Python: Take a picture every minute and upload it

06.08.24

Programming

This little Python program takes a picture every minute, and uploads it to a webserver. Be sure to have a working web-server, with the proper rights. On the server you'll need this PHP program: PHP: upload a image from a Python program In order to get this program to work, you need to install OpenCV, like this:

pip install opencv-python

Or like this:

pip3 install opencv-python

Or if you don't use Pip:

sudo apt-get install python3-opencv

import cv2
import requests
import time

def capture_photo(filename):
    # Initialize the webcam
    cap = cv2.VideoCapture(0)
    
    if not cap.isOpened():
        print("Error: Could not open webcam.")
        return False
    
    # Capture a single frame
    ret, frame = cap.read()
    
    if not ret:
        print("Error: Could not read frame.")
        return False
    
    # Save the captured frame to a file
    cv2.imwrite(filename, frame)
    
    # Release the webcam
    cap.release()
    return True

def upload_photo(filename, url):
    with open(filename, 'rb') as file:
        # Send the file in a POST request
        files = {'file': (filename, file, 'image/jpeg')}
        response = requests.post(url, files=files)
        
        # Check the response from the server
        if response.status_code == 200:
            print("Upload successful!")
        else:
            print(f"Upload failed with status code: {response.status_code}")

def main():
    filename = 'captured_photo.jpg'
    url = 'http://yourwebserver.something/upload.php'  # Replace with your server URL
    
    while True:
    # Capture the photo
        if capture_photo(filename):
        # Upload the photo
            upload_photo(filename, url)
        time.sleep(60)

if __name__ == "__main__":
   main()

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