Question

I am developing a Java ME application which uses the camera to take a snapshot and then decodes it (using ZXing library). The target is Nokia phones.

I need to use the focus to have a clear image, if not, it is difficult to decode the image.

Since the Series 40, the control “videocontrol” and “SnapShopControl” are available. I thought that for the “FocusControl” it was the same, but it isn’t.

I discovered that it is almost non-existent, not only for the Series 40 (only some phones), but (more surprisingly) for the Series 60 and Symbian 3.

You can see that in Java ME API support on Nokia devices.

These mobile phones support JSR-234 but for audio and music, not for camera.

As you can imagine, this is very deceiving, Nokia is not doing their work well.

Did you find any solution? Perhaps another “made-by-hand” control? I am afraid I have to start programming in C++ because I haven’t got much time.

Answer 1

The solution has been to use Nokia’s APIBridge (an extensible mechanism to access device features in WRT, Flash Lite, and Java applications). You can access the software is installed in the phone for the camera and if it is able to use the autofocus, you can use it, and it returns the image you take.

See Tool details for APIBridge for further details.

The implementation is easy (you install the SIS file for the APIBridge in the device, and you can package your application and this SIS file together).

You use the following code:

    APIBridge  bridge = APIBridge.getInstance();
    bridge.Initialize(midlet);
    NewFileService service = (NewFileService) bridge.createService("service.newfileservice");
    Hashtable filter = new Hashtable();
    filter.put("NewFileType", "Image");
  BridgeResult  res= service.TakePhoto(filter);