Overlay from received data.

[KBarringer90]

I'm currently trying to work on a project for the P-1465 and the P-1455 that can be installed on the camera, and it will take a snapshot of what's on the scale, and on the image, put an overlay on it that contains the received information. I've worked through numerous amounts of this code, and the main problem is after getting it to the .eap file, the camera doesn't accept it.
We have a system that sends xml data to an IP and Port via a windows generic text driver, and currently another device receives it and overlays the information across the image. Well, we are trying to do this same thing, but have it run on the camera themselves. I'm at my wits end on this and I'm not an expert developer. Can anyone possibly help with this or have any ideas how to make this work? The image explains the goal basically.

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[vivekatoffice]

Hi @KBarringer90 ,
In my understanding, this question belongs to the ACAP category

There are multiple ways of sending the POS data to the Axis camera overlay:

VAPIX

Overlay API

ACAP

1. Examples for creating HTTP endpoints to receive data from the POS system

   • web-server
   • [web-server-using-fastcgi](https://github.com/AxisCommunications/acap-native-sdk-examples/tree/main/web- server-using-fastcgi)

2. Create TCP Server in ACAP and get the POS data

3. Adding the overlay text on Axis camera live video:

   • bounding-box
   • axoverlay

MQTT Overlay

How to add MQTT overlays in Axis devices

Use 3rd Party paid ACAP solution:

Electronic scale data integration with Lantronix and Axis Camera Station

Serial communication directly with the Axis Camera:

I don't think you have the option here to use serial communication directly as mentioned in page 38 of NVS_User_Guide_6-0 with the AXIS P1465-LE Bullet Camera and AXIS P1455-LE Network Camera using axserialport example.

Image Reference

Image Reference

For example, the serial port can be found in the AXIS Q1728 Block Camera

Image Reference

[rocky-ji]

You need write an ACAP to open the port inside the camera and monitor the data on that port, after receiving the xml, try to add them to camera overlay via axoverlay,
Your system sends xml data to camera IP and Port.

The main overlay sample is here:
https://github.com/AxisCommunications/acap-native-sdk-examples/tree/main/axoverlay

[Cacsjep]

@KBarringer90 ping me if you need help

[KenB1990]

@KBarringer90 ping me if you need help

I've been trying for a very long time now. I have failed at every turn. I need your help.

Literally, I'm trying to get info at this point that prints from a generic windows driver set with an IP and Port, the info that gets printed to that location, I need to be overlayed onto the stream itself.

[Cacsjep]

Could you share more details ? May code.

[KenB1990]

Could you share more details ? May code.

That was a very fast reply.

How the software above works is it uses a windows generic printer and uses the defined IP and Port to send the info to as it is printed. That same info is then received by the device itself when it is printed from Windows, and then it proceeds to overlay that information on top of the stream itself. It basically attaches the customer information to the image, so it operates as a digital signature.
I have gone through dozens of different types of code, in which none have worked. I don't have them currently as I am at work. I'm not a true nor seasoned developer, so I can't even say for certain if what I was doing was right or not.

[KenB1990]

What I need to happen is for the camera to receive the info from the IP and Port, and overlay it onto the stream.

[Cacsjep]

Ok understood, so you would send this data to camera, because that's how network works you either recv or send something to an socket. Therefore you need the payload/protocol when you now that you can write something that overlay this on camera. There are serval options Todo this but in any case you need the payload/data format. May I understand it wrong but without more details we can't help. You can also connect from inside the camera to an exposed API from your service. (ACAP) and draw the overlay.

[KenB1990]

Based on what I see, the information is sent in an XML format. I'm not positive if that's what you need. As for the data format, I can get that for you here shortly.

[Cacsjep]

So you can send this data to an TCP socket ? Is this just raw xaml send over TCP or encapsulated in any protocol like http or so

[KenB1990]

Yes, that’s how it is sent. It is raw xml. Kenneth Barringer IT Analyst

[Cacsjep]

@KenB1990 ok so whats the issue ? you can send this to an ACAP application, did you try that ? you just need to open a socket listen on them for your xml and use axoverlay then to display your data =)

[Cacsjep]

https://github.com/AxisCommunications/acap-native-sdk-examples/tree/main/axoverlay

[Cacsjep]

if you are not able todo this we could build it for you, just let me know if this fits your budget =)

[rocky-ji]

Just beware that if you use axoverlay in ACAP, the overlay info is only available in rtsp/http video streaming, not in the jpeg for example, if you take a snapshot with http://192.168.1.115/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi, it will not contains the overlay info.

To have it both in video streaming and jpg, you should use the VAPIX dynamic overlay API in ACAP.
https://developer.axis.com/vapix/network-video/overlay-api/#dynamic-overlay-api

[Cacsjep]

@KenB1990 you could decide if these need to run in camera or may on that PC where the driver runs. You could just write a simple Programm that create a TCP Server inspect the XML, take a snapshot from camera and made the overlay via an option that the programming language provide. Since its windows may c# fits best because it would easy to run that as an windows service.