User 'mask' file

[Afx]

using a pgm/jpg/gif mask to define areas would be a real nice way to define areas...a la Motion, Conquercam etc

[zoneminder]

Hi,

This feature is 90% implemented already and will probably be in the next release. The only part left to do is the web image upload bit really.

Phil,

[Afx]

thxs phil, this would be a major timesaver when setting the zones up and not need so much fiddling with pixel values
would you be lookin at a mask for just one zone or multiple?

[zoneminder]

Hi,

The plan at the moment is that the mask file will be a paletted file (ie. gif or png). As currently when you define a zone you give an RGB colour, in the case of a mask file any pixels defined in that colour will be associated with that zone. So you can use the same image file, with several masks in it, for multiple zones.

Phil,

[lazyleopard]

Sounds very cool!

[lazyleopard]

Is this still on the pending list, or did I miss a new feature sneaking in?

[stzaske]

You guys beat me to the punch. When I saw this feature in Motion, I thought it sounded like a killer feature.

[zoneminder]

This is still pending. The actual feature of using a bitmap mask as a zone has been done for several months now, the bit that's still waiting is updating the web interface to make creating and uploading of the bitmaps as easy as non-screwupable as possible.

I will create a reminder for myself to finish this feature off.

Phil

[Baylink]

Is being able to easily *export* a frame from an aimed camera to let you pull it into your paint program for turning into a mask.

I presume you can just switch to non-stream mode, and Save Image As?

[zoneminder]

Yes. The hardest part is detcting when people try and load a file that's a different size, wrong format etc. If I could guarantee that the file was in the correct format it would be easy. Nevertheless, having done the hard work I should try and finish this.

Phil

[Blazer]

This sounds great...I understand trying to make it as user-proof as possible, I guess all you can do is clearly state in the docs that the mask image must be of a certain format or else it will not work. Perhaps some code could just the mask image to make sure the dimensions and format are correct.

[Blazer]

This feature is 90% implemented already and will probably be in the next release. The only part left to do is the web image upload bit really

Phil,

Is this still scheduled for the next release? I am eagerly awaiting it, as I seem to suck at using the coordinate system of defining zones

[jameswilson]

lol @ "i seem to suck at using the cordinate..."

made me smile

Looks like we are gonna have some nice features next release.
I must say thanks to Phil from myslef and the rest of us here for the time and level of profesionalism this project shows. It works and it works well

Thanks again Phil and obviously al that contribute

James

[Blazer]

Another good thing about this feature is that it will make it easy to add masks with curved boundaries.

[zoneminder]

I have had a slight change of mind regarding this feature. I was originally going to have it allowing upload of a image that you might have captured and downloaded from ZM. This image would be colour coded with different regions corresponding with different zones. However this seems a bit complicated and I'm expecting dozens of posts here when things don't exactly work as advertised.

So what I'm thinking of doing now is just allowing you to click on the zone image and define a zone by clicking at points along the edge. So to exclude a tree you would just click at various points along its edge making sure you form a closed polygon. This might also be easier to bulletproff than the first approach which would require you to co-ordinate your zone definitions with the colours used in the mask image.

Anyone have any opinions?

Phil