Component Overview
Chapter 2
Using the Filter Manager API
Component Overview
The key element of the Argus encoder API is the
Filter Manager
COM
component, which offers two custom interfaces. The primary interface allows
your application to make requests of the Filter Manager. The second custom
interface (the outgoing interface) allows the Filter Manager to send COM
events to your calling application. Note that both Filter Manager interfaces
use Unicode-style character strings.
The Primary Interface
The primary Filter Manager interface exposes methods that service requests for
encoder functionality. Specifically, it accepts requests to initialize and reset the
encoder software, as well as requests to cue, start, stop, pause, and resume an
encoding session. Additionally, it exposes methods to read hardware and firm-
ware version numbers, to calculate useful time codes, to track the status and
progress of an encode, and to connect and disconnect from the serial port
through which the VTR is controlled.
Through its primary interface, the Filter Manager component exposes
methods
and
properties
. If you are unfamiliar with methods and properties, or with other
aspects of object-oriented programming, take time to review reading material on
C++ or COM. Refer to the end of Chapter 1 for some suggestions.
Figure 2-1. Filter Manager Interfaces