MythWeather Grabber Script Format

MythWeather grabber scripts are small executable perl, python, or binary applications which query online sources of weather and return it in a format parseable by MythWeather. This page documents the current format required of the grabber scripts to function.

The Version Command (-v)

All grabber scripts must return an identifying string when run with the '-v' argument. The command returns a comma separated list of the script name, script version, author, and author's email, and output must end with a newline character.

#./bbccurrentxml.pl -v
BBC-Current-XML,0.2,Stuart Morgan,stuart@tase.co.uk

The Timeout Command (-T)

All grabber scripts must return two timeout values when run with the '-T' argument. The command returns a comma separated list of information lifetime, and web response timeout, in seconds.

#./bbccurrentxml.pl -T
7200,30

The Field List Command (-t)

All grabber scripts must return a list of available data fields, one per line, when run with the '-t' argument.

#./bbccurrentxml.pl -t
cclocation
station_id
copyright
observation_time
weather
temp
relative_humidity
wind_dir
pressure
visibility
weather_icon
appt
wind_spdgst

The Location Search Command (-l <location>)

All grabber scripts must return a list of possible location matches, one per line, when run with the '-l' argument. The matches are an identifying string to be used with the data string, and a description, separated by a double colon.

#./bbccurrentxml.pl -l Cincinnati
407::Cincinnati, Ohio
3231::Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Kentucky

The Directory Option (-d)

use unknown... for radar image downloads?

The Data Command (-u <unit system> <location string>)

A grabber script with called without any of the above options must take a unit system, and a location, and return data for each of the fields listed by the '-t' command. The Location will be that provided by the '-l' commands, and the unit system will be one of 'SI' or 'ENG'. Data is returned, one value per line, separated from the identifying string by a double colon.

#./bbccurentxml.pl -u ENG 407
appt::NA
copyright::From bbc.co.uk
station_id::407
cclocation::Cincinnati, United States of America
observation_time::Thursday at 13:00 EST
weather::Grey cloud
weather_icon::cloudy.png
temp::43
wind_dir::E
wind_spdgst::9 (NA)
relative_humidity::65
pressure::30.5321117
visibility::10-20

Valid Data Types

cclocation	Descriptive name of location	Text
relative_humidity	Percent humidity	Integer
pressure	Barometric pressure	Float
wind_spdgst	Wing speed (gust)	Integer
wind_dir	Wind direction	Cardinal
visibility		Integer/Range
appt
temp
weather
weather_icon
observation_time
copyright
3dlocation
6dlocation
date-<n>
icon-<n>
low-<n>
high-<n>
updatetime
18icon-<n>
temp-<n>
pop-<n>
swlocation
alerts	can have multiple lines
forecastdate
tempforecast
condforecast
todaypic
location		}