Realtime.txt: Difference between revisions

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{{Template:Version badge Mx}}{{Version badge 1}}This Wiki page applies to both Cumulus flavours.[[Category:Cumulus MX]][[Category:Cumulus Files]][[Category:MX txt Files]][[Category:Cumulus 1]]
= List of fields in the file =
 
{{Template:Version badge Mx}}{{Version badge 1}}This Wiki page applies to both flavours.[[Category:Cumulus MX]][[Category:Cumulus Files]][[Category:MX txt Files]][[Category:Cumulus 1]]
 
[[Category:Cumulus Files]] [[Category:MX_txt_Files]]
The list below represents the MX field list.
This Wiki page describes one of the [[:Category:Cumulus Files|files]] that Cumulus can optionally generate.
 
 
= List of fields in the file =
 
The list below represents the field list for the final 1.9.4 version of Cumulus, (and releases of MX before 3.7.0) omit the final field shown below.
 
The final 1.9.4 version of Cumulus, (and releases of MX before 3.7.0) omit the final field shown below.
For historic interest, old versions of Cumulus 1 had fewer fields; although the table does not indicate the version at which each field was added, you can click the '''History''' tab and look at the early edits.
{| border="1" class="wikitable"
| Is it sunny? 1 if the sun is shining, otherwise 0 (above or below [[Cumulus.ini_(Cumulus_1)#Section:_Solar |threshold]])
| <#IsSunny>
|-
| 59
| 13.2
| Feels Like Temperature
|}
 
==Fields added with later releases of MX ==
 
Please be aware that MX develops very rapidly, and there is a lack of contributors to the Wiki, so the information here may be out of date.
 
{| border="1" class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:60px" | Field number
! style="width:80px" | Example content
! style="width:450px" | Description
! style="width:90px" | Equivalent [[Webtags|web tag]] if your locale/region uses decimal points<br> See [[#MX web tags]] for equivalents in latest MX releases.
|-
|59 (only included for release 3.7.0 and later)
|&lt;#feelslike&gt;
|}
 
== Bandwidth Considerations ==
Most internet providers now place a limit on the amount of Bandwidth you can consume each month. Bandwidth is a figure representing the quantity of data you can upload and download. DoingThe suchvarious auploads regulardone uploadby Cumulus will have a huge impact on your allowance if you choose to upload at very frequent intervals.
 
* Sizing guidance for the legacy Cumulus (1) uploads:
** The "realtime.txt" file Cumulus (1 or MX) uploadsthe is less than 1024 bytes in size, but for the calculation we will assume 1024 bytes, and typically this is (for non Fine Offset stations, see [[#Special note to Fine Offset/EasyWeather users]]) updated every 5 to 15 seconds depending on your [[#Enabling generation of this file in MX|'Realtime interval' setting]]. above 1 kilobyte every 10 seconds represents 144 kB a day.
** Uploading [[FAQ#What_is_the_size_of_the_standard_Cumulus_update.3F|the realtime.txt plus the standard templates]] represents about 90 MB per day (based on uploading only every 10 minutes).
 
* Sizing guidance for MX uploads:
** For Cumulus MX, the optional '''realtime.txt''' file is at least 262 bytes, (a lot of the content never changes, but if you have enabled generation and upload of this file, the whole file is uploaded every time), so still smaller than that 1024 bytes, and therefore still less than 1.5 MB a day even if uploaded every second.
** The [[SteelSeries Gauges]] web page is often supplied with data every second, (34 560 times a day), that represents a minimum of 110 MB per day, as the mandatory file '''realtimegaugesT.txt''' is 2.2 kiloBytes (kB).
** MX graph drawing uses assorted [[:Category:JSON_Files|*.json]] files which add up to several megabytes (MB) at every upload (compared against the highly compressed legacy Cumulus graph images of 400 kB per upload). So assuming these .json files are uploaded at the standard interval and that is set to 1 minute, just for graph plotting, MX requires a further 150 to 350 MB per day, this is dependent on various settings (e.g. data period represented on graphs, which graphs are being plotted).
** For the other web pages, the file concerned is [[websitedataT.json]] which is 31.5 kB, and if that is uploaded every minute, that adds about 50 MB a day.
** Don't forget that you may have files uploaded at end of day, you may be sending files to third party sites, to home automation, and be uploading [[MySqlConnect|SQL commands]], all these need to be multiplied by how often they are sent in a day, and then included in your calculation where relevant.
 
On top of your internet connection bandwidth restrictions, you may also have bandwidth caps on your database, or web, serverservers so this same figure should be considered for your webvarious serverservers.
 
 
 
Cumulus optionally generates this file, it represents one way that current Cumulus derivatives can be supplied to any [[:Category:User Contributions|third party additions]] you use, or your own external purposes.
 
TwoThree examples taken from third party [[:Category:AddOns|addons]]:
* [[File:BadgeCumulusRealtime|developing v1.pngreal time]]: Thefunctionality. This add-on is by the author of Cumulus, Steve Loft, and involves 2 extra wind graphics added at the bottom of the example 'gauges' page in the web template set produced by Cumulus 1, were it was developed inusing [http://silverlight.net/ SilverLight] and they needuses data obtained by reading this file as part of [[CumulusRealtime|developing real time]] functionality.
* [[WeatherConsole]]
* [[Sidebar gadget]]
 
Standard Cumulus 1 can use this file for its optional real-time wind gauges functionality (see [[#Where is the file used in Cumulus 1]]).
 
There are two key points to understand about the source for generation of the file:
#First is that a [[Cumulus template file]] is held internally in the Cumulus code that can generate this file with some standard content as [[#List of fields in the file|listed herein table above]]
# Second is that this internal template, regardless of any locale (or region) settings, always generates the file so that it is readable by [[PHP#Incorporating_Script|script languages]] that expect a full stop to separate the integer part of any real number from the decimal part of that real number.
 
Information about the default generated file:
* As hinted above, the generation of the file requires you to set various options, see [[#Generation of this file]]
* There is no functionality, included in any Cumulus software that you download, that requires this file to exist
* The '''realtime.txt''' is generated as a text file with a single line of ''space'' separated values.
* The file contains a list of key values of the sensors
Some users, and some third-party supplied web pages, require fewer, or more, fields than those provided in the standard '''realtime.txt''' file.
 
Arranging this is easy, the content of thea file, that Cumulus uploads to an external site for you, can be tailored to the needs of whatever you choose.
 
All you need to do is create your own [[Cumulus template file]], sometimes called ''realtime-xT.txt'' (to indicate it is an e''X''tra file, a ''T''emplate file and is related to ''realtime''.txt), you can place this file in the [[web folder]], and ask Cumulus to process that file for you:
* [[File:Badge v1.png]] Legacy software versions:
*# Create the template file picking the web tags you want to include from:
*#* If you use decimal commas, the list [[Webtags#CURRENT_CONDITIONS:|here]]
*#* If you use decimal points, the list [[Webtags#Current_Conditions|here]]
*# Arrange for the processing and uploading by using the Cumulus menu selections: '''Configuration|''' &rarr; ''Internet|'' &rarr; '''Files''' tab dialog. [[File:Cumulus Internet Settings Files.png|Right]]
*#* Type in the name you have used for your template file in ''Local Filename''
*#* Tick the ''Process?'' checkbox,
*#* Finally, supplying a remote path and filename that you want created remotely, you can call it "realtime.txt" after the path name if you like
* [[File:Badge vMx.png]] From build 3075 onwards, all decimal web tags now support the "rc=y" modification parameter.
*# Create the template file based on the list of web tags in the code snippet [[#MX web tags|below]]. If you are unsure what they represent, look [[Webtags#Current_Conditions|here]].
*# Arrange for the processing and uploading by using the '''Extra web files''' page in the [[MX_Administrative_Interface#Extra_Web_Files|interface]], follow the instructions in that link, [[File:Extra web settings.png|Right]] ticking the ''Process?'' checkbox, and the ''RealtimeReal Time?'' checkbox, and the '''UTF8''' checkbox (as shown in first row in image)
 
 
==Enabling generation of this file in Cumulus 1==
 
The legacy screen that controls production of this file, changedis obtained by a bitclick fromon itsthe original'Configuration' lookmenu asthen Steve'Internet', Loftonce includedthe here''Internet inSettings'' thescreen larger imageappears, withyou anshould extrabe real-timelooking boxat tothe tick'''Sites/Options''' totab. generateThat thescreen's file,original as shownlook (notas ticked)Steve inLoft theincluded lowerhere) partis ofin the smallerlarger image: [[File:Web settings.JPG|left]]
 
[[Image:CumulusInternetSettingsScreen.png|Right]]
When he developed Cumulus 1 further, with two extra real-time boxes to tick to respectively, generate, and upload, the file, Steve Loft did not update the screen shots he included in this Wiki. [[Image:CumulusInternetSettingsScreen.png|Right]]
*The 'interval' sets how often Cumulus produces the file, to set that interval, click on the 'Configuration' menu then 'Internet', then set parameter labelled 'Realtime interval' by entering an integer number of seconds.
 
However, the smaller image (below) shows a later version of part of the original image;
[[File:Web settings.JPG|left]] and you will see the new set of three tick boxes in the lower part of that smaller image:
*The 'Realtime interval' sets how often Cumulus produces the file, to set that interval, click on the 'Configuration' menu then 'Internet', then set parameter labelled 'Realtime interval' by entering an integer number of seconds.
*Optionally the file can be uploaded to your [[Website_setup|externally-hosted web site]], if you want this (and it is usual) select all 3 selectors:
**Enable Realtime
**Enable Realtime FTP
**Realtime.txt FTP (Note in the smaller image this is not ticked, as not creating the file is the default)
**Realtime.txt FTP
*The uploading interval is the same as the file creation interval.
 
means that most of it gets very out of date, as MX is develo
== Bandwidth Considerations ==
 
The file Cumulus (1 or MX) uploads is less than 1024 bytes in size, but for the calculation we will assume 1024 bytes, and typically this is (for non Fine Offset stations, see [[#Special note to Fine Offset/EasyWeather users]]) updated every 5 to 15 seconds depending on your 'Realtime interval' setting above.
 
Most internet providers now place a limit on the amount of Bandwidth you can consume each month. Bandwidth is a figure representing the data you can upload and download. Doing such a regular upload will impact on your allowance.
 
During a month (31 days) the upload process will consume roughly 175 Mbytes of bandwidth -- this is a tiny consideration as usually bandwidth restrictions from your provider start in the Gigabytes (Gb) range, not Megabytes (Mb).
 
On top of your internet connection bandwidth restrictions, you may also have bandwidth caps on your web server so this same figure should be considered for your web server.
 
 
= Where is the file used in Cumulus 1 =
 
NOTE: Although MX can optionally generate the file, there is no functionality included in MX that will read this file for any purpose.
 
[[File:Badge v1.png]]: The 2 wind graphics added at the bottom of the example 'gauges' page in the web template set produced by Cumulus 1 were developed in [http://silverlight.net/ SilverLight] and they need data obtained by reading this file as part of [[CumulusRealtime|developing real time]] functionality.
 
= Special note to Fine Offset/EasyWeather users =

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