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, or
+your own custom data source, and pushes it into the InfoEx system using
+the new automated weather system implementation.
-License under the MIT license (see file: LICENSE).
+Licensed 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
------------
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 get started, copy the included example config file
+(`config.ini.example` in the root source directoy) and modify the values
+for your own use.
To run ad-hoc (be sure to activate the virtual environment, as detailed in the
Installation section):
-`./infoex-autowx.py --config [path/to/config-file.ini] [--dry-run]`
+`./infoex-autowx.py --config path/to/config-file.ini [--dry-run] [--log-level debug|info|warning]`
+
+**NOTE: Specifying --dry-run will not clean up the generated CSV file.**
+This is so that you can more easily debug any issues that arise in the
+setup process.
-**NOTE: Specifying --dry-run will also not clean up the generated CSV
-file.** This is so that you can debug any issues more easily.
+You can also specify `--log-level` as debug, info, warning. The
+log messages produced by the program will try to be logged to journald,
+but if that's not available, they will be printed to stdout. This output
+can be helpful early on in the setup process.
+
+Automation
+----------
Here's an example of a crontab(5) with two SNOTEL sites, each of which
will run once per hour (note that this will activate the virtual environment
Configuration File
------------------
-The configuration file is separated into two parts, the
-[nrcs]/[mesowest] portion, and the [infoex] portion.
+The configuration file is separated into two parts, the [station]
+portion, and the [infoex] portion.
-The [nrcs]/[mesowest] values describe which NRCS SNOTEL site's data
-you're after. See the next section in this README for instructions on
-obtaining these values.
+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.
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 = # mesowest, nrcs, or python #`
+`token = # MesoWest API token -- only applies when type is mesowest #`
+`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 -- only applies when type is mesowest #`
+`tz = # any entry from the Olson tz database e.g. America/Denver #`
+`path = # the filesystem path to the Python program -- only applies when type is python #`
+`wind_mode = # normal or average -- only applies when type is mesowest #`
+`hn24 = # true or false -- only applies when type is mesowest #`
`[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 values
-------------------------
+Finding your NRCS `station` values
+----------------------------------
-To complete the [nrcs] configuration section, you must fill in the
-attributes of the NRCS SNOTEL site from which you want to import data.
+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.
Here are the steps to do that:
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
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:
"elementCd" values into a comma-delimited string and put that into your
configuration file as the `desired_data` value.
-For example:
+A complete [station] section example:
-`station_triplet = 655:OR:SNTL`
+`[station]`
+`type = nrcs`
+`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.
-Finding your MesoWest values
-----------------------------
+Finding your MesoWest `station` values
+--------------------------------------
-To complete the [mesowest] configuration section, you must fill in the
-attributes of the MesoWest station ID from which you want to import
-data.
+MesoWest has great documentation which can be found here:
-Here are the steps to do that:
+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 `station_id` value.
+
+3. Finally, you must choose what data types you want to push into
+ 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:
-Field names are listed 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.
+The MesoWest API supports on-the-fly unit conversion. If desired, 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.
+
+A complete [station] section example:
+
+`[station]`
+`type = mesowest`
+`token = # token id copied from MesoWest web account #`
+`station_id = 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.
+
+Three- versus 24-hour ranges
+----------------------------
+
+By default, this program will fetch three hours of data from the
+provider. This way, if the most recent record has any missing data, it
+can examine the two hours prior, using whatever data it can find.
-Version History
+There are two features which will cause the program to expand the time
+range of fetched data from three to 24 hours. Please be aware of this
+expansion as it may cause a rise in data/API usage.
+
+**NOTE: Only MesoWest stations have the benefit of wind averaging and
+ HN24 calculation at this time, because generally NRCS SNOTEL
+ stations do not provide wind data. HN24 support for NRCS SNOTEL
+ is planned.
+
+### Wind mode
+If you go to submit a Wx observation in InfoEx at e.g. 05:05, and have
+so configured InfoEx, it will take the wind speed, wind gust speed, and
+wind direction, from that hour and auto-fill it for the observation.
+
+Some operations may find it more important to know the averages for
+those values over the prior 24 hour period. Setting `wind_mode` to
+`average` will enable that.
+
+### HN24
+As most stations do not provide HN24 on their own, this program provides
+a configuration option for calculating this. Simply add `hn24 = true` to
+the configuration file.
+
+*NOTE: This is its own configuration option, rather than a new value for
+ desired_data, because it's not technically provided by MesoWest
+ or NRCS SNOTEL.*
+
+Custom weather station support
+------------------------------
+
+This program supports custom weather station data by allowing the user
+to specify the path to an external Python program. The external Python
+program should emit its data in the form expected by infoex-autowx.
+
+This is a powerful feature which enables the user to upload data from
+any source imaginable into InfoEx. Common examples are a local database
+or a remote web page which requires some custom parsing.
+
+Please see the program located at examples/custom-wx.example.py for a
+complete description of what's required.
+
+A note on time zones
+--------------------
+
+This program is aware of time zones via the pytz library. The way in
+which NRCS and MesoWest deal with time zones differs as follows:
+
+NRCS expects the request to come in the appropriate time zone, and the
+data retrieved will be in the same time zone (no transformation
+required before sending to InfoEx).
+
+MesoWest expects the request to come in UTC, and the data retrieved will
+be in the same time zone (transformation from UTC to the desired time
+zone is required before sending to InfoEx).
+
+As long as you specify the correct timezone in your configuration file,
+all will be handled correctly. The list of time zones comes from the
+Olson tz database. See that for more information.
+
+If you specify an invalid time zone, the program will exit and inform
+you of such.
+
+Lastly, InfoEx itself is timezone aware. If you notice that the data
+which makes it into your operation is inaccurate, start your
+investigation with time zone-related issues and move on only once you've
+ruled this out as a cause of the inaccuracy.
+
+Unit conversions
+----------------
+
+Desired units may be specified in the configuration file.
+
+For MesoWest, the desired unit will be passed along in the API request
+and the conversion will take place through the MesoWest/Synoptic API.
+
+For NRCS, this program will do the conversion manually, as NRCS does not
+permit specifying the desired unit.
+
+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:
+
+**NRCS:**
+PREC
+TOBS
+SNWD
+PRES
+RHUM
+WSPD
+WDIR
+
+**MesoWest:**
+precip\_accum
+air\_temp
+snow\_depth
+pressure
+relative\_humidity
+wind\_speed
+wind\_direction
+wind\_gust
+
+**Custom Wx program**
+*infoex-autowx expects a custom Wx data provider to provide at least one
+of the following:*
+precipitationGauge
+tempPres
+tempMaxHour
+tempMinHour
+hS
+baro
+rH
+windSpeedNum
+windDirectionNum
+windGustSpeedNum
+
+Version history
---------------
+- 3.4.0 (Mar 2022)
+
+ Implement HN24 for NRCS SNOTEL stations.
+
+- 3.3.1 (Jan 2022)
+
+ Fix bug in which HN24 values under certain circumstances could be
+ inaccurate.
+
+- 3.3.0 (Nov 2021)
+
+ Implement wind averaging and auto-calculation of HN24. These are
+ opt-in via two new configuration options.
+
+- 3.2.4 (Mar 2021)
+
+ Fix a small bug that allowed MesoWest HS values to flow through in
+ millimeters when metric was the specified unit. MesoWest metric HS
+ values are now correctly in centimeters.
+
+- 3.2.3 (Feb 2021)
+
+ Fix a small bug that allowed a TypeError to be raised with some
+ regularity.
+
+- 3.2.2 (Feb 2021)
+
+ Various small fixes.
+
+ - Round precipitation accumulation values to 2 decimal places.
+ - Catch requests' ConnectionException.
+ - Improve logging output when using stdout.
+
+- 3.2.1 (Feb 2021)
+
+ Fix config validation bug with units and custom Python program.
+
+- 3.2.0 (Feb 2021)
+
+ Implement NRCS unit conversion.
+
+- 3.1.1 (Feb 2021)
+
+ Fix relative humidity rounding.
+
+- 3.1.0 (Jan 2021)
+
+ Implement time zone support.
+
+- 3.0.2 (Jan 2021)
+
+ Use UTC time when asking MesoWest for data.
+
+- 3.0.1 (Jan 2021)
+
+ General fixes.
+
+ - MesoWest wind data (speed and gust speed) units are now transformed
+ from their origin unit (meters per second) to the unit expected by
+ InfoEx (miles per hour).
+
+ - Relative humidity is now rounded to one decimal place, preventing
+ InfoEx from reddening the auto-filled value.
+
+- 3.0.0 (Nov 2020)
+
+ Implement Custom Wx data providers.
+
+ This release enables the user to write their own Python programs and
+ specify them to infoex-autowx as a data provider.
+
+ This in turn enables the user to pull data from e.g. a local database
+ or an HTML page and push it into their InfoEx auto station data,
+ limited only by the imagination.
+
+- 2.2.0 (Nov 2020)
+
+ Add support for Tmin/Tmax values (directly from MesoWest/NRCS).
+
+- 2.1.0 (Nov 2020)
+
+ Adjust precision of certain values before sending them to InfoEx.
+
+- 2.0.2 (Jul 2020)
+
+ Fix issues shown by pylint(1).
+
+- 2.0.1 (Jul 2020)
+
+ Major restructuring, but nothing which should impact the end user.
+
+ - Took the monolithic main () routine and broke it out into logical
+ components.
+ - Improved the names of variables.
+
- 2.0.0 (Jul 2020)
Implement MesoWest integration.
hence the major version bump. Such changes are not taken lightly but
given the desire to support multiple data sources, were necessary.
+ Other minor changes include:
+
+ - New switches: --log-level and --version.
+ - Better documentation.
+ - Expanded supported measurement types (from three to eight, in number).
+
- 1.0.0 (Jun 2020)
First released version. Cleaned up the program and design.
wylark / infoex-autowx.git / blobdiff