Zoneminder 1.29.0

[br116]

I'm new to Ubuntu and have been trying to get Zoneminder to work for quite sometime (Oct).
On several suggested steps including the ones in https://wiki.zoneminder.com/Ubuntu_Serv ... e_easy_way and the steps listed therein before 1.28., etc...... I can't get anything to work.
"Can't find server @ server-ip" is as far I can get (on 1.29, on 1.28 at least I got to the Apache page).
What are the steps or where can I go to find the culprit, please?

If it helps the http://localhost/zm/api/ returns all green boxes except the "DebugKit is not installed".
http://localhost/zm/api/host/getVersion.json returns :{
"version": "1.29.0",
"apiversion": "1.0"
}

How come Zoneminder itself doesn't mentioned versions?
Are the edit steps below still necessary? Who's "login"? me as an "user" or as "root" throughout the process one has a chance to establish a password but never an user.
public $default = array(
'datasource' => 'Database/Mysql',
'persistent' => false,
'host' => 'localhost',
'login' => 'mynewDBusername',
'password' => 'mynewDBpassword'
'database' => 'zm',
'prefix' => '',
//'encoding' => 'utf8',`
);

[bbunge]

The procedure you cite was written for a server install. You seem to be running a desktop which should not be an issue. To do the install from a desktop open the terminal, become root, sudo su, and enter the commands cited. Copy and paste is recommended to avoid fumble fingers. Entering localhost/zm in Firefox should get you into the zm page. I do suggest you start with a fresh install of Ubuntu and make sure you install LAMP!

[br116]

Thank you for the suggestion. I didn't think those steps were going to be a problem as you mentioned.
I'm installing Zoneminder on a fresh Ubuntu install. The prior one got "broken" because of Zoneminder. All steps were done in Terminal using copy/paste (much easier).
Localhost/zm is not getting me anywhere. I was hoping for a log or debugging that can pin point the issue.

[bbunge]

If you are working from a desktop install of Ubuntu, open Firefox, enter http://localhost/zm and it should open the Zoneminder page. If you are trying to connect from another PC or device, enter: http://server-ip/zm where server-ip is the network address of your Zoneminder server. Use Google to look up how to find the IP address of your Ubuntu PC/server.
If you followed all the steps in my install instructions and you have installed LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) Zoneminder will work. If you still have problems I recommend you use the server install and add the Ubuntu desktop to that. However, this forum is not to teach you how to install Linux. If you do not understand something, I suggest that Google is your friend (I sure use it and I've been doing Linux for years and still learning!).
bb

[br116]

I tried that and I get "ZoneMinder is not installed properly: php's date.timezone is not set to a valid timezone".
But the file already contains: I tried changing to New_York and it doesn't help.
[Date]
; Defines the default timezone used by the date functions
; http://php.net/date.timezone
;date.timezone = America/Chicago

I followed those intructions twice already and it does not work .Just like other people mentioned herein.

[bbunge]

Remove the ; from in front of date.timezone

And yes, it is correct in the instructions.

[br116]

Some progress, yeahh.
"Cannot write to content dirs('events','images'). Check that these exist and are owned by the web account user"
Still no ZM.
Anyone with a suggestion, please?

[bbunge]

Start over with a fresh install from a Ubuntu 14.04-4 server install CD. http://www.ubuntu.com/download/server/i ... ntu-server

Next see the Zoneminder procedure at:

https://wiki.zoneminder.com/Ubuntu_Serv ... e_easy_way

or

http://zoneminder.readthedocs.org/en/la ... index.html

[br116]

bbunge I'm really thankful for your help, but those do not work as stated by several "blogs".
I mentioned that this is my second install. And it's not a feasible idea to just start from a fresh Ubuntu after all the changes and configurations one has gone thru.
Perhaps one of this days someone will create a Zonemider version that woks from the Software Center.
Both sites mentioned are also confusing, the 1st. talks about setting a password for the Databse. The second doesn't, but later it says "if you changed the user ID and password....." where? in what step".
This writings can use some help.

[bbunge]

I just ran the 14.04 install and it worked as it always has worked. As for the password the only place I mention a password is when you install the database and that is the password you set for MySQL. The second procedure does allow for you to use other than the default user and password Zoneminder uses to communicate with the database.

What cameras are you trying to set up? My guess is your Zoneminder works but the camera config is wrong. If needed we can point you to a camera on the web and give you settings to see if it works.

bb

[knight-of-ni]

;date.timezone = America/Chicago

This is a comment and will be ignored by php. Remove the semicolon.

"Cannot write to content dirs('events','images'). Check that these exist and are owned by the web account user"

A package install will set this for you correctly. This error tells us that you either a) changed the content folders under Options, b) you've got leftovers from previous attempts that are interfering, or c) you are attempting to mount a dedicated drive to the event folder (right idea) but have not done so correctly.

bbunge I'm really thankful for your help, but those do not work as stated by several "blogs".
I mentioned that this is my second install. And it's not a feasible idea to just start from a fresh Ubuntu after all the changes and configurations one has gone thru.
Perhaps one of this days someone will create a Zonemider version that woks from the Software Center.
Both sites mentioned are also confusing, the 1st. talks about setting a password for the Databse. The second doesn't, but later it says "if you changed the user ID and password....." where? in what step".
This writings can use some help.

We build and test ZoneMinder weekly, following the same instructions we tell everyone else to follow. We know they work.
We can either argue about about it, or we can fix your system. Your choice.

No one in this forum has any control over the Ubuntu Software Center, but even if ZoneMinder were in there, that won't change the steps one must follow after installing the package. The Software Center is just a gui frontend.

If you want to fix the problem, I recommend you follow bbunge's suggestion and start over with a clean system. Sometimes doing something the wrong way is the best way to learn. None of us here can see what you've already done (our crystal ball is in the shop), and you've already thrown up red flags by mentioning third party blogs. Verify the correct instructions to follow with bbunge, and follow them precisely.

If you get stuck or run into any issue, respond with real data, screenshots, an entire log output. At this point, I don't recommend you try to fix it yourself. Post it here, and wait for a response.

[br116]

bbunge,
My Samsung SDS-P3042 cameras are connected to their DVR. I would be very happy if zoneminder would at least load in my web browser. if you can point me to a camera just to test, would be great.
knnniggett,
The time zone issue is fixed.
a) I can't even get to the options;
b) most likely;
c) the only drive mounted is my NAS to a "media" folder.
Zoneminder IS in the Software Center and there is no indication that additional steps are required.
I'm looking for a "log output" but there is nothing in /var nor in /tmp. zmdc and zmpkg don't even exist.

[bbunge]

You need to get away from the software center and use a command prompt. Yes, there are a lot of steps to installing zoneminder and they all need to be done in a terminal or at the command prompt!

Guides for Ubuntu Desktop

Installing Zoneminder on a desktop system can have its benefits. It can also pose problems!

If you use one of the desktops provided with Ubuntu (Gnome, Unity, KDE, et. al.) use the corresponding Ubuntu server install/upgrade instructions. You may need to install tasksel to make it easier to install LAMP as most of the Ubuntu instructions start with a system set up with LAMP. It is recommended to install Zoneminder from a terminal. Using a software/package manager can get you in trouble!

If you are using a distro such as Mint, find out which Ubuntu system your version is based on and use the corresponding Ubuntu server install/upgrade. And do the procedure from a terminal!

Oh, did I fail to mention it is easy to copy the command instructions from the instructions on the WIKI and paste them into the terminal window? It is a great way to avoid typos!!!

[SteveGilvarry]

Zoneminder IS in the Software Center and there is no indication that additional steps are required.

1.29 is not available in Software Centre in 14.04 it is zoneminder 1.26.5-1ubuntu3.

Installation process for 1.29 on 14.04 is as per wiki, follow it correctly and it works, don't follow it and end up frustrated.

[afg]

Actually that's not always the case. If your zonminder db is not named zm, one of the update SQL scripts will fail b/c it hard codes the database name. You can tell if this is the case if running zmupdate fails b/c it can't find the config table, after successfully running SOME of the updates.

See thread on lessons from 1.25 upgrade for how to fix.

Respectfully,
AG