About the logging of the laser sensors

[HansR]

The new laser sensors are coming and during the beta test for version v4.4.0 it has been concluded that the laser sensors so far are not logged by CMX. The question is will CMX use logging for these sensors? Is logging of these sensors required as Yet Another Extra Sensor (YAES).
My answer from the viewpoint of CUtils is no, that is not required.

The essence is that you can already use a laser sensor to automatically measure snow depth. This will give a value once per day displayed as a chart in CMX and as table report with a chart in CUtils.

But you can also log relevant webtags (the #LaserDepth[1-4] etc...) in a CustomLog. From that customlog CUtils can create charts and have those charts shown anywhere you want (if any question: ask!).

So that means you already have the possibility to log the laser sensors (DAILY or RECENT i.e. on a higher frequency ). The values are there in the customlog for the user to use, either in the CSV for reporting. The more difficult task of charting has already been provided through the CustomLogs facility and a possibly a more elaborate chart when combining with other plot variables.

CMX is a general solutions tool, to provide standard logging (and overgrow existing logs) with new sensors is abusing existing possibilities: why would we have customlogs and then not use them?

NOTE: the laser sensors are more general than only for snow (think water levels, beer levels etc... as suggested elsewhere).

[EDIT:] Note that the laser sensors have been added in the compiler as ExtraSensor. That has not been implemented yet by CMX. If CMX will not use the laser sensors as Extra, than the compiler will change in some detail.

[HansR]

And note that if you don't trust one laser, you can use up to 4 and calculate the average during the charting process in the chartscompiler.