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Stop

The Stop action is a simple utility that gracefully ends a workflow branch without taking any further action. It's used in conditional logic where one path should do nothing.

Overview​

Not every detection needs to result in a violation. Sometimes you need a workflow branch that simply ends:

  • Person detected → Is authorized? → Yes: Stop / No: Create Violation
  • Object detected → Is in allowed zone? → Yes: Stop / No: Alert
  • Face detected → Is recognized staff? → Yes: Stop / No: Log visitor

The Stop action provides a clean endpoint for these "do nothing" branches.

What It Does​

1. Returns Success​

The action immediately returns a successful result without performing any operations.

2. Ends Workflow Branch​

After Stop executes, the current workflow branch terminates. No subsequent actions are triggered on this branch.

3. No Side Effects​

Unlike other actions, Stop:

  • Creates no database records
  • Uploads no files
  • Triggers no notifications
  • Modifies no state

It's purely a termination signal.

Configuration​

This action has no configuration options. It simply executes and ends.

Understanding Results​

ResultMeaning
stoppedWorkflow branch ended successfully

This action always succeeds.

Common Use Cases​

Authorization Workflow​

Scenario: Only create violations for unauthorized individuals.

Workflow:

  1. Object Detection: Detect person
  2. AprilTag Detection: Check for badge
  3. Decision:
    • Authorized → Stop (let them pass)
    • Unauthorized → Create Violation

Business Hours Filtering​

Scenario: Only alert during certain conditions.

Workflow:

  1. Object Detection: Detect activity
  2. Check: Is it during business hours?
    • Yes → Stop (normal activity)
    • No → Create Violation (after-hours intrusion)

Staff vs. Visitor​

Scenario: Different handling for staff and visitors.

Workflow:

  1. Face Detection: Detect face
  2. Color Detection: Check for uniform color
  3. Decision:
    • Staff color → Stop (authorized staff)
    • Other color → Log visitor entry

Threshold Filtering​

Scenario: Only act on significant events.

Workflow:

  1. Zone Dwell Reader: Find events
  2. Check: Duration > threshold?
    • No → Stop (brief presence, ignore)
    • Yes → Create Violation (loitering)

Best Practices​

  1. Clear Documentation: When using Stop in a workflow, document why that branch ends without action.

  2. Alternative to Empty Branches: Rather than having a workflow branch with nothing after a decision, explicitly use Stop for clarity.

  3. Logging Consideration: If you need to log that the "do nothing" path was taken, use a different action that creates a log entry before ending.

When Not to Use Stop​

  • If you need logging: Use a logging action instead
  • If you need to continue: Stop ends the branch; use a pass-through action if you need to continue
  • For error handling: Stop indicates intentional termination, not errors
  • Create Violation: The typical alternative when Stop isn't appropriate
  • Object Detection: Often precedes the decision point leading to Stop
  • AprilTag Detection: Often used for authorization checks before Stop