Description:

The ExternalLine tool is a data tool which holds state information, in form of a line. The line can be defined in different modes -
(a) as a start point and an end point - x and y coordinates of the start point, and x and y coordinates of the end point, where all values are floating point values
(b) as a start point and a vector - x and y coordinates of the start point, and x and y coordinates representing a vector, where all values are floating point values
(c) as a start point and a length value and an angle value - x and y coordinates of the start point, and length and angle of the line, where all values are floating point values, and the angle is in degrees.

Like other tools from the 'Data Tools' tool category, the ExternalLine tool does not do any processing. It is used for holding state. The ExternalLine tool can be accessed from other tools defined in the profile, and the scripts configured in the Scorpion, for getting or setting a floating point value.

However, since the output values from the ExternalLine tool include all values for all the 3 supported modes, as described above; it is possible to use the ExternalLine tool as a mode converter, which can convert representation of a line from any of the 3 supported modes to any of the other supported modes.

All the tools from the 'Data Tools' category are used primarily for -

• Holding one or more states. This is very similar to variables used in Python script which are used for holding states. Data tools however have more settings, inline with the Scorpion architecture, for more control on the states they hold. Other tools and the scripts defined in the profile can query current value and can also set the value for any state held by a data tool.

• Interfacing with user interface elements. The Scorpion Vision Software support very useful feature of customized user interface, for controlling the processing at run-time, by setting values for different processing parameters. Though it is possible to directly link the user interface elements to the processing tools, it is a recommended practice to use data tools as intermediate layer to interface with the user interface elements and actual processing tools linking to the data tools. This provides better separation of user interface and processing, and hence helps in reducing the setup, fine-tuning and maintenance time.
  
  
  

User Interface:

(A) Tool Configuration dialog box – Setup Tab



1. The ‘Reference’ drop down can be used to select the input 2D reference. The input 2D reference provides the origin (0,0) and rotation of the X and Y-axis. It is strongly recommended to click on the 'Apply' button available on the main tool configuration window, to apply the newly selected input reference. This reference is then used while configuring all other tool parameters.
2. The ‘External data’ group can be used for defining the properties for the line.
3. The ‘Set to initial value before inspection’ check-box can be used to reset the value of line, to the configured initial value, before every inspection cycle.
4. The ‘Make external changes permanent’ check-box can be used to make the value persistent, which means that the value of the state is remembered across the session. The last value if remembered when the profile is closed and the value of the tool is reset to this remembered value when the profile is loaded next time.
5. The ‘Always transfer pasted values to results’ check-box can be used to immediately transferring all the pasted values to results when the 'Paste ROI from Clipboard' button is clicked.
6. The 'Mode' group can be used to select appropriate mode for configuring the initial values for the line.
7. The 'Vector (v)' option can be selected to configure the initial values for the line as a start point and a vector - x and y coordinates of the start point, and x and y coordinates representing a vector, where all values are floating point values.
8. The 'End points (q)' option can be selected to configure the initial values for the line as a start point and an end point - x and y coordinates of the start point, and x and y coordinates of the end point, where all values are floating point values.
9. The 'Length/Angle' option can be selected to configure the initial values for the line as a start point and a length value and an angle value - x and y coordinates of the start point, and length and angle of the line, where all values are floating point values, and the angle is in degrees.

10. The 'Line' group user interface elements change as per the selected mode. The default mode is the 'End points (q)' mode.
11. The ‘Initial p.x-value’ text-box can be used to specify the initial value of the x coordinate of the start point of the line. It can be any floating point value.
12. The ‘Initial p.y-value’ text-box can be used to specify the initial value of the y coordinate of the start point of the line. It can be any floating point value.
13. The ‘Initial q.x-value’ text-box can be used to specify the initial value of the x coordinate of the end point of the line. It can be any floating point value.
14. The ‘Initial q.y-value’ text-box can be used to specify the initial value of the y coordinate of the end point of the line. It can be any floating point value.

15. The 'Line' group user interface elements change as per the selected mode. When the mode is set to 'Vector (v)', the user interface elements change.

16. The ‘Initial p.x-value’ text-box can be used to specify the initial value of the x coordinate of the start point of the line. It can be any floating point value.
17. The ‘Initial p.y-value’ text-box can be used to specify the initial value of the y coordinate of the start point of the line. It can be any floating point value.
18. The ‘Initial v.x-value’ text-box can be used to specify the initial value of the x coordinate of the line vector. It can be any floating point value.
19. The ‘Initial v.y-value’ text-box can be used to specify the initial value of the y coordinate of the line vector. It can be any floating point value.

20. The 'Line' group user interface elements change as per the selected mode. When the mode is set to 'Length/Angle', the user interface elements change.

21. The ‘Initial p.x-value’ text-box can be used to specify the initial value of the x coordinate of the start point of the line. It can be any floating point value.
22. The ‘Initial p.y-value’ text-box can be used to specify the initial value of the y coordinate of the start point of the line. It can be any floating point value.
23. The ‘Length’ text-box can be used to specify the length of the line segment. It can be any floating point value.
24. The ‘Angle’ text-box can be used to specify the angle of the line. It can be any floating point value. Angle is in degrees.

25. The ‘Paste ROI from Clipboard’ button can be used to copy user defined line from the clipboard to the initial value properties. It is expected that a single line is defined on the image, by pressing the CTRL keyboard key and simultaneously using mouse left button click to define the target points which indicate the selected line. When ‘Paste ROI from Clipboard’ button is clicked, the coordinated of this selected line are copied to the line initial values text-boxes, considering the configured input 2D reference.
Please note that if the input 2D reference is changed, it is required to again click on the 'Paste ROI from Clipboard' to paste correct coordinates of the selected line, as per the new input 2D reference.
If more than 2 points are selected on the image, which indicate a polygon, clicking on the 'Paste ROI from Clipboard' button has no effect. It is expected that only 2 points indicating a line are selected on the image while 'Paste ROI from Clipboard' button is clicked for pasting the coordinates of the selected line.
If only single point is selected on the image, clicking on the 'Paste ROI from Clipboard' button updates the coordinates of the start point of the line, keeping other values unchanged.
When 'Paste ROI from Clipboard' button is clicked, the mode is automatically reset to the 'Length/Angle' mode.
26. The ‘Copy ROI to Clipboard’ button can be used to paste the configured line to the clipboard. This is useful in viewing the exact location of the configured line on the inspection image and fine-tuning, if required.
When 'Copy ROI to Clipboard' button is clicked, the mode is automatically reset to the 'Length/Angle' mode.
27. The ‘Transfer initial value to result’ button can be used to set the result of the tool to the configured initial value. The result value of the tool does not get updated, unless processing happens. It is a recommended practice to click this button to set the result value to the initial value during the ExternalLine tool configuration.
28. The ‘Transfer results to initial value’ button can be used to set the initial value of the tool to the current tool result value.