.. _image-sdk-features:

ImageSDK features
=================

The ImageSDK is used for reading and processing images. The ImageSDK is used *after* the capture has taken place. It can be used completely separate from the CameraSDK and the camera, but can also work closely together with the CameraSDK.

.. image:: image-sdk.png
    :width: 60%
    :alt: ImageSDK in relation to CameraSDK
    :align: center

The ImageSDK offers two main functionalities:

1. Image *meta data* extraction.
2. Image pipelines for decoding, including Bayer to RGB conversion, cropping and scaling.

The ImageSDK defines two separate pipelines for processing images: Decompression of Bayer data (Decode pipeline) and converting Bayer data into an RGB format (Convert pipeline):

.. image:: image-pipelines.png
    :width: 65%
    :alt: The two different image pipelines: Decode and Convert
    :align: center

.. note:: Upon receiving a capture from a connected camera, it is possible to open the image directly in the ImageSDK from the memory. Thus, it does not need to be saved to a file first.

The images do not need to come directly from a connected camera, as they can be opened from disk. Working directly with the files allows the ImageSDK to be used entirely separate from the CameraSDK and the camera.

.. toctree::
    :hidden:

    eager-init.rst
    open-image.rst
    meta-data-extract.rst
    output-formats.rst
    decode-pipeline.rst
    convert-pipeline.rst
    export-image.rst