New ZoneMinder Interface.

victor_diago · Post by **victor_diago** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:09 am

Hi everybody.

ive started a project that may be an alternative LOCAL (ONLY) Gui to zoneminder.

I will use macieck viewer (shm) and i am posting this to call some help.

does anyone wants to help or is interessed ?

Alone it will sure take a lot of time.

You can take a pre-look to the interface at :

www.alcatrazdigital.com.br/shot.jpg

It is built in gambas.

Thanks a lot

Victor Diago

jameswilson · Post by **jameswilson** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:14 am

Impressive, i will help but i left gambas a while ago now but it is very similar to vb, what have you got so far, is any of it functoning or is it all graphic? Put me down for part of it. Someone needs to decide on the layout and stuff, im not sure i agree with the current layout but as its your project you have the final say!

victor_diago · Post by **victor_diago** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:56 am

Hello !

Thanks for reply.

This project was born not so long yet, but i think that it could help ZoneMinder in a commercial way.

I have some personal needs for this, but i want to take it as a project to provide other people the solution to their problems.

So this is why i need help. otherwise i would make a basic interface for myself. But as i already need to develop it,so why not make it complete !

I think we could aggregate everyones effort (for example Phil's zoneminder and macieck xlib_shm) to produce a Auto installation CD, just like ross melin's one. (hey ross, it would be VERY NICE to have your help.)

Yes, a little part of it (the one that change the views ways) is working.

I think that the first step is to decide which functionalities the program should have.

This layout is not definitive, we should choose one after the functionalities are choosen.

Here in Brazil we are starting vacation time, so i will have the next month full at night to work on this.

My intention is to make the software complete but simple to use.

in my opinion it should use third part softwares when needed.

For example k3b to burn CDs, etc.

I thought on these functionalities.

1- Local view using macieck software
2 - Local view in many different ways (quad, 9 cam, 16 cam, etc)
3 - CD/DVD-recording feature (with possibility to make a VCD/DVD video disc to watch on DVD players)
4 - Event search (also editing) and watch feature.
5 - Set camera function (modect, record, etc)
6 - Ready to TV-out configuration
7 - Report generator for event (to be sent to a printer)

there is much more that could be possible.

what do you guys think ?

Thanks for any reply.

jameswilson · Post by **jameswilson** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:04 am

1- Local view using macieck software
2 - Local view in many different ways (quad, 9 cam, 16 cam, etc)
3 - CD/DVD-recording feature (with possibility to make a VCD/DVD video disc to watch on DVD players)
4 - Event search (also editing) and watch feature.
5 - Set camera function (modect, record, etc)
6 - Ready to TV-out configuration
7 - Report generator for event (to be sent to a printer

If you have already worked out how to get maciek s/w into gambas then whe should be able to provide some hooks to control it, plu i have been talking to him about a remote control way of running it via telnet commands so worse case we could do this. (1 and 2)

3- I have looked into dvd creation before as part of another project and this may be simple under linux and the command line. It is relativly easy to send commands via the cli and gambas as i recall so i dont think this shoulbe too hard.
4- as long as we have a mysql plugin for gambas this should be straight forward, but it deoends in the i/f you want for playback
5 - I think there should be a seperate config window with restriced access for this
6 - I think we need to leave that to Xorg as sending modified video to the vid out port is a project in itself.
7, what sort of reports are you thinking.

We need to keep things as components so that they can be worked on seperatly, if you hade a target of say version 0.1 can do live playback of 1 to 16 cams, v0.2 will add config panel etc etc.

If you send me what you have i will have a look this weekend and reinstall gambas. I agree we need something like this and the 3 hardest bits are shared mem, mysql and dvd authoring. As maciak has done this already then i think we should have a go.

Id like to see how yu got the shared mem viewer to be called form gambas.
Also gambas needs kde doesnt it, or have yu tried it on the lighter desktops?

victor_diago · Post by **victor_diago** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 2:06 pm

Hi james and thanks again for your always good answer !

Actually, make macieck´s plugin work with gambas is done by activating it with the "Shell" instruction from gambas.

It works well, as gambas can communicate very well with shell scripts.

You have issued a very important thing, the ability to drive all the interface with only mouse. I think that is very important because when installing a dvr surveillance system, the operator sometimes is lcoated very far from the computer. and a mouse cable extension is very easy to assemble, also optical high resolution mouses can be extended for long meters without any loose on transmition (god bless serial protocol)

So, im very interested in get this all with zoneminder, and i would like it to become part of the official distribution.

Phil, what do you think ?

Also, i have named it opendvr, but i think this name shouldnt be used. Maybe ZoneGUIder fits better;

Lets so make a list of features that it should have when fully done, after that we will split it into parts that should be done for each version (just like you sugested before)

i will take this weekend on this, probabyly on monday i will have something written.

What do you think of ask phill to create another forum only used to ZoneGUIder ? this should be very good to keep everybody related in touch.

Also, i really would like macieck to join us, as our work would never be god if we dont have him software. Macieck , could you give us this gift ? (also, is there any problem in using your software ?)

Phil, you are the developer of zoneminder, i ask you permission to take this ahead.

Thankls everybody

Victor Diago

Post by **zoneminder** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:12 am

I'm not sure I entirely understand what you lot are all up to, but anything that makes ZM easier to use is fine by me. I also am happy to create a dedicated forum once things get off the ground and there is the volumen messages to justify it.

jameswilson · Post by **jameswilson** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:40 am

Phil its just a gui for zm that will start at boot and allow the server to be a fully fledged viewer/playback too. Its a better version of zm4linux when its running

victor_diago · Post by **victor_diago** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:28 am

Hi again.

Sorry, i was out a little busy in this pre vacations here in brazil... i work at night in a highschool and we have a lot of things to do until begin of july.

Lets so restart the discussion about the zoneminder Ultimate GUI

I ve readed and agreed with you james in a lot of points.

So, here we are :

1 - Should be an auto instalable cd. Maybe run from it live, like knoppix
2 - Should not depend of zoneminder web gui.
3 - Should be Mouse only capable.
4 - Should play live montage in different ways (like commercial systems)
5 - Should allow the view of saved events in a friendly way, by selecting the date to view in a calendar or something (like commercial systems)
6 - Should have basic configuration, just like web gui, but dealing directly on database.
7 - The configuration panel should be protected from normal users (like commercial systems, which is acessible by using password)
8 - Should burn CDs/DVDs
9 - Should burn DVDs/VCDs in order to be played in normal dvd players
10 - Should convert optionally events to mpeg and still be able to search/work with them (this should be done after zm saves them)
11 - It should be easily translatable.
12 - Should have a standard instructions manual, that could be translated
to different languages.
13 - Should allow the creation of detection zones in a friendly way (actually it is very friendly, but unfortunately setting the sensitivity is not very easy.)
14 - Should look well. Any artist interested in help with this ?
15 - Should open a camera in fullscreen when clicked, and to normal size when clicked again.
Well, as i see this is all we need. I am interested in build a entirely new interface , forget that ive designed. it could be very better.

Once we finish the to-do list, we could separate the features in different versions.

I have some experience building auto instalable systems with slackware (have already made 3 big projects).

Well, that is it, anyone have suggestion ? james and phil, thank especially you two.

Regards

Victor Diago

jameswilson · Post by **jameswilson** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 6:41 am

lets get it started, send me what you have or post it somewhere and i will have a look later tonight.

victor_diago · Post by **victor_diago** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:15 pm

Hi.

Ive dumped my old project, so that shot.jpg is not active anymore.

Im starting it from zero. do you agree with all the features ive said ?

because if you do, next step is to decide the interface, so i could start coding..

Thanks

Victor Diago

jameswilson · Post by **jameswilson** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 12:16 am

Code: Select all

1 - Should be an auto instalable cd. Maybe run from it live, like knoppix 
2 - Should not depend of zoneminder web gui. 
3 - Should be Mouse only capable. 
4 - Should play live montage in different ways (like commercial systems) 
5 - Should allow the view of saved events in a friendly way, by selecting the date to view in a calendar or something (like commercial systems) 
6 - Should have basic configuration, just like web gui, but dealing directly on database. 
7 - The configuration panel should be protected from normal users (like commercial systems, which is acessible by using password) 
8 - Should burn CDs/DVDs 
9 - Should burn DVDs/VCDs in order to be played in normal dvd players 
10 - Should convert optionally events to mpeg and still be able to search/work with them (this should be done after zm saves them) 
11 - It should be easily translatable. 
12 - Should have a standard instructions manual, that could be translated 
to different languages. 
13 - Should allow the creation of detection zones in a friendly way (actually it is very friendly, but unfortunately setting the sensitivity is not very easy.) 
14 - Should look well. Any artist interested in help with this ? 
15 - Should open a camera in fullscreen when clicked, and to normal size when clicked again. 
Well, as i see this is all we need. I am interested in build a entirely new interface , forget that ive designed. it could be very better.

Features are difficult to totally finalise as move will be added some will be chnaged during development
but
1, Maybe but not essiantial. Im unsure as there will be no config saved on a live/read only system
2, I think it should or we will need to have our own testing if zm is running code or fault finding and support will be difficult
3, I agree totally (but need option of a custom keyboard with keyboard etc)
4, I agree
5, I agree but there are plenty of playback models we could add, we will just start with one
6, I think basic only or when there is a change to the zm version the viewer would have issues if new entries in db.
7, I agree need multiple levels of access say 1 - 10, 1 being view only to 10 admin
8, I agree but i think this can wait till the end!
9 As above
10, Maybe, unsure initially of how to do this. I think this would need serius work to zm server
11, Yes i suppose. It will need a similar system to zm i suppose
12, OK as long as i dont have to write it (I hate writing manuals)
13, I think an extension of the preset idea is required here and again is an end project feature
14, I think it needs to be clean and not to 'graphicy' I think the bulk of pc based dvr front end look 'cheap' But im no graphic designer
15, ok shouldnt be hard but thats down to maciek's code for the interpolation etc