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Monthly log files: Difference between revisions
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See [[FAQ#I.E2.80.99ve_just_installed_Cumulus.2C_and_it_didn.E2.80.99t_download_all_the_old_data_from_my_weather_station|FAQ: I've just installed Cumulus and it didn't download all the old data from my weather station]]
Given that monthly log files are used as input for '''updating the all-time, all-monthly (from version 1.9.3), and this year record extremes''', for '''creating missing dayfile.txt entries''', and for '''creating NOAA style reports''', you may have some
'''Here are some issues to consider.''' There are some postings in the Support Forum about importing past data
* Dates and times might need some pre-processing (spreadsheet packages usually have ability to select part of a text string and to cocatenate a number of strings) to convert them to text in the formats mentioned above. (Note - it is crucial in a spreadsheet to treat the date as text; Do not let the spreadsheet recognise it as a date as it might change the format or store as a 'days since X' number).
* Wind speed fields may not directly match to weather station outputs. See, for example ''EasyWeather'' differences in [[FAQ#What_do_the_various_wind_speeds_in_Cumulus_correspond_to.2C_with_Fine_Offset_stations.3F|FAQ: Wind speeds in Cumulus with Fine Offset stations]] and [[FAQ#How_do_I_set_up_recording_wind_speeds_in_Cumulus.2C_with_Oregon_Scientific_and_La_Crosse_stations| FAQ: Wind speeds with Oregon Scientific and La Crosse stations]] to pursue this; or add a post to the Support Forum for assistance.
* Rainfall fields may not directly match to weather station outputs. [[FAQ#How_is_my_rain_rate_calculated.3F | Rain rate]] in field 8 may be generated from the [[Monthly_log_files#Using_Monthly_logs_to_deal_with_shorter_.28or_incomplete.29_dayfile.txt_records_for_particular_dates | workaround]] if unavailable from your station. The daily total in field 9 is since rollover time, and available weather station outputs may need some processing in your spreadsheet to derive this. Some stations output a count of total rainfall, others the total annual rainfall, either of these may be used for field 11. Rainfall processing issues are frequently discussed in the Support Forum, so you may find the solution there or ask there for assistance.
'''The date that Cumulus first started tracking all-time records''' (<#recordsbegandate> see [[Webtags#Records]]), does ''not'' need to be updated for Cumulus to recognise earlier monthly log files in its ''data'' subfolder and to use any monthly logs found in the various '''View''' and '''Edit''' options available from the Cumulus main screen. As <#recordsbegandate> is on the default Cumulus ''recordsT.htm'' template with the label "Records began on", inserting pre-Cumulus data implies you might want to amend that label wording on that template to indicate it is the date that Cumulus was first operational, rather than the date of the earliest tracked highs and lows.
▲'''There are some issues to consider.''' For example, wind directions might be reported as cardinal points (north, south etc) and need converting to bearings in (integer) degrees (spreadsheet packages provide ''look up'' functionality to do such conversions), and dates and times might need some pre-processing (spreadsheet packages usually have ability to select part of a text string and to cocatenate a number of strings) to convert them to text in the formats mentioned above.
If you prefer to edit the start date and keep the ''recordsT.htm'' template label "Records began on" unchanged, the method is to stop Cumulus, and amend the ''StartDate='' line in [[cumulus.ini]] within the main Cumulus folder before re-starting Cumulus, but (in case you make a mistake) back up everything first!
▲Cumulus has various wind speed, temperature, and rainfall related fields, not directly available from weather station outputs. See, for example ''EasyWeather'' differences in [[FAQ#What_do_the_various_wind_speeds_in_Cumulus_correspond_to.2C_with_Fine_Offset_stations.3F|FAQ: What do the various wind speeds in Cumulus correspond to with Fine Offset stations]] and other answers in the FAQ to pursue this; or add a post to the Support Forum for assistance. See the [[Monthly_log_files#Using_Monthly_logs_to_deal_with_shorter_.28or_incomplete.29_dayfile.txt_records_for_particular_dates | workaround]] described below for a way of getting Cumulus to generate (from your newly created monthly logs) apparent temperature, heat index, rain rate, wind run and other daily summary parameters that may not be available from your weather station.
===Using Monthly logs to deal with shorter (or incomplete) dayfile.txt records for particular dates===
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