Blue Iris

I've found it difficult in the past... finding the settings. The help file is very cryptic without any step-by-step instructions that I can find.

A blurb from the BI Help file...

There are a number of moving parts when using geofencing...

Ooooookaaaaayyyyyyy... And they are...


I do know that you need to set the Longitude & latitude in BI settings Schedule tab.
I also have the Mobile Device 'Enter/Exit Geofence' enabled - and it correctly lists my phone as 'Inside/Outside'.
But, why doesn't it show on my Android phone! Bot a big deal for me as I don't use this. But it still bugs me.

I don't use geofencing either but in looking at my Android device... it appears by default that location permissions are not granted to the app and requires you to set it. This does get a bit tricky because there are menu differences between stock android and what many device manufacturers tweak. The App Permissions for my Blue Iris app currently grant:

Files and Media - All Files
Microphone - Only while app is in use

The following are denied at all times:

Camera
Contacts
Location
Phone

Perhaps this is as easy as enabling 'Location' access.

Matts1984 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 1:11 pmPerhaps this is as easy as enabling 'Location' access.

That's the easiest way to do it on my Android phone. Swipe down from the top and click the Location icon.

I feel they should have done a write up on this forum. There are plenty of other forums that attempt to offer advice, but this is the official forum. Write it and they will come!

TimG wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:39 pm I feel they should have done a write up on this forum. There are plenty of other forums that attempt to offer advice, but this is the official forum. Write it and they will come!

Careful... as community member with the most posts, you might just sign yourself up for something!

I don't have any more info than you guys though. It's a good job we all like fiddling with things until they work properly

Re: Geofencing

I have just done a fresh install on my wifes Android phone and a Geofencing page has come up during installation, so its not been forgotten or deprecated. Geofencing highlights included:

"Touch continue and accept the android request. Touch 'Allow in settings' and then 'Allow all the time'. This app collects location data to enable Geofencing even when the app is closed or not in use."

Even on a Samsung S7, it then put up an android requestor to "Allow Blue Iris to access this devices location?"

So, if it's not working, it may be time to delete the app and re-install it, or search for that setting manually.

Can't find the 'Save Settings' in the new android app.

Seems odd that a new version of the phone app would be missing Geofencing and save settings. Or, be so weird, that you must 'Start Over' with the phone app!

The more I use this, the less I like it.


- Tried uninstalling by clearing cache and data, then installing. All the settings came back! Apparently, BI loads the 'servers.blu' file on startup!!! So, BI now has auto Import when you start it. Renamed the file to 'servers.blu.old'. Still loaded when I started BI! Now I'm confused. where is it getting this? AND, how do I start over?

- If you press 'Info', the 'Done' button does not appear for the sections. I have to log out and on.


Read the reviews on Google PLay. Lot's of users rating this version as a FAIL. I'm leaning in that direction...

I finally got the app to startup clean by deelting the 'servers.blu' file. Apparently, it myst look for 'servers.blu' anywhere in the filename? Maybe? Still confused about this.

Went thru the apps wizaed and replied 'accept' to all the permissions it asked. Still no Geofencing in settings. Arrrgggg.

When I looked at internal memory, 'servers.blu' is NOT in the root of internal storage. Where is this info being stored?

Hi MikeBwca,

I seem to remember having BI geofence issues a long time ago, but can't find the posts with a search. The gist of it was that the geofencing settings only appeared in the mobile app if I had logged in to BI5 on the mobile device with an admin account. Now I am presently checking with my android mobile, on which I am logged in as an admin user, but I can't see anything in the mobile settings. Nothing obvious in my main BI5 settings, or in the present help file. I'll get my coat...