Use consistent URL routes or query params for direct links to cameras and camera groups

[shbatm]

Describe what you are trying to accomplish and why in non technical terms
I want to be able to proxy direct paths to camera full screen live views and group views.

Describe the solution you'd like
Currently camera live views are only accessible using URL anchors/hashs (http://url:port/#front_door) but the hash location is only processed client-side and does not work through proxies. Camera groups are accessible via query parameter ?group=group_name (but this also doesn't work currently using the proxy add-on), and would be nice if it was consistent (e.g. ?camera=camera_name or /group/group_name and /camera/camera_name.

Using a route would also allow some external permissions managment using the reverse proxy to allow/disallow access to a particular route outside of Frigate (e.g. allow direct link access to an outdoor common camera at frigate.tld/camera/sidewalk to share with neighbors).

Describe alternatives you've considered
Do not want to directly expose the Frigate instance on the machine using port number, which seems to currently be the only way to get direct camera links working.

Additional context
#12048 Previously covered this for groups and there is a long-standing issue in the Home Assistant integration about it not working across proxies blakeblackshear/frigate-hass-integration#257

[NickM-27]

but the hash location is only processed client-side and does not work through proxies.

this is incorrect, it works correctly with all typical proxies (NPM, Authentik, etc.)

Previously covered this for groups and there is a long-standing issue in the Home Assistant integration about it not working across proxies blakeblackshear/frigate-hass-integration#257

this is entirely unrelated, it has to do specifically with the home assistant proxy addon and how home assistant ingress does not allow deep linking. This is not something that can be fixed here, and it does not affect reverse proxies, only Home Assistant ingress

[shbatm]

1. The request was to be consistent between groups and cameras--not having 1 using hash and 1 using query parameters. I understand the ingress not working correctly with groups is a separate issue--but it could be resolved for both cameras and groups using the same method if they were consistent. Not using a hash would allow the other point about external path management (reverse proxies can't route based on hash).
2. Hash navigation does not work with consistently with Traefik. Frigate will update the hash when it changes, but I cannot navigate to the camera using the hash without clearing the full cache (forced reload). From what I've been able to gather the only reason it looks to be working is with the X_Original_URL header being passed--again would be easier to manage upstream if using query params (or routes).

[NickM-27]

1. They serve different purposes, for example while camera groups are used for live they are also used for filtering on the review and history pages, which need query args.
2. Traefik is very commonly used and we have not received this feedback. Feel free to create a support request so we can figure out what is going on there

[shbatm]

Understood that they are used in the background differently, the request was a User Experience request to be consistent and better enable external support when working with the UI.

I will move over to support discussion if the UX consistency is not going to be considered.

To note the url inconsistency and proxy issues I've seen for anyone that finds this issue down the road:

1. Cannot navigate to specifc camera or group when using built-in auth if not already auth'd (e.g. using port 8971 directly, via NPM, or via Traefik). Hash and query string is not retained in the URL after redirect and login redirects to main page.
2. Cannot navigate to a specific camera when already on a camera (e.g. Change url in browser to https://frigate.example.com/#front_door from https://frigate.example.com/#back_door)--doesn't work on 5000, 8971, NPM or Traefik. Requires hard refresh to navigate, otherwise it stays on same camera.
3. Navigation to groups (/?group=Group) works on port 5000/8193 directly and but only initially on proxies NPM/Traefik if on a camera or at home.
   a) URL query string is not retained in browser (Chrome), reverts to base after navigating.
   b) Cannot navigate back to home / non-group without clicking home (force reload stays on group.
   c) Traefik, NPM proxies (to 8971 or 5000) require navigating to /?group=Name URL 2 times to actually change if already on a group.

Reference comments:
#12048 (comment)
#12048 (comment)
https://www.reddit.com/r/frigate_nvr/comments/192fvcd/url_to_go_directly_to_camera_feed_from_ha/

[NickM-27]

I will move over to support discussion if the UX consistency is not going to be considered.

UX consistency is considered and the way it is now is consistent. The query arg is used for filtering, which occurs across the UI (review, history, live, etc.). Same as if you want to filter certain objects. Making camera groups path based would be inconsistent.

To note the url inconsistency and proxy issues I've seen for anyone that finds this issue down the road:

You seem to be conflating unrelated behaviors and blaming them on the proxy, when it has nothing to do with that.

Cannot navigate to specifc camera or group when using built-in auth if not already auth'd (e.g. using port 8971 directly, via NPM, or via Traefik). Hash and query string is not retained in the URL after redirect and login redirects to main page.

This has nothing to do with proxies, the user is redirected to the base URL after logging in

frigate/web/src/components/auth/AuthForm.tsx

Line 62 in 923412e

window.location.href = baseUrl;

Cannot navigate to a specific camera when already on a camera (e.g. Change url in browser to https://frigate.example.com/#front_door from https://frigate.example.com/#back_door)--doesn't work on 5000, 8971, NPM or Traefik. Requires hard refresh to navigate, otherwise it stays on same camera.

Yep, this is a bug that is unrelated to proxies, I have put up a fix for it in #20291

URL query string is not retained in browser (Chrome), reverts to base after navigating.

this is expected, the group state is saved in the browser to remember the users last selected group, which was a highly requested feature when we implemented the new UI over a year ago

b) Cannot navigate back to home / non-group without clicking home (force reload stays on group.

same as above, the browser remembers the selected group, this is working as intended.

Traefik, NPM proxies (to 8971 or 5000) require navigating to /?group=Name URL 2 times to actually change if already on a group.

This is also a bug unrelated to proxies, fixed in #20295