Debug.log

The debug logging feature is extremely useful in troubleshooting problems with Cumulus.

File growth and deletion

If debugging is switched off, periodically a message, confirming that as shown earlier, is added to the debug.log file, so it grows in size even when full diagnostics are not being stored.

If debugging is switched on, extensive messages of the format shown are added to the file and it will rapidly grow in size.

To avoid loss (or inaccuracy) of readings being processed from your weather station, it is best if Cumulus is left running, and not restarted except when unavoidable. Consequently, the debug.log file will continually grow in size. If the file is left to grow too large, Cumulus will crash. Therefore, you should delete this file periodically .

File Location, Name and Format

Cumulus 1 creates diagnostic logs in two places:

1. It creates a file called Debug.log in the same folder as where the executable is stored.
   • This file can be deleted at any time as Cumulus does not read from it, and creates a new file when needed
   • The log file is a simple text file containing the time and a description of each event.
   • This file periodically has a message 0000.000 : **** Logging Disabled stored if debugging is switched off.
   • This file will have additional debugging information added, as per example below, if debugging is turned on.
2. It creates a diags folder; diags is a sub-folder of the folder where the Cumulus executable is stored.
   • That diags folder contains up to 10 files named cumulus.~og and cumulus.001 to cumulus.009.
     • cumulus.~og is the current log reporting what has happened since the last time Cumulus was started.
     • cumulus.001 to cumulus.009 represent logs for previous 9 Cumulus restarts, and so do not exist if Cumulus has not been used before.
   • Further information about this is to be found on the diags folder page.
   • Any diagnostic file can be deleted, at any time, as Cumulus does not read from them. Cumulus creates a new file if necessary to continue its logging.

Sample File

An extract from a debug.log file

9168.735 : 14:23:54 Realtime FTP Put attempt
9168.766 : 14:23:54 Realtime FTP local file: C:\Program Files\Cumulus\realtime.txt
9168.766 : 14:23:54 Realtime FTP remote file: /var/www/html/data/realtime.txt
9173.500 : 14:23:59 USB device is plugged in
9173.500 : 14:23:59 request EW data block, written = 9, addr = 000000 
9173.516 : 14:23:59 EW data line 01  55 AA FF FF FF FF FF FF 
9173.516 : 14:23:59 EW data line 02  FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 
9173.531 : 14:23:59 EW data line 03  0A 20 08 25 11 00 00 00 
9173.531 : 14:23:59 EW data line 04  81 00 00 F0 0F 00 10 DD 
9173.531 : 14:23:59 USB device is plugged in
9173.547 : 14:23:59 request EW data block, written = 9, addr = 00DD10 
9173.563 : 14:23:59 EW data line 05  00 3A BF 00 47 97 00 FD 
9173.578 : 14:23:59 EW data line 06  25 00 03 00 0B 0C 08 00 
9173.578 : 14:23:59 Data: 00 3A BF 00 47 97 00 FD 25 00 03 00 0B 0C 08 00 
9173.578 : 14:23:59 EW data line 07  0A 2D D5 00 55 57 00 16 
9173.594 : 14:23:59 EW data line 08  26 00 00 00 06 65 07 00 
9175.328 : 27/08/2009 14:24:00 Minute timer 24
9175.328 : Adding LH entry, ts = 14:24:00 raintot = 618
9175.328 : TD = 0.0833333358168602 Lastval = 618 Firstval = 618 rate = 0

Turning debugging logging on/off

• By default, logging of debugging information is disabled.
• Restarting Cumulus will mean the debug log is off (because it is automatically turned off as Cumulus exits)
• Logging of debugging information can be enabled as Cumulus is started, or at some point while it is running (except earliest builds)

Depending on which version of Cumulus 1 you are using, there is either one or two ways of turning logging of debugging data on and off:

• The only way to turn on the logging of debugging messages in all builds of Cumulus 1, is to stop Cumulus 1, edit the configuration file, and add a line in the [Station] section: Logging = 1, then restart Cumulus 1.
• From build 1003 onward, you can also turn it on/off using the Configuration menu (debug option is included in drop down of that menu).