Cloudbase CU script ex Bashewa

[kapo]

My cloudbase seems to be in night time all the time... What should be wrong. I have set timezone: "Europe/Helsinki" , but it seems that script dosen't change background image betw. night / day ? any suggestioins? Now it is 15:37 in afternoon: http://www.kapo511.net/index.php

[BCJKiwi]

The test routine http://www.kapo511.net/cloudbase.php?test=3 does generate a night background.
Night is determined by the value of !$isdaylight which comes from realtime.txt.
If you add/remove the ! at line 992 you should see the background change.
Perhaps this value in realtime.txt is not updating?

[kapo]

Hi
Yes, after 21.05.2013 that <#isdaylight> has stopped to update. What have I done wrong now? I haven't notice that till You mentioned it. My realtime.txt is saved in mySQL for 4 days limit. And from there I found that after 21.05.2013 it is null (0) all time. Who could say what I must to do that it starts to update again?

regards:
-kapo-

[steve]

On the Cumulus main screen, do the times for dawn and dusk look OK? Are you perhaps in twilight all the time now (so you have no dawn and dusk)? The code checks for this, but perhaps it doesn't work.

[kapo]

Cumulus234.png

Main Console today @ 11:08 :

[steve]

Thanks, I see what the problem is, it's because dusk is after midnight and my calculation goes wrong. I'll work out a fix.

[steve]

Fixed in build 1078, just uploaded.

[JennyLeez]

I have kept my mouth shut up until now but the fact that the members of this Cumulus forum may never see the final completed "official" version of the Cloud Base Height PHP script (also known as the graphic "cloudbase" script) is of concern to me.

Sorry BCJKiwi/Brian, you are not going to like this but our Cumulus forum members using (or trying to use) the "cloudbase" script need to be aware that they have been offered a very old, incomplete, unsupported beta version of the "cloudbase" script.

I could not believe my eyes when you made this beta version available four weeks ago. The version that you have seen fit to release to our Cumulus members had been modified to help you and you alone not for you to release. After you made contact with Ray at the end of last year, Ray began work on the "cloudbase" script once again with the aim to make it more compatible with the PHP/Ajax Template set as well as the stand alone versions of Cumulus web sites, Weather Display web sites and sites such as mine.

I too had been testing the "cloudbase" script for Ray as I have on many occasions through the years with different weather enhancements. My Cumulus installation powers both a PHP/Ajax Template set and a basic HTML built weather site, hence I am able to run tests using both the "cumluswebtags" and the "CUtags" and, not forgetting, the unusual configuration for the southern hemisphere

BCJKiwi you jumped the gun releasing that beta version 3.23. This was a work in progress by Ray and definitely not ready for release. I don’t understand how you could make this script available not only when it was not error/bug free but also when the coder from the previous version was actually modifying it. BCJKiwi you had no right to personally redistribute a script that was not yours to start with.

This has nothing to do with copyright or that it was free software and could be distributed under the terms of the GNU license that you have quoted on page 1 of this thread. What it has got to do with is simple plain ‘Principle’.

Was Ray asked if his version 3.23 of the “cloudbase” script could be released ( redistributed ) ? If you did, did you receive confirmation from Ray allowing you to publicly release a beta version of the script?

Well, I can attest that you did not! I am sure, as, at the time, Ray and I were dealing with a few issues that had arisen from improvements with the day/night images. You stated there was ‘no request not to re-distribute’. Incredible! Did you really need to be told this!!!! You were asked to remove it and you have chosen not to.

Version 3.23 was in beta testing in the middle of October. Since then I have tested 21 more beta (improved) versions with the latest, release 3.44, going very well. The latest release, version 3.44, has many modifications and improvements. It is now a breeze to set up and has the flexibility to run with any template and with the added language file, any language. I am also finding it to be far more accurate (recent tweaks with the way the height is calculated).

The reason I am posting this 4 weeks later is because I have just found out the Cumulus cloudbase users will never see it and need to be aware of why. Unfortunately, Ray will never upload nor release the source code for the "cloudbase" script to the Cumulus forum members - the copyright has been changed (the GNU license removed) and the "cloudbase" script has lost its rights for public redistribution and this saddens me.

Ray has been a huge help to many of us here, including myself, giving his time freely and writing/modifying scripts when needed. In my opinion, Ray’s work is going to be an enormous loss to our Cumulus members and this situation did not need to have happened.

Cheers
Jenny

[kapo]

But what about us ordinary Cumulus users who do not know anything about this development? What do you think, for example, I myself am just getting started in this hobby and I'm looking for different ideas from other experienced users of the website. I found this picture of the cloud level of your pages for the first time and I have ever since been looking for this script. Then this script is imported as a Christmas present, at least for me, here in the forum for download. Am I and the rest of us no professionals have done something infringement of copyright law? Do I have to remove the script from your my webpage? This script quality and level are sufficient, at least for me. I do not see the need for this more complete script. But I will take it off my website immediately if I have been somehow abused or violated in this case, someone who is developing this. I've done it completely ignorance. And I'm very sorry for my actions. And I most humbly apologize. This "weatherhobby" has a nice touch to these Finnish long dark winter nights. I did not know before, that this hobby is a serious hustle .... Probably I need to start looking for a new hobby not so serious for winter evenings. Fortunately, I have the summer time that motorcycling as my hobby. On a beautiful summer evening cruising in fine summer landscape here in the country of thousands of lakes, not a cloudbase scripts, press the view ....


-kapo-

[N0BGS]

I don't know Ray, but I do know that in his posts in this forum regarding the cloudbase scripts he appears small and childish. He is like the whining schoolyard child who threatens to take his ball and go home when things don't go his way. Apparently, now he has. There is no one else in this forum with that attitude. Only him.

Oh well...

BTW, "open source" means open source, Jenny. Don't like that? Don't release your code as such.

--Kurt

[saratogaWX]

I find the

Unfortunately, Ray will never upload nor release the source code for the "cloudbase" script to the Cumulus forum members - the copyright has been changed (the GNU license removed) and the "cloudbase" script has lost its rights for public redistribution and this saddens me.

a bit strange and also contrary to the original GNU license.

Once code is released with a GNU license you may modify/improve it, but the GNU license (and attributions) must remain -- changing it to straight copyright violates the GNU license. You can't just make something you got for free copyrighted as your own work when it is, in fact, a derivative work in the first place.

The challenge for all weather website hobbyists is always:
1) where is the neat script to offer on my website?
2) will there be support for it if I have issues?
3) will the author stick around to improve/enhance it in the future?

Unfortunately, some of the authors (like Ranier/Bashewa weather) have not maintained their efforts and others have taken up the tasks (or the software has just faded out of usage).

I, too, have worked with Ray in the past, but we had to part company due to irreconcilable differences in coding/architecture ground rules for the then WD/AJAX/PHP-Canada multilingual template set. Ray has been helpful sorting issues with scripts, but AFAIK, is not releasing his unique mods/scripts outside a few postings on this forum -- there is no 'scripts page' on his primary websites.

I am somewhat appalled that he would attempt to copyright something derived from open-source software -- that is very contrary to the spirit of open sharing amongst weather enthusiasts.

For the record, my earliest copy of Ranier's script (V1.9) dates from 17-Jun-2009 and has the following attributions:

################################################################################
# Project: Cartelake/TNET/Saratoga PWS Website templates (WD and VWS) #
# Module: cloud-base.php #
# Purpose: Provides a graphic display for cloud base height. #
# Authors: Rainer Finkeldeh (rainer@bashewa.com) #
# Copyright: (c) 2009 Copyright www.bashewa.com #
################################################################################
# DESCRIPTION: #
# This scipt outputs a 100x200 graphic of the current cloud conditions as a #
# raw jpg image stream. #
# #
# REQUIREMENTS: #
# This script requires one of the following data files: #
# o Weather Display (WD) .............. clientraw.txt & clientrawextra.txt #
# o Virtual Weather Station (VWS) ..... wflash.txt & wflash2.txt #
# o Heavy Weather (WUHU) .............. currdat.lst #
# #
# If you intend using it with any other language you also need the #
# translations in your "language-??.txt" file. See the notes at the end of #
# this script for the required words. #
# Language translations requires the "common.php" script. #
# #
# The following settings in "Settings.php" are used but not required. #
# $SITE['wxSoftware'] = 'WD'; // [ WD | VWS | WU] #
# $SITE['clientrawfile'] = './clientraw.txt'; #
# $SITE['clientrawextrafile']= './clientrawextra.txt'; #
# $SITE['wflashdir'] = './wflash/Data/'; #
# $SITE['metarICAO'] = 'FAJS'; // 4 letter ICAO code for METAR #
# $SITE['WXtags'] = './testtags.php'; #
# #
# GRAPHIC IMAGES REQUIRED: #
# "./images/cb/" ........ background, cloud, windsock & scale images. #
# "./images/cb/moon/" ... moon images southern & northern hemisphere. #
# #
# USAGE: #
# Metric : <img src="cloudbase.php?uom=M" alt="" width="100" height="200" /> #
# English: <img src="cloudbase.php?uom=E" alt="" width="100" height="200" /> #
# OPTIONAL PARAMETERS: #
# uom= [ M | E] ............. set units-of-measure (M)etric or (E)glish #
# all= [ 0 | 1 ] ............ 1=show all elements on picture #
# wind= [ kts | mph | km/h | bft ] .. set uom for wind (also kph or m/s) #
# alti= [ ft | m ] ........... set uom for cloud altitude #
# rain= [ mm | in ] .......... set uom for rain #
# baro= [ hPa | kPa | inHg ] .. set uom for barometer #
# temp= [ C | F ] ............ set uom for temperature #
# humi= [ 0 | 1 ] ............ 1=show humidity #
# cond= [ 0 | 1 ] ............ 1=show conditions #
# cloud=[ 0 | 1 ] ............ 1=always show clouds when sunny or clear #
# metar=[ <code> | empty ] ... get NOAA METAR for given code #
# data= [ en | de ] .......... language of data files ie. clientraw.txt #
# lang= [en | de | fi | nn | sv | es ] ... language to use. #
# test= [ 1..5 ] .............. use preset conditions for drawing picture #
# html= [ 0 | 1 ] ............. 1=output html code for testing, 0=save pic#
# PS: passing any of the above parameters will always override the #
# internal settings. #
# #
# FOR TESTING USE THE FOLLOWING: #
# http//www.mysite.com/cloud-base.php?uom=M&html=1 (current cond) #
# http//www.mysite.com/cloud-base.php?uom=M&html=1&test=1 (..test 1 to 5) #
# #
# CREDITS: #
# Please put the following snipped into your "wxabout.php" page: #
# Cloud base graphic courtesy of #
# <a href="http://www.bashewa.com" title="Bashewa">Bashewa Weather</a> #
################################################################################
# This script was inspired by Ken True's thermometer.php script. #
################################################################################
# This is also a plugin for the original website templates designed by: #
# Saratoga-Weather.org ... AJAX conditions display, dashboard & integration #
# (c) http://saratoga-weather.org/ #
# Ken True <webmaster@saratoga-weather.org> #
# TNET Services, Inc. ... PHP integration and website templates additions #
# (c) http://www.tnetweather.com/ #
# Kevin W. Reed <kreed@tnet.com> #
# CarterLake.org ... original idea and template design #
# (c) http://www.carterlake.org/ #
# Tom <webmaster@carterlake.org> #
################################################################################
# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it #
# under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free #
# Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) #
# any later version. #
# #
# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but #
# WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY #
# or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. #
# See the GNU General Public License for more details. #
# #
# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with #
# this program; if not, write to the: #
# Free Software Foundation, Inc., #
# 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA #
################################################################################
# This document uses Tab 3 Settings #
################################################################################
# VERSION HISTORY: #
# 02 May 2009 V1.0 First release. #
# 02 May 2009 V1.1 Fixed translation issue for non-multilingual web sites. #
# 02 May 2009 V1.2 Added "dry" to the "clear,sunny" match string. #
# Added German match strings for German WD version. #
# 03 May 2009 V1.3 Added extra parameters for overriding specific UOM's. #
# Added $alwaysShowCloud when conditions are sunny or clear.#
# Added $windAlwaysMPH if wind should be in MPH for metric. #
# 03 May 2009 V1.4 Added $arrowColor for cloud height marker (arrow). #
# 03 May 2009 V1.5 Added ?all=1 parameter for showing all elements. #
# 04 May 2009 V1.6 Added $useMetarAtNight for determinig clouds at night. #
# Added $onlyUseMetar for determinig clouds at all times. #
# Fixed altitude and wind speed text overlap problem #
# Added $stationAltitude if you want to display ASL height. #
# 04 May 2009 V1.7 Added $useWDHeight for those who trust WD cloud height. #
# 05 May 2009 V1.8 Added language translations for de, es, fi, nn, sv. #
# Added OZZ METAR download from www.airservices.gov.au #
# Added code for WUHU software (Heavy Weather). #
# Fixed problem with METAR always being used in conditions. #
# 07 May 2009 V1.9 Added $showCloudTemp to show cloud temperature. #
################################################################################
$version = 1.9;

Ken

[beteljuice]

The beteljuice is in agreement with Ken.

OK - there have been many sub-plots and even subterfuge.

It is VERY rare for original code to exist, if at all - eg. who invented the script language you may be using ?

It is unfortunate that dialogue such as this only brnefits those who would censor the web and / or make a charge for even daring to have eg. a graphic in a particular format.

You have all seen (If not actually read) the screens of EULA whenever you install or update something. Do you want every site you ever visit (including yours) to have all that for every bit of resource used before you can actually see or do anything ?

[BCJKiwi]

Well all I will say at this point is that Ray released on this forum previous beta versions;
Release ver 3.15 here:
https://cumulus.hosiene.co.uk/viewtopic.p ... .15#p48458
release ver 3.22 (near the end of the thread) is here. This contained only the php file as all the other files are the same as in 3.15:
https://cumulus.hosiene.co.uk/viewtopic.p ... e&start=30
which anyone can use instead.

[duke]

I too have kept quite about this situation but, I feel I now have to say something and reinforce Jenny's comments above, I have worked closely with Ray now for several years and find him extremely helpful, thorough and knowledgeable. From what I have read and understand, Brian approached him for assistance with the 'cloudbase' script and Ray, as usual, was accommodating and provided not only the script but a modified (beta) version for his circumstances/location. I do not feel that this particular (beta) script should have been made public without acknowledgement from Ray despite the alleged copyright.

This situation is unfortunate and the only 'losers' in this situation are the Cumulus users. Ray has offered 'in depth' technical assistance on this forum since 2009. It is my understanding that he will not be posting here again or offering technical assistance for Cumulus 'web' related problems.

This is a great loss not only for the latest version of the 'cloudbase' script, which will not be released here, but also for his 'in development' technically advanced web sites and other scripts, which had, until now, solely supported Cumulus. All references and Cumulus compatibility is being removed from existing scripts.

To conclude, the copyright on Rays scripts has now modified/replaced to prevent this happening in the future.

However - the official release of the 'cloudbase' script will not be posted on the Cumulus forums - users who would like to the obtain the Cumulus adapted release of the 'cloudbase' script will need to contact Ray directly through his personal/private eMail address (at 'ray@tzweather.org')...

[saratogaWX]

I agree that Ray has shown good assistance to those needing it in the past. He is also somewhat prone to taking umbrage suddenly.

I disagree with the validity of his 'copyright' of the modified code as such an action is contrary to both the letter and spirit of the GNU license under which Ranier (the original author) released the code in the first place. By removing the attributions and 'claiming' the code as his own he has evidenced a petty petulance which is unbecoming. In a like manner, he has become a recluse on this forum by removing his links from his profile signature, and editing his 'flame' postings on three threads to insert '--deleted--' as the content.

I have elected (as moderator) to leave the threads intact here as I believe in preserving the history as accurately as possible so that others can learn from the examples herein (both what and what not to do).

As a software author, I find Ray's behavior regarding 'his' software to be puzzling at best -- if someone writes software to share, then it should be shared freely, and if it is for one's own amusement, not shared at all (even privately). To do a mix of methods is just not understandable to me, and claiming of code authored by another without retaining attribution is just wrong.

Best regards,
Ken