Capture.list() function finds wrong number of cameras

ondsinet_

My goal is to have processing connecting to every webcam connected to the pc,but even with two cameras the code:

import processing.video.*;
Capture cam;
String[] cameras = Capture.list();

for (int i = 0; i < cameras.length; i++) {
  println(cameras[i]);
}

(from the manual,edited to add spacing) outputs something like this:

name=Logitech HD Webcam C270,size=640x480,fps=5
name=Logitech HD Webcam C270,size=640x480,fps=30
name=Logitech HD Webcam C270,size=160x120,fps=5
name=Logitech HD Webcam C270,size=352x288,fps=5
name=Logitech HD Webcam C270,size=352x288,fps=30
...
name=Logitech HD Webcam C270,size=1280x720,fps=5
name=Logitech HD Webcam C270,size=1280x720,fps=30
name=Logitech HD Webcam C270,size=1280x960,fps=5
name=Logitech HD Webcam C270,size=1280x960,fps=30
...
name=Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000,size=320x240,fps=5
name=Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000,size=320x240,fps=30
name=Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000,size=352x288,fps=5
name=Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000,size=352x288,fps=30
name=Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000,size=640x360,fps=5
....

actually there are more than 80 lines for each camera...

So I guess that processing lists every possible combination of resolution and fps... How do I connect only to the "real" webcams? I could try to identify them by the name but What if there are 2 same model cameras?

And anyway is there a way to detect when a camera is connected to the pc after the program has started?

Thanks to everybody.... waiting for you

GoToLoop

Just conjecturing, since I've never had more than 1 webcam in the same computer:

• For 2 cameras, you're gonna need 2 Capture instances.
• And they're gonna share the same captureEvent() callback!
• In order to identify how many cameras there are and their best resolution + FPS, you're gonna need to write some very smart parser.
• From the String[] returned by Capture.list(), split() it by ',' in order to get those 3 properties: name, size & fps.
• Then split() again each of them by '=' in order to separate those properties from their respective values.
• Finally the parser gonna have the necessary data in order to pick the best setup for each Capture.

But what if there are 2 same model cameras?

Dunno. Perhaps we'd see identical String or w/ some slightly diff. name? :-/

ondsinet_

awww man I accidentally pressed yes but I'm not completely satisfied; Anyway, your is a good idea but the problem is also that since Capture.list() has over 150 elements calling this function,wich is needed to have cameras working ,becomes very slow; with just 2 cameras and calling only:

Capture.list()

it takes up to 20 sec to start the program;and with 3 it takes over 40 secs! So does every computer load such weird list of camera combinations or is it some setting I have?

b0rja

This function returns an array with the unique values of the camera names:

    import processing.video.*;
    import java.util.HashSet;
    import java.util.Arrays;

    void setup()
    {
      // Get list of camera names
      String[] camNames = getCameraNames();

      for (int i = 0; i < camNames.length; i++)
      {
        println(camNames[i]);
      }
    }

    void draw()
    {
    }

    String[] getCameraNames()
    {
      String[] list = Capture.list();
      for (int i=0; i < list.length; i++)
      {
        String[] chunks = split(list[i], ',');
        chunks = split(chunks[0], '=');
        list[i] = chunks[1];
      }
      String[] unique = new HashSet<String>(Arrays.asList(list)).toArray(new String[0]);
      return unique;
    }