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QR Codes

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What are QR Codes?

A QR code (Quick Response code) is a type of matrix barcode used to store data like website url, wifi passwords, contact information, etc..

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QR code component is used to

  1. Read QR from input image
  2. Make QR from input string.

readQR() - Read QR from input image

const char *readQR(cv::Mat Input1, symbol_type_t Input2)

  • Description : readQR() takes input as image in OpenCV Mat format & QR code format and returns the QR code data as a (C)string. See Input and Output for details.
  • Parameters :
    • Input (via Arguments):
      • Input1: Image in OpenCV Mat format.
      • Input2: QR code format, used to read QR code of type Model 1 and Model 2,
      • For Example:
      • SI_QRCODE for QR code type Model 1 and Model 2.
    • Output :
      • on Sucess: Returns QR code data in const char * format.
      • on Failure: Returns Error data in const char * format.

makeQR() - Make QR from input string

int8_t makeQR(const char *Input1, const char *Input2)

  • Description : makeQR() takes input as Data string and filename and stores the QR code image to disk in PNG format. See Input and Output for details.
  • Parameters :
    • Input (via Arguments):
      • Input1: Data to be encoded as QR in const char* format.
      • Input2: Filename for storing QR generated on disk.
    • Output :
      • on Sucess: Returns 0 in (int8_t) format and stores the QR generated as an image in PNG format.
      • on Failure: Returns -1 in (int8_t) format.

List of QR Code features implemented in Shunya stack

With Shunya stack you can make IoT device to act as a

  1. QR Code Reader.
  2. QR Code Maker.
note

Shunya Stack currently only supports QR code Type : QR code Model 1 and Model 2

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Using QR Code Shunya stack

Requirements to use QR Code Shunya stack

  1. Shunya OS installed (supported Arm devices) or Shunya OS docker container (X86 based windows/linux devices)
  2. Camera for Reading QR from live feed. (optional)

Steps to use QR Shunya stack

  1. Implementation as a QR Code Reader
  2. Implementation as a QR Code Maker
note

Run the steps given below inside Shunya OS installed (supported Arm devices) or Shunya OS docker container (X86 based windows/linux devices) terminals.

Step 1: Implementation as a QR Code Reader

Let's try to implement QR Code Reader using Shunya stack

Steps are :

  1. Start with an ready to use template,

    git clone https://gitlab.iotiot.in/repo-public/examples.git
    cd examples/simple-examples/qrcode-reader-image
  2. Open the qrcode-reader.cpp in an text editor and modify as per your use case.

  3. For our example, we need to first read the input image, add the code in your main() function

    /* Read image using OpenCV */
    cv::Mat image = imread("qrcode.png");
  4. To read the QR code in the image, modify the code

    /* Find and read QR codes in the image */
    std::string qrData = readQR(image, SI_QRCODE);

    /* Check if the QR code was read successfully */
    if (qrData.compare(0, strlen("ERROR"), "ERROR") == 0) {
    std::cout<<"Error: " << qrData <<std::endl;

    } else {
    std::cout<<"QR Data: " << qrData <<std::endl;
    }
  5. More examples of QR code Reader in shunya stack

    For reading QR code in a video/camera live feed, change code in step 3 and 4. with the example given below.

    captureObj src;
    src = newCaptureDevice("video-source"); /* Create capture Instance */
    cv::Mat frame; /* Variable to store frame */

    while (1) {
    frame = captureFrameToMem(&src); /* Capture one frame at a time in a loop*/

    if (frame.empty()) {
    fprintf(stderr, "End of video file!.");
    closeCapture(&src);
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
    }

    /* Find and read QR codes in the frame */
    std::string qrData = readQR(image, SI_QRCODE);

    /* Check if the QR code was read successfully */
    if (qrData.compare(0, strlen("ERROR"), "ERROR") == 0) {
    std::cout<<"Error: " << qrData <<std::endl;

    } else {
    std::cout<<"QR Data: " << qrData <<std::endl;
    }
    }
    closeCapture(&src);

Step 3: Implementation as a QR Code Maker

Let's try to implement a QR Code Maker using Shunya stack

Steps are :

  1. Start with an ready to use template

    git clone https://gitlab.iotiot.in/repo-public/examples.git
    cd examples/simple-examples/qrcode-maker
  2. Open the qrcode-maker.cpp in an text editor and modify as per your use case.

  3. For our example, add this to your main() to make qr code which leads to website https://shunyaos.org.

    /* Generate QR code and store to output_qr.png */
    int8_t rc = makeQR("https://shunyaos.org", "output_qr.png");

    if (rc < 0) {
    std::cerr<<"Error! Failed to generate QR code"<<std::endl;
    }

    The code will make qrcode and store the output into output_qr.png file.

  4. More examples on making QR code via shunya stack

    For making qrcode which connects to Wifi on read, change code in step 3. with the example given below.

    /* Generate QR code and store to output_qr.png */
    int8_t rc = makeQR("WIFI:S:<ssid>;T:WPA;P:<password>;;", "output_qr.png");

Understand this component with an example (ready to use code)

Let's take an example use case: Say we need to

  • Read QR code from live video feed.
  • We will be using video component for capturing live camera feed.

Steps are :

  1. For our example, we need to first set input video to camera,

    • Please check here, how to setup the video source path in video component.
  2. Start with an ready to use template for MQTT

    git clone https://gitlab.iotiot.in/repo-public/examples.git
    cd examples/full-examples/qrcode
  3. Open the qrcode-reader.cpp in an text editor and modify as per your use case.

  4. Load the video input settings, add the code in your main() function

    captureObj src;
    src = newCaptureDevice("video-source"); /* Argument = JSON Title, Load settings from JSON file */
  5. Capture the camera feed frame by frame, add the code in your main() function

    cv::Mat frame; /* Variable to store frame */

    while (1) {
    frame = captureFrameToMem(&src); /* Capture one frame at a time in a loop*/

    if (frame.empty()) {
    fprintf(stderr, "End of video file!.");
    closeCapture(&src);
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
    }

    }
  6. Read QRcode in all the frames, add the code in your while(1) loop

    /* Find and read QR codes in the frame */
    std::string qrData = readQR(frame);

    /* Check if the QR code was read successfully */
    if (qrData.compare(0, strlen("ERROR"), "ERROR") == 0) {
    std::cout<<"Error: " << qrData <<std::endl;

    } else {
    std::cout<<"QR Data: " << qrData <<std::endl;
    }
  7. At the end close video input,

    closeCapture(&src);    
  8. Finally your code should look like this,

    #include <iostream>
    #include <cstdlib>
    #include <string>
    #include <errno.h>
    #include <opencv2/opencv.hpp>
    #include "si/video.h"
    #include "si/scanner.h"

    using namespace std;
    using namespace cv;
    using namespace zbar;

    int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    {
    captureObj src;
    src = newCaptureDevice("video-source"); /* Create capture Instance */
    Mat frame; /* Variable to store frame */

    while (1) {
    frame = captureFrameToMem(&src); /* Capture one frame at a time in a loop*/

    if (frame.empty()) {
    fprintf(stderr, "End of video file!.");
    closeCapture(&src);
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
    }

    /* Find and read QR codes in the frame */
    std::string qrData = readQR(frame);

    /* Check if the QR code was read successfully */
    if (qrData.compare(0, strlen("ERROR"), "ERROR") == 0) {
    std::cout<<"Error: " << qrData <<std::endl;

    } else {
    std::cout<<"QR Data: " << qrData <<std::endl;
    }
    }

    closeCapture(&src);
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
    }
  9. Once you are done editing, save and compile the code , by running

    mkdir build && cd build
    cmake ../
    make
  10. Run the code

    sudo ./qrcode-reader

Facing errors with the component?