Vantage Pro Datalogger Problems

Archive Archived Weather Display Usage Questions
,
1

OK. I confess. I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to trying to get WD to work with my VP/Datalogger.

I know there are some problems when the logger file is full, but this problem showed up a couple of weeks ago.

First of all, My VP and computer are within 30 seconds of the same date and time. I am logging at 1 minute intervals. I am using 10.12q

When I re-start WD after having the computer down for a half hour or so, and then restart WD, it loads data from up to several hours BEFORE I shut down WD. This data gets appended to the log and my graphs show time repeating itself, i.e. the time axis says 8, 9, 10, 9, 10, 11 etc.

Today, I had a 1 minute power failure that nocked my usb/serial converter out, shutting down comunications from the VP to WD. Both continued to run, but I got flat line graphs at the last known VP readings.

When I restarted the computer to reset the usb/serial adapter, WD started to read the datalogger from two days ago when I last started WD. I aborted that session and re-started again. Now it read in only the last couple of minutes of data. I then went to the action menu and manually extracted data from the datalogger. This appended to the existing data and I have duplicated records. Actually triplicated since the first time I extracted, it did not seem to work.

When I get the screen to manually extract, there are 3 options. Restart my own custom log, append to WD’s logs, and Restart WD’s logs. I am afraid to use the restart option because I don’t know if that will wipe out all of my logged history. So when I did the extraction, I did not check any of the boxes.

What am I doing wrong? Is there a problem with the extraction process? Is it possible for me to edit the logs and correct my data?

I know everyone out there with VP stations have the datalogger. Oh, I have rev B if that means much.

As of this event, I have unchecked the option to download when WD starts. I figure I will control that manually. But I need to know how to use the manual extraction correctly so the data gets “inserted” into the correct location in WD’s files, and not appended as is currently happening.

Inquiring minds need to know. :?:

2

Do you have the check box for “clear” in the VP download dialog box ticked? This should clear the datalogger after a successful restart and download…

Tom

3
WD started to read the datalogger from two days ago when I last started WD. I aborted that session and re-started again.
If you have one minute archive interval, the archive holds about 2 days of data. I don't think that it is actually downloading the data corresponding to all the times/dates displayed, in fact I think it takes a trial run through the archive before it grabs any data. I ignore the date/time display, just let it do its thing. The result isn't perfect, but it is pretty much OK.
4

When I had the box checked to clear the VP daily, I was getting a spike at 10:07 every morning when it was being cleared. I was told to clear the box to stop the spike.

I used to just let it do it’s thing. But lately, I have been getting graphs that repeat data when I restart, and the log file shows it too. After restarting, and going way back in time, my graphs on the Main Screen looked like Deja Vue all over again. The time axis repeated itself and the graphs did too.

My current problem is that the missing data is a flat line, since the station was off line. When I extract the missing data from the data logger, it appends itself to the old data as if time is repeating itself. All I want to do is overlay the old, missing data with the corrected data, and that isn’t what is happening!!

Check out http://preussweb.com/wdisplay/weather/problemgraph.gif

In this graph, the VP lost communications with WD because the usb/serial converter stopped. I restarted the computer aroung 18:45 and extratec the data logger from 14:05 to current. The data appended. I did not check any of the 3 boxes.

My question is how can I use the manual extract to correct the missing or bad data rather than adding it to the end of the current data?? (It happened again at 2 pm today for over 5 hours.)

5

I see the problem. There’s no way the standard download functionality is going to do this because it’s designed to append data to the data that WD has stored, not replace data that WD stored that happens to be incorrect because the feed was broken. I suspect manually editing the stored data is the only way to do this, but you may have to fix more than one file :frowning:

6

Thanks, Niko. I figured the same was true. Last night, I had better results. For some reason WD stopped running at 3:27:01. That was the current time displayed on the main screen. I could not cleanly shut it down. Ironically, clientrawftp was still chugging along, without getting a new file every 5 seconds. :lol:

I re-booted the laptop after removing a lot of extra hardware. (I had a usb keyboard, usb mouse, and the usb serial port running off a hub. Got rid of the hub and only have the serial adapter. Also upgraded to 10.12r.)

As soon as WD was restarted, I manually extracted everything from 3:28 on and everything looks great! :smiley:

Hopefully my usb serial adapter will not stop running now that it will always be powered by the laptop. (My problem before was a couple of quick power losses during the day which caused the usb hub to shut off the adapter momentarialy. (One around 8:30 and the second around 2 pm.) Both times this caused communications to cease between WD and VP). That was causing the flat-line graphs because WD was using the last readings.

Maybe it should have just stopped logging data since it was not getting any response from the VP. Is there a setting for that? I did see an option to pad out any missed data when weather display starts, but that is set to “no” and wasn’t my problem anyway.

If WD would just stop logging data if it is not getting any response from the VP, then I could restart and download the missed data from the data logger.

7

hi
pretty much back on ship now…after the move

the time/date to add data from is stored in the wdisplay.ini file
as
[Davis download]
hour=
minute=
day=
month=
year=

now, that data gets updated when you exit wd via save and exit
but if it crashes, then that will not get updated
so , i need to change it so that is updated every minute while wd is running

that will fix things for a lot of issues…with data extraction

i will do this for the next version
(but I need to open a new internet account first at this new house (my old one is being used by the station i have running at home)
and I have a VP here in use now at the new house with WD
its great!
but i need to get a solar and UV me thinks
and i need to hook up the web cam still…

8

Welcome back, Brian,

That would be it, not exiting. I am not sure how I shut down. I don’t think WD was hung up, but my short term memory is going. :roll:

Question, there are two exit options, one to save & exit and one to exit. What doesn’t get saved if I just exit? And how about if I just click the “big red X” to close the application? I have found that, with the problems of the full data logger, that disabling the auto extract at start-up and doing it manually from the point I know I need to works pretty well. Normally, the only reason I re-start WD is to upgrade the software. It just keeps on churning…

I have been toying with the idea of adding solar and UV too. But the cost!! I can buy a lot of toys for that money. And I can always use a “Weather Rock” to measure those. Do you use Weather Rocks down there? They are pretty durable.

Also, let me know what cam you decide on. I was looking at one that interfaces directly to my wireless network at home. Would make placing it a lot easier. Let me know when you decide…

9

yes, use save and exit…the just exit was there as a left over from tyring to find the exit bug a while back…

yeah, i am in the same boat about the solar…
but julian got one recently, and it shounded like a good price…

yeah, web cam…i need to extend my usb cable a long way to get to the other side of the house…i guess that can be done ok…

10
yeah, i am in the same boat about the solar..... but julian got one recently, and it shounded like a good price...
My VP solar was $132.85 including shipping, but I'm tempted to build my own for my other station - the davis doc spec gives the connection and voltage output info. The UV is expensive, no way around that :(
11
but I'm tempted to build my own for my other station - the davis doc spec gives the connection and voltage output info.
if you do, please share :wink:
12
if you do, please share :wink:
The sun shines in Ohio 8O There's just no end to what you can learn on here :P
13

try a new 10.12r now :slight_smile: