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<big>Please note this page was created 13 June 2021. This new page was created to reflect parameters added to Cumulus.ini in releases 3.8.0, 3.9.2, 3.10.0, and 3.12.0
MX has been developed very dramatically by Mark Crossley (away from the beta begun by Steve Loft) and as a consequence the "Cumulus.ini" file content has considerable differences between current MX and the original 3.0.0 beta. Therefore, the decision was taken to abandon maintaining the page previously called "Cumulus.ini" and start again with a brand new empty page!</big>▼
Since this page describes a file whose content frequently changes, this page may be out of date, unless somebody bothers to update it for every change.
=Purpose of Cumulus.ini file=▼
This is a text file containing initialization parameters. {{Template:Version badge Mx}}This page covers those used by the Cumulus MX software application.
If you are interested in the editing history, associated with the page that previously was called "Cumulus.ini", and some information describing how it was previously used, the old page was moved (before this page was created) so that the editing history of that former page is now preserved at [[Cumulus.ini_(preserving_history)]]. That page also expands on the above summary of why that old page was replaced by this new page.▼
For MX there can only to be one '''Cumulus.ini''' file, and it must be stored in the same folder as the executable "CumulusMX.exe".
[[Category:Configuration Files]]▼
▲{{Template:WorkInProgressBanner}}{{Template:Version badge Mx}}
The configuration settings in '''Cumulus.ini''' have the following main purposes (this list may be incomplete): ▼
▲=Purpose of Cumulus.ini file=
* Identify which weather station type MX is to read, and settings related to that model▼
* Identify which [[Calculate_Missing_Values#Some_definitions|derivatives]] are source ones (read directly from weather station and converted to your preferred units) and which derivatives MX is to calculate for you.▼
* Identify where you want MX to output to (options include external web sites, and database tables)▼
* Control what is output to those destinations, to the extent that each can be configured
== Why does this Wiki now contain multiple pages describing "Cumulus.ini"?==
▲[[Category:Configuration Files]]
▲The configuration settings in '''Cumulus.ini''' have the following main purposes (this list may be incomplete):
MX has been developed very dramatically by Mark Crossley:
▲*Identify which weather station type MX is to read, and settings related to that model
# There were minor differences between the legacy (ending in 1.9.4) [[Cumulus.ini (Cumulus 1)|the cumulus.ini documentation has been moved to here]] and the original 3.0.0 beta (previously documented on [[Cumulus.ini (Beta)]] page)
▲*Identify which [[Calculate_Missing_Values#Some_definitions|derivatives]] are source ones (read directly from weather station and converted to your preferred units) and which derivatives MX is to calculate for you.
# The dramatic development of MX produced considerable differences between that original MX beta and the configuration that applied up to 3.7.0 as now [[Cumulus.ini (MX 3.0.0 to 3.7.0)| documented here]]
▲*Identify where you want MX to output to (options include external web sites, and database tables)
▲
▲
== Simplifications ==
The MX configuration is simpler that that used by the legacy software. The ongoing development of MX is making it even simpler, by revising the pages for the setting of all parameters, and the labels/grouping.
It may be worth remembering why the legacy software made life complicated:
# There could be more than one "cumulus.ini" file for the Legacy Cumulus up to 1.9.4, as explained [[Cumulus.ini_(Cumulus_1)#Configuration_File_names|here]].
# The vast majority of parameters (that could appear in the file) could only be edited directly in the file.
#* To simplify the editing in-situ, the author (Steve Loft) recommended that, within the File section you were going to change, you sorted the parameters into alphabetical order, before editing the file.
#* That advice was given because having parameters in alphabetical order would prevent you inserting a parameter that already existed.
#* This would avoid the potential problem arising from the design that Cumulus 1 would ignore any duplicate parameter; (Cumulus would take the first one it found, and that might not be the last one you edited!)
=Structure of Cumulus.ini=
=== An example of why you might edit file instead of using Settings Page===
If (for example) you find the '''Extra Web Files''' editor hard to use, you might decide to stop Cumulus MX and still edit this configuration file directly for changes to those parameters. Given that MX ignores any parameter it does not understand, while editing the file, you can temporary have old and new parameters in the file. All you need to do is prefix those parameters you don't want MX to use with any character you like before the "Extra" in the
==When MX adds new parameters to file==
In theory, there is no reason why you should manually add any extra parameters directly into the file.
If a new release of MX adds new parameters, then:▼
* If the new parameter has a valid default value, MX will work perfectly using that default value. You won't need to know the parameter exists, unless you decide to chnage it, and find out what values it can take either in a drop-down on the relevant Settings page, or in the relevant table below.▼
When this new page was being created, some of the parameters in the file that MX understands, could not be matched to any known setting in the [[MX Administrative Interface|Settings Interface pages]], but it may be a future release will correct that.
▲If a new release of MX adds new parameters, then:
* If the new parameter has a valid default value, MX will work perfectly using that default value.
▲*
* Other new parameters may be given an initial illegal value, because MX cannot guess what value will work for you.
** This is to enforce the need to give these parameter a valid value before MX will allow you to save settings.
*** Sometimes, MX will not do any weather data processing, until these ‘’’missing’’’ values are edited.
*** In other cases, you might not realise that your file is missing one or more parameters, unless you go into the relevant Settings page, and find you can't '''save''' (''Enable'' for Alarms page).
In practice, as already mentioned, there might be a parameter that you need to get MX working correctly for you, but have to add directly to the file as (at the release you are using) that setting has not yet been added to any Settings page.
Before this page actually lists all the settings I know of, let me give an example of a seting with a valid default, and an example of a setting that has an invalid default:
===Example of new Parameter with valid default===
When accessibility was added, its parameter defaulted to the old expand/contract sections design (see first table below).
You can, optionally, go into "Program Settings" or "Station Settings" pages, where you tick the box to get the (more accessibility friendly) selection button alternative.
===Example of new Parameters with no valid initial value===
=How this Wiki page classifies settings=
For a large number of reasons, this new Wiki page is no longer designed around the way parameters appear in the file, as earlier pages with this name were:
# Settings can appear in any order in the file, but it is easier to find them on this page if they are listed alphabetically
# Releases might add new parameters, or remove old parameters, so looking at a file does not identify which parameters need to be explained on this page
The settings interface in MX is being comprehensively redesigned. That means this documentation cannot be organised by the way MX organises its settings pages. The reason is if this Wiki page was organised according to the Settings Screens that applied say at release 3.10.0, that sequence wold be of no use after the settings pages have changed in say 3.12.0.▼
# Releases might add new sections in the file, or remove old sections in the file, so organising this page by those "File sections" no longer makes sense
▲# The settings interface in MX is being comprehensively redesigned. That means this documentation cannot be organised by the way MX organises its settings pages.
#* To clarift that, if this Wiki page was organised according to the Settings Screens that applied say at release 3.8.0, a different sequence might be required in say 3.12.0 because that changed the Settings Screens.
Some classification is still needed to help you the reader find settings, only you can judge whether the grouping here suits you! In creating this page, I have tried to think of a way to group various settings and arranged those groups alphabetically, to make navigation as easy as I can.
Of course if you have your own ideas of a better way to group the documentation here, you are welcome to implement
Within the groupings I have selected, individual settings are normally presented as rows in tables for clarity on this Wiki page. The individual tables can have up to 7 columns so they can explain for each setting:
# MQTT parameters are handled slightly differently, as they did not fit that standard layout
# The mean temperatures, and normal rainfall figures, with one parameter per month, have been presented as text, rather than a table for simplicity
# For the Extra Web Files Settings page, where the settings page uses [[MX_Basic_info#editable_grid|editable grid software]],
|-
|EnableAccessibility=0
| Two places where you can edit this setting:
* (Or) Station Settings → (First tick box)
|Enable accessibility features
|-
| Logging=1
| Depends on release installed:
| * (Releases 3.0.0 to 3.9.8) Close Cumulus MX, then edit Cumulus.ini configuration file, and add a line in the [Station] section: Logging = 1, then restart Cumulus MX.▼
# Alternatives:
* (Releases 3.1.0 to 3.9.3) Station Settings &rarr Options▼
▲
* (Release 3.9.4 onwards) Program Settings → Program General Options▼
▲#* (Releases 3.1.0 to 3.9.3) Station Settings &rarr Options
| Debug logging
| 0 (disabled)
| This adds extra information about data transfers between your weather station and MX
It was introduced originally for Davis stations only, but later (can someone insert here the relevant release) extended to cover more stations.
|-
| DataLogging=1
| Depends on release installed:
| * (Releases 3.0.0 to 3.9.8) Close Cumulus MX, then edit Cumulus.ini configuration file, and add a line in the [Station] section: DataLogging = 1, then restart Cumulus MX.▼
# Alternatives:
* (Releases 3.1.0 to 3.9.3) Station Settings &rarr Options▼
▲
▲* (Release 3.9.4 onwards) Program Settings → Program General Options
▲#* (Releases 3.1.0 to 3.9.3) Station Settings &rarr Options
# (Release 3.9.4 to 3.11.4) Program Settings → Program General Options
# (Release 3.12.0 onwards) Program Settings → Logging Options
| Debug logging
| 0 (disabled)
| This adds extra information about both data transfers initiated from MX, and all the internal MX processes.
|}
* 8 points
* 16 points
Despite what it says in the hint on the settings page, leave at default whichever weather station type you use, unless this actually causes you a problem. The parameter was introduced by Steve Loft. Davis wind vanes use a potentiometer to measure wind direction so send Cumulus a bearing that can vary continuously between 1 and 360 degrees. Fine Offset wind vanes use magnetic switches that depend on the magnet under the moving part selecting two switches in the fixed part for the vane being exactly in-
|-
| UseApparent=1
| NOAA Reports Settings → Output Files
| Monthly filename format
| 'NOAAMO'MMyy'.txt' (note quotes round '''NOAAMO''' and round '''.txt''')
| Here you specify the filename template for MX to use when reading, or writing, monthly reports
| Release 3.12.0
| NOAA Reports Settings → Report Format Options
| Use WHO average or
| 0 (integrated average)
| Simple tick or not
| |||
