Windows 7 and Weatherlink

[Dave]

I just bought a new laptop and I'm getting my first experience with Windows 7. Until now I've been using XP. I really like Windows 7 so far, but when I tried to install Weatherlink, I noticed some strange differences compared to my experience with XP. Where are the station data folders going on the HD? When I use the 'open station' command from the 'file' menu in the Weatherlink app, I see the station data folder with the station name on it located in the same folder as the rest of the Weatherlink files where it should be. So far so good! Now the wierd part, when I look for that same station folder with Windows explorer, it's not there? What's up with that? This is no doubt my own thick head trying to get used to something new, but if someone could explain what I'm doing wrong I would appreciate it. I have turned on hidden folders in the folders settings (even though the station data folder is not a hidden folder), but I still can't find the station data folder. I installed Weatherlink to the Program Files (x86) folder on the C: drive and I have the 64 bit version of Windows 7. I am using Weatherlink 5.8.3. Any thoughts anyone?

Thanks

[steve]

I installed Weatherlink to the Program Files (x86) folder

This is the same issue as installing Cumulus to the Program Files hierarchy. Vista and Windows 7 don't allow programs to write to that folder, and any naughty programs which try to do that get their files redirected to C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Cumulus (for example).

Have a look in the corresponding Weatherlink folder and you should find your files. Note that the AppData folder is hidden by default.

[Dave]

get their files redirected to C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Cumulus (for example).

....... and there they are!

Thanks Steve! I spent the better part of an hour last night trying to figure that out and got frustrated. As the old saying goes I decided to sleep on it and since I didn't dream up any good ideas on solving the problem overnight, I decided my best solution was to ask the expert this morning.

I'm glad the authors of Windows 7 decided to use such an obvious and intuitive place to put the data file where it was easy to find by a neophyte like myself!
It's issues like this that have made me dread leaving my XP security blanket behind.

Vista and Windows 7 don't allow programs to write to that folder

That must explain why the default strip chart template will not update in Weatherlink. The 'write' gets redirected to 'file hell' and the app looks for the default template in the local folder, only to find the original .str file instead.

I'll be installing Cumulus today. Any other landmines I need to know about?

Dave

[steve]

I'll be installing Cumulus today. Any other landmines I need to know about?

Quite possibly

It's best to install to (e.g.) C:\Cumulus, and avoid the virtual folders issue. Apart from that, there aren't any Cumulus issues that I can think of. However: is your VP2 Weatherlink the USB version? If so, are you using it in USB mode with the Weatherlink software? If so, that won't work with Cumulus. The Davis DLL which I use is supposed to support USB, but it doesn't seem to work...

So, if you do have the USB version, to use Cumulus you will need to install the CP210X virtual serial port drivers. You probably know all this already if you've been using Cumulus on XP, but there is a possible complication. I have read that the version of the driver which Davis supply does not work with 64-bit Windows 7. You will therefore need to get them from here: http://www.silabs.com/products/mcu/page ... ivers.aspx

[G8TQH]

I'll be installing Cumulus today. Any other landmines I need to know about?

Quite possibly

It's best to install to (e.g.) C:\Cumulus, and avoid the virtual folders issue. Apart from that, there aren't any Cumulus issues that I can think of. However: is your VP2 Weatherlink the USB version? If so, are you using it in USB mode with the Weatherlink software? If so, that won't work with Cumulus. The Davis DLL which I use is supposed to support USB, but it doesn't seem to work...

So, if you do have the USB version, to use Cumulus you will need to install the CP210X virtual serial port drivers. You probably know all this already if you've been using Cumulus on XP, but there is a possible complication. I have read that the version of the driver which Davis supply does not work with 64-bit Windows 7. You will therefore need to get them from here: http://www.silabs.com/products/mcu/page ... ivers.aspx

Hi There,

I too am new to Cumulus and wanted to try it under Windows 7. I have my USB Vantage Pro 2 running fine to WeatherLink.

I installed Cumulus into c:\cumulus as recommended above. I also installed the current Silabs version of the virtual serial drivers.


However, no matter which serial port is selected (or even selecting the USB port) I keep stalling in the configuration with an "error -32701 while trying to initialise the station". Is there something else other than installing the drivers that has to be done to get Cumulus to work with a USB VP2? I couldn't find any info about USB stations in the help files or FAQ.

Thanks in advance.
Andy

[steve]

However, no matter which serial port is selected (or even selecting the USB port) I keep stalling in the configuration with an "error -32701 while trying to initialise the station". Is there something else other than installing the drivers that has to be done to get Cumulus to work with a USB VP2? I couldn't find any info about USB stations in the help files or FAQ.

Ah, sorry - I've mentioned this a few times on the forum, but I don't seem to have put anything into the documentation about it. If you've been using your station with Weatherlink with the USB setting, it will have put the VP2 into "USB express" mode. Before you can use it with Cumulus, you need to first run Weatherlink and change to serial mode (via the virtual COM port).

[G8TQH]

However, no matter which serial port is selected (or even selecting the USB port) I keep stalling in the configuration with an "error -32701 while trying to initialise the station". Is there something else other than installing the drivers that has to be done to get Cumulus to work with a USB VP2? I couldn't find any info about USB stations in the help files or FAQ.

Ah, sorry - I've mentioned this a few times on the forum, but I don't seem to have put anything into the documentation about it. If you've been using your station with Weatherlink with the USB setting, it will have put the VP2 into "USB express" mode. Before you can use it with Cumulus, you need to first run Weatherlink and change to serial mode (via the virtual COM port).

Steve,

Thanks for that. I can see that I can use Weatherlink as serial instead of USB, but which serial port do I use? As it's a USB device on a USB socket, I guess it's a virtual serial port as you said, but don't know which or how to set it on. Does it cause any problems downgrading to serial speeds from USB?

TIA
Andy

[steve]

Thanks for that. I can see that I can use Weatherlink as serial instead of USB, but which serial port do I use? As it's a USB device on a USB socket, I guess it's a virtual serial port as you said, but don't know which or how to set it on.

I don't have a USB VP2, so I don't know how the CP210X stuff works, but I assume there is some sort of configuration utility where you can set (or display) the virtual COM port number? If not, you can get WL to auto-detect the station and it will find the correct port.

Does it cause any problems downgrading to serial speeds from USB?

I wouldn't have thought so, the amount of data transferred is tiny. It might slow down the reading of data from the logger at startup slightly, but that's pretty fast over serial anyway. I don't think Davis introduced the USB version for reasons of speed, but because many new PCs don't have serial ports. The WL software itself didn't support 'direct' USB until relatively recently.

[DaveNZ]

I don't have a USB VP2, so I don't know how the CP210X stuff works, but I assume there is some sort of configuration utility where you can set (or display) the virtual COM port number? If not, you can get WL to auto-detect the station and it will find the correct port.

Another way in Windows 7 is to go to the Start menu > Control Panel > Devices and Printers
For me this appears in the list of devices: "Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge (COM4)"

[G8TQH]

I don't have a USB VP2, so I don't know how the CP210X stuff works, but I assume there is some sort of configuration utility where you can set (or display) the virtual COM port number? If not, you can get WL to auto-detect the station and it will find the correct port.

Another way in Windows 7 is to go to the Start menu > Control Panel > Devices and Printers
For me this appears in the list of devices: "Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge (COM4)"

I'm afraid this is getting frustrating...

I downloaded the latest version of the drivers. I installed them. The installation created a new directory: "SiLabs\MCU\CP210x\Windows_XP_S2K3_Vista_7" full of lovely stuff.

But that's it!

There's no configuration utility that I can find. The only in "readme" of any sort is just a list of updates and fixes to the drivers. It does refer to a "Kit User's Guide" but that's not in the .zip file, nor is it an available download.

Even after a reboot, "Devices and Printers" shows a "USBXpress Device" but no CP210 Bridge. It's as though the drivers do nothing.

Could somebody who has installed this driver/convertor, and got it to work with a genuine USB Vantage Pro, give a hint as to what step or steps I am missing? Do I have to uninstall the drivers that came with the Davis software? Do I need some other software that is not included in the download?

Any hints or tips gratefully received.

TIA
Andy

[DaveNZ]

My version of the driver is different to yours, it doesn't have it's own directory, it is in the WeatherLink folder.

Either way, you should have a file that is similar to this: CP210X_USB_Serial_Converter_ver2.exe
You have to run this application to change to virtual serial port

[G8TQH]

My version of the driver is different to yours, it doesn't have it's own directory, it is in the WeatherLink folder.

Either way, you should have a file that is similar to this: CP210X_USB_Serial_Converter_ver2.exe
You have to run this application to change to virtual serial port

Excellent.

Thanks for that. I found a copy of the program and running it caused the USB to appear on com5: and a quick experiment with Virtual VP has WeatherLink still running but Cumulus looking at the data too!

Now to see what I can get it to do.

[DaveNZ]

My version of the driver is different to yours, it doesn't have it's own directory, it is in the WeatherLink folder.

Either way, you should have a file that is similar to this: CP210X_USB_Serial_Converter_ver2.exe
You have to run this application to change to virtual serial port

Excellent.

Thanks for that. I found a copy of the program and running it caused the USB to appear on com5: and a quick experiment with Virtual VP has WeatherLink still running but Cumulus looking at the data too!

Now to see what I can get it to do.

Great! Our set-ups sound exactly the same nearly....Davis VP2 with USB logger, Virtual VP....

[rgaitan]

hi guy i download de driver from website but is not workink i have the serail conection somebody can help please

[steve]

You don't need drivers for a serial logger. Can you clarify what software you are trying to get working?