Topic: Daily rainfall total in download.txt file?

[ajr]

Using WeatherLink ver 6.0.3 and have changed settings to update the text output file, download.txt every min.  During a recent rain event the total rainfall for the day was not be shown in the correct column even though it did show on the Davis VP2 base unit and other graphics generated by WeatherLink. 

However we want this info in the txt file and I can not find anywhere in the settings that are causing the total rainfall value to be reset each time the time is updated.

I called Davis and the support person basically said "duhhhhhh? wait... what????"  At that point I had not even found the correct setting in the software to update the file every min and he said "most people don't want that every minute..."

I do know older versions will produce the desired output in that txt file so am hoping someone here might be able to point me to the correct settings.

Thanks

AJ

[ajr]

Does no one have any idea how to fix this without resorting to using different software?

[johnd]

Are you sure that download.txt definitely has a field for daily rainfall total? I thought the column was simply interval rainfall total (which will be mostly zero for a 1-min interval of course).

[ajr]

I am actually not sure of anything!

Maybe that is the wrong file. I am not at work right now where we have this particular system set up.

But I do have access to an old "daily.txt" file from our old system and it did seem to have 24 hr total included. The columns don't quite line up correctly when I cut and paste but it does show a 24 hr total column:

***************************************************************************************************************************************************
8/18/12
Time        Wind Gust     Hum In   Humidity    Temp In       Temp  Dew Point   Barom SL  DailyRain   HourRain   24HrRain
                  mph          %          %         °F         °F         °F         in         in         in         in
12:00am             8         35         95       71.8       72.2       70.7      29.71       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:02am             3         35         95       71.8       72.2       70.7      29.70       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:04am             3         35         95       71.8       72.2       70.7      29.70       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:06am             5         35         95       71.8       72.2       70.7      29.70       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:08am             5         35         95       71.8       72.2       70.7      29.71       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:10am             5         36         95       71.8       72.2       70.7      29.71       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:12am             5         36         96       71.8       72.2       71.0      29.70       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:14am             5         35         95       71.8       72.2       70.7      29.70       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:16am             5         36         96       71.8       72.2       71.0      29.70       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:18am             5         36         96       71.8       72.2       71.0      29.70       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:20am             6         36         96       71.8       72.2       71.0      29.71       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:22am             6         36         95       71.8       72.2       70.7      29.70       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:24am             8         36         96       71.8       72.1       70.9      29.70       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:26am             8         36         96       71.8       72.0       70.8      29.71       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:28am             8         36         96       71.8       71.9       70.7      29.71       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:30am             8         36         96       71.8       71.9       70.7      29.71       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:32am             5         36         96       71.7       71.9       70.7      29.71       0.00       0.00       0.00
12:34am             9         36         97       71.7       71.9       71.0      29.70       0.00       0.00       0.00
***************************************************************************************************************************
I know that there is a separate monthly rainfall file that is created but it would be so much easier to just parse out all the info we want from one txt file.

[johnd]

But I do have access to an old "daily.txt" file from our old system...

That's not a Weatherlink file, as far as I can recall. Either someone has created a script that would convert the content of the WL download.txt file into your 'daily.txt' one (in which case you obviously need to get that script or external program running on the new installation) or it's a different software package altogether.

[ajr]

After snooping around the old PC used for the old weather station I see that they were, in fact, using "Virtual Weather station". The old system was a Vantage Pro and used a "serial" logger.

We now have a USB logger instead.

At this point I am going to recommend purchasing either WD or Virtual weather station. It does look like WD is the way to go cost wise.

Thank you for the help.

Alan

[dalecoy]

It was not clear from your initial question, exactly what things (other than current rainfall today) that you need.

WeatherLink does have "tags" that will provide many measurements, including "today's rainfall so far" - which can be the basis for periodic reports, including in text file format.  And you already have that software - if someone wants to do a small amount of easy customization.

A number of those "tags" are used as data in the rather-simple Weatherlink website uploads - see the left side of this for examples:  http://www.thecoys.net/weather/Current_Vantage_Pro_Plus.htm

Of course, other software may already have exactly what you need, at small additional cost.

[ajr]

That is a nice clear and concise template.

I didn't realize it was possible to create a template to create an ascii text file.

Thanks for that info.

[dalecoy]

That is a nice clear and concise template.

I didn't realize it was possible to create a template to create an ascii text file.

Thanks for that info.

Well, it's a bit "indirect".  You can use the tags to populate a "web" file that just happens to contain the text you want.  A local copy of that file can be used for whatever you wish.  It would take a bit of work by a "programmer" (perhaps a high school student or ....).

If you don't have that kind of local resource, then by all means find a third-party software package that does what you need.  I just didn't want you to overlook a possibility of using WeatherLink.

[ajr]

Apparently we were using Virtual Weather station before to create the files in the desired format. I was not aware of this until I looked on to the old PC.

I think I just may try to get the new VP2 working on the old PC using Virtual Weather station so we don't have to buy it again.

I have seen lots of comments on Ambient's website about running both VWS and WeatherLink at the same time. 

This is not required is it?

[dalecoy]

Not exactly a simple question (given what you have told us so far).

No, you don't have to run WeatherLink while you are running VWS - unless you need to have WeatherLink running for some other reason that you haven't mentioned.

And although I'm not familiar with the license terms for VWS, it's normal for the license to allow you to run software on any one PC.  So, you wouldn't need to run it on the old PC if you just install VWS on the new one and don't run it on the old one.  Check the license, and any installation codes, etc.