Python code to detect if camera is available

[dobra-dobra]

Hi

I'm looking for a way to detect in Python code if camera module is connected to RPi. I have a script which start at boot to take pictures for timelapse, but when I run Pi without camera connected it causes errors.

Thanks in advance for any clue.

[alexeames]

I can't answer the direct question, but perhaps there is another way?

Using a try: except: block in Python, if it causes errors you can program around them and the script won't exit.

You may already know this though, but just in case.

na razie

[dobra-dobra]

Thanks for response. I use Python code to call raspistill in a loop, and so errors which I get (I don't remember them now) are from raspistill, not from Python. So if I understand correctly I can't use Python exceptions.

But sometimes when you ask a question it is easier to find a solution by yourself, and I think that I may have found one. I can try to check if picture was taken and file written, and if it does - that means that camera is connected. And if not - I will break the loop. Still I will get error once, but thats a whole lot better than getting them every 2 seconds.

So...

Dziękuję.

[znanev]

Hi,

you could use the output of this command:

Code: Select all

vcgencmd get_camera

When the camera is connected, the output is like this:

supported=1 detected=1

I haven't tried disconnecting the camera, but I suppose that if you have the latest firmware, supported will still be 1, but detected should show 0.


Hope this helps

[sharix]

With no camera attached and camera not enabled with raspi-config I get:

Code: Select all

/opt/vc/bin/vcgencmd get_camera
supported=0 detected=0

[dobra-dobra]

That is exactly what I needed, thanks a lot.

[pingu512]

I added this to the /etc/rc.local file just above exit 0

Code: Select all

string=$(vcgencmd get_camera)
substring="detected=1"
if test "${string#*$substring}" != "$string"
then
    /home/pi/image_run/capture.sh    # Camera connected start capture
else
    echo "Not camera found"    # Camera not connected.
fi

http://www.weather.dragontail.co.uk

[pingu512]

The above code did not work when the camera was connected. string=$(vcgencmd get_camera) hung the process. Think again

[sharix]

Try with the whole path:

Code: Select all

string=$(/opt/vc/bin/vcgencmd get_camera)

[dobra-dobra]

I can confirm, that when camera is connected vcgencmd get_camera does not return what expected. I made updates of system lately (apt-get update, rpi-update), but I'm not sure if this is related. After some tinkering (disconnecting and connecting module, disabling and enabling camera in raspi-config) I managed to get it working and I was able to test my sketch, but after reboot it doesn't work again and I can't reproduce my solution. But still I can use raspistill without any problem, so camera works as it should.
Can someone else confirm this?

[alexeames]

I can confirm, that when camera is connected vcgencmd get_camera does not return what expected. I made updates of system lately (apt-get update, rpi-update), but I'm not sure if this is related. After some tinkering (disconnecting and connecting module, disabling and enabling camera in raspi-config) I managed to get it working and I was able to test my sketch, but after reboot it doesn't work again and I can't reproduce my solution. But still I can use raspistill without any problem, so camera works as it should.
Can someone else confirm this?

Yes, I tried it last night and my Pi didn't respond to this command at all...

from /home/pi with and without sudo
or from the driectory where the command resides, with and without sudo.

Oh and I had to reboot the Pi after that before the camera would work again. Niestety, ale nie udalo sie

[afargas]

I know that this conversation is from time ago, but in order to help other people, I developed a working code detecting if the camera is connected or not, I call it from a script added in rc.local:

#! /bin/sh
s=$(/opt/vc/bin/vcgencmd get_camera)
sb="supported=1 detected=1"
case $sb in
$s)
echo "Camera detected"
;;
*)
echo "Camera not detected $sb not in $
;;
esac

[GuruBastade]

Hello,
How do I have a new pop up screen showing message "camera is not connected"?

[r3d4]

Hello,
How do I have a new pop up screen showing message "camera is not connected"?

"xmessage Or whiptail" .