The GadWatch Web Server feature allows you to create an Intranet or Internet home page right on your own PC. When you first install GadWatch, the web server is enabled, and is configured for local network (Intranet) use. Click the Earth toolbar icon to view your home page.
The home page that is installed with GadWatch (its name is default.htm) contains a window for live video, and a window with thumbnails of the four most recent clips. There are also options to switch cameras in multiple-camera configurations, and to open any clip on the clip list.
The GadWatch browser window allows you to test your home page, and also provides a convenient viewing environment in order to use GadWatch to view other webcam sites (for two-way viewing or teleconferencing). If you want to open the browser as a window on your PC's desktop, click the small "window restore" button next to the close button in the upper-right corner of the browser window.
To view and edit the Web Server's configuration, click the Options toolbar icon (a woman seated at a PC), and then click the "web server" page.
If you use GadWatch in an Intranet (local area home or business network) environment, you may access the GadWatch web server by the computer's name. You may enter "http://computername" into a web browser anywhere on the network. You'll see it at the top of your home page, and at the bottom of the browser window if you click on the Earth toolbar icon. To view or change your computer's name, go to Start/Control Panel/System, then open the Computer Name page.
If you want to view the GadWatch web server on the Internet, you will most likely have to do so by IP address. For most Internet users, the IP address is "dynamic," that is, it changes each that you "dial-in" to your ISP. The "Find address now" button attempts to determine this number automatically. if it fails, you may have to use the "ipconfig" command from your system's command prompt. If your IP address is "67.1.2.3" for example, you may then use "http://67.1.2.3" on any web browser on the Internet. If the port number is other than the default of 80 (see discussion in Advanced below), that number will have to be added to the URL. If the port is 81, for example, the URL becomes "http://67.1.2.3:81". If your ISP changes your IP address periodically, you may wish to use the option provided here to periodically find the new address automatically.
Note: for configuration/testing purposes, the name "localhost" and the IP address "127.0.0.1" always refer to your own PC.
For specialized and dedicated-server applications, the option exists to use any other domain name as the URL for the machine. If you would like the benefit of a permanent Internet name, and not have to deal with the annoyance of a dynamic IP address, check out www.dyndns.org. For a small fee, they can set you up with a domain name.
Advanced
You should not change the port number from 80 unless you know what you are doing, and have a reason for doing so. One such reason would be if you're using AOL (America On Line) or another Internet Service Provider (ISP) which conflicts with the use of port 80. If you've determined your IP address by using the "find address now" button, yet receive an error page when you open the browser, you may need to select another number. If the problem is due to other server software running on your PC, GadWatch will automatically attempt sequential port numbers after the one you've chosen.
If you use a router (common in networks with cable modems), or a corporate firewall, you must ensure that your GadWatch TCP/IP port is routed to the machine on which GadWatch is running. If you are able to view the GadWatch server and pages locally, but not remotely, chances are that your router requires configuration. You may also see your router or firewall's configuration page instead of the GadWatch home page. Technical assistance with router configuration may be obtained from the router manufacturer, your ISP, or your networking professional.
If you use the "allow directory listing" option, web users will be able to view the list of files in your GadWatch web root folder if you don't have a home page. This may prove a desirable way to share files when combined with image posting.
If you choose to "require authentication," GadWatch will automatically cause remote user's browsers to prompt them for a username and password. If they do not match what you specify, they will be denied access. You may specify as many different username/password combinations as you wish. Each camera stats page will show which username was used to authenticate.
If you choose the "expand %% macros" option, GadWatch will pre-process all files ending in ".htm" before they are sent. This is useful if you're using a dynamic IP address (most dial-up networking does) as your server name. GadWatch will substitute your server name wherever "%%SERVERNAME%%" appears. Other available macros include the following:
| %%CAMLIST%% |
A list of HTML <OPTION> tags containing the available cameras |
| %%CLIPLIST%% |
A list of HTML <OPTION> tags describing the clips currently displayed in the Clip List |
| %%CAMPORT0%% |
The first camera's webcasting port number |
| %%CAMNAME0%% |
The first camera's name |
| %%THUMBn%% |
A virtual path to a thumbnail image for the "nth" clip currently displayed in the Clip List |
| %%CLIPn%% |
A virtual path to the actual "nth" clip currently displayed in the Clip List |
The sample web pages that are installed demonstrate each of the webcasting formats in operation.
The Options toolbar icon shows a wrench and screwdriver. Click this button to open the following window:
The initial page is labeled "About," and contains copyright and registration information. The Clips and Archiving and Web Server options pages are covered in pages devoted to those specific topics.
If you choose to "automatically check for software updates" then the system will check www.GadWatch.co.uk to ensure that you're working with the latest version each time you start the software.
This page allows you to control various aspects of the software's startup behavior.
Use the "Run GadWatch automatically when you login" option to place a link to GadWatch in your Windows startup folder.
Use the "Run GadWatch as a Win32 service" option to start GadWatch when your computer starts up, without requiring a login (advanced users and licensed version only). When the PC or GadWatch is restarted, GadWatch will run on the "LocalSystem" account (a privileged account not requiring login, but having no user interface). You may run GadWatch again as a "client" that will interact with the service. The client can edit settings, restart cameras, and view stats and messages. Live video will be updated in the camera windows approximately once every 2 seconds.
If you use dial-up Internet, you may have GadWatch initiate your Internet connection automatically by selecting the "attempt to connect" option.
If you choose to "begin with red traffic signal" then the "traffic signal" icon in the toolbar will be red when GadWatch starts. This means that nothing will be recorded, ftp posting will be disabled, and no alerts will be issued until the signal turns green. You may manually switch the signal after startup by clicking on it. You may also choose to have the signal set to green after a specified time period. This allows you to the opportunity, for example, to leave the house before the system becomes "armed." During this count-down to green, the signal will show a yellow light and display the time remaining at the bottom of the GadWatch window.
If you choose to run GadWatch "quietly," a splash screen will not be displayed, and the main GadWatch window will not open. If you are running an unregistered version, however, the registration screen will always be displayed.
The "GadWatch window always on top" option will override your ability to move the GadWatch window "behind" other windows on your desktop.
Most Windows programs display a smaller window in the taskbar at the bottom of your screen. When you minimize these programs, the taskbar window remains, and you may click it to re-open the program. With GadWatch, you instead may select to use a "system tray" icon. When you minimize GadWatch with a system tray icon, the taskbar window is removed. To restore GadWatch, double-click the system tray icon, or right-click it for other options. Here's what the system tray icon looks like:
You have the option of securing the GadWatch system tray icon with a password. Without this password, it will be impossible to re-open the GadWatch window from the system tray. The password entered here is case sensitive. To remove the password protection, delete all letters and spaces from the password box.
The options to prevent the Windows screen-saver and Windows suspend mode allow you to override these Windows features which may interfere with your use of GadWatch.
The "Automatically restore window when motion sensor is triggered" option exists to alert you to GadWatch activity when you have the window minimized.
Software Options
This page contains miscellaneous software behavior options:
By default, the Clip Viewer is automatically opened whenever the Snapshot or Video Record icons are used. You can turn these features off by removing the appropriate check box(es).
Keyboard shortcuts
This page allows you to assign GadWatch functions to key strokes of your choosing.
Click "Add" to add a shortcut to the list. Highlight an existing shortcut and choose either "Edit" to change it, or "Remove" to remove it from the list. Your key combinations should include the Control, Shift, and/or Alt keys to avoid invoking functions accidentally.
