Realtime.txt: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:CumulusInternetSettingsScreen.png|thumb]] Although not technically a 'log file' it is automatically produced by Cumulus and follows a similar format to the other Log files. <br><br> realtime.txt is a text file with a single line of ''space'' separated values. It contains a list of key values of the sensors and is updated frequently. <br><br> Using Cumulus you decide how often to update the file -- for example every 15 seconds. This is then uploaded to your website and used to produce near instant readings. <br><br> To set how often the file is produced by Cumulus, click on the 'Configuration' menu then 'Internet' (Click the thumbnail opposite)
 
= Introduction =
Note that from Cumulus 1.9.1 onwards, the options for uploading realtime.txt have changed. To get the realtime.txt file to upload, you need to tick all three 'enable realtime' options in the internet settings.
 
[[Image:CumulusInternetSettingsScreen.png|thumb]] Although not technically a 'log file' it is automatically produced by Cumulus and follows a similar format to the other Log files.
<br> Notes:
 
*'''realtime.txt''' is a text file with a single line of ''space'' separated values.
*It contains a list of key values of the sensors and is re-created frequently.
*After creation, it is usually set to upload to your website and used to produce near instant readings.
*The realtime.txt file is NOT a log file and is constantly replaced. It does not therefore contain any historic data.
*The 'interval' sets how often Cumulus produces the file, to set that interval, click on the 'Configuration'and menu then 'Internet', uploadsthen toset theparameter labelled 'Realtime interval' by entering an integer number of websiteseconds.
*Optionally the file can be uploaded to your website, if you want this (and it is usual) select all 3 selectors:
**Enable Realtime
**Enable Realtime FTP
**Realtime.txt FTP
*The uploading interval is the same as the file creation interval.
 
<br>
 
== Special note to Fine Offset/EasyWeather users ==
Weather stations which come shipped with the EasyWeather software (generally known as FineOffset or Watson) should consider the realtime updating with care. The station only updates every 48 seconds, so sending realtime information to your website every 5 seconds is very wasteful. It may be betteraim for a figurerealtime interval of around 30 seconds, that way a visitor knows not to expect updates too often but you also allow Cumulus to catch up to two updates within a minute (depending on when the first and second 48 second update came to Cumulus). ▼
 
== Bandwidth Considerations ==▼
▲Weather stations which come shipped with the EasyWeather software (generally known as FineOffset or Watson) should consider the realtime updating with care. The station only updates every 48 seconds, so sending realtime information to your website every 5 seconds is very wasteful. It may be better for a figure of around 30 seconds, that way a visitor knows not to expect updates too often but you also allow Cumulus to catch up to two updates within a minute (depending on when the first and second 48 second update came to Cumulus)
The file Cumulus uploads is less than 1024 bytes in size, but for the calculation we will assume 1024 bytes, and typically this is (for non Fine Offset stations) updated every 5 to 15 seconds depending on your 'Realtime interval' setting above. ▼
 
<br>
 
▲= Bandwidth Considerations =
 
In order to provide near real-time updates, Cumulus uploads a very small file at regular intervals. Typically this is 15 seconds buy depends on your setting above.
 
Most internet providers now place a limit on the amount of Bandwidth you can consume each month. Bandwidth is a figure representing the data you can upload and download. Doing such a regular upload will impact on your allowance.
 
▲The file Cumulus uploads is less than 1024 bytes in size, but for the calculation we will assume 1024 bytes
 
During a month (31 days) the upload process will consume roughly 175 Mbytes of bandwidth -- this is a tiny consideration as usually bandwidth restrictions from your provider start in the Gigabytes (Gb) range, not Megabytes (Mb).
 
On top of your internet connection bandwidth restrictions, you may also have bandwidth caps on your web server so this same figure should be considered for your webserver.
 
<br>
 
= Where is the file used =
 
The realtime.txt is used by:
*the 2 wind graphics at the bottom of the standard 'gauges' page on the website produced by Cumulus ▼
 
▲*the 'gauges' page on the website produced by Cumulus
*[[CumulusRealtime]] -- the new application developed in [http://silverlight.net/ SilverLight]
*The [[WeatherConsole]] and [[Sidebar gadget]] [[:Category:AddOns|addons]]
<br>
 
= FormatList of fields in the file =
 
{| border="1" class="wikitable"
| 1
| 19/08/09
| Date as ''2 figure day [separator] 2 figure month [separator] 2 figure year'' - the separator is that set in the windows system short date format (see [[setup]])
| date (always dd/mm/yy)
| &lt;#date&gt;
|-
|}
 
== Example of the file ==
 
''(this is one complete line, although it may appear on this page as two or more due to screen width restrictions)''
<br> <tt>18/10/08 16:03:45 8.4 84 5.8 24.2 33.0 261 0.0 1.0 999.7 W 6 mph C mb mm 146.6 +0.1 85.2 588.4 11.6 20.3 57 3.6 -0.7 10.9 12:00 7.8 14:41 37.4 14:38 44.0 14:28 999.8 16:01 998.4 12:06 1.8.2 448 36.0 10.3 10.5 13 0.2 14 260 2.3 3 1 1 NNW 2040 ft 12.3 11.1 420.1 1</tt>
 
== Recreating the file using webtags ==
 
Occasionally there is a requirement from some users to create a copy of the realtime.txt file and have it posted to a location at the normal Cumulus web update interval rather than the realtime interval.
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