LabVIEW or Vision Builder/Vision Assistant?

[jman1]

I'm trying to figure out how best to program my imaging application and am not sure if I should do everything in Labview or VisionBuilder/Assistant.  I've read about VisionBuilder/Assistant, but want to be certain I can accomplish what I need with them before getting too far.

I want to image using a Prosilica (AVT) GC camera and be able to set imaging duration, frame rate, region of interest, etc.  This seams easier to do with VisionBuilder/Assistant.  However, I'd like to trigger image acquisition at the same time that I begin sending out digital pulse trains from my PCI 6010 (used to control DC power supplies), which I've coded in Labview.  I've read that VisionBuilder/Assistant code can be converted to Labview, so am I correct to assume that I'll be able to integrate my 'imaging' code with my 'pulse train' code after I've written one in Vision Builder/Assistant and one in Labview?

Eventually I will need to do some image processing.  I understand that Vision Assistant is capable of this and would like to use it if it will do what I need, though I'm not opposed to image processing in another program like imageJ.

I appreciate any advice you can provide.  Thanks.

[mishkin]

jman,

it looks like your GigE camera has external digital trigger lines. I would say if you wanted to snap when  you send out a digital pulse from the DAQ card, just have the same digital pulse trigger the camera acquisition. As far as Vision Assistant vs Labview, Vision Assistant can be used to quickly develop and test a series of image processing steps. Then you can convert it to Labview code if you wish and run it in parallel with your DAQmx code. 

Also, Vision Builder is NOT the same as Vision Assistant. See  What is the Difference Between Vision Software VDM, VBAI, and VAS?

[Brad]

Another important point. With Vision Assistant you can also use it as an Express VI, which allows you to easily integrate it into your LV application, and just double click on the Vision Assistant Express block to modify the Vision Assistant script (and it will also by default use the last image acquired). There is even a Vision Acquisition Express VI to configure the camera/trigger settings. If you're comfortable with LV programming and need to incorporate other HW/drivers in your app, this seems like the best approach. You can laways try this route and convert the Express VI to a normal VI so you can see the code behind it, but then you won't be able to launch Vision Assistant and easily modify the code.

Vision Builder AI is good for programming everything in a configurable envirnment where you don't need to know any programming language. It won't be as good integrating other non imaging HW into the inspection, but it does off high level configuable communication like thernet/IP, TCP, serial (but it sounds like you need NI-DAQ pulse configuration and Vision Builder AI only offers simple software timed Digital I/O for DAQ devices).

Hope this helps,

Brad

[jman1]

Thanks to both of you.  It sounds like Vision Assistant would be the best place to start.  It should be capable of acquiring images, integrating with my existing Labview DAQ pulse generation code, and doing some image processing.  And if necessary I can convert it to normal Labview code.  Thanks again.