Cumulus.ini (preserving history): Difference between revisions

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[[Category:Configuration Files]]
[[File:Badge vMx.png]] This page now only applies if you are using Cumulus MX.
This page has been renamed from "Cumulus.ini" to preserve the early history of that page.


The information that was on this old Cumulus.ini page has been moved into separate pages for Cumulus 1, MX early releases, and MX latest releases.
If you are using Cumulus 1, all the information is now on [[Cumulus.ini (Cumulus 1)]] page.


=History of this page=
[[Category: Configuration_Files]]
{{TOCright}}


This page has proved the most complicated of all those in the Wiki to maintain:
= Introduction =
# Settings change extremely often
#* Therefore it is a lot of effort to keep the documentation up to date
#* It is obviously easiest if an update is made here as soon as the settings change, sometimes that happens (perhaps by developer doing an update here)
# The design of configuration menus/screens/pages to edit the settings periodically changes
#* This means information about how to change settings often depends upon which release someone is using
#** In turn that means, either Cumulus users of latest release, or those using an earlier release, will struggle with the documentation
# Developers often provide limited information about settings,
#* Sometimes new settings are mentioned in an answer in a forum post, and do not get mentioned as a change in release announcements
#** This means that finding accurate information to update this page requires an awful lot of research that is very time consuming


The above observations applied for the legacy software, when Cumulus 2, and then 3 (MX), came along the documentation was originally split. When MX started (in 2019 to early 2020) to try to replicate much of what Cumulus 1 offered, it made sense to reuse what was written on this page for Cumulus 1, instead of duplicating it on a second page.
*'''Cumulus.ini''' is a text file containing initialization parameters used by the Cumulus MX application.
*It is '''only read''' when Cumulus MX starts up.
**When Cumulus MX is run for very first time, the file does not exist, as it is not included in the download (of either flavour).
** if this is the first run of the software, part of what it does will create the file for first time.
***In the case of that first run, the file will exist when it ''shuts down''
** if the file does exist as MX starts, a backup is taken so if you subsequently change any settings you can go back to how it was before you made those changes.
*The file shows as 'modified date' the last time that Cumulus was shut down, the file will contain the contents of the application's configuration screens
**In early versions of MX, there were some "read-only" parameters, these cannot be configured within Cumulus, but were retained if they were in any previous copy of the file.
*Note any Cumulus MX save action may change the order, or add lines, compared to any file that you manually edited.
*In some versions of MX, a back up copy of Cumulus.ini is stored at end of each day (together with some of the log files).
*If you do need to edit the file, close Cumulus first to ensure you are working on latest contents, and your edit cannot conflict with any edit Cumulus may be making. When Cumulus restarts it will read the file again and see any edits you have made.


Then from mid 2020 to early 2021, there was rapid development of MX by the new developer, and MX began to increasingly diverge more and more from the legacy configuration, this page reflected that by introducing sub-sections (Cumulus 1 only, MX only, and both).
The parameters listed can change the look of Cumulus, can hold basic information about your location, can amend the way Cumulus interfaces with your weather station, can hold the settings used to interface with your website, and with various external websites.
From early 2021 onwards that 3 sub-section design for this page failed because new MX releases began to diverge from earlier MX releases. In other words, parameters that had existed at an early MX release, were no longer used by later releases. It was possible, but increasingly more and more difficult, to track new parameters to add that were added at particular releases, so the documentation got more and more obsolete.


To sum up, it was impossible for this page to show information for the legacy software, for early MX releases, and for later MX releases. The response was to move off this page anaything not relevant to the latest MX release, and to restructure this page based on how MX settings are altered, rather than where a parameter appears in the file.




==Steve Loft Era==
==Is this documentation definitive?==


<big>The configuration file content relating to the legacy software (e.g. 1.9.4) has been moved to [[Cumulus.ini_(Cumulus_1)|legacy page]]</big>
The short answer to that question is that it is likely this documentation has not been kept up to date!


<big>Anybody with a log-in for this Wiki can edit this page, and your contribution to improving this article is welcomed.</big>

The only rules are to follow existing table layout where possible,
* add any new parameters to the correct sub-section
* create a new sub-section if the correct sub-section does not exist
* the default value should be shown in first column,
* the explanation should be in second column
** use bullets where there is a choice of values
** say what release introduces any new parameter


*Cumulus.ini uses '''sections''', thus the first way that the list is divided is by the relevant section where the parameter must be placed
** Some sections can take a lot of parameters, and for these sub-sections may be added, that allow you to navigate directly to them from the table of contents
** A parameter may be defined in multiple sub-sections, if its definition needs to be explained differently according to weather station types
*As explained later, in past MX releases, some parameters are read-only, and some are read-write
**To make it easier to navigate larger tables, read-only and read-write parameters may be grouped under relevant sub-heading within the table
***A parameter may be read-only in earlier releases, but read-write in later releases, this means some parameters may not be where you first expect them to be

If you spot a parameter that is missing from this list (check you are looking in the right section, and under the correct sub-heading where a section is sub-divided for ease of using this article), then please add it to this Wiki article. None of the authors who have contributed so far can claim completeness. Sometimes a search on the forum for something else reveals a mention of an additional parameter that can be added to the file but has not been previously added to this list.


'''Please note that this list is not updated by the developers when they change the software to react to a new attribute, therefore there is no guarantee that all attributes available appear in this documentation.'''

It is intended that any additions made to the list will indicate which release made that extra parameter available. Therefore this page should help you whatever MX release you are running.

Originally, there was a separate page [[Cumulus.ini (Beta)]] used for MX, when Steve Loft was developing MX and kept it in Beta.

When Mark Crossley took over MX development he brought it out of Beta, and from then onwards this page has tried to cover MX as well as the original Cumulus software, because the two flavours don't use the same parameters, there are a lot of complications in trying to ensure this page does completely cover MX.

'''The configuration parameters available in MX are often changed by a new release'''.
*Any new read-write parameters introduced by a new release will be added to "Cumulus.ini" when you close MX, but unless someone manually adds them to this article they will not be documented here. However, the default for those read-write parameters might not agree with your preference.
**Hopefully, new parameters are listed in a release announcement, but sometimes you may need to look in a topic with contributions from both users and the developer.



== Beta builds ==

Steve Loft kept MX in beta while he was developing it, during that period what applied to MX was placed in the [[Cumulus.ini_(Beta)|Cumulus.ini Beta article]].

After Mark Crossley took over development of MX he ended that beta. All information that was on the beta page was moved into this page, originally created for the legacy Cumulus (1) software, but the legacy information was subsequently moved to another page (see reference at top of this page).

When Mark is producing a new major version of MX he typically issues it in beta to a restricted number of users by email, he does not make any beta release public. For this reason, it is not anticipated there is going to be any use of the [[Cumulus.ini_(Beta)|Cumulus.ini Beta article]] while Cumulus 3 (MX) continues to develop, although of course a Cumulus 4 is in development and we wait to see what might happen when that is ready for a public release.


== Upgrading to New Build ==

Installing a new build of Cumulus (whatever version) over the existing installation does not affect this settings file. No build of Cumulus contains a 'Cumulus.ini' file. If Cumulus software detects a 'Cumulus.ini' when it starts, it looks in that for settings; if it does not find the file, then Cumulus will expect you to tell it some settings, others have defaults. In the latest release build, all available settings are set within the [[MX_Administrative_Interface| Administrative Interface Settings Pages]]. You may need to work through the settings pages to ensure that any new settings are reflecting your preferences.

= File Structure =

The main file consists of a number of sections, each with a heading delimited by '[ ]', (although the order in the file may be different to that in this article). Parameter lines are in the form 'attribute=value' and grouped by those sections. Those attributes can be listed in any order, Cumulus software will always add new attributes to the end of the section. If you are running an old release that allows manually adding attributes, it may be best if you sort the attributes so they appear in alphabetical order and thus ensure you do not duplicate attribute names with different values.

Some [[#Sections_dealing_with_interfaces_to_external_sites|sections]] relate to the external websites that Cumulus can optionally supply with updates. These are set by configuration screens and the whole sections will always be present. If you do not use those external services their parameters will be set to the defaults.

== Creating Configuration File ==

When you download Cumulus MX, ''there is no configuration file included in the download''. So when you first use the software, you will need to enter some settings, and that will lead to creation of the main configuration file. How to enter these minimum settings will be described next.


#If you start Cumulus MX without a configuration file, and you have a screen attached so you can see the output from the engine, it will show this: [[File:MX first start.PNG]]
#As you can see, it is running, but it does not know what station type, so it cannot connect to it, and will not do anything more.
# At this stage, MX creates a very basic Cumulus.ini with the default settings (shown below).
#Open the [[MX Administrative Interface|admin interface]], and select the station settings if necessary: [[File:MX_station_settings.png|800px|center]]
#At the very minimum, you must select a station type and units (as shown in image here)
#Optionally, move down the page, entering more settings, or move to other settings pages accessed from the menu seen in the image
# Optionally create a [[Strings.ini]] file (look up the cross reference if you want to do this now, but you can leave it to later) where you can tailor a number of texts that Cumulus produces.
# If you have a screen attached to the device running the MX engine, you can click in that screen and terminate Cumulus MX. Otherwise do whatever is needed to end the MX executable on your installation. This is the action that will create the main configuration file.
#Restart Cumulus MX, it will save your settings on exit, it will read your new settings on re-starting, it will find the weather station, and start reading the weather data from it. On this first access to your weather station, it will not read any archive data (there is a way to modify [[today.ini]] so it can read what is in the separate logger), it will read (and from time to time log) the live data while MX remains running.

====Default Cumulus.ini====
<pre>[Station]
Type=-1
Model=
ComportName= (NOTE: the value set here depends on device MX is running on, see below as to whether it will be '''ComportName=/dev/ttyUSB0 ''' or '''ComportName=COM1''')
Latitude=0
Longitude=0
LatTxt=
LonTxt=
Altitude=0
AltitudeInFeet=1
Humidity98Fix=0
Wind10MinAverage=0
UseSpeedForAvgCalc=0
DavisReadReceptionStats=0
CalculatedDP=0
CalculatedWC=0
RolloverHour=0
Use10amInSummer=1
ConfirmClose=0
CloseOnSuspend=0
RestartIfUnplugged=0
RestartIfDataStops=0
SyncDavisClock=0
ClockSettingHour=4
SyncFOReads=1
WS2300IgnoreStationClock=0
LogExtraSensors=0
DataLogInterval=2
WindUnit=0
PressureUnit=0
RainUnit=0
TempUnit=0
LocName=
LocDesc=
StartDate=21 March 2020
YTDrain=0
YTDrainyear=0
EWInterval=1
EWFile=
UseDataLogger=1
UseCumulusForecast=0
HourlyForecast=0
UseCumulusPresstrendstr=0
FCpressinMB=1
FClowpress=950
FChighpress=1050
ForceVPBarUpdate=0
UseZeroBearing=0
VP2ConnectionType=0
VP2TCPPort=22222
VP2IPAddr=0.0.0.0
WarnMultiple=0
RoundWindSpeed=0
VP2PeriodicDisconnectInterval=0
EWtempdiff=999
EWpressurediff=999
EWhumiditydiff=999
EWgustdiff=999
EWwinddiff=999
EWmaxHourlyRain=999
EWmaxRainRate=999
EWminpressureMB=900
EWmaxpressureMB=1200
RainSeasonStart=1
RainDayThreshold=-1
ErrorLogSpikeRemoval=0
RG11portName= (NOTE: as for weather station port, whether this is set to COM1 or /dev/ttyUSB0 depends on the device on which MX is running)
RG11portName2=
RG11TBRmode=0
RG11tipsize=0
RG11IgnoreFirst=0
RG11DTRmode=1
RG11TBRmode2=0
RG11tipsize2=0
RG11IgnoreFirst2=0
RG11DTRmode2=1
CloudBaseInFeet=1</pre>
I have not include the full details, but the other sections it creates are:
*[WLL]
**with too many entries to list here

<pre>
[GW1000]
IPAddress=0.0.0.0
AutoUpdateIpAddress=1

[Web Site]
ForumURL=https://cumulus.hosiene.co.uk/
WebcamURL=

*[FTP Site]
** again far too many entries to list here

<pre>

[Wunderground]
ID=
Password=
Enabled=0
RapidFire=0
Interval=15
SendUV=0
SendSR=0
SendIndoor=0
SendAverage=0
CatchUp=1

[Windy]
APIkey=
StationIdx=0
Enabled=0
Interval=15
SendUV=0
CatchUp=1

[Awekas]
User=
Password=
Enabled=0
Interval=15
SendUV=0
SendSR=0
SendSoilTemp=0

[WeatherCloud]
Wid=
Key=
Enabled=0
SendUV=0
SendSR=0

[Twitter]
User=
Password=
Enabled=0
Interval=60
OauthToken=unknown
OauthTokenSecret=unknown
TwitterSendLocation=1

[PWSweather]
ID=
Password=
Enabled=0
Interval=15
SendUV=0
SendSR=0
CatchUp=1

[WOW]
ID=
Password=
Enabled=0
Interval=15
SendUV=0
SendSR=0
CatchUp=1

[Weatherbug]
ID=
Number=
Password=
Enabled=0
Interval=15
SendUV=0
SendSR=0
CatchUp=1

[APRS]
ID=
pass=-1
server=cwop.aprs.net
port=14580
Enabled=0
Interval=9
SendSR=0

[Alarms]
alarmlowtemp=0
LowTempAlarmSet=0
LowTempAlarmSound=0
LowTempAlarmSoundFile=alarm.mp3
alarmhightemp=0
HighTempAlarmSet=0
HighTempAlarmSound=0
HighTempAlarmSoundFile=alarm.mp3
alarmtempchange=0
TempChangeAlarmSet=0
TempChangeAlarmSound=0
TempChangeAlarmSoundFile=alarm.mp3
alarmlowpress=0
LowPressAlarmSet=0
LowPressAlarmSound=0
LowPressAlarmSoundFile=alarm.mp3
alarmhighpress=0
HighPressAlarmSet=0
HighPressAlarmSound=0
HighPressAlarmSoundFile=alarm.mp3
alarmpresschange=0
PressChangeAlarmSet=0
PressChangeAlarmSound=0
PressChangeAlarmSoundFile=alarm.mp3
alarmhighraintoday=0
HighRainTodayAlarmSet=0
HighRainTodayAlarmSound=0
HighRainTodayAlarmSoundFile=alarm.mp3
alarmhighrainrate=0
HighRainRateAlarmSet=0
HighRainRateAlarmSound=0
HighRainRateAlarmSoundFile=alarm.mp3
alarmhighgust=0
HighGustAlarmSet=0
HighGustAlarmSound=0
HighGustAlarmSoundFile=alarm.mp3
alarmhighwind=0
HighWindAlarmSet=0
HighWindAlarmSound=0
HighWindAlarmSoundFile=alarm.mp3
SensorAlarmSet=0
SensorAlarmSound=0
SensorAlarmSoundFile=alarm.mp3
DataStoppedAlarmSet=0
DataStoppedAlarmSound=0
DataStoppedAlarmSoundFile=alarm.mp3

[Offsets]
PressOffset=0
TempOffset=0
HumOffset=0
WindDirOffset=0
InTempOffset=0
UVOffset=0
SolarOffset=0
WetBulbOffset=0
PressMult=1
WindSpeedMult=1
WindGustMult=1
TempMult=1
HumMult=1
RainMult=1
SolarMult=1
UVMult=1
WetBulbMult=1

[xAP]
Enabled=0
UID=4375
Port=3639

[Solar]
SunThreshold=75
RStransfactor=0.8
SolarMinimum=0
UseBlakeLarsen=0
SolarCalc=0
BrasTurbidity=2</pre>

*[NOAA]
** again far too many parameters to list all here, but there are default temperatures (that are not right for outside USA) and default filename formats.

<pre>
[Proxies]
HTTPProxyName=
HTTPProxyPort=0
HTTPProxyUser=
HTTPProxyPassword=

[Display]
NumWindRosePoints=16

[Graphs]
ChartMaxDays=31
GraphHours=24

[MySQL]
Host=127.0.0.1
Port=3306
User=
Pass=
Database=database
MonthlyMySqlEnabled=0
RealtimeMySqlEnabled=0
DayfileMySqlEnabled=0
MonthlyTable=Monthly
DayfileTable=Dayfile
RealtimeTable=Realtime
RealtimeRetention=
CustomMySqlSecondsCommandString=
CustomMySqlMinutesCommandString=
CustomMySqlRolloverCommandString=
CustomMySqlSecondsEnabled=0
CustomMySqlMinutesEnabled=0
CustomMySqlRolloverEnabled=0
CustomMySqlSecondsInterval=10
CustomMySqlMinutesIntervalIndex=6

[HTTP]
CustomHttpSecondsString=
CustomHttpMinutesString=
CustomHttpRolloverString=
CustomHttpSecondsEnabled=0
CustomHttpMinutesEnabled=0
CustomHttpRolloverEnabled=0
CustomHttpSecondsInterval=10
CustomHttpMinutesIntervalIndex=6</pre>

== Configuration File names ==

=== Configuration file created when first installing Cumulus MX ===

For those who are not swapping from Cumulus 1, their first use of MX will create a file called ''Cumulus.ini'' found in the same directory as CumulusMX.exe.

The file will contain an entry for every setting in the admin interface. Each entry will be a parameter in format '''attribute=value''' and the values will be as per defaults except for those which you have edited when first setting up MX.

These parameters are known as read-write parameters because they can be altered with the settings pages.


Note in particular, that some settings (such as units, date/time formats) must be got right first time. If you do change those later, it is a lot of work because you will need to edit all the other files that Cumulus creates to reflect those changes.

For Cumulus MX, if it is being run for the first time and it does not inherit a file, it needs some settings before it can do anything. Consequently, MX just hangs, because unless you look at the Terminal output or the file it creates in [[MXDiags_folder]], you won't know it is waiting for settings. You need to start up the[[MX_Administrative_Interface| Administrative Interface]] and go into the various settings pages yourself to select what MX needs to continue to work. You then need to stop MX so it stores those settings and can use them next time it starts.

Please note some settings can take immediate effect while MX is running, others only take on their new values when MX is restarted. Don't ever edit the configuration file directly while Cumulus MX is running!

Should you accidentally delete Cumulus.ini, or should you close MX badly so it does not manage to correctly save the entire contents of Cumulus.ini, MX has an advantage in that it saves Cumulus.ini into the backup folder every time it restarts and every time it does a rollover.


= File Contents =

The section called "[FTP site]" should obey that use of capitals and lower-case. Other sections should be named as shown.

<big>Please be aware that as there are frequent changes to Cumulus MX, the snapshot shown here represents an out of date release and may not cover all the parameters now available.</big>

Please look at MX release announcements in the support forum for all releases since July 2020, as they may contain changes not shown below. Volunteers are sought who are able to work as hard as the developer in maintaining this article (and others) in the Wiki to keep up with the frequent releases.


== Default and Example Values ==

The entries shown in the 'parameter line entry' column include the default value from the configuration screen where applicable, a typical example value where appropriate, or just the attribute and an equals sign where there is no default nor typical value.

== Section by Section ==


=== Section: Station ===

<big>THIS SECTION NEEDS TO BE REWRITTEN - MX has changed, and the sub-sections below reflect older releases where some parameters were read-only (not set with admin interface) and some were read-write 9set within admin interface)</big>
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:400px" | Legacy Software 1.x.y releases
!style="width:600px" | Function
!style="width:200px" | Beta builds of legacy software
!style="width:200px" | Cumulus 2 alpha releases
|-
!style="width:300px" | MX beta 3.0.0
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Station]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to all weather stations.
|-
|StartDate=13/08/2009
|This parameter is different to all the others. In earlier releases of MX, this was not read-write as you cannot edit it. Unlike other read-only parameters it is automatically inserted into Cumulus.ini and given a value when Cumulus is first run. By default this will be set to the date of initial installation of the Cumulus application (whichever flavour). In the later releases of MX, you can edit it within the admin interface!
|-
|-
| This page was created for the legacy Cumulus 1 software (up to 1.9.4). If you look at the history tab of this page, user‎ '''Shamrockspider''' created this page at 12:55 on 27 August 2009 for the purpose of '''Documenting the cumulus.ini file content and its function.'''
|UseDataLogger=1
|Some releases of Cumulus MX: This parameter (attribute=value) is added directly to the file in the [Station] section if you want to change the default, it does not appear on the settings screen.


Back in 2009, the file was fairly simple, and therefore documentating it was also fairly easy.
*0 = Disabled, at start-up, Cumulus will not download data from the station's data logger (if it has one) but just start with next observations.
*1 = Enabled (Default), at start-up Cumulus will download data from the station's data logger (if it has one) to catch up from the point where Cumulus was last shut down. See last parameter for advice re station logging interval.
|}


Some settings were in [[Cumulus_Screenshots#Configuration_Menu_Screens|configuration screens]], and the file was arranged so that those settings were stored under a heading that generally (not in every case, for historic reasons) reflected the screen name. Documenting these was comparitively easy, the setting could be found easily and its allowed values could be easily tested.


A lot of extra settings were added to the file, but not added to the configuration screens. Documenting these was particularly difficult as only some got mentioned in release announcements, so the others were hard to discover, and allowed values were not always clear.
=== Spike Removal ===
| Each time a beta version of Cumulus 1 was available, any parameters specific to that beta appeared in [[Cumulus.ini_(Beta)]], and only moved to the main page when that beta finished, and became the main release.
| The same beta page, [[Cumulus.ini_(Beta)]], was briefly used for Cumulus 2.
| Finally, that beta page, [[Cumulus.ini_(Beta)]], was used for all the changes in Cumulus 3 (the MX beta):
*Some of the parameters for Cumulus 1 were not used by MX beta
*Some of the parameters for Cumulus 1 were used by MX beta
*Beta MX only added 3 new parameters


This was the position when Steve Loft ceased his involvement with Cumulus. This page contained all parameters used for Cumulus 1, some of these were used by MX beta too.
Which parameters are available from this section depends on release of MX being used, and which type of staion you use.


The beta page contained some Cumulus 1 beta parameters that were still under development and the parameters that were only used by MX.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Station]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to the station configuration.
|-
|EWMaxRainTipDiff=30
|Cumulus MX has a configurable threshold for the maximum feasible amount of rain between updates (i.e. within 48-seconds on Fine Offset stations without solar, 60 seconds on those measuring solar), set in units of count of tips. For other weather station types, this parameter may be irrelevent.

MX default has not been defined anywhere

For standard Fine Offset rain gauges, each tip represents 0.3mm, so 30 tips are equivalent to 9 mm, or just over a third of an inch in 48 seconds.

This setting affects rain rate, rain last hour, rain so far today (and what is recorded in today.ini/dayfile.txt), but does not affect the web tag <#r24hour>.
|-
|EWmaxHourlyRain=999
|An hourly rain count 'spike removal' filter for weather stations that do not supply this figure so Cumulus has to calculate it.
Any ''changes in calculated value'', between one calculation and the next, greater than the value specified here will be ignored by Cumulus when it calculates the hourly rain total.
Cumulus ignores this parameter if the weather station directly supplies this figure to Cumulus. '''999''' is the default indicating no spike removal required.
|-
|EWmaxRainRate=999
|A rain rate 'spike removal' filter, ''changes in calculated value'', between one calculation and the next, greater than the value specified here will be ignored by Cumulus when it calculates the rain rate.The default value of '''999''' effectively makes Cumulus ignore spike removal.
|-
|EWgustdiff=999.0
|A wind gust 'spike removal' filter, ''changes in calculated value'' between one calculation and the next, greater than the value (always metres per second) specified here (with a default of '''999.0''') will be ignored by Cumulus.
|-
|EWwinddiff=999.0
|A wind speed 'spike removal' filter, ''changes in calculated value'' between one calculation and the next greater than the value (always metres per second) specified here (with a default of '''999.0''') will be ignored by Cumulus
|-
|EWpressurediff=999.0
|A pressure change 'spike removal' filter, ''changes in read value'', from one reading to the next, off any station greater than the value (always mb) specified here (with a default of '''999.0''') will be ignored by Cumulus
|-
|EWminpressureMB=900
|Cumulus will ignore all pressure readings from the station that are less than this value (units are always hPa/millibars)

As the bug re reading pressure readings was corrected, this parameter is irrelevent in recent MX releases.
|-
|EWmaxpressureMB=1200
|Cumulus will ignore all pressure readings from the station that are greater than this value (units are always hPa/millibars).

As the bug re reading pressure readings was corrected, this parameter is irrelevent in recent MX releases.
|-
|EWTempdiff=999.0
|A temperature change 'spike removal' filter. Replace default of 999.0 with the maximum difference in degrees Celsius (the units Cumulus uses for all calculations regardless of what you select for display) you are prepared to accept between successive data readings.
|-
|EWhumiditydiff=999.0
|A humidity change 'spike removal' filter, ''changes in read value'' from any station greater than the value (as %) specified here (with a default of '''999.0''') will be ignored by Cumulus.
|-
|ErrorLogSpikeRemoval=0
|Following applies before version 3.7.0:
*Default is zero as shown, disabling the spike removal feature.
*Add this line to file with Cumulus MX stopped, and set to 1 for the spike removal feature to be enabled.
Following applies from version 3.7.0 :
*the default for new installs is now 1.
* change to zero if you don't want this feature. It can be set from the calibration settings screen. It controls the logging of both data spikes and data limits being exceeded. Recommended to be turned on.
|}
|}


== Mark Crossley era==
==== Read-only parameters in the Station section ====


* Cumulus.ini content has changed drastically, and therefore the documentation page called "Cumulus.ini" has also had to change drastically
Some releases of Cumulus MX: The read-only parameters must be entered directly into the configuration file. Stop Cumulus before editing this file using any plain text editor.
* There was a period when it was possible for one page to document both the legacy Cumulus 1.9.4 and all MX releases, but that has long gone.


{| class="wikitable" border="1"
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:300px" | MX beta releases 3.0.0 to MX release 3.4.6
!style="width:600px" | Function
!style="width:250px" | MX releases 3.6.0 to 3.7.0
!style="width:400px" | MX releases 3.8.0 to 3.9.7
!style="width:200px" | MX releases 3.10.0 to 3.11.4
!style="width:250px" | MX release 3.12.0 onwards
|-
|-
|
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Station]
* Until MX release 3.4.6, people using MX needed to refer to the page now called [[Cumulus.ini_(Cumulus_1)]], which was called "Cumulus.ini" at the time, and the beta page, [[Cumulus.ini_(Beta)]], as MX still used most of the parameters that the legacy software used and just a few new parameters. The latter still contained information from the last Cumulus 1 beta relating to Proxies section of Cumulus.ini, as that had not been finalised.
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to all weather stations.
* When Mark Crossley brought MX out of beta, he started adding new features to MX:
|-
** Some features represented functionality in the legacy software that MX had lacked, these used parameters that had been used for the legacy software
|colspan="2" style="background:pink;"|Read-only parameters - The parameters listed below must be entered directly into file with Cumulus stopped.
** For other new features, like interfaces with new weather station types and new sensors, he created new parameters, and the beta page began to rival the legacy page in the number of parameters it covered
|-
* The information about MX on the beta page stayed there until April 2020
|AvgBearingMinutes=N
|
|This line can be added in the [Station] section of the Cumulus.ini, with this parameter N is the number of minutes over which Cumulus calculates (by treating the wind as a vector and taking into account the speed as well as direction) its average bearing. Without it, the default sampling time = 10 minutes. Note the max number of wind samples stored by Cumulus is 720, so the maximum effective value for N for Fine Offset stations that are read every 10 seconds is 120 (2 hours) while for Davis stations that are sampled every 2 to 3 seconds the maximum effective value is only about 30 (minutes).
* Release 3.6.0 was when the functionality of MX first started to exceed the functionality of the legacy software
|-
* Between April and June 2020, information on the beta page was slowly moved across to the main page, it took some time as it needed to be verified because as MX developed configuration file content was changing
|UseWindChillCutOff=1
* Suddenly, a lot of people were migrating from the legacy software to MX
|If you have not asked Cumulus to calculate wind chill, this parameter is irrelevant as it cannot affect how your weather station calculates wind chill.
* To help people migrating, from June 2020, all settings (for both the legacy software and MX) were covered on a single "Cumulus.ini" page

* As people migrated, they could see on that single page clearly which parameters in their '''Cumulus.ini''' file were still valid, and what new parameters were needed when they migrated
If you have asked Cumulus to calculate wind chill ('''CalculatedWC=1'''), regardless of whether you have a weather station that can supply it, then Cumulus will by default only modify the outside temperature if both wind speed and temperature criteria are met. This parameter must be added to the file if you want to disable 'calculate Wind chill only if temperature less than 10°C rule'.
* For those using MX, the page was recording the new parameters that were being added to the file as MX developed

* Now the history of all the changes at that time can be viewed on this page, as this was originally the page that once held that combined information.
* 0 = Disabled, Cumulus will use any wind speed of 3 mph or more, to modify the temperature, and determine the wind chill, and Cumulus will ignore the temperature criterion
|
* 1 = Enabled (default), Cumulus will use both 10°C temperature and 3 mph wind speed criteria to determine if wind chill applies. Outside the criteria,the wind chill field will simply duplicate the outside temperature field.
* From release 3.8.0, the pace of change in MX was so fast, and the contributors to the Wiki so few, the page then called "Cumulus.ini" (with its previous content) stopped being maintained.
|-
*# The main problem was somebody needed to do a lot of research, and devote a lot of time, to track what the developer was changing.
|ChillHourThreshold=45 '''Fahrenheit only i.e. USA'''
*# There was a second problem, it was clear that it was too complicated to use the same page to describe configuration for the legacy software, older MX releases, and the latest MX release

* Consequently, the "Cumulus.ini" page had to change, and the first move meant accepting MX and the legacy software could not be documented any more on the same page
ChillHourThreshold=7 '''Celsius users'''
** A new page was created [[Cumulus.ini_(Cumulus_1)]], and all the information specific to the legacy software was split off from this page
|The temperature threshold for the calculation of [[Heat/cold_degree_days_and_Chill_hours|Chill Hours]] is specified in the units that you use in Cumulus.
* This still left the problem that this page, at that time called "Cumulus.ini", had information that related to a release that had been superseded
If the parameter is not included in the file, the default varies depending on the units you use.
** Another new page was created, [[Cumulus.ini (MX_3.0.0_to_3.7.0)]], and all the MX information was moved there.
*As shown the default is exactly 45 degrees Fahrenheit if Fahrenheit is used.
* Finally, this old "Cumulus.ini" paqe, with the attached history, but without any parameter information in the main page, was renamed to its current name, so it has preserved the history of the old page that had been split into two new pages, neither of which had the past history
*The default is exactly 7 degrees Celsius, (note that is not exactly 45<sup>o</sup>F) if you have selected Celsius.
|
*You can put in any value you want, with a decimal place if required
* At release 3.10.0, the settings pages in the admin interface were given a significant makeover, and huge numbers of new settings were created, while many others became redundant
*Some people have put in the freezing-point temperature (0<sup>o</sup>C and they relabel "chill hours" to "frost hours"
* It was clear the old [[Cumulus.ini (MX_3.0.0_to_3.7.0)|MX "Cumulus.ini"]] page was badly designed for the way 3.10.0 operated
|-
* That old page was already out of date as it had not been updated for 3.8.0 changes
|ChillHourSeasonStart=10
* It became obvious it was easier to start a new page that would would be based around 3.10.0 MX release, but would incorporate changes from 3.8.0 onwards, and would ignore anything that was now redundant
|The season start figure is the calendar month number (1=January to 12= December). The default if this parameter is not specified is October (month 10). On the first day of the month specified here, Cumulus resets the cumulative chill hours that it reports to zero.
* The other change was a redesign of the page, so it focussed on explaining how to change the settings using the admin interface, rather than just documenting what each parameter in the file was used for
|-
|SnowDepthHour=9
|If this parameter is not included in the file, then any snow entries in the [[Weather Diary]] for a particular date will continue to be used {{Version badge 1}} in output by Cumulus 1 until 9am the next morning, when entries for the current date will apply. The default for MX is not stated anywhere, but might be the standard rollover time (https://cumulus.hosiene.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=17919).
*Allowed values are the integers 0 to 23
*The time is constant year round, in UK "a day of snow" could (before climate change) happen in April despite that being after swapping to summer (daylight saving) time.
#What you enter here is independent of any settings for rollover time
#For meteorological reporting, snow is reported on midnight to midnight days, although snow depth is measured and reported at 9am.
|-
|CreateWxnowTxt=0
|If the parameter is not included in the file, the default value is assumed.

* 0= turn off creation of '''wxnow.tx'''t file (stored in main Cumulus folder)
* 1= (default) create '''wxnow.txt''' file (an alternative way to get data to CWOP/APRS)
|-
|ListWebTags=0
|If the parameter is not included in the file, the default value is assumed.

* 0= (default) turn off creation of WebTags.txt file (stored in main Cumulus folder)
* 1= create WebTags.txt file when Cumulus is restarted (contains an unordered list of all the web tags your Cumulus build will recognise and process)
|-
|RainDayThreshold=-1
|If this parameter is not included in the file, the default is '''-1''' and that represents 0.2 mm or 0.01 inches.
#The parameter specifies the threshold value which the daily rainfall has to equal or exceed for the day to be considered a 'rain day'.
#Value is entered in your current [[Rain_measurement]] units.
|-
|FCPressureThreshold=0.1
|It specifies the threshold (in mb per hour averaged over 3-hour period) for a pressure change to count as rising or falling rather than steady when determining the Zambretti forecast. The default is 0.1 mb/hr averaged over the previous three hours. If the parameter is not included in the file, the default value is assumed.
|-
|ErrorLogSpikeRemoval=0
|This is read-only below version 3.7.0. Because it is now a read-write parameter, please see its entry in next section of this table
|-
|UVdecimals=0
|UV values are now displayed and logged as whole numbers by default. You can change this by adding this entry specifying the number of decimal places:
* 0 = Integer Values (default)
* n = Number of decimal places e.g. 1
|-
|NoSensorCheck=0
|By default, Cumulus will stop working if after 6 attempts it cannot read all the standard readings from a weather station:
#temperature
#humidity
#wind speed
#pressure
This parameter allows disabling of that sensor check:
* 0 = Sensor check enabled (default)
* 1 = Sensor check disabled
|-
|PeakGustMinutes=N
| This line can be added in the [Station] section of the Cumulus.ini.
*With this parameter, N is the number of minutes over which Cumulus calculates its highest wind gust.
*Without this parameter, the default of 10 minutes, the international standard duration, is used.
*If you select 60, then Cumulus would calculate rolling 60-minute highest wind gust speeds.
*To be in line with met stations in Cz, select 30.
|-
|AvgSpeedMinutes=N
|This line can be added in the [Station] section of the Cumulus.ini, if you have set the next parameter so that Cumulus does its own calculation of average wind speed.
*With this parameter, N is the number of minutes over which Cumulus calculates its average speed, if you have Cumulus set to do this with the next parameter enabled.
*Without it, the default of 10 minutes, the international standard duration, is used if Cumulus is set to calculate average wind speeds.
*If you selected 60, then Cumulus would calculate rolling 60-minute average wind speeds.
*To be in line with ASOS stations in USA, select 2.
|}

==== Read-Write parameters in the Station section ====

'''Be aware that this article may not be correctly updated for MX.'''

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Station]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to all weather stations.
|-
|Type= -1
|Station Type as set. For details of [[Supported_Devices]] click that link.
*-1= default value, before a selection from those below is made. In Cumulus 1, this causes the configuration screen to be shown so that you start set up. In MX a message appears in the terminal (Windows command) screen saying that station type not known.
*0=Vantage Pro station
*1=Vantage Pro2 station
*2=WMR-928 station
*3=WM-918 station
For Oregon Scientific stations and similar re-badged stations (Huger, Radio Shack etc) which have a serial port connection, if your model is not listed, try WM-918 if your station has wired connections, and WMR-928 if it is wireless.
*4=Reading from file [[EasyWeather_Format#Usage_of_easyweather.dat_fields_for_Cumulus_input_of_latest_record: |EasyWeather.dat]] (using EasyWeather software version 6.2, or earlier, running continuously with Cumulus). Fine Offset weather stations that record Solar and UV measurements output to [[EasyWeather_Format#EasyWeatherPlus.dat| EasyWeatherPlus.dat file]] when Easyweather software version 6.x is running. This has the same fields as easyweather.dat, plus two extra fields for Solar and UV data at the end, and so Cumulus can understand the fields you must also have '''LogExtraSensors=1''' set.
'''NOTE:''' You can also use ''Type=4'' if you want to run Cumulus with reduced functionality without a weather station attached, to view historical observations. A full set of (historic) files in the ''data'' subfolder copied from a system with a weather station attached is needed, but in this case, the [[#Introduced for problems with Fine Offset family:| EWFile= ]] attribute should be at its default of not having any filename value
*5=Fine Offset, Maplin, Chas Olsen, MyDEL, Nevada, Watson, Tycon Power, Aercus, etc as defined in [[Supported_Devices#Fine_Offset|Fine Offset section in Supported_Devices article]] (without solar measurement sensors (with or without solar recharging))
*6=WS2300 (For all La Crosse WS23xx models)
*7=Fine Offset/Watson/MyDel etc with Solar Sensors as defined in [[Supported_Devices#Fine_Offset_with_UV/Light sensor|Fine Offset with UV/Light sensor in Supported_Devices article]].
*8=[[WMR100-200_Protocol|WMR100]]
*9=[[WMR100-200_Protocol|WMR200]]
*10=Instromet (with optional extra solar sensors or without)

Added in version 3.0.0:
*11=Davis WLL

Added in version 3.2.0:
*12=Ecowitt GW1000 and Froggit DP1500 (and any equivalents)
|-
|Model="your Model description"
|The weather station model description that you want output by the web tag &lt;#stationtype> - this does not appear in the station settings, stop MX, and add it directly into Cumulus.ini within this [Station] section.
|-
|Latitude=0
|You are advised ''not'' to directly edit this parameter in the file, but to enter the settings via the screen provide in software where you type Latitude (unsigned) Degrees, Minutes, Seconds and select 'N' or 'S'. Value in this parameter is Latitude in Decimal Degrees based on what you have entered, Positive for North, Negative for South
|-
|Longitude=0
|You are advised ''not'' to directly edit this parameter in the file, but to type Longitude (unsigned) Degrees, Minutes, Seconds and select 'E' or 'W'. Value in this parameter is Longitude in Decimal Degrees based on what you have entered, Positive for East, Negative for West
|-
|LatTxt=
|You are advised ''not'' to directly edit this parameter in the file, it contains Latitude in text string format of hemisphere D, M and S. HTML ampersand codes are used for spaces and unit characters.
|-
|LonTxt=
|You are advised ''not'' to directly edit this parameter in the file, it contains Longitude in text string format of hemisphere degrees, minutes and seconds. HTML ampersand codes are used for spaces and DMS characters.
|-
|Altitude=0
|your station altitude (default is zero). See next parameter to choose unit.
|-
|AltitudeInFeet=1
|Altitude measurement unit for value in previous parameter.
*0 = metres Above Sea Level
*1 = feet ASL
|-
|Wind10MinAverage=0
|Selected on same screen as other parameters.
*0 = Disabled (default), Cumulus will display the value supplied by the station. This is a 10 minute average for Davis stations, but an average over a shorter period for Oregon Scientific and Fine Offset stations, see [[FAQ#Cumulus_is_showing_a_different_wind_speed_compared_to_my_console]].
*1 = Enabled, Cumulus will calculate and display a N-minute average wind speed where N is defined by the previous parameter if present, otherwise defaults to 10, the international standard duration used to calculate average wind speeds.
|-
|UseSpeedForAvgCalc=0
|Selected on same screen as other parameters.
*0 = Disabled (default), Cumulus will display the average wind speed value supplied by the station, see [[FAQ#Cumulus_is_showing_a_different_wind_speed_compared_to_my_console]].
*1 = Enabled, Cumulus will use the longer-term 'speed' values in the average speed calculation. The preceding 'Wind10MinAverage' option must be enabled for this parameter to have any effect.
Note that there isn't really any point enabling this option for Davis stations, as their 'longer-term speed' is a 10 minute average anyway; neither for La Crosse stations, as they only supply one wind speed anyway.
|-
|RoundWindSpeed=0
|Selected on same screen as other parameters.
*0 = Disabled (default), Cumulus will display the wind speed value to the precision used by the station.
*1 = Enabled, this setting causes wind speeds to be rounded to the nearest integer.
|-
|UseZeroBearing=0
|Selected on same screen as other parameters. Intended for weather stations that do not supply a wind bearing, so Cumulus has to calculate it from reported compass direction.
*0 = Disabled, Cumulus displays the current bearing read from the station (i.e. the last direction the wind was blowing from before it became calm). Note that the average wind bearing will always display zero bearing if there has been no wind for the last N minutes (where N is defined by previous parameter if present but defaults to 10), as the average bearing takes wind speed into account.
*1 = Enabled, Cumulus display a bearing of zero (and '---' for the compass point) when the wind is calm (note when not calm, bearing is 360 for true North)
|-
|CalculatedDP=0
|Selected on same screen as other parameters.
*0 = Disabled, Cumulus will display the dew point value supplied by the station.
*1 = Enabled, Cumulus will calculate the dew point instead. This avoids the restriction in the Oregon Scientific stations where the dew point can never be below freezing point.
|-
|CalculatedWC=0
|Selected on same screen as other parameters.
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled, Cumulus will calculate the wind chill instead of using the value supplied by the station. You should set this if you have specified any calibration values for wind and/or temperature, so that Cumulus can also apply those adjustments to the wind chill.
Note that some stations (Fine Offset, for example), do not make a wind chill value available to Cumulus. For these, Cumulus always calculates it.
|-
|RolloverHour=0
|Log roll over time as selected on the same screen as other parameters
*0 = midnight
*9 = 9am/10am
|-
|Use10amInSummer=1
|Daylight saving correction for 9am roll over, Selected on same screen as other parameters.
*0 = Use 9am in summer (use 10am not checked on Station Configuration Screen)
*1 = Use 10am in summer selected on Station Configuration Screen
|-
|WarnMultiple=0
| Controls behaviour for Multiple Instances of Cumulus running on PC. Requires a Cumulus restart if value toggled, before new behaviour will take effect. Set as 'Stop 2nd instance' in Station Settings page. Not available in earliest builds of MX.
*0 = Disabled, (default) Multiple instances allowed.
*1 = Enabled, prevents multiple instances of Cumulus from running.
|-
|DataLogInterval=2
|defines frequency for Cumulus to log weather readings and derived figures in the [[Standard_log_files]] and, when applicable, in [[Extra_Sensor_Files]].
*0 = 1 min
*1 = 5 mins
*2 = 10 mins (default)
*3 = 15 mins
*4 = 20 mins
*5 = 30 mins
Notes:
*Some weather station types do not have an in-built logger, so Cumulus cannot read any archive data from them, and they don't have a station console logging interval, to determine what this Cumulus logging interval should be.
*For a Davis station you MUST set Cumulus logging interval to match your station console logging interval. (Otherwise you may activate the 'feature' in the Davis stations where they send the entire contents of the data logger when Cumulus asks for the data since it was last running). See Readme.txt. For other station types, normally set so matches station console logging interval, but this is not mandatory.
*For other makes as ''Cumulus on restarting is able (see next parameter) to read logged data from your station'' you can choose to match Cumulus and station logging intervals, then the frequency of logged information will be same regardless of whether Cumulus is running continuously or restarted (this improves accuracy of any averages calculated).
*Some Cumulus users set this Cumulus logging interval to be one of the two shorter times so they retain the maximum measurement detail in case of any need to correct rogue measurements, but have set their station logging interval at a longer time so that the station does not overwrite the memory locations over the longest period they might be away. In this case, the frequency of logged information will change between the periods Cumulus is running and the catch-up readings from station logger when it is restarted, and all averages calculated will be less accurate if Cumulus is not running all the time.
|-
|WindUnit=0
|[[Wind_measurement#Wind_Speed|Wind speed measurement unit]] used by Cumulus
*0 = m/s
*1 = mph
*2 = km/h
*3 = kts
These are the labels that Cumulus applies on its screens and web pages, most weather stations can only output in one unit (e.g. dm/s for Fine Offset). If that is not the unit selected here, Cumulus will ensure the values are converted to that selected from the 4 listed during processing.
|-
|PressureUnit=0
|[[Pressure_Measurement]] unit used by Cumulus
*0 = mb
*1 = hPa
*2 = in
These are the labels that Cumulus applies on its screens and web pages, most weather stations can only output in one unit (e.g. hPa for Fine Offset). If that is not the unit selected here, Cumulus will ensure the values are converted to that selected from the 3 listed during processing
|-
|RainUnit=0
|[[Rain_measurement]] unit used by Cumulus
*0 = mm
*1 = in
These are the labels that Cumulus applies on its screens and web pages, most weather stations can only output in one unit (e.g. dm for Fine Offset). If that is not the unit selected here, Cumulus will ensure the values are converted to either of the 2 listed during processing
|-
|TempUnit=0
|[[Temperature_(and_humidity)_measurement#Temperature_Scales|Temperature measurement unit]] used by Cumulus
*0 = Celsius
*1 = Fahrenheit
These are the labels that Cumulus applies on its screens and web pages, not related to units used by your weather stations (e.g. for Fine Offset a positive integer (a 12 bit value) that uses 0 at -40 degrees Celsius/Fahrenheit and 500 at 10 degrees Celsius/50 degrees Fahrenheit; i.e. you get the actual temperature in Celsius by subtracting 400 and dividing by 10). If that is not the unit selected here, Cumulus will ensure the values are converted to either of the 2 listed during processing
|-
|LocName=
|A '''Name''' for the location (as entered on the same screen as other parameters)
|-
|LocDesc=
|A '''Description''' for the location (as entered on the same screen as other parameters)
|-
|RainSeasonStart=1
|Selected in the same settings page as other parameters. The month (1 to 12) of the year that is used as the start of the annual 'rain season'. Default = 1 meaning January.
|-
|YTD[[FAQ#My_monthly_and.2For_annual_rainfall_totals_are_wrong|rain]]=0
|Selected in the same settings page as other parameters. Year to date correction if starting part way through rainfall year (see previous parameter). Value is entered in your current [[Rain_measurement]] units. Default is 0.
|-
|YTDrainyear=0
|Selected in the same settings page as other parameters. The year for which the previous parameter (YTDrain) is to be applied. Default is 0 meaning not applied to any year. Note if you selected a month other than January in "RainSeasonStart" parameter, you will need to change this "YTDrainyear" when the calendar year changes during your first 'rain season' and change it to 0 when you reach the same "RainSeasonStart" month and start your second 'rain season'.
|-
|UseCumulusForecast=0
|Selected in the same settings page as other parameters, if selected Cumulus will generate a simple weather Zambretti forecast, if your station does not supply a forecast, or as an alternative to the one supplied by your station. See the [[Forecast webtag]] for more information. See next parameter for interval between forecast updates.
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled
|-
|HourlyForecast=0
|Selected in the same settings page as other parameters, applies only if Cumulus is set (see previous parameter) to generate a forecast (see [[FAQ#My_forecast_says_.22Not_available.22]]),
*0 = Disabled, (default) Cumulus will use Zambretti Forecaster every time it updates the web pages.
*1 = Enabled, this setting causes the forecast to be updated only once an hour (on the hour).
|-
|UseCumulusPresstrendstr=0
|Selected in the same settings page as other parameters. If selected Cumulus will generate the name for the current pressure trend, e.g. "Falling", "Rising quickly" etc, instead of the one supplied by your station. The names used are those in the UK Shipping Forecast. Note that some stations do not supply this anyway, so setting this has no effect (Cumulus always generates the names for those stations).
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled
|-
|FCpressinMB=1
|Selected in the same settings page as other parameters. The units you use here are not related to the units you use for pressure (PressureUnit=x parameter earlier) in Cumulus; the option is given here simply as a convenience for the next two parameters.
*0 = inches of mercury
*1 = mb
|-
|FClowpress=950
|Low Pressure extreme limit (in units specified by previous parameter). Selected in the same settings page as other parameters in the '''Forecast''' area, using either millibars or inches of mercury. Default is 950mb
|-
|FChighpress=1050
|High Pressure extreme limit as entered in the same Forecast area as last 2 parameters. Default is 1050mb
|-
|CloudBaseInFeet=1
|Cloud base measurement unit as selected in same screen [[Cumulus_Screenshots#Display_as_at_version_1.8.8|(here from version_1.8.8)]] as other parameters. In MX you cannot change the default without adding this directly into file with MX stopped.
*0 = metres
*1 = feet (default)
|-
|DataLogging=0
|This parameter (attribute=value) is ignored for MX prior to build 3018, it determines if when you next start Cumulus it will send enhanced information to a [[MXDiags_folder]] file.

With Cumulus stopped, you can edit the setting in the file and the new setting will apply when Cumulus is next started and it sets a local value by reading the configuration file. Debugging can also be switched on while you are running Cumulus, the new setting of enhanced debugging will stop when you exit Cumulus as you only edit the value held locally (you don't edit the configuration file).
*0 = default of normal output
*1 = Set it to 1 to enable the enhanced output to the log that aids debugging if there is a problem.
|-
|RecordSetTimeoutHrs=24
| From version 3.5.1, Cumulus MX will set new records (available in [[Webtags#Extreme_Records|Extreme Records Web Tags]]) from the time of the record until a timeout value (default 24 hours). You can change the default timeout by adding this parameter, and changing the default '24' to the number of hours that suit you.

This parameter is not available in any earlier versions (i.e. not in MX up to, and including, 3.5.0.
|-
|Logging=0
*0 = default of normal output
*1 = Set it to 1 to enable the enhanced output to the log that aids debugging if there is a problem.

|This parameter can be edited in the file, or in station settings, or by use of a parameter when starting MX. It controls whether MX stores extra diagnostic information about its interaction with the weather station.
|-
|RecordSetTimeoutHrs=24
|Available in MX version 3.5.1 onwards only, allows the time from when a record is set to when it is cleared to be varied.

The web tags: TempRecordSet, WindRecordSet, RainRecordSet, HumidityRecordSet, PressureRecordSet, HighTempRecordSet,LowTempRecordSet, HighAppTempRecordSet, LowAppTempRecordSet, HighHeatIndexRecordSet, LowWindChillRecordSet, HighMinTempRecordSet, LowMaxTempRecordSet, HighDewPointRecordSet, LowDewPointRecordSet, HighWindGustRecordSet, HighWindSpeedRecordSet, HighRainRateRecordSet,HighHourlyRainRecordSet, HighDailyRainRecordSet, HighMonthlyRainRecordSet, HighhHumidityRecordSet, HighWindrunRecordSet, LowHumidityRecordSet, HighPressureRecordSet, LowPressureRecordSet, LongestDryPeriodRecordSet, LongestWetPeriodRecordSet, HighTempRangeRecordSet, LowTempRangeRecordSet will all return 1 from when relevant record is set for the period of time set here (default 24 hours) and then reset to 0.
|}


==== Davis family specific: ====

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Station]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to the station configuration.
|-
|colspan="2" style="background:pink;"|Read-only parameters - The parameters listed below in earlier releases must be entered directly into file with Cumulus stopped.
|-
|VP2SleepInterval=500
|This read-only parameter is the period which Cumulus waits between reads of the data from Davis stations, the value is in milliseconds. The default if the parameter has not been added manually to the file is 500 ms; if you suspect that data is being missed, you could add this parameter, manually reducing this figure. For VirtualVP users, tests revealed that VP2SleepInterval = 1100 seems to work the best. It updates every two seconds with few exceptions.
|-
|VPClosedownTime=x
| x is the number of seconds after the start of the re-connect attempts that you want the program to close itself
|-
|DavisCalcAltPress=1
|Davis stations calculate Sea Level Pressure from Station Pressure using a formula based on several parameters such as temperature, humidity, etc, rather than just using altitude as most other stations. CWOP require 'Altimeter Pressure' to be uploaded, i.e. a value calculated simply using altitude. '''Note for MX''', use of the LOOP2 interface means s.l.p. can be obtained from the Davis station.

If you don't use CWOP, or you are happy for Cumulus to send Sea-Level pressure to CWOP (the difference is small unless you are at high altitude), set this value to 0.
Cumulus will then use the Sea-Level Pressure value instead of the Cumulus calculated Altimeter Pressure.
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled (default)
|-
|colspan="2" style="background:lightblue;"| Read-write parameters:
|-
|SyncDavisClock=0
|When set, at Cumulus start-up and at a fixed time (default 04:00, see next parameter) each day, Cumulus will set the Davis VP/VP2 clock to within a minute of the same time as the PC. (From build 3015 for MX).
*0 = Disabled, default (as deselected on the Station Configuration Screen)
*1 = Enabled, ensures that when Cumulus asks the station for data since time X, both recognise X!
|-
|ClockSettingHour=4
|Controls what hour of the day the SyncDavisClock activity will take place if it is enabled.
*4 = 04:00 (default value)
*0-23 = 00:00 to 23:00
|-
|VP2ConnectionType=1
|Weather station connection type
*0 = serial (see next parameter to specify COM port)
*(1 = usb - setting no longer available on screen, remains as default in cumulus.ini for those not using a Davis)
*2 = TCP/IP (see later parameters to specify ports)
Default is type 1, i.e. neither option on screen selected, so if you use a Davis you must select either serial or TCP/IP.
|-
|VP2TCPPort=22222
|Comunications port used if VP type has TCP/IP selected. Default is 2222
|-
|VP2IPAddr=0.0.0.0
|Weather station IP address if VP type has TCP/IP selected. Default is 0.0.0.0
|-
|VP2PeriodicDisconnectInterval=0
|When the clock minute changes, Cumulus stops the current stream of data from the console, disconnects, waits for the specified number of milliseconds, to allow the Weatherlink IP to briefly connect to the Davis Weatherlink site. Cumulus then attempts to reconnect.

Set it to zero to disable, if you are not using the Weatherlink site.
|-
|LogExtraSensors=0
|This is set in the '''Settings''' block on the Station settings screen off the configuration menu. Set this to 1 if you have additional sensors (e.g. a Davis Leaf Wetness probe) to make Cumulus read, display, and log the readings from the sensors. You don't select this for Solar/UV sensors.
|-
|UseDavisLoop2=1
|The current MX code uses ''LOOP2'' for two purposes. First, it uses the 'peak 10-minute gust' value, to avoid the problem where a gust might be missed, and secondly it uses the 'absolute pressure' value to make calculation of 'altimeter pressure' easier and more accurate. This is mainly used if you upload to CWOP.
*1 (default) = Cumulus MX will use the LOOP2 packet for Davis Weather Stations by default. The LOOP2 packet is supported on the VP2 with firmware version 1.90 or later, and on the Vue.
*0 = Select this if you have a Vantage Pro (i.e. the original 'VP1'), or a VP2 with pre-1.90 firmware, or if you are using Virtual VP, none of these support the LOOP2 packet.

Without this setting, Cumulus will revert to calculating the 10-minute gust value itself from the individual wind speed readings, but it will not currently attempt to calculate altimeter pressure correctly, it will simply use the sea-level pressure instead. This is likely to be an issue if you are at high altitude and you upload to CWOP using Cumulus MX.
|-
|DavisIPResponseTime=500
|The length of time in milliseconds which Cumulus waits to allow a response from the console to a command (i.e. a request for any kind of data) from an IP logger . Default is 500ms, see Cumulus MX forum where times up to 2000ms are suggested.
|-
|ForceVPBarUpdate=0
| Added in build 3042 (January 2017).

The default (value=0) is to assume standard barometer updates on Davis stations. Set to 1, by adding ForceVPBarUpdate=1 in [Station] section to force more frequent barometer updates on Davis stations. Steve says "Having checked the code, I see it asks for 20 packets from the 'LOOP2' if the barometer forcing is on, otherwise it stops receiving LOOP data after 50 packets". Note that ForceVPBarUpdate=1 is only useful on very old versions of the console firmware.
|-
|DavisIncrementPressureDP=0
|(from version 3.0.0 build 3042) A Cumulus.ini setting to turn off the 'extra' decimal place in pressure values on Davis stations. To limit the pressure to 1 decimal for mb/hPa and 2 for inHg, add this to the [Station] section
|-
|VPrainGaugeType=0
|The default is to assume that people using MM units to display rain in Cumulus have a Metric Rain Adapter fitted to their rain gauge so it tips for every 0.2mm, and those selecting inches as their unit have the unmodified 0.01" rain gauge. This parameter over-rides that assumption, but note that conversion rounding errors will then occur.

Specifies the units selected on your Vantage Pro Rain Gauge. Set to 0 for a 0.2mm gauge and 1 for a 0.01" gauge.
|-
|DataLogging=0
|(Build 3018 onwards). Default is 0, change to 1 for more detailed Davis logging.
*0 (default) = Cumulus MX will not add extra logging.
*1 = To add extra logging to the diags file for data received from Davis stations. Use this with care, the log will get very large.
I've also added some more diagnostics to try to find the cause of the problem where data stops being read from Davis stations. Debug logging is required to be turned on. (Build 3022 onwards).|-
|-
|AutoUpdateIpAddress=1
|default = 1, set to 0 to switch off the WLL autodetection of IP address. This is a workaround for a WLL firmware bug that does not update the IP address when it changes using DHCP.
|-
|ZeroConfig
|set this on station settings screen; to enable/disable the entry/update of the stations IP address via auto-discovery
|}

====Introduced for problems with Fine Offset family:====


{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Station]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to the station configuration.
|-
|FOReadAvoidPeriod=3
|Add this line to cumulus.ini [Station] section if you wish to change the default, this parameter used to fine-tune the previous parameter.
*2 Minimum value
*3 = default value
Sets the interval (in seconds) during each 48 (or 60 for some models in Cumulus 1) second of station logging period when Cumulus will avoid reading the station data to try and minimise lock ups. If the clock drifts more than this value in 24 hours, then Cumulus may cause the station to lock up when reading the data. The actual station clock drift gets logged to the diags file when the re-synchronise (see last parameter) takes place, this will give an idea of whether it would be useful to adjust this setting.

MX applies both 48 and 60 second avoidances regardless of model.
|-
|EWpressureoffset=x.y
|Got a pressure problem with a Fine Offset station when the pressure 'offset' that Cumulus reads is garbage, so Cumulus just uses zero? Early releases of MX had a bug and treated a memory byte in the Fine Offset console that is nothing to do with pressure as part of the pressure reading!

Tell Cumulus what offset to use, by using an external text editor to insert this parameter where x.y is your pressure offset in in mb or hPa [i.e. your station (absolute) pressure subtracted from the sea-level (relative) pressure].

May not be useful in later releases of MX that read pressure from Fine Offset correctly.

|-
|SyncFOReads=0
|Cumulus 1 and MX
*0 = Synchronisation disabled, default (Cumulus reads the memory without taking into account when memory is being updated)
*1 = Re-synchronizes once each day, to avoid reading memory at time of memory update
A Fine Offset station will be writing to its memory every 48 or 60 seconds (depending on model); Cumulus can attempt once a day to identify when this update of memory occurs, and thereafter try not to read the memory at update time, by using what is called a synchronisation mode of operation. See next parameter.
|}

==== Reading File instead of weather station ====


{{Version badge 1}}Functionality added from version 1.7.12 (when Fine Offset could not be interrogated via USB): '''Requiring Cumulus to read Easyweather.dat instead of a station directly perhaps for Stations not recognised by Cumulus'''
*Stations not recognised by Cumulus ''may'' be set to create an [[EasyWeather_Format#Usage_of_easyweather.dat_fields_for_Cumulus_input_of_latest_record: |EasyWeather_Format]] file. For these the first two (or three) parameters below are mandatory.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Station]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to the station configuration.
|-
|EWInterval=0
|This parameter is entered in the Station Configuration Screen Settings block.
*0= Default, meaning not applicable
*n= any positive decimal value representing Easyweather version 6.2, or earlier, logging interval in minutes (used for reading single latest observations from [[EasyWeather_Format#Usage_of_easyweather.dat_fields_for_Cumulus_input_of_latest_record: |Easyweather]] software output). Note to specify seconds, use decimal minutes, e.g. 30 seconds = 0.5
'''Note:''' If you have not set Station '''Type''' to 4, then Cumulus ignores this parameter, i.e. it only applies if Cumulus needs to know how often to read a new record from the easyweather.dat file.
|-
|EWFile=
|This is set in the settings frame on the Station settings screen off the configuration menu.
*[[EasyWeather_Format#Usage_of_easyweather.dat_fields_for_Cumulus_input_of_latest_record: |Easyweather.dat or EasyWeatherPlus.dat]] file path/name as entered in the Station Configuration Screen Settings block (Station '''Type''' is set to 4). '''Note:''' This approach is viewed as outdated, it was used if obsolete EasyWeather software version 6.2, or earlier, was running at same time as Cumulus software, both ran all the time, and Cumulus was required to simply process the latest record on the database, at the interval set in previous parameter, without all the additional processing Cumulus is able to do if it is reading directly from the console very frequently.
*(attribute and equals sign, but no value)= Default (Station '''Type''' ''not'' set to 4). '''Note:''' This is the default when Cumulus is operating normally.
*(attribute and equals sign, but no value)= Default (Station '''Type''' is set to 4). '''Note:''' If you want to run Cumulus without an attached weather station (because your station has a fault or because you have a second PC), it is possible to run Cumulus with station '''Type=4''' but with the default of no file specified in this parameter. The full Cumulus directory structure and its files including those in the ''data'' sub-directory are needed (kept from when your station was working or copied from the PC with the station). Although only the old observations can be accessed, (no new ones are being added), this does allow analysis of the old observations via all Cumulus features such as '''View''' ''This period'' and '''View''' ''Select-A-Graph''. See [[FAQ#Cumulus_isn.27t_performing_periodic_tasks.2C_like_data_logging_or_web_uploads|FAQ here]] for reduced functionality using Cumulus in this way.
|-
|LogExtraSensors=0
|This is set in the settings frame on the Station settings screen off the configuration menu.
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled; Use if you a) have Fine Offset models (generally those [[EasyWeather_Format#Note_on_Models|models 3xyz]]) with Solar/UV sensors, and b) '''Type=4''' set in that parameter (see top of [station] section), and c) '''EWFile='''''path'''''/EasyWeatherPlus.dat''' set in previous parameter. Only relevant if '''all these''' conditions met.
'''Note:''' Cumulus uses this parameter to determine where to find each observation (e.g. outside temperature, wind speed, humidity etc.) in the latest file record. If you set this parameter wrong, Cumulus will assign what it finds in various field locations wrongly and therefore it is highly likely that temperatures, wind speeds and everything else will appear to have many rogue values in Cumulus but look okay on the weather station console display.

This parameter is also used for other makes of weather station, see the relevant section for your make as the parameter is used differently.
|}

==== Oregon Scientific specific: ====

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Station]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to the station configuration.
|-
|Humidity98Fix=0
|Applies to weather station types that never report more than 98% relative humidity.
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled, humidity displayed and recorded as 100% if your sensor registers a relative humidity of 98% or greater. Normally only useful for Oregon Scientific stations.
|-
|LogExtraSensors=0
|This setting determines whether MX looks for readings from extra temperature probes etc.
*0=Disabled (default)
*1= Enabled - Used for Oregon Scientific WMR-928 and similar stations if you have additional sensors (e.g. another temperature probe) to make Cumulus read, display, and log the readings from those sensors. You don't use this for Solar/UV sensors.
(Note this attribute appears in [[#Davis_family_specific|Davis family]] and [[#Introduced_for_problems_with_Fine_Offset_family:|Fine Offset family]] tables above and in [[#Instromet_station_specific:|Instromet station specific:]] table below with different usage explanations).
|-
|colspan="2" style="background:pink;"|Read-only parameters - how to set depends on your MX release.
|-
|WMR928TempChannel=N
|for WMR-928 stations (and other serial stations using the same protocol, eg WMR-968) to use an 'extra' channel (see previous parameter) as your main temperature sensor, set N to the required channel
|-
|WMR200TempChannel=N
|for WMR200 stations (and any other Oregon Scientific USB stations which work with Cumulus, e.g. WMR100) to use an 'extra' channel as your main temperature sensor, set N to the required channel
|}

==== La Crosse specific: ====


{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Station]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to the station configuration.
|-
|colspan="2" style="background:pink;"|Read-only parameters - how to set depends on your MX release.
|-
|WS2300Sync=1
|This makes Cumulus check the time that the station is going to communicate with the sensors, and synchronises all of its reads to be 2.5 seconds after that. Experiments have shown that this does not help the bad data situation.
|-
|LCMaxWind=X
|This is setting for the La Crosse max wind speed, where X is the maximum (prior to any offset settings) wind speed in m/s that you want to allow. The value you supply should be in metres/second, regardless of what wind unit you are using in Cumulus.
|-
|WS2300IgnoreStationClock=0
|Option to ignore the La Crosse station clock on logger download.
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled
|}
The spike removal parameters listed above, may also be used with La Crosse stations.

==== Hydreon specific: ====

All 6 of these parameters are set on RG11 screen within configuration menu, see its ''Help'' for more information.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Station]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to the station configuration.
|-
|RG11port=1
|Specifies the COM port to use for [[Rain_measurement#Optical_Rain_Gauge | Hydreon RG-11 rain detection devices]]. 1 = COM1.
|-
|RG11TBRmode=1
|Specifies the Hydreon RG-11 rain device mode of operation.
*0 = Rain detection mode - "It's Raining"
*1 = Tipping bucket mode.
|-
|RG11tipsize=0.01
|Specifies the tipping bucket size for Hydreon RG-11 rain detection devices. The 'tip size' must be specified in the units that you have configured Cumulus to use for rain.
|-
|RG11port2=

RG11TBRmode2=

RG11tipsize2=
|Settings to connect a second Hydreon RG-11 rain detection device.
Note that you must have one RG-11 set to "It's raining" mode and the other to "tipping bucket" mode. Cumulus does not validate this.
|}

====Ecowitt GW1000 and Froggit DP1500 (and any equivalents) specific ====

Note that the section in the file is called '''[GW1000]''', but as indicated above it applies to equivalent models.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[GW1000]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to the station configuration.
|-
|colspan="2" style="background:lightblue;"| Cumulus MX only
|-
|IPAddress=
|There is no default value, stores the IP address of your GW1000 WiFi logger, set via the station settings page.
|}


==== Instromet station specific: ====

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Station]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to the station configuration.
|-
|colspan="2" style="background:pink;"|Read-only parameters - how to set depends on your MX release.
|-
|ImetWaitTime=200
|This parameter (attribute=value) if you need to change it from its '''default of 200 ms''' is added directly to the file, it does not appear on a configuration screen.
Specifies the time in milliseconds that Cumulus allows for a response from an Instromet station. If you are having problems with reading from an Instromet station, try inserting this line into the ''Station'' section using a value of 500. According to the specification, 500 ms is the absolute maximum time that the station should take to respond to any command.
|-
|ImetBaudRate=19200
|The default value is 19200. Some ?older? Instromet loggers operate at 115200, if you have one of these older loggers you will need to reset this value
|-
|SyncDavisClock=0
|Note despite the name of the parameter within 'Cumulus.ini', this does apply to Instromet stations.
When set, at Cumulus start-up and at 04:00 each day, Cumulus will set the Instromet clock to within a minute of the same time as the PC
*0 = Disabled, default as deselected on the Station Configuration Screen
*1 = Enabled, ensures that when Cumulus asks the station for data since time X, both recognise X as representing same time!
|-
|LogExtraSensors=0
|If you have 'extra sensors' selected, the wet bulb reading will be used as an extra temperature sensor. Otherwise it is used as 'wet bulb' and the humidity will be calculated from that and the dry bulb sensor.
*0=Disabled (default). For a wet bulb sensor, Cumulus will output the humidity, not the temperature shown by the wet bulb.
*1= Enabled - Used for optional Sunshine hours or extra temperature sensors on Instromet stations. For a wet bulb sensor, Cumulus will output the temperature it shows, but not calculate the humidity.
(Note this attribute appears in [[#Davis_family_specific|Davis family]], [[#Oregon_Scientific_specific:|Oregon Scientific specific]] and [[#Introduced_for_problems_with_Fine_Offset_family:|Fine Offset family]] tables above with different usage explanations).
|}

=== Section: Offsets ===

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Offsets]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name - the following 'attribute=value' parameters are the adjustment factors for your specific sensors
|-
|colspan="2" style="background:pink;"|Read-only parameters - how to set depends on your MX release.
|-
|TempMult2=0.0
|This line needs to be added in the [Offsets] section of the Cumulus.ini, if it is omitted default second order multiplier is 0.0 to ensure no second order effect.
"Second order" multiplier by which measured outdoor Temperature is to be corrected, this means that the logged reading can be (TempMult2 X measured-temp X measured_temp) + (TempMult X measured_temp) + TempOffset
|-
|colspan="2" style="background:pink;"|Only MX (build 3045 onwards) - how to set depends on your MX release.
|-
|HumMult2=0.0
|This line needs to be added in the [Offsets] section of the Cumulus.ini, if it is omitted default second order multiplier is 0.0 to ensure no second order effect.
"Second order" multiplier by which measured outdoor Humidity is to be corrected, this means that the logged reading can be (HumMult2 X measured_hum X measured_hum) + (HumMult X measured_hum) + HumOffset
|-
|colspan="3" style="background:lightblue;"| All MX releases
|-
|TempOffset=Offset_Value
|Default 'Offset_Value' is 0 in this parameter, used for quadratic formula shown for read-only parameter
|-
|TempMult=1
|First order multiplier by which measured outdoor Temperature is to be corrected (default=1).
For formula see read-only item.
|-
|HumMult=1
|Multiplier by which measured Humidity is to be corrected (default=1). See formula in read-only parameter
|-
|HumOffset=Offset_Value
|Default 'Offset_Value' is 0 in this parameter used for formula in MX read-only parameter above
|-
|WetBulbMult=1
|First order multiplier by which measured Wet Bulb Temperature is to be corrected (default=1). See formula in next row
|-
|WetBulbOffset=0
|Default 'Offset_Value' is 0 in this parameter, used for formula: Cumulus wet bulb temperature = measured_wet_bulb X wet_bulb_multiplier + 'Offset_Value'
|-
|WindDirOffset=Offset_Value
|Default 'Offset_Value' is 0 in this parameter used for formula: Cumulus Wind Bearing = Measured Wind Bearing + 'Offset_Value'
|-
|InTempOffset=Offset_Value
|Default 'Offset_Value' is 0 in this parameter used for formula: Cumulus Indoor Temperature = Measured Indoor Temperature + 'Offset_Value'
|-
|WindSpeedMult=1
|Multiplier by which measured Average [[Wind_measurement#Wind_Speed|Wind Speed]] is to be corrected (default=1).

e.g. Officially in UK (and most WMO obeying nations) the wind speed is measured with sensors at 10m above ground level. If your sensor is not at 10m AGL then a correction multiplier should be applied using the following formula ''V10/Vh = 1/(0.233 + 0.656*log10(h+4.75))'' where "h" is your sensor height in meters so if your anemometer is 5m off the ground, V10/Vh comes out at 1.134
|-
|WindGustMult=1
|Multiplier by which measured [[Wind_measurement#Wind_Speed|Wind Gust]] Speed is to be corrected (default=1).
|-
|PressOffset=Offset_Value
|Default 'Offset_Value' is 0 in this parameter, used for formula: Cumulus pressure = Measured Pressure + 'Offset_Value'
|-
|RainMult=1
|Multiplier by which measured Rainfall (and therefore rainfall rate too) is to be corrected (default=1).
|-
|UVMult=1
|Multiplier by which measured UV to be corrected (default=1). see formula in next row
|-
|UVOffset=Offset_Value
|Default 'Offset_Value' is 0 in this parameter used for formula: Cumulus UV level = Measured_UV_level X UV_multiplier + 'Offset_Value'
|-
|colspan="3" style="background:lightblue;"| Cumulus 1 only
|-
|DavisCalcAltPressOffset=Offset_Value
|Default 'Offset_Value' is 0 in this Davis Altitude parameter, used for formula: Cumulus altimeter pressure = Calculated Altimeter Pressure + 'Offset_Value'

The calculated altimeter pressure (from build 792) uses
<pre>k1 := 0.190284; // discrepency with calculated k1 probably because Smithsonian used less precise gas constant and gravity values
k2 := 8.4184960528E-5; // (standardLapseRate / standardTempK) * (Power(standardSLP, k1)
Result := Power(Power(absolute_pressureHPa - 0.3, k1) + (k2 * elevationM), 1/k1);</pre>

Sea level pressure is strictly calculated from actual pressure making compensation for temperature and humidity variation with height and most stations supply a SLP, but in Cumulus terms where a station supplies absolute pressure only, a standard offset is used to correct that to sea level pressure. Altimeter pressure as used for reporting to APRS/CWOP, does not make this compensation for temperature and humidity, it assumes standard atmosphere, purely a compensation for altitude, so the above calculation is used, then this offset is used by Cumulus to re-calculate altimeter pressure.
|-
|PressMult = 1.0
|only from version 3.2: First order multiplier by which measured Pressure (in above formula) is to be corrected (default=1).
|-
|SolarMult=1.0
|Solar multiplier
|-
|SolarOffset=0.0
| Solar offset
|}



=== Section: FTP site ===

NOTE: For MX, the word site should be in lower case as shown in left-hand column heading and above.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:900px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[FTP site]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name - the following parameters relate to your website FTP parameters
|-
|DailyProgram=
|The name (including path) of a command-line program to be run once a day, after the daily 'rollover' has been performed.
*default - none
|-
|DailyParams=
|
|
* As MX was developed, its settings pages were being redesigned, and so where you changed particular parameters in the file was modified making the documentation that already existed obsolete for people using latest release, but still valid for people who were using an older release.
*default - none
* As release 3.12.0 was planned to add many, many more parameters to the Cumulus.ini file, and the Settings pages get another redesign, it was decided the documenting of the changes in 3.8.0, 3.9.2, and 3.10.0 would be delayed until it became clearer what might change in 3.12.0
The corresponding 'parameters' for 'DailyProgram' used to specify any parameters to be passed to that command.
* The new [[Cumulus.ini]] page to cover all these recent releases was created in June 2021, a year after the last big change to a page with that name.
|-
|Host=
|''Leave blank, "'''Host='''", if you are not using ftp'', but simply creating the output files on your pc with a Copy instruction.

This is either the name, or the IP address, of the ftp server to which you connect when you upload pages to your web site.
|-
|Port=21
|you normally use either standard FTP (port=21), SSH for FTP i.e. SFTP (port=22), or SSL/TLS i.e.FTPS (port=25). If you get connection refused, messages in the MXdiags log, then you may need to try alternative ports.
|-
|Username=
|the user name for connecting to your server
|-
|Password=
|Shows your web site FTP login password (note: this is not encrypted)
|-
|Directory=
|Directory (including path) on your server to which FTP will upload the files.
*value is left Blank, default, the root position specified by ftp server (see Host above)
*A path from the starting point as the position specified by ftp server (see Host above)
|-
|FTPlogging=0
|Where output is stored depends on what type of FTP you have selected
*0 (default) = Cumulus will not store messages from FTP server.
*1 = Cumulus will show the messages sent to, and responses from, the FTP server.
|-
|MaxFTPconnectRetries=3
|Allow configurable max FTP connect retries (default is retry up to 3 times).
|-
|ActiveFTP=0
|Whether to ''Use active FTP mode''.
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled, Cumulus will use 'active' FTP mode instead of the default 'passive' mode. You should only select active mode if you are having problems with FTP uploads.
|-
|FTPRename=0
|Whether to ''Use FTP rename''.
*0 = Disabled (default), no name change after uploading onto the server
*1 = Enabled, the new update is loaded using temporary names, files are renamed on the sever afterwards
|-
|DeleteBeforeUpload=0
|Whether to use ''Delete before upload''.
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled, files are deleted from sever before the new update is loaded
|-
|UpdateInterval=15
|The interval in minutes at which you wish Standard (not real-time) updates (either FTP to your website, or copy to a local directory on your pc) to automatically occur. Default 15 minutes.
|-
|ExternalProgram=
|The name (including path) of a command-line program to be run at the 'standard' web update interval (defined by previous parameter), after all of the other processing has been performed.
|-
|ExternalParams=
|The corresponding 'parameters' for 'ExternalProgram' used to specify any parameters to be passed to that command.
|-
|EnableRealtime=0
|Cumulus wil not set up a timer for actions to be performed at a "real time interval" as well as a "standard interval" unless this parameter is enabled.
*0 = Disabled (default)
** - If you do not have ''Auto Update'' option set (top of Web Settings block), the ''realtime.txt'' file is not created/updated.
** - If you have the ''Auto Update'' option set (and a suitable ''Interval'' configured), Cumulus will create the ''realtime.txt'' file at that specified normal update ''Interval'' (not the Real-time Interval)
** It only creates the file (any previous creation is lost) at that interval, but you can separately specify it as an extra file to upload during the 'normal' upload, or just use it for any other purpose on your PC.
*1 = Enabled, Cumulus will add a timer that allows you to upload at a more frequent interval than the standard upload interval set above
**Cumulus will create a new ''realtime.txt'' file at the Real-time Interval (Note that neither Cumulus 1 nor Cumulus MX use this file in standard features, but it can be fed to other software that requires frequent values updating)
** - Other parameters need to be set for more actions.
|-
|RealtimeFTPEnabled=0
|This parameter is enabled if you want a file transfer process to be initiated on any files to be uploaded at the real time interval. The preceding 'EnableRealtime' setting must be set to 1 for this setting to have any effect.
*0 = Disabled (default), without FTP it is only possible to upload files at the realtime interval if the required remote location is on same device as that running Cumulus.
*1 = Enabled, Cumulus will establish an FTP connection to your web site, so that the realtime.txt file, and any other files you specify, can be uploaded when realtime processing takes place.
** - If you have the ''RealtimeFTPEnabled'' option set, and a suitable ''RealtimeInterval'' configured, (for second of these see below) Cumulus will upload the ''realtime.txt'' file to your web site, after the number of seconds specified by '''RealtimeInterval''' (see that parameter below) since any previous upload
|-
|RealtimeTxtFTP=0
|When set to 1, Cumulus will upload the [[realtime.txt]] to your web site during realtime processing. The preceding 'EnableRealtime' and 'RealtimeFTPEnabled' settings must both be set to 1 for this setting to have any effect.
|-
|RealtimeInterval=30000
|The time '''between''' uploads of the '''realtime.txt''' file, and any other files associated with real-time interval, (i.e. a new upload of files will '''begin''' this number of micro-seconds '''after''' the last upload has '''ended''').
|-
|RealtimeProgram=
|The name (including path) of a command-line program to be run at the 'realtime' web update interval, after all of the processing has been performed.
|-
|RealtimeParams=
|The corresponding 'parameters' for 'RealtimeProgram' used to specify any parameters to be passed to that command.
|-
|ExtraLocalxx=
|Where 'xx' varies between 0 and 99; used to specify path to local file that is to be optionally processed by Cumulus, then to be copied or FTPed to another location at interval indicated
You can use "<currentlogfile>" on its own to represent the name of the standard log file that is currently being used. From build 3087, MX also allows you to use "<currentextralogfile>" to specify the name of the extra sensor log files being currently used.
|-
|ExtraRemotexx=
|Where 'xx' varies between 0 and 99; used to specify path to remote file that is created by Cumulus, by being copied or FTPed from local location set above at interval indicated below.
You can use "<currentlogfile>" as part of a path specification to represent the name of the standard log file that is currently being used, or as part of another file specifier if you want a different destination file to be used each month (so those for previous months are not overwritten). From build 3087, MX also allows you to use "<currentextralogfile>" to specify the name of the extra sensor log files being currently used.
|-
|ExtraProcessxx=0
|Where 'xx' varies between 0 and 99; used to specify if file named in ExtraLocal parameter is a template file containing web tags and needs to be processed by Cumulus before it is copied or FTPed to remote location
*0 (default) = no processing required as local file does not contain web tags
*1 = file contains web tags and needs to be processed
|-
|ExtraBinaryxx=0
|Where 'xx' varies between 0 and 99; The format of the file named in Extra Local
*0 (default) = File to be treated as being [[Webtags#Encoding|encoded]] in ISO-8859-1 or UTF-8 format (another option later allows you to choose between these). Use this to transfer any file that can be viewed in a text editor, such as log files, web pages, javaScript files, and PHP scripts.
*1 = file to be treated as being in binary format. Use this to transfer images, executable files, and other files that cannot be read with a text editor.
|-
|ExtraFTPxx=1
|Where 'xx' varies between 0 and 99; whether the file upload is to use File Transfer process
*0= File named in ExtraLocal is to be uploaded by copying from local to remote location (used when web server is on same machine or network as local files)
*1 (default) = File named in ExtraLocal is to be uploaded by FTP (will work whether web server is on same local network or on some remote host)
|-
|ExtraUTFxx= 0
|Where 'xx' varies between 0 and 99; whether the file is to treated as in UTF-8 (a format that supports a wider range of characters and therefore more languages than alternative). Note that the "binary" option mentioned earlier overrides this setting if that is set to 1.
*0 (default) = File to be treated as being [[Webtags#Encoding|encoded]] in ISO-8859-1
*1 (recommended)= File to be treated as being [[Webtags#Encoding|encoded]] in UTF-8 format
|-
|ExtraRealtimexx=0
|Where 'xx' varies between 0 and 99; if the file named in ExtraLocal is to be uploaded at realtime interval (requires that interval to be enabled, and if FTP is to be used required FTP to be enabled at that interval (see earlier for those options in Cumulus 1 and MX section).
*0 (default) = Not to be uploaded at real-time interval
*1 = to be uploaded at real-time interval, For MX only note that end of day interval must be set to 0.
|-
|ExtraEODxx=0
|Where 'xx' varies between 0 and 99; if the file named in ExtraLocal is to be uploaded after end of meteorological day
*0 (default) = Not to be uploaded at end of day
*1 = to be uploaded at end of day, the realtime interval must be set to 0.
|-
|colspan="2"| If both the above 2 parameters are set to 0, the upload will be at standard uploading interval
|-
|RealtimeGaugesTxtFTP=0
|This parameter controls whether the file needed for the steel series Gauges plot is updated by FTP at the real-time interval
*0 (default) = the file is only uploaded at the standard interval
*1 = the file is uploaded by FTP at the real time interval
|-
|DisableEPSV=0
|The default is 0, change to 1 to Disable the Extended Passive FTP-mode.
|-
|IncludeMoonImage=1
|(from version 3.5.0) uploads only one image (moon), control whether it is uploaded in the MX Internet Settings screen.
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled,(default) the standard image file generated by Cumulus MX (moon only) will be uploaded at first (after MX is started) automatic web update to a sub-folder of the 'Directory' you specified called by the name specified in [[#Graphs|[Graphs] section]], and uploaded again each hour on the hour showing any change in the phase in the preceding hour. You can choose which sub-folder (default 'images') in the MX internet settings page
|-
|ComportName=/dev/ttyUSB0
|If you have moved from Cumulus 1 to MX, and for some reason you want to edit Cumulus.ini, note that the item called ComportName has to be added for MX and that it is a string, for the full device name, e.g. COM1 or /dev/ttyUSB0; while the Cumulus 1 'Port' parameter which is just an integer is no longer needed and should be deleted from the file.
|-
|DisableFtpsExplicit=0
|Default 0 use Explicit FTPS; Change to 1 to use Implicit mode
|}
|}


=Original content of this page=
=== Section: MySQL ===


==How this page used to be laid out, and why==
Cumulus MX uses Cumulus.ini to store the MySQL configuration details.
All details are input on '''The MySQL settings screen'''. Here are the default settings. See [MX_Administrative_Interface#MySQL_settings]] page for examples of what can be selected.
<pre>
[MySQL]
Host=127.0.0.1
Port=3306
User=
Pass=
Database=database
MonthlyMySqlEnabled=0
RealtimeMySqlEnabled=0
DayfileMySqlEnabled=0
MonthlyTable=Monthly
DayfileTable=Dayfile
RealtimeTable=Realtime
RealtimeRetention=
CustomMySqlSecondsCommandString=
CustomMySqlMinutesCommandString=
CustomMySqlRolloverCommandString=
CustomMySqlSecondsEnabled=0
CustomMySqlMinutesEnabled=0
CustomMySqlRolloverEnabled=0
CustomMySqlSecondsInterval=10
CustomMySqlMinutesIntervalIndex=6</pre>


For both [[Cumulus.ini_(Cumulus_1)|Cumulus 1]] and [[Cumulus.ini (MX_3.0.0_to_3.7.0)|early MX releases]], the content on this page was arranged assuming people were editing the file directly.
=== Section: Display ===


Therefore, the file was described by working through the sections on the file, and explaining the parameters that could go in each section.
The only settings used in this section by Cumulus MX are "NumWindRosePoints" and those for extras.


For the longer sections, parameters might be split into separate tables to make it easier.
=== Section: Solar ===


Before release 3.10.1, there were two types of parameters in Cumulus.ini.
Irrelevant if you do not have solar sensors.
#"read-only" settings were made directly in the "Cumulus.ini" file, there was no way to adjust these parameters using the settings screens/pages
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
#"read-write" settings could be changed in two ways, either by editing the file with Cumulus stopped, or by finding the parameter on a setting screen (for MX, these are in admin interface).
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Solar]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name - the following parameters are set as described above
|-
|SunThreshold=75
|If you have a solar sensor: Cumulus tries to determine whether the sun is shining by determining whether the current solar radiation value is above a certain percentage of the current theoretical maximum. The value you supply here is used as that percentage. The default value is 75%.
|-
|RStransfactor=0.8
|Cumulus uses the Ryan-Stolzenbach formula to determine the current theoretical maximum solar radiation at your location at the current moment in time. This formula has a factor to allow for the transmission of the radiation through the atmosphere; the default is 0.80.
|-
|SolarMinimum=0
|This setting allows you to specify a minimum solar radiation value which needs to be reached before it can be considered to be sunny. Note that this setting does not replace the calculation using the current theoretical maximum, it specifies an additional condition which has to be met. This setting therefore allows you to cater for the periods at the beginning and end of the day when the theoretical maximum is very low.
|-
|LuxToWM2=0.0079
|this parameter applies if you have a Fine Offset station with a solar detector. These supply 'Lux' values rather than 'W/m2' values that Davis stations supply. Cumulus attempts to convert from Lux to W/m2 using the supplied multiplication factor. You can add this parameter if you want to use a value other than the default of 0.0079, which is the generally accepted standard conversion factor for sunlight.
|-
|UseBlakeLarsen=0
| Called B/l on screen. Set this to 1 if you have a Blake-Larsen Sun Recorder, and you want Cumulus to get today's sunshine hours from it. You need to configure the Blake-Larsen software to put the SRsunshine.dat file into the correct folder i.e. the ''' program root folder''' in MX (i.e. same folder as where "Cumulus.ini" is stored).
|-
|SolarCalc=1
|The value is set in the MX user interface when the solar calculation method is set.
*0 (default) = Ryan-Stolzenbach calculation, which uses the RStransfactor entry to tune the output.
*1 = Bras calculation, which uses the BrasTurbidity entry below to tune the output.
|-
|BrasTurbidity=2.0
|The value is set in the MX user interface when the solar calculation method is set.
*2.0 (default) = Perfect clear sky
*decimal value = The normal range is 2 (Clear sky) to 5 (Smoggy)
|}


:You will see in the two pages split off from this page ([[Cumulus.ini_(Cumulus_1)]] and [[Cumulus.ini (MX_3.0.0_to_3.7.0)]]), how the parameters had to identify themselves as read-only or read-write.
=== Section: Graphs ===


==Why has this original "Cumulus.ini" page been renamed, cleared of old content, and made historic?==
All settings in this table are controlled in the '''Graphs''' section at the bottom of the '''Station Settings''' page. Note that some are not iun all releases.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:800px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Graphs]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name - the following parameters relate to your graph settings
|-
|GraphHours=
|The number of hours data to be displayed in temperature (outdoor, heat index, wind chill, dewpoint and apparent temperature), humidity, rainfall rate, rainfall, pressure, solar radiation, UV index, wind speed and wind direction graphs. the default varies depending on which release you are using.
You can enter any multiple of 12.
|-
|ChartMaxDays=7
|How many days of values to plot on the daily min/average/max temperature, daily sunshine, and daily rain charts (default=7)
|-
|TempVisible=1
|Select whether to plot the outside air temperature on the temperature graph. '''MX from v3.7.0'''
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled
|-
|HIVisible=0
|Select whether to plot the heat index on the temperature graph. '''MX from v3.7.0'''
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled
|-
|DPVisible=1
|Select whether to plot the dewpoint values on the temperature graph. '''MX from v3.7.0'''
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled
|-
|WCVisible=1
|Select whether to plot the wind chill values on the temperature graph. '''MX from v3.7.0'''
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled
|-
|AppTempVisible=1
|Select whether to plot the apparent temperature values on the temperature graph. '''MX from v3.7.0'''
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled
|-
|InHumVisible=1
|Select whether to plot the indoor humidity values on the humidity graph. '''MX from v3.7.0'''
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled
|-
|OutHumVisible=1
|Select whether to plot the outdoor humidity values on the humidity graph. '''MX from v3.7.0'''
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled
|-
|MoonImageEnabled=1
|This setting is selected in the internet settings screen
* 0= disables generation of moon image
* 1 (default) = enables generation of moon image (see [[#[FTP site]|[FTP site] section]] for how to control uploading of generated image)
|-
|MoonImageSize=100
|This setting is selected in the internet settings screen, it specifies in pixels the size of the generated image (default 100)
|-
|MoonImageFtpDest=images/moon.png
|This setting is selected in the internet settings screen, it specifies the path to where the image (see [[#[FTP site]|[FTP site] section]] for how to control uploading of generated image) is to be stored relative to the directory specified for uploads (see [[#[FTP site]|[FTP site] section]]) earlier on the settings page.
|-
|InTempVisible=1
|Select whether to plot the inside air temperature on the temperature graph.
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled
|-
|HumidexVisible=1
|Select whether to plot the humidex on the temperature graph.
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled
|}


#One big change in 3.10.1 is that (almost) all settings are now made via the [[MX Administrative Interface|Admin interface]].
=== Section: Alarms ===
#*Therefore it makes no sense any more to organise this page how someone editing the file directly might want.

#*The replacement [[Cumulus.ini]] page is now organised by how you change settings in the admin interface (i.e. similar to how settings have been explained in [[MX_Administrative_Interface#Changing_Settings]]).
[[File:Badge vMx.png]]For MX, there is a default path "\CumulusMX\interface\sounds". '''Edit''' on '''Settings''' tab, '''Alarms''' screen.
#Another change is that some of the settings that used to be made on the “Station Settings” page, are now made on different pages in that interface.

#Yet another change is that what you pick in some settings can affect what settings are shown later on the admin interface page.
{{Version badge 1}}Set these using the '''Edit''' menu, ''Alarms'' screen. The default path and file is '''\Cumulus\alert.wav''' for all the file parameters. (Previously this article incorrectly showed "C:\Program Files\Cumulus\alert.wav" for some, but that has been removed now this applies to MX as well)
#*You could say the settings pages have become intelligent.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
#*For example, when you select a weather station type it ensures only parameters that relate to that weather station type are shown.
|-
#*As another example, you can opt in or out of the default web site design, so that determines which parameters relating to web sites are shown.
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
#A final change is that some parameters are grouped as “Advanced”, so that novices can avoid those.
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Alarms]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name - the following parameters relate to your alarm settings
|-
|alarmlowtemp=0
|Select in Edit Alarms Screen
*0 = Disable low temperature alarm (default)
*1 = Enable Low temperature alarm
|-
|LowTempAlarmSet=0
|Setting for low temperature alarm point (degrees)
|-
|LowTempAlarmSound=0
|Alarm Action
*0 = Disable, (default) no sound on alarm
*1 = Enable sound on alarm
|-
|LowTempAlarmSoundFile=
|Path and file name of sound file for Low Temperature alarm
|-
|alarmhightemp=0
|Select in Edit Alarms Screen
*0 = Disable high temperature alarm (default)
*1 = Enable High temperature alarm
|-
|HighTempAlarmSet=0
|Degrees above which alarm will occur.
|-
|HighTempAlarmSound=0
|Alarm Action
*0 = Disable, (default) no sound on alarm
*1 = Enable sound on alarm
|-
|HighTempAlarmSoundFile=
|Path and file name of sound file for High Temperature alarm
|-
|alarmlowpress=0
|Select in Edit Alarms Screen
|-
|LowPressAlarmSet=0
|Pressure below which you wish Low Pressure alarm to occur
|-
|LowPressAlarmSound=0
|Alarm Action
*0 = Disable, (default) no sound on alarm
*1 = Enable sound on alarm
|-
|LowPressAlarmSoundFile=
|Path and file name for sound file to play for Low Pressure Alarm
|-
|alarmhighpress=0
|Select in Edit Alarms Screen
*0 = Disable low High Pressure alarm (default)
*1 = Enable High Pressure alarm
|-
|HighPressAlarmSet=0
|Pressure above which you wish High Pressure alarm to occur
|-
|HighPressAlarmSound=0
|Alarm Action
*0 = Disable, (default) no sound on alarm
*1 = Enable sound on alarm
|-
|HighPressAlarmSoundFile=
|Path and file name for the sound file used for the High Pressure Alarm
|-
|alarmhighraintoday=0
|Select in Edit Alarms Screen
*0 = Disable High Rain today alarm (default)
*1 = Enable High Rain today alarm
|-
|HighRainTodayAlarmSet=0
|Rain level above which alarm to occur
|-
|HighRainTodayAlarmSound=0
|Alarm Action
*0 = Disable, (default) no sound on alarm
*1 = Enable sound on alarm
|-
|HighRainTodayAlarmSoundFile=
|Path and file name for the sound file used for the High Rain Today Alarm
|-
|alarmhighrainrate=0
|Select in Edit Alarms Screen
*0 = Disable High Rain Rate alarm (default)
*1 = Enable High Rain Rate alarm
|-
|HighRainRateAlarmSet=0
|Rain rate above which you wish alarm to occur
|-
|HighRainRateAlarmSound=0
|Alarm Action
*0 = Disable, (default) no sound on alarm
*1 = Enable sound on alarm
|-
|HighRainRateAlarmSoundFile=
|Path and file name for the sound file used for the High Rain Rate Alarm
|-
|alarmhighgust=0
|Select in Edit Alarms Screen
*0 = Disable High Gust alarm (default)
*1 = Enable High Gust alarm
|-
|HighGustAlarmSet=0
|Gust speed above which you wish alarm to occur
|-
|HighGustAlarmSound=0
|Alarm Action
*0 = Disable, (default) no sound on alarm
*1 = Enable sound on alarm
|-
|HighGustAlarmSoundFile=
|Path and file name for the sound file used for the High Gust Alarm
|-
|alarmhighwind=0
|Select in Edit Alarms Screen
*0 = Disable High Average Wind alarm (default)
*1 = Enable High Average Wind alarm
|-
|HighWindAlarmSet=0
|Average Wind speed above which alarm to occur
|-
|HighWindAlarmSound=0
|Alarm Action
*0 = Disable, (default) no sound on alarm
*1 = Enable sound on alarm
|-
|HighWindAlarmSoundFile=
|Path and file name for the sound file used for the High Wind Alarm
|-
|SensorAlarmSet=0
|Select in Edit Alarms Screen
*0 = Disable sensor contact lost alarm (default)
*1 = Enable sensor contact lost alarm
|-
|SensorAlarmSound=0
|Alarm Action
*0 = Disable, (default) no sound on alarm
*1 = Enable sound on alarm
|-
|SensorAlarmSoundFile=
|Path and file name for the sound file used for the Sensor Contact lost Alarm
|-
|alarmtempchange=0
|Select in Edit Alarms Screen
*0 = Disable Temperature Change alarm (default)
*1 = Enable Temperature Change alarm
|-
|TempChangeAlarmSet=0
|Temperature change value to trigger the alarm
|-
|TempChangeAlarmSound=0
|Alarm Action
*0 = Disable, (default) no sound on alarm
*1 = Enable sound on alarm
|-
|TempChangeAlarmSoundFile=
|Path and file name for the sound file used for the Temperature Change Alarm
|-
|alarmpresschange=0
|Select in Edit Alarms Screen
*0 = Disable Pressure Change alarm (default)
*1 = Enable Pressure Change alarm
|-
|PressChangeAlarmSet=0
|Pressure change value to trigger the alarm
|-
|PressChangeAlarmSound=0
|Alarm Action
*0 = Disable, (default) no sound on alarm
*1 = Enable sound on alarm
|-
|PressChangeAlarmSoundFile=
|Path and file name for the sound file used for the Pressure Change Alarm
|}

=== Sections dealing with interfaces to external sites ===

==== Section: WUnderground ====

Available from version 1.1 (17 Feb 2004)

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Wunderground]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name - Parameters for your [http://www.wunderground.com/ Weather Underground] site
|-
|colspan="2" style="background:lightblue;"| Set in the Internet Configuration Screen sites/Options tab
|-
|ID=
|Your Weather Underground station identifier (note: not your user name).
|-
|Password=
|Your Weather Underground password. (note: not encrypted)
|-
|Enabled=0
|Set if you wish to upload to your Weather Underground site
*0 = Disabled, (default) no Weather underground site
*1 = Enabled, data sent at the interval specified below
|-
|RapidFire=0
|'rapid fire' mode.
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled, You should also tick 'Enabled'. Rapid fire updates occur every 5 seconds.
|-
|Interval=15
|Time in minutes between uploads to Weather Underground. (default = 15)
|-
|SendUV=0
|Current UV value
*0 = Disabled (default) no UV info sent
*1 = Enabled, UV value sent with the data
|-
|SendSR=0
|Solar Radiation
*0 = Disabled (default) no solar data sent
*1 = Enabled, Solar Radiation value sent with data
|-
|SendAverage=0
|Causes average wind speed and directon to be sent rather than instantaneous/gust speed and direction.
*0 = Disabled (default) instantaneous/gust speed data sent
*1 = Enabled, average wind speed sent with data
|-
|CatchUp=1
|If possible send missing historic data to the server on startup
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled (default)
|-
|colspan="2" style="background:lightblue;"| Set by editing this section of cumulus.ini with Cumulus stopped (from build 1095)
|-
|SendSoilTemp1=0
|Soil Temperature 1
*0 = Disabled (default) not sent
*1 = Enabled, value sent with the data
|-
|SendSoilTemp2=0
|Soil Temperature 2
*0 = Disabled (default) not sent
*1 = Enabled, value sent with the data
|-
|SendSoilTemp3=0
|Soil Temperature 3
*0 = Disabled (default) not sent
*1 = Enabled, value sent with the data
|-
|SendSoilTemp4=0
|Soil Temperature 4
*0 = Disabled (default) not sent
*1 = Enabled, value sent with the data
|-
| SendSoilMoisture1=0
| Soil Moisture 1
*0 = Disabled (default) not sent
*1 = Enabled, value sent with the data
|-
| SendSoilMoisture2=0
| Soil Moisture 2
*0 = Disabled (default) not sent
*1 = Enabled, value sent with the data
|-
| SendSoilMoisture3=0
| Soil Moisture 3
*0 = Disabled (default) not sent
*1 = Enabled, value sent with the data
|-
| SendSoilMoisture4=0
| Soil Moisture 4
*0 = Disabled (default) not sent
*1 = Enabled, value sent with the data
|-
| SendLeafWetness1=0
| Leaf Wetness 1
*0 = Disabled (default) not sent
*1 = Enabled, value sent with the data
|-
| SendLeafWetness2=0
| Leaf Wetness 2
*0 = Disabled (default) not sent
*1 = Enabled, value sent with the data
|}

==== Section: [[Twitter.txt|Twitter]] ====
Set in the Internet Configuration Screen sites/Options tab
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Twitter]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name - the following parameters relate to your [[Twitter]] site parameters
|-
|User=
|your Twitter login username
|-
|Password=
|your Twitter login password ('''note:''' this is not encrypted)
|-
|Enabled=0
|Set in Internet Configuration Screen Twitter block
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled, tweats sent at the specified interval.
|-
|Interval=60
|interval in minutes that Tweats will be sent.
|-
|OauthToken=
|Twitter inserted authentication token parameter - you can delete this line with Cumulus stopped
|-
|OauthTokenSecret=
|Twitter inserted authentication token parameter - you can delete this line with Cumulus stopped
|}

==== Section: PWSweather ====

Support for PWS Weather/WeatherForYou/HAMweather was added in version 1.7.16 1st September 2008

For Cumuus 1, set in the Internet Configuration Screen sites/Options tab. For MX set on internet settings page.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[PWSweather]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name - the following parameters relate to your [http://www.pwsweather.com/ PWS] weather site parameters
|-
|ID=
|Your PWS Weather station identifier (note: not your user name)
|-
|Password=
|your PWS weather site login password ('''note:''' this is not encrypted)
|-
|Enabled=0
|Select in Internet Configuration Screen PWS Weather block
*0 = Disabled (default) no data sent to PWS
*1 = Enabled, data sent to PWS at the specified interval
|-
|Interval=15
|Interval in minutes that updates will be sent to your PWS weather site
|-
|SendUV=0
|Current Ultra Violet level
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled, UV level sent with normal data
|-
|SendSR=0
|Solar Radiation level
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled, Solar radiation reading sent with normal data
|-
|CatchUp=1
|If possible send missing historic data to the server on startup
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled (default)
|}

==== Section: APRS ====
Set in the Internet Configuration Screen sites/Options tab
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[APRS]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name - the following parameters relate to your [[APRS]] weather site parameters
|-
|ID=
|Your APRS identifier
|-
|pass=-1
|your APRS password (Note: not encrypted)
|-
|server=cwop.aprs.net
|The APRS server to use
|-
|port=14580
|The port number to use on the APRS server.
|-
|Enabled=0
|Select in Internet Configuration Screen APRS Settings block
|-
|Interval=9
|Time in minutes between uploads to the APRS server
|-
|APRSHumidityCutoff=1
|For Oregon Scientific, so it doesn't report humidity to [[APRS]] when the temperature is below -10&#176;C
|-
|SendSR=0
|Solar Radiation level
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled, Solar radiation reading sent with normal data
|}

==== Section: WOW ====

Added in version 1.9.2. For cumulus 1 set in the Internet Configuration Screen sites/Options tab.

For MX set in internet settings page.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[WOW]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name - the following parameters relate to your [http://wow.metoffice.gov.uk/WOW| WOW] weather site parameters
|-
|ID=
|Your WOW station ID
|-
|Password=
|your WOW password (Note: not encrypted)
|-
|Enabled=1
|Updates enabled/disabled
|-
|Interval=15
|Time in minutes between uploads to the WOW server
|-
|SendUV=0
|Current Ultra Violet level
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled, UV level sent with normal data
|-
|SendSR=0
|Solar Radiation level
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled, Solar radiation reading sent with normal data
|-
|CatchUp=1
|If possible send missing historic data to the WOW server on startup
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled (default)
|}

==== Section: Weatherbug ====

'''The weatherbug upload service ceased''' in 2017.

This functionality was added in version 1.9.2. For cumulus 1 these parameters were set in the Internet Configuration Screen sites/Options tab.

For MX these parameters were set on internet settings page. Removed as from version 3.7.0.

The notes below are therefore only included for historical reasons to help people understand entries in '''old''' Cumulus.ini files but '''these settings are ignored'''.


{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Weatherbug]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name - the following parameters relate to your [http://weather.weatherbug.com| Weatherbug] weather site parameters
|-
|ID=
|Your Weatherbug station ID
|-
|Password=
|your Weatherbug password (Note: not encrypted)
|-
|Enabled=1
|Updates enabled/disabled
|-
|Interval=15
|Time in minutes between uploads to the Weatherbug server
|-
|SendUV=0
|Current Ultra Violet level
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled, UV level sent with normal data
|-
|SendSR=0
|Solar Radiation level
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled, Solar radiation reading sent with normal data
|-
|CatchUp=1
|If possible send missing historic data to the server on startup
*0 = Disabled
*1 = Enabled (default)
|}

==== Section: xAP ====

It is in Cumulus.ini for MX, but it is unclear how it can be edited within the Admin interface.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[xAP]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name
|-
|Enabled=0
|When set, Cumulus will periodically send out xAP weather reports. See [http://www.xapautomation.org/ http://www.xapautomation.org/] for more details
*0 = Disabled (default)
*1 = Enabled
|-
|UID=4375
|Sets the UID for xAP messages. You should only need to change this if you have more than one instance of Cumulus running on a network.
|-
|Port=3639
|IP port your computer uses to send data to xAP
|}

==== Section: WeatherCloud ====

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[WeatherCloud]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to the Weathercloud configuration.
|-
|Wid=
|The value is set in the MX user interface when the Weathercloud ID value is set.
|-
|Key=
|The value is set in the MX user interface when your Weathercloud API Key value is set.
|-
|Enabled=0
|This parameter controls whether data is sent to WeatherCloud
*0 (default) = Disable sending of data
*1 = Enable sending of data
|-
|SendUV=0
|The value is set in the MX user interface when the Include UV value is set.
*0 = Do not send UV data (default)
*1 = Send UV data
|-
|SendSR=0
|The value is set in the MX user interface when the Include Solar Radiation value is set.
*0 = Do not send Solar data (default)
*1 = Send Solar data
|}

==== Section: WLL ====

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[WLL]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section name - the following parameters relate to the station configuration.
|-
|PrimaryRainTxId=1
|Default value = 1, which transmitter do you want to use as your primary rain sensor, set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|PrimaryTempHumTxId=1
|Default value = 1, which transmitter do you want to use as your primary temp/hum sensor, set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|PrimaryWindTxId=1
|Default value = 1, which transmitter do you want to use as your primary wind sensor, set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|PrimarySolarTxId=1
|Default value = 1, which transmitter do you want to use as your primary solar sensor, set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|PrimaryUVTxId=1
|Default value = 1, which transmitter do you want to use as your primary rain sensor, set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|ExtraSoilTempTxId[1 to 4]=0
|Default value = 0, which transmitter do you want to use as your soil temperature sensor [1-4], set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|ExtraSoilTempIdx[1 to 4]=0
|Default value = 1 to 4, which sensor number on the transmitter do you want to use as your soil temperature sensor [1-4], set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|ExtraSoilMoistureTxId[1 to 4]=0
|Default value = 0, which transmitter do you want to use as your soil moisture sensor [1-4], set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|ExtraSoilMoistureIdx[1 to 4]=0
|Default value = 1 to 4, which sensor number on the transmitter do you want to use as your soil moisture sensor [1-4], set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|ExtraLeafTxId[1 to 2]=0
|Default value = 0, which transmitter do you want to use as your leaf wetness sensor [1-2], set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|ExtraLeafIdx[1 to 2]=0
|Default value = 1 to 2, which sensor number on the transmitter do you want to use as your soil moisture sensor [1-2], set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|ExtraTempTxId[1 to 8]=0
|Default value = 0, which transmitter do you want to use as your extra temperature sensor [1-8], set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|ExtraHumOnTx[1 to 8]=0
|Default value = 0, does the temperature sensor transmitter [1-8] also have a humidity sensor, set via the station configuration screen.
|-
|BroadcastDuration=300
|Default value = 300, how long the WLL device is requested to broadcast for before timing out. Only set via the ini file, there should be no need to change this.
|-
|BroadcastPort=22222
|Default value = 22222, what port the WLL device broadcasts on. Only set via the ini file, there should be no need to change this.
|}

==== Section: Windy ====

Only available from version 3.0.0 build 3049 onwards. Edit all parameters in the '''Internet settings''' screen, ''Windy.com'' section.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[Windy]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name
|-
|Enabled=0
|This tick box is used if you want to export to Windy.com, default is disabled.
|-
|APIkey=
|Here you enter the API key you are given when you create a Windy account, default is null. If you have an account, this is a very long string, so paste it in carefully!
|-
|StationIdx=0
|If you were uploading more than one station, on the same account, this indicates the index for this upload, default is 0, the first station you define in your account
|-
|Interval=15
|How many minutes between updates (Windy will not allow updates more frequently than every 5 minutes, so that is minimum allowed here)
|-
|SendUV=0
|A tick box to indicate whether you want MX to send UV data, default is no UV readings to send
|-
|CatchUp=1
|When you restart MX, if the weather station allows it, MX will read "catch-up" readings from the station's logger, the default is to send these to Windy.com. Untick this box if you don't want past values to be sent.
|}

=== Section: NOAA ===

'''Please note:''' because this section of Cumulus.ini uses date formatting parameters, you are advised to read [[Reports_folder#NOAA_style_Report_Naming]].

Set these setting on the '''NOAA Settings''' page within Settings menu.

You might select to close Cumulus, and edit the 'NOAATempNorm[Jan-Dec]' and 'NOAARainNorm[Jan-Dec]' parameters by using a external editor to manipulate into required format, copy, and paste, the values from another source (as there are a lot of figures to type in).
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:800px" | Function
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[NOAA]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Section Name - the following parameters are set from the NOAA Setup dialog in Cumulus
|-
|Name=
|Your NOAA Station name
|-
|City=
|NOAA location city
|-
|State=
|NOAA location state/county/province or the equivalent in your nation
|-
|12hourformat=0
|Use 12 or 24 hour time format in the reports
*0 = 24 hour format (default)
*1 = 12 hour format
|-
|HeatingThreshold=65
|The base temperature which is to be used to calculate heating demand as [[Heat/cold degree days and Chill hours | heating degree days]]. The default is 65 degrees if you use Fahrenheit scale or 18.3 degrees if you use Celsius. The value you type on the NOAA Setup Screen is entered in the units that you have selected for temperature. Degree days are calculated on a minute-by-minute basis and the totals for each day are stored in dayfile.txt. Changes to the threshold values cannot therefore apply retrospectively. But, if the dayfile.txt entry doesn't have the degree days in it, then it uses the day's average temperature to produce a 'simplified' heating or cooling degree days figure (but obviously never both at the same time) and in that case it does use the current threshold settings.
|-
|CoolingThreshold=65
|The base temperature which is to be used to calculate chilling demand as [[Heat/cold degree days and Chill hours | cooling degree days]]. The default is 65 degrees if you use Fahrenheit scale or 18.3 degrees if you use Celsius. The value you type on the NOAA Setup Screen is entered in the units that you have selected for temperature. Degree days are calculated on a minute-by-minute basis and the totals for each day are stored in dayfile.txt. Changes to the threshold values cannot therefore apply retrospectively. But, if the dayfile.txt entry doesn't have the degree days in it, then it uses the day's average temperature to produce a 'simplified' heating or cooling degree days figure (but obviously never both at the same time) and in that case it does use the current threshold settings.
|-
|MaxTempComp1=27
|The value used in the reports for the counts of days with max temperatures above the specified temperature.
|-
|MaxTempComp2=27
|The value used in the reports for the counts of days with max temperatures below the specified temperature.
|-
|MinTempComp1=0
|The value used in the reports for the counts of days with min temperatures below the specified temperature.
|-
|MinTempComp2=-18
|The value used in the reports for the counts of days with min temperatures below the specified temperature.
|-
|RainComp1=0.2
|The value used in the reports for the counts of days with rain totals greater than (or equal to) the specified amount.
|-
|RainComp2=2
|The value used in the reports for the counts of days with rain totals greater than (or equal to) the specified amount.
|-
|RainComp3=20
|The value used in the reports for the counts of days with rain totals greater than (or equal to) the specified amount.
|-
|AutoSave=0
|If set, when Cumulus does the end of day reset, it will auto create NOAA-style reports for the month and year corresponding to the day which has just ended.
|-
|NOAAUseUTF8=0
|'''(Added in Cumulus 1.9.4 beta build 1078)''' Specifies the 'Character set' in which NOAA reports are generated whether automatically (by Cumulus just after rollover) or manually (by selecting '''Save''' in NOAA Monthly/Annual Reports screen within Edit menu).
*0 = Uses the encoding used for the viewer's operating system's default ANSI code page.
*1 = Uses UTF8 (UCS Transformation Format—8-bit) format - the dominant character encoding for the World-Wide Web as using one to three bytes it represents most characters in common use covering most languages.
|-
|AutoFTP=0
|If set, when Cumulus does the first FTP upload after the daily reset, it will also upload the latest auto-created monthly and yearly NOAA-style reports. Note that you must already have regular (non-realtime) FTP configured.
|-
|MonthFileFormat=<big>"NOAAMO"</big>MMyy<big>".txt"</big>
|Defines the format of the filename used for the monthly reports, using date formatting characters (see [[Webtags#Time.2FDate_.27format.27_Parameter]]). For Cumulus 1, the two digit month can be represented by 'mm', but as 'mm' represents minutes in MX, MX (recent versions) changes any 'mm' it finds into 'MM'. The default uses a 2 digit number for the month, but you may prefer the full month name or an abbreviation in your language. Note that any characters which are not date formatting characters should be in double quotes.
|-
|YearFileFormat=<big>"NOAAYR"</big>yyyy<big>".txt"</big>
|Defines the format of the filename used for the yearly reports, using date formatting characters (see [[Webtags#Time.2FDate_.27format.27_Parameter]]). Note that any characters which are not date formatting characters should be in double quotes.
|-
|FTPDirectory=
|The FTP directory into which Cumulus will attempt to upload the latest NOAA-style reports. You must give the full path from the point of login, and do not supply a trailing 'slash'. Note that the directory must actually exist on the server.
|-
||
|style="background:lightgray;"| These 'climatic normal' values are set from the NOAA Setup dialog in Cumulus, but could be set up by processing information in a spreadsheet
|-
|NOAATempNorm[Jan-Dec]=-1000
|Long term temperature averages for each month, used for 'departure from the norm' calculations. '-1000' is used to represent Null, a parameter that has not yet been set
|-
|NOAARainNorm[Jan-Dec]=-1000
|Long term rainfall averages for each month, used for 'departure from the norm' calculations. '-1000' is used to represent Null, a parameter that has not yet been set
|}

=== MQTT ===

MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) is a machine-to-machine (M2M), also known as "Internet of Things", connectivity protocol.

This section is only applicable from version 3.5.0 (build 3071)

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!style="width:150px" | Parameter Line Entry
!style="width:600px" | Function
!style="width:150px" | Where to Edit
|-
|style="background:lightgray;"|[MQTT]
|style="background:lightgray;"|Cumulus.ini Section Name
|style="background:lightgray;"|Settings Section Name
|-
|colspan="2" style="background:lightblue;"| Cumulus MX only
|-
|Server=
|Note there is no default. This text box is to enter your server name or the IPv4 or IPv6 address to find your server
|MQTT section
|-
|Username=
|This is optional.This text box is to enter the username if one is needed for updating your server
|MQTT section
|-
|Password=
|This is optional. This text box is to enter any password needed for that username
|MQTT section
|-
|Port=1883
|Note default. To edit which port is used to connect to your server
|MQTT section
|-
|UseTLS=0
|Transport Layer Security (TLS), and its now-deprecated predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), are cryptographic protocols designed to provide communications security over a computer network. This tick box on settings screen indicates whether TLS support is required,
*default is not (0),
*set to 1 if modern security protocol is being used
|MQTT section tick box
|-
|IPversion=0
|Mandatory - This parameter must be added to this Cumulus.ini section, it cannot be edited on a screen.
*0=default,
*4=IPv4,
*6=IPv6
|In file only
|-
|EnableDataUpdate=0
|This provides an easy way to stop/start the updating without losing other settings. Default is unticked as most people do not use this functionality.
|tick box in '''Send message on data update''' section
|-
|UpdateTopic=CumulusMX/DataUpdate
|This feature in the '''Send message on data update''' section is where you specify the name to give to the update message
|'''Send message on data update''' section
|-
|UpdateTemplate=DataUpdateTemplate.txt
|In the CumulusMX/mqtt folder there is a default template with a file name specified by the default value of this parameter. In that default file <tt>{"time":"<#timehhmmss>","windspeed":<#wlatest rc=y>,"winddir":<#bearing>}</tt> will send wind readings in case for example you want to close something when it is windy. If you create your own file, you can put its name here.
|'''Send message on data update''' section
|-
|EnableInterval=0
|This tick box provides an easy way to stop/start this type of updating without losing other settings. Default is unticked as most people do not use this functionality.
|tick box in '''Send message at fixed intervals''' section
|-
|IntervalTime=600
|This text box is where you enter the time between messages in seconds, the default is 600 meaning every ten minutes.
|'''Send message at fixed intervals''' section
|-
|IntervalTopic=CumulusMX/Interval
|This text box is where you specify the name to give to the fixed interval update message
|'''Send message at fixed intervals''' section
|-
|IntervalTemplate=IntervalTemplate.txt
|In the CumulusMX/mqtt folder there is a default template with a file name specified by the default value of this parameter. In that default file <tt>{"time":"<#timehhmmss>","temp":<#temp rc=y>,"humidity":<#hum>}</tt> will send temperature and humidity readings in case for example you want to open something when it feels uncomfortable. If you create your own file, you can put its name here.
|'''Send message at fixed intervals''' section
|}

Latest revision as of 07:20, 15 June 2021

This page has been renamed from "Cumulus.ini" to preserve the early history of that page.

The information that was on this old Cumulus.ini page has been moved into separate pages for Cumulus 1, MX early releases, and MX latest releases.

History of this page

This page has proved the most complicated of all those in the Wiki to maintain:

  1. Settings change extremely often
    • Therefore it is a lot of effort to keep the documentation up to date
    • It is obviously easiest if an update is made here as soon as the settings change, sometimes that happens (perhaps by developer doing an update here)
  2. The design of configuration menus/screens/pages to edit the settings periodically changes
    • This means information about how to change settings often depends upon which release someone is using
      • In turn that means, either Cumulus users of latest release, or those using an earlier release, will struggle with the documentation
  3. Developers often provide limited information about settings,
    • Sometimes new settings are mentioned in an answer in a forum post, and do not get mentioned as a change in release announcements
      • This means that finding accurate information to update this page requires an awful lot of research that is very time consuming

The above observations applied for the legacy software, when Cumulus 2, and then 3 (MX), came along the documentation was originally split. When MX started (in 2019 to early 2020) to try to replicate much of what Cumulus 1 offered, it made sense to reuse what was written on this page for Cumulus 1, instead of duplicating it on a second page.

Then from mid 2020 to early 2021, there was rapid development of MX by the new developer, and MX began to increasingly diverge more and more from the legacy configuration, this page reflected that by introducing sub-sections (Cumulus 1 only, MX only, and both). From early 2021 onwards that 3 sub-section design for this page failed because new MX releases began to diverge from earlier MX releases. In other words, parameters that had existed at an early MX release, were no longer used by later releases. It was possible, but increasingly more and more difficult, to track new parameters to add that were added at particular releases, so the documentation got more and more obsolete.

To sum up, it was impossible for this page to show information for the legacy software, for early MX releases, and for later MX releases. The response was to move off this page anaything not relevant to the latest MX release, and to restructure this page based on how MX settings are altered, rather than where a parameter appears in the file.


Steve Loft Era

The configuration file content relating to the legacy software (e.g. 1.9.4) has been moved to legacy page

Legacy Software 1.x.y releases Beta builds of legacy software Cumulus 2 alpha releases MX beta 3.0.0
This page was created for the legacy Cumulus 1 software (up to 1.9.4). If you look at the history tab of this page, user‎ Shamrockspider created this page at 12:55 on 27 August 2009 for the purpose of Documenting the cumulus.ini file content and its function.

Back in 2009, the file was fairly simple, and therefore documentating it was also fairly easy.

Some settings were in configuration screens, and the file was arranged so that those settings were stored under a heading that generally (not in every case, for historic reasons) reflected the screen name. Documenting these was comparitively easy, the setting could be found easily and its allowed values could be easily tested.

A lot of extra settings were added to the file, but not added to the configuration screens. Documenting these was particularly difficult as only some got mentioned in release announcements, so the others were hard to discover, and allowed values were not always clear.

Each time a beta version of Cumulus 1 was available, any parameters specific to that beta appeared in Cumulus.ini_(Beta), and only moved to the main page when that beta finished, and became the main release. The same beta page, Cumulus.ini_(Beta), was briefly used for Cumulus 2. Finally, that beta page, Cumulus.ini_(Beta), was used for all the changes in Cumulus 3 (the MX beta):
  • Some of the parameters for Cumulus 1 were not used by MX beta
  • Some of the parameters for Cumulus 1 were used by MX beta
  • Beta MX only added 3 new parameters

This was the position when Steve Loft ceased his involvement with Cumulus. This page contained all parameters used for Cumulus 1, some of these were used by MX beta too.

The beta page contained some Cumulus 1 beta parameters that were still under development and the parameters that were only used by MX.

Mark Crossley era

  • Cumulus.ini content has changed drastically, and therefore the documentation page called "Cumulus.ini" has also had to change drastically
  • There was a period when it was possible for one page to document both the legacy Cumulus 1.9.4 and all MX releases, but that has long gone.
MX beta releases 3.0.0 to MX release 3.4.6 MX releases 3.6.0 to 3.7.0 MX releases 3.8.0 to 3.9.7 MX releases 3.10.0 to 3.11.4 MX release 3.12.0 onwards
  • Until MX release 3.4.6, people using MX needed to refer to the page now called Cumulus.ini_(Cumulus_1), which was called "Cumulus.ini" at the time, and the beta page, Cumulus.ini_(Beta), as MX still used most of the parameters that the legacy software used and just a few new parameters. The latter still contained information from the last Cumulus 1 beta relating to Proxies section of Cumulus.ini, as that had not been finalised.
  • When Mark Crossley brought MX out of beta, he started adding new features to MX:
    • Some features represented functionality in the legacy software that MX had lacked, these used parameters that had been used for the legacy software
    • For other new features, like interfaces with new weather station types and new sensors, he created new parameters, and the beta page began to rival the legacy page in the number of parameters it covered
  • The information about MX on the beta page stayed there until April 2020
  • Release 3.6.0 was when the functionality of MX first started to exceed the functionality of the legacy software
  • Between April and June 2020, information on the beta page was slowly moved across to the main page, it took some time as it needed to be verified because as MX developed configuration file content was changing
  • Suddenly, a lot of people were migrating from the legacy software to MX
  • To help people migrating, from June 2020, all settings (for both the legacy software and MX) were covered on a single "Cumulus.ini" page
  • As people migrated, they could see on that single page clearly which parameters in their Cumulus.ini file were still valid, and what new parameters were needed when they migrated
  • For those using MX, the page was recording the new parameters that were being added to the file as MX developed
  • Now the history of all the changes at that time can be viewed on this page, as this was originally the page that once held that combined information.
  • From release 3.8.0, the pace of change in MX was so fast, and the contributors to the Wiki so few, the page then called "Cumulus.ini" (with its previous content) stopped being maintained.
    1. The main problem was somebody needed to do a lot of research, and devote a lot of time, to track what the developer was changing.
    2. There was a second problem, it was clear that it was too complicated to use the same page to describe configuration for the legacy software, older MX releases, and the latest MX release
  • Consequently, the "Cumulus.ini" page had to change, and the first move meant accepting MX and the legacy software could not be documented any more on the same page
    • A new page was created Cumulus.ini_(Cumulus_1), and all the information specific to the legacy software was split off from this page
  • This still left the problem that this page, at that time called "Cumulus.ini", had information that related to a release that had been superseded
  • Finally, this old "Cumulus.ini" paqe, with the attached history, but without any parameter information in the main page, was renamed to its current name, so it has preserved the history of the old page that had been split into two new pages, neither of which had the past history
  • At release 3.10.0, the settings pages in the admin interface were given a significant makeover, and huge numbers of new settings were created, while many others became redundant
  • It was clear the old MX "Cumulus.ini" page was badly designed for the way 3.10.0 operated
  • That old page was already out of date as it had not been updated for 3.8.0 changes
  • It became obvious it was easier to start a new page that would would be based around 3.10.0 MX release, but would incorporate changes from 3.8.0 onwards, and would ignore anything that was now redundant
  • The other change was a redesign of the page, so it focussed on explaining how to change the settings using the admin interface, rather than just documenting what each parameter in the file was used for
  • As MX was developed, its settings pages were being redesigned, and so where you changed particular parameters in the file was modified making the documentation that already existed obsolete for people using latest release, but still valid for people who were using an older release.
  • As release 3.12.0 was planned to add many, many more parameters to the Cumulus.ini file, and the Settings pages get another redesign, it was decided the documenting of the changes in 3.8.0, 3.9.2, and 3.10.0 would be delayed until it became clearer what might change in 3.12.0
  • The new Cumulus.ini page to cover all these recent releases was created in June 2021, a year after the last big change to a page with that name.

Original content of this page

How this page used to be laid out, and why

For both Cumulus 1 and early MX releases, the content on this page was arranged assuming people were editing the file directly.

Therefore, the file was described by working through the sections on the file, and explaining the parameters that could go in each section.

For the longer sections, parameters might be split into separate tables to make it easier.

Before release 3.10.1, there were two types of parameters in Cumulus.ini.

  1. "read-only" settings were made directly in the "Cumulus.ini" file, there was no way to adjust these parameters using the settings screens/pages
  2. "read-write" settings could be changed in two ways, either by editing the file with Cumulus stopped, or by finding the parameter on a setting screen (for MX, these are in admin interface).
You will see in the two pages split off from this page (Cumulus.ini_(Cumulus_1) and Cumulus.ini (MX_3.0.0_to_3.7.0)), how the parameters had to identify themselves as read-only or read-write.

Why has this original "Cumulus.ini" page been renamed, cleared of old content, and made historic?

  1. One big change in 3.10.1 is that (almost) all settings are now made via the Admin interface.
    • Therefore it makes no sense any more to organise this page how someone editing the file directly might want.
    • The replacement Cumulus.ini page is now organised by how you change settings in the admin interface (i.e. similar to how settings have been explained in MX_Administrative_Interface#Changing_Settings).
  2. Another change is that some of the settings that used to be made on the “Station Settings” page, are now made on different pages in that interface.
  3. Yet another change is that what you pick in some settings can affect what settings are shown later on the admin interface page.
    • You could say the settings pages have become intelligent.
    • For example, when you select a weather station type it ensures only parameters that relate to that weather station type are shown.
    • As another example, you can opt in or out of the default web site design, so that determines which parameters relating to web sites are shown.
  4. A final change is that some parameters are grouped as “Advanced”, so that novices can avoid those.
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