Knowing Which VisionPro Release Created a VPP FileCognex VisionPro
VisionPro Version Utility

VisionPro Version is a small command-line application without a graphical user interface. You can use it to determine which version of VisionPro was used to create a specific VPP file. It also indicates:

  • whether a VPP is a saved job (basically a whole application),
  • a saved ToolBlock (a chunk of a whole application)
  • or a saved tool (part of a whole application).

If you parse a VPP file, you can get the following information:

  • The top level object name that is persisted in the file
  • VisionPro version for all the assemblies referenced in the VPP file
  • The .NET framework version if available
  • Whether script is used in the VPP file
  • The custom assemblies referenced in the VPP file and their versions.
How to Use VisionPro Version

To use the utility, open a command prompt, navigate to the %VPRO_ROOT%/bin directory, type VPPVersion.exe and press Enter. You can use the application with the following command line options:

VPPVersion.exe -h
Displays the syntax help in the command prompt.

In the following example, the VPPVersion utility displays the in-line syntax help:

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C:\Program Files\Cognex\VisionPro\bin>VPPVersion.exe -h

Cognex VisionPro Version Utility -v 1.0
VPPVersion.exe
Options:
-v, --verbose file name
                Outputs the object type, the release in which the file was create and all other referenced assemblies
-f, --file file name
                Outputs the object type and the release in which the file was created

Examples:
                VPPVersion.exe --help
                VPPVersion.exe -h
                VPPVersion.exe --file VPPFile
                VPPVersion.exe -f VPPFile
                VPPVersion.exe --verbose VPPFile
                VPPVersion.exe -v VPPFile
VPPVersion.exe -f VPP file name
Outputs the tool name persisted in the file and the release name in which the file was created. Example: VPPVersion.exe -f "E:\public\QBVPRO72_v4.vpp"

In the following example, the VPPVersion utility indicates that a .VPP file is a saved toolblock from VisionPro release 7.0:

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C:\Program Files\Cognex\VisionPro\bin> vppversion.exe -f "C:\Users\<USERNAME>\VisionPro\CogToolBlock.vpp"

Object Type:
        Cognex.VisionPro.ToolBlock.CogToolBlock

Release Name:
        VisionPro 7.0
VPPVersion.exe -v VPP file name
Outputs the object name persisted in the file, the release name in which the file was created, all the referenced assemblies and whether script is used in the file. Example: VPPVersion.exe -v "E:\public\QBVPRO72_v4.vpp"

In the following example, the VPPVersion utility indicates that a .VPP file is a saved job from VisionPro release 6.0:

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C:\Program Files\Cognex\VisionPro\bin> vppversion.exe -v "C:\Users\<USERNAME>\VisionPro\QuickBuild1.vpp"

Object Type:
                Cognex.VisionPro.QuickBuild.CogJobManager

Release Name:
                VisionPro 6.0 Preview 1

Referenced Assemblies:
                Cognex.VisionPro.QuickBuild.Core
                VisionPro 6.0 Preview 1

                Cognex.VisionPro.QuickBuild.IO
                VisionPro 6.0 Preview 1

                Cognex.VisionPro.Core
                VisionPro 6.0 Preview 1

                Cognex.VisionPro.FG1394DCAM
                VisionPro 6.0 Preview 1

                Cognex.VisionPro.ToolGroup
                VisionPro 6.0 Preview 1

                Cognex.VisionPro
                VisionPro 6.0 Preview 1

Limitations

Prerequisites:

  • The utility requires .NET framework 4.0 to run.
  • The utility will not parse SOAP or XML VPP files.