# Raspberry Pi Webcam Capture Demo

Automated picture capture and upload for Raspberry Pi 3 with a USB webcam (Logitech 1080p).

## Quick Setup (5 minutes)

### 1. Install Required Packages

```bash
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y fswebcam curl
```

### 2. Configure the Script

```bash
# Copy the config template
cp picupper.conf.example picupper.conf

# Edit with your settings
nano picupper.conf
```

Update `picupper.conf` with your API key and camera settings.

### 3. Install & Enable

```bash
# Make scripts executable
chmod +x capture-upload.sh install.sh

# Run installer (sets up cron job)
./install.sh
```

That's it! Your Pi will now capture and upload one picture per minute.

---

## Files Included

| File | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `capture-upload.sh` | Main script - captures photo and uploads |
| `picupper.conf.example` | Configuration template |
| `install.sh` | Installer script (sets up cron) |
| `uninstall.sh` | Removes cron job |

## Configuration Options

Edit `picupper.conf`:

```bash
# PicUpper server URL
API_URL="https://dev.seedheads.de/picUploadApi/upload"

# Your API key (from server admin)
API_KEY="your-api-key-here"

# Camera identifier (unique name for this Pi)
CAMERA_ID="rpi-webcam-1"

# Resolution (1920x1080 for full HD)
RESOLUTION="1920x1080"

# Video device (usually /dev/video0)
VIDEO_DEVICE="/dev/video0"
```

## Manual Testing

```bash
# Test capture only (saves to /tmp)
./capture-upload.sh --test

# Run full capture and upload once
./capture-upload.sh
```

## Troubleshooting

### Check if webcam is detected

```bash
ls /dev/video*
v4l2-ctl --list-devices
```

### Test capture manually

```bash
fswebcam -d /dev/video0 -r 1920x1080 --no-banner test.jpg
```

### Check logs

```bash
# View recent capture logs
tail -f ~/picUploadApi/demo/picupper.log
```

### Common Issues

| Problem | Solution |
|---------|----------|
| "No video device" | Replug USB webcam, check `dmesg` |
| "Permission denied" | Add user to video group: `sudo usermod -aG video $USER` |
| "Upload failed" | Check API key and network connection |

## Changing Capture Frequency

Default is 1 picture per minute. To change:

```bash
# Edit cron job
crontab -e
```

Examples:
- Every 5 minutes: `*/5 * * * * ~/picUploadApi/demo/capture-upload.sh`
- Every 30 seconds: Use systemd timer instead of cron

---

## SD Card Preservation

Reduce SD card writes to extend its lifetime:

### Option 1: Minimal Changes (Recommended)

```bash
# Disable swap
sudo swapoff -a
# Comment out swap line in /etc/fstab
sudo nano /etc/fstab

# Disable automatic apt updates
sudo systemctl disable apt-daily.timer apt-daily-upgrade.timer
```

### Option 2: Full Read-Only Mode

```bash
sudo raspi-config
# Navigate to: Performance Options → Overlay File System → Enable
```

⚠️ **Before enabling read-only mode**, change log location to tmpfs:
```bash
# Edit picupper.conf
LOG_FILE="/tmp/picupper.log"
```

---

## Auto-Reboot (Stability)

For long-running deployments, schedule automatic reboots:

```bash
sudo crontab -e
```

Add (reboots at 00:00, 06:00, 12:00, 18:00):
```
0 */6 * * * /sbin/reboot
```

---

## Hardware Requirements

- Raspberry Pi 3 (any model)
- USB webcam (Logitech C920/C922/C270 recommended)
- SD card with Raspberry Pi OS
- Network connection (WiFi or Ethernet)

## Network Notes

The script retries failed uploads and logs all attempts. If your Pi loses network, captures continue and uploads resume when connectivity returns.