AirPi

Python support for the AirPi, a Raspberry Pi weather station and air quality monitor add-on board. The AirPi hardware was conceived and produced by Alyssa Dayan and Tom Hartley.

Installation

Be sure to read the documentation in the docs folder first, and for more detailed instructions.

New Install

The quickest way to install on a new Raspberry Pi is:

curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/haydnw/airpi/master/install.sh | sudo sh

If you're scared about executing code straight from the internet (and you should be!) then you can view it first by doing this:

curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/haydnw/airpi/master/install.sh | more

Upgrade Existing Install

Upgrading will overwrite your existing settings files; save them first to preserve settings. To upgrade an existing install to the latest version: git pull

Usage

airpictl.sh normal

See the docs folder for instructions on using other run modes.

Bug Reports

Bug reports should be submitted on GitHub.

• Ensure you are running the latest verison of the software, as a fix for your problem may already have been implemented.
• Try running the development branch of the repository, as a fix for your problem may be under development at the moment.
• If you still need to report a bug, please include the current software version (run airpictl.sh ver). You should also run the software with debug = yes in the settings file (cfg\settings.cfg), and then include the last few lines of output in the bug report.

Support

There is no formal support mechanism for the AirPi hardware, nor is there any implied or explicit support offered or in any way guaranteed for this fork of the software. You may, however, find the AirPi discussion board a useful source of information.

This Fork - Haydn Williams

Development on this fork has been carried out by Haydn Williams, with attribution for extra assistance in the code where appropriate.

2015-12-17:

• [NEW] Install Git if not already present (for Raspbian Jessie Lite).
• [NEW] Install GPS packages as part of installation script, if requested by user.

2015-11-11:

• [NEW] Add line to instructions to get GPS working in Raspbian Jessie (thanks Sven!).

2015-11-09:

• [NEW] Add MySQL support to outputs.

2015-11-06:

• [FIX] Improvements to installation script and accompanying docs.

2015-10-16:

• [FIX] Various bug fixes and minor improvements to GPS support.

2015-05-12:

• [NEW] Improve code by making Support plugins sub-classes of Plugin object.

2015-05-11:

• [FIX] No more error message when LDR is in complete darkness.
• [FIX] Calibration now fully working.
• [FIX] Ignore default (dummy) Ubidots sensor IDs.
• [FIX] Correctly parse cfg/outputs.cfg when [Notes] is included.

2015-05-02:

• [NEW] 'Limits' feature to alert you when a measure goes above a particular value.
• [NEW] Dashboard output plugin to easily show whether limits have been breached.
• [NEW] Added support for 'limits' to Print, CSV and JSON output plugins.
• [FIX] Major refactor of output plugin parameter architecture: + Checking validity is now done in the output plugin object instead of by airpi.py + Output plugins now inherit a number of methods from Output object, and have a number of abstract and static classes to aid inheritance.
• [FIX] CSV output plugin now writes time at which the sample was taken, instead of time at which the file was written to.
• [FIX] Lots of pylint improvements.

2015-02-25:

• [NEW] Output to Ubidots (www.ubidots.com).
• [FIX] More informative output regarding Dweet errors.

2015-02-20:

• [NEW] Print the name of sensors which fail to obtain data (instead of generic "something failed").
• [FIX] Time on HTTP graph x-axes now correct for most timezones (thanks to tvoverbeek).

2015-02-09:

• [NEW] Automated install script - just run: curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/haydnw/AirPi/development2/install.sh | sudo sh If you're worried about security, replace sudo sh with more to view the entire script in all its glory first.

2014-12-31:

• [FIX] HTTP output plugin now works correctly with bootstart. N.B. Full path for wwwPath must be set explicitly in cfg/outputs.cfg in such cases. If not, AirPi assumes /home/pi/AirPi/www.
• Updates to settings.cfg for case of parameter names, and LED explanations.

2014-12-30:

• [NEW] Show warning if cannot sample quickly enough (i.e. sampling frequency is too short / fast).
• [NEW] Output plugins now include milliseconds in time.
• [FIX] Samples now counted correctly (increment per actual sample, not per check).
• [FIX] Output the time a few milliseconds closer to the actual sample time.

2014-12-27:

• [NEW] Added Python templates to docs folder.
• Updated docs.
• Revised readme.

2014-12-25:

• [NEW] Added datasheets to repository.
• Clarified names for BMP085 and DHT-22 sensors.
• Added first draft of instructions on how to use the software.

2014-12-16:

• [FIX] airpibootstart script now working again. N.B. Assumes installation is in /home/pi/AirPi - see boot/README.md for details.

2014-12-07:

• [NEW] Added ver argument to airpictl.sh, to display version and upgrade information.
• [FIX] Fixed error in lambda function for CO calibration (not used at present).

2014-11-30:

• Improved 'help' feature for list of sensors, and for Xively, Dweet and HTTP output plugins.
• [FIX] Resolved an issue with Relative_Humidity not working (DHT22).

2014-11-23:

• Added first basic 'help' to give required Xively channel names.
  • Controlled by help parameter in cfg/settings.cfg.

2014-11-16:

• Added 'plot' output, to graph a single output metric on screen.
• Added basic RRD output (for more advanced support try https://git.cccmz.de/julric/airpi).

2014-10-17:

• Added JSON output.

2014-10-06:

• Added ability to do 'dummy runs' for a predefined period before a run starts properly, to ensure all sensors are up and running, and won't just report back zeroes.
  • Controlled by dummyduration parameter in cfg/settings.cfg - set to 0 for no dummy runs. Recommended is 15.

2014-10-03:

• Added ability to stop a run after X samples.
  • Controlled by stopafter parameter in cfg/settings.cfg - set to 0 to run indefinitely.
• Added warning if GPS socket not detected when GPS sensor enabled.

2014-09-26:

• Added dweet output.

2014-08-26:

• Added ability to output average data (e.g. read every 1 min for 10 mins, then output the average for the 10 mins).
  • Controlled by averageFreq parameter in cfg/settings.cfg - set to at least twice sampleFreq to enable averaging.

2014-08-21:

• Code tidying:
  • Moved the check whether calibration is required into a super function called from each output subclass now.
  • Made multiple changes to all .py files in line with Pylint recommendations as per PEP 8 style guide.
  • Renamed 'data' to 'params' in output subclasses, to reflect their true nature and reduce confusion with data produced by sensors.
  • Massive refactoring of airpi.py by extracting methods to facilitate code reuse and simplificaiton.

2014-08-12:

• Added airpictl.sh script to control sampling in different modes.
  • Run ./airpictl.sh to see options and usage.
  • Includes 'background' and 'unattended', so you can SSH into your Pi, start it, then quit.
• Moved all config files to cfg directory.
• Moved all log files (and redirected output from airpictl.sh) to log directory.

2014-07-26:

• Added ability to record metadata such as Raspberry Pi serial no. and operator name at start of run.
  • Controlled by metadatareqd parameters in cfg/outputs.cfg - set to True to output metadata.

2014-07-21:

• Added ability to start automatically at boot for headless operation (does not require any user interaction).
  • Controlled by bootstart parameter in cfg/settings.cfg.
  • See the boot directory for more info.

2014-07-18:

• Abort and inform user if no output modules are enabled.
• Added 'Notifications' module which allow messages to be sent when errors occur. Includes email, SMS and tweet.
  • Controlled by cfgs/notifications.cfg.
• Renamed 'data' array to 'parameters' to better reflect its content, and avoid confusion with actual data.

2014-07-15:

• Added the following new options to cfg/settings.cfg:
  • Greater control of LED behaviour.
  • Can disable error messages printed to screen.
  • Can print to screen in CSV format.
• Standard print-to-screen format tidied up and made more digestable.
• Output modules requiring internet access will not be loaded if there is no connection available.

2014-07-14:

• Added ThingSpeak output.
• Rounded Xively output to 2dp.
• Can kill the process a bit more nicely using Ctrl+C.
• Can automatically name CSV files and HTTP titles using date and hostname.
  • Controlled by use of <date> and <hostname> in cfg/outputs.cfg
• outputDir parameter is now required for csvoutput, to avoid writing to /root when loading at boot.
  • Needs to be in [CSVOutput] section of cfg/outputs.cfg.

Changes - Fred Sonnenwald

---

This development branch of the AirPi code adds several features and bugfixes that I've developed as part of my AirPi project.

It additionally incorporates changes by Jon Hogg (jncl), which include code cleanups, error logging, and GPS sensor support.

New features:

• Support for UVI-01 sensor
• Can disable LEDs
• Raingauge support
• Support for TGS-2600 Air Quality sensor
• CSV logging
• Built in HTTP server to display results nicely
  • Looks pretty using Twitter Bootstrap
  • RSS feed
  • Nice graphs using Flot
  • Can load in CSV history for long period graphs
  • HTTP/1.0 or HTTP/1.1
• Sensor calibration, not just raw values
• GPS sensor support (untested by me, so may not be compatible with the HTTP or CSV code)

Bugfixes:

• Pressure sensor calibration (jaceydowell)
• Could not change mslp setting in pressure sensor
• Don't just ignore failed readings (record 0 instead)
• High CPU usage
• Hopefully fixed an issue with readings hanging on DHT22

Original Project - Alyssa Dayan and Tom Hartley.

---

This is the original code for the project located at http://airpi.es

Currently it is split into airpi.py, as well as multiple sensor and multiple output plugins. airpi.py collects data from each of the input plugins specified in sensors.cfg, and then passes the data provided by them to each output defined in outputs.cfg. The code for each sensor plugin is contained in the sensors folder and the code for each output plugin in the outputs folder.

Some of the files are based off code for the Raspberry Pi written by Adafruit: https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit-Raspberry-Pi-Python-Code

For original installation instructions, see http://airpi.es/kit.php

For ease of use when working with scripts, you may want to add the AirPi folder to your $PATH.