Author Topic: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)  (Read 5936 times)

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Offline johnd

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #25 on: February 18, 2018, 03:32:19 AM »
The phone app cannot find my station no matter how I search for it.

What's your station name?
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Offline johnd

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #26 on: February 18, 2018, 05:59:12 AM »
By requiring an account Davis is missing out on a fantastic exposure opportunity.
A lot more people would go there and maybe even buy a station for themselves!

I'm not convinced about this, other than maybe putting off visitors with only the most marginal potential interest. Yes, you do have to supply a user name and password when first registering for an account. But after that simple one-time action:

1. You can have your computer/phone remember your log-in, so that subsequently you just get straight in.
2. It will also remember a default site for you and will present that data immediately on accessing www.weatherlink.com

Try it, it really is simple once past that very first log-in. If you have neighbours who might seriously wish to view your weather data on a regular basis then it's surely not much of a hurdle?

Where I do think there's more of an issue is that you can't post a simple URL eg on your website that will allow anonymous access to your current weather data by a random/transient visitor. Maybe that will change in time.
« Last Edit: February 18, 2018, 09:01:28 AM by johnd »
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Offline Randall Kayfes

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #27 on: February 18, 2018, 03:35:37 PM »
My site name is:

Sky Ranch Arizona

also johnd everything about my computer and me is 24hr time anyway possible to make that one of the settings?

Randall
« Last Edit: February 18, 2018, 03:39:33 PM by kaymann »



Offline dalecoy

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #28 on: February 18, 2018, 04:26:32 PM »

I'm not convinced about this, other than maybe putting off visitors with only the most marginal potential interest. Yes, you do have to supply a user name and password when first registering for an account. But after that simple one-time action:


It's more about the relative inconvenience.

1.  Owners have to supply those instructions to people (relatives, neighbors, etc.).  And then perhaps do some hand-holding.
        Quite different from saying "click here" 
https://www.wunderground.com/personal-weather-station/dashboard?ID=KMOLEESS9#history

2.  Some people are reluctant to provide personal information (email address).
3.  Setup to remember login info on every device used.
4.  Etc.

Not a giant deal, perhaps - but.....

Offline johnd

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #29 on: February 18, 2018, 04:52:38 PM »
It's more about the relative inconvenience.

I don't disagree and, to be clear, IMO it would definitely be better if you could get straight in via a simple URL.

All I was debating really was how much of a hurdle the present arrangement is and, given that most people have throwaway identities and email addresses these days for just this sort of issue, I'm struggling to persuade myself that anyone who seriously wanted to view the data on a regular basis would find this much of an impediment. But I'm repeating myself now so I'll stop!  :-)

@Kaymann: I can see your Sky Ranch immediately by searching on the mobile app. Two things: First, I think there may be some slight delay before a new station gets added to the list of stations. Second, if you're still having problems seeing it on the mobile app, are you definitely using the 2.0 app - 2.0 stations need the 2.0 app and are invisible to the old 1.0 app. If you haven't done so already, you may need to download the new app version - it's the one with a green icon.
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Offline Randall Kayfes

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #30 on: February 18, 2018, 05:18:48 PM »
John thanks for the clarification that green one made all he difference.
I will definitely check this 2.0 app out more closely. What a difference!

Randall



Offline Mattk

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #31 on: February 19, 2018, 03:48:13 AM »
Lets try the real question? Why is Davis forcing this viewer login?

Offline johnd

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #32 on: February 19, 2018, 04:34:41 AM »
Lets try the real question? Why is Davis forcing this viewer login?

There's endless scope to speculate, but I'd suggest a couple of functional reasons:

A major change in 2.0 is the ability to have multiple stations in one account (vs 1.0 where each station effectively had its own account). But if the platform doesn't know who you are then how can it show you the list of your stations (where your list might include stations you own; those that have been shared with you; plus any others whose Bulletin data you like to check regularly)?

You may say that most users only have one station, but remember that the 2.0 platform is intended to cater for all Davis stations including EM, where the use of multiple gateways will be commonplace. And farmers often already have multiple VP2 stations, including Connect units. Once the decision was made that there was going to be one single all-embracing 2.0 platform then it had to be designed to accommodate the more demanding multi-station configurations and hence the same rules for everyone.

Second, 2.0 is a large software project. What you see right now is probably the minimum feature-set that Davis felt able to launch with. There will certainly be major new features in development and one of those might conceivably be be re-enabling single URL access to individual station's data. (Purely speculation on my part, but if there were a lot of feedback from users requesting the return of this capability then it might happen.) But right now I suspect the developers' main focus is on ensuring that the mass migration from 1.0 to 2.0 all goes smoothly in 2-3 months time.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2018, 05:10:58 AM by johnd »
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Offline Randall Kayfes

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #33 on: February 19, 2018, 11:30:36 PM »
Are differences because of WL2 or are they just an updated interface?

The differences have obviously been introduced with WL2, wouldn't be as a result of WL2 but would appear a deliberate part of WL2. WL1 probably could have had everybody create a viewing account as well but that didn't occur however WL2 is a flow on from WL1 learnings?   

Sorry, I was not clear - I was referring to the Saratoga Template...



Offline Randall Kayfes

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #34 on: February 19, 2018, 11:36:53 PM »
Greetings Johnd,

Having the WL2 android app for a day now,I can see it is really jammed packed with all the info I would want in a weather app.  Just missing Moon rise/set :-)

Fantastic

Randall



Offline saratogaWX

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #35 on: February 20, 2018, 12:54:05 AM »
Greetings Ken,

Are differences because of WL2 or are they just an updated interface?
It was because the access point for station data XML was changing V1 v.s. V2, and the V2 access would get stations reporting to either the V1 or V2 sites.  The old access was for V1 sites only.  They also added a JSON return in addition to the XML return.  For Wim and I, the changes were fairly minor.. the data structure returned with V2 was the same as V1 XML.
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Offline Mattk

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #36 on: February 20, 2018, 02:04:04 AM »
Even with WL2.0 each station would have to still have a unique station ID, no difference to WL1.0, correct? Even if an owner has multiple stations under one login it still doesn't explain why every viewer has to have a login, all they need is the URL of a particular station, correct?

Offline wvdkuil

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #37 on: February 20, 2018, 02:58:17 AM »
Even with WL2.0 each station would have to still have a unique station ID, no difference to WL1.0, correct? Even if an owner has multiple stations under one login it still doesn't explain why every viewer has to have a login, all they need is the URL of a particular station, correct?
Not correct, every visitor has to login to  WL.comv2 first, to see any station, even one own station.

Their current design does not allow casual viewers who want to click on a supplied link,.
The use of an iframe to show ones own station data on ones own website faces that same problem. A visitor has to login first.

But their developers are already working on a solution,

Wim

Offline johnd

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #38 on: February 20, 2018, 04:15:44 AM »
Even with WL2.0 each station would have to still have a unique station ID, no difference to WL1.0, correct? Even if an owner has multiple stations under one login it still doesn't explain why every viewer has to have a login, all they need is the URL of a particular station, correct?

Hmm, well. Each station does have its own identifier in the form of its DID (actual or virtual MAC address). But AFAIK there's no mechanism currently announced and implemented that would make an individual station accessible via its DID alone. Yes, you could imagine a URL in the form of just eg www.weatherlink.com/user/DID but that's not apparently been implemented as yet. The station name is now relegated to a secondary descriptive/search role and no longer uniquely identifies the station.

There is what appears to be a GUID/UUID (ie a long ID string of characters that doesn't have any independent meaning) in a station URL but whether that's a permanent link or not I've not investigated; but anyway it's too cumbersome a mechanism for anyone to type in reliably and AFAIK (you're welcome to try) doesn't work around the need to log in. Here's one for instance:

www.weatherlink.com/bulletin/c4f49631-432f-46a9-b852-9cd14d1bf972

though see how you get on with:

www.weatherlink.com/bulletin/ID001D0A800055

(It works for me, but probably only because I'm already logged in to that account. If it should work then don't rely on it being permanent - there are various extra checks in the access URLs that don't appear to be being enforced at present.)
« Last Edit: February 20, 2018, 04:32:18 AM by johnd »
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Offline Mattk

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #39 on: February 20, 2018, 04:39:56 AM »
Johnd, Both those links come up with the same Login screen.

Still fail to see Davis's point on this insistence that viewer only people have to create a dummy login account to simply view/look?

Offline johnd

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #40 on: February 20, 2018, 06:14:17 AM »
Johnd, Both those links come up with the same Login screen.

OK, worth a try.

Quote
Still fail to see Davis's point on this insistence that viewer only people have to create a dummy login account to simply view/look?

As explained upthread.
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Offline wicked

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #41 on: February 20, 2018, 12:45:05 PM »
Not gonna be popular with the "rapid-fire" weather folks.

Is rapid fire not an option with WL2.0?

Offline johnd

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #42 on: February 20, 2018, 12:56:40 PM »
Is rapid fire not an option with WL2.0?

No, it can't be - uploads to wl.com are at most only every minute, which isn't really RF, and data push from wl.com to WU is currently every 15 mins IIRC.
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Offline wicked

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #43 on: February 20, 2018, 01:00:47 PM »
Is rapid fire not an option with WL2.0?

No, it can't be - uploads to wl.com are at most only every minute, which isn't really RF, and data push from wl.com to WU is currently every 15 mins IIRC.

Thanks John.  I currently have my WL2.0 account to get updated every 10 minutes.  And I do see WU is only every 15. 

That said - is there a way to have WU be in sync with me?  i.e. update every 10 minutes (or any interval I choose - even down to 1 minutes)?  Or are the options for date going to WU either 15 minutes or RF?


Offline johnd

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #44 on: February 20, 2018, 01:27:28 PM »
That said - is there a way to have WU be in sync with me?  i.e. update every 10 minutes (or any interval I choose - even down to 1 minutes)? 

No, I don't think so, not via wl.com. As far as I know your only options are to do the WU uploads outside of wl.com (eg Meteobridge Pro could be one option) - probably the best plan - or wait and see if any new features are added to wl.com in the future - not saying that any new features are imminent, but who knows. Equally who knows what the future of WU might be - it could just fade away?
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Offline dalecoy

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #45 on: February 20, 2018, 02:22:00 PM »
That said - is there a way to have WU be in sync with me?  i.e. update every 10 minutes (or any interval I choose - even down to 1 minutes)?  Or are the options for date going to WU either 15 minutes or RF?

Just run the WeatherLink software, and have it upload to WU - instead of (or actually in addition to) WeatherLink.com V2.

Offline wicked

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #46 on: February 20, 2018, 03:23:28 PM »
That said - is there a way to have WU be in sync with me?  i.e. update every 10 minutes (or any interval I choose - even down to 1 minutes)?  Or are the options for date going to WU either 15 minutes or RF?

Just run the WeatherLink software, and have it upload to WU - instead of (or actually in addition to) WeatherLink.com V2.

Was hoping to use one software solution (WL2.0) vs using and managing two along with the dedicated PC associated with WL6. Hopefully Davis will add a RF option to the WU settings page.

Offline Randall Kayfes

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #47 on: February 24, 2018, 09:20:42 AM »
Well I am content with the new routine:
WL6. does the talking to my station and then WL6 talks to CWOP's and WL2.
WL2 then talks to WU but not to CWOPS - not yet anyway.

My cell phone talks to WL2 and NWS.
If the WL2 app had a tug refresh and a full width widget I could drop the NWS Widget...

Because of the registration issue I tell my neighbors to use the NWS Widget or WU widget - their choice.

Davis has definitely pulled out of the shoulder lane and is now travelling in the HOV Express lane on the internet highway.

PS - Does anyone know of the WL2 to CWOP's time interval and is it reliable enough to let WL2 do the heavy lifting there?

Randall



Offline wicked

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #48 on: February 24, 2018, 10:31:18 AM »


PS - Does anyone know of the WL2 to CWOP's time interval and is it reliable enough to let WL2 do the heavy lifting there?

Randall

I am using WL2 to CWOP reliably. Not sure of the interval. I can do some digging to see

Offline Randall Kayfes

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Re: WeatherLink.com 2 vs. WL(PC)
« Reply #49 on: April 11, 2018, 09:41:09 PM »


PS - Does anyone know of the WL2 to CWOP's time interval and is it reliable enough to let WL2 do the heavy lifting there?

Randall

I am using WL2 to CWOP reliably. Not sure of the interval. I can do some digging to see

I switched it over to WL2.0 so now the topography is WLPC > WL2.0 > WU & CWOPS & Cell Phone.
Everything seems reliable enough.

Randall