Sorry for the absence of late. I have been working on a computer project here at home. My mind has been mushy trying to learn new things like coding, scripts and various other elements of complicated operation. I switched from Windows to Linux over a year
ago. While Linux is much easier to install and use than years past, high quality programs at times can be more complex to install. I love a challenge though. Solving problems, or managing to install something that is difficult, is like a video game is to the younger crowd. The sense of solving a difficulty gives me satisfaction.
I finally managed to figure out how to install the camera software to monitor all my cameras for security. It has taken about 3 days of research, trial and error.
After 3 days of staring at lines of code and typing commands, I am ready for a break. Here is a small “snippet” of code I had to dig through at times.
sub moveConUpRight
{
my $self = shift;
my $params = shift;
Debug( “Move Diagonally Up Right” );
my $cmd = “decoder_control.cgi?command=90&”;
$self->sendCmd( $cmd );
my $autostop = $self->getParam( $params, ‘autostop’, 0 );
if ( $autostop && $self->{Monitor}->{AutoStopTimeout} )
{
usleep( $self->{Monitor}->{AutoStopTimeout} );
$self->moveStop( $params );
}
}sub moveConDownRight
{
my $self = shift;
my $params = shift;
Debug( “Move Diagonally Down Right” );
my $cmd = “decoder_control.cgi?command=92&”;
$self->sendCmd( $cmd );
my $autostop = $self->getParam( $params, ‘autostop’, 0 );
if ( $autostop && $self->{Monitor}->{AutoStopTimeout} )
{
usleep( $self->{Monitor}->{AutoStopTimeout} );
$self->moveStop( $params );
}
My finished project with 5 of the 8 cameras up and running. 🙂
Hopefully I can get back in my routine of posting again now. There’s not much going on in the park, maybe I should go stir something up.
Comments welcome,
You need to live next door to me. The one thing I miss about retirement is not having access to an IT expert. Just this morning Microsoft updated my computer and knocked out my Outlook files. I lost all my contacts. Took a while but I did get them back. Reminded me that I need to do a major backup. You are making good progress!
I’m glad you got the contacts back. It’s awful when updates cause problems. Especially now that Microsoft doesn’t really give an option to put them off like they used to. Thanks for the comment, and let’s hope everything continues running smoothly for you.
or you can move next door! 🙂
Semper Vigilent, you are an energetic sort with all that code. Hopefully you have one of those wonderful signs, “Smile, your on Camera.” I get a lot of feedback on mine. Doesn’t seem to keep the Deer out of my garden though.
I’m taking a break for a while now though Rooster. I thought I was going to have to get a contract with the aspirin company for headaches. I’m glad it’s done. I just kept plugging along till it suddenly clicked. Thanks for the comment.
What I would give to have someone like you in our neighborhood! What you apparently like to do for fun makes my head explode.
It used to make mine explode too . I wish I was close to many of you as I get enjoyment out of working on other computers for people. Thanks for the like and comment today.
My head’s exploding too. I think I recognized two words there: “self” and “sleep”… and in fact, all that code manages to do is put my “self” to “sleep.” 😀 More power to you, for wrangling all that strange stuff, Ron!!! Amazing.
Thanks Ellie, I’ve had to learn it out of necessity. I do enjoy it though. Thank you for the comment.
I was going to say that I saw “self” and “sleep” in that code. Bless Pat if Ellie didn’t beat me to it! I’m very impressed at your prowess. That’s amazing that you have so many cams hooked up and running. I’m struggling with an OS update for a tiny laptop that doesn’t have enough room. One of these days I’m going to do something DRASTIC.
I like gadgets and things electronic, I’ve been that way since a child. Sometimes the coding can be rather funny sounding. I was working one night and received an error that a process had died (ceased to function), the “Kernel” (main core of the code) had been murdered. A little levity from the programmers no doubt. I hope you can get your update fixed for your laptop. Thanks for the comment this evening, I appreciate it.
Awesome!
Thanks for the visit and the comment YellowCable, always a pleasure to see you.
Nice article, Really loved it, you explained it very well, Thank you so much.
Thank you.
I am envious of your computer skills, Ron. I can just about manage blogging! If anything untoward happens, I just turn everything off and start it up again. When that fails, I telephone a friend 200 miles away, and he tries to talk me through it!
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks for the comment Pete, maybe one day something I share may help someone in the blogging world. It may make for a decent occasional post subject regarding tips.
I am sure they would be very valuable, Ron.
Oh wow , Ron !
I am meeting someone for the first time who uses Linux- we are still in the world of MS, Apple, and at work sometimes internet explorer( am I confusing two things here?) or Firefox.
Great to hear how you did it and your okness with change.
Is Linux cheaper or costlier than MS ?
Susie
Linux is free. I may do a post on it at some point just for informational purposes. Your not confused, Linux is a different operating system, just like Windows is different from Mac/Apple.
I made the move because I became tired (and don’t have the money I used to have) of buying programs all the time for Windows. If your just a home user and not into all kinds of commercial things that require windows, you can find most all programs that you use on Windows for Linux. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars for “Office” I use Office Libre in Linux, it can read and write files from MS Office and it is free. It also has a database, word processor, excel spreadsheet and presentation like Office.
Instead of paying $69 again for one of my favorite windows graphic/image handling programs, I have one I use on linux that is 10 times better and “free”.
It’s all a matter of preference and what you need to use your computer the way you need to.
Thanks for the comment!
Oh Ron !
I know and use Libre Office. Like you at a time in my life when I was low on finances, i read somewhere of free software and downloaded Libre Office as I couldn’t afford Word or Pages.
i still use it- only problem I face is that it does not have a good spell check or if it does, I don’t see it.
Thanks for letting me know that Libre Office is related to Linux. I don’t have Linux but have Libre Office- is that ok ?
Susie
I use it too, I use the Language tool in the “Tools” options. It’s fun to find free alternatives to expensive programs.
If you haven’t already, check for the Language Tool near the bottom of the page at this site. It should install into Libre.
https://www.languagetool.org/
Thanks Ron. I didn’t have the Language tool and have struggled for ages with the spellings in Libre office. This would be a big help.
How does Libre Office work on Safari ? Or should it not ? It seems to be working for me without Linux.
Are you using Windows susie?
No, Safari.
Sorry, I meant what operating system are you using. Is it Windows?
No, I guess. I am not sure- I use a Mac computer.
Very good susie, your using a Mac so that is an Apple product. Your browser you use on the Internet is Safari. Unfortunately I don’t see the Language tool add on for Safari, only for the Google Chrome or Firefox browsers. 🙁
When I type, it underlines the wrong word and at least I get to know which words to look out for
The important question is “what are you seeing with all these cameras?’ Anything noteworthy? Is it a way to get more material for your blog? LOL.
I just noticed that I had lost a post I had done a year ago about the cameras. It shows some unknown guy walking up on the porch knocking on the door at 11:30pm.
https://youtu.be/NI0lxZ8x4UY
The cameras in this post were being tested the other day. I have one at the back door, the front door, living room so we can watch the inside while we are away from home, then I have the spare sitting on a table being worked on that you see showing really nothing much. I have 2 usb cameras looking outside from the office. They keep an eye on our vehicles, yard and doorways. They have alerted me to weird things outside, cars stopping to argue etc.
Thanks for the comment.