Historical Data not loading

[johnpolak]

Hi Folks

I usually have my Mac on 24/7 so Weathercat continues to download data from my Vanatage Pro 2 Console on an on going basis. However recently i have had to shut down the Mac before using it in another location. On setting it back up again, it fails to download any historical data since it was last connected to the console. I have been shutting down the Weathercat software prior to shutting down the Mac as is instructed, but it still doesn't pick up any data when reconnected. Anyone any ideas what may be causing this or what I may be doing wrong?

Regards
John

[elagache]

Dear John and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

Hi Folks

I usually have my Mac on 24/7 so Weathercat continues to download data from my Vanatage Pro 2 Console on an on going basis. However recently i have had to shut down the Mac before using it in another location. On setting it back up again, it fails to download any historical data since it was last connected to the console. I have been shutting down the Weathercat software prior to shutting down the Mac as is instructed, but it still doesn't pick up any data when reconnected. Anyone any ideas what may be causing this or what I may be doing wrong?

How much time elapsed between the time you disconnected your Mac and you reconnected it?  If you weren't disconnected for very long, there may not have been any new data in the logger to upload.  This will depend on the sample period that your data logger is set to.  It can be set to collect data for short or long periods.  The data logger can sample as infrequently as once every 2 hours.  So if your Mac was reconnected within that period, there would be no new data to download.

You can check to see what your data logger options are set to by looking at the Davis hardware options as described in the WeatherCat manual on page 70.

Let us know if that was your problem or if the problem is more mysterious . . . .

Cheers, Edouard

[johnpolak]

Hi Edouard

It was disconnected for about four hours. The data logger is set to 10 minutes.

[elagache]

Dear John and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

It was disconnected for about four hours. The data logger is set to 10 minutes.

Hmm, this should work automatically and without any intervention on your part.  The only other possible explanations I can imagine is that either the Davis station clock was off so the data didn't appear to be old or the data logger got reset somehow.  I don't know of any way to directly inspect the data logger to see what is going on, but there might be ways.

Assuming made you post recently after you noticed the problem, the data should still be there.  One way to at least see if the data is there to recover would be temporarily move your WeatherCat data files so that WeatherCat appears to be starting on a new installation and see what WeatherCat manages to pull off the data logger.  You could then save the data files that were created by this apparent new start, put back the original data files and then use those temporary data files to cut and paste the missing data - if that data is indeed still on the logger.

It is a risky operation, but in principle it should work.

If you are bold enough to attempt this, we can provide you with more detailed instructions.

Cheers, Edouard

[johnpolak]

Hi Edouard

I know it is a few months since I last looked at this - but I am still not having any joy with downloading historical data. Quite simply, if my Mac has been switched off, no data downloads from my Vantage Pro2 datalogger when it is switched back on. It just gives averaged out values from the time it was last connected. This happens even if WeatherCat is shut down before the Mac is switched off - and not set to start automatically when restarted. Very frustrating. I tried it again today - it was disconnected for about 6 hours, but when I restarted, it went through the motions of downloading (it even tells you how many records are being downloaded) - but when you look at the graphs, it is obvious no 'real' historical data was received. For example, the outside temperature between shut down and restart is represented by a straight line between the two actual recorded values. The same goes for all other data graphs. Is there anything i am missing here?

[elagache]

Dear John and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

I know it is a few months since I last looked at this - but I am still not having any joy with downloading historical data. Quite simply, if my Mac has been switched off, no data downloads from my Vantage Pro2 datalogger when it is switched back on.

. . .

 Is there anything i am missing here?

The data downloading feature of WeatherCat is extremely stable and well-tested.  I don't know how it could fail on the software end of things.  Since you say that WeatherCat reports that it is downloading from the logger but there is no data reported, an alternative explanation is that your data logger is defective.

Do you still have a copy of the Davis WeatherLink software?  You could check to see if WeatherLink is finding any data in the data logger.  If it isn't then you can be sure the data logger is defective and not storing any data.

You might want to give Davis technical support a call:  (510) 732-7814.  They might be able to give you other ways to test the state of your data logger.

I hope this is some help.

Edouard

[johnpolak]

Hi Edouard

I don't have the Weatherlink software any more. However the data logger is still reporting daily/monthly and yearly highs/lows - although I guess that is stored separately anyway. I'll check with Davis to see if I can check another way. I had wondered whether it was happening because the data logger's memory was full and so not recording data - but WeatherCat is set to delete data after download in Station Hardware Options.

Regards
John

[Blicj11]

John, if the logger fills up, it is supposed to overwrite the oldest data. As Edouard said, your best bet is to call Davis.

[elagache]

Dear John, Blick, and WeatherCat station troubleshooters,

However the data logger is still reporting daily/monthly and yearly highs/lows - although I guess that is stored separately anyway.

Unfortunately that is correct.  The highs/lows are stored in the console itself.

I don't have the Weatherlink software any more. 

While you have a Davis tech support person on the line you might ask if there is a way to get another copy of WeatherLink.  I'm sure plenty of people lose their copy.  I don't understand why Davis doesn't allow you to just download the software.  It is really useless if you didn't buy the data logger.  I'm not sure it will work with those third party computer connectors, so I can't see how anyone wanting WeatherLink wouldn't have paid for it.

Oh well, . . . . Edouard

[WCDev]

WeatherCat will log all data downloaded to the console log - have the Console application open when downloading the data from the logger to see what it's seeing (Applications->Utilities->Console.app).

One obvious thing to check is that the date and time of the data is correct (i.e. the data and time on the console is correct).