Exposing new api via plugin?

[cyrenbyren 12]

I've been wanting a metrics API for emby for quite a while. I do have the functionality down, as a matter of fact, but it's an external one that incessantly queries the API, which results in a lot of spam in the logs. So I figured a "native" API would be better.

Is it possible to expose a new route, or otherwise add functionality the existing API? And if there is, are there any examples or documentation anywhere on how?

[chef 3808]

Sounds like you want to build a plugin that uses the IService interface and creates a couple new routes.

What data would you want to host at these endpoints? So I understand exactly what you're look for?

 

[chef 3808]

51 minutes ago, cyrenbyren said:

I've been wanting a metrics API for emby for quite a while. I do have the functionality down, as a matter of fact, but it's an external one that incessantly queries the API, which results in a lot of spam in the logs. So I figured a "native" API would be better.

Is it possible to expose a new route, or otherwise add functionality the existing API? And if there is, are there any examples or documentation anywhere on how?

Sounds like you want to build a plugin that uses the IService interface and creates a couple new routes.

What data would you want to host at these endpoints? So I understand exactly what you're look for?

[cyrenbyren 12]

I appreciate this! This is likely exactly what I'm looking for.

In essence, it will be prometheus style metrics. Number of movies, episodes, shows, current active sessions. Stuff like that!

[chef 3808]

5 hours ago, cyrenbyren said:

I appreciate this! This is likely exactly what I'm looking for.

In essence, it will be prometheus style metrics. Number of movies, episodes, shows, current active sessions. Stuff like that!

There is the reports plugin and playback reporting plugin for the server which has this functionality. However, building your own plugin is an awesome idea .

I have several GitHub repos that you can read, as well as the Emby GitHub plugin repo that has a ton of resources.

https://github.com/chefbennyj1

https://github.com/MediaBrowser/Emby/wiki/How-to-build-a-Server-Plugin

 

I also made some "half hazzard" YouTube videos about how to set up a plugin... I'm terrible at YouTube videos:

https://youtu.be/qX8gfZz99Yo

 

Once the plugin base is ready, you'd want to create a Class that inherits IService. Then you can list all the routes there.

My AlexaController skill plugin endpoint gets fairly advanced, but in the API folder in the Service class, are examples of this, and also in the Autoorganize plugin in the FileOrganizeService.

 

I just checked out Prometheus and it looks amazing. To create graphs on the web page check out my Diskspace plugin. We side load Chartjs. I have a feeling that is what you are looking for.

You might also consider, keeping the plugin cross platform. So getting resource info for each type of system can get tricky. There is a rabbit hole there. Not impossible though. 

Edited July 19, 2021 by chef

[cyrenbyren 12]

Great, thank you!

I will (probably) not create a web page for showing reports and such - the idea is to enable Prometheus to pull metrics from an existing instance. Simply adding a /metrics route that it can connect to. Prometheus metrics look like this:

emby_info{instance="my_emby_instance",version="4.6.4.0",id="f926dfca63faa96b04199438813e0f0d"} 1 1626706224325
emby_movie_count{instance="my_emby_instance"} 10 1626706224325
emby_show_count{instance="my_emby_instance"} 10 1626706224325
emby_sessions{instance="my_emby_instance", user="some_user", type="Episode", name="Some show - Season 1 - Episode name"} 1 1626706224325

Having this will allow me point Prometheus to poll Emby at https://my.emby.instance:8920/metrics to start building up metrics and use that in Grafana, for example, to build up graphs and other pretty things. I use this for several other services, which is why I want it for Emby as well!

Edited July 19, 2021 by cyrenbyren

[chef 3808]

Cool!  check out the Sessions, Users, LibraryService endpoints that is in the API, sounds like they'll also have data you'll want. 

Lemme know how you get in with it. Sound super cool!

[chef 3808]

I also forgot to mention that emby has websockets, so you might not even have to poll the server for info, you might be able to broadcast an event... I haven't done this before to other clients, but might be worth checking into if Prometheus can listen for that kind of stuff.

 

After further reading on the Prometheus website, I have to say, that application is super cool. I had never seen it before. Looks like you can put everything in one place. I wonder if they have integration with Ubiquiti networking stuff.

If they did, I wiukd never open another dashboard again unless it was nesessary

Edited July 19, 2021 by chef

[cyrenbyren 12]

There is indeed an exporter for use with Ubiquiti (Unifi specifically), it works lovely!

[cyrenbyren 12]

Mostly done!
 

However, is there a way to determine the running version of Emby?

[Luke 40105]

2 hours ago, cyrenbyren said:

Mostly done!
 

However, is there a way to determine the running version of Emby?

Yes, via /system/info/public

[cyrenbyren 12]

Duh, of course. I'm already doing that for my external exporter. Silly me.  Thank you!