Simple Website setup: Difference between revisions

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The 'Simple Website' setup is by far the easiest and quickest way to get your Cumulus 1.9.4 data online. It uses the standard Cumulus 1.9.4 web templates and the process is well documented in the Help files for Cumulus 1 under 'Setting Up your Website'. However this article may help further
 
However this article (which is {{Version badge 1}} only for the legacy software) may help further.
{{TOCright}}
 
=If you run your own web server=
=Checklist=
 
The assumption in this article is that FTP is used to get files onto your web server.
 
<big>At present this article does not cover alternative of running your own web server and using copy to get files onto that web server.</big>
 
 
=Checklist if you are using FTP=
 
Below is your check list before you start:
 
#You have File Transfer Process (FTP) webspace (i.e. your provider allows you to use FTP to place files in your webspace)
#and an [[FTP tools|FTP tool]] (use this cross-reference to get more information)
 
From your webspace provider you will be given:
 
*FTP server '''Host name''' (this is the name that is equivalent to the w.x.y.z format Internet Protocol version 4 (=IP) address in the screen-shot below - see the notes below it) (N.B. Some servers might have several names at a single IP location). In establishing a connection to a host name, Cumulus will contact the domain name server (=DNS) your system uses to convert the name you specify to the IPv4 address that enables the connection to be made; that step not needed if IPv4 used directly.
*'''FTP Port''' (in most cases port 21 is reserved for file transfer clients)
*'''username''' (controls access to the directories you can update)
 
Do check with any provider that they let you FTP files with at least all the following extensions:
* .txt (critical for real time processing, steel series guages and similar) and .css (defines look for web pages)
* .txt and .css
* .htm and .html (andused .phpfor iffiles youthat mightdefine useweb thatpage structure)
* optionally .php if you might use that
* .json
* .json (essential for Cumulus MX)
* .js
* .js (script files)
* .bmp, .png, .gif, .jpg (and any other graphic formats you might use)
* audio and video mime types (eCumulus 1.gx.y Cumulusonly: uses .swf)
 
= Folders and Files to Transfer just Once =
 
== Cumulus 1.x.yOverview ==
 
Firstly, we need to get several files and folders onto your web space. The files and folders vary depending on flavour of Cumulus, and will be described in next 2 sections, but this section gives a steer on how you might get the folders and files onto the web server.
Look at the ''Cumulus\webfiles'' folder on your PC.
 
#This is a one time only exercise but is essential to the operation of your Cumulus website.
#Configure your [[FTP tools|FTP tool]] to connect to your web server.
#Once done, make your connection and change to the correct directory/folder on your site, as advised by your provider.
#You may wish to create a sub-folder to store your weather site, but for this purpose we will assume not.
 
The first task is to copy everything (see next section for details of exactly what) in the ''cumulus\webfiles'' folder into where you want to store your web site pages, preserving the sub-folder structure.
 
The folders to be uploaded are:
**When you upload this folder, all of its files will also be uploaded (this folder is essential for the gauges.htm page to work).
*images
**When you upload this folder, the one file within it will also be uploaded (N.B. this is athe folder to which Cumulus 1.x.y will upload graph images etc. by FTP when it is running, so the folder name cannot be changed).
 
One file to be uploaded is the Cascading Style Sheet:
*CumulusRealtime.swf
 
The (obsolete) Microsoft Silverlight software is used for the full standard gauges.htm page (runs the real time graphics).
 
=== CumulusThe MXtransfer process ===
 
If you're using a graphical ftp client like Filezilla (recommended), in the left hand pane just navigate to the ''webfiles'' folder in Cumulus, open it, and you should see the five (Cumulus 1) items listed in previous section.
Look at the ''CumulusMX\webfiles'' folder after un-zipping the download on your computer/device.
 
[[File:SiteBefore.png | Left]][[File:SiteAfter.png | Right]]
The folders to be uploaded are:
*images
**When you upload this folder, the two files within it will also be uploaded
*js
**When you upload this folder, the one file within it will also be uploaded
*lib
**When you upload this folder, the sub-folders within it will also be uploaded
**#highstock
**#*this script library is used for drawing the graphs, if you need to update any component the download is on [http://www.highcharts.com/download this page];
**#jQuery template, and jQuery 1.9 minimised code
**#*For the best compatibility with modern browsers, replace the latter with the latest jQuery 2.x.y minified code downloaded from [http://code.jquery.com/ this page]. &nbsp; If you think people with obsolete Microsoft Internet Explorer versions might be trying to view your web site then the latest jQuery 1.11.x minified code can be downloaded on that same page to replace version 1.9.
**#HTML5 Canvas Steel Series gauges code
**#*Should you subsequently want to update this web page, the latest version can always be downloaded at [[SteelSeries_Versions]] within this Wiki.
 
Select them all as in left image, and drag them to your web site in the right hand pane. That's the setup done as in right image.
The file to be uploaded is the same Cascading Style Sheet as for Cumulus 1:
*weatherstyle.css
 
= Instructions =
 
= Settings required for automatic regular uploads to web server by Cumulus =
Firstly, we need to get several files and folders onto your web space. This is a one time only exercise but is essential to the operation of your Cumulus website.
 
== Internet Settings ==
Configure your [[FTP tool]] to connect to your web space. Once done, make your connection and change to the correct directory/folder on your site, as advised by your provider.
 
===Configuration menu; Internet Settings screen; for Cumulus 1===
You may wish to create a sub-folder to store your weather site, but for this purpose we will assume not.
 
WhetherWithin youCumulus are1.x.x, usingclick Cumulus'''Configuration''', 1''Internet'' orSettings (for Cumulus MX, the first taskinterface is toas copy everythingdescribed in the: MX part of the forum)
*Cumulus 1: ''Cumulus\webfiles''
*Cumulus MX: ''CumulusMX\webfiles''
folder into where you want to store your web site pages, preserving the sub-folder structure.
 
[[File:SimpleInternet-options.png | Left]]
If you're using a graphical ftp client like Filezilla (recommended), in the left hand pane just navigate to the ''webfiles'' folder in Cumulus, open it, and you should see the five (Cumulus 1) or four (Cumulus MX) items listed in previous section.
#Within the '''Sites/Options''' tab you should see (Picture is Cumulus 1.x.y interface) a frame called 'web site' in the top left corner.
#The actual settings will not be as illustrated, but should be as described in section after next.
# Click "OK" when you have entered all the values.
 
[[File:SiteBefore.png | Left]] - Before for Cumulus 1.x.y:
 
=== Information requested on Internet Settings ===
Select them all, and drag them to your web site in the right hand pane. That's the setup done.
 
[[File:SiteAfter.png | Left]] - After for Cumulus 1.x.y:
 
=Configuration=
 
Within Cumulus, click '''Configuration''', ''Internet'' Settings
 
[[File:SimpleInternet-options.png | Left]]Within the '''Sites/Options''' tab you should see (Picture is Cumulus 1.x.y interface) a frame called 'web site'in the top left corner:
#''Host name''
#*Here enter your FTP server name.
#*An example could be ''myserver.org''. Just enter a HOST NAME or IP ADDRESS.
#*Do not enter a URL - do not include "ftp://" or "http://" or anything similar.
#*If you have managed to transfer files using a FTP tool, its log should show the host name or the (numbers separated by dots) Internet Protocol address. The illustration shows an IP (version 4) address typical of a local server. (Note that with a new web site, or following a change of host, it might take a couple of days for the numerical IP address to be associated with the host name on all Domain Name Servers. If that makes no sense to you, basically it means be patient if you don't get access on first day!)
#''FTP port''
#*This is normally ''21'' unless your provider has told you otherwise
#For Cumulus MX only, ''Select the FTP protocol to use''. Hopefully, you know which to choose, or can ask your web space provider.
#''Directory''
#''Directory'' on Cumulus 1, ''Remote FTP directory'' for Cumulus MX
#*Generally your provider will have given you instructions what to enter here.
#*It may be blank, or may be a folder structure.
#*Generally your provider will have given you instructions what to enter here if you need to specify a FTP root relative to some overall root, obviously you might then want to make a sub-folder for the weather pages uploaded by Cumulus and if so then follow the blank or whatever for root with '/' and then your sub-folder name.
#*It is almost always case sensitive so type it exactly as advised. There will be NO spaces at the start, end, or anywhere within, the name. It is a '''relative''' path from the FTP '''root'''. If you have successfully used a FTP tool to transfer files, then (as in before image above) there should be a reference to the directory in the log dialogue of establishing connection to your website.
#*It is almost always case sensitive so type it exactly as advised. There will be NO spaces at the start, end, or anywhere within, the name. It is a '''relative''' path from the overall '''root'''. If you have successfully used a FTP tool to transfer files, then (as in ''before image'' above) there should be a reference to the directory in the log dialogue of establishing connection to your website.
#''Username'' and ''Password''
#*In all cases your provider will tell you these two values.(If you set up your own web-server, then you determine these two values in the set up).
#*It maybe, or may not be, the same username and password used for your email, itusername could even be your email address. Again this is case sensitive so type it exactly as advised. Again if you have successfully used a FTP tool, you will have specified username and password for that, so use same values for Cumulus.
#*Cumulus sends these (using standard commands) to the server to initiate a session of contact, and waits for the server to confirm the session has started.
#''Forum URL''
#*This can be left blank, if so then the standard web pages will not include a navigation link with the label '''Forum'''. However, if you type ''httphttps://sandaysoftcumulus.com/forumhosiene.co.uk/search.php?search_id=active_topics'' here, then the navigation link labelled '''Forum''' on each standard web page will link to the Cumulus support forum and will initially display those postings that are most recent. (You might want it to display a particular sub-forum instead, but to keep this description simple that is not explained further). See Cumulus 'Help'.
#''Webcam URL''
#*This is discussed in the Cumulus 1 help, andit canwas becreated leftas blankmany people decided to add an addiitonal web page for mosttheir peopleweb cam and asked Steve Loft to make a link for that.
#*It can safely be left blank if you are only going to use the standard web pages.
#*Other people use it as an easy way for every standard web page to include a link to somewhere else on their web server, a home page, a information about locality page, or a [[:Category:User Contributions|third party]] web page they have added to their web site.
 
== Selecting what Cumulus is to upload ==
Still within the '''Sites/Options''' tab you should see (Picture is Cumulus 1.x.y interface) in the top centre:
 
[[File:Web_settings.JPG | Right]]
=== Cumulus 1 FTP settings ===
#In this 'frame' first click on ''Auto Update'' (so that it is ticked with recent versions of Windows); this tells Cumulus you want it to automatically process the templates and generate web pages.
 
#The illustration (Cumulus 1 interface) shows ''Use active FTP mode'' selected, as Cumulus '''Help''' says, normally this is NOT selected. In active mode, Cumulus is listening for an incoming data connection from the server; in passive mode, Cumulus asks the server if it can establish a connection.
Now we need to select the FTP settings which are still on the Internet Settings screen in the Configuration menu:
#The illustration (Cumulus 1 interface) shows ''Use FTP rename'' un-selected, as Cumulus '''Help''' says, normally this IS selected.
#In this 'frame' first click on ''Auto Update''; this tells Cumulus you want it to automatically process the web tags in the templates, and generate web pages.
#The illustration (in Cumulus 1 interface on left below) shows ''Use active FTP mode'' un-selected as Cumulus '''Help''' suggests. In active mode, Cumulus is listening for an incoming data connection from the server; in passive mode, Cumulus asks the server if it can establish a connection.
#The illustration (Cumulus 1 interface) shows ''Use FTP rename'' selected as Cumulus '''Help''' suggests.
#Leave ''Delete before upload'' un-selected.
#*You may need to experiment with changing these last 3 selections, to find which workswork settings best as it depends on your web server.
#Leave ''UTF-8 encode'' selected (all standard Cumulus web pages use this encoding). This selection is shown in both Cumulus 1.x.y and Cumulus MX illustrations below with red arrow.
#Now look at ''Interval'', this is how often Cumulus will update your website.
#*It has been set in both illustrated exampleexamples below to '''5''' minutes as that is quite good when you first start so you can see all your pages being updated frequently. Typically people set this to 10 or 15 minutes on established sites. It is tempting to change this to 1 minute, but little is gained from this as on most web pages very few figures change that frequently.
[[File:Web_settings.JPG | Left]](Left hand picture is Cumulus 1.x.y interface)
#As part of the Standard set-up you can request Cumulus to provide pseudo real-time data. The blue box in the illustration shows the relevant items for Cumulus 1.
 
##There are now three 'Enable...' boxes for Realtime;
The real time settings illustrated here will be explained later, they are optional for now.
##* if you want Cumulus to upload the realtime.txt file for the 'Flash' gauges on the standard Cumulus 1 gauges page, you need to '''tick all three boxes'''. In reality, the standard cumulus 1 web templates used in this Simple setup only include two ‘realtime’ elements to show wind speed and direction on the gauges page.
 
##*For Cumulus MX, the steel series gauges page provided requires all 3 boxes to be selected.
=== Cumulus 1 selecting files to include===
##*If you are running Cumulus 1.x.y and do not wish to provide realtime data untick the 3 “Enable Realtime” boxes, and comment out the last two graphics on the 'gaugesT.htm' template.
 
##The next selection is the time Cumulus will wait after sending a burst of real-time information until it re-starts for producing another burst of real-time information.
{{Version badge 1}}Next, click on the '''Files''' tab if you are using Cumulus 1:
##*In this example, '''90''' seconds. Consider Realtime carefully -- firstly this impacts on your internet connection as Cumulus will update a very small file on your website every XX seconds. Also, some weather stations only update Cumulus less often (e.g. The Fine OffSet stations are updating every 48 or 60 seconds) so a 15 second realtime update is wasteful and unnecessary.
Next, click on the '''Files''' tab:
What you do here depends on which Cumulus version you are using.
 
== Cumulus 1 ==
 
[[File:SimpleInternet-StandardTicks.png]]
Make sure both “Include Standard” Files and “Include Standard Images” are ticked in Cumulus 1.
 
You have now told Cumulus how to update your web space with the [[Customised_templates#The_Standard_Templates |Standard Cumulus Template]] files and images for the web.
 
 
 
== Optional Pseudo Real-Time Data ==
 
#As part of the Standard set-up you can request Cumulus to provide pseudo real-time data. The blue arrows in the illustration shows the relevant items for Cumulus 1 in the left hand drawing and for Cumulus MX in the right hand drawing.
##There are now three 'Enable...' boxes for Realtime;
##* if you want Cumulus to upload (at the real-time interval you choose) the ''realtime.txt'' file for the 'Flash' gauges on the standard Cumulus 1 gauges page, you need to '''tick all three boxes'''. (In reality, the standard cumulus 1 web templates used in this Simple setup only include two ‘realtime’ elements to show wind speed and direction on the gauges page - it does not need the rest of the information in the file).
##*For Cumulus MX, if you want Cumulus to upload (at the real-time interval you choose) the ''realtime.txt'' file, this requires all 3 boxes to be selected as shown in the right hand illustration.
##*If you are running Cumulus 1.x.y, and do not wish to provide real-time data, un-tick the 3 “Enable Realtime” boxes, and comment out the last two graphics on the 'gaugesT.htm' template.
##The next selection is the time Cumulus will wait after sending a burst of real-time information until it re-starts for producing another burst of real-time information.
##*In this example, '''90''' seconds. Consider Real-time carefully -- firstly this impacts on your internet connection as Cumulus will update a very small file on your website every XX seconds. Also, some weather stations only update Cumulus less often (e.g. The Fine OffSet stations are updating every 48 or 60 seconds) so a 15 second real-time update is wasteful and unnecessary.
 
 
 
 
== Cumulus MX ==
 
Make sure “Include Standard” Files is selected for Cumulus MX. However, you also need to specify an extra file in the table for the steel series gauges page to work:
#'Local filenames' column
#*Use '''Browse''' option to find ''web\realtimegaugesT.txt''
#'Remote filenames' column
#*Here you must type the path to where you want the web page to appear (i.e. where the other web pages are uploaded to) ending with the file name '' realtimegauges.txt''. Typically the path will involve specifying the directory you entered on the 'Sites/Options' tab (see the 'Web Site' settings step 3 for that tab above).
#'Process?' column
#*Select this, as ''web\realtimegaugesT.txt'' contains web tags and needs to be processed to create the remote file.
#'Realtime?' column
#*Select this, as you want the file to be created at whatever interval you have defined for real-time updates (see 'web settings' point 7 above for where you did that)
# 'FTP?' column
#*Select this.
#'UTF-8?' column
#*This is irrelevant for this file.
 
You have now told Cumulus how to update your web space with the [[Customised_templates#The_Standard_Templates |Standard Cumulus Template]] files for the web.
 
== Testing ==
 
# You can force an immediate web update to test your settings by, in File menu within Cumulus 1, clicking Web Update.
# This will display a window of progress as it uploads the necessary files to your web space (or show a failure message). (Within the Configuration menu, you can turn on 'FTP logging' for full diagnostics).
## Once completed the progress display will end with “Logging Out” and you can close the window.
# Open a web browser
## Type in 'your web site' Universal Resource Locator (URL) name, if you were hosting yourself then ''localhost'' is usually recognised. It could be the same as you typed for ''Host Name'', anyway, your provider has probably told you what your web site name is.
## The web server will have a list of file names that specify the order of names to look for to determine the first page to be shown, Cumulus produces a page called ''index.htm'' and (unless you have uploaded additional pages with names that occur earlier in the server's list) that will be loaded,
##Click one of the navigation links at the bottom of the standard Cumulus pages, and the next page will be sent to the browser. Repeat this to look through your complete Cumulus website with your data on the various pages.
 
# You can force an immediate web update to test your settings by clicking '''FTP now''' in MX found at the bottom of the settings menu,, it simply returns a message there when it has run.
=Possible problems=
#* The equivalent is in File menu within Cumulus 1, clicking '''Web Update''' there.
#*# In Cumulus 1 this will display a window of progress as it uploads the necessary files to your web space (or show a failure message). (Within the Configuration menu, you can turn on 'FTP logging' for full diagnostics).
#*# Once completed the Cumulus 1 progress display will end with “Logging Out” and you can close the window.
 
Cumulus 1.x.y while running should create the 9 standard web pages in the local 'web' sub-directory, and upload these to the web space by FTP.
*You see a lot of text, no colours and a bad layout, etc
:You have not uploaded your Core files -- go back to the section above and check your settings
*Cumulus 1.x.y should upload by FTP:
** a moon image (moon.bmp),
**the 3 images wind images (compass.png, windgauge.png, windrose.png) as seen on Cumulus main screen,
**and graphs for 'trends.htm' page (hum.png, humsm.png, intemp.png, intempsm.png, press.png, presssm.png, rain.png, rainsm.png, raind.png, raindsm.png, raint.png, raintsm.png, temp.png tempsm.png, tempm.png, and tempmsm.png;
**optionally depending on settings it also uploads solar.png, solarsm.png, sunshine.png, sunshinesm.png, uv.png, and uvsm.png) from the 'web\images' sub-directory to the 'images' folder on your web space.
 
 
All these can be tested in the same way.
*You do not see your Cumulus Site but another site, an error message or a blank
* Open a web browser
:Check you are uploading to the correct folder/directory on your webspace. There is a good chance you have mis-typed the details in the Internet Configuration section above.
*# Type in 'your web site' Universal Resource Locator (URL) name, if you were hosting yourself then ''localhost'' is usually recognised. It could be the same as you typed for ''Host Name'', anyway, your provider has probably told you what your web site name is.
*# The web server will have a list of file names that specify the order of names to look for to determine the first page to be shown, Cumulus produces a page called ''index.htm'' and (unless you have uploaded additional pages with names that occur earlier in the server's list) that will be loaded,
*# Click one of the navigation links at the bottom of the standard Cumulus pages, and the next page will be sent to the browser. Repeat this to look through your complete Cumulus website with your data on the various pages.
 
=Possible problems=
 
*'''You don't see what you expect, see a lot of text, the page lacks colours and/or has a bad layout, etc'''
:You have not uploaded your Core files -- go back to the section above and check the instructions for your version of Cumulus.
 
*'''You do not see your Cumulus Site but see another site, an error message or a blank'''
:Via your FTP tool ensure that your website has an index.htm file. It should NOT have index.htm'''l''', default.html, default.htm, index.php, default.php This should be removed if necessary
**Check you are uploading to the correct folder/directory on your webspace. There is a good chance you have mis-typed the details in the Internet Configuration section above. See [[FAQ#Directory_related_problems_in_FTP |this FAQ]] for help.
**Via your FTP tool ensure that your website has an index.htm file. It should NOT have index.htm'''l''', default.html, default.htm, index.php, default.php. Any page with such a name can be removed if necessary, or see the support forum for ways to force a server to load your preferred page (using .htaccess).
 
 
*'''My realtime section of the ‘gauges’ page is not refreshing every x seconds'''
:**If using free hosting, they may not permit uploading of ‘txt’ files. Please check with them.
 
 
*'''Is there a log file to help with my problem?'''
:**Yes, you can enable FTP logging and then examine the file whichthat will have more detail on any issues. It may also be useful to upload the log file to the Cumulus Support Forum when asking for help. More on [[Ftplog.txt]]
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