accessing my sensor using APIs
in [Win32 API]
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From: Faraz on 2 Feb 2010 11:32 Dear All, Lately during one of my projects i have encountered a problem and stuck on that point. I have an optical sensor that i have attached to my pc and it detects colors in terms of RGB values. The sensor is from a famous company and has been supplied with its own software where I could see the data. Now to access those RGB values on visual C (so i could further manipulate the data) the company has provided me with a header file and lib file and ofcourse the dll file. In the documentation which is poorly written they have also described some API functions that have been defined in the header file and should be called in order to access the values from sensor. For example, int USB_DLL_API MTCSGetADCAVR2( int iIndex, unsigned short* usBuf, int iCounts); is one of the functions that I have to use. Now since I am new to dll programming and want to use these functions so I could access the values from sensor, I was wondering if someone could give me a help in order to trigger off my work. I mean I read some articles on how to make a dll but they are rather confusing and I think if the company has already given me the files with functions it should be rather easier to use. I would deeply appreciate your help. regards, Faraz
From: ScottMcP [MVP] on 2 Feb 2010 12:06 On Feb 2, 11:32 am, Faraz <faras...(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Dear All, > > Lately during one of my projects i have encountered a problem and > stuck on that point. I have an optical sensor that i have attached to > my pc and it detects colors in terms of RGB values. The sensor is from > a famous company and has been supplied with its own software where I > could see the data. Now to access those RGB values on visual C (so i > could further manipulate the data) the company has provided me with a > header file and lib file and ofcourse the dll file. In the > documentation which is poorly written they have also described some > API functions that have been defined in the header file and should be > called in order to access the values from sensor. For example, int > USB_DLL_API MTCSGetADCAVR2( int iIndex, unsigned short* usBuf, int > iCounts); is one of the functions that I have to use. > Now since I am new to dll programming and want to use these functions > so I could access the values from sensor, I was wondering if someone > could give me a help in order to trigger off my work. I mean I read > some articles on how to make a dll but they are rather confusing and I > think if the company has already given me the files with functions it > should be rather easier to use. > I would deeply appreciate your help. > > regards, > Faraz You said the company has provided you with a DLL, but you seem to be asking how to make a DLL. Do you really mean to ask how to use a DLL? To use a DLL you must #include the provided .h file and you must add the name of the provided .lib file into your project's linker settings (at 'Additional Dependencies'). Then you can call functions in the DLL. When you run the program make sure the provided DLL is in the same directory as your program.
From: Ulrich Eckhardt on 2 Feb 2010 12:20 Faraz wrote: > The sensor [...] has been supplied with its own software where I > could see the data. Now to access those RGB values on visual C (so i > could further manipulate the data) the company has provided me with a > header file and lib file and ofcourse the dll file. So far, that is common. > Now since I am new to dll programming and want to use these functions > so I could access the values from sensor, I was wondering if someone > could give me a help in order to trigger off my work. Some steps: 1. Create a new VC project for C or C++. 2. Add "#include <sensor_header.h>" in a source file. You might have to tweak the path where the compiler searches for include files or move the file so it gets found. 3. Add "#pragma comment(lib, "sensor_library.lib")" in a source file. You might have to tweak the path where the linker searches for libraries or move the lib file so it gets found. 4. Add "&MTCSGetADCAVR2;" in a function in a source file. This just takes the address of a function of the library for testing, so the DLL must be present for that. You might have to move the DLL so it gets found, see the documentation for LoadLibrary() at http://msdn.microsoft.com. After each step, verify that your project still compiles, links and runs correctly. If you're through, you have a working setup capable of using the functions declared in the header. > I mean I read some articles on how to make a dll but they are rather > confusing and I think if the company has already given me the files > with functions it should be rather easier to use. You don't want to create a DLL but use the one you already got. ;) Uli -- Sator Laser GmbH Geschäftsführer: Thorsten Föcking, Amtsgericht Hamburg HR B62 932
From: r_z_aret on 2 Feb 2010 12:44 On Tue, 2 Feb 2010 08:32:06 -0800 (PST), Faraz <farashes(a)gmail.com> wrote: >Dear All, > >Lately during one of my projects i have encountered a problem and >stuck on that point. I have an optical sensor that i have attached to >my pc and it detects colors in terms of RGB values. The sensor is from >a famous company and has been supplied with its own software where I >could see the data. Now to access those RGB values on visual C (so i >could further manipulate the data) the company has provided me with a >header file and lib file and ofcourse the dll file. In the >documentation which is poorly written they have also described some >API functions that have been defined in the header file and should be >called in order to access the values from sensor. For example, int >USB_DLL_API MTCSGetADCAVR2( int iIndex, unsigned short* usBuf, int >iCounts); is one of the functions that I have to use. >Now since I am new to dll programming and want to use these functions >so I could access the values from sensor, I was wondering if someone >could give me a help in order to trigger off my work. I mean I read >some articles on how to make a dll but they are rather confusing and I >think if the company has already given me the files with functions it >should be rather easier to use. >I would deeply appreciate your help. Earlier posts provide good detail. I'll add a somewhat different perspective. The usual, and easier, method is to use static binding. For this, you 1) use #include for the header file so your compiler recognizes the functions, etc. 2) link to the lib file. You can use a #pragma as an earlier post suggested, or you can modify the settings in your project file (probably using the settings dialog in your IDE) 3) distribute the DLL with your executable, and put it in a directory that the operating system searches for DLLs (could be with the executable) If you want your program to run even when the DLL is not present, you need to use dynamic linking. For this, you 1) use #include for the header file 2) use LoadLibrary and GetProcAddress to load the DLL and access its functions. I don't think this is the way to go for your project, so I didn't bother with some important details. > >regards, >Faraz ----------------------------------------- To reply to me, remove the underscores (_) from my email address (and please indicate which newsgroup and message). Robert E. Zaret, eMVP PenFact, Inc. 20 Park Plaza, Suite 400 Boston, MA 02116 www.penfact.com Useful reading (be sure to read its disclaimer first): http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
From: Faraz on 4 Feb 2010 13:35 On Feb 2, 9:44 am, r_z_aret(a)pen_fact.com wrote: > On Tue, 2 Feb 2010 08:32:06 -0800 (PST), Faraz <faras...(a)gmail.com> > wrote: > > > > > > >Dear All, > > >Lately during one of my projects i have encountered a problem and > >stuck on that point. I have an optical sensor that i have attached to > >my pc and it detects colors in terms of RGB values. The sensor is from > >a famous company and has been supplied with its own software where I > >could see the data. Now to access those RGB values on visual C (so i > >could further manipulate the data) the company has provided me with a > >header file and lib file and ofcourse the dll file. In the > >documentation which is poorly written they have also described some > >API functions that have been defined in the header file and should be > >called in order to access the values from sensor. For example, int > >USB_DLL_API MTCSGetADCAVR2( int iIndex, unsigned short* usBuf, int > >iCounts); is one of the functions that I have to use. > >Now since I am new to dll programming and want to use these functions > >so I could access the values from sensor, I was wondering if someone > >could give me a help in order to trigger off my work. I mean I read > >some articles on how to make a dll but they are rather confusing and I > >think if the company has already given me the files with functions it > >should be rather easier to use. > >I would deeply appreciate your help. > > Earlier posts provide good detail. I'll add a somewhat different > perspective. > > The usual, and easier, method is to use static binding. For this, you > 1) use #include for the header file so your compiler recognizes the > functions, etc. > 2) link to the lib file. You can use a #pragma as an earlier post > suggested, or you can modify the settings in your project file > (probably using the settings dialog in your IDE) > 3) distribute the DLL with your executable, and put it in a directory > that the operating system searches for DLLs (could be with the > executable) > > If you want your program to run even when the DLL is not present, you > need to use dynamic linking. For this, you > 1) use #include for the header file > 2) use LoadLibrary and GetProcAddress to load the DLL and access its > functions. > I don't think this is the way to go for your project, so I didn't > bother with some important details. > > > > >regards, > >Faraz > > ----------------------------------------- > To reply to me, remove the underscores (_) from my email address (and please indicate which newsgroup and message). > > Robert E. Zaret, eMVP > PenFact, Inc. > 20 Park Plaza, Suite 400 > Boston, MA 02116www.penfact.com > Useful reading (be sure to read its disclaimer first): > http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - Dear All, Thanks so far! Using the implicit Dll call atleast I have started the way you said and have written a code. What I have done is that in Project settings- >preprocesser->include directories, I have given the path of where my header file is, in my case I have set to D:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\MyProjects\sensor\MTCSApi.h because this is where I have placed my header file (is this the right place for it?). Similarly for linker I have given the path putting .lib file in debug folder where my exe also exists. I have written a small code #include<iostream.h> #include<MTCSApi.h> main() { /* The actual call to the function contained in the dll */ int ReturnVal = MTCSInitSystem("0", 0x152a, 0x8220); cout<<"The value"<<ReturnVal; } just to see, as you said that if sensor was being initialized or not. i made this cpp file like normal win32 console application, and have included the header as shown. Now at compilation I am getting the following errors: d:\program files\microsoft visual studio\vc98\include\mtcsapi.h(43) : error C2146: syntax error : missing ';' before identifier 'MTCSDllGetVersion' d:\program files\microsoft visual studio\vc98\include\mtcsapi.h(43) : error C2182: 'USB_DLL_API' : illegal use of type 'void' d:\program files\microsoft visual studio\vc98\include\mtcsapi.h(43) : fatal error C1004: unexpected end of file found and when I try to debug it takes me to the header file of the sensor with the above mentioned errors. I was wondering if one of you could suggest that where the problem lies since it is a prechecked h file from the company. regards
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