# Start Processing

To start processing, send the `process` action to Media Server.

Media Server adds your request to the `process` action queue. When the request reaches the top of the queue and a thread is available, Media Server starts to ingest the media and perform the configured tasks.

To start processing

- Send the `process` action to Media Server.

  From the following list of parameters, you must set either `Source` or `SourceData` to specify the source, and `Config`, `ConfigName`, or `ConfigPath` to specify the configuration to use.

  - - `Source` | The media source to process. Specify one of the following: a path to a file residing on a file system that Media Server can access. the URL of a stream. the name of a DirectShow video device (to ingest video from a DirectShow source, such as a capture card). to ingest video from Milestone XProtect: a camera name. a camera UUID. (Milestone XProtect Corporate only) a camera UUID followed by a stream ID, in the following format:
          id:camera_uuid,streamid:stream_id
  If your camera produces multiple streams and you do not specify a stream ID, Media Server ingests the stream that is configured as the default in the Milestone XProtect system. to ingest video from Genetec Security Center, specify a camera logical ID.
  `SourceData` | The media file to process (as binary data). For information about sending data to Media Server, see Send Actions to Media Server.
  `Persist` | Specifies whether the action restarts in the event that processing stops for any reason. For example, if you are processing video from an RTSP camera which becomes unreachable and `persist=true`, Media Server will wait for the stream to become available again. Persistent actions only stop when you stop them using the `QueueInfo` action with `QueueAction=stop`, or when Media Server finishes processing the media.
  `Config` | A base-64 encoded configuration that defines the tasks to run.
  `ConfigName` | The name of a configuration file that defines the tasks to run. The file must be stored in the directory specified by the `ConfigDirectory` parameter in the `[Paths]` section of the configuration file.
  `ConfigPath` | The path of a configuration file that defines the tasks to run. Specify an absolute path or a path relative to the Media Server executable file.

  For example,

      http://localhost:14000/action=Process&Source=.\video\broadcast.mpeg
                                           &ConfigName=broadcast

  This action is asynchronous, so Media Server returns a token for the request. You can use the `QueueInfo` action, with `QueueName=Process` to retrieve more information about the request.

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