USB and TCP/IP support

[steve]

I've just noticed that there's a new version of the VantagePro.DLL available from Davis. This is the DLL that the current version of Cumulus uses to talk to the station, rather than driving the serial port directly. The new version has support for driving USB stations directly (rather than via the CP210X driver as is necessary at the moment) and also for connecting via TCP/IP.

I was going to wait until Cumulus 2, which doesn't use the DLL, to add this functionality, but as the new DLL is available, and it looks like it would be reasonably easy to do, would there be any interest in either of these?

Steve

[George Richardson]

Steve,
I could/would use TCP/IP but comm is working fine now.
FWIW
George

[broadstairs]

Steve I currently use a virtual comm port via VirtualVP to get data to Cumulus. I would use the TCP/IP connection if it were available instead as it takes out one extra layer. I am more than willing to test it for you if you decide to release a V1 version using it. I can test it on a non-live copy of Cumulus on a different PC so it's easy for me.

Stuart

[steve]

The latest build (701) adds USB and TCP/IP support, so please do give it a try. You need to restart Cumulus after changing the connection type.

Thanks,
Steve

[broadstairs]

Steve I just found the update installed it on the test PC and it is now up and running talking to VVP on the weather PC and gathering data. This PC is not on 24x7 so I'll let it run till shutdown and then tomorrow it will give the data archive routine a good test when I start it up.

Stuart

Edit: Should have said running TCPIP interface, cannot try USB as mine is a VP1 serial.

[steve]

Excellent - thanks.

Steve

[pinto]

Davis Vantage Pro2+ serial conection to weatherserver.(Win XP home)
Virtual VP running on weatherserver with 4 weather programs connected.(Cumulus + 3 others)
Installed new beta 185b701 on other pc (Windows 7 Ultimate beta build 7000) with TCP/IP connection to weatherserver(Virtual VP).
Configure Cumulus.

NO inside temp is showing.

(Shutting down, dinner is ready)
1 hour later: pc started and Cumulus started
every value in the boxes is zero, except Recent Extremes Today
Nothing happens
click Configuration~Station ~~>window opens
checking everything is ok in there ~~>click OK ~~ window opens and downloads the archive
everything else seems to be OK

Now inside temp IS showing.
Solar and UV is for tomorrow(it's dark now , values are both zero(they should be)).

(File Exit Cumulus)
Watching news on TV
restarting Cumulus ~~> same thing happened
~~>had to go Configuration~station and click on OK
download window opens and everything went fine.

Also installed on a XP Pro box ~> used weatherserver.lan instead of IP ~> does also work, can't try it over the internet.
Same thing happens on XP box at restart of Cumulus, go Configuration,station and click OK

[steve]

Thanks. I've found the bug that stops it working on subsequent start ups (still checking serial port for non-zero!). If you set a non-zero value for the serial port, it should then work OK. I'll upload a fixed version shortly.

Steve

[broadstairs]

Steve you are quite correct, a 0 for comm port stops it dead, I had not changed my value when I set TCPIP values, just did not think about that, works fine if you leave comm port as non zero.

Stuart

[pinto]

OK serial com to non-zero works

(I always do a clean install trying things out)

[steve]

works fine if you leave comm port as non zero.

Thanks,
Steve

[steve]

(I always do a clean install trying things out)

Just as well

I was trying to work out whether there was any way I could test the TCP/IP connection myself (I have a serial VP2), but I guess I would need Virtual VP to do that?

Steve

[pinto]

Just as well

I was trying to work out whether there was any way I could test the TCP/IP connection myself (I have a serial VP2), but I guess I would need Virtual VP to do that?

Steve

You can download a version to test it, easy to configure.
I can open a connection to my station to test if you want, but I don't have a static IP, and have never done it before.

[steve]

I can open a connection to my station to test if you want, but I don't have a static IP, and have never done it before.

Hey, it works!

Steve

[pinto]