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Communication Protocol Documentation
Overview
The communication protocol for the TCP server is designed to handle various commands and triggers sent from a client. The protocol uses a specific format to encapsulate commands and their parameters, ensuring that the server can interpret and execute them correctly.
Message Format
Each message sent to the server must be enclosed within `[S]` (start) and `[E]` (end) markers. Commands within the message are separated by semicolons (`;`). Commands can have parameters, which are separated by colons (`:`).
Example Message
[S]trigger 123;my_command;my_second_command:123;my_string_command:"hello\nworld"[E]
Commands
The protocol supports several commands, each with specific parameters. Below are the supported commands and their formats:
1. trigger
- Format: `trigger <number>`
- Description: Starts a camera trigger with the specified number as trigger id.
- Example: `trigger 123`
2. ledson
- Format: `ledson`
- Description: Turns on the LEDs.
- Example: `ledson`
- DEPRECATED: was in use with EVT cameras
3. ledsoff
- Format: `ledsoff`
- Description: Turns off the LEDs.
- Example: `ledsoff`
- DEPRECATED: was in use with EVT cameras
4. carrierID
- Format: `carrierID <number>`
- Description: Sets the carrier ID to the specified number. This ID will be added to metadata of image.
- Example: `carrierID 456`
- DEPRECATED: use meta command to set additional metadata
5. mask
- Format: `mask <number>`
- Description: Sets the camera mask to the specified number. Allows to disable certain camera trigger.
- Example: `mask 111110` - will disable camera 6
6. meta
- Format: `meta <string>`
- Description: Sets additional metadata to an image. The metadata is reset after each trigger, so must be set BEFORE trigger.
- Example: `[S]meta:“some metadata\nsupports\nmultiple\lines”;trigger 123[E]`
Example Calls
Single Command
[S]trigger 123[E]
- Description: Starts a camera trigger with the number 123.
Multiple Commands
[S]meta:"some metadata";carrierID 456;trigger 123[E]
- Description: Sets metadata to “some metadata”(without quotes), sets carrierID to 456 and triggers camera with trigger id 123