[Papywizard2] DSLR Remote Pro plugin

[AerialVr]

by AerialVr » Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:00 pm

coooool! i need to learn to program to

[plagarto]

by plagarto » Fri Mar 05, 2010 1:56 pm

Hi guys,
Don´t know if this can help some of you but here it goes.
I was trying to test DSLR Remote pluging but the problem was always the same, the camera didn't shoot no matter what I tried.
So I've made the Autokey script, compiled it and put it in the PW directory, next I choosed Generic Tethered Shutter Plugin, after that put the name of the exe file in "Shoot command" (Plugin config), and it's working.
I've been able to do one 360/180 with 6 focusing steps per position without problems.
Using Windows 7 x64, PW 2.1.16, 5D MarkII, 24-105mm.

[fma38]

by fma38 » Fri Mar 05, 2010 3:09 pm

Did you start DSLR Remote Pro main GUI before using Papywizard? The DLL used behind doesn't start the application itself...

Feel free to share your Autokey script.

You can post the Papywizard log to see what's going on...

[plagarto]

by plagarto » Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:28 am

Hi Frederic,
Allways started DSLR Remote before PW.
The script is the one they recommend on their website, just modified the key combinations:

Code: Select all

;-----------------------------------------------------------------------
; Written by Chris Breeze, www.breezesys.com
;-----------------------------------------------------------------------

MediumFocusSteps = 0    ; set this to 0 to focus in small steps
NumberOfImagesInSequence = 10

if %0% > 0 and %1% > 1
{
    NumberOfImagesInSequence = %1%
}

; First check DSLR Remote Pro is running and a camera is connected
IfWinExist, DSLR Remote Pro
{
    IfWinExist, DSLR Remote Pro for Windows - Connected to
    {
        WinActivate, DSLR Remote Pro
    }
    else
    {
        MsgBox, 48, Stacking AutoHotkey Script, DSLR Remote Pro is not connected to a camera
        ExitApp
    }
}
else
{
    MsgBox, 48, Stacking AutoHotkey Script, DSLR Remote Pro is not running
    ExitApp
}

; Turn on live view (this will fail if the camera doesn't support live view)
Sleep 1000
IfWinNotExist, Live View:
{
    Send ^l
    Sleep 2000
}
IfWinNotExist, Live View:
{
    MsgBox, 48, Stacking AutoHotkey Script, Unable to select live view
    ExitApp
}

; make sure live view window has input focus
WinActivate, Live View:
Sleep 250
; Move focus point closest to Camera
Send +{Left}
Sleep 250
Send +{Left}
Sleep 250
Send +{Left}
Sleep 250
Send +{Left}
Sleep 250

; Take a series of pictures and adjust the focus after each shot
Loop, %NumberOfImagesInSequence%
{
WinActivate, Live View:
    Send {F8}
    Sleep 3000    ; give DSLR Remote Pro time to take the picture and download
    if MediumFocusSteps > 0
    {
        ; focus farther away in medium steps
        Send +{Right}
    }
    else
    {   
        ; focus farther away in small steps
        Send ^{Right 8}
    }
}

For now it's working, but I've got to fine tune the script.

[AerialVr]

by AerialVr » Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:27 pm

could we use a script like that to get dslr remote to shoot a set of autobracketed images and then return control to pw?

[Wolfgang]

by Wolfgang » Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:35 pm

Hello folks,

there is a another way to use dslr remote in PW:

1. Start dslr remote and make your modifications of autobreak settings.

2. Create a batch-file witch contents only path of DSLRRemoteTest.exe. For exemple: "C:\Programme\BreezeSys\DSLR Remote Pro\DSLRRemoteTest\DSLRRemoteTest.exe"

3. Choose Timelord as PlugIn for shutter and take as Program path the path of your batch-file (dont ask my, why it doesn't go, wenn you take as path direct DSLRRemoteTest.exe)

4. The only problem - you can't choose Time value in this dialog. So you need a plugin with only two dialogs: Programm path and Time value.

Wolfgang

Last edited by Wolfgang on Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[fma38]

by fma38 » Mon Mar 29, 2010 7:11 pm

3. You can also use the Generic Tethered plugin...

4. To simulate the time value, just add a sleep in your batch file, after the call to DSLRRemoteTest.exe...

[Wolfgang]

by Wolfgang » Mon Mar 29, 2010 9:52 pm

4. I also thought this, but also with sleep: by the end of the first shoot mount was going to the next position (equal the first shooting sequence is 1/200 or 15 sec).

Wolfgang

Last edited by Wolfgang on Mon Mar 29, 2010 9:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[fma38]

by fma38 » Tue Mar 30, 2010 7:07 am

Papywizard will wait for the end of the external script before continuing. So, there is a problem with your sleep...

[Wolfgang]

by Wolfgang » Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:10 am

That's right. The times in which I worked with DOS have passed long.

Here are the right contents of the batch file "DSLRRemoteTest.bat" (sleep.exe and is in the same directory as DSLRRemoteTest.exe and DSLRRemoteTest.bat ):

"C:\Programme\BreezeSys\DSLR Remote Pro\DSLRRemoteTest\DSLRRemoteTest.exe"
"C:\Programme\BreezeSys\DSLR Remote Pro\DSLRRemoteTest\sleep.exe" 17

In DSLR Remote I preset 1 sec and 7 breaks so that 17 sec. at all are enough.

In Generic Tethered dialog "Bracketing nb picts" the value is by this way allways 1.


Wolfgang

Last edited by Wolfgang on Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

[mark_anderson_us]

by mark_anderson_us » Wed May 12, 2010 3:30 am

Hi Guys

I wonder if you can help me with my connection to a 30D with Papywizard and DSLRemote

I downloaded latest version and connects OK to camera and fires from the DSLRRemote

I set papywizard on simulation for pitch and yaw and DSLRemote fro shutter (no bracketing), but it fails on every shot

Here's an excerpt from the log file:

Code: Select all

2010-05-12 01:26:22,328::Shooting::INFO::Shutter cycle
2010-05-12 01:26:22,328::Shooting::DEBUG::Shooting.start(): bracket #1 of 3
2010-05-12 01:26:22,328::Main::DEBUG::ShootController.__onShootingSequence(): sequence=shutter
2010-05-12 01:26:22,328::Shooting::DEBUG::DslrRemoteProShutter.shoot(): bracketNumber=1
2010-05-12 01:26:22,328::Shooting::DEBUG::DslrRemoteProShutter.shoot(): exposure compensation=-2
2010-05-12 01:26:22,328::Shooting::DEBUG::DslrRemoteProShutter.shoot(): shoot command 'C:/Program Files/BreezeSys/DSLR Remote Pro/DSLRRemoteTest/DSLRRemoteTest.exe -x 12 -o E:/Papywizard'...
2010-05-12 01:26:22,467::Shooting::ERROR::DslrRemoteProShutter.shoot(): stderr:
Error setting exposure compensation, error: 3
2010-05-12 01:26:22,467::Shooting::WARNING::DslrRemoteProShutter.shoot(): shoot command failed (retcode=1). Retrying...

that is the correct dir, but if I run the followign command from the dos prompt, I get:

Code: Select all

C:\Documents and Settings\Mark.Anderson>"C:/Program Files/BreezeSys/DSLR Remote
Pro/DSLRRemoteTest/DSLRRemoteTest.exe" -x 8 -o e:/papywizard/
Error setting exposure compensation, error: 3

Any ideas?

Regards

Mark

[fma38]

by fma38 » Wed May 12, 2010 6:52 am

Did you launch the main DSLR Remote Pro application?

[mark_anderson_us]

by mark_anderson_us » Wed May 12, 2010 1:24 pm

Yes. It's launched and connected to the camera. (Using XP SP3 on netbook BTW)

[mark_anderson_us]

by mark_anderson_us » Wed May 12, 2010 10:38 pm

I did some more testing

I can fire the camera from DSLRemotetest.exe from a command line without any exposure compensation, but PW is sending -x 8.

As soon as I use -x [number > 0] it fails. I get: error setting exposure compensation, error 4

Is the exposure compensation PW's mechanism for bracketing? Even when I put user bracketing to 0 (I assume that means don't bracket), it sends -x 6

Anyone know what scale exposure compensation is in in DSLRRemote? Is it full stops, half stops, 1/3 stops? how do I specify positive/negative exposure compensation.


If I can get PW to stop sending exp comp, I can just get DSLRRemote to bracket (can't I)

Regards
Mark

[mark_anderson_us]

by mark_anderson_us » Thu May 13, 2010 1:46 am

I was looking at the SDK and discovered that the exposure can only be set with an EOS1 and 1DS. So I will set DSLRRemotePro to do autobracketing, but how do I get PW to stop sending -x [value] in the shutter command?

[mark_anderson_us]

by mark_anderson_us » Thu May 13, 2010 2:45 am

I did some more testing and tweaking. I figured that I could just write a vbscript that gets called instead of dslremotetest.exe, discards the unsupported parameters and then calls dslremotetest.exe.

vbscript works fine, but not from PW;

Code: Select all

2010-05-12 20:26:26,062::Shooting::DEBUG::DslrRemoteProShutter.shoot(): shoot command 'C:/Program Files/BreezeSys/DSLR Remote Pro/DSLRRemoteTest/DSLRRemoteTest.vbs -x 6 -o E:/Papywizard'...
2010-05-12 20:26:26,062::Shooting::EXCEPTION::Shooting.start()
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "papywizard\model\shooting.pyo", line 596, in start
  File "papywizard\plugins\dslrRemoteProPlugins.pyo", line 195, in shoot
  File "subprocess.pyo", line 594, in __init__
  File "subprocess.pyo", line 816, in _execute_child
WindowsError: [Error 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application
2010-05-12 20:26:26,062::Shooting::ERROR::Shoot process failed
2010-05-12 20:26:26,062::Main::DEBUG::ShootController.__onShootingStopped(): status=fail

It seems it not passing the shoot command shown in line 1 to a windows command interpreter as there is an error 3 lines from bottom.

Can anyone tell me if the dslrremotetest plugin is open source or who the author is. I'm puzzled why it insists on sending the -x argument when only two cameras on the planet support it (1D and 1DS). I need a version that doesn't use the -x (as do most other canon users).


Regards

Mark

[fma38]

by fma38 » Thu May 13, 2010 9:08 am

It seems that your vb script is not executed; you will have to call the vb application, giving the script as input file.

But I assure you that -x works with other cameras than 1D (it works with my 20D).

The -x param is the exposure compensation index; in your case, index 6 is for 0 EV bias.

Anyone know what scale exposure compensation is in in DSLRRemote? Is it full stops, half stops, 1/3 stops? how do I specify positive/negative exposure compensation.

It depends on the settings of your camera. Both settings (camera and Papywizard) must match. If Papywizard try to set 1/3 EV bias, and you camera can only handle 1/2, it will fail.

[mark_anderson_us]

by mark_anderson_us » Thu May 13, 2010 2:48 pm

It seems that your vb script is not executed; you will have to call the vb application, giving the script as input file.

hi frederick

thanks for the reply. i got it working using tethered. seems a bit strange how it works though. i had to cuse cscript as shoot command and param0 and then path to script as param1

my script then calls dslremote 3 times with the camera set on aeb. (can't use auto bracket in dslremote) as it returns from the exe when the first shot is fired (which is a real shame)

my only issue now is that i will have a pw xml with one frame per location, but 3 frames (because of aeb)

is there any possibility of getting a version of dslremote that does not use the -x?

regards

mark

[fma38]

by fma38 » Thu May 13, 2010 4:08 pm

I looked at the DSLR Remote lib code (DSLRRemoteLib.h), and found that the error code 3 is 'Camera busy'. So, the problem is with your camera... Are you sure you are using the correct protocol (normal vs PTP)? I know that some functions are not available in PTP mode...

Code: Select all

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
// SetExposureCompensation()
// Inputs:
//   comp        Exposure compensation, numbered from 0 in the same
//              order as the exposure compensation dropdown list.
//
// Returns:
//   0 - Success
//   1 - DSLR Remote is not running
//   2 - DSLR Remote is running but camera is not connected
//   3 - Camera is busy
//   4 - Some other error
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[mark_anderson_us]

by mark_anderson_us » Thu May 13, 2010 4:58 pm

hi frederic

the camera is on print/pc mode. only other option was LAN (WFT-E1)

not sure why i was getting the error 3. i'm, now getting error 4, which is exactly what i get when i call dslrremote from DOS. i guess my camera doesn't support it. i still want to use pw and dsl remote, but i think i need to do it through a vb script (which probably means generic tethered).

i figured out i can't use auto-bracket in dslremote because it returns success as soon as the first frame is complete so pw then sends another shoot command and the bracketing is canceled

i can solve the aeb problem (3 frames) by setting aeb on the camera and having my vbscript call dslremote 3 times to trigger the 3 aeb frames, but can't get generic tethered to call the vbscript correctly for some reason. i have tried using cscript as the shooting command and the vbscript as param0 and also cscript as param0 and the vbscript as param1

so i'm a bit stuck now

regards

mark

Last edited by mark_anderson_us on Thu May 13, 2010 5:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Thu May 13, 2010 5:12 pm

Mark,

Which version of Windows are you using?

Which version of Papywizard are you using?

Which version of Breeze Systems' DSLR Remote Pro are you using?

Last edited by mediavets on Thu May 13, 2010 5:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[mark_anderson_us]

by mark_anderson_us » Thu May 13, 2010 5:31 pm

hi andrew

xp sp3

latest pw and dslremote 2.1.19 and 1.9

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Thu May 13, 2010 5:54 pm

hi andrew

xp sp3

latest pw and dslremote 2.1.19 and 1.9

And please remind me what you are hoping to achieve by using DSLR Remote Pro to trigger the camera shutter.

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Thu May 13, 2010 5:59 pm

No, DSLR Remote Pro does not allow to go over Canon/Nikon limitations, because of the limitation of the Canon/Nikon SDK...

Does this mean that you cannot achieve extended automatic expsoure bracketing - a wider range, and greater no. of brackets, than offered by the cvamera's built-in AEB - by using the DSLR Remote Pro plug-in for Papywizard?

If you cannot then what is the point of the plug-in?

[mark_anderson_us]

by mark_anderson_us » Thu May 13, 2010 7:01 pm

hi frederic

it seems i'm stuck by the limitations of the camera. i'm surprised the 20d supports -x but the 30d doesn't. i guess the 20d must have come out after 30d.

my biggest goal is to get rid of (guessed) time delays between shots and shoot based on events (exposure complete). being able to store image straight to netbook disk is good too.
i did a few large panos with several hundred frames and lost a few frames on some of them (unknown reason), so elimitatin bluetooth to rule that out) and ran out of disk space on another.

i have it working with the camera aeb now.

here's what i did:

used generic tethered.
set shoot command to cscript.exe
param0 = cscript.exe
param1 - dslrremote.vbs
param2 = 3 (for example)


so when my camera is set to aeb, i set param 2 to a value of 3 (i.e. take 3 shots). when not using aeb leave param2 empty or set to 1

my vbscript then calls dslrremote the number of times specified in param2 and then returns control to pw when all shots have been fired.

i've e-mailed breeze sys to ask if dslrremote can be changed to return control to the calling program when *all* shots are finished when using it's built in auto aeb. if they can do this, it will solve my problem.

all i now need to do is write an xsl transform to take the pw xml and produce a new one with the 2 bracketed frames added, so i get an xml that looks like pw did the bracketing.

if i wanted to go back to measured/guessed delays, i could use the auto aeb in dslrremote and add a delay to my script to allow for the other frames to be shot. as i'm using manual exposure the shooting time for each set of frames will be the same, so i can calculate/measure how long it takes for the remaining brackets to be shot and call dslrremote once with a delay (for remainign brackets) before returning control to pw.

it is strange that dslrremote can change the aperture, speed, exp compentsation, but the dslremotetest cannot. it seems liek a bug to me

regards

mark

Last edited by mark_anderson_us on Thu May 13, 2010 7:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.