Actions and stop actions

Start recording and saving data in the database from the selected devices.

When your select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to specify:

When recording should start. This happens either immediately or a number of seconds before the triggering event/beginning of the triggering time interval and on which devices the action should take place.

This type of action requires that you have enabled recording on the devices to which the action is linked. You can only save data from before an event or time interval if you have enabled pre-buffering for the relevant devices. You enable recording and specify pre-buffering settings for a device on the Record tab.

Stop action required: This type of action requires one or more stop actions. In one of the following steps, the wizard automatically prompts you to specify the stop action: Stop recording.

Without this stop action, recording would potentially continue indefinitely. You also have the option of specifying further stop actions.

Begin data feed from devices to the system. When the feed from a device is started, data is transferred from the device to the system, in which case you may view and record, depending on the data type.

When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to specify on which devices to start the feeds. Your system includes a default rule which ensures that feeds are always started on all cameras.

Stop action required: This type of action requires one or more stop actions. In one of the following steps, the wizard automatically prompts you to specify the stop action: Stop feed.

You can also specify further stop actions.

Using the mandatory stop action Stop feed to stop the feed from a device means that data is no longer transferred from the device to the system, in which case live viewing and recording of video, for example, is no longer possible. However, a device on which you have stopped the feed can still communicate with the recording server, and you can start the feed again automatically through a rule, as opposed to when you manually have disabled the device.

While this type of action enables access to selected devices' data feeds, it does not guarantee that data is recorded, as you must specify recording settings separately.

Sets the XProtect Smart Wall to a selected preset. Specify the preset on the Smart Wall Presets tab.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Sets a specific XProtect Smart Wall monitor to display live video from the selected cameras on this site or any child site configured in Milestone Federated Architecture.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Sets a specific XProtect Smart Wall monitor to display a user-defined text message of up to 200 characters.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Stop displaying video from a specific camera.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Sets a particular frame rate to use when the system displays live video from the selected cameras that substitutes the cameras' default frame rate. Specify this on the Settings tab.

When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to specify which frame rate to set, and on which devices. Always verify that the frame rate you specify is available on the relevant cameras.

Stop action required: This type of action requires one or more stop actions. In one of the following steps, the wizard automatically prompts you to specify the stop action: Restore default live frame rate.

Without this stop action, the default frame rate would potentially never be restored. You also have the option of specifying further stop actions.

Sets a particular frame rate to use when the system saves recorded video from the selected cameras in the database, instead of the cameras' default recording frame rate.

When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to specify which recording frame rate to set, and on which cameras.

You can only specify a recording frame rate for JPEG, a video codec with which each frame is separately compressed into a JPEG image. This type of action also requires that you have enabled recording on the cameras to which the action is linked. You enable recording for a camera on the Record tab. The maximum frame rate you can specify depends on the relevant camera types, and on their selected image resolution.

Stop action required: This type of action requires one or more stop actions. In one of the following steps, the wizard automatically prompts you to specify the stop action: Restore default recording frame rate.

Without this stop action, the default recording frame rate would potentially never be restored. You also have the option of specifying further stop actions.

Sets the frame rate to record all frames when the system saves recorded video from the selected cameras in the database, instead of keyframes only. Enable the recording keyframes only function on the Record tab.

When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to select which devices the action should apply for.

You can only enable keyframe recording for MPEG-4/H.264/H.265. This type of action also requires that you have enabled recording on the cameras to which the action is linked. You enable recording for a camera on the Record tab.

Stop action required: This type of action requires one or more stop actions. In one of the following steps, the wizard automatically prompts you to specify the stop action:

Without this stop action, the default setting would potentially never be restored. You also have the option of specifying further stop actions.

Begins PTZ patrolling according to a particular patrolling profile for a particular PTZ camera with a particular priority. This is an exact definition of how patrolling should be carried out, including the sequence of preset positions, timing settings, and more.

If you have upgraded your system from an older version of the system, the old values (Very Low, Low, Medium, High and Very High) have been translated as follows:

• Very Low = 1000
• Low = 2000
• Medium = 3000
• High = 4000
• Very High = 5000

When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to select a patrolling profile. You can only select one patrolling profile on one device and you cannot select several patrolling profiles.

Stop action required: This type of action requires one or more stop actions. In one of the following steps, the wizard automatically prompts you to specify the stop action:

Without this stop action, patrolling would potentially never stop. You can also specify further stop actions.

Pauses PTZ patrolling. When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to specify the devices on which to pause patrolling.

Stop action required: This type of action requires one or more stop actions. In one of the following steps, the wizard automatically prompts you to specify the stop action: Resume patrolling

Without this stop action, patrolling would potentially pause indefinitely. You have also the option of specifying further stop actions.

Moves a particular camera to a particular preset position - however always according to priority. When selecting this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to select a preset position. Only one preset position on one camera can be selected. It is not possible to select several preset positions.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Moves one or more particular cameras to their respective default preset positions - however always according to priority. When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to select which devices the action should apply for.

This type of action requires that the devices to which the action is linked are PTZ devices.
This action requires that you have defined at least one preset position for those devices. You define preset positions for a PTZ camera on the Presets tab.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Sets an output on a device to a particular state (activated or deactivated). When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to specify which state to set, and on which devices.

This type of action requires that the devices to which the action is linked each have at least one external output unit connected to an output port.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Creates a bookmark on live streaming or recordings from a selected device. A bookmark makes it easy to retrace a certain event or period in time. Bookmark settings are controlled from the Options dialog box. When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to specify bookmark details and select devices.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Plays back an audio message on selected devices triggered by an event. Devices are mostly speakers or cameras.

This type of action requires that you have uploaded the message to the system on Tools > Options > Audio messages tab.

You can create more rules to the same event and send different messages to each device, but always according to priority. The priorities that control the sequence are those set on the rule and on the device for a role on the Speech tab:

• If a message is played back and another message with the same priority is sent to the same speaker, the first message will complete and then the second one starts
• If a message is played back and another message with a higher priority is sent to the same speaker, the first message is interrupted and the second one starts immediately

Sends a notification, using a particular notification profile. When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to select a notification profile, and which devices to include pre-alarm images from. You can only select one notification profile and you cannot select several notification profiles. A single notification profile may contain several recipients.

You can also create more rules to the same event and send different notifications to each of the notification profiles. You can copy and re-use the content of rules by right-clicking a rule in the Rules list.

This type of action requires that you have defined at least one notification profile. Pre-alarm images are only included if you have enabled the Include images option for the relevant notification profile.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Generates an entry in the rule log. When selecting this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to specify a text for the log entry. When you specify the log text, you can insert variables, such as $DeviceName$, $EventName$, into the log message.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Starts one or more plug-ins. When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to select required plug-ins, and on which devices to start the plug-ins.

This type of action requires that you have at least one or more plug-ins installed on your system.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Stops one or more plug-ins. When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to select required plug-ins, and on which devices to stop the plug-ins.

This type of action requires that you have at least one or more plug-ins installed on your system.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Changes device settings on one or more devices. When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to select relevant devices, and you can define the relevant settings on the devices you have specified.

If you define settings for more than one device, you can only change settings that are available for all of the specified devices.

Example: You specify that the action should be linked to Device 1 and Device 2. Device 1 has the settings A, B and C, and Device 2 has the settings B, C and D. In this case, you can only change the settings that are available for both devices, namely settings B and C.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Makes video from the selected cameras appear on a computer capable of displaying Matrix-triggered video such as a computer on which you have installed XProtect Smart Client.

When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to select a Matrix recipient, and one or more devices from which to display video on the selected Matrix recipient.

This type of action allows you to select only a single Matrix recipient at a time. If you want to make video from the selected devices appear on more than one Matrix recipient, you should create a rule for each required Matrix recipient or use the XProtect Smart Wall feature. By right-clicking a rule in the Rules list, you can copy and re-use the content of rules. This way, you can avoid having to create near-identical rules from scratch.

As part of the configuration on the Matrix recipients themselves, users must specify the port number and password required for the Matrix communication. Make sure that the users have access to this information. The users must typically also define the IP addresses of allowed hosts from which commands regarding display of Matrix-triggered video is accepted. In that case, the users must also know the IP address of the management server, or any router or firewall used.

Generates a small message which logs events on selected devices. The text of SNMP traps is auto-generated and cannot be customized. It can contain the source type and name of the device on which the event occurred.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Retrieves and stores remote recordings from selected devices (that support edge recording) in a specified period before and after the triggering event.

This rule is independent of the Automatically retrieve remote recordings when connection is restored setting.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Retrieves and stores remote recordings in a specified period from selected devices (that support edge recording).

This rule is independent of the Automatically retrieve remote recordings when connection is restored setting.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Ensures that when an image is received from the Images Received event (sent via SMTP email from a camera), it is saved for future usage. In future, other events can possibly also trigger this action.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Starts archiving on one or more archives. When you select this type of action, the Manage Rule wizard prompts you to select relevant archives.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Relevant mostly within Milestone Federated Architecture, but you can also use this in a single site setup. Use the rule to trigger a user-defined event on a site, normally a remote site within a federated hierarchy.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Lets you access request notifications pop up on the XProtect Smart Client screen when the criteria for the triggering events are met. Milestone recommends that you use access control events as triggering events for this action, because access request notifications typically are configured for operating on related access control commands and cameras.

This type of action requires that you have at least one access control plug-in installed on your system.

No mandatory stop action: This type of action does not require a stop action.You can specify optional stop actions to be performed on either an event or after a period of time.

Changes the password of selected hardware devices to a randomly-generated password based on the password requirements for that specific hardware device. For a list of supported hardware devices, see Find hardware.

This action is only available when you set up a rule using the Perform an action on a <recurring time> rule type.

The following events are available for the action:

• Scheduled password change started
• Scheduled password change completed successfully
• Scheduled password change completed with errors

This type of action does not have a stop action.

You can view the progress of this action in the Current Tasks node. For more information, seeView currently ongoing tasks on recording servers.

To view the action results - go to the Server Logs node, on the System logs tab. For more information, see Server Logs tab (options).

For more information, see System logs (tab).