Extra Sensor Files: Difference between revisions

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== Introduction ==
Cumulus 1 provides some support for extra sensors that can be connected to Oregon Scientific (e.g. WMR-928) and Davis (e.g.Vantage Pro 2 wireless models can have extra sensors whose readings can be interrogated via the Davis DLL) weather stations. Please note, this is nothing to do with certain [[EasyWeather_Format#Note_on_Models|Fine Offset models]] including solar and UV sensors.
 
<big>THIS ARTICLE IS OUT OF DATE - IT NEEDS UPDATING TO REFLECT CHANGES BETWEEN CUMULUS 1 AND MX</big>
'''NOTE:''' This article may need to be updated by somebody who actually has and uses such instruments. From what I have seen in the support forum, the OS weather stations can support up to 10 temperature and humidity measurements, so that has determined the Cumulus provision. The Davis DLL may be able to cope with up to 8 such sensors, so it will never update all the fields available in Cumulus.
 
'''NOTE:''' This article may need to be updated by somebody who actually has and uses such instruments. It appears from the support forum:
*the OS weather stations can support up to 10 temperature, dew point, and humidity, measurements, so that has determined the Cumulus provision
*the Davis DLL may be able to cope with up to 8 temperature/humidity/dewpoint sensors plus a small number of soil temperature, soil moisture, leaf temperature, and leaf wetness sensors.
 
=== General customisation ===
For Oregon Scientific WMR-928 weather stations, the ''WMR928 extra channel captions'' frame on the '''Display Settings''' screen within the ''Configuration'' menu allows you to change the captions displayed with values for 3 extra channels (see [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_Display]]).
 
For WMR-928 stations (and other ''serial'' stations using the same protocol, e.g. WMR-968) to use an 'extra' channel as your main temperature sensor, set N to the required channel by adding an extra line ''WMR928TempChannel=N'' parameter to the [[Cumulus.ini#Oregon_Scientific_specific:|Station section of cumulus.ini]].
 
For WMR-100, WMR-200 stations (and any other ''USB'' stations which work with Cumulus) replace your main outdoor temperature with an extra sensor by setting N to the required channel by adding an extra line ''WMR200TempChannel=N'' parameter to the [[Cumulus.ini#Oregon_Scientific_specific:|Station section of cumulus.ini]].
 
== Cumulus processing of Extra Sensor Log Files ==
If ''Extra Sensors'' is set in the settings frame on the '''Station settings''' screen off the configuration menu, files are automatically created with names in the form <tt>ExtraLogyyyymm.txt</tt>. For example, a file for December 2003 is called ''ExtraLog200312.txt''.
 
Like the [[Monthly_log_filesStandard_log_files]], for extra sensors an entry is made to the current month's file every ten (default value; you can change this on the station settings screen) minutes, recording the current extra sensor values. The file is in comma-separated format with one line per entry. There is also information on these files in the Cumulus help file, in the section “The Data log file”.
 
All data is logged in the units which which have been selected by the user on the station configuration screen. Note that 'comma-separated' does not necessarily mean that a comma is used to separate the values! If your PC uses a semicolon for the list separator, that will be used in these files.
[[File:Extra_panel.JPG]]You can add a panel to the main screen to display the Oregon Scientific extra channels - by selecting ''Display solar/extra data'' in the General block of the Display settings screen in the Configuration menu. The same selection adds a similar panel in the same place to display Davis solar sensor output.
 
[[File:Cumulus_View_menu.jpg]]On your computer from '''View''' menu, select ''Extra data'' screen. This lists all the possible extra sensor parameters including their units, with current values shown where they are in use. Note - the units are shown beside values and a change was made in v.1.9.4 build 1083 to ensure this screen reflects any change to units while Cumulus is running.
 
=== Adding extra sensor values to website pages ===
For Oregon Scientific extra temperature sensors, their value can replace the main temperature sensor - see [[Cumulus.ini#Oregon_Scientific_specific:]] and set 'WMR928TempChannel=N' parameter appropriately.
 
For Oregon Scientific extra temperature sensors, theirthe value from just one of them can replace the main temperature sensor - see [[Cumulus.ini#Oregon_Scientific_specific:]] and setsee 'WMR928TempChannel=N'above. parameter appropriately.Otherwise extra sensors cannot be automatically included in the standard uploads to web sites without some actions by you.
On your website, use the [[Webtags#Extra_Sensors|webtags listed here]] on a [[Customised_templates|template page]] that is processed by Cumulus to either display current values (this could be the indexT.htm page), or to treat as parameters for feeding graphics as on the 'gaugesT.htm' page. As at August 2013, Cumulus does not calculate extremes for these extra sensors (unless it is the Oregon Scientific extra temperature sensor replacing the main one).
 
On your website, use the [[Webtags#Extra_Sensors|web tags listed here]] to either display current values on your 'latest values' [[Customised_templates|template page]] (this could be the ''indexT.htm'' page) that is processed by Cumulus, or use those web tags as parameters for feeding your own graphics as on the 'gaugesT.htm' page.
 
Any extra sensor monthly log can be uploaded at your usual website update interval, see [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site]].
If you use build 3087 (or later) then MX allows '''ExtraLocal[0-99]=<currentextralogfile>''' to specify in local (or remote after changing the attribute name but using same value) columns to always insert the latest extra sensor log file in the upload command.
 
However, prior to that version of MX, and if you use Cumulus 1, you will manually have to enter the month and yearfor 'yyyymm' if you want the current log, and you need to do this each month, the whole parameter is therefore in format '''ExtraLocal[0-99]=ExtraLogyyyymm.txt'''.
 
As at August 2013, Cumulus does not calculate extremes for these extra sensors (unless it is the Oregon Scientific extra temperature sensor replacing the main one). A script written by you can then read the file into an array or database for further processing. If you are skilled enough, it is possible to write code or queries to read that array or database, calculate extremes for yourself, or draw graphs based on these logged extra values. You might take inspiration from some php scripts available at [https://cumulus.hosiene.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=18096 Forum's Create missing topic].
Any extra sensor monthly log can be updated at your usual website update interval by specifying the parameter 'ExtraLocal[0-99]=ExtraLogyyyymm.txt' see [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site]], unfortunately this will need to be updated manually each month to insert the correct replacements for 'yyyymm' if you want the current log. A script can then read the file into an array or database for further processing.
 
=== Viewing Extra Sensor Log files ===
=== List of fields in the file ===
The field number (starting from zero to be consistent with index used for arrays in programming languages like JavaScript) and the equivalent letter that would be seen in a spreadsheet like Libre Office, Open Office, Excel etc are listed here.
* 00(A): Date inas the Windows''2 shortfigure formatday of[separator] either2 dd/mm/yyfigure ormonth [separator] 2 figure year'' dd-mm-yy (the separator is needed,that butset in the symbolwindows issystem unimportantshort date format (see [[setup]])
* 01(B): Current time in the format hh:mm using the 24 hour clock and local time (system time)
* 02 to 11 (C to L): Ten extra temperature values
 
 
[[Category:Log FilesLog_Files]]
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