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Suppose you have a script in PHP that you only ever want to only ever run one instance of.

For example:

• Maintenance script (repair,optimise)
• Update script (crawler)
• Server

These types of scripts need only to be launched once, and more could be counter productive or even dangerous.

The simplest way to stop multiple instances is to check to see if the last running script is still running.

(more...)

I have found I kept getting an error when I modified some of the example code.

The error message was:

After trying a few of the suggested fixes I was starting to give up hope.

Luckly I found a post suggesting  to change the configuration from debug to retail and recompiling.

It worked!

OpenCV stands for Open Computer Vision Library.

OpenCV is an open source library for computer vision development.  There are some very interesting sample applications included with this library.

This sounds like the perfect start for Sir Bones.

Before we can start we need to be able to build the library.

Requirements

• OpenCV Library
• Visual Studio 2005 Express C++
• Windows Platform SDK

Optional

• Visual Studio 2005 Express C++ SP1

We are going to be using Microsoft Visual Studio for this install.
The reasons for this include Support from OpenCV, Lots of Internet Articles for creating software, MSDN, Offical Software and its FREE.

Step 1 - Installing Visual C++ and Platform SDK

Visit http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/visualc/usingpsdk/ and follow Microsofts Guide to setup Visual C++ and the Platform SDK.

When you get to Step 3, add this line to "Include Files" (assume default install location)
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK for Windows Server 2003 R2\Include\mfc

This is because OpenCV requires some files that are inside that folder.

Step 2 - Update Visual C++ with Service Pack 1 (Optional)

Service Packs for the each of the Visual Studio products are available on one page from Microsoft.

Visual Studio 2005 Express SP1

The specific update that you will require is called "C++ 2005 Express Edition SP1 - VS80sp1-KB926748-X86-INTL.exe"

Step 3 - Install OpenCV

Go get OpenCV Library and download OpenCV 1.0 for Windows

Installation is straight forward.

Step 4 - Customising Visual C++ for use with OpenCV

We need to setup the directories for Open Visual C++

• Open Visual C++
• Choose menu "Tools" and select "Options"
• In "Projects and Solutions"  and go to "VC++ Directories"
• Show directories for "Library Files"
• Add "C:\Program Files\OpenCV\lib" to the list of directories

Step 5 - Open "OpenCV Workspace .NET 2005"

In the start menu a folder called "Open CV" was created when you installed OpenCV.

Inside the folder "OpenCV" there is a shortcut called "OpenCV Workspace .NET 2005"

Open "OpenCV Workspace .NET 2005"

This will load OpenCV solution within Visual C++

There is one last thing you need to do, to be able to compile OpenCV.

• Choose menu "Build" and Select "Configuration Manager"
• Change "Active solution configuration" to either "Debug" or "Release"

Step 6 - Build

Now that everything is installed and setup; building OpenCV should be a breeze.

• Choose menu "Build" and Select "Build Solution"

Building OpenCV can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour.
When I built OpenCV it took about 10 minutes.< /p>

Congratulations OpenCV is now installed and built.

Update: Problem compiling OpenCV with Visual C++

Have you ever wanted to record information in notepad and automatically have the date and time inserted?

Well now you can.

Open notepad and insert the following:

.LOG

Now save the document as <filename>.log

Also change the "Save as type" to "All Files", this is to prevent notepad saving the document as <filename>.log.txt

(Remember to replace <filename> with the actual name of the document you want to save as)

Now every time you open this document, the current date and time will be entered in for you.

Easy huh?

View Video of this useful trick for notepad in action

I have been trying for a long time to understand computer vision, and trying to make a program that could pick out useful information from web cameras.

It was a standard set-up of 2 cameras and slight angles to each other, pointing forwards.

The trouble was they were free to move around. What was needed, was something to hold the cameras in a fix position.

The hunt for a human skull was on!

Last year, I released a php script called CounterScript.

It purpose was to generate extended statistics about the visitors to your site.

The script stores all the data about the visitors in a mysql for later analysis.

Check it out: http://sourceforge.net/projects/counterscript/

I've been thinking about ways to get signals into and out of a computer without too much fuss. My soldering skills are average, but when it comes to complicated projects I prefer to buy them pre-made. Trying to locate parts to make some of the interfaces found on the internet is next to impossible living in the UK on a tight budget. (more…)