MIL Distribution

“Sometimes I am confused by what I think is really obvious. But what I think is obvious obviously isn’t obvious.” Michael Stipe.

MIL offers an extensive set of options when it comes to licensing. From selecting the type of license used to choosing if the license is even visible to an end user, a good understanding of those options is key. To take advantage of MIL to its fullest, we strongly suggest that you take a few minutes the read the following:

MIL imaging software is a powerful image acquisition and processing software development package widely used in the semiconductor industry, medical imaging, research laboratories, production, industrial, aerospace and scientific industries to name a few.

MIL is available in two different versions – MIL-Lite and MIL Development toolkit.

MIL-Lite can be described as “baby MIL” i.e. shorter version of the MIL Development toolkit. MIL-Lite is basically used to acquire live images and carry out limited processing.

MIL Development toolkit is a comprehensive software development toolkit with image acquisition and processing features. Some of the processing features present are: blob analysis, geometric model finder, edge finder, pattern matching, coder reader and OCR (optical character recognition), image processing, measurement and calibration module, color analysis, string reader, graphical processing image, 3D calibration and reconstruction package, and metrology package. Run-time licenses are required in addition to the MIL Development toolkit in order to enable some of these features. We will discuss this further in detail in the next blog. For now we will focus on distribution.

[Note: At any instant of time, only one copy of MIL can be present on a system. MIL licensing is not automatic – the user using “MIL Config” needs to install (activate) the license.]

MIL Distribution

In many cases after an application has been developed using MIL Development toolkit we would like to deploy this application on other computers either in our own laboratories or our client’s laboratory/site without any modification or debugging. In these cases MIL distribution serves as an important tool.

Components needed for MIL Distribution

1) MIL/MIL-Lite DLLs

2) MIL/MIL-Lite device drivers (drivers for Matrox frame grabber)

3) License for appropriate modules/features known as a run-time license. [Note: Matrox has combined several modules together for economic benefits. Please contact Uniforce Sales and Engineering to learn more about combinations.]

Redistributing MIL

MIL DLLs and drivers can be distributed in two different ways:

1) Using original MIL/MIL-Lite DVD: if you are deploying MIL application within your lab or within an easily accessible range then the original MIL/MIL-Lite DVD can be used.

Procedure: Run MIL/MIL-Lite set-up program and choose run-time options.

2) Custom set-up is of two different types:

a. Interactive or normal distribution

b. Silent redistribution

Interactive or normal redistribution

As the word indicates, “Interactive” means interaction between the user and the software. In interactive redistribution your application set-up program calls MIL/MIL-Lite set-up program and prompts the user to proceed with the installation of the DLLs and drivers.

The procedure involved:

• Copy the contents of MIL/MIL-Lite to your installation directory

• Have the redistribution program call the setup.exe file located in the installation directory

• Run the setup.exe (client should select only .MIL-Run-time)

If you want to limit the content of MIL/MIL-Lite in your installation then Redist.exe program can be used.

Silent Redistribution

As the word indicates, “Silent” means the installation of the MIL/MIL-Lite takes place automatically without the knowledge of the user. It uses a response file to set-up the necessary parameters for the intended computer. Silent redistribution is intended to be used when the developer does not wish the Matrox imaging dialog box to appear during the installation.

If you have any questions on MIL redistribution please leave a comment.

- Sudeep

Next blog from me: Different Types of Licensing