Zoneminder/CTU core CD distro

[cordel]

From Fedora, This distro was designed just to slim down to a single CD with some optimizations for ZM. I made sure that I didn't affect anything that would hinder any of Fedoras packages.

Regards,
Corey

[nickcol]

Hi,

I have been using your fc3 zm 1.21.3 iso distro for a while now and have just typed yum update zm to update to version zm 1.21.4 as its now out.

I dont use the x10 camera control part.

After the update zm does not run. Stuck in Console - STOPPED

The zm webpage does not show any cameras now and has the following error at the top
UNKNOWN column 'Sequence' in 'order clause' at the top

Any Ideas ?

Thanks

Nick

[magnuspictor]

What sounded strange to me, was that first time I tried to install source rpm (as root, of course) I got an error message stating "...not able to create /usr/src/redhat/ect. etc. ".

After a while I succeded in installing the kernel source without performing any change...

But in order to have an actual source tree, I have to build it, and there is not rpmbuild installed.

Which rpm'll provide my WS withrpmbuild?

I'm a brand new(bie) user of Fedora, I always used Debian and Suse!

THX!

[magnuspictor]

Just one more little question:

Are there some inexpensive webcam's "ready-to-go" with CTU? i.e. with drivers/modules shipped within the CD?

I'm tryng to show functionality to my boss (something like provate venture) and I cannot afford a real CCTV to show'em (I have to buy myself )

[cordel]

I have been using your fc3 zm 1.21.3 iso distro for a while now and have just typed yum update zm to update to version zm 1.21.4 as its now out.
Nick

Nick,
Have you restarted zm from the console? It need you to do this to update the database.

What sounded strange to me, was that first time I tried to install source rpm (as root, of course) I got an error message stating "...not able to create /usr/src/redhat/ect. etc. ".

After a while I succeded in installing the kernel source without performing any change...
But in order to have an actual source tree, I have to build it, and there is not rpmbuild installed.

magnuspictor,
If you use yum to install the development group, this should give you everything you need. All you have to do is enable the Ferdora Repositories (--enablerepo=base --enablerepo=updates-released ). To build modules you need the kernel-devel and this will allow you to build modules for the kernel.
I put the CD together more less to give everyone an easy start and the Fedora Kernel supports more than most but not everything. So some webcams will work and others will not. I personaly have never used web cams so I can be of little help there. Everything I have here is cctv and capture cards.
I do have some Impact VCB cards left (Three RCA inputs and one S-Video with a single BT878 chip). I charge $30 that includes shipping. You can also get cards on ebay for about the same price and cameras are not to bad either. I picked up an "AVC 301A" off ebay for $20 and it's B/W and the lux is only .1 but it does okay. Better that any web cam anyway.

Regards,
Corey

[nickcol]

Hi,

I have sorted the zm update. The mysql tables had not been updated as were missing some new columns..
I did not know restarting it would update them so I just grabbed the .sql update file from the source files.

All works now

Nick

[blkswanpres]

I am completely new to linux. I just installed this is there anyone that can help me get it started?

[jameswilson]

if i were you id start at the beginning of this thread as i think it tells you all you need to get started, once your running if you get a problem gather as much info about as possible (usually during the log checking etc you realise whats wrong yourself) and if still stuck post in the main forum and we will do what we can

And welcome to zm

[blkswanpres]

i Havr it in stalled but I dont know where to go after the installation, and I don't understand what the mean to do at the begining.

Like where Cordel says

Once installed all you need to do is :
chkconfig --levels 345 httpd on
chkconfig --levels 345 mysqld on
service mysqld start
service httpd start
vi /etc/zm.conf (So you can add the username and password you want for the database)
/usr/lib/zm/bin/zminit (To create and populate the database, default user->root and leave the password blank)
service zm start


I have no idea how to do that.

[jameswilson]

once installed you need to open a command window called terminal from x(what looks like the windows bit). Its like command prompt in windows but much powerful (and dangerous lol).

To install it just burn the iso pop in the cd of your soon to be zm machine
install by following the questions. When its finished (it will reformat your drive so dont use a machine you want to keep any of your data on) you will be presented with a login, use the details you supplied to the installer and login as root (administrator in windows speak) then open a terminal window and go through cordel's instructions.

CTU ZM is very easy, but you will have to learn a lot as linux is completly different to windows. It wont hold your hand quite as much, but when you get it right it is awesome. I am quite a newbie too i have only being using linux a couple of months now

[cordel]

blkswanpres,
I have a new rpm that simplifies the process even more. I have tested some here locally and everything seems good. I could really use some one to try it and get feed back from.
Let me now if your interested. I can either walk you through it using IM, or a phone call (depending on where your located), or through freeworlddialup.com.

Let me now if your interested.

Regards,
Corey

[blkswanpres]

I would be very interested in that. What would I need to do?

[cordel]

Okay, Here is how you go about it.

From the zm machine with a fresh install, from the console (assuming that you didn't install a desktop, If you did just press [ CTL + F1 ] to get a console window [ ctl +F7 ] to get your graphic desktop after your done).

Enter the following lines and press enter (after you login of course).
Sub note (Once this package is finished it will be added to the update server and yum update will retrieve this package).
#
wget ftp://ctu-web.com/pub/linux/zoneminder/ ... t.i386.rpm
#
rpm -Uvh zm-1.21.4-1.4.fc.root.i386.rpm
#
This will put you where the new CD would leave you. From here on is what it would be like after installing the CD (yet to be released).
Again from the console.
/usr/lib/zm/bin/zminit

It will ask you some questions to make the configuration file for zm.
First it will ask for a username that you want zm to use to access the database (this can be anything meaningful or not, you should never have to use it your self)
Then it will ask you for a password for the above user for the same purpose (again this should be for zm only and can be anything you want).
Now it will ask for the administrative user for mysql. This will be root as on a fresh install it the only user configured.
The password for root is blank, just hit enter (To secure mysql you should give the root user a password, Se the documentation at mysql.org for how to do this.).

For now you have to start the web server, and zm manually or you can reboot the PC to start them. I'll be adding to the script to ask if you want to start them and if you want the services to start at boot.
Here is how to start the services manually.
service httpd start
service zm start

That is the end of initializing zm. Now you just need to configure your card and setup everything in the zm web console as described in the readme and on the site.

Regards,
Corey

[cordel]

Hello everyone,

I want to get some feedback before I start work on some new distros.
I'm looking at redoing both the 32 and 64 bit versions.
For both, I'm thinking of:
* Removing the gnome desktop from the CD (would still be able to be installed via yum through the Fedora Repositories) to reduce the overall size of the iso.
Running a desktop with zm is not a good thing anyway, but X would still be on the CDs.
They will both still be based on FC3.
FC4 will be coming most likely by 2nd Qtr 2006.

For the i386, I'm thinking of rebuilding everything for the i686 arch as more that not, I'm sure most everyone is running at least a PII.

Thoughts and comments?


Regards,
Corey

[jameswilson]

For the i386, I'm thinking of rebuilding everything for the i686 arch as more that not, I'm sure most everyone is running at least a PII.

I agree

Removing the gnome desktop from the CD (would still be able to be installed via yum through the Fedora Repositories) to reduce the overall size of the iso.
Running a desktop with zm is not a good thing anyway, but X would still be on the CDs.
They will both still be based on FC3.

If there is no desktop at all, wont people have problems on first time installes etc. Or does x give a basic desktop