Alternate PTPCAM controls- Graphical interface?

74prof

« on: 28 / July / 2013, 08:41:12 »

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Although I am happily using PTPcamgui, I would like to be able to view my A540 liveview on my computer screen. There are also directions for using the alternate ptpcam to do camera screen captures.

A year ago I downloaded ptpcam 2.0 (Sept 2011) and the dll.
When I connect via usb, I get a command line. I don't know the appropriate commands.
Did I read that there is now a gui for the alternate ptpcam?
Thanks

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waterwingz

12128

Re: Alternate PTPCAM controls- Graphical interface?

« Reply #1 on: 28 / July / 2013, 08:46:15 »

Quote from: 74prof on 28 / July / 2013, 08:41:12

Did I read that there is now a gui for the alternate ptpcam?

You might be thinking about this ? http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/PTP_Extension#chdkptp

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74prof

Re: Alternate PTPCAM controls- Graphical interface?

« Reply #2 on: 28 / July / 2013, 09:25:53 »

I have just downloaded the most recent version of the programme and dll. When I connect and enter -g at the command line, the command is rejected.

Maybe if I had downloaded the actual gui programme. The creator does say that the gui is not complete. But maybe partially functional?

Although there is a list of a half dozen commands, I am not sure how to use them. I guess I need a Dummies breakdown of when to use each command and what it does.

Assuming I have installed chdkptp correctly.

Thanks

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waterwingz

12128

Re: Alternate PTPCAM controls- Graphical interface?

« Reply #3 on: 28 / July / 2013, 09:49:02 »

Quote from: 74prof on 28 / July / 2013, 09:25:53

I have just downloaded the most recent version of the programme and dll. When I connect and enter -g at the command line, the command is rejected.

If I run chdkptp in command line mode, and type "-g" at the chdkptp prompt, it gets rejected too. Why did you think that was a valid command ? You can type "help" at the prompt to get a list of available commands.

However, if you are telling me you type "run -g" at your PC's command line prompt, then you are trying to run in GUI mode. Use "run -i" to run in command line mode.

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Maybe if I had downloaded the actual gui programme.

You don't need to build the gui stuff to use chdkptp via the command line.

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The creator does say that the gui is not complete. But maybe partially functional?

The GUI is now pretty much completely functional, allowing complete operation of the camera via buttons and a "live view" of what's on the camera's LCD screen.

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Although there is a list of a half dozen commands, I am not sure how to use them. I guess I need a Dummies breakdown of when to use each command and what it does.

A better beginner's user guide is on the long list of "things to be done". Meanwhile, there is a USAGE.TXT file included with the source code.

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Assuming I have installed chdkptp correctly.

I expect that the author, reyalp, will likely be along shortly. In the meantime, more detail about what you did and what happened would be good.

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Ported : A1200 SD940 G10 Powershot N G16

74prof

Re: Alternate PTPCAM controls- Graphical interface?

« Reply #4 on: 28 / July / 2013, 10:38:28 »

Success. As the developer said, simply double clicking on the downloaded extracted file opens both the gui and command line interfaces.

I did have to go through several attempts to have the gui recognize my A540 connected by a foot long usb.
When connected, one attempt at a gui reboot disconnected me.

I cannot get any action from the video button.

Excepting the above problems, excellent experience.
I can call most of the CHDK and Canon commands from the gui including using the display and menu options from Canon. I think the wheel commands should allow me to use the CHDK zebra etc. commands, but not yet any luck.

So excepting a bit of difficulty making a connection, and using the video command, excellent interface.

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reyalp

13792

Re: Alternate PTPCAM controls- Graphical interface?

« Reply #5 on: 28 / July / 2013, 15:37:18 »

Quote from: 74prof on 28 / July / 2013, 10:38:28

I did have to go through several attempts to have the gui recognize my A540 connected by a foot long usb.
When connected, one attempt at a gui reboot disconnected me.

What do you mean? If you hit the "reboot" button in the UI, you get disconnected, because the camera reboots...

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I cannot get any action from the video button.

The buttons in the UI represent the physical buttons on the camera. The A540 does not have a video button, so it has no effect.

If you want to record video, you need to switch to video mode (e.g. VIDEO_STD in the dropdown below the buttons) and press the "shoot" button, just like you would on the camera controls.

I just noticed that sometimes this is ignored. If it doesn't work, click it again.

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I think the wheel commands should allow me to use the CHDK zebra etc. commands, but not yet any luck.

Two things
1) A540 does not have a wheel, so these buttons have no effect
2) You cannot currently manipulate CHDK menus using the camera controls, unfortunately these go directly to the canon firmware. If you want to change CHDK menu settings, you have to either do it by setting config values from script, or manipulating the actual controls on the camera. I hope to fix this in 1.3

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74prof

Re: Alternate PTPCAM controls- Graphical interface?

« Reply #6 on: 31 / July / 2013, 07:40:50 »

Perhaps this should be a new thread. CHDKptp stopped working today. The graphical top right corner icon (connect/disconnect) switched to disconnect then reverted to connect. At the same time the top left icon briefly showed 2.5 then went blank.

On that usb Thinkpad connection, the camera is not usb visible when chdk is turned off. The camera is usb visible without chdk on the other Thinkpad usb connect port.

I tried chdkptp on the other usb port. No luck.

So more precisely, chdkptp has not failed, but my connection has.
A540, foot long usb cord that works in other situations. I did a computer shutdown and opening. All I did unusually recently was burn some music disks with Win media player.

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74prof

Re: Alternate PTPCAM controls- Graphical interface?

« Reply #7 on: 31 / July / 2013, 07:52:02 »

I think problem solved. I connected the A540 to the ac wall power and the connection was maintained. The connection did not work for me at 67% battery power (according to the chdk software).
So perhaps there is a power threshold below which connection is difficult (depending also on the computer).

On a separate note (sorry if this should be a new thread) I think the developer stated that the newest update has an option for file download and delete from the card. There already is a lua script for this.

Is there now a built in toggle or button that allows the above?
thanks

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reyalp

13792

Re: Alternate PTPCAM controls- Graphical interface?

« Reply #8 on: 31 / July / 2013, 13:16:25 »

Quote from: 74prof on 31 / July / 2013, 07:52:02

I think problem solved. I connected the A540 to the ac wall power and the connection was maintained. The connection did not work for me at 67% battery power (according to the chdk software).

I use an a540 for development. I have never seen this behavior. I just checked using battery < 50%. The Canon low battery icon was blinking but chdkptp connected just fine. I mostly use win7 x64, behavior may depend on OS, or installed software.

Are you using the libusb INF driver or the filter driver? You should be using the INF driver.

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On a separate note (sorry if this should be a new thread) I think the developer stated that the newest update has an option for file download and delete from the card. There already is a lua script for this.

There currently isn't a button for this in the official source, although MSL posted a modified version that has this functionality: http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?topic=6231.msg101263#msg101263

I would add this at some point, but in the meantime you can use the shoot CLI command. Or if you use CHDK 1.2 on your camera, you can use the remoteshoot command, which shoots and saves the image directly over USB without saving it on the card. Again, there is no currently no button for this.

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