# External Data

Apart from video channels, Macula Monitor can present data (textual data) from various sources, for example, transaction data from POS machines. Other types of data sources may be ANPR readings, barcode data, car weighing data, etc. The text may come **overlaying** the video streams or in separate visualizations called **data channels**.

In Macula Monitor, you can do the following with the data:

* view the live data in video overlay or as a data channel
* play back the recorded data using instant playback
* play back the recorded data using multichannel playback\*
* export snapshots containing textual data
* export video clips containing textual data with or without video
* search the recorded textual data
* run more complicated queries across available databases

Based on the server-side configuration, your Macula Monitor instance may also produce events based on keywords or key values received from the data sources. For example, in a store, you may want to have the video popup on a bigger screen when the customer's purchase total exceeds 100$.

\*If you have data channels for dedicated data view, arrange and save **layouts** that contain both data and video channels so that you can view the related information together (e.g., in a store there is a camera overlooking three self-checkouts.

#### Advanced Textual Search (VCA Playback, Data Sources, and Alarms)

When working with large volumes of video data, alarms, or metadata, finding the right event quickly is crucial.  Macula Monitor supports advanced search operators that let you combine keywords and phrases in flexible ways, making it easier to refine your results and focus on what matters.

**Search rules:**

* **"red car"**\
  Use quotation marks to search for the exact phrase.

  *Example: finds only results that contain “red car” as a phrase.*
* **red car**\
  Entering words without operators searches for either word.

  *Example: finds anything that mentions “red” or “car.”*
* **red + car or red+car**\
  Use the + sign to require both terms.

  *Example: finds results that contain both “red” and “car” in the same field.*
* **red "police car"**\
  Mix single words and exact phrases.

  *Example: finds results that contain “red” or the exact phrase “police car.”*
* **red + "police car"**\
  Require both a single word and an exact phrase.

  *Example: finds results that contain both “red” and the exact phrase “police car.”*
* **a + b c + d**\
  Combine multiple groups with spaces.

  *Example: finds results with “a” and “b,” or results with “c” and “d.”*
* **a + b + c**\
  Chain multiple requirements.

  *Example: finds results that contain all three terms: “a,” “b,” and “c.”*

#### Live Data Streaming

Depending on the system configuration, you may encounter two types of data presentation.

1. Video overlay

Textual data from the associated external data source will appear embedded with the live video stream. This happens automatically and you do not have to do anything else in Macula Monitor to enable the video overlay.

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2. Data channels

Data channels are data visualizations without an underlying video stream. You can find them in the resources panel, under *Channels*, with a POS-like icon.

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Live data channels present the incoming data as a cheque, with page breaks between transactions.

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With both types, you can perform the usual channel-related actions using the overlay controls: add bookmarks, save snapshots, switch to the instant playback and other modes, etc.

#### Instant Playback with External Data

Both data channels and video streams containing a data layer are available in the instant playback mode.

The external data is marked in the archive by a thick dark green ribbon. It is non-continuous so you can see which periods do contain data (similarly to motion information).

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Use the overlay control buttons in the bottom right corner to export snapshots and video clips, add bookmarks, or switch to the regular playback mode.

#### Video and Snapshot Export with External Data

You can save snapshots from any mode by clicking the camera overlay ![](https://412599993-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FeNXnJx0OpvxnmpWqOBNm%2Fuploads%2FpnzaMbQobk1pVeeX4EmC%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=0dbc2402-efc7-4a69-9cc2-562c4de94296) button in the bottom right corner of the viewport. The snapshot will be saved using the default settings, or, if set so, an additional window with the settings will pop up, allowing you to choose them every time.

{% hint style="danger" %}
For the textual data to be included with the snapshot, do not forget to enable the *Include external data* option in the export settings.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://412599993-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FeNXnJx0OpvxnmpWqOBNm%2Fuploads%2Fr1mdOOTb297xgALsSVn4%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=0471f9ed-ec81-45c0-8633-baab00d92286" alt="" width="491"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

You can export external data snapshots in 4 modes:

* save images from video channels with data overlay
* save images from data channels
* save PDF reports from video channels with data overlay
* save PDFs from data channels

For video export, use the play ![](https://412599993-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FeNXnJx0OpvxnmpWqOBNm%2Fuploads%2FNIbptEamxYF2VU8nOMUE%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=b29441e3-4df7-4c7f-b4be-37db595d7fca)  overlay button in playback modes. Use video export settings that support external data overlay - those with compression instead of original format. For example, you might want to use AVI+JPEG or MKV+VP8.
