FAQ: Difference between revisions

As of 2017, development of both Cumulus 1 and Cumulus MX was abandoned by Steve Loft. Although there have been a couple of patches to change the years listed in drop downs with Cumulus 1, its code is frozen as the relevant development environment is no longer available.  

For some Oregon Scientific models, the temperature from an extra sensor can replace the temperature from the main sensor for processing by Cumulus 1, but all extra sensor values are stored in a series of [[Extra_Sensor_Files| monthly log]] files.  

No other processing is performed for Davis extra sensors, but past values are retained in a series of [[Extra_Sensor_Files| monthly log]] files.  The file [[strings.ini]] is used to customise the description associated with extra sensors.

Cumulus was originally something Steve Loft 'knocked together' quickly when I got my first weather station, simply because I couldn't find any other software anywhere which I was prepared to use. No 'design' went into it, it was really just a prototype. Some of the things I did were just quick 'hacks' that I intended to fix when I did it 'properly'. But I never got around to going back and doing it 'properly', and it was never my intention that anyone else would use it. But I was persuaded to make it available for others, and then to add more and more enhancements.  

So yes, I am aware that some of things that Cumulus does may seem strange, but it is simply not possible for me to start again from scratch, knowing what I know now. And it is not possible for me to effectively produce separate versions of Cumulus specifically for each type of weather station. If you don't like the way Cumulus does certain things, do what I did and write your own software!

{{Version badge 1}}The supplied web page templates are part of Cumulus and will be over-written on upgrade. If you want to create your own web pages, don’t edit the supplied ones, place them in a different folder and use the ‘extra files’ facility. From version 1.8.9, the installer offers the option of not over-writing the web templates; it unconditionally also installs them to a sub-folder of the web folder called 'originals', so you can refer to them if required, even if you chose not to over-write those in the web folder.

{{Version badge 1}}You’re probably running Windows Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8 (or one of the corresponding server versions of Windows). Look in C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Cumulus - note that this is a 'hidden' folder. Ideally, to avoid this situation, you would install to somewhere outside the Program Files hierarchy, as recommended in the readme.txt.

{{Version badge 1}}You've probably corrupted your Cumulus.ini file in the default Cumulus folder. See [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_NOAA]]. It can only be edited either (if Cumulus is stopped) with an external text file editor or (with Cumulus running) using the ''NOAA Setup'' in the configuation menu.  Pay attention to where the quotes are required for the file names, and check that you have an allowed date format (see [[Webtags#Time.2FDate_.27format.27_Parameter]]).

You've almost certainly entered your co-ordinates incorrectly, or not entered them at all - on the station settings screen. You must enter DEGREES, MINUTES, and SECONDS, no other format will work. Make sure to use '''unsigned whole numbers''' for degrees, minutes, and seconds, with a 'W' for your longitude if you're West of the Greenwich meridian (e.g. if you are in the United States), and the appropriate letter for your latitude (N for northern hemisphere, S for southern hemisphere).  

If you are viewing or editing log files at the time when rollover takes place, it is likely that some parts of the daily rollover will fail.  Although Cumulus 1 provides the functionality to view and (except for the data file) update the log files, make sure you have exited out of the built-in viewer or editor before rollover is due. If you inadvertently forget this, the cure of overwriting files mentioned above is applicable if your weather station has an internal log and it is around 2 logging intervals (see [[#Cumulus_takes_a_long_time_to_download_the_data_from_my_Davis_station_at_start_up]]) after rollover. When using an external editor, close Cumulus 1 or Cumulus MX before opening any Cumulus file.

Choosing the wrong station type means individual items of information are not correctly assigned to weather parameters.  Cumulus knows what is at what location for each station type.  

In general, if Cumulus 1.x.x identifies an odd value it will reuse the last good value instead, assuming that the problem will either right itself, or be spotted and dealt with quickly.

'''Fine Offset stations''' are prone to reporting the odd non-sensical value, and Cumulus has the ability to compare successive readings:

*From the '''Configuration''' menu select [[Cumulus_Screenshots#Configuration_Menu_Screens|''Calibration'']] and in the '''Spike removal''' frame you can specify "the maximum '''differences''' between successive values" that Cumulus is to tolerate. See the '''Help''' for that screen, and note that spike removal applies while Cumulus is running, not to catch-up readings from the station's logger.  

The [[Diags]] log often contains useful information for sorting out what has been read, which values have been ignored, and which highs or lows may have been updated incorrectly. Note that automatic backups are made just after roll-over time because restarting Cumulus when there are no logger records to read before roll-over has been known to cause problems. Therefore, the backup to choose might be one with the date before when the problem occured, but remember that any calculations Cumulus makes are based on readings at least every minute when Cumulus is running, but for the catch up period such calculations can only use the readings available at your station's logging interval. Note if you choose a later backup and it does not work, you can always then repeat the 'rewind' with a earlier backup.

Easy - correct today's total using the [[Today.ini#Editing_rainfall_in_today.ini_within_Cumulus | 'today's rain']] editor on the edit menu (select from main screen in Cumulus 1, or find in the MX browser interface).

Note that this method does not work for the Oregon WMR200 station. This station deletes logger entries when they are downloaded, and there is no mechanism for retrieving logger entries for a particular period - it just sends all the entries that it has. You may be able to circumvent this by creating a today.ini file in the data folder before you run Cumulus 1, with just this in it:

Note that Cumulus MX stores some time-stamps '''in ISO format''' (yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss) within '[[today.ini]]', the format example above only works for Cumulus 1, see the article on the log file itself for specifics.

[[File:Badge vMx.png]] However in calculating and updating extremes, Cumulus MX will ignore any monthly log file data prior to the start date set, so it is crucial to make sure the start date is right before you (re-)start MX.

{{Version badge 1}}It really represents "Cumulus began on", so there is an alternative of leaving cumulus.ini unchanged, but editing default Cumulus ''recordsT.htm'' template twice: