eventstart action creates continuous movies (as emulate_motion parameter do)

[clavay]

Did you read the guide?

Yes

What is the base version number of Motion being used?

4.3.x

What was the install method?

Built from source code

What is base architecture?

ARM-32bit

What is the distro being used?

Raspbian

Disto version number

buster

Camera type(s) being used?

Network camera with HTTP

Describe the issue/problem and steps to reproduce

I need to manually start recording movies using actions via an external trigger.

I use the eventstart and eventend actions : wget -O- http://127.0.0.1:7999/1/action/eventstart

This works with motion 4.3.2 till this commit b2726fa821db3903328fca06260078ee175fb132.

Since this commit 262b6b0ac62f92fa2410bdc556a10daacb28e7f3 it doesn't work as expected because eventstart action makes motion create records continuously as if the parameter emulate_motion is set to True (but it is not).

The log above is for the 262b6b0 commit.

Relevant Motion log output (at log_level 8)

[0:motion] [NTC] [ALL] conf_load: Processing thread 0 - config file /etc/motioneye/motion.conf
[0:motion] [NTC] [ALL] config_camera: Processing camera config file camera-1.conf
[0:motion] [NTC] [ALL] motion_startup: Logging to syslog
[0:motion] [NTC] [ALL] motion_startup: Motion 4.3.1+git20210613-262b6b0 Started
[0:motion] [NTC] [ALL] motion_startup: Using default log type (ALL)
[0:motion] [NTC] [ALL] motion_startup: Using log type (ALL) log level (DBG)
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] conf_output_parms: Writing configuration parameters from all files (2):
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] Thread 0 - Config file: /etc/motioneye/motion.conf
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] daemon                    off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] setup_mode                off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] pid_file                  
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] log_file                  
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] log_level                 8
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] log_type                  ALL
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] quiet                     on
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] native_language           on
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] camera_name               
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] camera_id                 0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] target_dir                
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] video_device              /dev/video0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] video_params              
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] auto_brightness           0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] tuner_device              
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] roundrobin_frames         1
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] roundrobin_skip           1
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] roundrobin_switchfilter   off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] netcam_url                
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] netcam_params             
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] netcam_high_url           
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] netcam_high_params        
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] netcam_userpass           
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] mmalcam_name              
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] mmalcam_params            
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] width                     640
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] height                    480
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] framerate                 15
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] minimum_frame_time        0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] rotate                    0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] flip_axis                 none
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] locate_motion_mode        off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] locate_motion_style       box
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] text_left                 
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] text_right                %Y-%m-%d\n%T
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] text_changes              off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] text_scale                1
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] text_event                %Y%m%d%H%M%S
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] emulate_motion            off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] threshold                 1500
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] threshold_maximum         0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] threshold_tune            off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] noise_level               32
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] noise_tune                on
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] despeckle_filter          
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] area_detect               
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] mask_file                 
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] mask_privacy              
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] smart_mask_speed          0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] lightswitch_percent       0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] lightswitch_frames        5
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] minimum_motion_frames     1
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] event_gap                 60
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] pre_capture               0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] post_capture              0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_event_start            
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_event_end              
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_picture_save           
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_area_detected          
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_motion_detected        
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_movie_start            
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_movie_end              
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_camera_lost            
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_camera_found           
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] picture_output            off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] picture_output_motion     off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] picture_type              jpeg
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] picture_quality           75
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] picture_exif              
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] picture_filename          %v-%Y%m%d%H%M%S-%q
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] snapshot_interval         0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] snapshot_filename         %v-%Y%m%d%H%M%S-snapshot
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_output              on
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_output_motion       off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_max_time            120
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_bps                 400000
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_quality             60
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_codec               mkv
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_duplicate_frames    off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_passthrough         off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_filename            %v-%Y%m%d%H%M%S
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_extpipe_use         off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_extpipe             
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] timelapse_interval        0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] timelapse_mode            daily
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] timelapse_fps             30
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] timelapse_codec           mpg
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] timelapse_filename        %Y%m%d-timelapse
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] video_pipe                
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] video_pipe_motion         
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] webcontrol_port           7999
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] webcontrol_ipv6           off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] webcontrol_localhost      on
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] webcontrol_parms          2
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] webcontrol_interface      1
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] webcontrol_auth_method    0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] webcontrol_authentication 
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] webcontrol_tls            off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] webcontrol_cert           
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] webcontrol_key            
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] webcontrol_cors_header    
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_port               0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_localhost          on
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_auth_method        0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_authentication     
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_tls                off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_cors_header        
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_preview_scale      25
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_preview_newline    off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_preview_method     0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_quality            50
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_grey               off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_motion             off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_maxrate            1
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_limit              0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] database_type             
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] database_dbname           
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] database_host             localhost
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] database_port             0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] database_user             
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] database_password         
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] database_busy_timeout     0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] sql_log_picture           off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] sql_log_snapshot          off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] sql_log_movie             off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] sql_log_timelapse         off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] sql_query_start           
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] sql_query_stop            
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] sql_query                 
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_type                0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_auto                off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_port                
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_motorx              0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_motorx_reverse      off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_motory              0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_motory_reverse      off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_maxx                0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_minx                0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_maxy                0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_miny                0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_homex               128
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_homey               128
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_iomojo_id           0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_step_angle_x        10
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_step_angle_y        10
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_move_wait           10
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_speed               255
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_stepsize            40
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] track_generic_move        
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] camera                    
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] camera_dir                
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] Thread 1 - Config file: camera-1.conf
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] log_level                 15
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] camera_name               Camera3_Artha
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] target_dir                /media/hdd/motioneye/Camera1
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] netcam_url                <redacted>
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] netcam_params             keepalive = off,tolerant_check = on
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] width                     1504
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] height                    304
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] framerate                 10
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] locate_motion_style       redbox
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] text_left                 Camera3_Artha
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] text_scale                2
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] threshold                 1999
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] noise_level               31
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] event_gap                 0
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_event_start            /usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/motioneye/scripts/relayevent.sh "/etc/motioneye/motioneye.conf" start %t
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_event_end              /usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/motioneye/scripts/relayevent.sh "/etc/motioneye/motioneye.conf" stop %t
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_picture_save           /usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/motioneye/scripts/relayevent.sh "/etc/motioneye/motioneye.conf" picture_save %t %f
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] on_movie_end              /usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/motioneye/scripts/relayevent.sh "/etc/motioneye/motioneye.conf" movie_end %t %f
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] picture_quality           100
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_max_time            6
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_quality             100
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_codec               mp4
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] movie_filename            %Y-%m-%d/%Y-%m-%dT%H-%M-%S
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_port               8081
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_localhost          off
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_authentication     <redacted>
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_quality            25
[0:motion] [INF] [ALL] stream_maxrate            15
[0:motion] [DBG] [ALL] motion_ntc: v4l2   : available
[0:motion] [DBG] [ALL] motion_ntc: bktr   : not available
[0:motion] [DBG] [ALL] motion_ntc: webp   : available
[0:motion] [DBG] [ALL] motion_ntc: mmal   : available
[0:motion] [DBG] [ALL] motion_ntc: ffmpeg : available
[0:motion] [DBG] [DBL] motion_ntc: mysql  : not available
[0:motion] [DBG] [DBL] motion_ntc: MariaDB: available
[0:motion] [DBG] [DBL] motion_ntc: sqlite3: not available
[0:motion] [DBG] [DBL] motion_ntc: pgsql  : not available
[0:motion] [DBG] [DBL] motion_ntc: nls    : available
[0:motion] [NTC] [STR] webu_start_strm: Starting camera 1 stream on port 8081
[0:motion] [DBG] [STR] webu_mhd_features_basic: Basic authentication: available
[0:motion] [DBG] [STR] webu_mhd_features_digest: Digest authentication: available
[0:motion] [DBG] [STR] webu_mhd_features_ipv6: IPV6: available
[0:motion] [DBG] [STR] webu_mhd_features_tls: SSL/TLS: available
[0:motion] [NTC] [STR] webu_strm_ntc: Started camera 1 stream on port 8081
[0:motion] [NTC] [STR] webu_start_ctrl: Starting webcontrol on port 7999
[0:motion] [DBG] [STR] webu_mhd_features_basic: Basic authentication: available
[0:motion] [DBG] [STR] webu_mhd_features_digest: Digest authentication: available
[0:motion] [DBG] [STR] webu_mhd_features_ipv6: IPV6: available
[0:motion] [DBG] [STR] webu_mhd_features_tls: SSL/TLS: available
[0:motion] [NTC] [STR] webu_start_ctrl: Started webcontrol on port 7999
[0:motion] [NTC] [ENC] ffmpeg_global_init: ffmpeg libavcodec version 58.35.100 libavformat version 58.20.100
[0:motion] [DBG] [DBL] dbse_global_init: Initializing database
[0:motion] [NTC] [ALL] translate_init: Language: English
[0:motion] [NTC] [ALL] motion_start_thread: Camera ID: 1 is from camera-1.conf
[0:motion] [NTC] [ALL] motion_start_thread: Camera ID: 1 Camera Name: Camera3_Artha Service: mjpeg
[0:motion] [NTC] [ALL] main: Waiting for threads to finish, pid: 24181
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [NTC] [ALL] motion_init: Camera 1 started: motion detection Enabled
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [NTC] [VID] vid_start: Opening Netcam RTSP
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [ALL] util_parms_parse: Parsing controls: keepalive = off,tolerant_check = on
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [ALL] util_parms_add: Parsed: >keepalive< >off<
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [ALL] util_parms_add: Parsed: >tolerant_check< >on<
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_rtsp_set_parms: Setting up norm stream.
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [ALL] util_parms_add: Parsed: >decoder< >NULL<
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_rtsp_set_path: Setting up http via ffmpeg netcam
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_rtsp_set_options: norm: Setting input_format mjpeg
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_rtsp_set_options: norm: option: keepalive = off
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_rtsp_set_options: norm: option: tolerant_check = on
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_rtsp_open_context: norm: Opened camera(Camera3_Artha)
[1:av0:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_hwdecoders: norm: HW Devices: 
[1:av0:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_hwdecoders: norm: vdpau (not implemented)
[1:av0:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_hwdecoders: norm: vaapi (available)
[1:av0:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_hwdecoders: norm: drm (not implemented)
[1:av0:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_init_swdecoder: norm: Initializing decoder
[1:av0:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_rtsp_open_codec: norm: Decoder opened
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [DBG] [NET] netcam_check_buffsize: expanding buffer from [0/0] to [0/688128] bytes.
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] Above message repeats 1 times
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_rtsp_read_image: norm: capture_rate not specified in netcam_params. Using framerate 10
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [DBG] [NET] netcam_check_buffsize: expanding buffer from [685824/688128] to [685824/1372160] bytes.
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [NTC] [ALL] Above message repeats 1 times
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [NTC] [ALL] image_ring_resize: Resizing pre_capture buffer to 1 items
[2:nc2:Camera3_Art] [NTC] [NET] Above message repeats 1 times
[2:nc2:Camera3_Art] [NTC] [NET] netcam_rtsp_handler: norm: Camera handler thread [2] started
[2:nc2:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_rtsp_set_options: norm: Setting input_format mjpeg
[2:nc2:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_rtsp_open_context: norm: Opened camera(Camera3_Artha)
[2:av2:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_init_swdecoder: norm: Initializing decoder
[2:av2:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_rtsp_open_codec: norm: Decoder opened
[2:nc2:Camera3_Art] [NTC] [NET] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Camera (Camera3_Artha) connected
[2:nc2:Camera3_Art] [INF] [NET] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Netcam capture_rate is 10.
[2:nc2:Camera3_Art] [NTC] [NET] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Unable to determine the camera source FPS.
[0:cn0] [DBG] [STR] webu_parseurl: Sent url: /1/detection/pause
[0:cn0] [DBG] [STR] webu_parseurl: Decoded url: /1/detection/pause
[0:cn0] [DBG] [STR] webu_parseurl: camid: >1< cmd1: >detection< cmd2: >pause< parm1:>< val1:>< parm2:>< val2:><
[0:wu0] [INF] [ALL] webu_clientip: Connection from: 127.0.0.1



[0:cn0] [DBG] [STR] webu_parseurl: Sent url: /
[0:cn0] [DBG] [STR] webu_parseurl: Decoded url: /
[0:st0] [INF] [ALL] webu_clientip: Connection from: 127.0.0.1
[0:cn0] [DBG] [STR] webu_parseurl: Sent url: /1/action/eventstart
[0:cn0] [DBG] [STR] webu_parseurl: Decoded url: /1/action/eventstart
[0:cn0] [DBG] [STR] webu_parseurl: camid: >1< cmd1: >action< cmd2: >eventstart< parm1:>< val1:>< parm2:>< val2:><
[0:wu0] [INF] [ALL] webu_clientip: Connection from: 127.0.0.1
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [DBG] [EVT] exec_command: Executing external command '/usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/motioneye/scripts/relayevent.sh "/etc/motioneye/motioneye.conf" start 1'
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [EVT] event_new_video: Source FPS 10
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [ENC] ffmpeg_set_quality: libx264 codec vbr/crf/bit_rate: 0
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [NTC] [EVT] event_newfile: File of type 8 saved to: /media/hdd/motioneye/Camera1/2023-01-26/2023-01-26T10-51-35.mp4
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [NTC] [ALL] motion_detected: Motion detected - starting event 1
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [DBG] [EVT] exec_command: Executing external command '/usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/motioneye/scripts/relayevent.sh "/etc/motioneye/motioneye.conf" movie_end 1 /media/hdd/motioneye/Camera1/2023-01-26/2023-01-26T10-51-35.mp4'
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [EVT] event_new_video: Source FPS 11
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [INF] [ENC] ffmpeg_set_quality: libx264 codec vbr/crf/bit_rate: 0
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [NTC] [EVT] event_newfile: File of type 8 saved to: /media/hdd/motioneye/Camera1/2023-01-26/2023-01-26T10-51-41.mp4
[0:cn0] [DBG] [STR] webu_parseurl: Sent url: /1/action/eventend
[0:cn0] [DBG] [STR] webu_parseurl: Decoded url: /1/action/eventend
[0:cn0] [DBG] [STR] webu_parseurl: camid: >1< cmd1: >action< cmd2: >eventend< parm1:>< val1:>< parm2:>< val2:><
[0:wu0] [INF] [ALL] webu_clientip: Connection from: 127.0.0.1
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [DBG] [EVT] exec_command: Executing external command '/usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/motioneye/scripts/relayevent.sh "/etc/motioneye/motioneye.conf" stop 1'
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [DBG] [EVT] exec_command: Executing external command '/usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/motioneye/scripts/relayevent.sh "/etc/motioneye/motioneye.conf" movie_end 1 /media/hdd/motioneye/Camera1/2023-01-26/2023-01-26T10-51-41.mp4'
[1:ml1:Camera3_Art] [NTC] [ALL] mlp_actions: End of event 1

[Mr-Dave]

I'll take a few additional comments on this but am pretty sure that this will be get classified as invalid and it is working entirely as I intended it to when I added it. I know for certain that the title of this issue is precisely what I intended.

[clavay]

For me there is 3 scenarios :

• continuous recording without an event : this is currently done with the emulate_motion parameter
• continuous recording after an eventstart action till an eventend action : this is done since the commit 262b6b0ac62f92fa2410bdc556a10daacb28e7f3
• one recording after an eventstart action, no need to send an eventend action : this was done before the commit 262b6b0ac62f92fa2410bdc556a10daacb28e7f3

How can we achieve the last scenario in the actual version : an eventstart action trigger only one motion detection ?

[Mr-Dave]

I'm thinking that isn't supported. The result prior to the commit referenced invoked new events at the end of the maximum movie time. This wasn't a correct approach. Per all the documentation from the origins of Motion, the event was to continue regardless of the movie time. Additionally, this resulted in a different behavior depending upon whether movies were requested or not. i.e. If no movies were created, each event would last until the gap occurred. In the method before the commit, multiple events would be triggered based upon the maximum movie time.

The desired effect being requested (I think) is to have user event only invoke an event until the maximum time is reached for a movie. (i.e. Tying together a maximum movie duration and a maximum event time)

[clavay]

Yes, setting a maximum time length for an event could achieve the requested functionality.
So if I only want one movie per event, I'll set them to equal values.

[clavay]

One question : why there is the possibility to take a snapshot independently of an event (using the snapshot action) and not to record a movie (we can add recordstart and recordend actions to web control) ?