Create Line Edit ControlCognex VisionPro

This topic contains the following sections.

The Create Line edit control provides a graphical user interface to the CogCreateLineTool tool, which creates a new line. The edit control allows you to specify a point on the line and its rotation, dictate which graphics appear as the tool executes, and view tool results. The following figure shows the Create Line edit control:

Cognex Dimensioning Create Line Control Create Line Whole Control

The edit control offers the following features:

  • A row of control buttons at the top left
  • A set of function tabs to define the reference point and rotation, choose what graphics the tool will use, and view results
  • An image display window for displaying tool images and graphics

You can experiment with the edit control by using QuickBuild to create a CogCreateLine tool. A new CogCreateLine tool appears as shown in the following figure:

Cognex Dimensioning Create Line Control Create Line Terminals

To include the edit control in your custom vision application, you must first add it to your Visual Studio.NET development environment. See Using Edit Controls in Your Custom Vision Applications for more information.

Control Buttons

Cognex Dimensioning Create Line Control MTWButton Bar

The following table describes the function of each button:

Table 1. Control buttons
ButtonDescriptionFunction
Run Button
RunCreates a line with the parameters specified in the Settings tab
Electric Button
Electric modeToggles electric mode, where the Create Line tool executes automatically when particular configuration parameters change. In electric mode, a lightning bolt appears next to every electric property

Local Display Button

Local image display

Opens or closes the local image display window. A Create Line tool supports the following image buffers:

  • The Current.InputImage buffer contains the input image and the currently defined line
  • The LastRun.InputImage buffer contains the results of the tool after it creates the line
Floating Display Button
Floating image displayOpens one or more floating image windows, which support the same image buffers as the local image display window
Open Button
OpenOpens a VisionPro persistence (.vpp) file that contains a set of saved properties for this vision tool object type. VisionPro reports an error if you try to open a .vpp file for another object type.
Save Button
SaveSaves the current properties of the vision tool to a VisionPro persistence (.vpp) file. The edit control allows you to choose between saving the vision tool with or without its image buffers and tool results.
Save As Button
Save AsSaves the current properties of the vision tool to a new VisionPro persistence (.vpp) file
Reset Button
ResetResets the vision tool to its default state.
Tool Tips Button
Show ToolTipsEnables or disables the display of tooltips for individual items in the edit control
Help Button
HelpOpens this VisionPro online help file
Settings Tab

Use the Settings tab to configure the line. The following figure shows the Settings tab:

Cognex Dimensioning Create Line Control Create Line Settings Tab

The Settings tab offers the following features:

Table 2. Settings tab
FeatureDescription
SelectedSpaceNameNames the coordinate space for the line shape
XThe x-coordinate of the reference point on the line
YThe y-coordinate of the reference point on the line
RotationThe angle of the line
FitToImageCenters the line within the Current.InputImage

With the Output drawing style section, you can control the appearance of the output shape that is drawn on the image. See the controls and the example below.

Table 3. Settings tab
FeatureDescription
OutputColorThe output shape color
OutputLineWidthInScreenPixelsThe line width of the output shape
OutputLineStyleThe line style of the output shape

Cognex Dimensioning Create Line Control Create Line Output Shape

Graphics Tab

Use the Graphics tab to control which graphics the Create Line tool generates and displays. The following figure shows the Graphics tab:

Cognex Dimensioning Create Line Control Create Line Graphics Tab

The Graphics tab offers the following features:

Table 4. Graphics tab
FeatureDescription
Show Input ImageDetermines whether or not the input image is recorded as part of the diagnostic record, and whether the image is copied to the record or saved in the record as a reference
Show Output Line Show the output line in the LastRun.InputImage buffer
Results Tab

Use the Results tab to view the parameters of the finished line. The following figure shows the Results tab:

Cognex Dimensioning Create Line Control Create Line Results Tab

The Results tab offers the following features:

Table 5. Results tab
FeatureDescription
Selected Space Name The coordinate space for the input image
X The x-coordinate of the reference point on the line
Y The y-coordinate of the reference point on the line
Rotation The angle of the line