AcquisitionMultipleCamerasWriteToFile.cpp

AcquisitionMultipleCamerasWriteToFile.cpp shows how to acquire images from one or more cameras and write the images to a binary file. Thereafter, the acquired images can be retrieved from the file and saved using a desired file format supported by the current Spinnaker SDK.

This example covers most of the basics for getting started with the Spinnaker API including acquiring system objects, camera list acquisition and initialization of cameras, acquisition of images and writing to a file, image retrieval from a file, conversion and saving with desired file format is covered as well.

Please leave us feedback at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TDYMVAPI More source code examples at: https://github.com/Teledyne-MV/Spinnaker-Examples Need help? Check out our forum at: https://teledynevisionsolutions.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/topics

//=============================================================================
// Copyright (c) 2025 FLIR Integrated Imaging Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
//
// This software is the confidential and proprietary information of FLIR
// Integrated Imaging Solutions, Inc. ("Confidential Information"). You
// shall not disclose such Confidential Information and shall use it only in
// accordance with the terms of the license agreement you entered into
// with FLIR Integrated Imaging Solutions, Inc. (FLIR).
//
// FLIR MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES ABOUT THE SUITABILITY OF THE
// SOFTWARE, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
// IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
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// SUFFERED BY LICENSEE AS A RESULT OF USING, MODIFYING OR DISTRIBUTING
// THIS SOFTWARE OR ITS DERIVATIVES.
//=============================================================================
 
#include "Spinnaker.h"
#include "SpinGenApi/SpinnakerGenApi.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <sstream>
#include <fstream>
#include <vector>
#include <assert.h>
 
using namespace Spinnaker;
using namespace Spinnaker::GenApi;
using namespace Spinnaker::GenICam;
using namespace std;
 
// Directory to save data to.
// Modify this to save images to a different directory
const string kDestinationDirectory = "";
 
// Number of images to grab
const unsigned int k_numImages = 30;
 
// This struct defines image information for each unique device
// An ImageInfo struct is created for each device detected
struct ImageInfo
{
    size_t imageWidth;
    size_t imageHeight;
    PixelFormatEnums pixelFormat;
    string imageFileName;
    std::shared_ptr<fstream> imageFile;
 
    ImageInfo(string filename)
        : imageWidth(0), imageHeight(0), pixelFormat(UNKNOWN_PIXELFORMAT), imageFileName(filename)
    {
    }
};
 
// This vector stores all the ImageInfo for all cameras
vector<ImageInfo> imageInfos;
 
// Create files to save each of the camera images
bool CreateFiles(unsigned int numCameras)
{
    bool result = true;
    for (unsigned int cameraCnt = 0; cameraCnt < numCameras; cameraCnt++)
    {
        stringstream sstream;
        string tmpFilename;
 
        sstream << kDestinationDirectory << "camera" << cameraCnt << ".tmp";
        sstream >> tmpFilename;
 
        imageInfos.push_back(ImageInfo(tmpFilename));
 
        cout << "Creating " << tmpFilename << "..." << endl;
 
        // Create temporary files
        imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageFile = std::make_shared<fstream>(
            tmpFilename.c_str(), fstream::trunc | fstream::in | fstream::out | fstream::binary);
 
        if (!imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageFile)
        {
            assert(false);
            result = false;
        }
    }
    return result;
}
 
// This function prints the device information of the camera from the transport
// layer; please see NodeMapInfo example for more in-depth comments on printing
// device information from the nodemap.
int PrintDeviceInfo(INodeMap& nodeMap)
{
    int result = 0;
    cout << endl << "*** DEVICE INFORMATION ***" << endl << endl;
 
    try
    {
        FeatureList_t features;
        CCategoryPtr category = nodeMap.GetNode("DeviceInformation");
        if (IsReadable(category))
        {
            category->GetFeatures(features);
 
            FeatureList_t::const_iterator it;
            for (it = features.begin(); it != features.end(); ++it)
            {
                try
                {
                    CNodePtr pfeatureNode = *it;
                    cout << pfeatureNode->GetName() << " : ";
                    CValuePtr pValue = (CValuePtr)pfeatureNode;
                    cout << (IsReadable(pValue) ? pValue->ToString() : "Node not readable");
                    cout << endl;
                }
                catch (Spinnaker::Exception)
                {
                    cout << "Node not readable" << endl;
                }
            }
        }
        else
        {
            cout << "Device control information not readable." << endl;
        }
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// This function configure each of the cameras including the acquisition mode
bool ConfigureCameras(CameraList& camList, unsigned int numCameras)
{
    bool result = true;
 
    cout << endl << endl << "*** CONFIGURING CAMERAS... ***" << endl << endl;
 
    try
    {
        for (unsigned int cameraCnt = 0; cameraCnt < numCameras; cameraCnt++)
        {
            // Get the camera node Map
            INodeMap& nodeMap = camList.GetByIndex(cameraCnt)->GetNodeMap();
 
            // Set acquisition mode to continuous
            CEnumerationPtr ptrAcquisitionMode = nodeMap.GetNode("AcquisitionMode");
            if (!IsReadable(ptrAcquisitionMode))
            {
                cout << "Unable to get acquisition mode to continuous (node retrieval). Aborting..." << endl << endl;
                return false;
            }
 
            CEnumEntryPtr ptrAcquisitionModeContinuous = ptrAcquisitionMode->GetEntryByName("Continuous");
            if (!IsReadable(ptrAcquisitionModeContinuous))
            {
                cout << "Unable to set acquisition mode to continuous (entry 'continuous' retrieval). Aborting..."
                     << endl
                     << endl;
                return false;
            }
 
            int64_t acquisitionModeContinuous = ptrAcquisitionModeContinuous->GetValue();
 
            if (!IsWritable(ptrAcquisitionMode))
            {
                cout << "Unable to set acquisition mode to continuous (node retrieval). Aborting..." << endl << endl;
                return false;
            }
 
            ptrAcquisitionMode->SetIntValue(acquisitionModeContinuous);
 
            cout << "Camera[" << cameraCnt << "]: Acquisition mode set to continuous..." << endl;
 
            CEnumerationPtr ptrPixelFormat = nodeMap.GetNode("PixelFormat");
 
            if (!IsWritable(ptrPixelFormat))
            {
                cout << "Unable to set Pixel Format mode (node retrieval). Aborting..." << endl << endl;
                return false;
            }
 
            CEnumEntryPtr ptrPixelFormatBayerRG8 = ptrPixelFormat->GetEntryByName("BayerRG8");
            CEnumEntryPtr ptrMono8 = ptrPixelFormat->GetEntryByName("Mono8");
 
            if (IsReadable(ptrPixelFormatBayerRG8))
            {
                ptrPixelFormat->SetIntValue(ptrPixelFormatBayerRG8->GetValue());
 
                // Keep the track of the pixel Format
                imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).pixelFormat = PixelFormatEnums::PixelFormat_BayerRG8;
                cout << "Camera[" << cameraCnt
                     << "]: Pixel format set to: " << ptrPixelFormat->GetCurrentEntry()->GetName() << endl;
            }
            else if (IsReadable(ptrMono8))
            {
                ptrPixelFormat->SetIntValue(ptrMono8->GetValue());
 
                // Keep the track of the pixel Format
                imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).pixelFormat = PixelFormatEnums::PixelFormat_Mono8;
 
                cout << "Camera[" << cameraCnt << "]: Pixel format set to "
                     << ptrPixelFormat->GetCurrentEntry()->GetName() << endl;
            }
            else
            {
                cout << "Unable to set pixel format (enum entry retrieval). Aborting..." << endl << endl;
                return false;
            }
        }
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        result = false;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// This function acquires and saves k_numImages images from a device; please see
// Acquisition example for more in-depth comments on acquiring images.
bool AcquireImagesAndSaveToFile(CameraList& camList, unsigned int numCameras)
{
    bool result = true;
 
    uint64_t missedImageCnts = 0;
 
    cout << endl << endl << "*** ACQUIRING AND SAVING IMAGES TO A FILE ***" << endl << endl;
 
    try
    {
 
        // Begin acquiring images in all cameras
        for (unsigned int cameraCnt = 0; cameraCnt < numCameras; cameraCnt++)
        {
            camList.GetByIndex(cameraCnt)->BeginAcquisition();
            cout << "Camera[" << cameraCnt << "]: Started acquiring images" << endl;
        }
 
        for (unsigned int imageCnt = 0; imageCnt < k_numImages; imageCnt++)
        {
            // Loop through each of the cameras
            for (unsigned int cameraCnt = 0; cameraCnt < numCameras; cameraCnt++)
            {
                try
                {
                    // Retrieve the next received image
                    ImagePtr pResultImage = camList.GetByIndex(cameraCnt)->GetNextImage(1000);
 
                    if (pResultImage->IsIncomplete())
                    {
                        cout << "Image incomplete with image status " << pResultImage->GetImageStatus() << "..." << endl
                             << endl;
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        char* imageData = static_cast<char*>(pResultImage->GetData());
 
                        // Do the writing
                        imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageFile->write(imageData, pResultImage->GetImageSize());
 
                        // Check if the writing is successful
                        if (!imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageFile->good())
                        {
                            cout << "Error writing to file for camera " << cameraCnt << " !" << endl;
                            return false;
                        }
 
                        if (imageCnt == 0)
                        {
                            // This is the first image, save image size
                            imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageHeight = pResultImage->GetHeight();
                            imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageWidth = pResultImage->GetWidth();
                        }
                    }
 
                    // Release image
                    pResultImage->Release();
                }
                catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
                {
                    cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
                    result = false;
                }
            }
        }
        // End acquisition for all cameras
        for (unsigned int cameraCnt = 0; cameraCnt < numCameras; cameraCnt++)
        {
            // Check for any dropped images
            CIntegerPtr pDroppedImages =
                camList.GetByIndex(cameraCnt)->GetTLStreamNodeMap().GetNode("StreamDroppedFrameCount");
            if (IsReadable(pDroppedImages))
            {
                if (pDroppedImages->GetValue() > 0)
                {
                    missedImageCnts += pDroppedImages->GetValue();
                    cout << pDroppedImages->GetValue() << " images "
                         << " missed at camera " << cameraCnt << endl;
                }
            }
            else
            {
                cout << "Unable to determine the dropped frame count from the nodemap at camera " << cameraCnt << endl
                     << endl;
            }
            camList.GetByIndex(cameraCnt)->EndAcquisition();
            cout << "Camera[" << cameraCnt << "]: Stop acquiring images " << endl;
        }
        cout << endl;
 
        cout << "We missed a total of " << missedImageCnts << " images!" << endl << endl;
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        result = false;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
bool RetrieveImagesFromFiles(unsigned int numCameras, string fileFormat = "bmp")
{
    bool result = true;
 
    try
    {
        // Loop through the saved files for each camera and retrieve the images
        for (unsigned int cameraCnt = 0; cameraCnt < numCameras; cameraCnt++)
        {
            string tempFilename = imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageFileName;
 
            size_t imageSize = imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageHeight * imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageWidth;
 
            cout << "Opening " << tempFilename.c_str() << "..." << endl;
 
            std::shared_ptr<fstream> rawFile = imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageFile;
 
            if (!rawFile->good())
            {
                cout << "Error opening file: " << imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageFileName.c_str() << " Aborting..."
                     << endl;
 
                return false;
            }
 
            cout << "Splitting images" << endl;
            rawFile->seekg(0);
 
            // Read image into buffer
            for (int imageCnt = 0; imageCnt < k_numImages; imageCnt++)
            {
                string readImageFilename;
 
                stringstream sstream;
 
                std::shared_ptr<char> pBuffer(new char[imageSize], std::default_delete<char[]>());
 
                rawFile->read(pBuffer.get(), imageSize);
 
                // Import image into Image structure
                ImagePtr pImage = Image::Create(
                    imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageWidth,
                    imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).imageHeight,
                    0,
                    0,
                    imageInfos.at(cameraCnt).pixelFormat,
                    pBuffer.get());
 
                // Create file location and file name
                sstream << kDestinationDirectory << "camera" << cameraCnt << "_" << imageCnt << "." << fileFormat;
 
                sstream >> readImageFilename;
 
                //  Save image to disk
                pImage->Save(readImageFilename.c_str());
 
                // Check if reading is successful
                if (!rawFile->good())
                {
                    cout << "Error reading from image " << imageCnt << " for camera " << cameraCnt << ". Aborting..."
                         << endl;
 
                    return false;
                }
 
                cout << "Camera[" << cameraCnt << "]: Retrieved image " << imageCnt << endl;
            }
 
            cout << endl << endl;
        }
    }
 
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        return false;
    }
    return result;
}
// This function acts as the body of the example; please see NodeMapInfo example
// for more in-depth comments on setting up cameras.
int RunCameras(CameraList& camList, unsigned int numCameras)
{
    int result = 0;
 
    try
    {
        // Retrieve TL device nodemap, print device information, and initialize camera
        for (unsigned int i = 0; i < numCameras; i++)
        {
            cout << endl << "Printing device info for camera " << i << "..." << endl;
 
            INodeMap& nodeMapTLDevice = camList.GetByIndex(i)->GetTLDeviceNodeMap();
 
            result = PrintDeviceInfo(nodeMapTLDevice);
 
            cout << endl << "Initializing camera " << i << "..." << endl;
 
            camList.GetByIndex(i)->Init();
        }
 
        // Create files to write
        if (!CreateFiles(numCameras))
        {
            cout << "There was an error creating the files. Aborting..." << endl;
            return -1;
        }
 
        // Configure each of the cameras before starting the acquisition
        if (!ConfigureCameras(camList, numCameras))
        {
            return -1;
        }
 
        // Acquire Imageas from each camera and save to a file
        if (!AcquireImagesAndSaveToFile(camList, numCameras))
        {
            return -1;
        }
 
        // Retrieve all the images from each file and
        // save the image using a particular file format
        if (!RetrieveImagesFromFiles(numCameras, "bmp"))
        {
            return -1;
        }
 
        // Deinitialize camera
        for (unsigned int i = 0; i < numCameras; i++)
        {
            cout << endl << "Deinitializing camera " << i << "..." << endl;
 
            camList.GetByIndex(i)->DeInit();
        }
    }
    catch (Spinnaker::Exception& e)
    {
        cout << "Error: " << e.what() << endl;
        result = -1;
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// Example entry point; please see Enumeration example for more in-depth
// comments on preparing and cleaning up the system.
int main(int /*argc*/, char** /*argv*/)
{
    // Since this application saves images in the current folder
    // we must ensure that we have permission to write to this folder.
    // If we do not have permission, fail right away.
    string testFile = kDestinationDirectory + "test.txt";
    FILE* tempFile = fopen(testFile.c_str(), "w+");
    if (tempFile == nullptr)
    {
        cout << "Failed to create file in current folder.  Please check "
                "permissions."
             << endl;
        cout << "Press Enter to exit..." << endl;
        getchar();
        return -1;
    }
    fclose(tempFile);
    remove(testFile.c_str());
 
    int result = 0;
 
    // Print application build information
    cout << "Application build date: " << __DATE__ << " " << __TIME__ << endl << endl;
 
    // Retrieve singleton reference to system object
    SystemPtr system = System::GetInstance();
 
    // Print out current library version
    const LibraryVersion spinnakerLibraryVersion = system->GetLibraryVersion();
    cout << "Spinnaker library version: " << spinnakerLibraryVersion.major << "." << spinnakerLibraryVersion.minor
         << "." << spinnakerLibraryVersion.type << "." << spinnakerLibraryVersion.build << endl
         << endl;
 
    // Retrieve list of cameras from the system
    CameraList camList = system->GetCameras();
 
    unsigned int numCameras = camList.GetSize();
 
    cout << "Number of cameras detected: " << numCameras << endl << endl;
 
    // Finish if there are no cameras
    if (numCameras == 0)
    {
        // Clear camera list before releasing system
        camList.Clear();
 
        // Release system
        system->ReleaseInstance();
 
        cout << "Not enough cameras!" << endl;
        cout << "Done! Press Enter to exit..." << endl;
        getchar();
 
        return -1;
    }
 
    // Run example on all cameras
    result = result | RunCameras(camList, numCameras);
 
    // Clear camera list before releasing system
    camList.Clear();
 
    // Release system
    system->ReleaseInstance();
 
    cout << endl << "Done! Press Enter to exit..." << endl;
    getchar();
 
    return result;
}