Terminology


Below is a list of common terms in the Matrox Design Assistant documentation. For an overview of the user interface and information about the conventions used to document it, see the Interface overview and documentation conventions reference chapter.

  • Absolute coordinate system. The absolute coordinate system is the default coordinate system for images in Matrox Design Assistant. The absolute coordinate system's origin (0,0) is aligned with the image's top-left corner, unless an applied calibration changes the origin. Note that, by default, results are returned with respect to the absolute coordinate system.

  • Annotation. An annotation is a non-destructive overlay on the displayed image. Annotations are used to delineate a region on the image (for example, the search region for the EdgeLocator step), or to show results independently selected for design-time and runtime.

  • Calibration. Calibration allows you to map pixel coordinates to real-world coordinates. This mapping can be used to get results in real-world units. The mapping can also be used to physically correct an image's distortions (see Chapter 28: Acquisition). By getting results in real-world units, you automatically compensate for any distortions in an image.

  • Compound step. A compound step is a step that has one or more branches (for instance, a Condition step, a Loop step, or a Switch step). Any action that is performed on a compound step affects its branch step(s).

  • Debugging. In reference to a Matrox Design Assistant project, debugging is equivalent to testing.

  • Deploy. Deploying your project copies it to your runtime platform. It can optionally start running the project automatically, and launch your browser to display the operator view.

  • Design Assistant Agent (DA Agent). The DA Agent is a process that manages the sharing of hardware resources, such as cameras and I/O ports, between the design-time and the runtime.

  • Design-time. Design-time is the time in which you can create your flowchart and test its steps, individually or in sequence, before deploying the project on your target platform.

  • Development Computer. A development computer is a computer with the Matrox Design Assistant Integrated Development Environment installed, being used to create projects for deployment on a runtime platform.

  • Element. Elements are items used to create your operator view. There are output elements, input elements, and static elements. An output element is a value, a PassFail marker, or an image display item. An input element is a button, a radio button, or a text box. A static element is an image.

  • Emulation mode. In Emulation mode, you can work with the Matrox Design Assistant application without connecting to a runtime platform. You can build and configure your flowcharts, and test processing steps. However, Emulation mode only allows you to work with stored images, and all the communication steps of your flowchart will be skipped.

  • Execution marker. When the project is running, the execution marker is an orange or red outline that appears around a step that is currently being executed. When the project is not running, the execution marker appears around the step that was last executed.

  • Expression. An expression specifies a computation using a sequence of numbers, strings, booleans, constants, objects, or logical operators. Once evaluated, the expression returns the computed result. This can include a simple link to a variable in your project, an input or output of any step of your project, or a platform configuration setting. The Advanced editor of the Configuration pane displays lists of operators and functions from which you can build an expression.

  • Fixture. A fixture is a reference frame consisting of an (x,y) position and an X-axis direction. When a fixture is associated with a step, all position and orientation inputs of the step are defined with respect to the fixture. Fixtures are used to allow a step's regions to be tied to an object in the image, so that when the object moves or rotates, the regions will follow accordingly.

  • Flowchart. A flowchart is a diagram that identifies the starting and ending points of a project, the sequence of steps in the project, and the decision and branching points along the way. The main flowchart is created with a loop, a Camera step, and a Status step. Subflowcharts are created with flowchart start and flowchart end nodes.

  • Inspection site. The inspection site is the set of Matrox Design Assistant project parameters associated with a project deployed to a particular runtime platform instance. For example, 2 supported Matrox smart cameras or 2 Matrox 4Sight GPms on 2 separate work cells.

  • Internet Information Services (IIS). Used by Matrox Design Assistant 4.0 and later, the IIS publishes the portal pages and operator view pages on a PC runtime platform.

  • Link. A link is an expression that references an input, output, variable, or platform configuration setting. Each time an input containing a link is evaluated, it can give a different result depending on the current value of the link. A simple link is composed of identifiers separated by a period.

  • Matrox Design Assistant configuration portal. The Matrox Design Assistant configuration portal is a set of web pages, referred to as portal pages, resident on the runtime platform. The portal allows you to manage projects deployed to your runtime platform, view images from connected cameras, view industrial communication information (such as auxiliary I/O signals), define calibrations, and manage project security. A supported Matrox smart camera's configuration portal has additional administrative and configuration options.

  • MILConfig utility. The MILConfig utility is a MIL utility which allows a Matrox Design Assistant user to specify default cameras, verify licenses, fetch software updates, and generate troubleshooting logs.

  • NIC. A NIC is a network interface controller. Some NICs support settings needed for efficient data transfer from GigE Vision cameras. Add-on cards (adapters) can have between 1 and 4 NICs (for example, Matrox Indio and Matrox Concord PoE), while industrial PCs can have more (for example, Matrox 4-Sight GPm has 6).

  • Operator view. The operator view is your deployed project's interface. The operator view is used by the operator (user) to view results and interact with the running project. You can have more than one operator view per project. When you deploy your project, the operator views are copied to your runtime platform as web pages.

  • Persistence. A persistent value retains its value (does not reset) every time the project is run. The term persistence can sometimes be referred to as static (such as static variables).

  • PLC. A PLC is a programmable logic controller. It is typically used to manage manufacturing processes, and is usually programmed with ladder style logic, providing sequential and combinatorial control of devices through discrete I/O control, or via Ethernet based industrial communication protocols.

  • Portal Pages. The web pages that make up the Matrox Design Assistant configuration portal.

  • Preview. Whenever a step's property is changed, Matrox Design Assistant will use the new value to generate a preview of the image and its annotations. The contents of the Results pane are not updated during preview, only when the step is run or rerun.

  • Project. A project stores all the relevant information, such as the flowchart, operator views and MIL contexts, that relate to an application that will run on your runtime platform.

  • Quick Access. Quick Access is your primary guide for configuring each step in your project. Quick Access links to different locations within Matrox Design Assistant, taking you directly where you need to go.

  • Recipe. A recipe is a group of step inputs used to inspect one variant of a family of related products. Each recipe has a unique ID and a unique name.

  • Runtime. Runtime is the time after a project is deployed on your runtime platform. An operator can interact with your running project's operator view. You can start or stop runtime projects from the HOME portal page, or a connected development computer.

  • Runtime environment. The runtime environment is the support software running on the runtime platform, including DA Agent and a web page server.

  • Runtime platform. A Matrox Design Assistant runtime platform is a collection of hardware and software components on which projects can be deployed and run. For example, a supported Matrox smart camera (Matrox Iris GTR), a Matrox 4Sight GPm, or a PC connected to one or more GigE Vision or USB3 Vision cameras, can be considered runtime platforms. If the runtime platform has sufficient resources, more than 1 project can run simultaneously.

  • Step. A step is a Matrox Design Assistant building block composed of one or more properties. Step configuration is the process by which a step's properties are set. The current (or last) step that was run is outlined in orange in your flowchart. This outline is known as the execution marker. Note that when an error occurs, the execution marker is red. The execution marker moves as each step is executed. Clicking on a step selects it. A selected step is dark blue in color. When you select a step, you can configure its properties.