Author Topic: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question  (Read 10107 times)

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Offline spatters

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VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« on: March 13, 2010, 09:54:50 AM »
Hi -- I'm a newbie to this forum. I'm hopeful that you can help me.   :-)

I have a Davis Vantage Pro 2 station. I run WeatherLink (v5.7) and VWS (v14.00 p78) and use VWS to publish to my web site (www.spatters.com/weather). I'm currently running the weather apps. on a 32-bit PC, which is several years old. I'd like to upgrade the PC but all new systems seem to have 64-bit Windows 7.

I've read other posts about how VWS will run fairly well on 64-bit, but I also see that WeatherLink is 32-bit only and Davis has no plans to upgrade it. (I also asked them about this in early 2009 and was told they have no plans to upgrade it. Seems they want everyone to move to their new WeaterhLink IP, which doesn't support communication with VWS.  Sigh . . . )

I was under the impression that I had to run WeatherLink in order to communicate with the weather station and download its data to the PC. Then, VWS would capture that data and publish it to my web site. Is it required that I run both applications or will VWS do it all? Do I really need WeatherLink? Will VWS communicate directly with the Pro 2 and get the data, etc?

Any suggestions on how to handle this will be most appreciated!
www.spatters.com/weather
Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA

Offline racenet

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2010, 12:44:52 PM »
Welcome to the forum!

You do not need to use both VWS and Weatherlink to communicate with your weather station. VWS will do that all by itself, just fine.

Also, the newest beta version of VWS interfaces with weatherlink IP, so that isn't an issue either.  ;)



Bob
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Offline spatters

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2010, 07:52:24 PM »
Thanks, Bob.

I'm having trouble getting VWS set up on my new system. Hopeful you can shed some light on what to do next.

I downloaded a "fresh" copy of VWS (ver. 14.01 p18) to my new 64-bit PC and installed it. Install went well. I registered it by entering my serial number, etc.

I disconnected my Davis Weather Envoy from my old 32-bit machine (USB connection) and connected it to the new PC.

I launched VWS and started the setup. When I get to the Communication settings window, in the Weather Station drop-down, I selected "Davis Vantage Pro/Pro2/Vue (USB Interface)".

I immediately get the folliwng error message:

"WeatherLink USB:  You must install and launch WeatherLink software to configure this station for USB communication. Run WeatherLink and select Setup / Communications Port from the menu bar and select the USB radio button. After configuration is complete, close WeaterLink and restart Virtual Weather Station. (Both apps. cannot run at the same time.)"

Do I try installing WeatherLink and see if it lets me configure the Comm port, or is there some other way to get by this error message?

Feeling stuck.  ](*,)


   
www.spatters.com/weather
Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA

Offline Weather Display

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2010, 08:31:22 PM »
try selecting serial port if you are using a USB to serial driver
the USB port setting would be for USBexpress mode I would think, which weather link is needed to enable
Brian
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Offline spatters

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2010, 09:12:16 PM »
Thanks. I tried selecting Serial (and TCPIP) and I get the same error message with each. Seems it wants me to use WeatherLink to configure the device no mater which comm setting I select.

www.spatters.com/weather
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Offline racenet

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2010, 11:48:04 PM »
Sure, why not. See if that solves the problem, since that it what it is saying to do.
I do not use the USB interface, so do not/did not have that issue.



Bob

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Offline NDSWeather

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2010, 09:08:00 AM »
Testing V14.01P18Beta on Windows 7 x64, No Install Issues

Don't forgot to change "Data Execution Prevention (DEP)" to "Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only" the top one on the settings window. This is needed on all systems.

On Windows 7 you MUST RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR when you install software. Install VWS then Install WeatherLink 5.9.1 if you have FW 1.90 on your VP2. VWS calls WeatherLink at once every 24 hours, VWS recommends not more then once per day. So yes you do need to Install WeatherLink.


If used:
Note about USB to Serial on x64: I have 4 USB to Serial devices and none have drivers that support Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 x64. Even the Vista x64 drive will not load on Windows 7 x64 and 3 of sites that support their device do not have a new driver ready for Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 x64.

NDS Weather
6153 Davis Wireless Vantage Pro2 FW 1.90 Serial Port
Now Only WeatherLink 6.0.5
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Offline spatters

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2010, 06:47:16 PM »
Did the DEP setting thing. It was already at that setting.

Downloaded Weatherlink 5.9.1, but firmware on my VP2 console says 1.60. Will 5.9.1 work with that firmware version?

Of course, that may not matter. I have WL 5.7 installed on my old 32-bit PC, but I'm also using a Weather Envoy on the PC.

The main console is in another part of the house. It's used as a standalone device; not connected to a PC, etc.

Do I dare try 5.7 on the 64-bit PC. How do I determine the firmware version of the Envoy, and what ver of WL do I use with it?

All this can make a body crazy!  :-?

www.spatters.com/weather
Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA

Offline NDSWeather

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2010, 08:35:29 PM »
Do you have a Vantage Pro2 (VP2) or an Envoy and is it Wireless or Cabled?

http://www.davisnet.com/support/weather/software_frmwr.asp

6153 Davis Wireless Vantage Pro2 FW 1.90 Serial Port
Now Only WeatherLink 6.0.5
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Offline spatters

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2010, 10:29:14 AM »
Here's my current system:
-- Fan-aspirated Vantage Pro 2; wireless. Model #6153. (Has rain collector, temperature and humidity sensors, anemometer. No UV or solar radiation sensors.)
-- Main VP2 console (wireless) is in the family room. It's running firmware ver. 1.60.

For my weather web site I have:
-- Weather Envoy (also wireless) with USB connector attached to a 32-bit Dell computer that's running Win XP Pro.
-- WeatherLink s/w on the 32-bit system is ver 5.7.
-- Virtual Weather Station s/w on the Dell is ver 14.00 p78.

I just purchased a new HP computer with 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium.
I'm trying to migrate the weather s/w and Envoy to the new 64-bit system.

Just downloaded to new HP computer:
-- Virtual Weather Station s/w ver. 14.01 p18. (Downloaded from Ambient's site on 3/14/10.) Installed successfully. No errors during install, but can't establish connection to weather station (Envoy) without WeatherLink s/w.
-- WeatherLink 5.9.1.  Downloaded, but not installed yet. Earlier post in this tread said ver. 5.9.1 would work with console firmware ver. 1.90; I have console firmware ver. 1.60. However, the console isn't connected to the PC -- the Weather Envoy is -- so don't know if this matters.
-- Not sure of firmware ver. in the Envoy. (How do I check this?) I did a firmware upgrade to both the console and the Envoy a year or so ago. Ordered the update module from Davis, did the update, returned the module, etc.
-- Not sure if I should install WeatherLink 5.9.1 on the new computer or try to install WeatherLink 5.7. If at all possible, I'd rather not hose the install and then have to fight Windows to clean it off in order to try a different version.    ;)

I'm sort of at an impass and just trying to figure out the best approach. I plan to call Davis tech support when I get home this evening and ask what WeatherLink s/w should I use for a 64-bit system and see what they suggest.

Any thoughts from forum users is also greatly appreciated!

========

On a completely different note, does anyone else have the problem of the text in the message window on this forum site jumping around when you get to the bottom of the message window? I'm composing off-line and then copying and pasting 'cause it's impossible to type in the message window with it jumping up and down with each letter typed! Just curious . . .  :roll:
www.spatters.com/weather
Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA

Offline spatters

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2010, 09:09:40 PM »
Latest update --

I talked with a very helpful tech at Davis. Here's what he told me to do to get WeatherLink going on the new 64-bit Windows 7 machine. (Lots of steps below, but not as difficult as it may look. I just put in a bunch of details in case it helps someone else wade through this process.  :-) )

  • Install WeatherLink on my new PC using my original WeatherLink software CD. For me, that is version 5.6.
  • The install wizard on the CD defaulted to c:\weatherlink as the directory location for the files (in the root on the c: drive). There's something in the way Windows 7 accesses the files that won't allow the program to work properly if it's installed in the Program Files folder, so the files should be installed in c:\weatherlink
  • Once the install finishes, do NOT open the WeatherLink application yet.
  • Install the latest WeatherLink update on top of this. In other words, run the update install and tell it to also use c:\weatherlink
  • At this writing the latest update version for WeatherLink is 5.9.2, which the Davis tech said is in final beta, but it but should be posted on their site soon. The tech sent me a link to the beta version and told me to download and use it. (The current version that's on their site (http://www.davisnet.com/support/weather/software_sftwr.asp) is 5.9.1. He said 5.9.2 fixes some bugs.
  • Once the update install finished, still do NOT open the WeatherLink app.
  • In order to move my archived weather data from my old PC to my new one, I had to copy and paste the data folder from the WeatherLink program folder on my old PC to the new WeatherLink folder on my new PC. (The folder name should be the same as the station name you assigned to your weather station when you setup your original WeatherLink install. Just copy the entire folder to a USB flash stick, etc., and then paste it into the c:\weatherlink folder on the new PC.)
  • Next, plug in the data logger for your Davis weather station. The data logger for my system is on a Weather Envoy. It has a USB connector, but the tech explained the old 5.6 version of WeatherLink that I had treated is as a virtual serial (comm) port, so it would try to become that again when booted up on the new PC. He said I could leave it that way if all worked or, in version 5.9.1, I could select a new USB setting option if desired. (He had more info about the possible need to update drivers if I switched the setting.)
  • Once all this is done, NOW you can launch the new WeatherLink application.
  • The data logger came up as the virtual serial port and seemed to work okay, so I just stuck with that.

I had previously downloaded the latest version of Virtual Weather Station, so I installed that. The install went fine. I then launched VWS and it found the data logger and downloaded the station data.

Of course, since VWS is a new install all my Internet site settings aren't there, so I'm now trying to figure out how to move the archived data from my old system to the new one. I found and moved most of the old data files, but I'm still having trouble moving my configuration settings -- station name, desktop layout, ftp settings, etc. Sure, I can re-enter all that, but it would be nice to not have to spend another couple of hours dinking around with it to get it the way I had it.  ;)

Anyone have any thoughts on which config files in VWS I need to copy and paste to move these settings?

For now, my weather site is still running on my old PC. I'm going to tackle it again this weekend and see if I can make the switch!   \:D/
www.spatters.com/weather
Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA

Offline racenet

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2010, 09:55:36 PM »
Of course, since VWS is a new install all my Internet site settings aren't there, so I'm now trying to figure out how to move the archived data from my old system to the new one. I found and moved most of the old data files, but I'm still having trouble moving my configuration settings -- station name, desktop layout, ftp settings, etc. Sure, I can re-enter all that, but it would be nice to not have to spend another couple of hours dinking around with it to get it the way I had it.  ;)

Anyone have any thoughts on which config files in VWS I need to copy and paste to move these settings?

http://ambientweather.wikispaces.com/Move+Virtual+Weather+Station+to+one+computer+to+another

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Offline spatters

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2010, 08:23:53 PM »
Success!!

Thanks, Bob, for the link to the Ambient link. That got me pointed in the right direction.

I did have to make a few adjustments here and there, but I finally got everything working on the new PC and it is now updating my weather site!   \:D/

Thanks, again, to all who offered advice and help.  =D>  Much appreciated!
www.spatters.com/weather
Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA

Offline racenet

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #13 on: March 19, 2010, 08:42:47 PM »
Happy to hear that all is well again. We aim to please.  ;)

The support Wiki is chuck full of useful information. Make sure to bookmark it.



Bob
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Offline NCMtns

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #14 on: March 28, 2010, 10:10:25 AM »
I just got a new computer  with windows 7.  I'm having alot of the same problems.  I'm running Weatherlink IP.   I'm not tech smart at all.  If it isn't plug and play I'm lost.  I've given up on trying to get my VWS to work.  I'm back to letting Weatherlink upload to CWOP and Weatherunderground.   If anyone is willing to give step by step instructions or have a link I'd greatly appreciate it.   

Wes

Offline spatters

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #15 on: March 28, 2010, 12:07:27 PM »
Hi Wes,

I feel your pain. Look back at my posts in this thread from March 16 and 18. I tried to document what I did to get my new system running.  Hope it helps!

Steve
www.spatters.com/weather
Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA

Offline BogongBreeze

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Re: VWS and Weatherlink - The 64-bit Question
« Reply #16 on: August 23, 2010, 01:27:47 AM »
I joined to say thank you for this thread and for the detailed instructions, and to share my experience.  (I hope that resurrecting an older thread is okay.) Thanks to this thread I transferred Weatherlink from an old laptop running XP to a newly set up HTPC (on a 2 year-old computer), over Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit version.  The console firmware is fairly old, but this wasn't a problem at all.  The Weatherlink version on the laptop had previously been updated through various earlier iterations to 5.7.1 (the last time I updated it was early in 2007).

The steps I took were as follows:

On the old laptop:
1. Turned off the data uploads from within the running Weatherlink.
2. Shut down Weatherlink and disconnected the console from the old laptop (connected by USB cable using a com port).
3. Copied the Weatherlink folder (the folder was in the root directory) on the laptop to the shared folders on the laptop.

On the 'new' computer:
4. Copied the Weatherlink folder from the shared directory on the old laptop (connected by wireless link over lan).
5. Pasted the Weatherlink folder into the Program Files (x86) folder on the 'new' computer
6. Downloaded and ran the Weatherlink update (v5.9.2) from the Davis website, using the link provided by spatters
 http://www.davisnet.com/support/weather/software_sftwr.asp .
7. Opened the new file and checked all seemed okay, station and data exists etc, then closed it again.
8. Connected the Vantage Pro 2 console via USB.
9. Opened Weatherlink and checked communication port working, and turned the data uploads back on.  (I didn't need to change the com port.)

10. Done and working perfectly - all in about five minutes total time.

EDIT:  Remember to change the path to the template files (in the profile configuration of the internet settings), if you change the directory/folder where weatherlink is stored.

Hope this all helps someone else as much as this thread helped me.  (I can give no guarantees for anyone else  :-P.)
« Last Edit: August 23, 2010, 06:00:29 AM by BogongBreeze »