INI File Users Guide

1 INI File Overview
2 Pre-defined DevWare Presets
3 User-Defined DevWare Presets
4 Special Preset Name Prefixes
5 User-Defined DevWare Toolbar Buttons
6 List of INI Commands
7 Command Syntax
8 Custom Register Dialog Definition via "[Register Tabs"]

INI File Overview

Aptina Imaging software uses sensor specific .ini files for many of its applications. The .ini file contains groups of commands called presets. Each preset has a name enclosed in square brackets, like [Reset]. Some presets are required for the DevWare application; while others can be added by the user. The DevWare application provides several tools which will allow the user to create and edit ini presets. There is also a function in the ApBase API which allows the user to load a preset from an .ini file in their own custom application (see ap_LoadINIPreset()).

Pre-defined DevWare Presets

The following presets are used by DevWare and other Aptina Imaging software. The user may edit the commands in these presets, but the preset should not be deleted or renamed for proper software execution.

[Reset]	Reset the sensor to its power-on state. Activated by the Reset button the DevWare toolbar.
[Demo Initialization]	The recommended register settings for the sensor in the demo environment. Activated by the Init button on the DevWare toolbar.
[DevWare Initialization]	Settings to initialize DevWare and the sensor for the demo environment. If this preset doesn't exist, Demo Initialization is used.
[SensorDemo Initialization]	Settings to initialize SensorDemo (DevWare /DEMO) and the sensor. If this preset doesn't exist, SensorDemo will fall back to DevWare Initialization or Demo Initialization.
[Monochrome Initialization]	Recommended register settings to use for the monochrome version of the sensor.
[Initialize]	Create a file called prescan.ini and put it in the apps_data directory of the installation directory. In the file have a preset called [Initialize]. [Initialize] will be executed prior to other board initialization and prior to accesses to the sensor board. This works for Demo 2, 2X, 3 and 3X. Note: There aren't separate initialize preset names per base board type, but it's possible to distinguish between, for example, Demo3 and 3X, with an IF_SERIAL command in the [Initialize] preset.
[Startup Wizard]	DevWare will run that instead of the Startup Wizard dialog. Doing that is unconditional, though. There is no way to run Startup Wizard from ini script.
[Viewfinder ON]	Switch into Preview mode. Activated by the Preview button on the DevWare toolbar.
[Viewfinder OFF]	Switch out of Preview mode. Activated by the Preview button on the DevWare toolbar.
[Video Capture ON]	Switch into Video Capture mode. Activated by the Record button on the DevWare toolbar unless Screen capture only (no register changes) is selected on Sensor Control, Video Capture dialog.
[Video Capture OFF]	Switch out of Video Capture mode. Activated when video capture ends, unless Screen capture only (no register changes) is selected on Sensor Control, Video Capture dialog.
[Color Processing ON]	Enable software color processing. Activated by the Auto button on the DevWare toolbar.
[Color Processing OFF]	Disable software color processing. Activated by the Auto button on the DevWare toolbar.
[Camera 1]	Select primary sensor on a two-sensor system.
[Camera 2]	Select secondary sensor on a two-sensor system.
[Pre Still Capture]	Activated before a still image capture, unless Current Image is selected on Sensor Control, Still Capture dialog.
[Post Still Capture]	Activated after a still image capture, unless Current Image is selected on Sensor Control, Still Capture dialog.
[Data Types]	Define data types for sensor registers and bitfields. Activated at DevWare startup. Deprecated since the .xsdat files contain this information now.
[Register Tabs]	Define the tabs, groups, and controls for the optional "Scripts" version of the Register Dialog.
[Python:]	Python code that will be executed automatically when the file is opened in a Presets dialog in DevWare. This is a good place to put import statements, function def statements and any other definitions that may be used by other presets in the file.
[Python: Unload]	Python code that will be executed automatically when the Presets dialog is closed (including when DevWare exits).

User-Defined DevWare Presets

You may create your own presets using a text editor, or various tools in DevWareX.
The preset name may consist of any combination of ASCII characters (alphanumeric, symbolic, space, etc.) except "[", "]", "," or the sequence "//".
To execute the preset select it in the DevWare Presets dialog and click Load.

Special Preset Name Prefixes

The following preset name prefixes have special meaning.

[Toolbar: …]	The preset will get a button on the User Toolbar assigned to it. See below.
[Toolbar2: …]	The preset will get a button on the 2^nd User Toolbar assigned to it. See below.
[Python: …]	The preset contains Python code instead of ini commands. See the DevWare Python Development Guide document.
[Hidden: …]	The preset will not appear in the DevWare Presets dialog list box. You can leave off the 'Hidden:' part in LOAD= commands. For example 'LOAD=PLL-On' can load [Hidden: PLL-On].
[Patch <id>; <color>; <description>]	A preset name formatted like this will be recognized as a firmware patch by the Load Patches dialog page of the Sensor Control dialog. <id> is the patch ID, usually four hex digits. <color> is one of "critical", "recommended", "feature-recommended", "feature recommended", "customer", "customer-specific", "customer specific". <description> is a short text description of the patch.

User-Defined DevWare Toolbar Buttons

If the name of a preset begins with "Toolbar:" or "Toolbar2:" then DevWare will create a button on the corresponding User Toolbar that executes the preset. The remainder of the preset name after "Toolbar:" or "Toolbar2:" will be used as the button label. You can further define the characteristics and behavior of the toolbar button with the ICON=, TOOLTIP=, MENUITEM= and SHORTCUT= special commands.
The maximum number of buttons on a User Toolbar is 20.

Example: Simple button
[Toolbar: Zoom 1X]
ICON= zoom.ico
TOOLTIP= "Restore the display zoom to 1X"
SHORTCUT= Ctrl+1
STATE= Display Zoom Percent, 100

Example: Menu button
[Toolbar: Quick Zoom]
ICON= zoom.ico
TOOLTIP= "Select a Display Zoom setting"
MENUITEM= "1/4", LOAD= Zoom.25X, RADIO= STATE:Display Zoom Percent == 25
MENUITEM= "1:1", LOAD= Zoom1X, RADIO= STATE:Display Zoom Percent == 100
MENUITEM= "4X", LOAD= Zoom4X, RADIO= STATE:Display Zoom Percent == 400
[Zoom.25X]
STATE= Display Zoom Percent, 25
[Zoom1X]
STATE= Display Zoom Percent, 100
[Zoom4X]
STATE= Display Zoom Percent, 400

List of INI Commands

Command	Definition
BITFIELD	Write a value to a bitfield of a register.
DATATYPE	Define the data type and optional valid range of a named register or bitfield.
DELAY	Delay a certain amount of time (in milliseconds) before continuing.
ERROR_IF	Output an error message and stop execution if a condition is met.
FAR1	Write a value to a sensor register on the first attached camera.
FAR2	Write a value to a sensor register on the second attached camera.
FIELD_WR	Write to a register or bitfield by name. Command works for any kind of register, variable or SFR.
ICON	Define the icon for a User Toolbar button.
IF_FIELD	Similar to LOAD, but conditioned on the value of a register.
IF_REG	Similar to LOAD, but conditioned on the value of a register.
IF_SERIAL	Similar to IF_REG, but can access any device on the SHiP bus.
IMAGE	Set software to expect the given image size and type. Command does not change sensor mode.
LOAD	Load a preset from an ini file.
LOAD_PROM	Load a preset from an EEPROM.
LOG	Add a text string to the Log window.
MEM	Write a value to an SOC RAM location.
MEM8	Write a value to an 8-bit SOC RAM location.
MEM32	Write a value to a 32-bit SOC RAM location.
MENUITEM	Define sub-menu items for a User Toolbar button.
OPTION	Set a DevWare Option variable.
POLL_FIELD	Poll a register. Similar to DELAY, but conditioned on the value of a register.
POLL_REG	Poll a register. Similar to DELAY, but conditioned on the value of a register.
POLL_VAR	Poll a variable. Similar to DELAY, but conditioned on the value of a variable.
PROMPT	Give the user a multiple-choice dialog, or show a message.
PYTHON	Invoke a one-line Python statement.
REG	Write a value to a register.
REG_BURST	Write a sequence of register values in one bus transaction.
SAVE_IMAGE	Write image data to files.
SAVE_REGS	Write register values to a file.
SENSOR_BASE	Set or detect the sensor SHiP base address.
SERIAL_REG	Low-level write to Two-Wire Serial Interface register.
SFR	Write a value to a special function register, on certain sensors.
SFR8	Write a value to an 8-bit special function register, on certain sensors.
SHORTCUT	Define a keyboard shortcut for a User Toolbar button.
STATE	Set a variable within the software, not on the sensor.
TOOLTIP	Define a tooltip for a User Toolbar button.
VAR	Write a value to a firmware variable.
VAR32	Write a value to a 32-bit firmware variable.
VAR8	Write a value to an 8-bit firmware variable.
XMCLK	Set the XMCLK (sensor external clock) frequency.

Command Syntax

Note: [ ] items are optional.

BITFIELD = [<page>,] <address>, <mask>, <value> //<comment>

Write a value to a bitfield of a register.

Example: for register 0xC3 on page 2, set bit 5 to 1
BITFIELD= 2, 0xC3, 0x0020, 1

DATATYPE = <register name>, [<bitfield name>,] <type> [, RANGE= <min>:<max>] //<comment>

Defines a data type and optional valid range for a register or bitfield. The data type is used by DevWare when displaying the value in decimal format in the Registers window and Watch window. The range is used for the slider control on the Registers window.

Possible values for <type> are: unsigned, signed (2's complement), signmag (sign-magnitude), fixed1…fixed32 (2's complement fixed-point), ufixed1…ufixed32, float16, float (IEEE single precision).

Example: RED_GAIN register has five fractional bits.
DATATYPE = RED_GAIN, ufixed5
Example: CAM_HUE_ANGLE is signed and ranges from -22 to 22.
DATATYPE= CAM_HUE_ANGLE, signed, RANGE= -22:22

DELAY = <milliseconds> //<comment>

Valid value range is 0 to 5000.

Delay a certain amount of time (in milliseconds) before continuing.

Example: Delay 1000 milliseconds.
DELAY = 1000 //delay 1000 milliseconds

ERROR_IF = <register name>, [<bitfield name>,] <condition>, "<message>" //<comment>

Only <, <=, ==, !=, >, >= are supported for <condition>.

If the condition is true, show the message in an error dialog. The user may choose to continue executing the preset or stop. (The midlib2 mi_LoadINIPreset() call will output a message to the log file if logging is on, and stop executing the preset.)

Example: Read register SEQ_STATE, if it is not equal to 3 show the message "Not in preview mode".
ERROR_IF= SEQ_STATE, !=3, "Not in preview mode."

FAR1 = <page>, <address>, [<mask>,] <value> //<comment>

Write to a register on the first attached camera. The <page> parameter is required. If the sensor doesn't use paged register addressing use 0 for the page number.

The optional mask parameter lets you set a bitfield, like the BITFIELD command.
Example: Set bit 5 in register 0x3044 on the attached camera
FAR1= 0, 0x3044, 0x0020, 1

FAR2 = <page>, <address>, [<mask>,] <value> //<comment>

Write to a register on the second attached camera. The <page> parameter is required. If the sensor doesn't use paged register addressing use 0 for the page number.

The optional mask parameter lets you set a bitfield, like the BITFIELD command.
Example: Set bit 5 in register 0x3044 on the attached camera
FAR2= 0, 0x3044, 0x0020, 1

FIELD_WR = <register name>, [<bitfield name>,] <value> //<comment>

Write to a register or bitfield by name. Command works for any kind of register, variable or SFR.

Example: Set "SEQ_CAP_MODE" variable to 0.
FIELD_WR = SEQ_CAP_MODE, 0 //capture parameters, VIDEO Off

ICON = <icon name> [,CHECKED|RADIO= <register name>[:<bitfield name>]|STATE:<STATE variable> <condition>] [,ENABLED= <register name>[:<bitfield name>|:<mask>]|STATE:<STATE variable> <condition>] //<comment>

Defines the icon image and button state for a User Toolbar button in DevWare. Only takes effect if the preset name begins with “Toolbar:” or “Toolbar2:”.

If the <icon name> contains a dot “.” character, it's interpreted as a filename with a path relative to the ini file. The icon file can be a .ico or a .bmp (24x24 pixels, 32-bpp, R-G-B-alpha) file.

Example: Load icon from file zoom.ico.
ICON = zoom.ico

Otherwise the name specifies a built-in icon image. The built-in images are different colored shapes. Specify the shape and color. The shapes are circle, square, triangle and star. The colors are black, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, gray and white.

Example: Use a built-in icon image.
ICON= green square.

Optionally you can define the 'checked' (pressed-in) and enabled (not grayed out) state for the button, based on the value of a register, bitfield or DevWare STATE variable. The <condition> can be ==, !=, <, >, <=, or >= followed by a numerical constant. Use the RADIO keyword for a group of mutually exclusive buttons. Use the CHECKED keyword for independent buttons.

Example: Load icon from file antishake.bmp, and declare that the button should be pressed-in when SEQ_STATE_CFG_2_AS equals 1 and not pressed otherwise.
ICON= antishake.bmp, CHECKED= SEQ_STATE_CFG_2_AS == 1

Example: Load icon from file Zoom1.bmp, and declare that the button should be pressed-in when the DevWare STATE variable Display Zoom Percent equals 100.
ICON= Zoom1.bmp, CHECKED= STATE:Display Zoom Percent == 100

See also the MENUITEM= and TOOLTIP= commands.

IF_FIELD = <register name>, [<bitfield name>,] <condition>, LOAD=<preset1> [, ELSELOAD=<preset2>] //<comment>

Only <, <=, ==, !=, >, >= are supported for <condition>.

Similar to LOAD, but conditioned on the value of a register.

Example: Read register SHUTTER_WIDTH_LIM_AE, if it is greater than 0x100, load preset [Night mode], otherwise, load preset [Day mode].
IF_FIELD= SHUTTER_WIDTH_LIM_AE,>0x100, LOAD=Night mode, ELSELOAD=Day mode

IF_REG = [<addr_space>,] <address>, <mask>, <condition>, LOAD=<preset1> [, ELSELOAD=<preset2>] //<comment>

Only <, <=, ==, !=, >, >= are supported for <condition>.

Similar to LOAD, but conditioned on the value of a register.

Example: Read register 0x37 on page 2, if it is equal to 0x100, load preset [Night mode], otherwise, load preset [Day mode].
IF_REG= 2, 0x37, 0xFFFF,== 0x100, LOAD=Night mode, ELSELOAD=Day mode

IF_SERIAL= <base>, <address>, <mask>, [<addrsize>:<datasize>, ] <condition>, LOAD=<preset1> [, ELSELOAD=<preset2>] //<comment>

Only <, <=, ==, !=, >, >= are supported for <condition>.

Similar to LOAD, but conditioned on the value of a SHiP register. This command can read any SHiP bus device, not just the sensor. Typically it could be used to test a headboard EEPROM location.

Example: Read location 0x1FF1 in an EEPROM at base address 0xA8, and if it is equal to 1 then load preset [Serial Init], otherwise, load preset [Par init].
IF_SERIAL= 0xA8, 0x1FF1, 0xFF, 16:8, == 1, LOAD=Serial Init, ELSELOAD=Par Init

IMAGE = <width>, <height> [, < image type>] [, <context>] //<comment>

Set software to expect the given image size and type. Command does not change sensor mode.

Width and height parameters are required, but you can use 0 for either value to mean "don't change". The image type is optional. Possible values for image type are: BAYER-8, BAYER-10, BAYER-8+2, BAYER-10IHDR, BAYER-12, BAYER-8+4, BAYER-12HDR, BAYER-14, BAYER-14HDR, BAYER-20, BAYER-16+4, YCBCR, YCBCR-16, YUV-420, M420, RGB-565, RGB-555, RGB-444X, RGB-X444, RGB-332, RGB-24, RGB-32, RGB-48, JPEG, JPEG-SPEEDTAGS

Context is optional, and represents the context number to apply the settings to. Value is 0 to n, where n is the maximum number of contexts - 1.

Example: Tell the software that the sensor output will be 808 x 608, 10-bit Bayer.
IMAGE = 808, 608, BAYER-10, 0

LOAD = [< ini file name>,] <preset> //<comment>

Load a preset from an ini file.

Examples:
Load preset [Video Capture On] from current INI file.
LOAD= Video Capture ON

Load preset [Day mode] from A-0360-REV2.ini.
LOAD= A-0360-REV2.ini, Day mode

LOAD_PROM = <I2C-address>, <type> [, <label>] [, ELSELOAD= <preset>] //<comment>

Load a preset from an EEPROM on the sensor headboard. The type can be CCM, PGA, SWCCM, SWPGA or SWSTEREO to load hardware or software CCM (color correction) or PGA (lens correction) settings or stereo alignment. The label is optional to specify which settings to load if there are more than one stored in the EEPROM. The midlib API function ap_LoadINIPreset() does not support SWCCM, SWPGA, or SWSTEREO.

Optionally you can specify a preset in the ini file to load in the case where the EEPROM does not have the data.

Example:
Load software lens correction settings.
LOAD_PROM= 0xA8, SWPGA

LOG = "<text>" //<comment>

Add a line of text to the DevWare Register Log window. If the Register Log window is not enabled then nothing happens.

Remember that DevWare users expect the contents of the Log to be an executable ini file sequence, so your text should either begin with a // comment mark, or be a valid ini file command.

Example:
Add a comment to the Log window.
LOG= "// Setting Night Mode"

MEM = <region>, <address>, [<mask>,] <value> //<comment>

Write a value to a 16-bit RAM location.

Example: Set 16-bit location 0xB0A in patch RAM to a value of 0x0010.
MEM= 0, 0x0B0A, 0x0010

MEM8 = <region>, <address>, [<mask>,] <value> //<comment>

Write a value to an 8-bit RAM location.

Example: Set 8-bit RAM location 0x411 to value of 0x02.
MEM8= 0, 0x411, 0x02

MEM32 = <region>, <address>, [<mask>,] <value> //<comment>

Write a value to a 32-bit RAM location.

Example: Set 32-bit location 0xD950 to a value of 0x00FF01FF.
MEM32= 0, 0xD950, 0x00FF01FF

MENUITEM = "<menu text>", LOAD= <preset> [, ICON= <icon name>] [,CHECKED|RADIO= <register name>[:<bitfield name>|:<mask>]|STATE:<STATE variable> <condition>] [,ENABLED= <register name>[:<bitfield name>|:<mask>]|STATE:<STATE variable> <condition>][,SHORTCUT=<key combination>] //<comment>

Defines a drop-down menu item for a User Toolbar button in DevWare. Only takes effect if the preset name begins with "Toolbar:" or "Toolbar2:". This command causes the toolbar button behavior to change to a drop-down menu action.

The ICON=, CHECKED=, RADIO= and ENABLED= attributes work as in the ICON= command, except they apply only to the menu item, not the toolbar button. The icon file must be a .bmp (32-bpp, R-G-B-alpha) file, 13x13 pixels for the normal Windows text size. SHORTCUT= attribute works like the SHORTCUT= command, but applies only to this menu item.

If ICON= is used then CHECKED= or RADIO= will may have no visible effect depending on OS or GUI library.

The maximum number of menu items on a single toolbar button is 25.

Example: Group multiple presets under one button, with a separator between Parallel and HiSPi.
[Toolbar: 1280x720]
MENUITEM= "Parallel 1280x720 36.19fps", LOAD= Parallel 1280x720 36.19fps XBin2YBin2_BinSum
MENUITEM= "Parallel 1280x720 51.69fps", LOAD= Parallel 1280x720 51.69fps XBin2YSkip2_ColSum2
MENUITEM="-"
MENUITEM= "HiSPi 1280x720 51.69fps", LOAD= HiSPi 1280x720 51.69fps XBin2YSkip2_ColSum2

Example: Image Orientation control for a SMIA sensor using radio button icons
[Toolbar: Orientation]
MENUITEM= "Normal", LOAD= Normal, RADIO= IMAGE_ORIENTATION==0
MENUITEM= "Mirror", LOAD= Horiz Mirror, RADIO= IMAGE_ORIENTATION==1 MENUITEM= "Flip", LOAD= Vertical Flip, RADIO= IMAGE_ORIENTATION==2 MENUITEM= "Rotate 180", LOAD= Rotate 180, RADIO= IMAGE_ORIENTATION==3 [Normal] FIELD_WR= IMAGE_ORIENTATION, 0 [Horiz Mirror] FIELD_WR= IMAGE_ORIENTATION, 1 [Vertical Flip] FIELD_WR= IMAGE_ORIENTATION, 2 [Rotate 180] FIELD_WR= IMAGE_ORIENTATION, 3