MbeadStream

Filters
See also

User Guide:

Defining, training, and modifying bead templates Steps to validate beads

Reference:

MbeadControl MbeadSave MbeadTrain MbeadVerify MsysAlloc

Availability

Not available in MIL-Lite

Available in MIL

Available on Windows

Available on Linux with restrictions

Available on Non-Matrox computer

Available on Matrox 4Sight-X

Available on Matrox 4Sight GP/GPm

Available on Matrox Supersight

Function map

Examples

None.

Function Map

- SysId

- StreamType

Table:

For the type of stream

- Version

- ControlFlag

Table:

For specifying whether to restore or save the camera calibration context

- ContextBeadIdPtr

- SizeByteVarPtr

Parameter Associations

Table:

For performing the stream operation.

Compilation information

Synopsis

Load, restore, or save a MIL bead context from/to a file or memory stream.

Syntax

void MbeadStream(

MIL_TEXT_PTR MemPtrOrFileName,	//in-out
MIL_ID SysId,	//in
MIL_INT64 Operation,	//in
MIL_INT64 StreamType,	//in
MIL_DOUBLE Version,	//in
MIL_INT64 ControlFlag,	//in
MIL_ID *ContextBeadIdPtr,	//in-out
MIL_INT *SizeByteVarPtr	//out

)

Description

This function can load, restore, or save a bead context from/to a file or memory stream.

To inquire the number of bytes necessary to save a bead context, you should first call this function (MbeadStream()) with M_INQUIRE_SIZE_BYTE.

The content saved to memory stream is equivalent to the content saved to file. In addition, any file saved using this function is equivalent to a file saved with MbeadSave().

You can use this and other MIL stream functions, for example, to save all required MIL objects, as well as any other custom data, for your application to a memory stream. Once in a memory stream, you can write the stream to a single file or transfer it over a network. You are responsible for concatenating the streams and for saving the stream to file. All information about the previously allocated bead context (and the templates therein) is saved.

All of the bead context's settings that were in effect when the bead context was saved will be restored. The templates contained within a loaded or restored bead context are not preprocessed, therefore you must call MbeadTrain() before performing a verification with MbeadVerify(). If you had associated a training image with a camera calibration context and you did not save it with the context, you must re-associate the camera calibration context, using MbeadControl() with M_ASSOCIATED_CALIBRATION.

Using MbeadStream(), you can choose to save a backwards-compatible version of the bead context, which will work using a version of MIL that is up to one major release older than the current version (depending on which version is specified). For example, if you allocate a bead context using MIL 10.0 and save it to version 9.0 PP2, you can restore this object on a computer where MIL 9.0 PP2 is installed. However, all settings and features unique to the higher version will be ignored when restored using the lower version. Besides saving backwards-compatible versions, you can also load or restore bead contexts saved using MIL version 9.0 PP2 or above. Settings that do not exist in the lower version will be filled with default values when the bead context is loaded or restored.

Note that this function reference has not been updated for a MIL system added during a MIL update. Refer to the MIL system's release note to see if there is complementary information.

Parameters

This function is not supported on the selected boards.

Parameters

MemPtrOrFileName

Specifies the file or memory stream.

See the Parameter associations section for possible values that can be returned/specified.

SysId

Specifies the system on which to restore the bead context.

See the Parameter associations section for possible values that can be specified.

Operation

Specifies the operation to perform.

See the Parameter associations section for possible values that can be specified.

StreamType

Specifies the type of stream in which to store/from which to restore the bead context. This parameter should be set to one of the following values:

For the type of stream
Value	Description
M_FILE	Specifies a file stream.
M_MEMORY	Specifies a memory stream. You are responsible for allocating a block of memory for the stream. (summarize) Specifies a memory stream. (more details...)

Version

Specifies the MIL version of the bead context. When performing an M_LOAD or M_RESTORE operation, this parameter must be set to M_DEFAULT.

See the Parameter associations section for possible values that can be specified.

ControlFlag

Specifies whether to restore the camera calibration context from the bead context, or save the camera calibration context with the bead context.

For specifying whether to restore or save the camera calibration context
Value	Description
M_DEFAULT	Specifies that the camera calibration is not saved or restored.
M_WITH_CALIBRATION	Specifies that the camera calibration is saved or restored, depending on the MemPtrOrFileName parameter. When restored, the camera calibration must have been previously saved with the context, using MbeadSave() or MbeadStream() with M_WITH_CALIBRATION. The camera calibration information is restored from/ saved to the same file as the bead context. The camera calibration cannot be managed independently from the bead context. When the bead context is freed, the camera calibration is automatically freed as well. (summarize) Specifies that the camera calibration is saved or restored, depending on the MemPtrOrFileName parameter. (more details...)

ContextBeadIdPtr

Specifies the address of the variable in which to write or from which to read the identifier of the bead context.

See the Parameter associations section for possible values that can be returned/specified.

SizeByteVarPtr

Specifies the address of the variable in which to write the size of the bead context, in bytes.

If the size is not required, you can set this parameter to M_NULL.

The size of the bead context varies depending on the MIL version that you specify.

Parameter associations

The table below lists possible values for the MemPtrOrFileName, SysId, Operation, Version, and ContextBeadIdPtr parameters.

For performing the stream operation.

For performing the stream operation.
Operation			Description
	MemPtrOrFileName - Possible values passed or returned
	SysId
	Version
	ContextBeadIdPtr - Possible values passed or returned
M_INQUIRE_SIZE_BYTE			Inquires the number of bytes required to save a bead context to memory stream. This operation is not supported when the StreamType parameter is set to M_FILE. (summarize) Inquires the number of bytes required to save a bead context to memory stream. (more details...)
	MemPtrOrFileName		This parameter must be set to M_NULL. (summarize) This parameter must be set to M_NULL. (more details...)
	SysId		This parameter must be set to M_NULL. (summarize) This parameter must be set to M_NULL. (more details...)
	Version		Specifies the MIL version with which the bead context must be compatible when saved. The size of a bead context might differ from one MIL version to another. (summarize) Specifies the MIL version with which the bead context must be compatible when saved. (more details...)
		M_DEFAULT	Specifies the current version of MIL.
		M_PROC_VERSION_90_PP2	Specifies the version as being MIL 9.0 Processing Pack 2.
		M_PROC_VERSION_100	Specifies the version as being MIL 10.0.
		M_PROC_VERSION_100_PP1	Specifies the version as being MIL 10.0 Processing Pack 1.
		M_PROC_VERSION_100_PP2	Specifies the version as being MIL 10.0 Processing Pack 2.
	ContextBeadIdPtr		Specifies the address of the variable containing the identifier of the bead context. (summarize) Specifies the address of the variable containing the identifier of the bead context. (more details...)
M_LOAD			Loads the content of a specified file or memory stream into a previously allocated bead context. (summarize) Loads the content of a specified file or memory stream into a previously allocated bead context. (more details...)
	MemPtrOrFileName		Specifies the file or memory stream from which to load the context. (summarize) Specifies the file or memory stream from which to load the context. (more details...)
		M_INTERACTIVE	[This is only applicable to Windows] Opens a dialog box from which you can interactively specify the drive, directory, and name of the file, when the StreamType parameter is set to M_FILE.
		MIL_TEXT("FileName") ¹	Specifies the drive, directory, and name of the file (for example, "C:\mydirectory\myfile"), when the StreamType parameter is set to M_FILE. Bead contexts typically have a MBEAD file extension. The function handles (internally) the opening and closing of the file. To specify a file on a remote computer (under Distributed MIL), prefix the specified file name string with "remote:///" (for example, "remote:///C:\mydirectory\myfile"). (summarize) Specifies the drive, directory, and name of the file (for example, "C:\mydirectory\myfile"), when the StreamType parameter is set to M_FILE. (more details...)
		MemPtr	Specifies the address of the block of memory, when the StreamType parameter is set to M_MEMORY. The specified address must correspond to the first memory address in which the object is located, and the block of memory must contain the entire object. The block of memory should be of type MIL_UINT8. However, you must cast the MIL_UINT8 pointer to a MIL_TEXT_PTR. (summarize) Specifies the address of the block of memory, when the StreamType parameter is set to M_MEMORY. (more details...)
	SysId		This parameter must be set to M_NULL. (summarize) This parameter must be set to M_NULL. (more details...)
	Version		This parameter must be set to M_DEFAULT. (summarize) This parameter must be set to M_DEFAULT. (more details...)
	ContextBeadIdPtr		Specifies the address of the variable containing the identifier of the bead context. All previous settings are overwritten with those of the loaded context, or are set to the default value if the settings didn't exist in the version of MIL from which the context is being loaded. (summarize) Specifies the address of the variable containing the identifier of the bead context. (more details...)
M_RESTORE			Restores a bead context from a file or memory stream and assigns it a MIL identifier. (summarize) Restores a bead context from a file or memory stream and assigns it a MIL identifier. (more details...)
	MemPtrOrFileName		Specifies the file or memory stream from which to restore the context. (summarize) Specifies the file or memory stream from which to restore the context. (more details...)
		M_INTERACTIVE	[This is only applicable to Windows] Opens a dialog box from which you can interactively specify the drive, directory, and name of the file, when the StreamType parameter is set to M_FILE.
		MIL_TEXT("FileName") ¹	Specifies the drive, directory, and name of the file (for example, "C:\mydirectory\myfile"), when the StreamType parameter is set to M_FILE. Bead contexts typically have a MBEAD file extension. The function handles (internally) the opening and closing of the file. To specify a file on a remote computer (under Distributed MIL), prefix the specified file name string with "remote:///" (for example, "remote:///C:\mydirectory\myfile"). (summarize) Specifies the drive, directory, and name of the file (for example, "C:\mydirectory\myfile"), when the StreamType parameter is set to M_FILE. (more details...)
		MemPtr	Specifies the address of the block of memory, when the StreamType parameter is set to M_MEMORY. The specified address must correspond to the first memory address in which the object is located, and the block of memory must contain the entire object. To determine the required size, call this function with M_INQUIRE_SIZE_BYTE. The block of memory should be of type MIL_UINT8. However, you must cast the MIL_UINT8 pointer to a MIL_TEXT_PTR. (summarize) Specifies the address of the block of memory, when the StreamType parameter is set to M_MEMORY. (more details...)
	SysId		Specifies the system on which to allocate the bead context. (summarize) Specifies the system on which to allocate the bead context. (more details...)
		M_DEFAULT_HOST	Specifies the default Host system of the current MIL application.
		MIL system identifier	Specifies a valid system identifier, previously allocated using MsysAlloc().
	Version		This parameter must be set to M_DEFAULT. (summarize) This parameter must be set to M_DEFAULT. (more details...)
	ContextBeadIdPtr		Specifies the address of the variable in which to write the identifier of the bead context. If the operation is not successful, M_NULL is returned. (summarize) Specifies the address of the variable in which to write the identifier of the bead context. (more details...)
M_SAVE			Saves a bead context to a specified file or memory stream. (summarize) Saves a bead context to a specified file or memory stream. (more details...)
	MemPtrOrFileName		Specifies the file or memory stream. (summarize) Specifies the file or memory stream. (more details...)
		M_INTERACTIVE	[This is only applicable to Windows] Opens a dialog box from which you can interactively specify the drive, directory, and name of the file, when the StreamType parameter is set to M_FILE.
		MIL_TEXT("FileName") ¹	Specifies the drive, directory, and name of the file (for example, "C:\mydirectory\myfile"), when the StreamType parameter is set to M_FILE. For easier use with other Matrox Imaging software products, when saving a bead context to a file, use the MBEAD file extension. The function handles (internally) the opening and closing of the file. If the file already exists, it will be overwritten. To specify a file on a remote computer (under Distributed MIL), prefix the specified file name string with "remote:///" (for example, "remote:///C:\mydirectory\myfile"). (summarize) Specifies the drive, directory, and name of the file (for example, "C:\mydirectory\myfile"), when the StreamType parameter is set to M_FILE. (more details...)
		MemPtr	Specifies the address of the block of memory, when the StreamType parameter is set to M_MEMORY. The specified address must correspond to the first memory address in which to write, and the block of memory must be large enough to stream the entire object. To determine the required size, call this function with M_INQUIRE_SIZE_BYTE. (summarize) Specifies the address of the block of memory, when the StreamType parameter is set to M_MEMORY. (more details...)
	SysId		This parameter must be set to M_NULL. (summarize) This parameter must be set to M_NULL. (more details...)
	Version		Specifies the MIL version with which the bead context must be compatible when saved. Note that the bead context can only be up to one major release older (MIL 9.0) than the current version. (summarize) Specifies the MIL version with which the bead context must be compatible when saved. (more details...)
		M_DEFAULT	Specifies the current version of MIL.
		M_PROC_VERSION_90_PP2	Specifies the version as being MIL 9.0 Processing Pack 2.
		M_PROC_VERSION_100	Specifies the version as being MIL 10.0.
		M_PROC_VERSION_100_PP1	Specifies the version as being MIL 10.0 Processing Pack 1.
		M_PROC_VERSION_100_PP2	Specifies the version as being MIL 10.0 Processing Pack 2.
	ContextBeadIdPtr		Specifies the address of the variable containing the identifier of the bead context to save. (summarize) Specifies the address of the variable containing the identifier of the bead context to save. (more details...)

¹ If you are passing the value in a variable, don't enclose it in MIL_TEXT().

Compilation information

Header	Include mil.h.
Library	Use mil.lib; milbead.lib.
DLL	Requires mil.dll; milbead.dll.