Source.zip (11070, 2000-08-07)
Video.zip (8509, 2004-12-14)
WebFrameCapture.exe (99328, 2000-08-07)
David's WebCam - Web-enable a PC Video Camera
David's WebCam is a very simple CGI application, written in Borland's Delphi
4, which allows you to incorporate still pictures from a Connectix Color
Quick Cam (or similar camera configured under Video for Windows) as a live
picture feed into your Web pages.
Extract WebFrameCapture.exe from the zip file to an executable directory on
your Web server, and create an image link pointing to it. You need no other
files from the .ZIP, they are provided for your interest.
The program is written with Borland's Delphi 4.03, and most source is
included. You do not need access to Delphi 4.03 to run David's WebCam,
which runs on Windows NT 4.0. It should also run on Windows XP, 2000
and 95 but has not been so tested.
If you don't already have Borland's run-time library, you will also need to
download the file VCL40.zip from any site offering it. For example:
http://www.david-taylor.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/software/runtime.html
Extract the file VCL40.BPL from this archive and copy to your Windows System
folder (e.g. \Windows\System or \WinNT\System32).
Also included in the Zip archive is a sample WebCam application for
regularly updating your Web server on the Internet over FTP with new
video data. Thanks to James Stevens for this application.
Purpose:
To provide a CGI interface allowing a live WebCam picture to be obtained an
installed VideoForWindows device - a Connectix Color QuickCam in my case.
This program produces a Win32 "console" application, like an old DOS program,
that uses a handle to the desktop Window to capture a frame of video. This
video is then processed into a JPEG file returned to the browser. Since the
program is executed, it must be placed into a Web server folder that allows
execution of files. This would be the /Scripts folder on Microsoft's IIS.
The image URL would then be something like:
URL Parameters:
You can use parameters on the URL to control the execution of the program.
In particular, you can change the size of the image that is returned, and
you can cause a timestamp to be added to the iamge. Without parameters, an
image sized 160 x 120 with no timestamp is returned.
src="/Scripts/WebFrameCapture.exe?medium" - 320 x 240 image size
src="/Scripts/WebFrameCapture.exe?large" - ***0 x 480 image size
src="/Scripts/WebFrameCapture.exe?timestamp" - add timestamp
src="/Scripts/WebFrameCapture.exe?boldtimestamp" - add BOLD timestamp
sample URL using both sets of parameters :-
Revision history:
V1.0.0 1997 Jun 07 First version
V1.0.2 1997 Jul 04 Delete intermediate files after use
V1.0.4 1997 Oct 18 Allow parameter on URL of SMALL, MEDIUM or LARGE
V1.0.6 1997 Nov 29 Add optional date and time stamp on the image,
Enabled by TIMESTAMP or BOLDTIMESTAMP in the parameters
Add functional description notes
Re-organise folders into separate source folder
V1.1.0 2000 Aug 07 Version for Delphi 4.03
Recognise need for choice of video source
Program Status & Distribution:
This program is Freeware, but remains copyright of David Taylor, Edinburgh,
1997-2000. This program is provided "as is", without any support. Whilst I
cannot answer queries relating to the use of this program, I'd welcome any
comments or suggestions for improvements you may have.
Borland's JPEG unit, used in this program comes from the Independent JPEG
Group (IJG). IJG source code copyright (C) 1991-1996, Thomas G. Lane.
Acknowledgements:
The sample WebCam with FTP upload application in Video.zip comes from James
Stevens (james@kyzo.com). He comments: "In case you're interested, here's
the webcam project so far (both source and EXE). Do what you like with the
source, a fair bit of it is yours anyway! BTW: this program is just for my
own amusement, not commercial use." I didn't include the .EXE as it's
quite big, but you can e-mail me if you want it.
Contacting the author:
Web site: http://www.satsignal.net
E-mail: davidtaylor@writeme.com
2004 Dec 14