Regarding Start/Stop Commands for Dynamic User ACAP

[jalebhargavi]

Hi Team,

I am currently working on an ACAP for Axis OS 12.
I have installed the ACAP as a dynamic user, and it is running fine. However, I have a question regarding starting and stopping the ACAP using commands.

After installing the ACAP as a dynamic user, I do not see sdkAcapName under /etc/init.d/. Previously, when using a static user, I was able to see it and could start and stop the ACAP using:

"/etc/init.d/sdkAcapName start" or "/etc/init.d/sdkAcapName stop"

How can I start and stop the ACAP using commands when it is installed as a dynamic user?

Thanks,
Bhargavi

[github-actions[bot]]

This automatically generated reply acts as a friendly reminder.

Answers to your questions will most often come from the community, from developers like yourself. You will, from time to time, find that Axis employees answers some of the questions, but this is not a guarantee. Think of the discussion forum as a complement to other support channels, not a replacement to any of them.

If your question remains unanswered for a period of time, please revisit it to see whether it can be improved by following the guidelines listed in Axis support guidelines.

[vivekatoffice]

Hi @jalebhargavi ,
As per my understanding, Application API in VAPIX library is the correct way to Start and Stop ACAP application from VMS or Command and Control (C2) system.

[jalebhar]

Yes, we have VAPIX lib cgi but I need Linux commands to start and stop my ACAP Application as I use those commands while updating my VMS from my VMS itself.
I tried "acapctl stop ExApp" but getting permission denied errors.

[jalebhar]

Yes, we have VAPIX lib cgi but I need Linux commands to start and stop my ACAP Application as I use those commands while updating my VMS from my VMS itself.
I tried "acapctl stop ExApp" but getting permission denied errors.

[Cacsjep]

When you are on Linux why not using curl and do the Vapix request ?

[vivekatoffice]

Hi @jalebhargavi ,
I agree with @Cacsjep I have the same suggestion for you:

To use Digest Authentication add --digest to your cURL command.

1. Start ACAP (with Digest Auth)

curl --digest -u admin:your_password -X POST "http://<camera_ip>/axis-cgi/applications/control.cgi?action=start&package=<your_package_name>"

2. Stop ACAP (with Digest Auth)

curl --digest -u admin:your_password -X POST "http://<camera_ip>/axis-cgi/applications/control.cgi?action=stop&package=<your_package_name>"

Tested with AXIS Q1715 Block Camera (AXIS OS version 12.3.56) and AXIS Object Analytics (Version: 1.18.23):

#!/bin/sh

# Camera credentials and IP
CAMERA_IP="10.176.12.49"       # Replace with your camera's IP
USERNAME="root"
PASSWORD="XXXXXXX"

# ACAP package name
PACKAGE="objectanalytics"

# Stop the ACAP
echo "Stopping $PACKAGE..."
curl --digest -u "$USERNAME:$PASSWORD" -X POST "http://$CAMERA_IP/axis-cgi/applications/control.cgi?action=stop&package=$PACKAGE"

# Wait for 10 seconds
echo "Waiting 10 seconds..."
sleep 10

# Start the ACAP
echo "Starting $PACKAGE..."
curl --digest -u "$USERNAME:$PASSWORD" -X POST "http://$CAMERA_IP/axis-cgi/applications/control.cgi?action=start&package=$PACKAGE"

echo "Done."

Regarding "acapctl":

It may be affected by Breaking changes: Removal of root-privileged access and ACAP application signing as default. I am not able to find any documentation related "acapctl" in VAPIX® documentation so better to avoid using it 😄

[rocky-ji]

refer this vapix access in acap then call the command vivek mentioned, VAPIX works for all the OS:
https://developer.axis.com/acap/develop/VAPIX-access-for-ACAP-applications/

[rocky-ji]

After close the webGUI and reopen, the app status is right, so it should work, just the webGUI reflash is a little lagging. Start acap return error but stop always return OK.

You can test on this sample, it will create a camera user in ACAP and with this user you can call most VAPIX.
https://developer.axis.com/acap/develop/VAPIX-access-for-ACAP-applications/

[jalebhar]

I tried to create the ACAP using a user with my ACAP name and used it to stop the ACAP, but I'm still seeing an error when trying to stop it. The web UI shows it is running even after refreshing.
acap-exacqvision@axis-xxxxx:~$ curl -s -u a998-ExacqVision:BCRTAyuharaO8TkurXFubgDC6AVDWo5F -X POST http://127.0.
0.12/axis-cgi/applications/control.cgi?action=stop&package=ExacqVision

[rocky-ji]

how about close your web browser and reopen it? my camera is P3265 with OS 12.4.xx

[jalebhar]

web browser reopen also showing same behaviour i.e., ACAP still running.
Any way we can see the app status on response of list.cgi and it is also saying Exacqvision is running

[rocky-ji]

refer to this
vapix_example.c.txt
rename it to .c and replace the file in this sample https://github.com/AxisCommunications/acap-native-sdk-examples/tree/main/vapix/app

just change it and run this code
sprintf(strUrl, "http://127.0.0.12/axis-cgi/applications/control.cgi?action=start&package=send_event");

[jalebhar]

@vivekatoffice @Cacsjep Do you have any idea on executing the start and stop Vapix commands using Vapix user account credentials instead of camera credentials?

[jalebhar]

I won't be doing it from ssh session. I'm just trying the commands from ssh session before I integrate them with my VMS ACAP script.

[Cacsjep]

Since axis OS12 I don't use ssh anymore because of the restrictions, probably you should also forget this route. Use official Apis like Vapix from outside.

[vivekatoffice]

Hi @jalebhargavi ,
As far as I understand, Application API is the only way to do this.

If you have already added the camera to your ExacqVision VMS, then you already have the VAPIX Users created for the device.

What is flow of your use case?

[jalebhar]

Before Axis OS 12, we were able to start and stop an ACAP without connecting the camera to a VMS by using the following commands:

/etc/init.d/sdkAcapName start  
/etc/init.d/sdkAcapName stop

From Axis OS 12 onwards, we no longer have access to these commands. To replicate the same functionality, I'm trying to use the VAPIX application control APIs, along with credentials created via the following gdbus call:

gdbus call --system --dest com.axis.HTTPConf1 \
  --object-path /com/axis/HTTPConf1/VAPIXServiceAccounts1 \
  --method com.axis.HTTPConf1.VAPIXServiceAccounts1.GetCredentials "testuser"

These credentials work fine with list.cgi and upload.cgi, but they do not have permission to start or stop the ACAP via the VAPIX application control API.

I'm looking for a way to start/stop the ACAP without connecting the camera to VMS.

(As a temporary workaround, I’m starting/stopping the ACAP after connecting the camera to the VMS.)

[vivekatoffice]

Thank you, @jalebhargavi, for the details. I think there is no other way now after Breaking changes: Removal of root-privileged access. Your temporary workaround is the only way forward 👍

[rocky-ji]

Check this sample based on VAPIX to start anothter ACAP in ACAP,
https://github.com/rocky-ji/acap-vapix/blob/main/app/vapix_example.c

[vivekatoffice]

Hi @rocky-ji ,
Thank you for sharing your sample. I tested the sample and found that ACAP A can start ACAP B using the VAPIX Application APIs with VAPIX access for ACAP inside ACAP code.

ACAP A(vapix_example) started ACAP B(objectanalytics) sucessfully 😄

But when I used the same VAPIX service account credentials received from ACAP A in *.sh file and it is not working 😕 . Now my question is that still we can't SSH to device and start the ACAP B. I am missing something here?

./restart_objectanalytics.sh

#!/bin/sh
# Camera credentials and IP
CAMERA_IP="127.0.0.12"       # Replace with your camera's IP
USERNAME="a998-example-vapix-user"
PASSWORD="KCoAkaRArAtXXXXXXXXbUjmutZlJ"

# ACAP package name
PACKAGE="objectanalytics"

# Stop the ACAP
echo "Stopping $PACKAGE..."
curl --digest -u "$USERNAME:$PASSWORD" -X POST "http://$CAMERA_IP/axis-cgi/applications/control.cgi?action=stop&package=$PACKAGE"

# Wait for 10 seconds
echo "Waiting 100 seconds..."
sleep 100

# Start the ACAP
echo "Starting $PACKAGE..."
curl --digest -u "$USERNAME:$PASSWORD" -X POST "http://$CAMERA_IP/axis-cgi/applications/control.cgi?action=start&package=$PACKAGE"

echo "Done."

root@DESKTOP-X:/mnt/e/Vivek/Discussions/975# scp  restart_objectanalytics.sh acap-vapix_example@10.176.12.49:/usr/local/packages/vapix_example
acap-vapix_example@10.176.12.49's password: 
restart_objectanalytics.sh                                                                                                                                                                                                                            100%  655   126.3KB/s   00:00    
root@DESKTOP-X:/mnt/e/Vivek/Discussions/975# ssh acap-vapix_example@10.176.12.49
acap-vapix_example@10.176.12.49's password: 
acap-vapix_example@axis-b8a44xxxxxxx:~$ cd /usr/local/packages/vapix_example
acap-vapix_example@axis-b8a44xxxxxxx:/usr/local/packages/vapix_example$ ls
LICENSE                     package.conf
conf                        param.conf
html                        restart_objectanalytics.sh
localdata                   vapix_example
manifest.json
acap-vapix_example@axis-b8a44xxxxxxx:/usr/local/packages/vapix_example$ ./restart_objectanalytics.sh
Stopping objectanalytics...
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML 2.0//EN">
<html><head>
<title>401 Unauthorized</title>
</head><body>
<h1>Unauthorized</h1>
<p>This server could not verify that you
are authorized to access the document
requested.  Either you supplied the wrong
credentials (e.g., bad password), or your
browser doesn't understand how to supply
the credentials required.</p>
</body></html>
Waiting 100 seconds...
Starting objectanalytics...
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML 2.0//EN">
<html><head>
<title>401 Unauthorized</title>
</head><body>
<h1>Unauthorized</h1>
<p>This server could not verify that you
are authorized to access the document
requested.  Either you supplied the wrong
credentials (e.g., bad password), or your
browser doesn't understand how to supply
the credentials required.</p>
</body></html>
Done.
acap-vapix_example@axis-b8a44xxxxxxx:/usr/local/packages/vapix_example$

[rocky-ji]

When you run your script, is the ACAP still running? if it is not running, the user account should already removed in the camera.

[vivekatoffice]

Hi @rocky-ji ,
Ok. Thanks, understood now 🤯 . The VAPIX service user created is only valid for that application.

Hi @jalebhargavi ,
You can follow the example provided by @rocky-ji here: link

I am able to start the ACAP B(objectanalytics) using ACAP A(vapix_example)'s dynamic user(acap-vapix_example) SSH login:

acap-vapix_example@axis-b8a44xxxxxxx:/usr/local/packages/vapix_example$ ls
LICENSE                     package.conf
conf                        param.conf
html                        restart_objectanalytics.sh
localdata                   vapix_example
manifest.json
acap-vapix_example@axis-b8a44xxxxxxx:/usr/local/packages/vapix_example$ ./vapix_example

The only thing that has changed for you now need to install ACAP A(vapix_example) on all devices and set SSH password for ACAP A(vapix_example)'s dynamic user(acap-vapix_example), and then it will be resolved 😉

You can use AXIS Device Manager or VAPIX Upload application APIs for installing ACAP A(vapix_example) to large number of devices.

Explore 591 to try updating the ACAP A(vapix_example)'s dynamic user(acap-vapix_example) SSH password.

[vivekatoffice]

Feel free to re-open it OR share the solution/alternative/comment if already resolved👁️‍🗨️