Extra Sensor Files

Introduction

If Extra Sensors is set in the settings frame on the Station settings screen off the configuration menu, files are automatically created with names in the form ExtraLogyyyymm.txt. For example, a file for December 2003 is called ExtraLog200312.txt.

Like the Monthly_log_files an entry is made to the current month's file every ten (default value; you can change this on the station settings screen) minutes, recording the current extra sensor values. The file is in comma-separated format with one line per entry. There is also information on these files in the Cumulus help file, in the section “The Data log file”.

All data is logged in the units which which have been selected by the user on the station configuration screen. Note that 'comma-separated' does not necessarily mean that a comma is used to separate the values! If your PC uses a semicolon for the list separator, that will be used in these files.

Viewing current sensor values

On your computer from View menu, select Extra data screen. This lists all the possible extra sensor parameters, with current values shown where they are in use.

On your website, use the webtags listed here on a template page that is processed by Cumulus to either display current values (this could be the indexT.htm page), or to treat as parameters for feeding graphics as on the 'gaugesT.htm' page. As at August 2013, Cumulus does not calculate extremes for extra sensors.

Viewing Extra Sensor Log files

In the View menu, select Extra data logs, click Load.... The standard Windows File Select dialogue is displayed for the 'data' subdirectory of the Cumulus installation directory. Select the required monthly extra sensor log, click Open and you will see the contents in a neat table with column headings, rows striped, and the date/time on a lighter background. This is a text viewer, and works best when at full screen, but even then you are likely to need to scroll both horizontally and vertically to look at all the figures. If you click on an individual figure the cell will be highlighted, but you cannot edit the figures on a view screen.

If no logs seen, see FAQ: I can't find my data files. Also note, this Extra data logs viewer is only for viewing monthly extra sensor log files (not any other files in the same data directory), the column headings for extra sensor files will always be shown at the top of the screen.

Manipulation outside Cumulus

Any log files for previous months can be edited (outside Cumulus) with Cumulus running. The current month log file can also be edited outside Cumulus, but you must stop Cumulus first.

Tips -- take a copy of the original log file before you work on it outside Cumulus (perhaps give the not to be touched copy a filename of "ExtraLog<Year><Month>.csv").

Edit the original file using an editor that treats all fields as text [either any text editor, a Comma Separated Value editor, or a spreadsheet program that can be instructed not to recognise special field (like date) types].

List of fields in the file

The field number (starting from zero) and the equivalent letter that would be seen in a spreadsheet like Libre Office, Open Office, Excel etc are listed here.

00(A): Date in the Windows short format of either dd/mm/yy or dd-mm-yy (separator is needed, but the symbol is unimportant)
01(B): Current time in the format hh:mm using the 24 hour clock and local time (system time)
02 to 11 (C to L): Ten extra temperature values
12 to 21 (M to V): Ten extra humidity values
22 to 31 (W to AF): Ten extra dew point values
32 to 35 (AG to AJ): Four soil temperature values
36 to 39 (AK to AN): Four soil moisture values
40 to 41 (AO to AP): Two leaf temperature values
42 to 43 (AQ to AR): Two leaf wetness values