Feature Proposal: outbound TCP/IP
  • I liked that earlier persistent Mask proposal so much I thought I would toss another into the mix.

    I know I can most likely run an applescript using XNet which will write to a TCP/IP socket, but it would be very nice to be able to do the same from w/in SecuritySpy directly.

    Very much like Axis cameras do.
  • So if I'm understanding you correctly, this would be a feature that would connect to a particular IP address via TCP and send a particular string of bytes upon motion detection? Can you tell me the usage you have in mind? Are you linking in to a home automation system for example?
  • Hi Ben. Yes. Automation in general.
    I have a whirring hive of Node.JS bots slurping up motion notifications from the cameras. Other devices are also sending notifications.
    I am using your fine Security Spy software in parallel.
    I want to compare notifications to reduce the noise.
    IP is great, altho a hostname ( in domain ) would allow round-robining / failover )
    I can send some more info on the Axis UI if you would like. I'm talking to them about changing their TCP/IP format a bit as well. Nothing major ( line ending stuff )
  • That sounds like a good idea for a new feature in SecuritySpy. To clarify, in SecuritySpy's user interface you would want to specify an IP address (or hostname) and an exact string of bytes to send via TCP to the specified device?

    Also, at the same time we would probably want to add an HTTP notification feature as well, to cover all bases, as some devices seem to prefer this.
  • yes, that's it. so for example now I'm sending a simple string "Garage Interior" into one of the node.js listener servers, which then goes of and does other things. I strip the \r \n whatever off the end, blah blah.

    your point about the HTTP is good, then someone could just post into CouchDB or some other REST store. that would be slick

    The Axis stuff has a pulldown for what goes over TCP/IP, which includes HTTP.
  • Did this ever make it into the fold?
  • You can totally do this with an AppleScript; pretty easy too. You could also write your own daemon to watch the event stream and trigger any action you want based on that. If these are things you're interested in, let me know and I'll provide some pointers.
  • Sure! Or at least to talk.

    I have found that my applescripts triggered by SSpy tend to hang.

    My context is a suite of Axis cameras which are talking via TCP/IP to a node app which in turn coordinates separate messaging scheme with node apps coordinating TCP/IP comms with a security system ( ElkM1 ) and my lighting controller ( LeGrand Vantage )

    I wrote all this stuff years ago and am ready to bring it into a more standard messaging system ( mqtt )

    Applescript fits into this by doing not much more than custom alert sounds through the whole house audio. I think there is a re-entrancy problem somewhere in the Applescript / Sound stack.

    ( btw on yhour other thread; I sometimes use a spare mac, set up a private test wifi, and then fire up wireshark - then with the tablet /offending devices on that private teset wifi suck up all the traffic )

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