Question

How to check WebCam status?? using C

Asked by: kishan66

Hi ,

i have written an Video application which uses WebCam.
Works fine!!!

but i wonder how to check the availability of the WEBCAM. i.e status if present or Not present or Busy???

using C, Video for windows(VFW).

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Asked On
2009-09-16 at 14:50:17ID24738087
Topic

C Programming Language

Participating Experts
2
Points
250
Comments
9

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Answers

 

by: pgnatyukPosted on 2009-09-16 at 23:00:09ID: 25353170

It is an old topic for me and I don't remember all details.
What I found in my old source about it is a function Check that:
1. Creates the window (CreateCaptureWindow(NULL, WS_POPUP, 0, 0, 160, 200, NULL, 0);)
2. Then cal capCaptureGetSetup to retrieve CAPTUREPARMS.
3. In this structure changes fyield (capParams.fyield = TRUE). Then call capCaptureSetSetup.
4. calls capDriverConnect.
I think, it allows to detect if you have the video camera installed.

BOOL CVideoWindow::Check()
{
 BOOL bRet = FALSE;
 CVfw dll;
 /*
 TCHAR strDriverName[80];
 TCHAR strDriverVersion[80];
 BOOL bDriver = dll.GetDriverDescription(0, strDriverName, sizeof(strDriverName), 
  strDriverVersion, sizeof(strDriverVersion));
 if (bDriver)
 {
 */
  HWND hWndCapture = dll.CreateCaptureWindow(NULL,
   WS_POPUP, 
   0, 0, 160, 120, NULL, 0);
  
  if (hWndCapture != NULL)
  {
   CAPTUREPARMS capParams = {0}; 
   if (capCaptureGetSetup(hWndCapture, &capParams, sizeof(CAPTUREPARMS)))
   {
    capParams.fYield = TRUE;
    capCaptureSetSetup(hWndCapture, &capParams, sizeof(capParams));
    bRet = capDriverConnect(hWndCapture, 0);
    if (bRet)
    {
     capDriverDisconnect(hWndCapture);
    }
   }
   ::DestroyWindow(hWndCapture);
   hWndCapture = NULL;
  }
 //}
 return (bRet);
}
                                              
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by: vimalalexPosted on 2009-09-16 at 23:25:56ID: 25353256


HI kishan66,
               You can use the below code to find camera is connected or not
     m_hWndVideo=capCreateCaptureWindow("m_hWnd",WS_CHILD|WS_VISIBLE,0,0,300,400,m_hWnd,0);      
      if(m_hWndVideo==NULL)
            AfxMessageBox("NULL");
      BOOL ok=capDriverConnect(m_hWndVideo, 0);
      if(ok==TRUE)
       {
            AfxMessageBox("Camera Connected");
       }
      else
      {
            AfxMessageBox("Camera Not Connected");
            
      }

Regards,
Vimal Alex

 

by: kishan66Posted on 2009-09-20 at 19:22:26ID: 25379935

Hi Vimalex,

with the above code, can i even know whether the Web Cam is busy???(if already in use by another application).
if not, can you shed some light on that.

 

by: kishan66Posted on 2009-09-21 at 08:56:04ID: 25384271

Hi all,

now i can know whether Drivers r present are not.
but what if my webcam is busy ...in use by another application.????

how to know if it is been used by some other application.....

 

by: pgnatyukPosted on 2009-09-21 at 08:59:38ID: 25384313

The code I posted will do it. Check again. This line:
bRet = capDriverConnect(hWndCapture, 0);
will fail.
I hope, I remember correctly.

 

by: vimalalexPosted on 2009-09-21 at 22:51:09ID: 25389857

Hi kishan66,
              Using the below code you can find the web cam is bussy or not .If web cam is using by other application it will fail to connect

 BOOL ok=capDriverConnect(m_hWndVideo, 0);
      if(ok==TRUE)
       {
            AfxMessageBox("Camera Connected");
       }
      else
      {
            AfxMessageBox("Camera Not Connected");
           
      }


Regards,
Vimal Alex.

 

by: pgnatyukPosted on 2009-09-21 at 22:57:26ID: 25389882

@vimalalex: why you need to duplicate my comments?

 

by: vimalalexPosted on 2009-09-21 at 23:15:34ID: 25389963

HI pgnatyuk,
                     Sorry i didnt duplicate you code , please check my previous comment there i have posted the same code. i didnt copy your code.

Regards,
Vimal Alex.

 

by: pgnatyukPosted on 2009-09-21 at 23:36:40ID: 25390069

You duplicate my comments - your comments are always after my comments and say the same. I don't think it is very polite. I don't know why you are doing so. It is a bad practice I've not seen on this site.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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