Announcements & Updates

New release (v1.7) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Better handling of wind direction for zero windspeed
  • UI changes including a redesigned rainfall panel
  • Added rainfall total for yesterday
  • Added “trace” rainfall accumulation

Currently working on:

  • Update notification popup to tell you when an update is available
  • Lightning detected popup
  • Replacing the “Feels Like” description with severe weather alerts

Rainfall

5 Likes

New release (v1.8) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Update notification will now prompt users to download the latest version

For the update notification to work, a new Python module is required. Please run

sudo python3 -m pip install packaging

before using the new version. The update notification will check if a new version of the code is available once a day at midnight, and when the console is first run. The popup can be easily dismissed using the exit button in the top right, but will reappear the following midnight.

Update

9 Likes

I have just pushed a major new release (version 2.0) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole to Github. Changes include:

  • Automated generation of a configuration file that is persistent between updates
  • New color scheme for ‘Feels Like’ icons
  • Improved handling of failed API calls
  • Brand new settings screen that allows you to:
  1. Define cutoff temperatures for ‘Feels Like’ description
  2. Define time and date format (let me know if you want a format not included)
  3. Set units within the console directly

If you are already running the console, please delete your existing .ini file before updating (but keep a note of your API keys). When you run the console for the first time it will guide you through the generation of a new .ini file that will be persistent between updates. You will also need to know your outdoor Air and Sky module IDs in addition to your station ID. Find these by clicking on the gear icon in the app/web → Stations → [Station name] → Status

5 Likes

New release of the WeatherFlow PiConsole (v2.1). Changes include:

  • Fixed bug in pressure max/min (thanks @patrick.mussner)
  • Fixed typos in README.md (thanks @eric)
  • Added battery level trigger to Sky and Air status
  • Units in Sager Forecast now respect users choice (thanks @eric)
  • Removed forecast issued time to make more space for location
  • Fix sign on temperature when temperature equals zero

Don’t forget that if you are running v2.0 already, your .ini file will be persistent between updates, and any changes you have made in the settings screen will be remembered. If you are running an older version, your .ini file will be updated to the new format. To update follow these commands (or see the Github page):

cd ~/wfpiconsole/
rm -rf !("wfpiconsole.ini")
wget https://api.github.com/repos/peted-davis/WeatherFlow_PiConsole/tarball -O wfpiconsole.tar.gz
tar -xvf wfpiconsole.tar.gz --strip 1
rm wfpiconsole.tar.gz
python3 main.py

I am working on a shell script at the moment that will gracefully automate the update process in the future. Let me know if you run into any issues!

New release of the WeatherFlow PiConsole (v2.2). Changes include:

  • Fixed bug in wind chill temperature cutoff
  • Renamed all graphic files and directories to use small case naming
  • Fixed bug where code would crash if less than 6 hours of observations are available (thanks @eric)

Let me know if you run into any issues with the update. Especially the flickering black images that both @tcichowicz and @patrick.mussner have experienced. Still trying to get to the bottom of this one…

1 Like

New release (v2.4) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • New automated install/update/autostart script
  • Version number now displayed in credits screen
  • Improved display for high-res screens (thanks @andrew.john.cooper)
  • Bug fixes in .service file
  • Station ID is verified during config file creation

For existing users running version 2.3 and below, please update using the full install command. It will skip over a bunch of steps, but then should get you updated to version 2.4:

curl -sSL https://peted-davis.github.io/wfpiconsole | bash

Once you have updated to version 2.4, you can update to future releases (except v2.5) with a simple new command

wfpiconsole update

New release (v2.5) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Fixed bug in update script
  • Fixed backend bug in Windows
  • Added Windows installation instructions to README

Unfortunately, due to the bug in the update script that this release fixes, you can’t use the update script to update to version 2.5. Instead, please run the full install command:

curl -sSL https://peted-davis.github.io/wfpiconsole | bash

It will skip over a bunch of steps, but will then update you to version 2.5. You should then be able to use the wfpiconsole update command in the future :smile:

1 Like

New release (v2.6) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • New lightning panel
  • New wording regarding updating local Linux packages

Update to the new version using the command:

wfpiconsole update

Capture
The new lightning panel shows the time and distance to the last strike, as well as the total lightning strike counts for the last three hours, day, month, and year. By default the panel will automatically open if a lightning strike is detected, but this behavior can be stopped in the settings panel under ‘Display’. The large lightning bolt also turns yellow if a lightning strike has been detected in the last 5 minutes.

Note: there was a small bug in the update script. If the update process runs twice, ignore it and it shouldn’t happen again! As always, let me know if you spot any bugs. We don’t get many storms here so testing has been limited.

2 Likes

New release (v2.7) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Fixed distance bug in lightning panel (thanks @clevenger7778)
  • Module ID now must match required module type during initial .ini file creation

To update, first stop any current instances of the panel with

wfpiconsole stop

then run the update command

wfpiconsole update

and finally restart the console using either

wfpiconsole start

or

wfpiconsole autostart-enable

if you want to the console to carry on starting automatically when the Raspberry Pi reboots.

Eventually I will have all these stop/start commands automated in the update script, but I haven’t got there yet.

2 Likes

New release (v2.8) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • New barometer panel with weather tendency
  • Lightning bolt icon now animated when strike is detected
  • Now shows time of maximum/minimum pressure
  • Extra dependencies added to install/update script
  • Fixed bug for new stations when no lightning strike has been detected (@f3f)

To update, first stop any current instances of the panel with

wfpiconsole stop

then run the update command

wfpiconsole update

and finally restart the console using either

wfpiconsole start

or

wfpiconsole autostart-enable

if you want to the console to carry on starting automatically when the Raspberry Pi reboots.

New release (v2.9) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Fixed bug in Sager Forecast that meant it was being fed the station pressure rather than the sea level pressure (@ronraley)

To update, first stop any current instances of the panel with

wfpiconsole stop

then run the update command

wfpiconsole update

and finally restart the console using either

wfpiconsole start

or

wfpiconsole autostart-enable

if you want to the console to carry on starting automatically when the Raspberry Pi reboots.

New release (v2.10) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Updated lightning distance display

To update, first stop any current instances of the panel with

wfpiconsole stop

then run the update command

wfpiconsole update

and finally restart the console using either

wfpiconsole start

or

wfpiconsole autostart-enable

if you want to the console to carry on starting automatically when the Raspberry Pi reboots.

2 Likes

New release (v2.11) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Fixes to make the console run on the Raspberry Pi 4

Update instructions here: How to update the wfpiconsole.

@wx3i09, for those of you running a Raspberry Pi 4 an extra step is needed to get the console running perfectly. The “Task Bar” panel needs to be hidden or else it will displace the console on the screen. There are two options to achieve this. First right click on the “Task Bar” panel and select Panel settings. Select the Advanced tab. Then either:

  1. Un-tick “Reserve space, and not covered by maximised windows”, or
  2. Tick “Minimise panel when not in use” and set “Size when minimised” to 0 pixels.
2 Likes

New release (v2.12) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Fixed bug for older Raspberry Pi hardware

@chuckmc, before you update, please delete the Hardware key in the System section of your .ini file. The update should recreate this key with a new value that should work for your hardware.

New release (v2.13) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Fixed bug in weather tendency from the barometer
1 Like

New release (v2.14) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Fixed bug in autostart if WiFi is slow to connect (@seth)
  • Fixed bug in autostart for Raspberry Pi 4

@seth, hopefully this update should fix your problem. I have change the .service file to attempt to start the console 5 times, with each attempt separated by 10 seconds. This should allow enough time for your WiFi to come online. Let me know if it doesn’t work though!

Update the console using wfpiconsole update and then setup the autostart using wfpiconsole autostart-enable.

Please note: From early November 2019 to Feburary 2020 there will be no support for the PiConsole. I will be working in Antarctica with no access to the internet. Hopefully the console will continue to work, but I can’t promise there won’t be any changes to the WeatherFlow API (@dsj?), or the Python modules required to run the console. Sorry!

New release (v2.15) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Fixed lightning strike distance bug (@clevenger7778)
  • Removed extra Restart clause in .service file (@seth)

@clevenger7778 there was a bug in the lightning strike distance formatting that was stopping your wind speed/direction showing. That should now be fixed.

@seth I am almost 100% the reason my initial changes to the .service file didn’t work was because of the second restart=no. That was a typo and should have been removed. I have kept the StartLimitInterval and StartLimitBurst as they were originally. Let me know if you need to change these again, as if so I will add them to the next update.

2 Likes

New release (v2.16) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Fixed a bug that stopped the console from blanking on a Raspberry Pi 4

Due to a screw up I made in the install/update script, this update needs to be applied using the complete install command:

curl -sSL https://peted-davis.github.io/wfpiconsole | bash

rather than just the wfpiconsole update command. Follow the installation through (it should skip a lot of steps), and it will update you to Version 2.16

@wxkeith This should solve your screen blanking issue on the Raspberry Pi 4. Just a few things to note that I found during testing:

  1. The DPMS settings are reset if you restart your pi
  2. If you wake the screen using a VNC connection, the screen will not always register that it has powered on, and therefore will not always power off again as expected. Touching the screen fixes this.

Could try xset dpms 10 10 10 and confirm that the screen is turning off every 10 seconds as expected? It is working well on my Pi4, but would be good to get confirmation from you as well.

1 Like

I am pleased to announce that Version 3 of the PiConsole is available for download. This is a major new release, and changes include:

  • Fully customisable display
  • Compatible with Tempest module
  • New measure of lightning strike frequency
  • Indoor Air module can be used to display indoor temperature
  • Display is updated immediately when units are changed
  • Indoor temperature can be hidden if required

To upgrade to Version 3, please run wfpiconsole update followed by wfpiconsole start or wfpiconsole autostart-enable.

When Version 3 starts for the first time, a number of questions will be asked to update your configuration file. You may also be required to re-enter you Outdoor AIR module ID.

The fully customisable display allows you to arrange the different panels in any layout. Changes to the layout can be made in the settings screen. The display can show 6 Primary Panels at a time, and each Primary Panel can have a Secondary Panel behind it (if required) that can be switched to at the touch of a button. The only restriction is that the clock is attached to the Rainfall panel and this cannot be changed. More panels will be added in the future, including a Status panel to show battery voltage etc.

Tempest compatibility is based on the current un-documented Websocket implementation. This may change at any time, so be aware that the console may stop working without notice, and I will have to update the console to reflect any changes.

NOTE: If you want to switch from displaying Air/Sky data to Tempest data, and the Tempest module is attached to a different station, you will need to delete your existing .ini file and create a new one using you Tempest station ID. Otherwise the console will complain that the Tempest ID is not valid.

Version 3 has been tested by myself and @eric (thanks!!), so hopefully it is reasonably bug free. As usual though, if you spot any issues please let me know and I will fix them ASAP. Also, feel free to post any questions and I will help out where I can.

PiConsole

5 Likes

New release (v3.1) of the WeatherFlow PiConsole. Changes include:

  • Fixed a bug downloading DarkSky forecasts
  • Fixed a bug in the lightning distance bins (thanks @hankster)
  • Removed the DarkSky forecast for new users (see: https://blog.darksky.net/. Thanks @eric )

The update can be installed with wfpiconsole update

Now that Apple have taken the grim decision of restriction access to DarkSky data to Apple users only :sob: :scream:, I will start the search for a new weather API (suggestions welcome). I have removed DarkSky forecasts from the console for new users (as they can no longer get an API key), but it will continue to work for existing users until I find a replacement service (or until the end of 2021, which ever comes first!)

4 Likes