First big stab at better structuring

[infoex-autowx.git] / README.md

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 781057c750b022c4549bb977c05164db4ddac277..edd134b8ddb6a5d4cfaeff58781d5c1f9ab9f8de 100644 (file)
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ 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.
 
 pushes it into the InfoEx system using the new automated weather system
 implementation.
 

-License under the ISC license (see file: LICENSE).
+Licensed under the ISC license (see file: LICENSE).

 
 Disclaimer
 ----------
 
 Disclaimer
 ----------


@@ -35,13 +35,26 @@ This design allows you to run a separate program instance for each NRCS
 or MesoWest 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):
 
 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
 
 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


@@ -78,7 +91,7 @@ options.
 `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 NRCS `station` values
+Finding your NRCS `station` values

 ----------------------------------
 
 To complete the [station] configuration section for an NRCS station, you
 ----------------------------------
 
 To complete the [station] configuration section for an NRCS station, you


@@ -124,7 +137,7 @@ 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.
 
 "elementCd" values into a comma-delimited string and put that into your
 configuration file as the `desired_data` value.
 

-A complete example:
+A complete [station] section example:

 
 `[station]`  
 `type = nrcs`  
 
 `[station]`  
 `type = nrcs`  


@@ -160,12 +173,12 @@ you want to import data. Here are the steps to do that:
 
 https://developers.synopticdata.com/about/station-variables/
 
 
 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 example:
+A complete [station] section example:

 
 `[station]`  
 `type = mesowest`  
 
 `[station]`  
 `type = mesowest`  


@@ -178,7 +191,48 @@ 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.
 
 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:
+
+**NRCS:**  
+PREC  
+TOBS  
+SNWD  
+PRES  
+RHUM  
+WSPD  
+WDIR  
+
+**MesoWest:**  
+precip\_accum  
+air\_temp  
+snow\_depth  
+pressure  
+relative\_humidity  
+wind\_speed  
+wind\_direction  
+wind\_gust  
+
+Future plans
+------------
+
+- Improve the documentation
+- Implement unit conversion for NRCS stations
+
+Version history

 ---------------
 
 - 2.0.0 (Jul 2020)
 ---------------
 
 - 2.0.0 (Jul 2020)


@@ -189,6 +243,12 @@ Version History
   hence the major version bump. Such changes are not taken lightly but
   given the desire to support multiple data sources, were necessary.
 
   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.
 - 1.0.0 (Jun 2020)
 
   First released version. Cleaned up the program and design.