README for mp4toftp

This python script is intended to be called as an 'extrascript' from ukmon-pitools to upload the allnight timelapse to an FTP site. The uploaded file is named {stationid}_latest.mp4, where stationid is the 6-letter RMS station code such as UK0001.

The script can also probably be used directly as an "external script" from RMS. However, i've not tested this and so i can't be certain.

Uploads can be made with ftp, sftp or ftps (ftp with tls).

Installation

Step 1: Download the Software

open a terminal window and type

cd ~/source  
git clone https://github.com/markmac99/mp4toftp.git  
cd mp4toftp

Step 2: Configure the ftp Connection

Edit the configuration file using a text editor, for example

nano ~/source/mp4toftp/mp4toftp.ini

Provide the server name, username, password and target folder for your FTP site. Select a protocol (FTP, SFTP or FTPS). If uploading to the default location on your server just leave the target folder blank. Then save and exit the editor.

Step 3a: Add the Hook to UKMON-pitools

If you're not using UKMON-pitools, skip ahead to 3b.

If you're using the 'extrascript' function in ukmon-pitools (for example to contribute to Istrastream), copy the extrascript file from ukmon-pitools to the mp4toftp folder.

cp ~/source/ukmon-pitools/extrascript ~/source/mp4toftp

Then create or update the ukmon-pitools 'extrascript' file so that it calls mp4toFTP.py:

echo /home/pi/source/mp4toftp/mp4toFTP.py > ~/source/ukmon-pitools/extrascript

Step 3b: Add the Hook Directly to RMS

Open the RMS config file in an editor and find the line starting external_script_path

If you're contributing to istrastream, this will probably read

external_script_path: /home/pi/source/RMS/iStream/iStream.py

Make a note of the path, then update the line to read

external_script_path: /home/pi/source/mp4toftp/mp4toFTP.py

Now, create a new text file /home/pi/source/mp4toftp/extrascript containing just the path that you noted earlier. For example if you are contributing to istrastream, then the extrascript file would contain

/home/pi/source/RMS/iStream/iStream.py

Testing and Manual Use

The script can also be tested by passing a single argument which is the dated folder name you want to upload from. For example

python ~/source/mp4toftp/mp4toFTP.py UK0006_20220511_043312_012356

You should see some messages in the terminal window, and a logfile is also created in ~/RMS_data/logs. The logfile name starts with ftpu_. Note that any extrascript you've configured will be called.

Questions and Requests

Contact me via the email address in github, or by raising an Issue on this repository.