Create a custom output file/logfile with append

Software Weather Display for Windows
1

Version of Weather Display: v10.37S Build 143
Operating system: Windows 11
Weather station hardware: Davis VP2+
I would like to create a custom output file with specific observed parameters from the weather station that appends data to the file each minute for a specific period of time
What I’ve tried so far:

  1. I started by viewing and following the steps in Brian’s YouTube video “How to create a custom output file/logfile,using custom tags (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfhov8wvA0I)”.
  2. Following those steps created two files: the template file, customtext.txt and the output file, customtextout.txt.
  3. I modified the customtext.txt file via the YouTube instructions by adding custom tags from the taglist.txt file that has these parameters:
    %date%,%time%,%temp%,%dew%,%hum%,%avgspd%,%gustnodpmph%,%dirdeg%,%baro%,%dayrnusa%
  4. The Custom Log Settings I chose in the Log File Settings (Text Files) window are shown in the attached screen capture:
    • Produce a custom log file
    • Update Frequency: Every minute
    • Logged Length For Appended Data: Set data length for appended and 1 hour (60 lines)
    • Append (gets longer) the custom log file
  5. The resulting customtextout.txt is shown here. Instead of sequentially appending the time, the time (red text) and associated data is [randomly] repeated each minute the file updates

8/18/2022,17:12,84.4°F,63.2°F,49,2.8 mph,4,347 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:12,84.4°F,63.2°F,49,2.8 mph,4,347 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:13,84.4°F,62.6°F,48,2.1 mph,2,344 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:14,84.4°F,64.3°F,51,1.4 mph,2,344 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:15,84.5°F,63.2°F,49,1.2 mph,1,344 °,29.956 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:12,84.4°F,63.2°F,49,2.8 mph,4,347 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:12,84.4°F,63.2°F,49,2.8 mph,4,347 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:13,84.4°F,62.6°F,48,2.1 mph,2,344 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:12,84.4°F,63.2°F,49,2.8 mph,4,347 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:12,84.4°F,63.2°F,49,2.8 mph,4,347 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:13,84.4°F,62.6°F,48,2.1 mph,2,344 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:14,84.4°F,64.3°F,51,1.4 mph,2,344 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:12,84.4°F,63.2°F,49,2.8 mph,4,347 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:12,84.4°F,63.2°F,49,2.8 mph,4,347 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:13,84.4°F,62.6°F,48,2.1 mph,2,344 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:12,84.4°F,63.2°F,49,2.8 mph,4,347 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:12,84.4°F,63.2°F,49,2.8 mph,4,347 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:13,84.4°F,62.6°F,48,2.1 mph,2,344 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.
8/18/2022,17:14,84.4°F,64.3°F,51,1.4 mph,2,344 °,29.953 in.,0.00 in.

  1. I tried unticking Set data length for appended in the Logged Length For Appended Data options with the same results.
  2. I searched for a similar issue on the Forum using Advanced Search and found some problems regarding the output file/logfile feature but none with this specific repeating of lines of data problem

Has anyone experienced this same issue and if so, how did you fix it? Do I have any settings incorrect in the Log File Settings (Text Files) window?

log-file-settings.png
log-file-settings.png440×632 22.3 KB

2

I use this but do not set length for append. What happens if you turn off the set length?

Stuart

3

AFAIK you don’t create the file customtextout.txt, it is generated automagically by WD from the template customtext.txt in \webfiles.

4

Stuart: I tried unticking Set data length for appended in the Logged Length For Appended Data options with the same results.

bitsostring: Yes, you are correct, the file customtextout.txt is generated automagically by WD from the template customtext.txt in \webfiles. Once I started creating the custom log file in the Log File Settings (Text Files), both customtext.txt and customtextout.txt were created in \webfiles. The only problem is WD is duplicating the same line of data multiple times in the customtextout.txt file.

5

Wait, hold the phone! I just looked at the customtextout.txt file and it magically (automagically?) seems to have self-corrected itself. WD is outputting the file with no duplicate lines. I didn’t make any changes. Go figure…

8/19/2022,06:49,61.0°F,60.1°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.060 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,06:50,61.0°F,60.1°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.060 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,06:51,61.0°F,60.1°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.060 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,06:52,61.0°F,60.1°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.060 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,06:53,61.1°F,60.2°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.060 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,06:54,61.1°F,60.2°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.060 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,06:55,61.1°F,60.2°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.060 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,06:56,61.1°F,60.2°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.060 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,06:57,61.1°F,60.2°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.060 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,06:58,61.1°F,60.2°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.060 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,06:59,61.1°F,60.2°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.060 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,07:00,61.1°F,60.2°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.062 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,07:01,61.1°F,60.2°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.062 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,07:02,61.2°F,60.3°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.062 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,07:03,61.2°F,60.3°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.062 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,07:04,61.2°F,60.3°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.062 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,07:05,61.3°F,60.4°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.062 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,07:06,61.3°F,60.4°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.062 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,07:07,61.3°F,60.4°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.062 in.,0.00 in.
8/19/2022,07:08,61.3°F,60.4°F,97,0.0 mph,0,172 °,30.062 in.,0.00 in.

6

I’ve given up trying to figure some things about WD :smiley:

7

Well, everything was working great and by using the custom text file I was able to create near real-time graphs using Highcharts as seen here: https://novawx.dscloud.me/wxcustom-charts.php.

Unfortunately, Windows Task Scheduler stopped working today on two tasks, and one of them was the Powershell script I wrote to update the webpage! I have about 30 Tasks that run automatically and for some reason this one will no longer run, except manually. Same issue to update this webpage that had been running on Task Scheduler for over a month: https://novawx.dscloud.me/wxrealtime-charts.php. It too no longer runs automatically. Each task had been running every 5 minutes and set to run indefinitely. I’ve tried running the two scripts under Task Scheduler on four computers and the tasks will only run manually. Odd that these had been working and just stopped but all my others are running automatically. So far, I’m stumped even after doing some Internet searches for the issue, but will keep looking!

8

Have there been any Windows updates recently?

9

Yes, and I thought that might be the issue - there was a minor update this morning to all the computers I do a Windows update every Saturday morning). So, I dug out my old Windows 10 computer that hadn’t been turned on for about four months, knowing it would not have any of the latest updates, and the result was the same - Task Scheduler would run the script manually but it wouldn’t start automatically.

So, on a whim, I created a new task with the Task Scheduler Action “Create Task…”, which I’ve never done before. For all previous tasks I selected the Action “Create Basic Task…”, and the task is now running automatically every 5 minutes. Well, at least it has run five times consecutively now.

This makes about as much sense as the customtextout.txt file correcting itself per my previous post! Fingers crossed that the script will keep running…

10

Yeah, never a dull moment with WD or Windows. . . :wink:

July cumulative update for Windows 10 wiped out two of my printers - “Drivers not available”. Had to do a System Restore, delete and reinstall printers. Issue reported to µ$ by me and a lot of other users - but problem still not sorted for August update. So it goes. . .

11

On my WD PC I use a freebie System Scheduler to manage all my task scheduling so I don’t rely on µ$ to do it and it just works, has done for years.

Stuart

12

Stuart,

Would share the name of the freebie System Scheduler? Doing an Internet search, there seem to be a lot out there. If you have one that has worked reliably, I’d like to try it. Although, Task Scheduler has worked reliably for me for years until the other day. And as of this morning, another task has stopped. For years, I have a task that runs a script to check the wxstatus.php page and send me an email so I know the status of the ISS and console batteries plus it checks to see if any of Ken’s template files have updates.

Thanks,

Bill

13

Bill it comes from https://www.splinterware.com/.

Stuart

14

I just downloaded the free version - very simple to setup a scheduled task and at first glance, it seems to have more scheduling options than Task Scheduler and is leaner. I’ll probably try the pro version just to see if it has anything I can’t live without! Thanks for the tip.