Confusion on installing Weewx 4.1

[michael form]

Hello:

I am confused about what is necessary to install Weewx 4.1 using Python 3. I have seen many problems with people trying to do this using a 1-Wire interface like I am using on a Raspberry Pi, running Buster. Others seemed to have better luck installing Weewx using Python 2. I am a hardware designer, not a Linux expert, so that might be the problem. :)

With the help of this user group (especially Glenn) I am currently running Weewx 3.9 using Python 2.7 on a pair of Raspberry Pi's.Thanks to everyone.

1. Can Weewx 4.1 be installed using Python 3 using the 1-Wire interface? If so, any special steps? I tried following the Installation Guide to install on a test Ubuntu system but got errors about Cheetah 3 not found (or something like that).

2. What is the benefit of using Python 3 rather than Python 2 (other than 3 is supported)?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Michael Form

[Glenn McKechnie]

On 28/05/2020, michael form <mike...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello:
>
> I am confused about what is necessary to install Weewx 4.1 using Python 3.

> I have seen many problems with people trying to do this using a *1-Wire
> interface* like I am using on a Raspberry Pi, running Buster.

The biggest hurdle was the requirement to run owserver and the problems
some were encountering when starting it under systemd. That has possibly
been solved with Nevilles find and that is documented in the readme at...

https://github.com/glennmckechnie/weewx-owfs

But, I believe you now have a working owserver so that issue is mute.

> Others seemed to have better luck installing Weewx using Python 2. I am a
> hardware designer, not a Linux expert, so that might be the problem. :)
> With the help of this user group (especially Glenn) I am currently running
> Weewx 3.9 using Python 2.7 on a pair of Raspberry Pi's.Thanks to everyone.

> 1. Can Weewx 4.1 be installed using Python 3 using the *1-Wire *interface?*

I'm running that combination: 4.1 with python 3.

> If so, any special steps?*

For 1-wire? Only the steps that are being refined in the various threads
(obviously the latest thread holds the latest updates).
If you have owserver running now, there is no (good) reason why it will stop
running if you swap to python 3.
Mathews owfs.py picks up the the appropriate module seamlessly. I know
with certainty that the versions in my fork work.
You have a working configuration in weewx.conf so the steps should really
be minimal.

> I tried following the Installation Guide to install on a test Ubuntu system
> but got errors about Cheetah 3 not found (or something like that).

Pass.
Each distro will have its own quirks as it plays catch up with the
python 3 push.
For a pi I'd stick to raspbian or whatever they are calling it now -
Raspberry Pi OS?

> 2. What is the benefit of using Python 3 rather than Python 2 (other than 3
> is supported)?

If you have a working install and it's doing what you want then
there's probably no reason to change.
It's only if you need to do an operating system update, or want to try
another skin, weather station, use another data source that you may
run into issues, but that's all crystal ball stuff.

It's probably not so much that 3 is supported, it's that main stream
support for 2.7 has dried up. With a vengeance in some cases. That
leaves us playing catch up, but dare I say it ... actually winning!


--


Cheers
Glenn

rorpi - read only raspberry pi & various weewx addons
https://github.com/glennmckechnie