Camera Metadata (ArkTS)

Metadata is the description and context of image information returned by the camera application. It provides detailed data for the image information, such as the coordinates of a viewfinder frame for identifying a portrait in a photo or video.

Metadata uses a tag (key) to find the corresponding data during parameter transfers and configurations, reducing memory copy operations.

How to Develop

Read Camera for the API reference.

1. Import the modules.

   import camera from '@ohos.multimedia.camera';
   import { BusinessError } from '@ohos.base';
   

2. Obtain the metadata types supported by the current device from supportedMetadataObjectTypes in the CameraOutputCapability class, and then use createMetadataOutput to create a metadata output stream.

   function getMetadataOutput(cameraManager: camera.CameraManager, cameraOutputCapability: camera.CameraOutputCapability): camera.MetadataOutput | undefined {
     let metadataObjectTypes: Array<camera.MetadataObjectType> = cameraOutputCapability.supportedMetadataObjectTypes;
     let metadataOutput: camera.MetadataOutput | undefined = undefined;
     try {
       metadataOutput = cameraManager.createMetadataOutput(metadataObjectTypes);
     } catch (error) {
       let err = error as BusinessError;
       console.error(`Failed to createMetadataOutput, error code: ${err.code}`);
     }
     return metadataOutput;
   }
   

3. Call Session.start to start outputting metadata, and obtain the data through subscription to the 'metadataObjectsAvailable' event. If the call fails, an error code is returned. For details, see CameraErrorCode.

   For details about how to obtain preview output, see Camera Preview (ArkTS).

   async function startMetadataOutput(previewOutput: camera.PreviewOutput, metadataOutput: camera.MetadataOutput, cameraManager: camera.CameraManager): Promise<void> {
     let cameraArray: Array<camera.CameraDevice> = [];
     cameraArray = cameraManager.getSupportedCameras();
     if (cameraArray.length == 0) {
       console.error('no camera.');
       return;
     }
     // Obtain the supported modes.
     let sceneModes: Array<camera.SceneMode> = cameraManager.getSupportedSceneModes(cameraArray[0]);
     let isSupportPhotoMode: boolean = sceneModes.indexOf(camera.SceneMode.NORMAL_PHOTO) >= 0;
     if (!isSupportPhotoMode) {
       console.error('photo mode not support');
       return;
     }
     let cameraInput: camera.CameraInput | undefined = undefined;
     cameraInput = cameraManager.createCameraInput(cameraArray[0]);
     if (cameraInput === undefined) {
       console.error('cameraInput is undefined');
       return;
     }
     // Open a camera.
     await cameraInput.open();
     let session: camera.PhotoSession = cameraManager.createSession(camera.SceneMode.NORMAL_PHOTO) as camera.PhotoSession;
     session.beginConfig();
     session.addInput(cameraInput);
     session.addOutput(previewOutput);
     session.addOutput(metadataOutput);
     await session.commitConfig();
     await session.start();
   }
   

4. Call Session.stop to stop outputting metadata. If the call fails, an error code is returned. For details, see CameraErrorCode.

   function stopMetadataOutput(session: camera.Session): void {
     session.stop().then(() => {
       console.info('Callback returned with session stopped.');
     }).catch((err: BusinessError) => {
       console.error(`Failed to session stop, error code: ${err.code}`);
     });
   }
   

Status Listening

During camera application development, you can listen for the status of metadata objects and output stream.

• Register the 'metadataObjectsAvailable' event to listen for metadata objects that are available. When a valid metadata object is detected, the callback function returns the metadata. This event can be registered when a MetadataOutput object is created.

  function onMetadataObjectsAvailable(metadataOutput: camera.MetadataOutput): void {
    metadataOutput.on('metadataObjectsAvailable', (err: BusinessError, metadataObjectArr: Array<camera.MetadataObject>) => {
      console.info('metadata output metadataObjectsAvailable');
    });
  }
  

  NOTE

  Currently, only FACE_DETECTION is available for the metadata type. The metadata object is the rectangle of the recognized face, including the x-axis coordinate and y-axis coordinate of the upper left corner of the rectangle as well as the width and height of the rectangle.

• Register the 'error' event to listen for metadata stream errors. The callback function returns an error code when an API is incorrectly used. For details about the error code types, see CameraErrorCode.

  function onMetadataError(metadataOutput: camera.MetadataOutput): void {
    metadataOutput.on('error', (metadataOutputError: BusinessError) => {
      console.error(`Metadata output error code: ${metadataOutputError.code}`);
    });
  }