Reduce configuration complexity

[infoex-autowx.git] / README.md

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 59b8a9ab5be3bfe41cc836b9f661a6c160dfae0a..beee3aac9299edb75ad63c346a64e17b575bba54 100644 (file)
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,19 +52,22 @@ created earlier):
 Configuration File
 ------------------
 
 Configuration File
 ------------------
 

-The configuration file is separated into two parts, the [wxsite]
-portion, and the [ftp] portion.
+The configuration file is separated into two parts, the [station]
+portion, and the [infoex] portion.

 
 

-The [wxsite] values describe which NRCS SNOTEL site's data you're after.
+The [station] values describe which weather station's data you're after.

 See the next section in this README for instructions on obtaining these
 values.
 
 See the next section in this README for instructions on obtaining these
 values.
 

-The [ftp] values describe your credentials for the InfoEx automated
-weather station FTP server.
+The [infoex] values describe your credentials for the InfoEx automated
+weather station FTP server and other InfoEx-related configuration
+options.

 
 

-`[nrcs]`  
-`station_triplet = [The NRCS identifier for a particular SNOTEL site]`  
-`desired_data = [A comma-delimited list of NRCS elements you're interested in]`  
+`[station]`  
+`type = [Either mesowest or nrcs]`  
+`token = [MesoWest API token -- ignored when type is nrcs]`  
+`station_id = [The NRCS/MesoWest identifier for a particular station]`  
+`desired_data = [A comma-delimited list of fields you're interested in]`  

 
 `[infoex]`  
 `host = [InfoEx FTP host address]`  
 
 `[infoex]`  
 `host = [InfoEx FTP host address]`  


@@ -73,11 +76,13 @@ weather station FTP server.
 `csv_filename = [Arbitrary name of the file that will be uploaded to InfoEx]`  
 `location_uuid = [The UUID used by InfoEx to identify your automated Wx site]`  
 
 `csv_filename = [Arbitrary name of the file that will be uploaded to InfoEx]`  
 `location_uuid = [The UUID used by InfoEx to identify your automated Wx site]`  
 

-Finding Your WXSITE values
---------------------------
+Finding Your NRCS `station` values
+----------------------------------
+
+To complete the [station] configuration section for an NRCS station, you
+must fill in the attributes of the NRCS SNOTEL site from which you want
+to import data.

 
 

-To complete the [wxsite] configuration section, you must fill in the
-attributes of the NRCS SNOTEL site from which you want to import data.

 Here are the steps to do that:
 
 1. Find your station by clicking through this website:
 Here are the steps to do that:
 
 1. Find your station by clicking through this website:


@@ -92,7 +97,7 @@ Here are the steps to do that:
    4-digit number).
 
 3. Combine your Station ID, state abbreviation, and the network type
    4-digit number).
 
 3. Combine your Station ID, state abbreviation, and the network type

-   "SNTL" to get your station triplet (`station_triplet`, in the
+   "SNTL" to get your NRCS station triplet (`station_id`, in the

    configuration file). For example:
 
    655:OR:SNTL
    configuration file). For example:
 
    655:OR:SNTL


@@ -101,9 +106,9 @@ Here are the steps to do that:
    of Oregon (OR). SNTL just represents that the station is in the
    SNOTEL network and is used internally by NRCS.
 
    of Oregon (OR). SNTL just represents that the station is in the
    SNOTEL network and is used internally by NRCS.
 

-Once you have your station triplet, fill in the field in your
-configuration file. Now you must select which data you'd like to pull
-from NRCS to push into InfoEx.
+Once you have your station ID, fill in the field in your configuration
+file. Now you must select which data you'd like to pull from NRCS to
+push into InfoEx.

 
 For that, visit the NRCS web service:
 
 
 For that, visit the NRCS web service:
 


@@ -119,13 +124,53 @@ configuration file as the `desired_data` value.
 
 For example:
 
 
 For example:
 

-`station_triplet = 655:OR:SNTL`  
+`station_id = 655:OR:SNTL`  

 `desired_data = TOBS,PREC`
 
 indicates that I'd like to import "AIR TEMPERATURE OBSERVED" and
 "PRECIPITATION ACCUMULATION" from the NRCS SNOTEL site at Mud Ridge, OR,
 into InfoEx.
 
 `desired_data = TOBS,PREC`
 
 indicates that I'd like to import "AIR TEMPERATURE OBSERVED" and
 "PRECIPITATION ACCUMULATION" from the NRCS SNOTEL site at Mud Ridge, OR,
 into InfoEx.
 

+Finding your MesoWest `station` values
+--------------------------------------
+
+MesoWest has great documentation which can be found here:
+
+https://developers.synopticdata.com/mesonet/v2/getting-started/
+
+To complete the [station] configuration section for a MesoWest station,
+you must fill in the attributes of the MesoWest station ID from which
+you want to import data. Here are the steps to do that:
+
+1. Firstly, get set up with MesoWest's API by going to the above
+   'Getting Started' link. Once you're set up, you can copy a token from
+   the MesoWest web portal into your configuration file's `token` value.
+
+2. Next, you will want to find the Station ID for the MesoWest weather
+   station of interest and copy it to the `stid` value.
+
+3. Finally, you must choose what data types you want to push into
+   InfoEx.  MesoWest refers to these as 'field names' and a list is
+   available here:
+
+https://developers.synopticdata.com/about/station-variables/
+
+The MesoWest API supports on-the-fly unit conversion, so that can be
+specified to infoex-autowx via the configuration option `units`. This
+can be either 'english' or 'metric', with 'english' meaning imperial
+units as used in the United States.
+
+For example:
+
+`token = (token id)`  
+`stid = OD110`  
+`desired_data = air_temp,snow_depth`  
+`units = english`
+
+indicates that I'd like to import "Temperature" and "Precipitation
+accumulated" from the MesoWest station at Santiam Pass, OR, into InfoEx,
+and that I want that data in imperial units.
+

 Version History
 ---------------
 
 Version History
 ---------------