Revision as of 09:39, 24 May 2015

HTML 5 - a very quick guide to structure

It is possible to take the standard Cumulus web templates and customise these into totally new ones to your own requirements. A basic understanding of HTML is useful.

Standard HTML 5 start for a Cumulus template

A Cumulus template written in HTML 5 requires a simple start to the file:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<!-- the above must be on the first line by itself and tells the browser that HTML 5 applies -->
<html lang="en"><!-- modify this to indicate your language -->
<head>
	<meta charset="UTF-8"><!-- assigns the recommended standard encoding -->
        <meta name="description" content="<#location> weather data"><!-- you can choose a different way to explain what the page contains -->
        <meta name="author" content="<!-- put name of author here or leave this line out totally -->">
        <meta name="keywords" content="Cumulus, <#location> weather data, weather, data, weather station"><!-- you can choose a different set of key words -->
        <title><!-- insert here what is to appear in browser tab title --></title>
        <link href="weatherstyle.css" rel="stylesheet"> <!-- This line links the standard Cumulus style-sheet
 to the HTML page (and implies the HTML and CSS files are in the same web site directory) -->
        <!-- in some customisations you may need to load code libraries or include script here ...
        (The support forum includes code from various authors using various libraries and one of these examples might help you)
        What you put here could be PHP code, JavaScript, or calls to libraries like jQuery, HighCharts or many others, anything that can be loaded before the page output starts -->
</head>
<body> <!-- This defines the start of what the browser is to display in its window -->

The comments  are place holders explaining the above code

Structure that browser displays

The main part of the page (you can base that on what you can see in the closest standard template to what you are trying to achieve) goes next.

Standard Finish

All your templates could have this standard finish if you have created a Cumulus style template so need to acknowledge the software that will process the template (creating the web page):

<p class="credits"><br />
Page updated <#update><br />
powered by
<a href="http://sandaysoft.com/products/cumulus" target="_blank">Cumulus</a> 
v<#version> (<#build>)
</p>
<!-- Ensure you close any element blocks that you have opened -->
<!-- In some customisations you might need to include instructions to load external JavaScript files here (any that can only run after the browser has created the page structure) -->
</body>
</html>

The Standard Templates

Cumulus has a number of template files that it uses if you select to 'Include standard files' within Internet Configuration:

The template files are stored in the 'web' folder under your Cumulus installation on your PC. They all have a 'T' (for 'template') in their names:

Template	Introduced	Description
indexT.htm	from version 1.0 27th January 2004	Shows latest observations and calculated values
todayT.htm	from version 1.0 27th January 2004	Shows today's extremes
trendsT.htm	from version 1.0 27th January 2004	Has thumbnails of standard graphs, select one to display equivalent full trend graph.
recordT.htm	from version 1.0 27th January 2004	Shows all-time extremes
yesterdayT.htm	revised from version 1.5.1 10th January 2006	Shows yesterday's extremes
gaugesT.htm	from version 1.7.11 21st June 2008	Includes some free gauges originally written for FreeWX, displays the three wind gauges from the Cumulus main screen and from version 1.7.12 added real time wind display.
thisyearT.htm	from version 1.9.2 (build 1002) 5th July 2011	Shows latest annual extremes
thismonthT.htm	from version 1.9.2 (build 1002) 5th July 2011	Shows extremes for latest month
monthlyrecordT.htm	from version 1.9.3 10th April 2012	Shows extremes for a particular month across all years

What is meant by 'Cumulus processes templates'

When Cumulus is ready to perform a web site update, it will read each template file:
- If Include Standard Files is selected it processes all the standard files (those listed in table above). The (built in, third party) component which handles the processing of the template file copes with a missing input file by creating an empty output file.
- If Include Standard Files is not selected, then only the files explicitly listed as local files for processing are processed.
- Regardless of that setting, the Cumulus component will process those listed in Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site as local files (the first 10 appear on 'Files' tab in internet settings screen reached from configuration menu) that also have Process? selected (set to 1 in Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site).
Processing means:
- Where it finds a web tag it will remove that tag and -
  - either insert the relevant observations from the weather station,
  - or insert derived values calculated by Cumulus,
  - or insert time-stamps (formatted by default or how you specify),
  - or insert miscellaneous values.
- Otherwise text and code as defined by the template is copied into the output file.
The result of that process is the creation of local output pages:
- Typically the output is a HTML web page;
  - but it is also possible to process scripts with cumulus web tags, and produce an output file in JavaScript or PHP Hypertext pre-processor (e.g. this file) code;
  - (you can even, inefficiently, process Cascade Styling Sheets if you want to put web tags in them, but more usually the HTML template can include a web tag in the href property value that selects the required pre-loaded CSS).
- (until build 1092 any created web pages were in XHTML 1.0 Transitional using charset=iso-8859-1; from build 1093 normal created web pages are by default - see below for how to change this - in HTML 5 using charset="UTF-8")
- The file name that Cumulus uses for the created local output page depends on the original template:
  - If template is being processed by "Include Standard Files", the created output page is the same name without a T,
  - If template is listed on the Files tab (or in cumulus.ini FTP section) as a local file then the created web page has 'tmp' suffixed to the extension. This copes with customised templates that do not use the 'T' convention.
Cumulus will FTP these up to your web space on the internet. If you have asked it to use Rename on the remote file, a temporary name is created with the suffix 'tmp' added to the final file name as shown in diagram here. The final file names on your web site will be:
- for templates being processed by Include Standard Files, final file name is as in table above without the letter T;
- for customised templates (what the chart labels as Extra files), final file name is the name you specify for the remote file name on the Files' tab (or in Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site).

The standard website set up, with several other files, is fully described in Simple_Website_setup.

Changing the Standard Templates

Typically the templates are modified to include additional weather data, or remove it. This is generally done by adding or removing Cumulus webtags, but you normally have to vary the HTML structure by adding/editing/removing table cell ( to ) elements and possibly add/remove a row ( to ) element.

You can modify one or more of the template files listed above. For example, you may wish to
- change the wording that appears on the web page by editing it on the template;
- add a link to another of your pages or externally;
- add/remove some Cumulus derived information;
- add a page counter; etc
Remember to edit the xxxT.htm files, (not the xxx.htm files as they are created by the Cumulus 'process')
It is best to close down Cumulus while updating the template files.
Use windows Notepad or another text editor tool to modify the HTML as necessary.
- Do not use a word processor as that will introduce unwanted characters;
- Many web page editors (like wordpress) should also be avoided as they can change the page structure and remove the Cumulus web tags;
- Other HTML editors (like Notepad++, HTML kit-292 to cite just two free ones) are just text editors that use colour and other aids to help you identify what you are editing and may make it easier for you.

Templates in cumulus\web\originals sub-folder

From version 1.8.9 onwards, the Cumulus installer installs the standard templates in a Cumulus subfolder called 'web/originals' so you can refer to them. Do not edit these.

Editing to create one or more customised templates in the standard web sub-folder

Keep copies of any xxxT.htm files you modify. It is best to back up the whole Cumulus folder onto a different disc on a regular basis.
If you edit one or more of the templates, listed in the table above, in the cumulus\web sub-folder, keeping their original names, this has the advantage that Cumulus will process the customised template as if it is an unmodified standard one.
You just need to have 'Include Standard Files' ticked (as shown above) on the Files tab of the Internet screen within the 'Configuration' menu.

Coding standard and character encoding for Customised Templates using the same names as Standard Cumulus Templates

Your edited template should be written in HTML 5 using charset="UTF-8" encoding.

If it is using one of the standard names in the table above and does not comply with that coding, then you need to unselect the 'UTF-8 encode' selection marked here by red arrow, get to it via Configuration menu, Internet option, Sites/Options tab and look for Web Settings frame in top centre.

Using third party user customised templates

If you choose to use designs from other providers and they use the standard names listed in the table at the start of this article you need to check if their web page coding starts like the HTML5 extract (top of this page).

If it does mention charset="UTF-8", and uses the name of a standard template and is stored in cumulus\web, then the UTF-8 encode should be selected as shown by red arrow in 'Web Settings' frame.
If it uses a standard name and path, but does not mention utf-8, then uncheck the UTF-8 encode where indicated by red arrow.
Alternatively, if it is a template containing web tags but uses a name other than a standard one, treat as #Creating or Editing Templates in a Separate Folder.

Navigation Links

On a standard Cumulus page there are some HTML headings and then a HTML table ending with a way to select another Cumulus page (a set of 'anchor' links). If you are modifying standard Cumulus templates or adding extra pages of your own to those existing, then you will need to modify the navigation links on all pages, so a page can access any other page. The support forum can be searched to see what problems others have encountered when doing this.

Essentially you need to surround the navigation bar links with suitable HTML elements (see standard templates for examples, often they are in a table cell defined by and where X is set to the number of cells in other rows).

class="td_navigation_bar">:<a href="index.htm">now</a>::<a href="gauges.htm">gauges</a>::<a href="today.htm">today</a>::<a 
href="yesterday.htm">yesterday</a>::<a href="thismonth.htm">this month</a>::<a href="thisyear.htm">this year</a>::<a 
href="record.htm">records</a>::<a href="monthlyrecord.htm">monthly records</a>::<a href="trends.htm">trends</a>:<#forum><#webcam>

If you have other pages on your web site not part of your weather reporting, you might wish to add a link to a 'Home' page, or
for weather reporting you might add extra pages (such as the steel series gauges, the daily summary, Extended graphs), or
the support forum has many other ideas (just a few examples are find a way to show the weather for a year ago, to show the 10 highest or lowest, to find the most recent date when the latest extreme was last exceeded).

If you add extra items, the links may be too wide to fit within the screen, rectify this by adding a space between a pair of colons where you want to allow the browser to move to a new line (or defining two table rows each with half the anchor links). Alternatively, introduce drop-down selections where links are grouped into categories, too complicated to explain here, but examples appear in the support forum and are explained elsewhere on the web.

Updating to a new Cumulus build

As soon as you edit templates, remember that when you update to a new build of Cumulus (or re-install the current version) the installer offers you the option of either installing the new build's standard 'HTML templates' in the 'cumulus\web' folder, or not replacing the current contents of that sub-folder. If on the installer screen shown you select to install the templates, any changes you made in the web subfolder will be lost as Cumulus will delete everything from the 'cumulus\web' folder before installing the new build's standard 'HTML templates' in that 'cumulus\web' folder.
If you use a mixture of unmodified standard templates and customised templates with standard names and a release announcement says there are updated templates, then please do backup your customised templates before running the installer as you will need to accept the new build's standard 'HTML templates' in the 'cumulus\web' folder (by selecting the box in the screen above) to download those updated versions of any of the standard template coding you have retained unmodified.

Consequently, the recommendation is that for any customised templates, you delete the original template from the web sub-folder (leaving it in the web\originals sub-folder) and put your customised template in a different folder. If you do this:

You reduce the risk of accidental overwriting.
You can either use a standard template name or you can select a new filename (the diagram above shows why it does not matter for 'extra files' whether you continue to insert the suffix 'T' to indicate it is a template that needs to be processed by Cumulus).
You can select your own local folder path.
You do need to tell Cumulus the local and remote file names you require - as described in #Creating or Editing Templates in a Separate Folder

Some specific customisation examples

Your weather station might be a sort that can accept Extra Sensors and if so you probably want to add web tags for those taking your cue from the various examples below.

Adding indoor humidity, indoor temperature, soil temperature or any other 'extra' parameter to main page

The standard file includes a table where for each row ( to ) there are 4 cells ( to ) arranged as 2 pairs. The HTML tag that starts the row uses a class to define its look, in the style-sheet linked to the HTML that class will have properties like background colour defined.

The first cell of each pair consists of a label identifying the observation being reported
The second cell contains a Cumulus web tag representing where the value is to appear followed by
- either another Cumulus web tag representing where the unit is to appear,
- or the unit directly typed in.

The standard page does not include any indoor temperature and humidity measurements that your station may offer, if you decide to add these see example below.

<tr class="td_temperature_data">
    <th>Indoor Temperature</th>
    <td><#intemp> <#tempunit></td>
    <th>Indoor Relative Humidity</th>
    <td><#inhum> %</td>
  </tr>

Cumulus standard web pages use ""... tag pair for table cells containing labels, but you could use "" as shown in above example, the advantage of that is you can add a reference to that tag in the CSS to change the look of label cells. See styling page for more information.

Since on this web page there are two pairs of table cells per row, if you really want to add just one pair in a row, then you need to also add an empty pair of cells to keep the same count of cells in every row:

<tr class="td_temperature_data">
    <th>Indoor Temperature</th>
    <td><#intemp> <#tempunit></td>
    <td colspan="2"></td>
  </tr>

Again, you can change the look of such empty cells, by a modification to the CSS (empty-cells: hide;), otherwise they will have same background colour as other cells in that row.

Similarly you can add any other observations, remember you need to add another 'tr' start tag with the appropriate class attribute value, then 4 table cells, and don't forget any of the end tags (it may seem to work without end tags, but that forces the browser at display time to decide for itself where to end each cell, potentially confusing the structure).

Adding/removing Solar table cells for main page and trend graphs

Below are some examples relating to solar and UV sensors.

See this FAQ for how to customise all relevant standard pages.

Simple customisation of indexT.htm

How to Customise your indexT.htm is described here, but the FAQ referenced just above repeats an excerpt from that and also covers todayT.htm and yesterdayT.htm.

The standard file includes a table where for each row ( to ) there are 4 cells ( to ) arranged as 2 pairs. The HTML tag that starts the row uses a class to define its look, in the style-sheet linked to the HTML that class will have properties like background colour defined. Each pair of cells consists of a label identifying the observation being reported and a Cumulus web tag representing where the value is to appear.

Look through the standard file and find the following code segment containing the definition for one row wrapped by comments mentioning 'Solar data':

  <!-- Solar data. If you don't have a solar sensor, you may wish to delete everything from here to the next comment -->
  <tr class="td_temperature_data">
    <td>Solar Radiation</td>
    <td><#SolarRad> W/m²</td>
    <td>Evapotranspiration Today</td>
    <td><#ET> <#rainunit></td>
  </tr>
  <!-- End of solar data -->

Delete all of the above code segment if you do not have any solar sensor on your weather station.

The <#ET> web tag only applies to Davis weather stations that include a solar sensor, if your solar sensor is another make, you might want to partly or completely change the code to the following so you can see your lux observation (Fine Offset solar measuring models only) and/or your ultraviolet observation instead of, or in addition to, whichever of the original parameters either does not apply, or does still apply:

  <!-- Solar data. If you don't have a solar sensor, you may wish to delete everything from here to the next comment -->
  <tr class="td_temperature_data">
    <td>Sunshine</td>
    <td><#Light> Lux</td>
    <td>UV Index</td>
    <td><#UV></td>
  </tr>
  <!-- End of solar data -->

Slightly less simple customisation of trendsT.htm

The standard template plots temperature range and rainfall on a day by day basis for the Daily Chart period as set on Display settings screen from Configuration menu, but all the other graphs plot points at 10 minutes interval for thumbnails and 1 minute interval for the large graph (assuming you have left Cumulus running) for the Detailed Chart Period set in the same place.

There are many ways that trendsT.htm (this section applies to Cumulus version 1 only) can be modified. If you want to change which lines appear on a particular graph, or any other feature of that graph, see Cumulus Help for the graphs option on the View menu.

You can change which Cumulus produced graphs are included (the standard version includes indoor temperature but excludes solar related graphs). The necessary edits to do this are described below.
The standard template uses JavaScript to action the change of the large graph when a thumbnail graph is clicked. All modern browsers support script, but you might want to eliminate script and just use pure HTML as explained elsewhere in this Wiki.
If you want points plotted at hourly intervals for up to 7 days, the recent history tags and external script libraries can be used to do this as explained in this thread on the support forum.
That same support forum thread includes how to plot histograms (best for daily totals such as rainfall and windrun) made from colour blocks reading the values from the daily summary log. But of course if you use PHP, you might want to read from a database table with similar information.

TO CHANGE WHICH GRAPHS ARE INCLUDED: Look through the standard file and find the following code segment defining a table...

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="Graph_menu">
  <tr>
    <td colspan="5">Click on a thumbnail to show a large graph in the panel above.</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/wind.png")'><img src="images/windsm.png" alt="Wind Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/temp.png")'><img src="images/tempsm.png" alt="Temperature Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/intemp.png")'><img src="images/intempsm.png" alt="Inside Temperature Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/press.png")'><img src="images/presssm.png" alt="Pressure Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/rain.png")'><img src="images/rainsm.png" alt="Rain Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/windd.png")'><img src="images/winddsm.png" alt="Wind Direction Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/tempm.png")'><img src="images/tempmsm.png" alt="Temp Min/Max Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/hum.png")'><img src="images/humsm.png" alt="Humidity Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/raint.png")'><img src="images/raintsm.png" alt="Today's Rainfall Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/raind.png")'><img src="images/raindsm.png" alt="Daily Rain Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td colspan="5" class="td_navigation_bar">:<a href="index.htm">now</a>::<a href="gauges.htm">gauges</a>::<a href="today.htm">today</a>::<a href="yesterday.htm">yesterday</a>::<a href="thismonth.htm">this month</a>::<a href="thisyear.htm">this year</a>::<a href="record.htm">records</a>::<a href="monthlyrecord.htm">monthly records</a>::<a href="trends.htm">trends</a>:<#forum><#webcam></td>
  </tr>
</table>

If you look in 'web\images' sub-folder (this path can be changed in cumulus.ini) of where you have installed cumulus.exe, you will see 3 more pairs (solar, UV, and Sunshine) of images not mentioned in above code segment. You might want to add 1 or 2 of them taking hints from the revised segment below. Note that in two rows a 'colspan' attribute is used to place one piece of text across the entire row, and the value given to that parameter needs to match the number of 'td' elements in other rows. Also note that because an odd number of thumbnails is included split between the two rows, that one 'td' element is empty to ensure each row has same number of cells. On the screen (extract) shown here, you select solar, uv or sunshine to determine which of the 3 extra graphs, are file transferred (or copied) to your web site. Remember, in practice your station will not support all 3, so you will need to edit the changes shown below to suit your instrumentation.

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="Graph_menu">
  <tr>
    <td colspan="7"> <!-- Note that in this revision the original 5 has been changed to 7 -->

Click on a thumbnail to show a large graph in the panel above.</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/wind.png")'><img src="images/windsm.png" alt="Wind Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/temp.png")'><img src="images/tempsm.png" alt="Temperature Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/intemp.png")'><img src="images/intempsm.png" alt="Inside Temperature Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/press.png")'><img src="images/presssm.png" alt="Pressure Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/rain.png")'><img src="images/rainsm.png" alt="Rain Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
	<td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/solar.png")'><img src="images/solarsm.png" alt="Solar Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td> <!-- Only for stations supporting Solar measurement in Watts per square metre -->
	<td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/uv.png")'><img src="images/uvsm.png.png" alt="Ultraviolet Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td> <!-- only for stations supporting UV -->
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/windd.png")'><img src="images/winddsm.png" alt="Wind Direction Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/tempm.png")'><img src="images/tempmsm.png" alt="Temp Min/Max Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/hum.png")'><img src="images/humsm.png" alt="Humidity Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/raint.png")'><img src="images/raintsm.png" alt="Today's Rainfall Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/raind.png")'><img src="images/raindsm.png" alt="Daily Rain Graph Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td>
    <td class="td_thumbnails"><a onclick='changeImage("images/sunshine.png")'><img src="images/sunshinesm.png" alt="Sunshine Hours Thumbnail" width="150" height="100" border="0" /></a></td> <!-- only for stations measuring hours of sunshine -->
    <td></td> <!-- This is an empty element to ensure the same number of elements is in all rows of thumbnails -->
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td colspan="7" class="td_navigation_bar"> <!-- Note that in this revision the original 5 has been changed to 7 -->
:<a href="index.htm">now</a>::<a href="gauges.htm">gauges</a>::<a href="today.htm">today</a>::<a href="yesterday.htm">yesterday</a>::<a href="thismonth.htm">this month</a>::<a href="thisyear.htm">this year</a>::<a href="record.htm">records</a>::<a href="monthlyrecord.htm">monthly records</a>::<a href="trends.htm">trends</a>:<#forum><#webcam></td>
  </tr>
</table>

In your implementation, you may only use 1 or 2 of the 3 included here. Also you may want to delete the 'td' elements relating to indoor observations. Just remember to adjust the 'colspan' value and, if you have an odd total number of thumbnails split between an even number of rows, to make all rows the same number of columns by including the null 'td' element shown in the above example.

Creating or Editing Templates in a Separate Folder

If you are making anything but minor changes to the template, consider creating your own files with (same or preferably) different names in a separate folder.

What to select on the 'Files' tab of the Internet Settings screen within the 'Configuration' menu

In this section, the instruction cover both template files (Cumulus has to be asked to 'process' these) and other files (such as images, web pages without cumulus web tags, log files etc) that are to be file transferred or copied multiple times each day.

Include Standard Files (see top left in this image).
- Remember if you are not using any of the standard template names in cumulus\web to un-select this setting (as shown in the nearby image).
- If one or more of the standard templates is still in cumulus\web, then you want this setting set as per the image at the top of this article.
Include Standard Images, Solar, UV and Sunshine
- These settings are selected as applicable. The images are needed for the moon, trend graphs and gauges to appear on your web site. The last 3 are set according to customisation described above in #Slightly less simple customisation of trendsT.htm.
Local file names: List here the new or edited template files (text including Cumulus web-tags) you have created.
- Also list here any non-template files that you want Cumulus to upload (or copy across) at either the normal website updating interval or the realtime updating interval.
- 0 to 9 can be stored in cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site by placing the path and file-name in left hand column on the Files tab of the Internet screen within the 'Configuration' menu. An easy way to achieve this is by using the appropriate Browse... button as that will ensure the parts of the path have the correct separator.
- Local files 10 upto (from version 1.9.3) 99 have to be manually inserted (or amended) by editing cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site, using a ExtraLocalNN= line (note NN is any 1 or 2 digit number) and placing the path (remember for Windows local files the parts of the path are separated by '\') and filename after the equals sign. An easy way to achieve this is by copying one of the lines with NN set to between '0' and '9', next replacing the numerical digit with the required 2 digit number and then changing the filename as needed.
Realtime? column
- Leave the column unselected for template (or other) files 0 to 9 to be processed at the upload 'Interval' specified in the middle of the Web settings frame on the Sites/Options tab of the Internet screen within the 'Configuration' menu. For NN values '10' upto '99', normal interval processing is achieved by including a ExtraRealtimeNN=0 line.
- Select the relevant box for processing a file at the 'Realtime interval' (determined by each of the settings marked by blue arrows at the bottom of the web settings frame shown earlier in the article). For NN values '10' upto '99', realtime interval processing is achieved by including a ExtraRealtimeNN=1 line, in cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site. If you select 'realtime' interval for any files, you will also need to select the Enable Realtime and Enable Realtime FTPoptions in Web Settings block of Sites/Options tab.
Process? column
- If the local file you have specifed is a template file (i.e. text including Cumulus webtags) these need to be processed by Cumulus to create web pages; select 'Process?' column for 0 to 9 on the Files tab of the Internet screen within the 'Configuration' menu; or for 10 upto 99 add ExtraProcessNN=1 in Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site.
- If the local file you have specifed is any other type of file, then leave box in this column clear or for 10 upto 99 add ExtraProcessNN=0 in Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site.
UTF-8? column
1. If the local file you have specifed is a template file (i.e. text including Cumulus webtags) these need to be processed by Cumulus to create web pages and Cumulus therefore needs to be told what encoding you used for the customised template.
2. From build 1093 (27 April 2014), you need to select the 'UTF-8?' column for 0 to 9 on the Files tab of the Internet screen within the 'Configuration' menu; or for NN equals 10 upto 99 add ExtraUTFNN=1 in Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site.
- If it is not a template file, the setting here is irelevent as Cumulus will not be processing it into a web page.
Binary? column
- For web pages 0 to 9, select this [it is mandatory for image files, but optional on most other files; however its use will ensure accurate transfer if any extended (non-ASCII) character set letters (like accented ones) or symbols (like temperature degree symbol) are used on your customised pages] on the Files tab of the Internet screen within the 'Configuration' menu; this is achieved by including ExtraBinaryNN=1 for NN values '10' upto '99' in Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site.

'Remote filenames' and 'FTP?' columns for remote servers

If your web server is on a remote server, then the instructions for remote files require that file transfer is used:

Sites/Options tab of the Internet screen within the 'Configuration' menu.
- The host, username, password and initial directory are specified here.
Files tab of the Internet screen within the 'Configuration' menu.
1. For files 0 to 9 enter the full path (directory and required file name) in the Remote filenames column on the Files tab of the Internet screen within the 'Configuration' menu; for NN values '10' upto '99' this is achieved by including ExtraRemoteNN= with directory and filename after the equals sign in Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site. (IMPORTANT, as the Cumulus Help screen says the Remote filenames column "does not use the 'ftp directory' setting. You should specify the full path for the file, starting from the point you are at when you log in to your site's FTP server" (remember the separator is '/' for server paths).)
2. Finally, select 'FTP?' column for 0 to 9 or for NN values of 10 upto 99 add ExtraFTPNN=1 in Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site.

'Remote filenames' and 'FTP?' columns for local servers

If your web server is on the same computer (or local network) as Cumulus, then the instructions for remote files are changed slightly because copying rather than file transfer is used:

Sites/Options tab of the Internet screen within the 'Configuration' menu.
- It is rarely needed to specify the host, username, password and initial directory of a local web server on this screen (because you are not using FTP)
Files tab of the Internet screen within the 'Configuration' menu.

For files 0 to 9 enter the full path (on your computer or network) and required file-name (destination for file copy instruction) in the 'Remote filenames' column on the Files tab of the Internet screen within the 'Configuration' menu; for NN values '10' upto '99' this is achieved by including ExtraRemoteNN= with full path and file-name after the equals sign in the existing [FTP site] section of cumulus.ini.
Finally to indicate a 'Copy' instruction is required, unselect both Binary and FTP? columns for 0 to 9; or for 10 upto 99 add ExtraBinaryNN=0 and ExtraFTPNN=0 in the existing Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site.

If a particular web-page on a local web server includes (or calls) JavaScript requiring loading another file like 'dayfile.txt', then just for that web-page enter its remote web file name, and select Binary and File Transfer Process, as per the previous set of instructions. (The remaining pages will be copied across locally using the specified full path without FTP as per instructions directly above).
- This is because the security design of some browsers may insist any web-page containing such scripts is file transferred onto a web server, and if your local server is visible to anyone, you cannot know what browser is being used to view the page.

The next article to read ……

Learn about styling instructions like color: blue; and { width: 75%; border: solid; border-width: 1px; border-color: blue; color: black; }, and more about HTML tags, in Stylesheets.

You can use a PHP script to generate HTML web pages. See PHP Hypertext Preprocessor.

@@ Line 345: / Line 345: @@
 [[File:Files tab settings.jpg|right]]
 #''Include Standard Files'' (see top left in this image).
-#*Remember if you are not using ''any'' of the standard template names in cumulus\web to unselect this setting (as shown in the nearby image).
+#*Remember if you are not using ''any'' of the standard template names in cumulus\web to un-select this setting (as shown in the nearby image).
 #*If one or more of the standard templates is still in cumulus\web, then you want this setting set as per the image at the top of this article.
 #''Include Standard Images'', ''Solar'', ''UV'' and ''Sunshine''
 #* These settings are selected as applicable. The images are needed for the moon, trend graphs and gauges to appear on your web site.  The last 3 are set according to customisation described above in [[#Slightly less simple customisation of trendsT.htm]].
-#''Local file names'': List here the new or edited template files (text including Cumulus webtags) you have created.
+#''Local file names'': List here the new or edited template files (text including Cumulus web-tags) you have created.
 #*Also list here any non-template files that you want Cumulus to upload (or copy across) at either the normal website updating interval or the realtime updating interval.
-#*0 to 9 can be stored in [[cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site]] by placing the path and filename in left hand column on the ''Files'' tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu.  An easy way to achieve this is by using the appropriate '''Browse...''' button as that will ensure the parts of the path have the correct separator.
+#*0 to 9 can be stored in [[cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site]] by placing the path and file-name in left hand column on the ''Files'' tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu.  An easy way to achieve this is by using the appropriate '''Browse...''' button as that will ensure the parts of the path have the correct separator.
-#*Local files 10 upto (from version 1.9.3) 99 have to be manually inserted (or amended) by editing [[cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site]], using a ''ExtraLocalNN='' line (note NN is any 1 or 2 digit number) and placing the path (remember for Windows local files the parts of the path are separated by '\') and filename after the equals sign.  An easy way to achieve this is by copying one of the lines with NN set to between '0' and '9', next replacing the numerical digit with the required 2 digit number and then changing the filename as needed.
+#*Local files 10 upto (from version 1.9.3) 99 have to be manually inserted (or amended) by editing [[cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site]], using a ''ExtraLocalNN='' line (note NN is any 1 or 2 digit number) and placing the path (remember for Windows local files the parts of the path are separated by '\') and filename after the equals sign.  An easy way to achieve this is by copying one of the lines with NN set to between '0' and '9', next replacing the numerical digit with the required 2 digit number and then changing the filename as needed.
 #''Realtime?'' column
 #*Leave the column unselected for template (or other) files 0 to 9 to be processed at the upload 'Interval' specified in the middle of the ''Web settings'' frame on the Sites/Options tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu. For NN values '10' upto '99', normal interval processing is achieved by including a ''ExtraRealtimeNN=0'' line.
-#*Select the relevant box for processing a file at the 'Realtime interval' (determined by each of the settings marked by blue arrows at the bottom of the web settings frame shown earlier in the article). For NN values '10' upto '99', realtime interval processing is achieved by including a ''ExtraRealtimeNN=1'' line, in [[cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site]].
+#*Select the relevant box for processing a file at the 'Realtime interval' (determined by each of the settings marked by blue arrows at the bottom of the web settings frame shown earlier in the article). For NN values '10' upto '99', realtime interval processing is achieved by including a ''ExtraRealtimeNN=1'' line, in [[cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site]]. If you select 'realtime' interval for any files, you will also need to select the ''Enable Realtime'' and  ''Enable Realtime FTP''options  in '''Web Settings block''' of ''Sites/Options tab''.
 #''Process?'' column
-#*If the local file you have specifed is a template file (i.e. text including Cumulus webtags) these need to be [[#What is meant by 'Cumulus processes templates' |processed by Cumulus]] to create web pages; select 'Process?' column for 0 to 9 on the ''Files'' tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu; or for 10 upto 99 add ''ExtraProcessNN=1'' in [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site]].
+#*If the local file you have specifed is a template file (i.e. text including Cumulus webtags) these need to be [[#What is meant by 'Cumulus processes templates' |processed by Cumulus]] to create web pages; select 'Process?' column for 0 to 9 on the ''Files'' tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu; or for 10 upto 99 add ''ExtraProcessNN=1'' in [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site]].
-#*If the local file you have specifed is any other type of file, then leave box in this column clear or for 10 upto 99 add ''ExtraProcessNN=0'' in [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site]].
+#*If the local file you have specifed is any other type of file, then leave box in this column clear or for 10 upto 99 add ''ExtraProcessNN=0'' in [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site]].
 #''UTF-8?'' column
 ##If the local file you have specifed is a template file (i.e. text including Cumulus webtags) these need to be [[#What is meant by 'Cumulus processes templates' |processed by Cumulus]] to create web pages and Cumulus therefore needs to be told what encoding you used for the customised template.
-##From build 1093 (27 April 2014), you need to select the 'UTF-8?' column for 0 to 9 on the ''Files'' tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu; or for NN equals 10 upto 99 add ''ExtraUTFNN=1'' in [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site]].
+##From build 1093 (27 April 2014), you need to select the 'UTF-8?' column for 0 to 9 on the ''Files'' tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu; or for NN equals 10 upto 99 add ''ExtraUTFNN=1'' in [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site]].
-#*If it is not a template file, the setting here is irrelevent as Cumulus will not be processing it into a web page.
+#*If it is not a template file, the setting here is irelevent as Cumulus will not be processing it into a web page.
 #''Binary?'' column
-#*For web pages 0 to 9, select this [it is mandatory for image files, but optional on most other files; however its use will ensure accurate transfer if any extended (non-ASCII) character set letters (like accented ones) or symbols (like temperature degree symbol) are used on your customised pages] on the ''Files'' tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu; this is achieved by including ''ExtraBinaryNN=1'' for NN values '10' upto '99' in [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site]].
+#*For web pages 0 to 9, select this [it is mandatory for image files, but optional on most other files; however its use will ensure accurate transfer if any extended (non-ASCII) character set letters (like accented ones) or symbols (like temperature degree symbol) are used on your customised pages] on the ''Files'' tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu; this is achieved by including ''ExtraBinaryNN=1'' for NN values '10' upto '99' in [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site]].
 === 'Remote filenames' and 'FTP?' columns for remote servers ===
@@ Line 372: / Line 372: @@
 **The host, username, password and initial directory are specified here.
 *Files tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu.
-*#For files 0 to 9 enter the full path (directory and required file name) in the '''Remote filenames''' column on the ''Files'' tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu; for NN values '10' upto '99' this is achieved  by including ''ExtraRemoteNN='' with directory and filename after the equals sign in [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site]]. (IMPORTANT, as the Cumulus '''Help''' screen says the ''Remote filenames'' column "'''does not use the 'ftp directory' setting'''. You should specify the full path for the file, starting from the point you are at when you log in to your site's FTP server" (remember the separator is '/' for server paths).)
+*#For files 0 to 9 enter the full path (directory and required file name) in the '''Remote filenames''' column on the ''Files'' tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu; for NN values '10' upto '99' this is achieved  by including ''ExtraRemoteNN='' with directory and filename after the equals sign in [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site]]. (IMPORTANT, as the Cumulus '''Help''' screen says the ''Remote filenames'' column "'''does not use the 'ftp directory' setting'''. You should specify the full path for the file, starting from the point you are at when you log in to your site's FTP server" (remember the separator is '/' for server paths).)
-*#Finally, select 'FTP?' column for 0 to 9 or for NN values of 10 upto 99 add ''ExtraFTPNN=1'' in [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site]].
+*#Finally, select 'FTP?' column for 0 to 9 or for NN values of 10 upto 99 add ''ExtraFTPNN=1'' in [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site]].
 === 'Remote filenames' and 'FTP?' columns for local servers ===
@@ Line 379: / Line 379: @@
 If your web server is on the same computer (or local network) as Cumulus, then the instructions for remote files are changed slightly because copying rather than file transfer is used:
 *Sites/Options tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu.
-**It is rarely needed to specify the host, username, password and initial directory of a local web server on this screen
+**It is rarely needed to specify the host, username, password and initial directory of a local web server on this screen (because you are not using FTP)
-**The exception is if your webpage includes a script requiring loading a local file like 'dayfile.txt' because the security design of ''some'' browsers may restrict where files can be loaded from, and if your local server is visible to anyone, you cannot know what browser is being used to view the page.
 *Files tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu.
-#For files 0 to 9 enter the full path (on your computer or network) and required file name (destination for file copy instruction) in the 'Remote filenames' column on the ''Files'' tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu; for NN values '10' upto '99' this is achieved  by including ''ExtraRemoteNN='' with full path and filename after the equals sign in the existing '''[FTP site]''' section of cumulus.ini.
+#For files 0 to 9 enter the full path (on your computer or network) and required file-name (destination for file copy instruction) in the 'Remote filenames' column on the ''Files'' tab of the '''Internet''' screen within the 'Configuration' menu; for NN values '10' upto '99' this is achieved  by including ''ExtraRemoteNN='' with full path and file-name after the equals sign in the existing '''[FTP site]''' section of cumulus.ini.
-#Finally to indicate a 'Copy' instruction is required, '''unselect''' both ''Binary'' and ''FTP?'' columns for 0 to 9; or for 10 upto 99 add ''ExtraBinaryNN=0'' and ''ExtraFTPNN=0'' in the existing [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_Site]].
+#Finally to indicate a 'Copy' instruction is required, '''unselect''' both ''Binary'' and ''FTP?'' columns for 0 to 9; or for 10 upto 99 add ''ExtraBinaryNN=0'' and ''ExtraFTPNN=0'' in the existing [[Cumulus.ini#Section:_FTP_site]].
-If a particular webpage on a local web server includes a script requiring loading a local file like 'dayfile.txt', then just for that webpage enter its remote web file name, and select Binary and File Transfer Process, as per the previous set of instructions. (The remaining pages will be copied across locally using the specified full path without FTP as per instructions directly above).
+*If a particular web-page on a local web server includes (or calls) JavaScript requiring loading another file like 'dayfile.txt', then just for that web-page enter its remote web file name, and select Binary and File Transfer Process, as per the previous set of instructions. (The remaining pages will be copied across locally using the specified full path without FTP as per instructions directly above).
+**This is because the security design of ''some'' browsers may insist any web-page containing such scripts is file transferred onto a web server, and if your local server is visible to anyone, you cannot know what browser is being used to view the page.
 = The next article to read …… =

Customised templates: Difference between revisions