Cumulus Support

I have been successfully using MX on a Raspberry Pi for a number of years
and was up until 02/03/2021 using MX 3107 (www.craythorneweather.info). I
have always used my own templates which I host on my own web server which
also runs on the RPI The templates are in the CumulusMX/web folder and also
the working files e.g. indexT.htm, index.htmtmp and index.htm. The working
files eg index.htm, are copied to the web root using FTP entries in the
Extra Web Files section of the settings parameters although, as the webserver is on
the same machine as the Cumulus MX files, the FTP box is not ticked .
The CumulusMX/webfile entries are not used at all. This is the way I have always operated.

I have just switched to MX 3117 using my existing setup, but the data is
not being updated. The procedures I have described above exactly mirror
the procedures described in the Cumulus Wiki 'I want to keep the old web site
completely but also update to MX v3.10' and was working with MX v3107.

I am unsure how the updating process operates with the
new json all in one parameter or whether there is a legacy process that
updates the individual templates or whether I have just missed something
that is fundamental.

I would be grateful for any pointers to sort the site out.

Joe Curtis

If you want to keep your original pages that use indexT.htm etc then you can ignore the new json file - just disable it in the Internet Settings.

Then as the Wiki page describes, you need to the add your indexT.htm to the Extra Web Files page, with process checked, and enter your destination filename as "index.htm", plus any folder path on your FTP server may require.

Mark he says he has his own templates. Will he not have to do this for all the templates?

or he can just use what is using now rather than upgrading cumulusmx.


if it aint broke, dont fix it.

water01 wrote: ↑Fri 05 Mar 2021 1:43 pm Mark he says he has his own templates. Will he not have to do this for all the templates?

Yes, but I read the original post that he was still using indexT.htm etc. Just with his own content.

Thanks for the comments. As far as I can see from looking at the CumulusMX files, The tags on the websitedataT.json files are updated to data on the websitedata.json file but none of my existing template (T) file tags are updated to their .htm equivalent. I can't find anywhere to disable websitedata.json on my internet settings. Is this perhaps the key to the tags not being updated?

I realise that a workaround would be to redesign my site using the new system (probably not a bad thing as the design goes back to 2009) but as that might take some time I would prefer a solution for the present.

Alternatively I could try and revert to my v3107 system but that would seem to be a retrograde step.

I've managed to configure it such that my website uses legacy tags and templates. I've also got it concurrently running the new data-driven site. So the generation of the websitedata.json file is independent of the tags.

The only thing I changed regarding the legacy part of my website was the location of the templates. Moved from web to web-local folder. I made the web-local folder so that future updates didn't clobber my templates.

@Joe Curtis: a screenshot of your extra files config may be useful.

For what it's worth attached is a copy of the first Extra Files Page of the settings. I don't think this is the problem area. It is the fact that the tags in the template file are not getting updated to the intermediate .htm files. I have noticed, though, that all the individual json are updated correctly.

Looks to me as if you are not specifying the templates in your local files - for example, web/index.htm when it should be web/indexT.htm. Unless you have named your template files without the "T" in them - but that would be confusing.

@freddie - I'm getting confused here!

My template files with the T in them are in my CumulusMX/web folder where they have always been. The updated .htm files from .htm templates used to be created in the CumulusMX/web folder automatically and I used 'Extra web files' to copy them to the webserver root without the process flag being set. This may not have been the correct procedure but is has been working for me since 2009.The example 'Extra web files' page I attached had the process flags set as I was experimenting to try and get the .htm files updated but was not what I had been using up until this point in time, however, it generated your comments which may provide the solution.

It would appear that as a result of the change to MX 3.10 the automatic creation of updated .htm files from .htm templates no longer takes place (although json files are updated) and, as you say, I need to specify the template files to be processed in 'Extra Web Files' to get the .htm files generated. If this is the case I am greatly indebted to you for your interest and comments.

@freddie

Your solution worked a treat and I have also adopted your suggestion of a separate web folder to minimise hassle on updates.

Many thanks!

You want to remove the Process option from all the JSON files and realtime.txt

Also there is no need add all those files to your extra web files, Cumulus will upload them for you if you enable them for FTP.

Joe Curtis wrote: ↑Sat 06 Mar 2021 12:04 pmIt would appear that as a result of the change to MX 3.10 the automatic creation of updated .htm files from .htm templates no longer takes place (although json files are updated) and, as you say, I need to specify the template files to be processed in 'Extra Web Files' to get the .htm files generated.

Spot on. The only file that gets updated automatically now is websitedata.json (and realtimegauges.txt). Hence the need to specify all files you need for processing and copying/ftp in the extra files dialog. Previously before 3.10.x the standard template set would automatically be processed - now they need to be specified.

Joe Curtis wrote: ↑Sat 06 Mar 2021 12:04 pmI am greatly indebted to you for your interest and comments.

No worries - it's what the forum is good at