Motion.conf is not making sense

Question

Hi I have motion installed and working with a USB camera.

But now i want to connect to an IP camera.

The Config file motion.conf is confusing.

In the begining of the file you specify the device you want to use /dev/video0

then later on you can tell it to use a net cam ?

Am i supposed to tell it to use /dev/eth0 when using a IP camera ?

How does is know which device to use when you specify twice ?

none

Environment

Motion version:	3.2.11
ffmpeg version:
Libraries:	ffmpeg, mysql, postgresql
Server OS:

-- MartinViljoen - 29 Jul 2009

Answer

- Firstly, read motion.conf, from the first line till last line (from line 001 to line 636).

- Secondly, read here :

http://www.lavrsen.dk/foswiki/bin/view/Motion/MotionGuideOneLargeDocument#The_Config_Files

http://www.lavrsen.dk/foswiki/bin/view/Motion/MotionGuideOneLargeDocument#Network_Cameras

- "... If you have more than one camera you should not try and invoke Motion more times. Motion is made to work with more than one camera in a very elegant way and the way to do it is to create a number of thread config files. Motion will then create an extra tread of itself for each camera. If you only have one camera you only need the motion.conf file. The minute you have two or more cameras you must have one thread config file per camera besides the motion.conf file.

So if you have for example two cameras you need motion.conf and two thread config files. Total of 3 config files.

An option that is common to all cameras can be placed in motion.conf. (You can also put all parameters in the thread files but that makes a lot of editing when you change a common thing).

An option that is unique to a camera must be defined in each thread file.

It is often seen that people copy the entire motion.conf into the thread config files and change a few options. This works but it not recommended because it is more difficult to maintain and overview. Keep all the common options in motion.conf and the few unique only in the thread config files

The first camera is defined in the first thread file called from motion.conf. The 2nd camera is defined in the 2nd thread file called from motion.conf etc.

Any option defined in motion.conf will be used for all cameras except for the cameras in which the same option is defined in a thread config file..."

-- FlorinAnton - 29 Jul 2009