Flesh out all available/supported measurements

[infoex-autowx.git] / README.md

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index beee3aac9299edb75ad63c346a64e17b575bba54..4a24833e0e31da342fa4eec23edcbf30f69917f7 100644 (file)
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
 InfoEx AutoWx (IEAW)
 =============
 
-This program fetches data from an NRCS SNOTEL site and pushes it into
-the InfoEx system using the new automated weather system implementation.
+This program fetches data from an NRCS SNOTEL or MesoWest station and
+pushes it into the InfoEx system using the new automated weather system
+implementation.
 
-License under the MIT license (see file: LICENSE).
+License under the ISC license (see file: LICENSE).
 
 Disclaimer
 ----------
 
-Your usage of the NRCS and InfoEx systems is bound by their respective
-terms and this software makes no attempt or claim to abide by any such
-terms.
+Your usage of the NRCS, MesoWest, and/or InfoEx systems is bound by
+their respective terms and this software makes no attempt or claim to
+abide by any such terms.
 
 Installation
 ------------
@@ -31,8 +32,8 @@ This program is designed to be run from the command line (or via
 cron(8)) and administered via a simple, concise configuration file.
 
 This design allows you to run a separate program instance for each NRCS
-weather station from which you'd like to automate the importation of
-data into your InfoEx subscriber account.
+or MesoWest weather station from which you'd like to automate the
+importation of data into your InfoEx subscriber account.
 
 To run ad-hoc (be sure to activate the virtual environment, as detailed in the
 Installation section):
@@ -64,19 +65,20 @@ weather station FTP server and other InfoEx-related configuration
 options.
 
 `[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]`  
+`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 #`  
+`units = # either english or metric -- ignored when type is nrcs #`  
 
 `[infoex]`  
-`host = [InfoEx FTP host address]`  
-`uuid = [InfoEx-supplied UUID]`  
-`api_key = [InfoEx-supplied API Key]`  
-`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]`  
+`host = # InfoEx FTP host address #`  
+`uuid = # InfoEx-supplied UUID #`  
+`api_key = # InfoEx-supplied API Key #`  
+`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 NRCS `station` values
+Finding your NRCS `station` values
 ----------------------------------
 
 To complete the [station] configuration section for an NRCS station, you
@@ -122,8 +124,10 @@ Once you've chosen your elements, combine all of their respective
 "elementCd" values into a comma-delimited string and put that into your
 configuration file as the `desired_data` value.
 
-For example:
+A complete example:
 
+`[station]`  
+`type = nrcs`  
 `station_id = 655:OR:SNTL`  
 `desired_data = TOBS,PREC`
 
@@ -147,10 +151,11 @@ you want to import data. Here are the steps to do that:
    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.
+   station of interest and copy it to the `station_id` 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
+   InfoEx and compile them into a comma-separated list. MesoWest refers
+   to these as 'field names' or 'station variables' and a list is
    available here:
 
 https://developers.synopticdata.com/about/station-variables/
@@ -160,10 +165,12 @@ 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:
+A complete example:
 
-`token = (token id)`  
-`stid = OD110`  
+`[station]`  
+`type = mesowest`  
+`token = # token id copied from MesoWest web account #`  
+`station_id = OD110`  
 `desired_data = air_temp,snow_depth`  
 `units = english`
 
@@ -171,7 +178,32 @@ 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
+A note on supported measurements
+--------------------------------
+
+While this program supports several measurements, and will faithfully
+request all of the ones you specify (provided they're supported), the
+weather station may not record them. In this case, the data will simply
+be ignored (i.e. it will NOT log "0" when there's no measurement
+available).
+
+
+InfoEx provides a mechanism for inspecting your automated weather
+station data, so use that after setting this program up and compare it
+with the data you see in your web browser.
+
+Here's the list of measurements currently supported:
+
+precipitationGauge
+tempPres
+hS
+baro
+rH
+windSpeedNum
+windDirectionNum
+windGustSpeedNum (only supported by MesoWest)
+
+Version history
 ---------------
 
 - 2.0.0 (Jul 2020)