We need to find a solution for a very simple request.
In our system the devices names are dynamic and defined by the current user name.
what is the best/simplest way to change those values?
for now it seems that we have 3 possible options:
1. using API (sounds like the best way)
2. using MIP SDK
3. change the configuration.xml and import the configurations
please advise us the best one with some tips how to do it
Ohad.
Interesting, this is the first time I have heard of a system with constantly changing names to the devices.
If you change the name of a device users on the Smart Client will have to do a new login (or “Reload server configuration”) to see the new names.
If you export footage the name of the devices will reflect the names of the devices at the time of export.
1. If the VMS is XProtect Corporate or Expert you can change the names of devices by use of the Configuration API. For XProtect Enterprise, Professional or Expert there is no API like this and the changes will have to be made in the Management Application.
2. The MIP SDK, if excluding the Configuration API part, has no functionality to change configuration settings.
3. Manually changing the configuration.xml is not supported. The file has never been documented and Milestone support will not be able to advice you or help in troubleshooting a systems that has been altered manually in this way. If you change the file somehow wrongly you can render the XProtect VMS totally unable to run. While it might not be impossible to make this work, Milestone must advise strongly against manipulating the configuration.xml (outside using the Management Application).
Thanks for the quick replay.
The video that we’re streaming comes from cellular phones that may use by different users, the system admin needs to know how is currently using the phone, so we need the ability to change the device names in real time.
I see that the only option that we have is to move to XProtect Corporate or Expert.
I’m not sure how to use this API, could you refer me to the right documentation and provide me some tips?
Also not so important, but probably I’ll use python to automate this procedure.
The Configuration API is best explored by running the Config API Client sample which you find in the MIP SDK.
In the MIP SDK Documentation you find “Introduction to Configuration API” which I recommend to read.
Don’t forget the option of using the Management Client (or Management Application) if not automation is a must, it is relatively easy operation for the operator / system admin.
No, we have to make it automatically, I don’t think that the operator will be able to manage 600 dynamic devices 
I am a bit worried. To explain my concern I will put an example:
Yesterday user A was at work, he saw an incident, using Milestone mobile client he filmed the incident. Using the Milestone clients everybody can see a camera named A, and see the footage of the incident.
This morning the camera was renamed to reflect that today user B is working, the camera was renamed from A to B.
Now somebody wants to review yesterdays incident. They discover that there is no camera A and thus have difficulty finding the footage recorded yesterday. Only if knowing that the camera that today is named B was yesterday A can they find the footage!
I am worried that renaming cameras is contrary to easier being able to find footage. Renaming cameras will be a good idea if all you do is to view live but if you want to be able to track old recordings I fear it will be counter productive.
Yes, you are absolutely right, thank you for drawing that to our attention, this is also very important.
We’ll find a solution for that, for example we can use this pattern: cam1374_<dynamic_username>
combination of dynamic and static name
Perhaps a bigger job but if the workschedule is a database then you could create a Smart Client plugin that will read the database and the plugin could then overlay pictures with a name of the user.
I hope you find this idea constructive even if you want to stick to the original idea..
I’m calling back to this thread.
I understood from one of milestone developers, that there is a way to change the device names dynamically.
I want to start working with the MIP SDK, the first steps seems to be hard, also I can’t find a way to change the device details in the MIP documentations.
There is a place that I can download simple C# codes that control the devices details?
thank you.
The Configuration API is best explored by running the Config API Client sample which you find in the MIP SDK.
In the MIP SDK Documentation you find “Introduction to Configuration API” which I recommend to read.
Where the Config API Client is big the Config API Batch sample might be more to the point.
In the next MIP SDK (2017 R3 with planned release in October) version things get easier:
Strongly typed classes will be available for easier use of the Configuration API. Under the namespace VideoOS.Platform.ConfigurationItems (located in VideoOS.Platform.dll) any standalone application or MIP plugin can then access all the configuration items through these approximately 75 classes.
So, I installed the new MIP SDK (R3), but still, I can’t find a way to change the device name.
When I looked at the VideoOS.Platform.ConfigurationItems namespace, I’ve found only a way to get a devices display name, but not to set it.
Do I miss something?
Does this sample work for you?
It adds a camera and then rename it (hardware name and camera name).
