===========================================================================

  Vimba for Linux - Release Notes

  Version: 2.0
  Date:    2016-Feb-29
===========================================================================

--------------------------------
Components and Version Reference
--------------------------------

Vimba Genicam Transport Layer modules
-------------------------------------
  GigE Transport Layer (VimbaGigETL.cti)                1.4.2*
  USB Transport Layer (VimbaUSBTL.cti)                  1.0.2*

APIs
----
  Vimba C API (libVimbaC.so)                            1.5.0*
  Vimba C++ API (libVimbaCPP.so)                        1.5.0*
  Image Transform Library (libVimbaImageTransform.so)   1.5.0*

Tools
-----
  Vimba Viewer (VimbaViewer)                            2.0.0* (only x86 Linux)
  Vimba Class Generator (VimbaClassGenerator)           1.0.6* (only x86 Linux)
  Vimba Firmware Updater (VimbaFirmwareUpdater.exe)     1.0.2* (only x86 Linux)
  Vimba Firmware Updater Console (FWUpdaterConsole)     1.0.1*

Third Party Libraries
---------------------
  TinyXML (not shipped with Vimba)                      2.6.2
  Qt                                                    4.8.4  (only x86 Linux)

* Changed in this release of Vimba


---------------------
Hardware Requirements
---------------------
PC or laptop with 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit x86 processor or better.

ARMv7-compatible 32 bit processor with 500 MHz or better (for hard-float with VFP3 support
and Thumb extension), e.g. PandaBoard, ODROID-XU, BeagleBoneBlack, Mirabox

When using Allied Vision GigE cameras, a built-in Gigabit Ethernet network interface
or Gigabit Ethernet network card (one or more) is required.

Furthermore, when using Allied Vision USB cameras, a built-in USB 3.0
controller for PCI Express bus is required.

Remark:
  Testing has been performed on host controllers that are based on Intel chip
  sets and Renesas chip sets. The driver may run on host controllers that
  are based on chip sets from other vendors, too. Nevertheless for best
  performance we highly recommend Intel chip sets.
  However, if there are any problems please feel free to contact our Technical
  Software Support (see below).

------------------------
Tested Operating Systems
------------------------
Allied Vision Vimba has been tested with the following 32 bit and 64 bit x86
operating systems:

  Ubuntu (Tested with version 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin")
  Debian (Tested with version 6 "Squeeze")
  Fedora (Tested with version 17 "Beefy Miracle")


Allied Vision Vimba has been tested with the following 32-bit ARM
operating systems:

  Ubuntu hard-float (Tested with version 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin")
  Ubuntu soft-float (Tested with version 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot")
  Angstrom hard-float (Tested with version 2012.12)

  If running soft-float applications on hard-float boards, it might become
  necessary to install additional runtime libraries for soft-float support.

Allied Vision Vimba is most likely while not guaranteed to be compatible to follow up
versions of the aforementioned environments.

Please note that 1394 and CL support is not available for Linux.


------------
Installation
------------
Allied Vision Vimba comes as a tarball. In order to set up Vimba, follow these steps:

  - Uncompress the archive with the command tar -xf ./Vimba.tgz to a
    directory you have writing privileges for like /opt. Under this directory
    Vimba will be installed in its own folder. In the following, we will refer
    to this path as [InstallDir].
  - Go to [InstallDir]/VimbaGigETL and/or [InstallDir]/VimbaUSBTL and execute the shell
    script Install.sh with super user privileges (e.g., sudo./Install.sh). This
    registers the GENICAM_GENTL32_PATH and/or the GENICAM_GENTL64_PATH environment
    variable through a startup script in /etc/profile.d so that every GenICam GenTL
    consumer (such as the examples that ship with Allied Vision Vimba) can access the
    Allied Vision Gigabit Ethernet and USB Transport Layers. Please note that this is a
    per-user setting.
  - Reboot computer

Now you are ready to run the VimbaViewer that can be found in Vimba/Viewer/Bin.
This program allows you to configure your Allied Vision cameras and capture images.

In order to change the IP configuration of a camera in a foreign subnet,
VimbaViewer must be run with super user privileges
(e.g., sudo -E ./VimbaViewer).
Note that running it as root user instead of using sudo -E requires the
GENICAM_GENTL32_PATH and / or GENICAM_GENTL64_PATH being set for the
root user as well.

Vimba includes many precompiled examples that can be found in
Vimba/VimbaC/Examples/Bin and Vimba/VimbaCPP/Examples/Bin.
If you want to compile these examples yourself, please refer to the user guide
for instructions and required packages.

For uninstalling Vimba, remove the startup scripts by running the shell scripts
Uninstall.sh as super user. This prevents any GenTL consumer from loading the
Allied Vision Gigabit Ethernet and USB Transport Layers. Then simply remove the
installation directory.


------------
Known Issues
------------
  - When experiencing trouble with image acquisition try to increase the priority
    of your application with "sudo -E nice -n -20 <command>".

GigE Transport Layer:
  - A change of the available camera access modes cannot be reported for cameras
    in different subnets or with malconfigured IP addresses. These cameras can
    be accessed in configuration mode from different hosts simultaneously.
  - Not all ARM boards come with a GigE network interface. When acquiring images
    with only 100 Mbit/s, make sure to set the "StreamBytesPerSecond" feature to
    a reasonable small value (12 400 000). This adjustment is done automatically
    when the camera is connected directly to a 100 Mbit/s interface.

---------------------------
Changes and release history
---------------------------

Changes in Vimba 2.0:
-----------------------
Vimba Setup
  - Added Vimba Viewer Guide document
  - Improved documents, new layout

Vimba C
  - Added functionality of loading and saving camera settings from / to XML
  - Bug fixes

Vimba C++
  - Added functionality of loading and saving camera settings from / to XML
  - Bug fixes

Vimba Image Transform Library
  - Support for conversion from BayerXX10,12 formats to 2 byte output formats (RGB[A], BGR[A])
  - Added interface functions VmbSetImageInfoFromInputParameters and VmbSetImageInfoFromInputImage

Vimba Viewer
  - Enabled making use of load / save settings functionality
  - Added tabsheet widgets for Brightness, ROI, Autofunction ROI, Trigger IO, Color
  - Bug fixes

USB Transport Layer
  - Minor bug fixes

GigE Transport Layer
  - Reworked and improved filter driver

Vimba Class Generator
  - Changes for Camera Link support (affects only Windows)

Changes in Vimba 1.4.1:
-----------------------
Package for ARMv7
  - Support of USB Transport Layer

Package for other Linux systems
  - Support of USB Transport Layer
  - Improved documentation

Vimba C
  - Extended camera support (e.g. float increments)
  - Stability improvements
  - Improved some examples
  - Bug fixes

Vimba C++
  - Extended camera support (e.g. float increments, needs Vimba C 1.4)
  - Improved error handling
  - Improved some examples
  - Added and improved examples
  - Bug fixes

Vimba Image Transform Library
  - Added support for PFNC 10p and 12p formats
  - Improved the documentation

GigE Transport Layer
  - Improved stability on high traffic networks
  - Bug fixes for multi-camera usage and incomplete cleanup
  - Fixed range of GevHeartbeatInterval and GevHeartbeatTimeout

Vimba Viewer
  - Added open camera by ID
  - Added endianness switch in direct register dialog
  - Many bug fixes

Vimba Class Generator
  - Small improvements

Changes in Vimba 1.3.0:
-----------------------
Package for ARMv7 (new)
  - Support of Vimba C API
  - Support of Vimba C++ API
  - Support of GigE Transport Layer

Package for other Linux systems
  - Added a Vimba Tour document and a Vimba Quickstart Guide
  - Improved the other documents
  - Added examples for Vimba C and C++
  - Added an OpenMP version of the Vimba Image Transform Library

Vimba C 1.3.0
  - Fixed feature access for ancillary data
  - Made device discovery blocking
  - Added system feature GeVDiscoveryAllDuration for adjustable waiting time
  - Fixed issues with mixed feature names
  - Bug-fixes for improving stability

Vimba C++ 1.3.0
  - Fixed feature access for ancillary data
  - Changes caused by bug fixes in Vimba C

Vimba Image Transform Library 1.2.0
  - Allowed more input for VmbSetImageInfoFromString
  - Corrected return codes
  - Removed transformations to Mono10/12/14 and big-endian data

Vimba Viewer 1.1.3
  - Improved handling for GigE camera list changes
  - Fixed issues around saving images
  - GUI usage improvements

GigE Transport Layer 1.3.1
  - Fixed GenTL compliance: Changed the Device ID from the serial number
    to a MAC-based ID. This changes the way all APIs (C, C++ and .Net)
    identify the cameras
  - Added a document for GigE camera features
  - Changed the supported GenTL version to 1.3 (e.g. new feature categories
    BufferHandlingMode and StreamInformation)
  - Separate features for heartbeat timeout and heartbeat interval
  - Adjustable device discovery waiting time
  - Fixed issues with similar serial numbers
  - Fixed issues with many network interfaces

Vimba Class Generator
  - Minor changes to appearance and documentation

Changes in Vimba 1.2.0:
-----------------------
Vimba C 1.2.0
  - Version 1.2.0 is only compatible to AVT GigE TL Version 1.2.0 onwards
  - Name independent search for AVT transport layers
  - Made EnumEntries' "pIsImplemented" condition equivalent to "pIsAvailable"
    to mimic the behavior of GenICam reference implementation

Vimba C++ 1.2.0
  - Fix for opening camera by IP address

Vimba .NET 1.2.0
  - Fix for 64bit version attempting to load 32bit transport layers
  - Fix for opening camera by IP address

Vimba Viewer 1.1.1
  - SFNC Features directly beneath the root category get listed
  - Many new pixel formats available for histogram support

GigE Transport Layer 1.2.0
  - Improved performance in case of many events
  - Restriction to eight cameras removed
  - Corrected Heartbeat feature
  - Fixed support for small packets

  
----------------------------------------
Allied Vision Technical Software Support
----------------------------------------
You can reach the Allied Vision Technical Software Support via the corresponding contact
form for your region:

   Asia Pacific
   ------------
        http://www.alliedvision.com/apac/support/contact-support.html

   Europe, Middle East and Africa
   ------------------------------
        http://www.alliedvision.com/emea/support/contact-support.html

   Germany
   -------
        http://www.alliedvision.com/de/support/support-kontaktieren.html

   The Americas
   ------------
        http://www.alliedvision.com/us/support/contact-support.html

   China
   -----
        http://www.alliedvision.com/cn/support/contact-support.html
