Instructions: Installing CumulusMX on Raspberry Pi

[prodata]

Since they are based on different CPUs I very much doubt the SD cards are interchangeable.

On the one hand I wouldn't be at all surprised if 0 and 3 had eg mono configurations that weren't 100% compatible. OTOH some of the information upthread seems to suggest that it should be OK to interchange Pi's unless maybe I misread/misunderstood it?

[prodata]

Hmm. Made another new SD card:

1. Flashed using Etcher with Raspbian Stretch

2. Initial updating etc on Pi 3B+

3. Move to Pi0W and install Mono - took around 30 mins.

4. All seems to be running OK.

[ExperiMentor]

SD cards should be interchangeable without problem between all models of Raspberry Pi. I routinely do builds on a Pi3B+ (so that installs are fast) then swap the card to a Pi0W for actual use.

The only problem I'm aware of is that an "old" card might not work if you try to use it on a version of RPi that hadn't been released when you built the card - it might not support the features that have just been added. But that is avoided if you perform a full update on the old Pi before swapping across.

[prodata]

SD cards should be interchangeable without problem between all models of Raspberry Pi. I routinely do builds on a Pi3B+ (so that installs are fast) then swap the card to a Pi0W for actual use.

All I can say is that this isn't my experience (using recently purchased pi0W, 3B+ and fully updated Stretch). Clearly there must be an explanation for the difference somewhere but I don't know enough about Raspbian or Mono to dig into why. In my systems I definitely need to do the Mono install on the 0W to use it there, though where the install/update steps are done pre-Mono doesn't seem to matter. Fortunately, doing the Mono install on the 0W 'only' seems to take around 30 minutes, which is a slight pain but not too time-wasting.

[ExperiMentor]

Maybe it's something they've changed in the newer versions of mono. I've never had any such compatability issue (which I was actually surprised about).
My comments were based on the 'workaround for Fine Offset USB stations' which needed compilation of mono, which is much more labour intensive than just install. Now that since CumulusMX build 3044 the workaround isn't necessary, things should be faster.

Using

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sudo apt-get install mono-complete

installation of mono (version 5.18) on my Pi Zero W is fast enough that it's not a problem (a lot less than 30 minutes I think - I didn't time it).

As you've researched this and I haven't, I'll take your word for it and move the 'install mono' part of the instructions to be located in the 'after moving to Pi Zero W' section, and indeed downplay the recommendation to do any of the install on a faster Pi.

aside
I just realised we communicated in your day job recently about your supplying a Davis WiFi logger to Switzerland. Now that I know you appreciated my instructions, I'll be looking for a substantial discount!

[DANUCOSUKO]

Hi, I have problems with the change of Windows XP to Raspbian.

I have this hardware:
Raspberry zero w with Raspbian Buster with desktop and recommended software and micro SD 32Gb SDHC
Oregon scientific WMR928N
Serial to USB wire apapter

This software in a Windows 8.1 PC to comunicate with it:
PuTTy to connect to console
FileZilla to transfer archives.

This software in Raspberry Zero W:
Raspbian Buster with desktop and recommended software
Mono
Cumulus MX v3.0.0 build 3050 01-May-2019

...well when I connect the station with serial to usb wire , I connect with PuTTY enter User And Password I write this:

cd CumulusMX
sudo mono CumulusMX.exe

Ireceived this...
Cumulus running at: http://*:8998/
(Replace * with any IP address on this machine, or localhost)

I replace the file "cumulus.ini" in raspberry for the same file in Windows XP and now I received...

Current culture: Spanish (Spain)
Serial: D3708DFF9D118932285CF4F9CC761334
Cumulus MX v.3.0.0 build 3050
Today.ini = data/today.ini
Last update=2019-08-21T13:10:00
Cumulus running at: http://*:8998/
(Replace * with any IP address on this machine, or localhost)
21/08/2019 15:58:20
Type Ctrl-C to terminate
System.InvalidOperationException: Specified port is not open.
at System.IO.Ports.SerialPort.CheckOpen () [0x00008] in <cc2aa03ac5ad4081bf06b 04ddbd6fdb9>:0
at System.IO.Ports.SerialPort.get_BytesToRead () [0x00000] in <cc2aa03ac5ad408 1bf06b04ddbd6fdb9>:0
at (wrapper remoting-invoke-with-check) System.IO.Ports.SerialPort.get_BytesTo Read()
at CumulusMX.WMR928Station.Start () [0x0001a] in <d6033b1cf0324922a46e116d28d8 0723>:0
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context (System.Object state) [0x 00014] in <15c986724bdc480293909469513cfdb3>:0
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal (System.Threading.ExecutionCo ntext executionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback callback, System.Object state, System.Boolean preserveSyncCtx) [0x00071] in <15c986724bdc48029390946951 3cfdb3>:0
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run (System.Threading.ExecutionContext ex ecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback callback, System.Object state, System.Boolean preserveSyncCtx) [0x00000] in <15c986724bdc480293909469513cfdb3>: 0
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run (System.Threading.ExecutionContext ex ecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback callback, System.Object state) [0x0002b] in <15c986724bdc480293909469513cfdb3>:0
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart () [0x00008] in <15c986724bdc4802 93909469513cfdb3>:0
**** An error has occurred - please zip up the MXdiags folder and post it in the forum ****
Press Enter to terminate
Cumulus running at: http://*:8998/

I upload MXdiags Folder to Mediafire and the link is:

http://www.mediafire.com/folder/jayyaqafrfw2y/MXdiags

[freddie]

I get a blank page when I access that link.

From your description of the problem I think it is the port you have specified that is the issue. In Windows, ports are named COM0, COM1 etc. In Linux, ports are named /dev/ttyUSB or similar.

So I would look at the port name used in the .ini file as a first step.

[ExperiMentor]

I agree, the port name will be what is wrong. The filename is Cumulus.ini with a capital C (looks like you just typed it wrong in your post though)

You'll need to use PuTTY to access the R Pi without CumulusMX running (it look like it stops just after those error messages, or press Enter or Ctrl-C to stop it, but otherwise see the last part of my instructions if you don't know how to stop it auto-running at boot).
then

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cd CumulusMX
nano Cumulus.ini

then go down a few lines from the start and change the line that starts "ComportName" so that it says:

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ComportName=/dev/ttyUSB0

/dev/ttyUSB0 is the name on my R Pi Zero W - hopefully the same on yours!
Then Ctrl-X etc to save it and try

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sudo mono CumulusMX.exe

It was brave to try moving the Cumulus.ini for from Windows to R Pi. I hope it works out without other glitches!

[Joe Curtis]

I am not yet out of the woods yet with the Buster version of mono with CumulusMX and a Fine Offset USB connection.
I have been running for some time, first on Jessie with no problems, then on Stretch using the instructions for loading an earlier version of mono shown above. On reading the comment that CumulusMX3050 works with Buster without the need to load an earlier version of mono I decided to upgrade to Buster with a clean install to a new MicroSD although I have copied some files from my Stretch Installation. When I come to start CumulusMX it can't find the Fine Offset but if I unplug the USB connection and then immediately replug it finds the connection without a problem.

pi@Pi3SOS:~/CumulusMX $ sudo mono CumulusMX.exe
Current culture: English (United Kingdom)
Serial: AF40B43F87F9043016E4FF96EF4C8E5A
Cumulus MX v.3.0.0 build 3050
Today.ini = data/today.ini
Last update=2019-08-23T11:44:48
Looking for Fine Offset station
Fine Offset station not found
Cumulus running at: http://*:8998/
(Replace * with any IP address on this machine, or localhost)
23/08/2019 14:38:41
Type Ctrl-C to terminate

pi@Pi3SOS:~/CumulusMX $ sudo mono CumulusMX.exe
Current culture: English (United Kingdom)
Serial: AF40B43F87F9043016E4FF96EF4C8E5A
Cumulus MX v.3.0.0 build 3050
Today.ini = data/today.ini
Last update=2019-08-23T11:44:48
Looking for Fine Offset station
Fine Offset station found
Connected to station
Cumulus running at: http://*:8998/
(Replace * with any IP address on this machine, or localhost)
23/08/2019 14:39:39
Type Ctrl-C to terminate
Normal running

I could leave it running but as soon as I reboot I am back to square 1.
Any Ideas at to what is happening would be useful otherwise I think I'll go back to the earlier version of mono.

[ExperiMentor]

That's an odd one. Hot plugging is usually a bad idea - things are more likely to work if the station is plugged in at bootup. My R Pi reboots every morning at 0258, and I ain't getting up to replug it!

First some nomenclature:
Buster is a version of the Raspberry Pi Raspbian operating system, see https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/

Mono needs you to load the version appropriate to your Raspbian version, see https://www.mono-project.com/download/s ... n-raspbian.
Raspbian 10 is Buster, Raspbian 9 is Stretch.
[I do see from the header that mono now says it's at version 6.0.0.319, though it was at 5.18.0.240 when I updated my instructions - sudo mono -V will tell you what version you have installed]

It was an update to CumulusMX (build 3044 and higher) that fixed the incompatibility with some USB weather stations including Fine Offset - the problem was in CumulusMX, not in mono or in Raspbian.

My inclination though is that Cumulus.ini is a more likely cause of your problem. Certainly, it's working for me using Buster, mono v5.18.0.240 and CumulusMX build 3050.

Suggest you try a clean version of Cumulus.ini (delete your modified version, or [to keep in case want to look at what is in it] rename it so CumulusMX doesn't find it).

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mv Cumulus.ini Cumulus.iniOLD

You'll need to enter all the setup info again in the web interface (units, latitude, longitude and other options)

[Joe Curtis]

I tried removing the .ini file and other things but to no avail. I was still getting the same problem with identifying the Fine Offset on reboot. In the end I have done a complete new setup to a new microSD from scratch and it is identifying the Fine Offset without a problem with the basic Cumulus web layout.

As I have a self hosted web site which includes real time photos, banners and my own layout, I was trying to merge the old with the new and that may have caused the problem. I am in the process of completely rebuilding the web site rather than trying to merge it and checking each stage of the rebuild so hopefully will not encounter the problem again.

Thanks again for your interest.

[ExperiMentor]

You should be OK copying all the web files, templates etc that you created. But you'll need to recreate all the settings (in Cumulus.ini, by amending the 'Settings' via web interface) to tell it which files to process, how often etc.

As you can at least temporarily run using the 'old' Cumulus.ini, I would be renaming the old and new versions, then look at the 'old' Settings, write them all down, return tot he new Cumulus.ini and typing them in again.

[PaulMy]

I have been using Cumulus with my Davis VP2 since 2008. I have also been using a Davis Vue console with WiFiLogger and CumulsMX on PC for over a year.

Taking a huge step... looking to set up a Pi and connect to my Davis Vue console with WiFiLogger2 and run CumulusMX.

The first post here is my starting point and looking for what and where to buy for suitable Pi, Micro SD card, case, adapter for SD card in PC, power supply, etc. While I have read most of posts in this thread as they were posted, it generally was over my head and I wasn't really interested as yet. Now willing to give it a try. Any links to suitable components greatly appreciated (preferably in Canada or North America).

Hope to enjoy,
Paul

[ExperiMentor]

Paul,
I feel honoured that you will follow my humble instructions, as I recognise you as a senior member of this forum who has given plenty advice over the years.

I'm not in North America so cannot give specific advice on suppliers. Raspberry Pi are the same wherever you get them. If you buy a fast one (Pi 3B+ or Pi 4 now!), even though you don't need the power, then you should buy a suitable Pi Power supply from the same supplier. But Pi Zero don't use much power, so any Micro USB power supply will be fine. Buy a brand name Micro SD card - Class 10 is more than fast enough - even 32GB are very cheap now. Depending what sockets your PC has, the Micro SD card may come with an adapter (to full size SD card) or less commonly to USB plug. Otherwise a cheap one from eBay will be fine.The case is cosmetic so take your pick.

I think you can safely ignore all the posts except the first one. Some suggested fixes or improvements, but I edited the first post for these.

Good luck. It's actually much easier than the long instructions seem to suggest.

[MW0MAU]

Hi Steve,

I've got everything set up and working except that I cant get to set up the station i'm using (WH-3080-solar) or my internet settings. When I open the webpage I can see the dashboard but when I open the setting tab there are no items to expand.
I'm using a pi2 as well as the WH-3080-solar weather station.
What am I doing wrong?