1FSWEBCAM(1) User Commands FSWEBCAM(1)
2
6 fswebcam - Small and simple webcam for *nix.
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9 fswebcam [<options>] <filename> [[<options>] <filename> ... ]
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12 fswebcam is a small and simple webcam app for *nix. It can capture
13 images from a number of different sources and perform simple manipula‐
14 tion on the captured image. The image can be saved as one or more PNG
15 or JPEG files.
16 The PNG or JPEG image can be sent to stdio using the filename "-". The
18 output filename is formatted by strftime.
19
22 Configuration File
23 Config files use the long version of options without the "--" prefix.
24 Comments start with a # symbol at the beginning of the line.
25 General Options
28 -?, --help
29 Show a usage summary.
30 -c, --config
33 Load options from a file. You can load more than one config
34 file, and can mix them with command-line arguments.
35 Note: This option can not be used from within a configuration
37 file.
38 -q, --quiet
41 Hides all messages except errors.
42 -v, --verbose
45 Print extra information during the capture process.
46 --version
49 Print the version number and exit.
50 -l, --loop <frequency>
53 Continually capture images. The time between images is specified
54 in seconds.
55 Default behaviour is to capture a single image and exit.
57 Note: The time to capture the next image is calculated relative
59 to the epoch, so an image will not be captured immediately when
60 the program is first started.
61 --offset <seconds>
64 Sets the offset to use when calculating when the next image is
65 due in loop mode. Value can be positive or negative.
66 -b, --background
69 Run in the background. In this mode stdout and console logging
70 are unavailable.
71 --pid <filename>
74 Saves the PID of the background process to the specified file.
75 Ignored when not using background mode.
76 --log [file/syslog:]<filename>
79 Redirect log messages to a file or syslog. For example
80 --log output.log
82 --log file:output.log
83 --log syslog
84 --gmt Use GMT instead of the local timezone when formatting text with
87 strftime.
88 Capture Options
91 -d, --device [<prefix>:]<device name>
92 Set the source or device to use. The source module is selected
93 automatically unless specified in the prefix.
94 Default is /dev/video0.
96 Available source modules, in order of preference:
98 V4L2 - Capture images from a V4L2 compatible video device.
100 V4L1 - Capture images from a V4L1 compatible video device.
101 FILE - Capture an image from a JPEG or PNG image file.
102 RAW - Reads images straight from a device or file.
103 TEST - Draws colour bars.
104 -i, --input <input number or name>
107 Set the input to use. You may select an input by either it's
108 number or name.
109 Default is "0".
111 --list-inputs
114 List available inputs for the selected source or device.
115 fswebcam -d v4l2:/dev/video1 --list-inputs
117 -t, --tuner <tuner number>
120 Set the tuner to use.
121 -f, --frequency <frequency>
124 Set the frequency of the selected input or tuner. The value may
125 be read as KHz or MHz depending on the input or tuner.
126 -p, --palette <name>
129 Try to use the specified image format when capturing the image.
130 Default is to select one automatically.
132 Supported formats:
134 PNG
136 JPEG
137 MJPEG
138 S561
139 RGB32
140 RGB24
141 BGR32
142 BGR24
143 YUYV
144 UYVY
145 YUV420P
146 BAYER
147 SGBRG8
148 SGRBG8
149 RGB565
150 RGB555
151 Y16
152 GREY
153 -r, --resolution <dimensions>
156 Set the image resolution of the source or device. The actual
157 resolution used may differ if the source or device cannot cap‐
158 ture at the specified resolution.
159 Default is "384x288".
161 --fps <frames per second>
164 Sets the frame rate of the capture device. This currently only
165 works with certain V4L2 devices.
166 Default is "0", let the device decide.
168 -F, --frames <number>
171 Set the number of frames to capture. More frames mean less noise
172 in the final image, however capture times will be longer and
173 moving objects may appear blurred.
174 Default is "1".
176 -S, --skip <number>
179 Set the number of frames to skip. These frames will be captured
180 but won't be use. Use this option if your camera sends some bad
181 or corrupt frames when it first starts capturing.
182 Default is "0".
184 -D, --delay <delay>
187 Inserts a delay after the source or device has been opened and
188 initialised, and before the capture begins. Some devices need
189 this delay to let the image settle after a setting has changed.
190 The delay time is specified in seconds.
191 -R, --read
194 Use read() to capture images. This can be slower but more stable
195 with some devices.
196 Default is to use mmap(), falling back on read() if mmap() is
198 unavailable.
199 -s, --set <name=value>
202 Set a control. These are used by the source modules to control
203 image or device parameters. Numeric values can be expressed as a
204 percentage of there maximum range or a literal value, for exam‐
205 ple:
206 --set brightness=50% --set framerate=5
208 Non-numeric controls are also supported:
210 --set lights=on
212 V4L2 features a type of control called a 'button'. These con‐
214 trols do not take any value, but trigger an action. For example:
215 --set "Restore Factory Settings"
217 Control names and values are not case sensitive.
219 Note: Available controls will vary depending in the source mod‐
221 ule and devices used. For more information see the --list-con‐
222 trols option.
223 --list-controls
226 List available controls and their current values for the
227 selected source module and device. For example:
228 fswebcam -d v4l2:/dev/video2 --list-controls
230 Output Options
233 These options are performed in the order they appear on the command
234 line, only effecting images output later on the command line. For exam‐
235 ple:
236 fswebcam -r 640x480 output1.jpeg --scale 320x240 output2.jpeg
238 Will create two images, "output1.jpeg" containing a full resolu‐
240 tion copy of the captured image and "output2.jpeg" containing
241 the same captured image but scaled to half the size.
242 --no-banner
245 Disable the banner.
246 --top-banner
249 Position the banner at the top of the image.
250 --bottom-banner
253 Position the banner at the bottom of the image.
254 This is the default.
256 --banner-colour <#AARRGGBB>
259 Set the colour of the banner. Uses the web-style hexadecimal
260 format (#RRGGBB) to describe the colour, and can support an
261 alpha channel (#AARRGGBB). Examples:
262 "#FF0000" is pure red.
264 "#80000000" is semi-transparent black.
265 "#FF000000" is invisible (alpha channel is at maximum).
266 Default is "#40263A93".
267 --line-colour <#AARRGGBB>
270 Set the colour of the divider line. See --banner-colour for more
271 information.
272 Default is "#00FF0000".
274 --text-colour <#AARRGGBB>
277 Set the colour of the text. See --banner-colour for more infor‐
278 mation.
279 Default is "#00FFFFFF".
281 --font <[file or font name]:[font size]>
284 Set the font used in the banner. If no path is specified the
285 path in the GDFONTPATH environment variable is searched for the
286 font. Fontconfig names may also be used if the GD library has
287 support.
288 If no font size is specified the default of "10" will be used.
290 Default is "sans:10".
292 --no-shadow
295 Disable the text shadow.
296 --shadow
299 Enable the text shadow.
300 This is the default behaviour.
302 --title <text>
305 Set the main text, located in the top left of the banner.
306 --no-title
309 Clear the main text.
310 --subtitle <text>
313 Set the sub-title text, located in the bottom left of the ban‐
314 ner.
315 --no-subtitle
318 Clear the sub-title text.
319 --timestamp <text>
322 Set the timestamp text, located in the top right of the banner.
323 This string is formatted by strftime.
324 Default is "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M (%Z)".
326 --no-timestamp
329 Clear the timestamp text.
330 --info <text>
333 Set the info text, located in the bottom right of the banner.
334 --no-info
337 Clear the info text.
338 --underlay <filename>
341 Load a PNG image and overlay it on the image, below the banner.
342 The image is aligned to the top left.
343 Note: The underlay is only applied when saving an image and is
345 not modified by any of the image options or effects.
346 --no-underlay
349 Clear the underlay image.
350 --overlay <filename>
353 Load a PNG image and overlay on the image, above the banner. The
354 image is aligned to the top left.
355 Note: The overlay is only applied when saving an image and is
357 not modified by any of the image options or effects.
358 --no-overlay
361 Remove the overlay image.
362 --jpeg <factor>
365 Set JPEG as the output image format. The compression factor is a
366 value between 0 and 95, or -1 for automatic.
367 This is the default format, with a factor of "-1".
369 --png <factor>
372 Set PNG as the output image format. The compression factor can
373 be a value between 0 and 9, or -1 for automatic.
374 --save <filename>
377 Saves the image to the specified filename.
378 Note: This isn't necessary on the command-line where a filename
380 alone is enough to save an image.
381 --revert
384 Revert to the original captured image and resolution. This
385 undoes all previous effects on the image.
386 Note: This only reverts the image itself, and not options such
388 as font, colours and overlay.
389 --flip <direction[,direction]>
392 Flips the image. Direction can be (h)orizontal or (v)ertical.
393 Example:
394 --flip h Flips the image horizontally.
396 --flip h,v Flips the image both horizontally and vertically.
397 --crop <dimensions[,offset]>
400 Crop the image. With no offset the cropped area will be the cen‐
401 ter of the image. Example:
402 --crop 320x240 Crops the center 320x240 area of the image.
404 --crop 10x10,0x0 Crops the 10x10 area at the top left corner of
405 the image.
406 --scale <dimensions>
409 Scale the image.
410 Example: "--scale 640x480" scales the image up or down to
412 640x480.
413 Note: The aspect ratio of the image is not maintained.
415 --rotate <angle>
418 Rotate the image in right angles (90, 180 and 270 degrees).
419 Note: Rotating the image 90 or 270 degrees will swap the dimen‐
421 sions.
422 --deinterlace
425 Apply a simple deinterlacer to the image.
426 --invert
429 Invert all the colours in the image, creating a negative.
430 --greyscale
433 Remove all colour from the image.
434 --swapchannels <c1c2>
437 Swap colour channels c1 and c2. Valid channels are R, G and B --
438 for Red, Green and Blue channels respectively.
439 Example: "--swapchannels RB" will swap the red and blue chan‐
441 nels.
442 --exec <command>
445 Executes the specified command and waits for it to complete
446 before continuing. The command line is formatted by strftime.
447
450 SIGHUP This causes fswebcam to reload it's configuration.
451 SIGUSR1
454 Causes fswebcam to capture an image immediately without waiting
455 on the timer in loop mode.
456
459 The spacing between letters may be incorrect. This is an issue with the
460 GD library.
461
464 Please report bugs to <phil@sanslogic.co.uk>.
465
468 ncftpput(1), strftime(3)
469
472 Written by Philip Heron <phil@sanslogic.co.uk>.
473fswebcam 20140113 13 January 2014 FSWEBCAM(1)