motionctrl is a RESTful API written in Golang that acts as a controller/proxy for motion (with some sweet additional feature). It also can help you to build an IP camera and control it from any other third-part application.

Why motionctrl?

motionctlr allows you to:

• start/stop motion through an easy REST api service
• provide only one point to access both stream and webcontrol
• improve motion stream/webcontrol security with HTTPS
• managing motion with JSON REST api that replace the old text webcontrol interface integrated in motion
• backup old image/video in Google Drive* (archive & encryption support) (more here)
• notify event through Telegram* to every device you want (more here)
• host simple frontend application (more here)

*: more backup and notify services could be implemented easily, take a look inside backup/ notify/ folders!

Download

Download of precompiled version is available here

Configuration

In order to execute motionctrl you need a valid JSON configuration file, an example of it could be:

{
    "address" : "127.0.0.1",
    "port" : 8888,
    "motionConfigFile" : "/etc/motion/motion.conf",

    "username" : "user",
    "password" : "pass",

    "appPath" : "/path/to/app",

    "ssl" : {
        "key" : "/path/to/key.key",
        "cert" : "/path/to/cert.pem"
    },

    "backup" :  {
        "when" : "@every 1m",
        "method" : "google",
        "encryptionKey" : "super_secret_key",
        "archive":true,
        "filePerArchive" : 10
    },

    "notify" : {
        "method" : "telegram",
        "token" : "YOUR TELEGRAM API KEY",
        "to": ["12345678"],
        "message": "Motion recognized",
        "photo": 2
    }
}

To allow motionctrl to interact with motion correctly you MUST set some motion parameter (defined inside motionConfigFile) to following values:

An example of a valid configuration should be:

target_dir /home/pi/motion/output

process_id_file /home/pi/motion/run/motion.pid

webcontrol_port 8080

webcontrol_parms 2

#webcontrol_authentication

webcontrol_html_output off

stream_port 8081

stream_auth_method 0

#stream_authentication

[...]

Launch

Simple usage: $> ./motionctrl

Accepted command line arguments ( $> ./motionctrl -h):

  -a    start motion right after motionctrl
  -c string
        configuration file path (default "config.json")
  -d    when -a is set, starts with motion detection enabled
  -l string
        set log level (default "WARN")

All the following APIs are accessible from /api

• /control
  • /startup
  • /shutdown
  • /restart
  • /status
• /detection
  • /start
  • /stop
  • /status
• /config
  • /list
  • /get
  • /set
  • /write
• /camera
  • /stream
  • /snapshot
  • /makemovie
• /targetdir
  • /list
  • /size
  • /get
  • /remove
• /backup
  • /status
  • /launch

• Description: launch motion
• Method: GET
• Parameters:
  • detection: should be used to start motion with motion detection enabled at startup (default: false)
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: motion started succefully
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 400: detection parameter must be true or false

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/control/startup?detection=true

Output: {"message":"motion started"}

• Description: shutdown motion
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: motion shutdown succefully
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/control/shutdown

Output: {"message":"motion stopped"}

• Description: restart motion
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: motion restarted succefully
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 409: motion not started yet
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/control/restart

Output: {"message":"motion restarted"}

• Description: restart motion
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: motion status retrieved succefully
    • Response type: JSON

    {"motionStarted": true|false}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/control/status

Output: {"motionStarted":false}

• Description: start motion detection
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: motion detection enabled
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 409: motion not started yet
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/detection/start

{"message":"motion detection started"}

• Description: stop motion detection
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: motion detection paused
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 409: motion not started yet

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/detection/stop

{"message":"motion detection paused"}

• Description: return the current state of motion detection
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: motion detection status retrieved
    • Response type: JSON

    {"motionDetectionEnabled": true|false}
    

    • 409: motion not started yet

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/detection/status

{"motionDetectionEnabled":false}

• Description: list all motion configuration
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: configuration list retrieved correctly
    • Response type: JSON

    { 
      <CONFIG_KEY1>: <CONFIG_VALUE1>,
      <CONFIG_KEY2>: <CONFIG_VALUE2>,
      ...
    }
    

    • 409: motion not started yet
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/config/list

{"area_detect":null,"auto_brightness":0,"camera":null,"camera_dir":null,"camera_id":0,"camera_name":null,"daemon":true," ... }

• Description: get the specified configuration parameter
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: configuration parameter retrieved correctly
    • Response type: JSON

    { <CONFIG_KEY>: <CONFIG_VALUE> }
    

    • 409: motion not started yet
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/config/get/event_gap

{"event_gap":20}

• Description: set the specified configuration to a specified value
• Method: GET
• Parameters:
  • <key>:<value> set <key> configuration to <value>
  • writeback (optional): indicates if the configuration will be written to the motion configuration file (default: false)
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: configuration set correctly
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 409: motion not started yet
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/config/set?event_gap=60&writeback=true

{"event_gap":60}

• Description: write current configuration to motion configuration file
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: configuration wrote correctly to file
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 409: motion not started yet
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/config/write

{"message":"configuration written to file"}

• Description: camera stream
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: streaming
    • Response type: MJPEG stream
    • 409: motion not started yet
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/control/startup

Open your browser and go to: http://localhost:8888/api/camera/stream

• Description: capture and retrieve snapshot from camera
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: snapshot
    • Response type: image
    • 409: motion not started yet
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/control/startup

Open your browser and go to: http://localhost:8888/api/camera/snapshot

• Description: make a movie and save it inside target_dir
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: making a movie
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 409: motion not started yet
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/control/startup; curl  http://localhost:8888/api/camera/makemovie

• Description: list all files in target_dir
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: snapshot
    • Response type: JSON

    [
      {
        "name": <STRING>,
        "creationDate": <DATE>
      },
      ...
    ]
    

    • 500: generic internal server error

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/targetdir/list

Output: [{"name":"01-20180314152202-01.jpg","creationDate":"2018-03-14T15:22:02.88866395+01:00"},{"name":"01-20180314152202.mkv","creationDate":"2018-03-14T15:22:16.728497457+01:00"}, ... ]

• Description: evaluate the target_dir folder size
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: size evaluated succefully
    • Response type: JSON

    { "size": <INTEGER> }
    

    • 500: generic internal server error

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/targetdir/size

Output: {"size":3753260} ~ 3.75 MB

• Description: retrieve filename from target_dir
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: file retrieved correctly
    • Response type: file from target_dir
    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

Open your browser and go to: http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/targetdir/get/01-20180314152211-01.jpg

• Description: remove filename from target_dir
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: file removed correctly
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/targetdir/remove/06-20180314114422-01.jpg

Output: {"message":"06-20180314114422-01.jpg successfully removed"}

• Description: get the current state of backup service
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: status retrieved correctly
    • Response type: JSON

    {"status": "ACTIVE_IDLE" | "ACTIVE_RUNNING" | "NOT_ACTIVE"}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/backup/status

Output: {"status":"ACTIVE_IDLE"}

• Description: run backup service now
• Method: GET
• Parameters: N.D.
• Return:
  • Status Code + Body:
    • 200: backup service stared
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

    • 500: generic internal server error
    • Response type: JSON

    {"message": <STRING>}
    

• Example:

$> curl http://10.8.0.1:8888/api/backup/launch

Output: {"message":"backup service is running now"}

There are some APIs that are not accessible directly by the user. These APIs (accessible from /internal) are necessary to let motion communicate events to motionctrl.

This APIs are required by built-in notification service of motionctrl

Following steps are needed only if you want to enable backup service available in motionctrl

motionctrl allows you to backup files produced by motion (images, videos) to your Google Drive account.

Here below some example showing, only, backup section of motionctrl config file:

1. Manual backup trigger it with (/api/backup/launch)[#backuplaunch]

"backup" :  {
        "when" : "manual",
        "method" : "google",
    }

2. Automatic backup when target_dir size is greater than 10 Mbyte

"backup" :  {
        "when" : "10MB",
        "method" : "google",
    }

3. Automatic backup every day at 22:00

"backup" :  {
        "when" : "0 22 * * *",
        "method" : "google",
    }

4. Automatic backup every day at 22:00, encrypt every single file before upload

"backup" :  {
        "when" : "0 22 * * *",
        "method" : "google",
        "encryptionKey": "secret_password",
    }

5. Automatic backup every day at 22:00, create archives with max 10 files and encrypt them before upload

"backup" :  {
        "when" : "0 22 * * *",
        "method" : "google",
        "encryptionKey": "secret_password",
        "archive":true,
        "filePerArchive" : 10
    }

In order to correctly login to your account you must simply run motionctrl and follow the istructions on the command line.

Following steps are needed only if you want to enable notification service available in motionctrl

• Install curl
• Open your motion configuration file (e.g. /etc/motion/motion.conf)
• Set on_event_start and on_event_end on_picture_save to:

# Command to be executed when an event starts. (default: none)
# An event starts at first motion detected after a period of no motion defined by event_gap
on_event_start curl http://localhost:8888/internal/event/start

# Command to be executed when an event ends after a period of no motion
# (default: none). The period of no motion is defined by option event_gap.
on_event_end curl http://localhost:8888/internal/event/end

# Command to be executed when a picture (.ppm|.jpg) is saved (default: none)
# To give the filename as an argument to a command append it with %f
on_picture_save curl http://localhost:8888/internal/event/picture/saved?picturepath=%f

NOTE: curl command syntax could differ in case you have enabled HTTPS (replace http with https).

Now you can add notify section to your motionctrl configuration file.

"notify" : {
        "method" : "telegram",
        "token" : "324565775:JHBFEIFEIBFedae-2neuifbEDEEGEFEAF",
        "to": ["12345678", "87654321"],
        "message": "Motion recognized",
        "photo": 2
    }

photo parameter indicates how many photos are sent to configured chats after an event starts.

In motionctrl configuration file you could specify the appPath parameter to point to the directory that contains the frontend application files. Those files are accessible from: http://<IP>:<PORT>/app/

• How can I obtain valid cert/key to enable HTTPS support?

  • You can obtain them by issuing: openssl genrsa -out key.pem 1024 && openssl req -new -x509 -sha256 -key key.pem -out cert.pem -days 365. This will give you a self signed certificate valid for 365 days.

• How can I open encrypted backup files?

  • In order to open *.aes file you need aescrypt installed on your system. AES Crypt is a cross-plattform AES file encryption/decryption tool that you can download here.