2.3. Customising the Weatherlink console Display screen

The layout of the data that you see on the dashboard (real-time display) of the 6313 console can be customised in various ways. This topic describes the various options and how to use them. It is very likely that new options will be made available as future new firmware is released, so bear in mind that this topic may not always be fully up-to-date.

*A VP2 weather station reporting to a 6313 console could in principle have active transmitters on all 8 wireless channels with, potentially, multiple sensors on each transmitter. Then each sensor can often have its data reported in multiple ways. So there are a huge number of parameters that could in principle be reported to the console display. The customisation permitted in the launch firmware is already very extensive but not yet fully exhaustive – additional options can be expected in future firmware revisions in response to user feedback and as further interface development work is undertaken.

The overall dashboard layout is set by the template chosen by the user. Currently, there is a choice of just two main templates, each consisting of a central wind rose, surrounded by a set of tiles. There is also a central vertical bar and four small inset circles (which Davis term ‘Weather Bubbles’), both containing additional information. Both tiles and bubbles can be populated with a wide range of data values according to user preferences (see the next section).

Finally, there is a footer or taskbar area (equivalent to the ticker area in the legacy 6312 console). This contains a wide central text message area flanked at each end by a couple of status icons (for alarms and Wi-Fi). Provided the console is connected to the Internet, this message area will show the current text forecast (downloaded from a global weather model) plus any health or wellbeing alerts associated with exceptional weather events. If an alarm has been set and triggered then the message area will also show details of the alarm.

Customising the displayed weather data

The weather data that is displayed by the dashboard can be fully customised, at least within the limitations of the two overall tile designs currently available. In other words, the layout must conform to either the 3×3 or the 2×3 tile layout, but a wide variety of different weather parameters (aka data types) can be set to be displayed within each tile and within each of the weather bubbles. The central wind rose will always display wind data from a single anemometer, but also has limited customisation options.

!Procedures to change the custom display are outlined below. Be aware that the console response to an icon press is not always instant – the console may be briefly busy processing incoming weather data. Be prepared to wait a second or two and if the console still does not respond then press the icon a second time. Also, if you edit the current data display then the change must always be saved by hitting the relevant Save button. Unless you Save then the data display will not update to your new preference.

*Note that the Customise Display settings define the data type that is displayed within each tile, but does not control the units or resolution of the value displayed. Units are set in the ‘Units of measure’ screen and resolution in the ‘Display format’ screens, both accessed from the Console setting menu option of the main Account screen.

Accessing the Customise display options

The customisation process always begins with 3 steps from the main weather data display:

1. Press the Home icon on the main data display, which should call up the main menu display
2. Call up the main Account menu by pressing the last icon on the menu row
3. Press the ‘Customise display’ menu option
   

Editing/customising the current display preferences – primary screen

Changing the current display settings always begins from the primary Customise Display screen (which is more accurately called the ‘Select Layout’ screen, but that isn’t its assigned menu name). Currently only one main option needs to be chosen from this screen – whether to to use the two row (2×2) or three row (3×2) template. The 3×2 option obviously allows more individual data parameters to be displayed on the main data screen, but also results in a busier display and one which is a little less easy to read from a distance.

There are a couple of other options on this Customise display screen. One allows the High contrast display mode to be set. .Personally I prefer this mode for its greater overall legibility but this is obviously down to individual preference. The other is a display preview which allows the progress of the display customisation to be checked or previewed. This option shows a non-updating (using default dummy parameters) full-screen display. Pressing any icon on this preview screen then takes the user back to where they were in the customisation process.

Customising individual parameters

Pressing the Customise Display button towards the upper right of the primary Customise Display page calls up a screen which is the main base for customising individual tiles and bubbles. Each tile is individually configured to show either one or two specific parameter values, as selected from two nested screens. After each tile has been defined then editing must return back up to this base screen before selecting the next tile or bubble for redefinition.

The process of changing each tile is simple but involves 6 intuitive steps, as below. Note that defining a parameter is a two-stage process. First, define the parameter type that you want to display on the tile, which might be for example temperature and humidity or rainfall. And then define which individual sensor should be the source of that tile’s data. For simple station configurations, say just a single ISS, there will often only be one sensor available to report a given parameter. But configurations with two or more transmitters will often have multiple sensors of the same type, hence the need to have a separate step for defining the parameter source.

1. Select the tile or bubble to be redefined.
2. This will call up a list of all the data types available for insertion into that tile or bubble, which is selected in two stages: first choose the category of data type via the appropriate radio button.
3. This will populate the list of specific data types for that category. Note that the list of types can either be viewed as a visual preview or as a simple text list. Choose the preferred data type.
4. This should call up the sensor selection screen, where the specific sensor to be used for that data type is set.
5. Select the preferred sensor. If you make a change here then be sure to press Save
6. Return back up the tree to the main tile selection screen.

!Always look for more options, especially for parameter types, off the bottom of the screen – swipe in the usual way to move up and down the list of parameter types, which can be long. Unfortunately, swiping does not seem very robust in the initial firmware release and patience may be needed to see all the options in the list. Hopefully this behaviour can be improved in a new firmware release.

*Notice that the list of parameter types mostly defines two parameters to display in each tile. But there are also options for just a single value – for example just temperature in the temperature and humidity class. So if you wanted the simplest and most legible dashboard display then you might choose the 2×2 layout with just single values displayed in each tile and maybe no bubbles showing at all.

Troubleshooting tips

Tiles or bubbles not updating: Occasionally tile values or bubble graphics do not seem to be updating (or updating correctly). In this case, it is always worth going back into the Customise screen and resetting the tile or bubble to some different display setting and saving. Then repeat the process and return the tile/bubble to its original preferred setting. This often seems to clear a stuck setting.

This topic is still being written and will be updated further.

All content © Prodata Associates Ltd and www.weatherstations.co.uk
Copying or linking to this knowledge-base is prohibited without permission
Please report unauthorised use to support@weatherstations.co.uk