FAQs
Here are a few things that have come up more than once from previous versions. Also, it's worth checking the online copy of
this document, which will be updated over time.
- How can I embed an image (like my company's logo) in my maps? I don't want to have to create a special background...
- You can create a NODE with no links and no label, but with an ICON. The ICON is your logo. You can also use this to embed images from somewhere else - even dynamically produced ones - how about MRTG graphs or RRD stripgraphs embedded in your map?
- I need to have a link that isn't just a straight line...how can I do this?
- You can use the VIA keyword to make a link go around corners.:
LINK bendylink
NODES node1 node2
VIA 200 300
VIA 360 240
- I need to have more than one link from node A to node B, but they just overlap...how can I do this?
- There are several ways:
- Use the VIA keyword, as above, to stop the links overlapping.
- You can use the node-offset feature to shift the position of both ends of the link:
LINK firstlink
NODES node1:E node2:E
LINK secondlink
NODES node1:W node2:W
- I still have two links, but I use MLPPP, and I want to see a single link on the map for both physical lines.
- You can add the data for two (or more) data sources together by listing multiple targets on one line, seperated by spaces:
LINK firstlink
NODES node1 node2
TARGET one.rrd two.rrd three.rrd
- When will you make the editor work like XYZ?
- Adding the editor in 0.7 has made adding a new core weathermap into something that needs more consideration. Anything that dramatically changes how you make a map (like the LINK DEFAULT and NODE DEFAULT changes for 0.7) should mean a similarly big change in the editor. All the options should really be editable from the editor too. In reality, just getting the editor to run smoothly on more than one browser is sometimes painful, let alone re-tooling it to add new features. With that all said, there very likely will be a new version of the editor in 0.9, with drag & drop editing, and (more) complete support for all the new features since 0.6 (which is the version that the editor really was written for - it was written before I added new 0.7 features. D'oh!).
- Will you extend weathermap to do XYZ?
- It depends. I have an internal idea of what I want weathermap to be like. I don't want it to feel (too much) like a small program with everyone's wishlist bolted on afterwards. If it seems like something that a number of people could use, and doesn't dramatically change the direction of the program (it won't get mail-reading capability anytime soon), then it stands a better chance. Things that take dozens of parameters to adjust something very subtle are less likely. Ultimately, it is a GPLed program though, so you can always add your own features! I try to keep a todo list on the website for current work-in-progress. Obviously, things that I want are always sensible and useful:-) .
- How can I possibly repay you for making my life and work so much easier?
- Actually, this one isn't very frequent. If you do find yourself asking it, there are the ubiquitous Amazon wishlists at my homepage, though. I do like to hear from users anyway - it's nice to know that people do use this thing.
- I get some error about 'module not found', or similar...can you help?
- The answer is probably no, or at least not directly. In most cases, this is the result of a missing dependency, either PHP with no GD, or with an older version, or without PHP support, or without TrueColour support. I do try to extend weathermap to make these error messages more explanatory wherever possible, but ultimately, you need to get PHP working first. Beware that on some systems you can have a working GD in your 'web' PHP (mod_php) and still have a non-working command-line PHP. Also be sure that the PHP you get from the command-line is the same installation as you expect - 'which php' and 'whereis php' will provide some *nix users with an idea that they are running the right one, as does 'php -m' and 'php -v' (is it the version you expect?).