Glossary
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An acquisition sequence defines how and when images are acquired from the image sources.
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If a tool parameter of a MERLIC tool is not visible by default it is called additional parameter. If a tool provides additional parameters, they can be displayed using the plus button on the right of the basic parameters.
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If a tool result of a MERLIC tool is not visible by default it is called additional result. If a tool provides additional results, they can be displayed using the plus button on the right of the basic result.
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For each image source, one or more additional parameter sets can be created. They can be used to save a different configuration of the camera parameters than defined in the primary set and can therefore be used as an alternative to the primary parameter set. For each alternative parameter set, a managed sequence is automatically created unless a custom sequence of the same name already exists.
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A base sequence defines the default acquisition behavior where one image is acquired from each image source using their respective primary parameter sets. The base sequence is managed, that is, it is updated when image sources are added or removed.
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A MERLIC tool can have basic and additional parameters. A connector is called basic parameter if it is visible by default when inserting the tool.
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A MERLIC tool can have basic and additional results. A connector is called basic result if it is visible by default when inserting the tool.
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A branch trigger is a connection point for outgoing trigger connections of the tool Branch on Condition. Branch triggers are not active by default. They are used to send triggers to connected tools, depending on the result of a condition.
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The byte order mark (BOM), represented by the Unicode character U+FEFF at the beginning of a text, is used to define the byte order or endian-ness of the text stream. If MERLIC requires files in the format UTF-8 without BOM you can use the default editor program Notepad in Windows 10 to check the encoding in the bottom right of the program window. The File > Save dialog allows you to set the encoding to "UTF-8".
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MERLIC provides two different types of plug-ins for the process integration: "communication plug-ins" and "I/O plug-ins". Both can be configured in the MERLIC Runtime Environment Setup (MERLIC RTE Setup) but there are different requirements and restrictions for the configuration. Communication plug-ins can be configured in the "Communication" tab of the MERLIC RTE Setup. They can only be configured when MERLIC RTE is already running. In constrast to I/O plug-in, communication plug-ins can also be configured on remote systems. Communication plug-ins provide more possibilities to control and monitor the vision system during the process integration mode of MERLIC. For example, some communication plug-ins support querying image results. This is not supported by any of the I/O plug-ins.
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This tool type represents tools with an input field for a condition. It is used to define separate branches of tools which are executed exclusively depending on the result of the condition.
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Connectors are interactive elements, shaped like tabs, that let you adjust the name, value, and semantic type of tool parameters, training parameters, tool results and triggers. Connectors are located on the top left (tool parameters), on the top right (training parameters and / or input triggers), on the bottom left (tool results and / or branch trigger), and on the bottom right (output trigger) of the Tool Board. Connectors that are displayed by default are called "Basic Parameters" and "Basic Results". Connectors that can be added manually via the plus button are called "Additional Parameters" and "Additional Results".
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A custom acquisition sequence is a user-defined acquisition sequence which affords full flexibility. Custom sequences are not automatically updated when image sources or parameter sets are added or removed. This means, they have to be updated manually.
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A data connection is a relation between two MERLIC tools. It can be used to transmit the result of a tool to a parameter of a subsequent tool. Data connections are visualized by solid arrows that connect the result connectors with the connectors of the parameters. Data connections can be established either automatically or manually by dragging the connection handle from a result to the desired connector of a following tool.
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A Designer view represents an individual tab card in the Designer with its own workspace. It can be used to design a Frontend with multiple tab cards. Each view can be designed individually and set with individual access rights.
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Designer widgets are graphical user interface elements with a specific functionality. They can be used to design the Frontend for your MERLIC Vision App. The widget can be adjusted with respect to style, visualization, and functionality. MERLIC offers a variety of MERLIC Designer widgets.
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easyTouch is an interactive user assistance of MERLIC. You may use it in selected tools to determine the parameter settings. easyTouch provides you with an interactive preview of the results depending on the mouse position on the image. On mouse click, the position is registered and the parameters are automatically determined according to the current preview.
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easyTouch+ is an interactive user assistance that allows you to use the easyTouch functionality multiple times. You may use it in selected tools to determine the parameter settings for a selection of multiple objects by pressing the Ctrl button while selecting further objects for the processing.
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EcoStruxure™ Machine Expert - Basic is a PLC engineering software from Schneider Electric which can be used to configure, program, and monitor Modicon®* PLCs from Schneider Electric.
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First in, first out.
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Command line flags specify options for command line programs. Get more information about availlable flags by using "--help", e.g., "merlic_creator.exe --help".
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The focus tool is the editable tool shown in the Tool Workspace. It also serves as reference position when several tools are moved within the Tool Flow panel.
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The user management system can be used to control the access permissions of the Frontend for individual users. You can define different groups of users with individual access rights for each view.
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A GenTL producer is a software driver for the GenTL Interface that allows to access and configure hardware and to acquire images from the device.
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MERLIC enables you to combine multiple tools of your MERLIC Vision App (MVApp) in a group. When configuring your MVApp, you might want to use groups to combine tools that perform similar processing tasks, or you might just want to provide a better overview in the tool flow of your MVApp. You can simply select the tools you want to combine in the Tool Flow and create a group via the context menu or via the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+G.
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GX Works is a PLC engineering software from Mitsubishi Electric. It can be used to configure, programm, and monitor PLCs of the Mitsubishi Electric MELSEC Series.
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MVTec HALCON is the comprehensive standard software for machine vision with an integrated development environment (HDevelop). MERLIC makes use of various HALCON procedures and other program functions.
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HOBJ is a binary file format, which provides the functionality to write and read all kinds of iconic HALCON objects (images, regions, and XLDs). Since data are written with neither compression nor conversion, writing this file format is faster than other supported file formats in most circumstances. Hence, if an application needs to read and write all kinds of iconic HALCON objects as fast as possible and no compression is required, this format should be used. For images, all HALCON pixel types can be written. Multi-channel images are supported. The channels can have mixed pixel types but must have the same width and height. The domain of an image and its creation date are stored in the file as well. An object tuple is written into a single file.
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MERLIC provides two different types of plug-ins for the process integration: "communication plug-ins" and "I/O plug-ins". Both can be configured in the MERLIC Runtime Environment Setup (MERLIC RTE Setup) but there are different requirements and restrictions for the configuration. I/O plug-ins can be configured in the "I/O" tab of the MERLIC RTE Setup. They can only be configured when MERLIC RTE is currently not running. In addition, the configuration is only possible on the local system. When using I/O plug-ins for the process integration, some further restrictions might apply depending on the used device.
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An image source configuration represents a set of image sources of the Image Source Manager. Each image source must be assigned to a specific configuration. It is not possible to add an image source without a configuration. Therefore, you first have to add a configuration for a new image source in the "Image Sources" tab of the MERLIC RTE Setup or you have to add the image source to an existing configuration. There are different types of configurations: shared configurations and MVApp-specific configurations. The state of a configuration determines if the respective image sources can be adjusted and used in an MVApp.
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MERLIC offers a single solution for all kinds of image acquisition tasks from a file or camera device. The ISM also handles tasks for the MERLIC Process Integration like changing recipe files. The ISM is configured via .json and optionally for cameras via .pers files. The actual image acquisition in an MVApp is handled by the tool Image Source.
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This tool type represents tools without incoming data connections, i.e., no parameter of the tool is connected to any other tool. Thus, input tools receive no input data. They usually generate the input data for other tools.
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An input trigger represents a connection point at a tool for incoming trigger connections from previous tools. They are placed on the top right of the tool and can be used to receive triggers from tools that are connected via a trigger connection.
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The term instance is used to describe a new or additional context based on a model, for example, an executeble, plug-in, etc. Therefore limitations, parameters, and values can differ from one instance to another, for example, based on command line parameters and INI settings. It is possible to start multiple instances of communication plug-ins.
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Like the base sequence, managed sequences acquire one image per image source but they do so using the corresponding alternative parameter set. If the corresponding alternative parameter set does not exist for an image source, the primary parameter set will be used instead. Managed sequences are automatically created, removed, and updated as image sources or parameter sets are added or removed.
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The processing unit of a running MERLIC Vision App.
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A MERLIC recipe file is a crucial part for the MERLIC process integration. It is a separate file (with file ending .mrcp) that defines which MERLIC Vision App is loaded for the process integration. It also defines how the MVApp is parametrized because it contains a set of pre-defined input values for selected tool parameters. You can create multiple recipe files with individual sets of input values for one and the same MVApp. This enables you to reuse an MVApp with different parameter settings for various scenarios of your application. You can also use a recipe file to load an MVApp for a completely different image processing task.
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MERLIC RTE (Runtime Environment) is the name of the application that is used to start MERLIC in process integration mode. It can be started either via the Windows start menu or via the command line with the executable "merlic_rte.exe".
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The MERLIC Runtime Environment Setup (MERLIC RTE Setup) is a stand-alone application that provides a graphical user interface for the configuration of image sources for the Image Source Manager and for the configuration of various components for the process integration. It enables you to set up multiple image source configurations and to define a default configuration for the process integration. In addition, the MERLIC RTE Setup enables you to manage your MERLIC recipe files, to configure devices for which MERLIC provides an "I/O plug-in", for example, digital I/O devices, and to configure all types of "communication plug-ins". Each of these tasks can be performed in its own tab in the MERLIC RTE Setup. The configuration of image sources and "communication plug-ins" on remote systems is also possible via the MERLIC RTE Setup.
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A MERLIC Vision App represents an image processing application created in MERLIC. It consists of the tools in the MERLIC Creator, the Designer widgets, and all settings that are used in the application.
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The Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) is a network protocol for device communication, especially with limited bandwidth.
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An MVApp parameter represents a basic or an additional parameter in a MERLIC Vision App which can be modified via a recipe file when using MERLIC process integration. You can define a tool parameter as an MVApp parameter in the MERLIC Creator. The panel "MVApp Parameters and Results" shows a list of all MVApp parameters that are currently defined.
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An MVApp result represents an output parameter for the communication with a programmable logic controller (PLC) when using MERLIC process integration. MERLIC tool results that are defined as MVApp results can be transferred to the PLC. You can add a tool result to the MVApp results in the MERLIC Creator. The panel "MVApp Parameters and Results" shows a list of all MVApp results that are currently selected.
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Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards
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This tool type represents tools without outgoing data connections, i.e., no result of the tool is connected to any other tool. Thus, output tools do not send any output data. They usually generate the final data of the completed image processing task.
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An output trigger represents a connection point at a tool for outgoing trigger connections to subsequent tools. They are placed on the bottom right of the tool and can be used to send triggers to all tools that are connected via a trigger connection.
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Tool parameters are represented by connectors on the top left of the Tool Board. They are called "Basic Parameters" if they are visible by default and "Additional Parameters" if they can be added manually via the plus button.
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Files of the type .pers are used for the MERLIC Image Source Manager. They contain persistent parameters for a specific camera device. .pers files are used in combination with a .json configuration file.
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For each image source, a primary parameter set is created implicitly. It contains a specific configuration of the camera parameters. The configuration can be adjusted. However, a primary parameter set cannot be deleted.
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MERLIC can be used in machine vision systems that are integrated in a manufacturing machine. The machine controller, e.g., a programmable logic controller (PLC), must be able to control an integrated vision system, to monitor the execution, and to query the results. Therefore, MERLIC provides a process integration mode to enable the communication with a machine controller. The process integration mode can be started with the application "MERLIC RTE" that is provided with the MERLIC installation.
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This tool type represents tools with incoming and outgoing data connections. This means that at least one parameter is connected to a previous tool and at least one result is connected to a subsequent tool. Thus, processing tools send output data and receive input data.
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The Quick Info is a short description of a MERLIC tool. It is displayed directly in the Tool Board and describes how to use the respective tools.
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Regions of interest are used to restrict tools to work only on a certain area of an image. Consequently, the output of the tools contains only results with respect to these ROIs. ROIs can be created manually and by using easyTouch and easyTouch+.
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"Representational State Transfer" (REST) is a software architecture for the data exchange between software systems. A RESTful API is an API that adheres to the principles of REST. Resources are represented by URLs, and interactions with those resources are performed using HTTP methods such as "GET", "POST", "PUT", and "DELETE".
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Tool results are represented by connectors on the bottom left of the Tool Board. They are called "Basic Results" if they are visible by default and "Additional Results" if they can be added manually via the plus button.
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If a new result is available and the number of results exceeds the buffer size, the oldest result will be discarded.
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Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
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A segment is a geometric object in linear form. MERLIC uses segments in various forms and ways. You can use a segment as a region of interest (ROI). A segment ROI can be drawn into a tool using the corresponding ROI button on the left of the Tool Board. A segment ROI can also be a result of a MERLIC tool. Segments are also used for various image processing tasks, e.g., measuring. An edge segment is a segment of an edge, i.e., it changes from higher to lower gray values or vice versa. In contrast a line segment is an elongated thin structure which is either dark on light background or vice versa.
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The semantic type specifies the data class of a parameter or result, i.e., the kind of data a parameter or result contains. Some of the most important semantic types are iconic data (images, regions, regions of interest (ROIs), contours), elementary data (numbers, integers, real, strings), geometric data (angles, coordinates), and handles.
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A MERLIC tool is a modular unit with a specific functionality. It can be used to solve a specific task of an image processing application, to define conditions and expressions, or to communicate via various devices. Tools build the elementary part of a MERLIC Vision App.
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A Tool Board represents the window of a single MERLIC tool within the Tool Workspace. It can display a graphics window, areas for performing a training or configuration, input fields for expressions, parameter and result, available buttons for the regions of interest (ROIs), and the Quick Info.
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The tool flow of a MERLIC Vision App (MVApp) represents the sequence of tools and tool connections that have been configured for the MVApp. It defines the individual image processing steps that are performed when the MVApp is executed and visualizes dependencies between tools. The tool flow of the current MVApp is displayed in the Tool Flow panel of the MERLIC Creator.
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The Tool Flow panel is part of the graphical user interface of the MERLIC Creator. It visualizes the tool flow of the current MERLIC Vision App (MVApp), that is, the tools and tool connections that are used in the MVApp. It provides an overview of the image processing steps performed with the MVApp and the current state of the individual tools and connections. The Tool Flow panel also provides various options to modify the MVApp such as adding tools or grouping tools.
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The Tool Library is part of the graphical user interface of the MERLIC Creator. It displays the library of provided MERLIC tools divided in different categories. Thus, it contains all tools that are available in MERLIC. You may add a tool from the tool library to the workspace by drag-and-drop or double-clicking.
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The Tool Workspace is part of the graphical user interface of the MERLIC Creator. It shows the Tool Board of the tool that is currently selected. Thus, the Tool Workspace can be used to adjust the settings and connections of tools.
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Some MERLIC tools use a training to estimate the best parameters for the application. These tools provide two modes, a training mode, and a processing mode. The training mode can be used to define the training image(s) and the parameters for the training. The trained data can then be tested in the processing mode. You may change between training and processing mode by clicking on the corresponding image previews on the left of the Tool Board.
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A trigger is a signal that can be used to control the execution order of tools or to synchronize tools during parallel processing. Triggers are represented by the connectors on the top and bottom right of the Tool Board.
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A trigger connection is a relation between two MERLIC tools. It can be used to transmit triggers from an output trigger to an input trigger of a subsequent tool. Trigger connections are visualized by dashed arrows. They can be established manually by dragging the connection handle from an output trigger to the desired input trigger of a following tool.
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A tuple is a list of elements, e.g., numeric values and strings.
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The z-order property of widgets in the MERLIC Designer allows you to define what is shown in the background and in the foreground when starting the MERLIC Frontend. Widgets with a higher z-order are shown above widgets with a lower z-order. For best results keep the value between -8388607 and 8388607.
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