Copyright: Netcammer 2.0 Copyright 1997-1998 Rob Davison


   Topics

Introduction & Use

Disclaimer & License

Register

Requirements

Main Screen

Configuration

Getting Connected

Screen Saver

Internet Explorer 4.0 Compatibility

Background Automation

Adding & Editing a Camsite

Importing and Exporting your Camsites

Slide show

How to contact us


Introduction

With today's browsers boasting a 30+ megabyte installation, snail speed Java and plug-in start up, and 8+ megabytes of memory usage, a digital camera administrator wondered why he needed all this overhead to transfer and view a simple netcam image. Should it take 30+ seconds to start the viewing tool? Shouldn't it run in the background and refresh automatically? Wouldn't it be cool if it retrieved my site's netcam image, converted it to wallpaper and display it? Why not display my favorite live cam sites as my screen saver? If my netcam site's opening page contains over 25,000 bytes of HTML text wouldn't if be more network efficient to only transfer the image? The idea of dynamically setting the wallpaper to a camsite was born: online wallpaper and screen saver.  It is now possible to navigate throughout your desktop, perform day to day activities and have a snapshot of your netcam site, taken seconds earlier, automatically displayed on your wallpaper backgroundand as your Windows screen saver.

Possible Uses

Netcam administrator can monitor his/her camsite.

Day care centers are installing netcams into their facilities. Parents can now effortlessly monitor their children's activities whilst at work.

NASA personel and enthusiasts can monitor several related NASA cams.

Security personel (utilizing the slideshow feature) can monitor in-house net cameras.

Weather personel can monitor diverse weather conditions via radar images.

We have all seen Aquarium images used for wallpaper, but how about a live Aquarium?

Commercial camsites can incorporate a advertisement and logo into their live camera image.

Surfers can monitor Surfcams on their desktop.

Homesick? Take your wallpaper online and capture your hometown's camsite.

Imagine the possibilities! Let us know: rdavison@gte.net


Getting Connected

Netcammer has been found compatible with the following connection types:

Standard Windows 95/98/NT RAS Dial-Up

Proxy Server

Socks Server (Running under SocksCap32)

Road Runner Cable Modem

If Netcammer is activated without a current Dial-Up session in progress, Netcammer

should activate the RAS Dialer.

Please notify:rdavison@gte.net with any connection difficulties you may encounter.


Netcammer Main Screen

A. The camtree holds your active sites. Loading a site is accomplished by highlighting a selected site and pressing "Load".  If you would like to cancel the current load, press "Cancel".Double clicking on a tree item allows you to edit the selected item.The camtree item you leave highlighted will be the item loaded at automatic refresh.

B. Current active Image.

C. Connection and file transfer status.


Netcammer Requirements

Netcammer Requirements:

Windows95/98, Windows NT 4.0.

Internet dial-up, lan connection, or cable modem.

Preferably a super VGA display.

No browser required.

Netcammer is compatible with MsExplorer 4.0 (Active Desktop) See Explorer 4.0 Topic.


Netcammer Importing and Exporting

Exporting your Camsites

The camsites in your camtree can be exported and copied to another Netcammer installation.

The export creates a new flat ascii file ending with .cam with the following contents:

[DESCRIPTION] your camsite description

[SITE] www.yourcamsite.com

[PATH] http://www.yourcamsite.com/your_path/your_image.jpg

You may create your own camsite.cam file if you follow the above structure.

Importing your Camsites

Importing your camlist is done by hightlighting the cam file in the file list box. All imports replace and add to those in the tree. Sites are keyed by site description.


Adding A New Camsite

Adding & Editing A Camsite

What is required to add a new camsite to Netcammer?

1. Your web site url (www.yourwebsite.com) or IP address (123.123.123.123)

2. The path to your netcam image (/mypath/myimage.jpg).

You may need to experiment with your path, for instance, a path of: /images/picture.jpg may not load as the HTTP server's path is not set.Changing your path to: http://www.yourwebsite.com/images/picture.jpgwill prove successful.

If the Netcammer experiencing any data that is not a image, a dialog box will display the ascii data received.

We are currently developing a Wizard to enable automatic configuration of your site's cam image. This version will be available to registered users in the near future.

A new site may be added by clicking on the "New"button.

An existing site may be edited by clicking on the "Edit"button.

By right clicking on your cam image in your browser (displays image properties) you can copy and paste the correct image path into the Netcammer path box.


Netcammer Configuration

A. Replace Wallpaper:

Checking this box enables the automatic refresh of your wallpaper or Active Desktop. If for some reason you do not want your wallpaper or Active Desktop replaced leave this box unchecked.

B. Enable SlideShow:

Checking this box enables the slideshow feature. The sites you have tagged for slideshow will appear on your online wallpaper and screen saver.

C. Randomize SlideShow Playback:

Providing the "Enable SlideShow" feature is enabled, the randomize feature will display a random camsite from your selected SlideShow pool. The random feature is available for wallpaper and screen saver operation.

D. Display Error Dialog:

If this box is checked, a dialog box will be displayed when Netcammer encounters a website error. If you are configuring a new Netcam site, it is helpful to have this turned on. If you are not configuring a new site, it is advised you turn this feature off.

E. Save Current Image (Offline Playback):

Checking this box enables the storing of the last retrieved camsite image. The image stored contains the filename of the website it was retrieved. The most current image overwrites the last. If Netcammer experiences a problem retrieving a current image, it attempts to display a saved one. If "Work Offline" is enabled, Netcammer cycles through these saved images.

F. Work Offline (Offline Playback):

Checking this box allows the Netcammer to operate without a Internet connection. The Netcammer will use all saved cam images when updating the wallpaper and displaying the screen saver.

G. Refresh Interval:

The refresh interval is stored in seconds. If you want a refresh of 5 minutes, set this value to 5 x 60 = 300 seconds. There is a minimum and maximum refresh rate to discriminate network abuse.

H. Load Timeout:

The load timeout setting is stored in seconds. This value reflects the time Netcammer will discontinue loading an image if the image or website does not respond in a timely manner. There is a minimum and maximum timeout rate to discriminate network abuse.

I. Delete All Saved Images:

Pressing "Delete All Saved Images" will remove all saved cam images on disk. This feature works like the "Clear Cache" option of your Internet browser.

J. Connect via a Proxy Server:

A network proxy is used to provide additional security between your computer and the Internet, usually along with a firewall. Enabling this feature causes Netcammer to look for its cam images through the proxy ip address and port number supplied. SOCKS compatibility can be gained through the use of "Sockscap" available via www.jvc.com.

K. Address of the Proxy Server to use:

This address can be a name: www.myproxy.com or ip address: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx. If you know you use a proxy server but do not know the address, check your browser configuration or ask your network administrator.

L. Port of the Proxy Server to use:

If you know you use a proxy server but do not know the port number, check your browser configuration or ask your network administrator.


How to contact us

Email: rdavison@gte.net

Netcammer Website: http://home1.gte.net/rdavison

Registration:

Robert A. Davison

5751 17th Ave. North,

St. Petersburg, Florida 33710, U.S.A.


Slide Show

The slide show feature is enabled and disabled via the configuration screen.

By selecting "Slide Show" from the main screen on a selected camsite you toggle the slide show status. The slide show feature is disabled during a manual load. The slide show feature enables during minimized Netcammer operation.


Internet Explorer 4.0 Compatability

The Netcammer is a stand-alone utility and operates under Windows 95/NT. Netcammer will operate under Explorer 4.0 Active Desktop.

How to integrate the Netcammer with Explorer 4.0 Active Desktop

1. Right click on the Active Desktop.

2. Choose "Customize My Desktop"

3. Click "New" (New Active Desktop Item)

4. Select "netcam.bmp"in your Netcammer working directory.

The Netcammer will automatically "Refresh"the Active Desktop after each successful load.

You may now resize your netcam image and coexist with other Active Desktop Items!


Background Automation

The Netcammer was written to refresh your background with your Cam-image on a regular interval. Background processing can be achieved by simply minimizing the Netcammer application. When minimized, you will notice Netcammer is no longer part of the active task bar.The Netcammer will not inhibit your day to day activities as it is only visible via the toolbar.

During a Netcammer load, the toolbar icon will be displayed in red. Sleep status returns the Netcammer toolbar icon to the original white icon. By right clicking on the icon in the toolbar, you maximize the Netcammer.


Netcammer Register

Register your Netcammer

Registered users will receive technical support, a full release, free upgrades, and camlist. A corporate license is available.

Thank You!

Circle One:

x	Please email my registered Netcammer release to me.

x	Please send me a registered Netcammer 3.5 diskette via mail.

Please print and mail to:

Robert A. Davison

5751 17th Ave. North,

St. Petersburg, Florida 33710, U.S.A.

Netcammer Single Copy    ____    copies at $9.95 each = ______

Total payment         ______

Name: _______________________Date:___________

Company: _______________________________________

Address: _______________________________________

City, State, Zip: _______________________________________

Country: _______________________________________

Day Phone: _________________Eve:__________________

Electronic Mail address: ________________________________

How did you hear about Netcammer? __________________________

Comments:


Netcammer Disclaimer & License

Netcammer Disclaimer

THIS SOFTWARE AND THE ACCOMPANYING FILES ARE SOLD "AS IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OF MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.  Because of the various hardware and software environments into which Netcammer may be put, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED.

Good data processing procedure dictates that any program be thoroughly tested with non-critical data before relying on it.  The user must assume the entire risk of using the program.  ANY LIABILITY OF THE SELLER WILL BE LIMITED EXCLUSIVELY TO PRODUCT REPLACEMENT OR REFUND OF PURCHASE PRICE.

Netcammer was written to aid a Camsite administrator with his/her own site. The author accepts no responsibility of the actual user's use of Netcammer.

Netcammer License

Netcammer software is Copyright (C) 1997-1998, Robert A. Davison.

All rights for this software are reserved by the author.

You are not allowed to modify or reverse engineer the contents of the program files.

Netcammer is Shareware. That means you can use it free of charge only for 14 days evaluation period. After that, you must either register your copy product by paying a small license fee to the author, or stop using it.

Besides legalising your usage of Netcammer, there ARE several other reasons to register Netcammer. Please, see Registration for more information.

Regardless of your registration status, you're encouraged to distribute unregistered version of Netcammer. The Registered version cannot be distributed at all.

This software cannot be resold or used in any profit-generating activities, including, but not limited to, distributing Netcammer as part of commercial products, or in support of commercial services, without the author’s expressed written permission.

There is no warranty or claim of fitness or reliability. The program is distributed AS IS, and the author shall not be held liable for any loss of data, down time, loss of revenue or any other direct or indirect damage or claims caused by this software.

Copyright © 1997-98 Robert A. Davison, all rights reserved, patent pending.


Netcammer Screen Saver

After Netcammer has been installed and run on a Windows 95/98/NT box, activating Desktop Properties, and selecting Screen Saver should allow the user the ability to change the current screen saver to "netcam". The Preview, Settings, Password Protectand Wait controls are available for the Netcammer screen saver. Any changes made via the Settingsdialog will also be reflected within the desktop Netcammer dialog. The "Display Properties" can also be changed by selecting Screen Saver -> Display Properties from the Netcammer main menu.