Capture DropCam (Nest Cam) frames to Google Drive

Updated on Monday, July 12, 2021

Capture DropCam frames to Google Drive

Updated June 17, 2019: This is now broken for Nest/DropCam devices. It will still work for anything that has a web accessible image URL. Clint points out in the comments below that you can fix up the URL for Nest cams but it looks like you need to be logged into nest.com so it doesn't work from Apps Script. Google is also retiring Works with Nest because they're "...reimagining how technology and services can deliver simple and helpful experiences in your home..." which apparently translates to only working with Google Assistant. I'll update this post if I figure out a work around.

Here's an easy way to capture frames from a DropCam to Google Drive. This only works if you have a public feed for your DropCam.

Go to the public page for your DropCam (Settings -> Public -> Short URL Link) and then view source for that page. Near the top you can find the still image URL for your DropCam:

<meta property="og:image" content="https://nexusapi.dropcam.com/get_image?uuid=12345&height=200" />

In Google Drive create a new Apps Script (If you don't already have Apps Script you can find it via Connect more apps...). Paste in the following code:

Replace the uuid parameter in the URL with the uuid from the still image URL for your DropCam. Note that the height parameter in the script has been changed to 1280 to get the largest possible image. A timestamp is being used to add a random cache busting parameter to the still image URL and is also used as the filename for the image.

The script will save the images to a folder called DCFrames - either create this folder in your drive or change this parameter to the desired folder.

Run the script and check that it's working. If everything looks good go to Resources -> Current project's triggers in the Apps Script editor. You can now set up a timer to save a frame as frequently as every minute (which I'm using to collect frames to make a daily time lapse movie). You can also ask Apps Script to send you an email when the script fails.

Updated 2015-07-01: DropCam is now Nest Cam - assuming that Nest keep the API going everything should keep working as above for both types of camera.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Capture DropCam (Nest Cam) frames to Google Drive #etc #drive #google #dropcam Use Google Apps Script to automatically save images from your Nest Cam / Drop Cam. Keep an archive or create a timelapse movie. )

Book reviews for January 2015

Updated on Friday, February 24, 2017
Odyssey One (Odyssey One, #1) by Evan C. Currie

Odyssey One (Odyssey One, #1) by Evan C. Currie

1/5

Stopped reading after a couple of chapters. It's excruciable. Cliched, lazy, boring and self-contradictory. The most charitable thing I can say is that it might get better after I gave up (but I doubt it).

 

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

3/5

Depressing novel about a dead girl. It's very well written but left me a bit cold. Unhappy families may be unhappy in their own way but that doesn't necessarily make them interesting.

 

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

4/5

Not particularly into zombie fiction but this is great - different perspective, interesting plot and a stunning ending.

 

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News: AI will not kill us, says Microsoft

Updated on Sunday, November 6, 2022

Baby tech should let everyone sleep

Updated on Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Baby tech should let everyone sleep

The range of baby technology now available is astonishing. You can load up with a smart sock, smart diapers, smart pacifier, phone connected scales (doppler, ultrasound...), Nespresso for formula, a cry translator and of course a wide range of ultra-sensitive, night-vision stalking, shrieking / vibrating baby monitoring systems.

But all this innovation is mostly being wasted on paranoid first time parents who need to obsessively check that everything is OK every five seconds (not judging, have been there).

What I need is a baby monitor that does one thing: wait a minute per month of age and see if there is still a problem. Stay silent until this threshold is passed.

As usual, billionaire investor readers please call me.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Baby tech should let everyone sleep #etc #parenting #baby #sleep #tech #lazyweb A proposal for a baby monitor that waits a minute per month of age before it alerts you to anything. )

Every House I've Ever Lived In

Updated on Thursday, November 12, 2015

Every House I've Ever Lived In

Here's a list of every house I've ever lived in. It's 32 across four continents - a different one every 15 months or so which is impressive as I lived in one of them for ten years.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Every House I've Ever Lived In #etc #bio #houses A project to document every house I have lived in through Google Maps - so far 32 of them. )

News: No need to breed like rabbits - Pope

Updated on Sunday, October 16, 2022

GDP, The Music Video

Updated on Saturday, February 19, 2022

GDP, The Music Video

The time on screen for each country is proportional to its Gross Domestic Product.

GDP figures are from the United Nations for 2013 from Wikipedia. Flag images are also from Wikipedia via the handy Google region-flags project. Music is "Money to Burn" by Alex (cc).

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(Published to the Fediverse as: GDP, The Music Video #etc #gdp #video A music video made from flags where the amount of time on screen is proportional to the GDP of each country. )

Book reviews for December 2014

Updated on Friday, February 24, 2017
The Peripheral by William Gibson

The Peripheral by William Gibson

5/5

William Gibson does time travel with a twist. Gripping and weird and wonderful.

 

JavaScript: The Good Parts by Douglas Crockford

JavaScript: The Good Parts by Douglas Crockford

4/5

A very quick (and helpful) read....

 

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ISS

Updated on Saturday, September 24, 2022

ISS

ISS

Two long exposure photographs of the International Space Station passing over San Francisco.

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(Published to the Fediverse as: ISS #photo #iss Photos of the International Space Station over San Francisco, California. )

Winter Solstice 2014

Updated on Thursday, November 12, 2015

Winter Solstice 2014

Winter starts now in the northern hemisphere, Summer south of the equator. Rendered in Catfood Earth (Windows, Android).​ Now read why mornings will continue to get darker for the next couple of weeks.

(Previously)

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(Published to the Fediverse as: Winter Solstice 2014 #code #earth #solstice #winter #summer #hibernal #southern The exact moment of Winter Solstice 2014 as rendered in Catfood Earth, )