Ueye Camera snapshot is White using Qt

Question

I made a code in c++ to take a snapshot with a Ueye camera, however the picture that gets saved is just white, in saying that sometimes to can see a tiny bit of the road but still just white. I believe it’s an issue with an auto parameter but I feel as if I have tried everything.

Below is my code:

void MainWindow::CaptureImage(){
int initcamera = is_InitCamera(&hCam, hWndDisplay);


        if(initcamera != IS_SUCCESS)
        {
            cout<<endl<<"Failed to initialize the camera"<<endl;
            exit(-1);
        }else{

            cout<<endl<<"Initialized Camera"<<endl;
        }

        int camerainfo = is_GetCameraInfo (hCam, &camera_info);
        if(camerainfo != IS_SUCCESS)
        {
            cout<<endl<<"Unable to acquire camera information"<<endl;
            exit(-1);
        }else{

            cout<<endl<<"Camera information required"<<endl;
        }


        int sensorinfo = is_GetSensorInfo (hCam, &sInfo);
        if(sensorinfo != IS_SUCCESS)
        {
            cout<<endl<<"Unable to acquire sensor information"<<endl;
            exit(-1);
        }else{
            cout<<endl<<"Sensor information acquired"<<endl;
        }



        int colormode = is_SetColorMode(hCam, IS_CM_BGR8_PACKED);
        if(colormode != IS_SUCCESS)
        {
            cout<<endl<<"Unable to set the color mode"<<endl;
            exit(-1);
        }else{
            cout<<endl<<"Color mode set"<<endl;
        }

        int pXPos = (sInfo.nMaxWidth);
        int pYPos = (sInfo.nMaxHeight);

        int rit = is_AllocImageMem (hCam,pXPos,pYPos, 24, &m_pcImageMemory, &m_lMemoryId);
        if(rit != IS_SUCCESS)
        {
            cout<<endl<<"UNABLE TO INITIALIZE MEMORY"<<endl;
            system("PAUSE");
            exit(-1);
        }else{
          cout<<endl<<"INITIALIZED MEMORY"<<endl;
        }

        int rat = is_SetImageMem (hCam, m_pcImageMemory, m_lMemoryId);
        if(rat != IS_SUCCESS)
        {
            cout<<endl<<"UNABLE TO ACTIVATE MEMORY"<<endl;
            system("PAUSE");
            exit(-1);
        }else{

        cout<<endl<<"ACTIVATE MEMORY"<<endl;

        }

        double strenght_factor = 1.0;
        int colorcorrection = is_SetColorCorrection(hCam, IS_CCOR_ENABLE, &strenght_factor);

        double pval = 1;
        int whiteb = is_SetAutoParameter(hCam, IS_SET_ENABLE_AUTO_WHITEBALANCE, &pval, 0);

        double gval = 1;
        int gains = is_SetAutoParameter(hCam, IS_SET_ENABLE_AUTO_GAIN, &gval, 0);


        int dummy;
        char *pMem, *pLast;

        IMAGE_FILE_PARAMS ImageFileParams;
        ImageFileParams.pwchFileName = L"./TestImage.bmp";   /// <-- Insert name and location of the image
        ImageFileParams.pnImageID = NULL;
        ImageFileParams.ppcImageMem = NULL;
        ImageFileParams.nQuality = 0;
        ImageFileParams.nFileType = IS_IMG_BMP;


        int sho = is_FreezeVideo(hCam, IS_WAIT);

        if(sho != IS_SUCCESS)
        {
            cout<<endl<<"UNABLE TO ACQUIRE FROM THE CAMERA"<<endl;
            system("PAUSE");
            exit(-1);
        }
        if (sho == IS_SUCCESS){
            int m_Ret = is_GetActiveImageMem(hCam, &pLast, &dummy);
            int n_Ret = is_GetImageMem(hCam, (void**)&pLast);
           }

        if (is_ImageFile(hCam, IS_IMAGE_FILE_CMD_SAVE, (void*)&ImageFileParams, sizeof(ImageFileParams)) == IS_SUCCESS)
        {
            cout << endl << "An Image was saved" << endl;
        }
        else
        {
            cout << endl << "something went wrong" << endl;
        }

        // Releases an image memory that was allocated
        //is_FreeImageMem(hCam, pcImageMemory, nMemoryId);

        // Disables the hCam camera handle and releases the data structures and memory areas taken up by the uEye camera
        is_ExitCamera(hCam);

        }

I have tried many things like the parameters below however it is still just white. I had the camera in the room which is darker and the image came out ok, so I defiantly think it’s due to the day light outside.

const wstring filenameU(filename.begin(), filename.end());
        is_ParameterSet(hCam, IS_PARAMETERSET_CMD_LOAD_FILE,(void*) filenameU.c_str(), 0);

        unsigned int range[3];
                memset(range, 0, sizeof(range));

                is_PixelClock(hCam, IS_PIXELCLOCK_CMD_GET_RANGE, (void*)range, sizeof(range));

        unsigned int maximumPixelClock = range[1];
        is_PixelClock(hCam, IS_PIXELCLOCK_CMD_SET, (void*)&maximumPixelClock, sizeof(maximumPixelClock));

double pval1 = auto_exposure, pval2 = 0;
    double pval1 = 1, pval2 = 0;
is_SetAutoParameter(hCam, IS_SET_ENABLE_AUTO_SENSOR_SHUTTER, &pval1, &pval2);

is_SetAutoParameter(hCam, IS_SET_ENABLE_AUTO_SHUTTER,&pval1, &pval2);

is_SetAutoParameter(hCam, IS_SET_ENABLE_AUTO_SENSOR_FRAMERATE,&pval1, &pval2);

is_SetAutoParameter(hCam, IS_SET_AUTO_WB_OFFSET, &pval1, &pval2);

int desiredFrameRate = 60;
is_SetFrameRate(hCam, desiredFrameRate, &m_actualFrameRate);

Answer 1

You cannot just take one picture because the exposure might be to high. You have to capture a few images to give the auto exposure control a chance to lower the exposure. The reason you have to capture some frames is that the AEC is done in software and can only start to change parameters if it gets some frames.