ZoneMinder Forums

Hi all, total newb to Linux. Managed to get this far using the help doc and this forum. I have created my database got the web front end up, but it constantly displays as being stopped. I cannot start the ZM service and am not really sure where the log is to check why this is.

Any help would be much appreciated. Also, any pointers on how to get my DVR card (cheapo from China, but uses a 878A chipset) to work would be great... not even sure where to begin with that one. Installed xawtv, but not sure where to go next.

Thanks in advance for any pointers.

We will definately need some of your log info to be able to help out.
The logs should be in /tmp unless you changed the path in the options.
You could also just run:
tail -f /tmp/zm*.log

and that will show all of ZM's logs.

Also check these logs:
/var/log/messages
/var/log/httpd/error_log


Regards,
Corey

Very odd,I have not moved the logs, but there is nothing under the tmp directory. I have even searched for zm*.log and there is nothing under the whole file system. This is my second attempt at setting up zm as the first would just not work, and I know the last one had zm log files under the tmp directory.

Checked the other locations out and nothing of any relevence in them.

I appreciate the help, any ideas where my log files could be?

Thanks,
Adam

Is it possible you have a permission error? Have you set your web user and group correctly and set the log dir (if you have changed it) to a writeable location?

With FC$ there are two things that must be done to get ZM running, 1 is in the /etc/ld.so.conf.d/ dir created a file with 775 perm called zm.conf and add the line '/usr/local/lib' to it and type 'ldconfig' once it is added, also with a fresh install of FC4 make sure SE linux is disabled if you are not using it.

I've never had to do the first bit here on FC4, though I always turn SELinux off. I can see it is modify the library search path but I'm not sure why that is necessary. Can you elaborate?

I am having a similar problem w/ SuSE 9.3, and I think I have tried just about everything.
For what it's worth here are the error messages:
In zmpkg.log:
Command: start
Executing: su fxscully --shell=/bin/sh --command='/usr/local/bin/zmdc.pl check'
Removing shared memory
Executing: su fxscully --shell=/bin/sh --command='/usr/local/bin/zmfix'
Executing: su fxscully --shell=/bin/sh --command='/usr/local/bin/zmdc.pl status'
Executing: su fxscully --shell=/bin/sh --command='/usr/local/bin/zmdc.pl start zmfilter.pl'
Executing: su fxscully --shell=/bin/sh --command='/usr/local/bin/zmdc.pl start zmaudit.pl -d 900 -y'
Executing: su fxscully --shell=/bin/sh --command='/usr/local/bin/zmdc.pl start zmwatch.pl'
Command: start
Can't change permissions on log file: Operation not permitted at /usr/local/bin/zmpkg.pl line 180.

in zmpkg.pl:
my $web_uid = (getpwnam( ZM_WEB_USER ))[2];
my $web_gid = (getgrnam( ZM_WEB_GROUP ))[2];
if ( $> != $web_uid )
{
chown( $web_uid, $web_gid, $log_file ) or die( "Can't change permissions on log file: $!" )
Line 180:
chown( $web_uid, $web_gid, $log_file ) or die( "Can't change permissions on log file: $!" )
I have even gone so far as to chmod 777 everything in sight, but have not gotten anywhere in about 12 months of on and off trying.
I wanted this for SuSE 9.3 because everything works in my laptop w/ this distro, including a USB frame grabber w/ an analog camera.
Cheers, FXS

First check your log path in options under the paths tab. This will tell you were the log are going to be put. Second make sure the path exists. Third create the log files if they do not exist and make sure that they have the correct permissions. If zm can not open and write the log files, it will not start.

Regards,
Corey

cordel wrote "If zm can not open and write the log files, it will not start." This might explain why having foolishly deleted the log files (rather than deleting the contents and I didn't think of tail) in an attempt to remove all the previous errors etc I now get no log files created.

Can someone list all the files that should be created e.g.zmpkg.pl.log, ???.log etc so that I can recreate them, and set the permissions. I tried running "make install" again assuming that would recreate them but it did not seem to.

I am currently in the same position as the initial poster I have a page displayed in my browser, have added a monitor (which is yellow text) and a source (which is red) but clicking on Stopped brings up a window whereupon I select Start, leave the New State box empty and click Apply, the window displays Applying Changes then closes but the Stopped state remains - hopefully if I can restore logging I might get somewhere

Thanks in Advance!

ZM does not need the logs files to be present to run, it will create them. However if it cannot create them, for instance because of insufficient permission on the containing directory, then ZM will not start.

Yes running 'service zm stop' followed by 'service zm start' did indeed create the log files. I had deleted them without restarting the service. Should have thought of that javascript:emoticon(':oops:')

I still cannot get the web page text to change from Zoneminder Console Stopped and my video source (an old Hauppauge WinTV card with a brooktree chipset) is still in red although I can get pictures in xawtv and I can capture to a jpeg.


zmdc.log
04/27/2006 20:02:41.357231 zmdc[12693].INF [Server starting at 06/04/27 20:02:41]
04/27/2006 20:02:44.579606 zmdc[12718].INF ['zmc -d /dev/video0' started at 06/04/27 20:02:44]
04/27/2006 20:02:44.580572 zmdc[12693].INF ['zmc -d /dev/video0' starting at 06/04/27 20:02:44, pid = 12718]
04/27/2006 20:02:44.839517 zmdc[12723].INF ['zmfilter.pl' started at 06/04/27 20:02:44]
04/27/2006 20:02:44.840023 zmdc[12693].INF ['zmfilter.pl' starting at 06/04/27 20:02:44, pid = 12723]
04/27/2006 20:02:45.222121 zmdc[12728].INF ['zmaudit.pl -c' started at 06/04/27 20:02:45]
04/27/2006 20:02:45.223395 zmdc[12693].INF ['zmaudit.pl -c' starting at 06/04/27 20:02:45, pid = 12728]
04/27/2006 20:02:45.660431 zmdc[12736].INF ['zmwatch.pl' started at 06/04/27 20:02:45]
04/27/2006 20:02:45.660851 zmdc[12693].INF ['zmwatch.pl' starting at 06/04/27 20:02:45, pid = 12736]
04/27/2006 20:02:45.992971 zmdc[12741].INF ['zmupdate.pl -c' started at 06/04/27 20:02:45]
04/27/2006 20:02:45.993781 zmdc[12693].INF ['zmupdate.pl -c' starting at 06/04/27 20:02:45, pid = 12741]

zmfilter.log
04/27/2006 20:02:45.374664 zmfilter[12723].INF [Scanning for events]

zmpkg.log
04/27/2006 20:02:26.557112 zmpkg[12629].INF [Command: stop]
04/27/2006 20:02:40.865690 zmpkg[12674].INF [Command: start]

zmupdate.log
04/27/2006 20:02:46.287604 zmupdate[12741].INF [Checking for updates]
04/27/2006 20:02:46.395584 zmupdate[12741].INF [Got version: '1.22.0']

zmwatch.log
04/27/2006 20:02:45.978284 zmwatch[12736].INF [Watchdog starting]
04/27/2006 20:02:45.979106 zmwatch[12736].INF [Watchdog pausing for 30 seconds]


Any ideas? - I'm going to try a different video source next if I can get my logitech usb webcam to work with xawtv.

If you would like, I can ssh in and take a peek. Just PM me the info. Would need to be able to access the web console and know were your zm source is (just so I don't have to hunt it down) so I can check the options you used at compile time.

Regards,
Corey

What I found is that SELinux is enforcing policies. ZM does not have a poilicy defined and there for SELinux does not allow ZM to function.
If you disable SELinux you should find that it will work.

Regards,
Corey

IT LIVES!

Disabled SE Linux and it now shows Running.

Thanks Corey much appreciated!

Dave

No problem, I'm going to go ahead and delete your message you sent me.
Glad you got it going.

Cheers,
Corey