Darksky API Replacement

[n0bel]

After a bunch of research carried out by the great people helping with this project, a new provider has been selected, as pointed out in this issue comment:

https://github.com/n0bel/PiClock/issues/179#issuecomment-622951747

We'll have a new version soon.

[ScottChapman]

still lurking. Does it mostly work at this point? I assume it would be worth pulling the trigger on the update (even if there are minor tweaks coming).

[n0bel]

Remember the DS API will keep working until the end of 2021. So you have time. Things mostly work, Yes, with a V3 key only. V4 keys will have errors, since PiClock is using V3 until the V4 data issues are fixed by ClimaCell. The current PiClock/master now supports openweathermap as well, and as well still supports DS.

[ScottChapman]

Is the way to switch back-and-forth simply to specify the right key in ApiKeys.py?

[ScottChapman]

Looks like V3 will stop working mid-year

[n0bel]

Yup.. Hopefully V4 will be working correctly by then.

[n0bel]

Back and forth is simply by only defining one API key. One of: dsapi owmapi ccapi

[N4IK]

Just switched over today with ClimaCell. Looks good.

[n0bel]

Just added the METAR data as an option to replace current conditions.

# Optional Current conditions replaced with observations from a METAR station
# METAR is world wide, provided mostly for pilots
# But data can be sparse outside US and Europe
#  If you're close to an international airport, you should find soemthing close
# Find the closest METAR station with the following URL
# https://www.aviationweather.gov/metar
# scroll/zoom the map to find your closest station
# or look up the ICAO code here:
# https://airportcodes.aero/name
METAR = ''

Add

METAR = 'XXXX'

to your config

Also required is python-metar:

sudo pip install python-metar --upgrade

[ScottChapman]

So, can someone describe (someplace) how METAR replaces or supplements the info coming from the weather provider?

[n0bel]

It's simply current conditions from an official weather station which generally applies to aviation. As might be expected, it generally centers around airports. In the US, even small airports have an official weather station, which must conform to specific requirements. Certainly some of this data is used by the services we've been using to report the current conditions. METAR is the name (acronym) given for the reporting format. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/METAR

In the case of PiClock, I'm using it to replace the current conditions. In most cases it would be the most current information for a location. If you're not located near to a station then the weather api service's information would probably be more current.

I've made METAR optional in PiClock. When specified, it overrides the weather api's current conditions block of data.

[Vindictor]

Hmmm, I've been using DarkSky for some time, but when we have a clear day the weather map was being overwritten by just black, so I'd have two black weather windows until some clouds or rain came! So today I had some time, updated the git, and was presented by the prompt to enter a Climacell key. I signed up, got a key but.... no weather. Looks like I may have got a V4 key. I went back to the site and attempted to log in to Weather API V3, but my login doesn't work. If I then try to sign up for an account from there, it just takes me back to create the same account that I already have. I aren't sure how to get a V3 key? Maybe I should just resort to my backup and continue with DarkSky for now.

[BertLindeman]

From Kevin in December:

Be sure you get a Climacell V3 apikey through this link: V3 Keys can still be obtained from here: https://developer.climacell.co/sign-up

Other paths lead to a V4 apikey, and I have found issues with the V4 API. #195

[Vindictor]

From Kevin in December:

Be sure you get a Climacell V3 apikey through this link: V3 Keys can still be obtained from here: https://developer.climacell.co/sign-up Other paths lead to a V4 apikey, and I have found issues with the V4 API. #195

Thank you so much for your response. I have just tried your link.
The link shows a page that says "New Version Available" with a button to "Get API Key" When I press Get API Key it takes me back to https://www.climacell.co/pricing/, and pressing sign up just takes me to the same account creation page I already tried. I even did it again, had to use a second email address, got another API Key, but this would also appear to be a V4 API key, which doesn't work when I added it to my PiClock and rebooted.

If I visit your developer sign up link again, and instead of pressing Get API Key, I press Sign In, both of the logins I created this morning do not work.* I can't seem, to create the correct "developer" account to get the V3 key. Clicking on Get API Key, followed by sign up, takes me to https://app.climacell.co/signup

*But I am able to sign into the API V4 login

[BertLindeman]

@Vindictor Did you read through this issue? Maybe the posts starting at ScottChapman commented on 26 Dec 2020 may still work. I did not try them now.

[Vindictor]

@BertLindeman Thanks again for taking the time to respond. Yes, I did notice those posts, and that's where I learned the difference between a V3 and V4 API key, but unfortunately nothing seems to work. Everything gets redirected to making an account with a V4 API key. You can still log in with a V3 account, but there seems to be no option to sign up, it always redirects to the current API key. I was sent a welcome email from a support address. I have responded, asking how I may get a V3 API key for the time being. I don't hold out much hope, but there's no harm in asking. Once again, I do appreciate your time in this. If I am unable to get a V3 API key then I shall restore an earlier backup and go back to the DarkSky setup. Even if the satellite map is unreliable, the weather information still comes through. I'll keep my V4 API key safe in case PiClock is updated to use that after V3 is taken offline. Vin.

[BertLindeman]

@Vindictor I know the Climacell support as very helpful. They assisted me during Christmas. But I understand they do not want to advertise V3 as they want to switch to V4.

We have issue #195 still open. Did not see any ClimaCell fix noted there :-( Bert

[Vindictor]

@BertLindeman I've just checked my mailbox, I have indeed got a response from Climacell. No V3 key for me, but this is what they said

"We have stopped direct signup to v3, to minimize friction as we deprecate it in the near future. Can you help me understand what you're missing in v4 that you need v3 for? I might be able to help out. "__

So yes, no more V3 keys available. Hopefully PiClock will formally get updated for V4 sooner rather than later. As you may have guessed, I'm no programmer, I just love my PiClock and have been using it for years at this point. :)

[merky1]

V4 was still missing “current” and was focused on “guessing” forecasts as current. Until v4 offers the actual readings for current, it’s not an authoritative source for current observations. I think the steamroll to v4 without covering this hole was a serious misstep for them. I hope they resolve this sooner than later, but at this point open weather may be authoritative than the “guess” API

[n0bel]

Your darksky api key will still work in the latest piclock, refer to: https://github.com/n0bel/PiClock/issues/185#issuecomment-751826656

Just edit the config and put in the dsapi value and comment out the climacell api information.

Your original report regarding black radar maps would have been a rainviewer issue, or a mapbox issue. About 2 years ago there were corrections to a certain kind of rainviewer tile that caused black boxes.

Climacell V4 is worse than Climacell V3 for the issues raised by @merky1 . I also saw it reporting rain for snow and other such things.

I implemented OpenWeatehrmap, but was not satisfied with the delay in the current conditions. The forecast seemed fine enough, although it too can be delayed. You can use their api key as owmapi in ApiKeys.py. Again refer to https://github.com/n0bel/PiClock/issues/185#issuecomment-751826656 and the posts immediately preceding.

To help resolve the current conditions issue, I added the ability to use METAR data. This may be a bit USA centrist, but METAR stations are available throughout the world, usually associated with major airports. The question will be is there a station close enough to you to be relevant. See post https://github.com/n0bel/PiClock/issues/185#issuecomment-753545248

Longer term if Climacell does not provide better data, my choice will be OpenWeaterMap + METAR or OpenWeatherMap + a Personal Weather Stations (like Ambient Weather, which provides an API, or possibly something like intercepting 433Mhz data from some documented weather stations)

Hope this helps clarify the current state of things. There is a lot of information in this single issue thread.

[Vindictor]

Thank you so much for your time in responding to me.

Maybe another thought for PiClock could be that if no API key is given, that the boxes to the left and the right of the PiClock display (the boxes on the right that contain the forecast, and the boxes on the left that contain the satellite images) are removed / not drawn. So rather than have empty boxes on the screen, it would just leave the main clock, date at the top, and sunrise/sunset at the bottom. This simply means that if, in the future, weather services are no longer available, or if you get too busy to sustain the project, that at least the PiClock would still be usable and look OK, without having empty, orange boxes on the screen.

This was a thought that I had before changing to the DarkSky API a few years ago. If the day comes and a weather service isn't available, then at least PiClock would still be usable, just without the weather or satellite images. Of course I prefer the weather data being there, and I do use it, daily. It's just that with issues with the weather providers, the PiClock would still be useable and look OK with just a nice background picture, and the clock in the centre.

OK, I'll go back to my DarkSky API key and see how I get on.

I don't live in the US, I'm in the UK, and don't live near an airport. Many thanks again, I love my PiClock :)

EDIT: I went back in and added the dsapi value to my ApiKeys.py file, I rebooted and.... all is great. Also, my weathermaps aren't black any more, despite being a clear day. So, that's great, for now. When I updated this morning and was presented with the prompt for a ClimaCell API Key, then at the time I assumed that I needed to use this. Thank you once again for helping.

[Vindictor]

@n0bel Hi there again, I did actually hear back from ClimaCell, and I will paste below their response.

_Hey Vin,

PiClock does look super cool.

Roni here, from the product team. I read through the threads, some of the issues reported go back to December and are not really relevant to the current state of the API. I'll elaborate.

Initially, v4 used the same precipitation models as v3 - so there shouldn't have been discrepancies between the two at the time of the report. Since then, v4 was upgraded to our most advanced model - even better than the previous one. Moreover, we added a new timestep to make it easier to fetch current conditions (even though they were also available at the time of the report, by querying the minute closest to realtime).

I recommend asking the maintainers of PiClock to revisit our new API. It has major advantages to the previous ones in regards to performance, current and incoming features and developer experience altogether.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Best, Roni_

[merky1]

I've avoided v4 due to this:

Note

In the upcoming weeks we will introduce another timestep - current - as syntactic sugar returning only this interval per request.

[ScottChapman]

Is darksky still "supported"? Haven't been getting create results with CC yet. I still have my trial account, is that enough? Or does it make enough calls (> 1k/day I think) that I need a subscription?

[merky1]

So, climacell has been disappointing. Possible replacements include visualcrossing and weatherapi.com

The downside is that these services seem to push realtime updates around 10min intervals. I need to run some overnight tests, but right now my outdoor thermometer reads 83 and climacell shows 86. I don’t like the idea of a lower poll rate, but if the data is suspect then the poll rate is not a factor.

[merky1]

so plinked around the weatherapi calls :

`2021-04-29 02:28:36 PM -0400 info: openweather : 81.18 : 8 : Clear 2021-04-29 02:28:36 PM -0400 info: climacell : 83.14 : Cloudy 2021-04-29 02:28:37 PM -0400 info: weatherapi : 82 : Partly cloudy 2021-04-29 02:28:38 PM -0400 info: metar temp : 26 2021-04-29 02:28:38 PM -0400 info: usg : 78.80000000000001 F : timestamp age = 34 2021-04-29 02:38:36 PM -0400 info: darksky : 82.16 : 0 : Overcast 2021-04-29 02:38:36 PM -0400 info: climacell : 83.5 : Cloudy 2021-04-29 02:38:37 PM -0400 info: openweather : 81.5 : 0 : Clear 2021-04-29 02:38:37 PM -0400 info: weatherapi : 82 : Partly cloudy 2021-04-29 02:48:36 PM -0400 info: darksky : 82.29 : 0 : Overcast 2021-04-29 02:48:36 PM -0400 info: climacell : 84.61 : Cloudy 2021-04-29 02:48:37 PM -0400 info: openweather : 82.2 : 0 : Clouds 2021-04-29 02:48:37 PM -0400 info: weatherapi : 82 : Partly cloudy 2021-04-29 02:58:37 PM -0400 info: darksky : 82.44 : 0 : Overcast 2021-04-29 02:58:37 PM -0400 info: openweather : 81.99 : 0 : Clouds 2021-04-29 02:58:37 PM -0400 info: climacell : 84.7 : Cloudy 2021-04-29 02:58:37 PM -0400 info: weatherapi : 82 : Partly cloudy

It feels like it "agrees" with DarkSky more. I added it to my fork and will test it overnight as a datafeed.

[nzerdh]

WeatherKit API?

[Vindictor]

I've been using DarkSky all this time, until this morning. This morning I still get my weather map, I still see my rainviewer clouds passing over... I still see the time, date, and sunrise/set, but no weather data.

So I did a git pull, I've run the update.py, I had already got an API key for climacell as discussed, somewhere, previously in this thread. I entered that. my ApiKeys.py file contains the key (I had done it manually first, commenting out the darksky key, but then I went back and just let update.py change it for me)

The upshot is, even with the Climacell key, I still see no weather data. I HAVE just noticed that at the top of my PiClock screen it now says climacell.co, so I imagine the key is being read. But, no info? I recall something, a while ago, about a V3 vs V4 key, and in my notes of the time I noted that I could only get a V4 key which didn't see, to work at the time, which is why I went back to my darksky key, which was working.... until this morning.

I love my PiClock. I am not a programmer.... can anybody help? Sorry if I've missed something obvious.

EDIT: If I log into climacell.co I can see zero activity on my account, even though I've been trying this for the past hour, or two.

EDIT2: I decided to try METAR. I do have a small military base in my vicinity. OK, I entered METAR = 'code' into my Config.Py and now I see current conditions on the left hand side of my PiClock. All that's missing now is forecast data on the right hand side of my PiClock? (I still have the climacell.co API key in my ApiKeys file, and climacell.co displayed top left on my PiClock) Maybe it's time to start afresh? I've seen mention of a PiClock v3, and I think even a PiClock v4. To be honest the only thing I've ever used GitHub for is this project, so if anyone could be kind enough to tell me what the current version of PiClock is, or, the current weather service that works, I'd be hugely grateful. Any visitors I ever have comment on my PiClock, currently running on a 24" monitor mounted to my living room wall :)

EDIT3: Hmmm. I decided to try Openweathermap. After a little searching I learned that "owmapi" is the entry to use, so I signed up for Openweather, a free account, entered "owmapi = 'myapikey' in ApiKeys.py and... still no forecast data! The top left of my PiClock display now shows "openweathermap" so it looks as though I've entered it correctly, however my forecast "boxes" are still empty.

[feh123]

I have the same problem. My Darksky account stopped today as well. I am using the SerBrynden fork which I like a lot. But it looks like I need to go back to the original as the fork only as Darksky. Or does anyone have a fix? Thanks!

[xxxDrewedxxx]

I'm right there with you. I think DarkSky finally died today. Damn.

[vanhalen26505]

I had heard that DarkSky was shutting down. Per the below:

"The Dark Sky website and API will continue to work until March 31, 2023, so any apps using the API have a few months to switch to WeatherKit https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569486&url=https://developer.apple.com/weatherkit/&xcust=1-1-1440719-1-0-0&sref=https://www.macworld.com/article/1440719/dark-app-weather-app-shutting-down-january-1.html if they haven’t done so already."

https://www.macworld.com/article/1440719/dark-app-weather-app-shutting-down-january-1.html#:~:text=The%20Dark%20Sky%20website%20and,haven't%20done%20so%20already .

On Fri, Mar 24, 2023 at 9:03 AM xxxDrewedxxx @.***> wrote:

I'm right there with you. I think DarkSky finally died today. Damn.

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/n0bel/PiClock/issues/185#issuecomment-1482764205, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AK4ASA7SPV7ET5PULPS7I3TW5WLT7ANCNFSM4NRYYIAQ . You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: @.***>

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[Vindictor]

Hey there, thanks for the responses. If anyone finds a solution, please do post below. I ended up wasting several hours on it. After a git pull and an update.py and it once again asked for a climacell key I assumed that it had been updated to work with v4, because I wasn't even able to get a v3 key two years ago when I last tried it.

Anyway, after all that failed I had also assumed that the Openweathermap key would work, but sadly as I sit here my forecast is still blank. METAR did work. (but no forecast info)

I've already spent too long on this today and got no actual work done, and so I'll have to leave it for now. If I can't get it working by the end of the weekend I'll just grab a fresh SD card, install Raspbian Bullseye and try to install PiClock v3 and see how I get on. I was quite happy with DarkSky, I'm not sure if Weatherkit REST API can be implemented. I'm not even sure we'll hear back regarding this project. I'd love to go on using PiClocks indefinitely but... these damn weather APIs keep closing / changing ;)

Fingers crossed to get the PiClock back. :)

[SerBrynden]

See https://github.com/n0bel/PiClock/issues/228#issuecomment-1043880037

[SerBrynden]

I'm still getting weather data using the OpenWeatherMap.org API key. Try doing a fresh install of Raspberry Pi OS Bullseye and the Python3/PyQt5 branch of PiClock: https://github.com/n0bel/PiClock/tree/Python3-SerBrynden

[n0bel]

Openweathermap api key should work fine. I have several piclocks running with that. Either the python2 (original) or python3 (version: SerBrynden branch) I am going to change update.py to suggest openweathermap instead of climacell.

[n0bel]

update.py now recommends OpenWeatherMap, so upgrading should be easier for most. https://github.com/n0bel/PiClock/commit/1dbf97a29252ae658e5fde1cc3a4d8e910fd783a

[Vindictor]

update.py now recommends OpenWeatherMap, so upgrading should be easier for most. 1dbf97a

Great, thanks for still checking this old thread.
I'm still seeing no weather data using the OpenWeatherMap account I started this morning. As I mentioned above I did manually enter the key into ApiKeys.py, and in the top left hand side of my PiClock it does say openweathermap, and so I assume this means I have entered it correctly. Perhaps I will go back and comment out the owmapi key, perform another git pull and run update.py and see if this fixes it. If not, maybe it's time to start again over the weekend.

I honestly appreciate all the work, and taking the time to respond. I do love my PiClock. I guess I've been running it for approx 7 years at this stage! Out of interest, I just SSH'd into my PiClock and typed 'python' to check which version I'm running:

pi@PiClock:~ $ python Python 2.7.13 (default, Feb 6 2022, 20:16:18) [GCC 6.3.0 20170516] on linux2

Maybe it's time to start again, from scratch? :)

EDIT: OK, I logged into the Pi with SSH, git pull, python update.py, it asked for my openweathermap key, I pasted it... I then went to the ApiKeys.py file, saw that the new entry was exactly the same as the one I'd entered manually. Nevertheless, I commented out the original entry that I'd made in ApyKeys.py, saved, rebooted.... still no weather data. I do see openweathermap in the top left of my PiClock display. Maybe there's an issue with my api key, maybe I selected the wrong type when signing up for openweathermap. The METAR is still working for current weather. Failing any other suggestions, I will start from scratch over the weekend with Bullseye.

EDIT2: I also just logged into openweathermap.org, and generated a second API key to see if this would help. I then revisited ApiKeys.py, commented out my current owmapi, reran update.py, pasted in my new openweathermap key, double checked ApiKeys.py, reboot.... still no forecast info. The key is showing 'active' in my account info on https://home.openweathermap.org/api_keys

[SerBrynden]

I had heard that DarkSky was shutting down. Per the below: "The Dark Sky website and API will continue to work until March 31, 2023, so any apps using the API have a few months to switch to WeatherKit https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=111346X1569486&url=https://developer.apple.com/weatherkit/&xcust=1-1-1440719-1-0-0&sref=https://www.macworld.com/article/1440719/dark-app-weather-app-shutting-down-january-1.html if they haven’t done so already." https://www.macworld.com/article/1440719/dark-app-weather-app-shutting-down-january-1.html#:~:text=The%20Dark%20Sky%20website%20and,haven't%20done%20so%20already

Unfortunately, to use the Apple WeatherKit API, you need to be a member of Apple Developer Program, which costs $99 per year. :-(

[feh123]

I'm still getting weather data using the OpenWeatherMap.org API key. Try doing a fresh install of Raspberry Pi OS Bullseye and the Python3/PyQt5 branch of PiClock: https://github.com/n0bel/PiClock/tree/Python3-SerBrynden

Hi thanks for this. My install seemed to go well and mapbox and tomorrow.io looked to have responded with data but I then get: Traceback (most recent call last): File "/home/pi/PiClock/Clock/PyQtPiClock.py", line 793, in wxfinished_cc wxdata = json.loads(wxstr) File "/usr/lib/python3.9/json/init.py", line 346, in loads return _default_decoder.decode(s) File "/usr/lib/python3.9/json/decoder.py", line 337, in decode obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end()) File "/usr/lib/python3.9/json/decoder.py", line 355, in raw_decode raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0) Aborted Any thoughts on what I have done wrong? Thanks again!

[feh123]

Ah. Just to say tried openweathermap and it worked! I need to do some repeats to see why climacell (Tomorrow.io) failed.

[Vindictor]

Ah. Just to say tried openweathermap and it worked! I need to do some repeats to see why climacell (Tomorrow.io) failed.

Hey there, Well that’s really weird how it doesn’t work for me. I signed up for a new account this morning, I even generated a second api key to try… nothing. I think it’ll be quicker and easier to just start again over the weekend. Grab a new sd card with Bullseye, and port my settings, background images etc across, and hope openweathermap will work for me, then. Thanks for the updates.

[SerBrynden]

@feh123 Last I checked, the PiClock code hasn't been updated to support the Tomorrow.io (formerlly Climacell.co) v4 API. It was written for v3.

[feh123]

Okay. Thanks for all the help. Much appreciated.

On Friday, 24 March 2023 at 18:02:14 GMT, Brendan Curley ***@***.***> wrote:  

@feh123 Last I checked, the PiClock code hasn't been updated to support the Tomorrow.io v4 API. It was written for v3.

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe. You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: @.***>

[xenon462]

to migrate to Climacell (tomorrow.io) V4, 3 features need to be changed. def wxfinished_cc(), def wxfinished_cc2(), def wxfinished_cc3(). I did for my language settings. Works for me. here is my file. PyQtPiClock.py.txt

[feh123]

Hi @Vindictor I used the raspberry pi imager to install a fresh RPI OS 32bit with desktop. I used @SerBrynden https://github.com/SerBrynden/PiClock/blob/master/Documentation/Install.md instructions to install his PiClock fork. I have not yet tried @xenon462 instructions to make climacell work. Instead I used mapbox and openweathermaps as my data sources. That worked for me. I will have a go with Climacell to see if their forecasts are more accurate in the UK than OWM. For the moment I will stay with OWM. Good luck.

[BertLindeman]

to migrate to Climacell (tomorrow.io) V4, 3 features need to be changed. def wxfinished_cc(), def wxfinished_cc2(), def wxfinished_cc3(). I did for my language settings. Works for me. here is my file. PyQtPiClock.py.txt

Your PyQtPiClock.py uses more config strings than the original. E.g. Config.textcolorTopLine and Config.textcolorDatex2

Can you also share the Config.py to ease this update?

Thank you,

Bert

[xenon462]

https://github.com/xenon462/PiClock

[xenon462]

https://github.com/xenon462/PiClock/blob/master/Documentation/Install-Stretch.md

[BertLindeman]

Thank you

[Vindictor]

Hi @Vindictor I used the raspberry pi imager to install a fresh RPI OS 32bit with desktop......

Thanks for the note. I didn't have a chance to get it done over the weekend, so my PiClock was left running with no forecast data down the right hand side. I did manage to write a new Bullseye image to an SD card, so time to boot that up, SSH in and.... I think I shall try the @n0bel PiClock v3, first..... and can easily remove and start again with something else if needs be. Just SSH'd into my current PiClock, backed up the folder to ensure I have all my alterations (and keys for Google Maps / weather) and will shortly begin. Usually I download the OS image and write that to the SD card. I tried the Pi Imager this time. Pretty cool, I like how you can enable SSH and usernames before beginning. One thing I'd like to see added is the ability to set a static IP address from the imager, to make it simpler to SSH into afterwards but, that's no hardship to overcome. Hopefully I'll have my PiClock back to full power, soon. What I should've done is generate an extra openweathermap api key and pasted it in here for someone else to try, and see if it's actually a strange issue with my PiClock, or my account with them. I could easily remove the key from my account, afterwards. never mind, it won't hurt to run Bullseye and the latest version of PiClock anyway, so long as it works (but of course, I'm starting on a new SD card, so I can easily go back to the old one if needs be)

https://github.com/n0bel/PiClock3

[SerBrynden]

I updated my PiClock to work with the Tomorrow.io v4 API (formerly Climacell). I'll update it on GitHub today or tomorrow.