ESP32 Communication with Computer

Hello Arduino Community

For the last few weeks I have been trying to find a way for my ESP32-CAM to send and receive messages over WiFi to a computer. What I am looking for is a way for the ESP32 to send a image file to the computer and the computer saving it in a local directory. The computer then sends a response to the ESP32 saying "successful transfer" or whatever. My problem is that I don't know how to begin and all of the examples I have seen (whether on Youtube or the Arduino examples) have not given any specific syntax I must use to achieve such a result. Does anyone have some pointers towards the right direction?

Thank You - kripat

Please check out DroneBot. This video gives a nice overview:

FTP?

#include "sdkconfig.h" // used for log printing
#include "esp_system.h"
#include "freertos/FreeRTOS.h" //freeRTOS items to be used
#include "freertos/task.h"
#include "certs.h"
#include "esp_camera.h"
#include "soc/soc.h"           // Disable brownout problems
#include "soc/rtc_cntl_reg.h"  // Disable brownout problems
#include "driver/rtc_io.h"
#include <WiFi.h>
#include <WiFiClient.h>
#include "ESP32_FTPClient.h"
//
WiFiClient wifiClient; // do the WiFi instantiation thing
ESP32_FTPClient ftp (ftp_server, ftp_user, ftp_pass, 5000, 2);
////
void IRAM_ATTR WiFiEvent(WiFiEvent_t event)
{
  switch (event) {
    case SYSTEM_EVENT_STA_CONNECTED:
      log_i("Connected to WiFi access point");
      break;
    case SYSTEM_EVENT_STA_DISCONNECTED:
      log_i("Disconnected from WiFi access point");
      break;
    case SYSTEM_EVENT_AP_STADISCONNECTED:
      log_i("WiFi client disconnected");
      break;
    default: break;
  }
} // void IRAM_ATTR WiFiEvent(WiFiEvent_t event)
////
void setup()
{
  WRITE_PERI_REG(RTC_CNTL_BROWN_OUT_REG, 0); //disable brownout detector
  ////
  if ( configInitCamera() )
  {
    xTaskCreatePinnedToCore( capturePhoto_sendFTP, "capturePhoto_sendFTP", 20000, NULL, 3, NULL, 1 );
  } else {
    log_i( "camera failed to initilize. Quitting programed operations." );
  }
} // void setup()
////
void capturePhoto_sendFTP( void *pvParameters )
{
  TickType_t xLastWakeTime    = xTaskGetTickCount();
  const TickType_t xFrequency = 1000 * 15; //delay for mS
  for (;;)
  {
    log_i( "tick");
    if ( WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED )
    {
      camera_fb_t * fb = NULL; // pointer
      fb = esp_camera_fb_get();
      if (!fb)
      {
        log_i( "Camera capture failed" );
      } else {
        ftp.OpenConnection(); // try open FTP
        if ( ftp.isConnected() )
        {
          //try send file ftp
          ftp.ChangeWorkDir( ftp_path );
          // Delete existing file, create the new file, and send the image to the file
          ftp.DeleteFile( ftp_file_name );
          ftp.InitFile( ftp_file_type ); //"Type I"
          ftp.NewFile( ftp_file_name );
          //void WriteData (unsigned char * data, int dataLength); //Convert image to unsigned character data format for sending FTP
          ftp.WriteData( (unsigned char *)fb->buf, fb->len );
          ftp.CloseFile();
          ftp.CloseConnection();
        }
        esp_camera_fb_return(fb); //return the frame buffer back to the driver for reuse
      }
    } else {
      log_i( "In capturePhoto_sendFTP found WiFi not connected ");
      connectToWiFi();
    }
    xLastWakeTime = xTaskGetTickCount();
    vTaskDelayUntil( &xLastWakeTime, xFrequency );
  }
  vTaskDelete( NULL );
} //void capturePhoto_sendFTP( void *pvParameters )
////
void configureCameraSettings()
{
  sensor_t * s = esp_camera_sensor_get(); //see certs.h for more info
  s->set_brightness(s, -1);     // -2 to 2 **************************
  s->set_contrast(s, 0);       // -2 to 2
  s->set_saturation(s, 0);     // -2 to 2
  s->set_special_effect(s, 0); // 0 to 6 (0 - No Effect, 1 - Negative, 2 - Grayscale, 3 - Red Tint, 4 - Green Tint, 5 - Blue Tint, 6 - Sepia)
  s->set_whitebal(s, 1);       // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
  s->set_awb_gain(s, 1);       // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
  s->set_wb_mode(s, 0);        // 0 to 4 - if awb_gain enabled (0 - Auto, 1 - Sunny, 2 - Cloudy, 3 - Office, 4 - Home)
  s->set_exposure_ctrl(s, 1);  // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
  s->set_aec2(s, 0);           // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
  s->set_ae_level(s, 0);       // -2 to 2
  s->set_aec_value(s, 300);    // 0 to 1200
  s->set_gain_ctrl(s, 1);      // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
  s->set_agc_gain(s, 0);       // 0 to 30
  s->set_gainceiling(s, (gainceiling_t)0);  // 0 to 6
  s->set_bpc(s, 0);            // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
  s->set_wpc(s, 1);            // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
  s->set_raw_gma(s, 1);        // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
  s->set_lenc(s, 1);           // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
  s->set_hmirror(s, 0);        // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
  s->set_vflip(s, 0);          // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
  s->set_dcw(s, 1);            // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
  s->set_colorbar(s, 0);       // 0 = disable , 1 = enable
} //void configureCameraSettings()
////
bool configInitCamera()
{
  camera_config_t config = {}; // Stores the camera configuration parameters
  config.ledc_channel = LEDC_CHANNEL_0;
  config.ledc_timer   = LEDC_TIMER_0;
  config.pin_d0       = GPIO_NUM_5; //Y2
  config.pin_d1       = GPIO_NUM_18; //Y3
  config.pin_d2       = GPIO_NUM_19; //Y4
  config.pin_d3       = GPIO_NUM_21; //Y5
  config.pin_d4       = GPIO_NUM_36; //Y6
  config.pin_d5       = GPIO_NUM_39; //Y7
  config.pin_d6       = GPIO_NUM_34; //Y8
  config.pin_d7       = GPIO_NUM_35; // Y9
  config.pin_xclk     = GPIO_NUM_0; //XCLK
  config.pin_pclk     = GPIO_NUM_22; //PCLK
  config.pin_vsync    = GPIO_NUM_25; //VSSYNC
  config.pin_href     = GPIO_NUM_23; // HREF
  config.pin_sscb_sda = GPIO_NUM_26; //SIOD
  config.pin_sscb_scl = GPIO_NUM_27; //SIOC
  config.pin_pwdn     = GPIO_NUM_32; //PWDN
  config.pin_reset    = -1; //RESET
  config.xclk_freq_hz = 20000000;
  config.pixel_format = PIXFORMAT_JPEG; //assuming default is has PSRAM
  config.frame_size = FRAMESIZE_UXGA; // FRAMESIZE_ + QVGA|CIF|VGA|SVGA|XGA|SXGA|UXGA
  config.jpeg_quality = 10; //0-63 lower number means higher quality
  config.fb_count = 2;
  // Initialize the Camera
  esp_err_t err = esp_camera_init(&config);
  if (err != ESP_OK) {
    log_i("Camera init failed with error 0x%x", err);
    return false;
  } else {
    configureCameraSettings();
    return true;
  }
} //void configInitCamera()
////
void connectToWiFi()
{
  int TryCount = 0;
  while ( WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED )
  {
    TryCount++;
    WiFi.disconnect();
    WiFi.begin( SSID, PASSWORD );
    vTaskDelay( 4000 );
    if ( TryCount == 10 )
    {
      ESP.restart();
    }
  }
  WiFi.onEvent( WiFiEvent );
}
////
void loop() {}

an image to a destination?

@kripat, welcome.

Your topic has been moved to a more suitable location on the forum. Installation and Troubleshooting is not for problems with (nor for advice on) your project :wink: See About the Installation & Troubleshooting category.

Oh I was not aware of the Project Guidance category thank you.

I have never heard of FTP let alone its implementation with an ESP32. I'll look into the code and try to have it fit my specific needs thank you.

Thanks for the recommendation will look into it.

1 Like

No, that would be because it is three steps lower in the forum listing.

Proves my previously stated point. :grin:

Thanks for your suggestion. I was able to implement FTP and used Google Firebase for my server/database. My computer then pulled the image file automatically from the database. I didn't use your exact code but took some pieces. Thanks again for your response.

Best - kripat

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