No email nor messages sent ...

Support and queries relating to all previous versions of ZoneMinder
marcolino
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:56 am

No email nor messages sent ...

Post by marcolino »

Hi, all ...
a couple of questions ...

- how can I check why my ZM doesn't send nor emails nor messages ? can I rise debug levels someway ? What should I check, first ? I enabled both emails and messages, of course, in the setup window ...
- a 'design question': are emails and messages sent only every ZM_FILTER_EXECUTE_INTERVAL seconds ? I would expect to have them delivered as soon as they are generated ...

Thanks again in advance !
User avatar
zoneminder
Site Admin
Posts: 5215
Joined: Wed Jul 09, 2003 2:07 pm
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: No email nor messages sent ...

Post by zoneminder »

marcolino wrote: - how can I check why my ZM doesn't send nor emails nor messages ? can I rise debug levels someway ? What should I check, first ? I enabled both emails and messages, of course, in the setup window ...
Check the zmfilter.log first to make sure your filter is running and whether it is encountering any errors. I assume you have set up all the fields in Options?
marcolino wrote: - a 'design question': are emails and messages sent only every ZM_FILTER_EXECUTE_INTERVAL seconds ? I would expect to have them delivered as soon as they are generated ...
Yes, the filters are only executed at this interval. The filtering mechanism is not intended as a real-time reaction facility. To do this you would need to add triggers to your own scripts, which is much easier in 1.22.x.
Phil
marcolino
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:56 am

Post by marcolino »

I see. I think it's very important in order to consider using ZM as a 'surveillance' tool: if my webcam detects a thief in my home I (or the police) would need to be alerted IMMEDIATELY, not some minutes later ...
For the same reason, another important issue (I already read about it in the forum ...) would be to be able to let a message notifyed when a webcam goes offline ...
Thank for Your attention, and my best regards !
marcolino
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:56 am

... and ...

Post by marcolino »

... and, I forgot, about my email problems, Yes, I did set all the options, this is my opttions (this is the windows screenshot:
Image
). Yes, in the logs I found many errors, due to an empty $text variable: how can it be ?

Two points, here:
1) it should be nice, if possible, to check for email's validity (empty text not accepted, for example ... ;-)) when submitting the option's email tab ...
2) somewhere for sure I read a list of all possible variable interpolations to be used in email's text, but I can't find it now in the manual: wouldn't it be possible to add it to the great contextual help window ?

My best regards, and thanks again !
jameswilson
Posts: 5111
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 8:07 pm
Location: Midlands UK

Post by jameswilson »

in the message text there should be some other items there that instruct zm what to do and what to send, without these it wont work
#
# This is the configuration file for notification emails
#
# The tags you can use in here are as follows
# %ZP% - The path to your ZoneMinder console
# %MN% - The name of the monitor
# %MET% - The total number of events for the monitor
# %MEH% - The number of events for the monitor in the last hour
# %MED% - The number of events for the monitor in the last day
# %MEW% - The number of events for the monitor in the last week
# %MEM% - The number of events for the monitor in the last month
# %MEA% - The number of archived events for the monitor
# %MP% - The path to the monitor window
# %MPS% - The path to the monitor stream
# %MPI% - The path to the monitor recent image
# %EP% - The path to the event
# %EPS% - The path to the event stream
# %EPI% - The path to the event images
# %EPI1% - The path to the first alarmed event image
# %EPIM% - The path to the (first) event image with the highest score
# %EI1% - Attach first alarmed event image
# %EIM% - Attach (first) event image with the highest score
# %EV% - Attach event mpeg video
# %EI% - The id of the event
# %EN% - The name of the event
# %ET% - The time of the event
# %ED% - The duration of the event
# %EF% - The number of frames in the event
# %EFA% - The number of alarm frames in the event
# %EST% - The total score of the event
# %ESA% - The average score of the event
# %ESM% - The maximum score of the event
# %FN% - The name of the current filter that matched
# %FP% - The path to the current filter that matched

# Change these to suit your own preferences
subject = "ZoneMinder: Alarm - %MN%-%EI% (%ESM% - %ESA% %EFA%)"
body = "
Hello,

An alarm has been detected on your installation of the ZoneMinder.

The details are as follows :-

Monitor : %MN%
Event Id : %EI%
Duration : %ED%
Frames : %EF% (%EFA%)
Scores : t%EST% m%ESM% a%ESA%

This alarm was matched by the %FN% filter and can be viewed at %EPS%

# %ZP% - The path to your ZoneMinder console
# %MN% - The name of the monitor
# %MET% - The total number of events for the monitor
# %MEH% - The number of events for the monitor in the last hour
# %MED% - The number of events for the monitor in the last day
# %MEW% - The number of events for the monitor in the last week
# %MEM% - The number of events for the monitor in the last month
# %MEA% - The number of archived events for the monitor
# %MP% - The path to the monitor window
# %MPS% - The path to the monitor stream
# %MPI% - The path to the monitor recent image
# %EP% - The path to the event
# %EPS% - The path to the event stream
# %EPI% - The path to the event images
# %EPI1% - The path to the first alarmed event image
# %EPIM% - The path to the (first) event image with the highest score
# %EI1% - Attach first alarmed event image
# %EIM% - Attach (first) event image with the highest score
# %EV% - Attach event mpeg video
# %EI% - The id of the event
# %EN% - The name of the event
# %ET% - The time of the event
# %ED% - The duration of the event
# %EF% - The number of frames in the event
# %EFA% - The number of alarm frames in the event
# %EST% - The total score of the event
# %ESA% - The average score of the event
# %ESM% - The maximum score of the event
# %FN% - The name of the current filter that matched
# %FP% - The path to the current filter that matched

ZoneMinder
"
As you can see you need to edit what is there and not remove it

Regarding the immidiate point.
I agree in some respects but zm is a surviellance tool not an intruder alarm. Unless you have access to immidiate email then you will always have delays. I beleive the new versions allows you to modify zm to do this but if you want releiable indicatioon of movement in your house then you need an alarm system nota acamera system.

James
James Wilson

Disclaimer: The above is pure theory and may work on a good day with the wind behind it. etc etc.
http://www.securitywarehouse.co.uk
User avatar
cordel
Posts: 5210
Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2004 4:47 pm
Location: /USA/Washington/Seattle

Post by cordel »

Most important is

Code: Select all

subject = "ZoneMinder: Alarm - %MN%-%EI% (%ESM% - %ESA% %EFA%)"
body = " "
You can fill the body (between the quotes) any way you want.

With the incorrect syntax (subject="" and body="") the filter errors out.

Corey
jameswilson
Posts: 5111
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 8:07 pm
Location: Midlands UK

Post by jameswilson »

cheers mate ive never used it so i wasnt sure
James Wilson

Disclaimer: The above is pure theory and may work on a good day with the wind behind it. etc etc.
http://www.securitywarehouse.co.uk
marcolino
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:56 am

Post by marcolino »

cordel wrote:Most important is

Code: Select all

subject = "ZoneMinder: Alarm - %MN%-%EI% (%ESM% - %ESA% %EFA%)"
body = " "
You can fill the body (between the quotes) any way you want.

With the incorrect syntax (subject="" and body="") the filter errors out.

Corey
Thanks: I didn't got the point ... now it works very well ..
However, it would be probably a good idea to substitute variable ZM_EMAIL_TEXT with two different variables: ZM_EMAIL_SUBJECT and ZM_EMAIL_BODY, so avoiding to ask users to follow a precise syntax ... (and the same for ZM_MESSAGE_TEXT, of course) ... It would be nice, too, to add the available tags list to the contextual help window ...

Thanks, everybody !
marcolino
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:56 am

Post by marcolino »

marcolino wrote: ...

I see. I think it's very important in order to consider using ZM as a 'surveillance' tool: if my webcam detects a thief in my home I (or the police) would need to be alerted IMMEDIATELY, not some minutes later ...
For the same reason, another important issue (I already read about it in the forum ...) would be to be able to let a message notifyed when a webcam goes offline ...
jameswilson wrote: ...

I agree in some respects but zm is a surviellance tool not an intruder alarm. Unless you have access to immidiate email then you will always have delays. I beleive the new versions allows you to modify zm to do this but if you want releiable indicatioon of movement in your house then you need an alarm system nota acamera system.

James
I see. But I can't find an open source alarm system, do You know of any one ?
However I think it's always good to try to extend the field of usability of an application, if possible and if not too 'expensive' ... And, more, I think fast notifications could be important for a surveillance tool, too (think about surveilling Your baby room ... ;-)

My best regards
jameswilson
Posts: 5111
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 8:07 pm
Location: Midlands UK

Post by jameswilson »

think about surveilling Your baby room
Good point i was thinking conventional security, forgot that zm can be used for virtually anything.

Regarding the notification thing, i agree that maybe there should be a faster signal but im not sure that email is the way to go. My background is intruder alarms and cctv in the uk. I think you would be better signalling in a way you know to be secure and quiick. In my world this would involve digital communicators and dtmf signalling to central monitoring station (id love this, but seriuos dreamworld stuff), but in the unapproved sector speech diallers seem to be the way forward.
ie with a speech dialler or a digicom, the system continues to retry until its gets a 'kiss off' from someone (an acknowledgement).
with you r speech dialler that is entering a pin on your keypad to acknowledge the alarm and cleardown any further calls.
My issue with email, text messaging etc is that there is no way to ensure the message is recieved, and thus no way to cyle through an email list until acknowledged.

Regarding the open source alarms, no i dont, but a basic control panel costs about £40 so its not mega money for basic audible only equipment.
(some of the kit i use at works costs over £800 just for a panel).

I could quickley knock up and intruder alarm prog but the hard bit is getting alarms into the pc. Ideally id like to use an existing intruder alarm and connect its communications lines into zm, that way everything is seperate, zm responds to what the intruder alarm tells it, but im mainly thinking of remote monitored sites, with proper movement sensors on it. I have never used 'motion detection' as a true trigger. I think its useful for increasing frame rate etc when motion detected but as flase alarms occur with motion detection (they have to if you think about how it works) im not sure about its merits as a trigger for something importan t.

My 3 pence thats all
james
James Wilson

Disclaimer: The above is pure theory and may work on a good day with the wind behind it. etc etc.
http://www.securitywarehouse.co.uk
marcolino
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:56 am

Post by marcolino »

jameswilson wrote: ...
I could quickley knock up and intruder alarm prog but the hard bit is getting alarms into the pc.
I see ... You mean motion detection is not sufficiently reliable ... :roll:
jameswilson wrote: I have never used 'motion detection' as a true trigger. I think its useful for increasing frame rate etc when motion detected but as flase alarms occur with motion detection (they have to if you think about how it works) im not sure about its merits as a trigger for something importan t.
james
I don't understand why You say 'motion detection' can't be used as a true trigger: of course You must carefully evaluate the environment it operates in, but think about - for example - to an empty, closed room: any motion is an intrusion, for sure ... am I wrong :?:
jameswilson
Posts: 5111
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 8:07 pm
Location: Midlands UK

Post by jameswilson »

yes inside its a lot easier, but the way all vmd wirks is by evaluating previous frames and comapring them to the current frame, cctv is currently a 2d device so shadows, iris changing anything to do with th elight level of the scene changing will cause an alarm. If all you want to do is notify there may have been movement or increase framerate its grat, but using zm as an intruder alarm system is like buying a helicopter to travel to work, will do most thgings but you cant nip down the petrol station and get some fags in a helicopter. Dont get me wrong i love zm and i think it is one the best cctv dvr systems available (including all the serious end stuff i use). It needs fine tuning but the bulk opf what it does there isnt anything else that comes close. But as far as intruder alarms go, a £20 pir will beat it 9 times out of 10. Its horses for courses, but yes in a closed windowless room you should be ok

James
James Wilson

Disclaimer: The above is pure theory and may work on a good day with the wind behind it. etc etc.
http://www.securitywarehouse.co.uk
marcolino
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:56 am

Post by marcolino »

hmmm, I think You convinced me ... I will keep using ZM just for surveillance ... :P
My best regards.
jameswilson
Posts: 5111
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 8:07 pm
Location: Midlands UK

Post by jameswilson »

lol, i wasnt trying to convince you please give it a go, i was just expressing my personal opinion,

Regards
James
James Wilson

Disclaimer: The above is pure theory and may work on a good day with the wind behind it. etc etc.
http://www.securitywarehouse.co.uk
marcolino
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:56 am

Post by marcolino »

I mean I think Your personal opinion is convincing ... :lol:
Locked