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Allow fetching input previews via the Web API
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Hi, I'd like vMix to have an API endpoint to fetch any Input preview images or thumbnail. The endpoint could return a raw JPEG image data so we could use it directly in an <img/> html tag for example. The call could look like this: Quote:http://127.0.0.1:8088/api/?Function=SnapshotInputRaw&Input=4&Format=jpg Then we could use that URL directly in an img tag Quote:<img src="http://127.0.0.1:8088/api/?Function=SnapshotInputRaw&Input=4&Format=jpg" />
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I'm not following the usecase for a HTML image tag with a localhost reference that isn't present for saving the input snapshot locally in a predetermined folder with a predetermined file name (which is the current functionality).
Can you elaborate on what specifically you're trying to do?
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Originally Posted by: WaltG12  I'm not following the usecase for a HTML image tag with a localhost reference that isn't present for saving the input snapshot locally in a predetermined folder with a predetermined file name (which is the current functionality).
Can you elaborate on what specifically you're trying to do? I would also find this useful. My ongoing project is a web control interface to complement (and replace portions of) our StreamDeck setup. If I could show live images (updated every, say, 5 seconds) then the operator would be able to see exactly what they're controlling.
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Originally Posted by: WaltG12 I'm not following the usecase for a HTML image tag with a localhost reference that isn't present for saving the input snapshot locally in a predetermined folder with a predetermined file name (which is the current functionality).
Can you elaborate on what specifically you're trying to do? What spinfold said. The current snapshot API just opens a file dialog for me to save the image, and that's not ideal. The ideal would be to just display the image directly without downloading. And I'm building a remote controller app that will use the Web API for controlling vMix remotely on the same network. Our operators also need a way of having a tally light feature and since we can't afford a system yet, it would be nice to have that in an app along with the input previews.
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Originally Posted by: spinfold If I could show live images (updated every, say, 5 seconds) then the operator would be able to see exactly what they're controlling. They added a low fps live preview to the built in shortcuts which populates on the official web controller. So they can see the benefit of that. But, on the other hand, I think it raises the question of why the existing infrastructure is inadequate. While I can't speak for the vMix dev team or their decision making process, they've said multiple times that, in addition to the amount of support a request gets, they also want to see an explanation of why/how the feature will be used. I think such an explanation would benefit from answering that question, which is why I'm asking that question. Originally Posted by: twister The current snapshot API just opens a file dialog for me to save the image, and that's not ideal. Read the documentation. It behaves exactly as I described, if you set it to behave exactly as I described. Quote:Optional Value specifies save Filename, otherwise a save file window will appear. Filename can specify date, for example mysnapshot {0:dd MMM yyyy}.jpg Alongside the file name, you can specify the entire path. On my system, I use Quote:API.Function("SnapshotInput",Input:="Mix8-GuestVideo",Value:="X:\GuestPic {0:yyyy MM dd HH mm ss ff}.png")
with absolutely no issues. Originally Posted by: twister And I'm building a remote controller app that will use the Web API for controlling vMix remotely on the same network. Our operators also need a way of having a tally light feature and since we can't afford a system yet, it would be nice to have that in an app along with the input previews. Good news--both of those things already exist within the official vMix Web Controller web app. If that's not good enough, you may want to explain why.
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Originally Posted by: WaltG12 Originally Posted by: spinfold If I could show live images (updated every, say, 5 seconds) then the operator would be able to see exactly what they're controlling. They added a low fps live preview to the built in shortcuts which populates on the official web controller. So they can see the benefit of that. But, on the other hand, I think it raises the question of why the existing infrastructure is inadequate. While I can't speak for the vMix dev team or their decision making process, they've said multiple times that, in addition to the amount of support a request gets, they also want to see an explanation of why/how the feature will be used. I think such an explanation would benefit from answering that question, which is why I'm asking that question. Originally Posted by: twister The current snapshot API just opens a file dialog for me to save the image, and that's not ideal. Read the documentation. It behaves exactly as I described, if you set it to behave exactly as I described. Quote:Optional Value specifies save Filename, otherwise a save file window will appear. Filename can specify date, for example mysnapshot {0:dd MMM yyyy}.jpg Alongside the file name, you can specify the entire path. On my system, I use Quote:API.Function("SnapshotInput",Input:="Mix8-GuestVideo",Value:="X:\GuestPic {0:yyyy MM dd HH mm ss ff}.png")
with absolutely no issues. Originally Posted by: twister And I'm building a remote controller app that will use the Web API for controlling vMix remotely on the same network. Our operators also need a way of having a tally light feature and since we can't afford a system yet, it would be nice to have that in an app along with the input previews. Good news--both of those things already exist within the official vMix Web Controller web app. If that's not good enough, you may want to explain why. Yes, fine, the SnapshotInput function skips the file dialog and saves the file in my disk. But what If I don't want to add extra overhead to my app/system by having to read the file from disk every time? Also you mentioned that they added a "low fps live preview to the built in shortcuts", but I couldn't find a mention of this in the docs. Quote:If that's not good enough, you may want to explain why. As I said, doing a HTTP request and getting the image data from it directly would be faster than doing the same HTTP request, waiting for it to save the file in disk, and then reading that file back. We could query for any Input without having to worry about the file system. In fact the file system is not necessary since we won't be using the files for anything else... I can work with the existing APIs, but I thought this would be an easier method.
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If it helps understanding what I mean by overhead, checkout this GIF. I'm fetching all the input snapshots using the current vMix APIs, and it's too slow! 
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Originally Posted by: twister If it helps understanding what I mean by overhead, checkout this GIF. I'm fetching all the input snapshots using the current vMix APIs, and it's too slow! Actually for my use case this would be fine - in fact, too quick! Have you done the audio meters using JavaScript/jQuery?
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Originally Posted by: spinfold Originally Posted by: twister If it helps understanding what I mean by overhead, checkout this GIF. I'm fetching all the input snapshots using the current vMix APIs, and it's too slow! Actually for my use case this would be fine - in fact, too quick! Have you done the audio meters using JavaScript/jQuery? I'm using Flutter, and fetching the entire state every 150ms, and then I animate the audio meters to look nice :)
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 1 user thanked twister for this useful post.
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Originally Posted by: twister Yes, fine, the SnapshotInput function skips the file dialog and saves the file in my disk. But what If I don't want to add extra overhead to my app/system by having to read the file from disk every time? ...where do you think a file that's being accessed by a localhost HTML tag is being stored? The API isn't magic. It's server being run on your machine, using your machine's resources. If you can't access the file manually, accessing the file via the API won't help you. In fact, overhead is probably one of the biggest hurdles standing in the way of this request. Originally Posted by: twister Also you mentioned that they added a "low fps live preview to the built in shortcuts", but I couldn't find a mention of this in the docs. Then you didn't look. From the documentation: Quote:Display
Configure the display options when showing this shortcut in the Web Controller.
Default: The standard button with text.
Colour: Customise the background colour of the standard button with text.
Image: Select a custom image file to display in place of the button. The image will be stretched to fit the button dimensions.
Thumbnail: Display a thumbnail preview of the Input's contents. Of course, that's fairly ambiguous as to what "preview" means, but if you'd tried it, you'd have seen that it's exactly what I described. Originally Posted by: twister As I said, doing a HTTP request and getting the image data from it directly would be faster than doing the same HTTP request, waiting for it to save the file in disk, and then reading that file back. Again, I'm not understanding what you think is happening that separates those two situations. Accessing a file from a localhost HTML tag literally means the file is being saved somewhere on your machine. An image cannot be served over a localhost tag if the image is not saved to the localhost. In your proposed scenario of being able to access Quote:<img src="http://127.0.0.1:8088/api/?Function=SnapshotInputRaw&Input=4&Format=jpg" /> that .jpg image file has to be saved to your machine in some capacity. And it has to be accessed by reading the file saved to your machine. A situation which you now say is untenable.
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1 user thanked WaltG12 for this useful post.
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Rank: Member
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Joined: 8/4/2020(UTC) Posts: 10 Location: Ponta Porã Thanks: 1 times
Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)
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Originally Posted by: WaltG12 Originally Posted by: twister Yes, fine, the SnapshotInput function skips the file dialog and saves the file in my disk. But what If I don't want to add extra overhead to my app/system by having to read the file from disk every time? ...where do you think a file that's being accessed by a localhost HTML tag is being stored? The API isn't magic. It's server being run on your machine, using your machine's resources. If you can't access the file manually, accessing the file via the API won't help you. In fact, overhead is probably one of the biggest hurdles standing in the way of this request. Originally Posted by: twister Also you mentioned that they added a "low fps live preview to the built in shortcuts", but I couldn't find a mention of this in the docs. Then you didn't look. From the documentation: Quote:Display
Configure the display options when showing this shortcut in the Web Controller.
Default: The standard button with text.
Colour: Customise the background colour of the standard button with text.
Image: Select a custom image file to display in place of the button. The image will be stretched to fit the button dimensions.
Thumbnail: Display a thumbnail preview of the Input's contents. Of course, that's fairly ambiguous as to what "preview" means, but if you'd tried it, you'd have seen that it's exactly what I described. Originally Posted by: twister As I said, doing a HTTP request and getting the image data from it directly would be faster than doing the same HTTP request, waiting for it to save the file in disk, and then reading that file back. Again, I'm not understanding what you think is happening that separates those two situations. Accessing a file from a localhost HTML tag literally means the file is being saved somewhere on your machine. An image cannot be served over a localhost tag if the image is not saved to the localhost. In your proposed scenario of being able to access Quote:<img src="http://127.0.0.1:8088/api/?Function=SnapshotInputRaw&Input=4&Format=jpg" /> that .jpg image file has to be saved to your machine in some capacity. And it has to be accessed by reading the file saved to your machine. A situation which you now say is untenable. Ok I'm sorry, but I'm failing to follow you on that matter, and it sounds to me that you are a bit offended by me asking for a feature you're not understanding. If I'm wrong please forgive me! I'm no layman when it comes to software development, in fact I've been working on that for 15 years. I've been posting here very respectfully and it sounds to me that you just want me to end this topic. Anyways, I will try to figure this out on my own.
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