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Text file hacks in Yawcam

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 3:03 am
by malun
There are some settings in Yawcam that can't be changed in the ordinary setting dialogs.
To change these settings you create empty text files with specific names in the .yawcam directory in the users home folder.

In windows vista or windows 7 this could typically be:
C:\Users\username\.yawcam
and in windows 2000 or windows xp:
C:\Documents and Settings\username\.yawcam

where username is the name of the account you are using.

Now the files that can be used:

activatewindowsmedia.txt
This file will give you the option to stream video in windows media format. This stream type can however not be regarded as stable and might not work for you.

enableplaysound.txt
Adds a menu on the stream page that lets the viewers play predefined sound files on the Yawcam computer.
This is a special text-file-hack in the sense that it actually need some contents in the file. The file should contain full paths to the sound files that can be played. It can look something like this:
C:\Users\malun\.yawcam\stream\alert.wav
C:\Windows\Media\Windows Ringin.wav

Please note that only wav files encoded in PCM are supported. MPEG encoded files will not work.

releasecamera.txt
Releases the camera when not needed, so that other applications can use the camera even if Yawcam is running. Be careful when using this hack though, as it might result in that Yawcam won't be able to access the camera if another application has acquired the camera.

javarendering.txt
Yawcam uses "java rendering" instead of DirectX rendering for the preview window. If you have problems with that the preview window goes black, try this text file hack.
This is regarded as a compatibility mode. It uses more CPU than the DirectX rendering.

timezone.txt
Forces Yawcam to use the timezone specified in the text file. Enter the timezone on the first row on the format GMT+3

forceoverlayimageupdate.txt
Reloads the overlay images every 5 seconds. Use this if your overlay images are updated while Yawcam is running.

ipcheckurl.txt
Use this to change the URL to the service that determines the public ip of the Yawcam computer. Enter the URL on the first row in the file. The service must respond with the only the ip address.


/malun

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 4:37 am
by z3r0c00l12
I'm guessing that the releasecamera will not work properly if you have lets say file options and stream running, file saving at 1fps. Since the camera will be in use by yawcam all the time it wouldn't get released?

z3r0c00l12

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 6:15 pm
by malun
Yes, if Yawcam uses the camera, it will be occupied for other applications.

The preview window uses the camera all the time. Close it.
The Stream uses the camera, if the stream has a viewer.
The File output uses the camera when it takes the picture.

There would be no point in using the releasecamera.txt-hack if you set the file output at 1 second interval. But maybe if you set it to let's say 10-15 minutes or more...

/malun

activatewindowsmedia.txt

Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:28 am
by Joel Petersson
I'm having trouble with the activatewindowsmedia.txt hack. I do not get an option to stream in windows media format, I still only get the options of Java script or Java applet. Where do I find the setting after creating the textfile? I'm using XP so I have put the file here: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\.yawcam\activatewindowsmedia.txt. Any ideas?

Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:45 pm
by z3r0c00l12
It seems like you placed the file in the right spot, maybe your using an older version of yawcam that uses text files in it's own folder, make sure you got the latest release and test the text file hack again.

version 0.3.3

Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 12:51 am
by Joel Petersson
I'm using version 0.3.3 which afaik is the latest version, or does the hack require a more recent beta? Anyway, if I get it to work, what should I expect? Will another option appear in the stream preferences? Apart from Java Script and Java Applet? It's easier to troubleshoot if you know when it is working :-)

Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 7:34 pm
by Dispatcher35
I added the activatewindowsmedia.txt hack and rebooted Yawcam and got the Windows Media option. When I went to my website it directed me to Media Player and also said to use port 8083. I tried to open the url with no luck. I went into my router and forwarded port 8083 the same as 8081 is and Media Player is still not able to open the stream

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:42 pm
by ProCactus
You should be able to use more than one webcam software simultaneously. You can you something like 'ManyCam', Its free and fairly easy to use.
It simply acquires the Cam, Then feeds it to other software.
Its also a fun program.

Cheers :)

Edit: Sorry, This post went somewhere I did not intend :oops:

Re: Text file hacks in Yawcam

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:51 pm
by Rmape
I have some problems activating the Windows Media -format with the textfile hack. Hopefully this is the right thread to ask (another would be Bugs-section?).

Using Windows 7 and Yawcam 0.3.9. I placed the activatewindowsmedia.txt to c:\users\myusername\.yawcam and restarted Yawcam, but the option to choose stream as Windows Media just doesn't appear, only JavaScript, Java Applet and MJPEG. Even tried to put the textfile to the Yawcam-folder under Program Files. Nothing important appearing in the log-file. Am I missing something?

Re: Text file hacks in Yawcam

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 1:24 am
by malun
It's possible that your computer have a setting that hides file extensions for "known file types" like .txt files.
In that case the file you created is probably named activatewindowsmedia.txt.txt
But since the computer hides the last .txt extension it looks like activatewindowsmedia.txt for you.
Can you see the .txt extension on other text files in your computer? If not, you probably have the setting to hide known extensions enabled.

Yawcam will not find the file if it is named activatewindowsmedia.txt.txt.
Rename the file to remove the extension.

You will not see any extension at all, but in the file system it will actually be named activatewindowsmedia.txt

Did this make any difference?

/malun