In-Sight® Explorer 4.9.3 Release Notes

© Copyright 1999-2014 Cognex Corporation. All rights reserved.

Overview

This document describes Release 4.9.3 of In-Sight® Explorer, including the following topics:

• System Requirements
• New Features
• Changes & Fixes
• Known Issues

For updated release notes, documentation and more, visit the In-Sight Online Support Center.

System Requirements

PC Hardware Requirements

Minimum

• Intel® Pentium® 4 processor running at 2GHz (or equivalent)
• 1GB of available RAM
• 2GB of available hard-disk space
• Video card capable of displaying 1024 x 768 resolution at 24-bit color depth. The DPI Display setting must be set to 96 DPI.
• Network Interface Card (at least 100Mbps) for connecting to In-Sight vision systems

Recommended

• Intel® Core™ i7 processor running at 2.7GHz (or equivalent)
• 4GB of available RAM
• 2.5GB of available hard-disk space
• Video card capable of displaying 1920 x 1080 resolution at 32-bit color depth. The DPI Display setting must be set to 96 DPI.
• Gigabit Network Interface Card for connecting to In-Sight vision systems

Operating System Requirements

In-Sight Explorer has been tested on the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows 7 Professional, Service Pack 1 (32- and 64-bit)
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, Service Pack 1 (64-bit)

Although In-Sight Explorer may function on other operating systems, systems not meeting the preceding requirements are not supported.

Supported Languages

• English
• Japanese
• French
• German
• Spanish (European)
• Korean
• Chinese (Simplified)

Supported In-Sight Vision Systems

In this release, new firmware is available for the following systems:

• In-Sight 5000 Series Vision Systems
• In-Sight Micro Vision Systems
• In-Sight 7000 Series Vision Systems

Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1

In-Sight Explorer 4.9.3 requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1. The In-Sight Explorer installer will attempt to download/install .NET 3.5 SP1 prior to installation if it is not detected on the system.

Old Firmware Version Support

In-Sight vision systems with older firmware may work properly with In-Sight Explorer 4.9.3; however, firmware versions prior to 4.7.0 are not fully tested. For optimal performance, In-Sight Explorer software and firmware should be set to the same version.

Licensing

In-Sight Explorer 4.9.3 is distributed in two different packages: a full version and a trial version. The full version is completely functional and does not expire. The trial version runs for 30 days and then ceases to function. An Offline Programming Key is required for the full version to use In-Sight Explorer in emulator mode if no In-Sight vision systems are present on your network.

New Features

In-Sight Explorer Enhancements

This release of In-Sight Explorer provides new functionality for both the EasyBuilder and Spreadsheet development environments, while also providing new functionality shared by both, including the following:

• The Emulation pane of the Options dialog has been modified and now includes the Authorized FTP Directory parameter, which can be used to specify a path for FTP services. This additional directory can be used for FTP server access, where files and images can be accessed and stored, allowing the directory and any sub-directories to be accessible to the FTP server (in addition to the Emulator's working directory).

  This option requires that the Use Emulator checkbox be enabled. The location of the directory can either be set manually or by browsing to the directory location. The FTP directory must be a rooted, local path (e.g. C:\...), with the proper permissions to write to the directory enabled. Any attempts to access the Authorized FTP Directory must precisely match the specified path. For example, if the Authorized FTP Directory is C:\temp, any requests to store the file "abc.txt" to that directory must be of the format, "put c:\temp\abc.txt." If the command is specified as "put abc.txt" instead, the file will be placed in the Emulator's directory.

• The Sensor menu has been modified and now includes the Job Server option, which launches the Job Server Settings dialog, to allow a vision system to be configured with the address of an FTP server from which to load and save job files. The Job Server Settings dialog is used to configure a server that will host In-Sight job files for the selected In-Sight vision system, which allows another device, such as a PLC or robot controller via the LF and TF Native Mode commands, to change jobs without specifying a location.

  Once configured, the vision system will automatically use the FTP server when loading or saving a job. The Save and Open dialogs have been modified, and will default to the FTP server location when a user attempts to open or save a job (browsing to other locations will be permitted, as well).

  Note: If a connection is made to a vision system that has been configured to use the Remote Job Server from an older version of In-Sight Explorer (e.g. In-Sight Explorer 4.9.1 or earlier), In-Sight Explorer will default to the vision system's file system. This will also occur if a connection is made via a VisionView Operator Interface Panel.

Changes & Fixes

• The Displayed Image Settings dialog has been renamed to the Image Settings dialog.
• The FindPatMaxPatterns function has been modified to correct a coordinate system translation error between the low-level feature detection code and the In-Sight spreadsheet interface. Previously, firmware versions reported the found pattern locations ½ pixel left/up from the actual location. (CR# 29891)
• The ReadIDMax function has been modified to correct an issue when reading DataMatrix codes that contain non-printable characters. The function now correctly checks for a binary latch character (0xE7) in the decoded raw stream, and then reports the remaining code content as hexadecimal ASCII. Previously, the two functions would incorrectly decode and display non-printable characters, resulting in mis-reads. This fix is also present in In-Sight Explorer 4.9.0 firmware and software. (CR#s 25753 and 22424)
• EasyBuilder has been modified and now always selects the A0 cell when the job is loaded. Previously, when an EasyBuilder job was saved after selecting a cell with image graphics using the Spreadsheet View, the image graphics were displayed in the EasyBuilder View at the next job load. (CR# 29566)
• The Blob and Blobs (1 - 10) Location Tools and Color Blob and Color Blobs (1 - 10) Location Tools have been modified to display the crosshair graphics that indicate the tools' results in the Run Job Application Step. Previously, there was no graphical feedback for blob tools in the Run Job Application Step.

• The Profinet GSD version on In-Sight vision systems has been changed to version 2.3. (CR# 29458)

  Note: The GSD version 2.3 is only supported on Siemens Step 7 software version 5.5 SP3 and later. If using an earlier version of Step 7, download the GSD version 2.2 from the In-Sight Online Support Center. When using the GSD version 2.2 or earlier, the vision system is not Profinet certified. Only the vision systems with the GSD version 2.3 is Profinet certified.
• The names of the EDS files for EtherNet/IP on the In-Sight vision systems have been changed to comply with the ODVA naming format. The files install and function identically as before.
• The In-Sight Explorer Help file has been modified and the In-Sight Explorer application no longer becomes unresponsive after closing the Help file. Previously, after opening and viewing several topics in the In-Sight Explorer Help file, the In-Sight Explorer application became unresponsive once the Help file is closed. (CR# 27559)
• The In-Sight Micro vision system has been modified and now supports legacy analog front end (AFE) settings. AFE settings (not accessible by a user) were changed in version 4.4.0 to reduce image noise observed in some vision systems when using a high Gain setting. This change could materially affect image brightness in some applications created using firmware versions before 4.4.0 and loaded onto systems with newer firmware. For more information to accommodate for this change when loading older job files, contact Cognex Technical Support. (CR# 11109 and 12761)
• The Filmstrip has been modified to correctly display the Record, Playback and navigational buttons and to retain the selected image in the queue when re-opening In-Sight Explorer or when switching between the EasyBuilder View and Spreadsheet View. Previously, the selected image in the Filmstrip queue was not retained and reset to the first image when re-opening In-Sight Explorer or when switching between the EasyBuilder View and Spreadsheet View. Also, the Record, Playback and navigational buttons in the Filmstrip became out of sync when switching views. (CR# 14353)

Please see past In-Sight Explorer Release Notes for changes and fixes in previous releases.

Known Issues

Uninstalling In-Sight Explorer 4.x.x results in unhandled exception errors for other installed versions of In-Sight Explorer 4.x.x

Issue: If there are multiple versions of In-Sight Explorer 4.x.x (e.g. 4.1.0, 4.1.1, 4.2.0, 4.3.0) installed on a PC and a version of In-Sight Explorer 4.x.x is un-installed, other versions of In-Sight Explorer 4.x.x may generate an unhandled exception error after opening. (CR# 11969)

Workaround: From the Windows Control Panel, run a repair on the version of In-Sight Explorer 4.x.x that is generating the error. To correct this issue, follow these steps:

For Windows 7:

1. Open the Windows Control Panel and select Programs and Features.
2. From the list, right-click on the version of In-Sight Explorer 4.x.x that is generating the error.
3. From the right-click menu, select Repair.

PatMax Patterns and Patterns Location and Inspection Tools may not properly display bent Model Regions

Issue: If a PatMax Patterns or Patterns Location or Inspection Tool is added to a job, and the Model Region is bent into a large annular shape, the thumbnail image of the Model may not appear in the Trained Image tab of the tool. (CR# 19987)

Workaround: Although the Model is not displayed as a thumbnail, the Model is still a valid, usable Model. If you need to display the Model as a thumbnail, attempt to utilize a smaller Model Region, or decrease the size of the inner radius of the annulus.

ReadIDMax Exceeding Timeout Value

Issue: At times, the ReadIDMax function may exceed the specified Timeout parameter value by varying percentages. (CR# 15993)

Workaround: Adjust the Timeout parameter value lower to compensate for the overage.

In-Sight 7000 Series Vision Systems and Serial Line Support

Issue: If the In-Sight 7000 series vision system is configured for use with the CIO-MICRO or CIO-MICRO-CC I/O module, the RS-232 TRANSMIT and RS-232 RECEIVE pins on the Power and I/O Breakout cable are disabled. If the vision system is then re-configured to use the RS-232 TRANSMIT and RS-232 RECEIVE pins on the Power and I/O Breakout cable, serial communication is still disabled. (CR# 21218)

Workaround: After switching back to the RS-232 TRANSMIT and RS-232 RECEIVE pins on the Power and I/O Breakout cable from the CIO-MICRO or CIO-MICRO-CC I/O module, power cycle the vision system to re-enable the pins on the Power and I/O Breakout cable.

POWERLINK, In-Sight Explorer and Firmware Upgrades

Issue: If In-Sight Explorer is connecting to the POWERLINK network through a POWERLINK TCP/IP gateway X20 CPU module, attempting to upgrade the firmware of In-Sight vision systems that are on the POWERLINK network will not execute successfully and may require the vision systems to be power cycled (there may be additional TCP connection issues, as well). (CR# 21230)

Workaround: Connect In-Sight Explorer to the POWERLINK network through a POWERLINK TCP/IP gateway HB 8815 module. If In-Sight Explorer is connected to the POWERLINK network through a X20 CPU module, Cognex recommends that before performing firmware upgrades, the In-Sight vision systems are removed from the POWERLINK network and POWERLINK is disabled.

Changes to a POWERLINK PLC While an In-Sight Vision System is Connected to In-Sight Explorer

Issue: If an In-Sight vision system is on a POWERLINK network and connected to In-Sight Explorer, attempting to download a change to the PLC, or performing a software reboot of the PLC, may cause the vision system to no longer be able to connect to In-Sight Explorer. (CR# 21242)

Workaround: Disconnect the vision system from In-Sight Explorer before performing any changes or rebooting the PLC. Power cycle the vision system if this situation has been encountered to restore the connection to In-Sight Explorer.

POWERLINK and In-Sight Vision System Configuration Limitations

Issue: The following list describes known limitations of the operation of In-Sight vision systems on POWERLINK networks. (CR# 21234)

The following known limitations apply:

• If the MTU value for Asynchronous Packet transfers is not set to the same MTU value being used by the POWERLINK network, TCP/IP communications will not function correctly.
• If a POWERLINK enabled vision system is taken off the POWERLINK network and placed on a standard Ethernet network, Ethernet communications may lock up and bandwidth may be limited to 1Mbps. To edit a job, disable POWERLINK communications while on the standard Ethernet network.

POWERLINK Support and In-Sight 7000 Color Vision Systems

Issue: POWERLINK is not supported on the following In-Sight 7000 series color vision systems: In-Sight 7010C, In-Sight 7200C, In-Sight 7400C and In-Sight 7402C. (CR# 24004)

Floating Window Position is Not Saved After Selecting Save Layout

Issue: If the In-Sight Explorer interface is modified by dragging windows (such as the In-Sight Network Tree or In-Sight Files pane) to a new location so that they are no longer anchored to the In-Sight Explorer graphical user interface, after pressing the Save Layout button, the location of the floating windows will not be saved and restored even though Save Layout was invoked. (CR# 26843)

Workaround: Drag the windows back to their desired location upon restarting In-Sight Explorer.

In-Sight Explorer Toolbars Cannot Float

Issue: The EasyBuilder View and Spreadsheet View toolbars cannot be customized by floating, i.e. they are no longer anchored to the In-Sight Explorer graphical user interface. (CR# 26231)

Workaround: Drag the toolbar to their desired location upon restarting In-Sight Explorer.

Multiple View Connections and VisionView 700

Issue: In order to utilize the new Multiple View Connections feature on the VisionView application, it must be upgraded to version 1.6.3. However, the VisionView 700 Operator Interface Panel does not support VisionView 1.6.3. (CR# 26698)

Multiple View Connections and Job Execution Time

Issue: If the Multiple View Connections feature is configured to allow two or more connections, for applications that require exact timing or are running near the maximum allowable memory usage, this setting may increase the overall job inspection time, as well as require additional memory. (CR# 25869)

Workaround: If the Multiple View Connections feature is found to negatively impact job and/or memory performance of the application, set the Multiple View Connections setting to 1 to disable the feature.

iQ Sensor Solution and Setting Parameters While Online

Issue: While connected to a Mitsubishi iQ Sensor Solution and an In-Sight vision system, if an attempt is made to change parameter settings (such as Set Parameter or Set IP) while the vision system is Online, a failure code (C05C) is not properly issued. (CR# 26990)

Workaround: Do not attempt to change parameter settings of the vision system while it is Online. If attempting to change settings while Online, a C05C code, which indicates that write processing has been aborted, should be issued.

iQ Sensor Solution and Moving Between English and Japanese Versions of Mitsubishi GXWorks2

Issue: If a PLC project created in the English version of GXWorks2 is downloaded to the PLC, and then uploaded to a Japanese version of GXWorks2, In-Sight 5000 and In-Sight 7000 series vision systems will be missing their icons and descriptive information. This issue also occurs if the process is reversed, i.e. the PLC project is created in the Japanese version of GXWorks2 and then uploaded to an English version of GXWorks2. (CR# 27377)

Workaround: Keep PLC projects within the same language of GXWorks2.

iQ Sensor Solution and Undoing Changes While in EasyBuilder View Communications Application Step

Issue: While editing the SLMP Scanner protocol in the EasyBuilder View Communications Application Step, if changes are made in the Format Output Data and/or Format Input Data tabs, and the user leaves the Communications Application Step and then selects Undo Communications Changes from the Edit menu, the slmpoutaddressmap file will be corrupted. (CR# 27483)

Workaround: Do not use the Undo Communications Changes option from the Edit menu; manually edit the necessary changes instead.

FindPatMaxPatterns Returns Different Results

Issue: In high-precision applications, differences of less than a pixel may be reported if a FindPatMaxPatterns function is constructed to find the patterns returned by a TrainPatMaxPattern function, and the two functions use different external regions for their search and training, respectively. However, if either of the two functions reference an external region that is angled and/or curved, the pixel differences may be much larger. (CR# 27205)

Workaround: When constructing the job, ensure that the FindPatMaxPatterns and TrainPatMaxPattern function reference the same external region for both searching and training, or use the internal regions of both functions for the searching and training.

First Image Is Not Being Recorded at the Specified Resolution

Issue: In applications with large job file sizes or long execution times, if In-Sight Explorer is set to a different image display resolution than that specified in the Record tab of the Record/Playback dialog, the first image that is recorded after the In-Sight vision system is put Online will be recorded at the wrong resolution. (CR# 27752)

Workaround: For these types of applications, set the Resolution setting in the Displayed Image Settings dialog to the same value as that specified in the Record/Playback dialog's Resolution setting.

In-Sight Explorer Operating for Several Days with Multiple Views Draws Toolbars Incorrectly

Issue: If the In-Sight Explorer application is left running for several days with multiple Spreadsheet View connections open, the Spreadsheet View toolbars may be drawn in the wrong location, regardless of user interaction (i.e. turning the toolbars on or off, or attempting to move them to the correct location). The toolbars and menus still function, but they cannot be repositioned. (CR# 28114)

Workaround: To re-enable repositioning the toolbars, close and restart the In-Sight Explorer application (it may be necessary to use the Windows Task Manager to force the application to exit).

Image Is Not Output with Result Graphics by SurfaceFlaw Function

Issue: If a SurfaceFlaw function is configured with an angled or curved region, and the Straighten Images parameter is enabled and the Show parameter is set to the "input and results graphics" option, the only output that will be displayed will be the red overlay graphics. (CR# 28320)

Workaround: In this type of application scenario, set the Show parameter to the "results graphics" option to view the straightened image and graphics.