200 images and creates the enveloped background)
	Get->Average	5 Frames	Creates a averaged background of five grabbed images (grabs five images and creates the averaged background)
		10 Frames	Creates a averaged background of 10 grabbed images (grabs 10 images and creates the averaged background)
		20 Frames	Creates a averaged background of 20 grabbed images (grabs 20 images and creates the averaged background)
		30 Frames	Creates a averaged background of 30 grabbed images (grabs 30 images and creates the averaged background)
		40 Frames	Creates a averaged background of 40 grabbed images (grabs 40 images and creates the averaged background)
		50 Frames	Creates a averaged background of 50 grabbed images (grabs 50 images and creates the averaged background)
		100 Frames	Creates a averaged background of 100 grabbed images (grabs 100 images and creates the averaged background)
		200 Frames	Creates a averaged background of 200 grabbed images (grabs 200 images and creates the averaged background)
	Show		Shows the current background image
	Clear		Clears the current background image
Help	Quick reference		Shows this help
Help	About		Displays the about box of the program

Toolbar

Control	Description
<x> mm	Displays the currently calculated x MEAN value (only valid in straightforward or Fourier statistics)
<x> mm	Displays the currently calculated y MEAN value (only valid in straightforward or Fourier statistics)
x RMS	Displays the currently calculated x RMS value (only valid in straightforward or Fourier statistics)
y RMS	Displays the currently calculated y RMS value (only valid in straightforward or Fourier statistics)
Scale	Displays the scale value used to calculate the mean and rms values
Camera	One can select the server the Video Client 2 will get its image data from. If the control is greyed out then no server change is possible. In front of each camera name the server name is written.
Switch...	Opens or shows camera switching panel (to switch a server to a different camera)
Sum Pixels	Shows the sum of the pixels after background subtraction.
DAQstart/DAQstop	Starts/stops data acquisition. When pression DAQstop the data is written to file.
DAQdiscard	Can be used as a button to stop DAQ and automatically discard the data.
Snap	By pressing this button one can take a snapshot from the video frame as it is seen on screen
Drop. Frames	Shows the number of dropped frames since poll mode was enabled
Polled Frames	Shows how many subsquent frame have been acquired using poll mode.

Keyboard-shortcuts

Hotkey	Description
F2	Switches statistics mode to Fourier statistics
F3	Switches statistics mode to straightforward statistics
F4	Switches all statistics off
F5	Switches the color palette to grayscale
F6	Switches the color palette to false colors
F10	Take a snapshot from what is seen inside the video frame
ALT-A	(Re-)Analyse the current frame buffer (can be loaded, grabbed or the last polled frame(s))
ALT-P	Switch poll mode on/off
CTRL-G	Grabs a background and shows it on the video frame
CTRL-S	Shows the actual background on the video frame
CTRL-C	Clears the background image (no background subtraction)

Mouse functions

Function	Where	Description
right click	inside the video frame area	Starts / stops poll mode
left click and drag	inside the video frame area	select area of interest

File Formats

In this section, the different file formats used by the application are explained.

Format	Long name	Description
IMM	IMage Media	The IMM format is used for storing raw images from the framegrabber. It can contain more than one file and contains the scale value of the images. One should use this format to load in the images again into the Video Client 2.
IMC	Image Media Compressed	The IMC format differs from IMM that the frames are compressed (using zlib). It is the preferred saving format, especially if one has taken more than 5 frames.
BMP	BitMaP file	The BMP format is used for storing raw images or raw backgrounds. A BMP file can contain only a single image. When saving more than one image the images are splitted up in multiple files. When one saves multiple images as BMP, one can not load them in as a bunch into the Video Client 2. One should use this format only if one wants to load in these images into e.g. picture processing programs in order to postprocess them.
BKG	BacKGround file	The BKG file format is used for storing raw backgrounds to file.
BKC	BacKground Compressed	The BKC format differs from BKG by two things. First, the images contained are compressed using zlib and second, there can be more than one background image inside. This allows for saving of source background images where an enveloped or averaged single background image was created out of it afterwards.

Preferences Dialog

Inside the preferences dialog, one can adjust various settings.

Option	Description
Servers	If one experience problems accessing/selecting cameras using the control on the toolbar, one can force the Video Client 2 to reload the server configuration. One does so by pressing the button "Enable Reinitialisation" and pressing OK on the dialog. The server configuration is then reloaded and everything should be fine again.
Snapshot directory	Here one can enter or choose the directory where the snapshots should be written to.
DAQ configuration file	One can put here its special online DAQ file here to have its own properties acquired and stored.
DAQ output directory	Here one can enter or choose the directory where the online DAQ csv files should be written to.
Default Framerate	Here one can set up the repetition rate the Video Client 2 should use to calculate timeouts. One can also select "Autodetect" and the Video Client 2 does this automatically. One should manually set the framerate only when autodetection fails. Otherwise it could happen that the computer is overloaded in Fitting statistics mode.
Transfer mode	If one experience problems with a stable transfer from the video servers using TINE protocol, one can switch back to sockets using the supplied radio button. Plase note that the radio buttons are greyed out if TINE protocol was disabled for receiving frames from servers in the local config file.
File preview dialog	If one experience problems with the file preview dialog (slow image selection due to slow network e.g.), one is able to disable the File Preview Dialog or reenable it (if it is wanted again).