Writing Scripts

Scripts are simply a set of text commands that can be processed and understood by the camera, resulting in the completion of an imaging task. So, you can use scripting to simplify complex operations, saving you time. Automate repetitive tasks. Or use messages displayed on the LCD to "walk" novice users step-by-step through a task, with little or no training.

If you're intrigued by this amazing new feature called scripting, you might want to try your hand at developing one. All you need is a text editor. And, learning the scripting language is often fairly intuitive for anyone knowledgeable about programming languages. Here is what a sample script looks like:

# This script takes pictures as fast as they can be processed and until the memory card is full (or the script is aborted).
name "Rapid Fire"
mode 0
declare i:status
declare i:iImageRaw
declare u:IPIP
declare u:uImageTaken, uImageAvail, uStorage
declare b: bSystem, bCapture, bVendor

SetCaptureMode (still)
WaitForShutter ("Press shutter when ready")

uStorage = 1
iImageRaw = -1
IPIP = 0x10000000

PicLoop:
GetStorageStatus (uStorage, uImageTaken, uImageAvail, iImageRaw)
if uImageAvail < 2
DisplayClear()
DisplayLine("Memory is full.")
Wait (5000)
goto Done
end

WaitLoop:
status = 0
GetCameraStatus (bSystem, bCapture, bVendor)
if bSystem & IPIP
Wait (1500)
goto WaitLoop
end
DisplayClear ()
status = 0
StartCapture()
DisplayClear()
DisplayLine("Processing...")
if status != 0
DisplayClear()
Alert ("Got ", status, " for StartCapture!")
end


goto PicLoop

Done: exitscript

If this looks too complex to write, don't worry. There are lots of people who are developing scripts right now. You can download free scripts from Kodak or from other sites on the internet.

If you're interested in writing your own scripts, take the next step and join the Kodak Developer Relations Group (DRG). You'll receive a Scripting Software Development Kit (SDK) complete with all the necessary tools to create and upload customized programs that work with DC220, DC260, DC265, and DC290 Cameras.