Free Weather Download Script from s/v Jedi

[s/v Jedi]

AH! maybe you can set the attributes of the script to run as administrator? I can't try it because I don't have it ;-)

cheers,
Nick.

[markpj23]

Mucho kewl tool! Thanks for sharing this!

[s/v Jedi]

Okay, let me include the download-link first before I forget like the last time ;-)

http://www.sv-jedi.org/sv_jedi/WxDow...stribution.zip

After you click this link, choose "Save File". Or right-click the link and choose "Save as".

It will get it's homepage soon but for now, here's some info:

You will get a ZIP file when you download from the link above. Put it on your desktop and unzip it there. This will create a folder called "WxDownload v2.0 Distribution". In the folder are three files. Double-click the application (that's the file with the cute fair-weather icon ;-)

Some of the new features:

• It's a real Windows application, no more scripts. It's programmed in Free Pascal, using the Lazarus components (also free). The application is free for non-commercial use (GNU license) and you may send it to anyone you like.
• I programmed the TCP/IP part for downloading from Internet hosts directly into the application, so the httpget.exe that was used in the previous script isn't used anymore. This was the tricky part of this little project ;-)
• It has a standard DBase IV format database for the descriptions of what to download from where, instead of the previous text file. The application has support for browsing, editing, adding, deleting records etc. Play with that a bit to find out how it works. Look carefully at the example records as they give hints on where to find weather for different areas. Test the URL's in your web browser and use copy&paste to enter them into the database. Use your right mouse button and the drop-down menu for copying and pasting.
• The Application comes with a database filled with the same 14 weather downloads as the script. It consists of two files: wx.dbf is the main table and wx.mdx is the index-file for sorting on the "file name" field. This means the list is automatically sorted.
  If you delete these two database files and start the application, it will create new, empty, files magically.
• After the download is complete, it opens the new folder with all the files for you. These folders are named using the data and time of their creation (just like the old script did) so that you can easily sort them. The folders are created in the application-folder.
• If you want more than one set of weather-files, simply copy the whole application folder and edit the database.
• HOT TIP: copy the application folder to your USB memory stick. You can run it right from the stick on ANY computer, without installing it on that computer!
  Make sure you copy the folder to the stick, not just the three files in the stick root directory.
• You can re-size the window but if you make it too small you can't see all the info anymore.
• It has a progress bar to give you an indication of how long it takes to complete the download. This is only needed when your Internet connection is very slow because the application is lightning fast!

Pls. report any bugs in this thread. I think it should work on 64-bit Windows versions too now. I can even create versions for the Mac and palm-tops etc. so who knows what's next ;-)
I also have a list of improvements in my head so new versions will come as time permits.

Enjoy!
Nick.

[marujo.sortudo]

Hey, Nick. Fellow programmer here. I'm running Win 7 32-bit and get this error on launch "Error Creating SSL CTX: SSLCTXNew." Any thoughts?

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by marujo.sortudo

Hey, Nick. Fellow programmer here. I'm running Win 7 32-bit and get this error on launch "Error Creating SSL CTX: SSLCTXNew." Any thoughts?

Hi,

First thing next year, I'm gonna order Windows 7 ;-) I can't test now, but the error comes from the SSL layer for the HTTP socket. The question is if it's really the SSL layer or maybe a deeper problem within TCP/IP...
I can fully understand why M$ would want to change the IP stack but it looks like it breaks my app ;-(

If you have the free pascal / lazarus environment on your computer, I can send you the source project distribution so you can debug it yourself. If you haven't used that environment before, I must warn you that I worked 5 days on this app of which 4 days was finding my way in this environment ;-). But it's very nice so well worth it.

Let me know,
cheers,
Nick.

[marujo.sortudo]

Oh, and I'm even a Pascal programmer, but alas, I can't say I feel like setting up a new environment and debugging at this time. MAYBE later. I like to leave all that at work, but more importantly, I just bought a boat and I'm spending all my free time on her and her tender-to-be these days. I tried re-running things in the various compatibility modes Win 7 offers, but no luck.

[billreilly]

Another method you can use to download weather information is to use PassageWeather's Low-Bandwidth Interface:

http://www.passageweather.com/download.htm

It works well using any low-bandwidth internet connection (such as Iridium, Globalstar, Thuraya, Inmarsat, etc.)...

For those who have a normal/fast internet connection, use http://www.passageweather.com

Bill

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by marujo.sortudo

I tried re-running things in the various compatibility modes Win 7 offers, but no luck.

They tell me it must work on Windows 7 in both 32- and 64-bit! So, I got to think that maybe the code-optimizations are the culprit. I re-compiled without the optimizations and I have good hopes this version will work on Windows7:

http://www.sv-jedi.org/sv_jedi/WxDow...stribution.zip

I also made some other changes: you can now exit the program while a download is in progress. A warning pops up asking if you're sure. This is useful when your Internet connection is down or troubled.

I did some bug fixes that nobody noticed and changed the version number to 2.01.

ciao!
Nick.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by billreilly

Another method you can use to download weather information is to use PassageWeather's Low-Bandwidth Interface:

Hi Bill,

Unfortunately, the weather info on that (and so many other sites) is straight from a computer model, without any human forecaster interpreting the data. This is the same info as you get from grib files, which is a much better method to get that data while underway (smaller and available on SailMail & Winlink).

The weatherfax service uses human forecasters who interpret the computer generated data. You get the exact same data as from a weatherfax receiver.

cheers,
Nick.

[marujo.sortudo]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

I re-compiled without the optimizations and I have good hopes this version will work on Windows7

Alas, no such luck. Same error. I'll PM you my email in case you want to send me any other versions to test/debug.

[Not Sure]

Since I'm against downloading anything and simply running it just to see what it does or to see if I want to use it or not, perhaps a program description could be created and posted so that potential users can read the description, see exactly what the program does (no longer just a .bat file apparently), where the program/scripts take the weather data from, and whether or not a user wants to use the program before downloading and installing it on their computer.
(I'm assuming that it data mines weather info from various internet sources and compiles it into a window for the user.)

[Paul Lefebvre]

Nick:

I also get the same error message on Windows XP "Error Creating SSL CTX: SSLCTXNew."

[marujo.sortudo]

Perhaps there is a DLL dependency for the SSL support?

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by marujo.sortudo

Perhaps there is a DLL dependency for the SSL support?

Yes, when Paul posted the same problem with XP it hit me ;-) The very funny thing is that I tested it on our "gaming laptop" and it just worked. I just did a filesearch and found that both AirMail and OpenOffice use these libraries and one or both of them, or something else copied it to our windows\system32 folder.

The error is generated here:

  FSSLContext := SSLCTXNew(aMethod);
  if not Assigned(FSSLContext) then
    raise Exception.Create('Error creating SSL CTX: SSLCTXNew');

Yes, I actually posted some program code on the cruisers forum! That might be a first ;-)

Anyway, the missing pieces are the OpenSSL interface. SSL is what makes the https:// (secure) URLs work. There's two small dll's and I included them in the distribution, pls download again... :

http://www.sv-jedi.org/sv_jedi/WxDow...stribution.zip

So, why did I put SSL support in... as all the examples are just regular http:// links. I don't know, but you should be able to use https:// URL's too now ;-)

Let me know if it works now ;-)
cheers,
Nick.

[marujo.sortudo]

Bingo. Works now.