Problems installing ZM (NON-DOCKER)

[Magic919]

I should say, you _might_ hit a problem with the live streaming later down the path.

Glad I could help you. I've used ZM for some years and it's an opportunity to give a bit back.

Happy New Year.

[rfeyer]

Again, TY!
And, from the posts I see with your avatar, you are helping back A LOT

Now will go and play with chickens (literally, cleaning coop)

[Magic919]

That's a great way to get away from the screen and revive.

[rfeyer]

WOW!
It actually works! Was able to wiggle through the set up of a camera (with help of installation docs) and camera is streaming and recording.
Now back other tasks at home, but, will try later to figure out storage locations etc.

Did I say Thank You already?

[repomanz]

Ubuntu (20.04) installation is covered here:
https://wiki.zoneminder.com/Ubuntu
https://wiki.zoneminder.com/Ubuntu_Serv ... der_1.34.x

These install documents need to be improved. I did the 1.35 version yesterday on a fresh Ubuntu 20.04 install.

1) doing an apt install zoneminder does some kind of partial install, along with populating db making some steps not applicable
2) syntax errors, -uroot for example

Trying to work through it; zoneminder still wouldn't start.

[snake]

These install documents need to be improved. I did the 1.35 version yesterday on a fresh Ubuntu 20.04 install.

1) doing an apt install zoneminder does some kind of partial install, along with populating db making some steps not applicable
2) syntax errors, -uroot for example

Trying to work through it; zoneminder still wouldn't start.

The wiki (wiki.zoneminder.com/Ubuntu) does not cover 1.35. It covers 1.34 - the stable release. 1.35 is following the git master and is experts only.

If you are following a guide, and don't have experience with ZM, you should not be installing unstable releases. Bad idea. Stick to what works (1.34 atm).

[iconnor]

More importantly... saying it doesn't work without giving any details or useful information is very bad form.

1.35 is development... but we need people to test it. We are getting ready for release and appreciate people taking the plunge..
BUT YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY TELL US WHAT WENT WRONG.

Every day we get people saying something didn't work. Without giving us ANY information about WHAT went wrong. WHAT did it SAY?
What was the weird thing you were trying to do?

Zero information. Then we ignore you. Then you complain about the lack of support and all of open source software suffers.

Understand that we are not actually angry with you, just so tired of this happening every day.

So please. If you just want something that works and is documented 1.34 is your best bet. If you are little more adventurous, then 1.35 is available but you have to be very verbose in your bug report.

I do hope you come back with a very verbose bug report because we ARE work on finalizing 1.36 and DO need all the testing.

[snake]

I do hope you come back with a very verbose bug report because we ARE work on finalizing 1.36 and DO need all the testing.

Is 1.36 close to release? I know myself, and I imagine others might be willing to test it, if it's an rc. Somewhat more exciting to test an rc than to test something that is just a dev branch. Since the rc is going to have all the new features, without a lot more added.

Anyways, if I was a dev, I'd make some announcement, put out an rc, and then I imagine you will get some folks to test. Just my two cents.

[rfeyer]

Please don't think I am complaining: for an open source Linux app, this software is amazing!!!
However, some of us Newbies search the internet and are OVERWHELMED with the responses.
Myself, i started with the suggested installation guides first. ( for 1.34, not 1.35). When I can into errors, I started to follow suggestions given on ZM forum, and stackexchange as we all know you great people are overburdened.

At that point, if things don't work for 10+ times, we don't remember what went wrong when! I am used to keeping notes, but there is only so much we can make sense of.

There are multiple issues, such as the mariadb -p option, which I did not find EXPLAINED until days into trial and error. Not saying many would not have found it right away, I didn't.

Helpful would be for the documentation to mention probable expected errors in installation and placing them into the install guides (side notes maybe).

Again, if I can fix the problem with not recognizing a second HDD for storage, and then am able to set up web connection with a static IP, I will dontate gladly to your project, it is well worth it!
But, I would also think that many like me try, but give up.
Magic 919 got me through it, with patients (as you can see above).
I am NOT complaining, please don't misunderstand.

[Acewiza]

One of the issues with open source software is people understanding their roles and managing expectations. Users', regardless of their skill/qualification level, primary responsibility in the implied contract is to read, learn and provide feedback, with zero expectation of support. Developers have zero responsibility for anything, with great expectations for shaping the computing landscape in a widely diverse and participatory userspace.

The closer those 2 groups of responsibilities and expectations move towards the middle of the spectrums, the more everybody benefits.