Aquacontroller Data

[blide]

Well I've been running my ACjr (w/serial connector) for over a month now and the data has really allowed me to create some stability. My temps are only having a 1.5 to 2 degree change everyday and the data tracking really allows me to keep track of what's going on in the tank.

Now I'm looking to find out how I can access the data remotely. I have a VPN tunnel form my work PC to my home PC and it requires me to run VNC to access the AC software (trial version). Do you guys think I need to buy the full version of the neptune software to access the data remotely? Or can I just run some type of web app that uses something like apache that can could extract the local PC data to a web page?

Oh and does anyone know if the Reefchat widget works with the ACjr?

Thanks for the help...

 

[GraviT]

How do you like the ACjr? I've been seriously thinking about buying one, but don't see many people using them.

 

[blide]

The ACjr fits my needs right now, but if I had it to do over again I would of probably bought the AC3. I plan on getting a larger tank in the future and the extra AC3 option's would of come in handy.

Overall though I really like the ACjr because of it's data tracking and low price.

 

[slallen]

Bill, If you buy the full package of Aquanotes and setup IIS on your machine you can access the data via the web. A few of the RCDO members do it that way.

As to the widget, no it currently does not work with the AC Jr. or AC II. It can not login to the Aquanotes page. Has to do with the way they have coded the webpage. It actually strips passed parameters with the exception of one maybe two commands.

Believe me I want this to change. I have sent an email to Curt, but it is my understanding he is not real open about giving out details. So I may not even get a response. However I will keep working on it.

 

[blide]

I don't mind buying Aquanotes, but the program itself looks extremely basic. The data has to be stored in a small database somewhere on the PC right? So I thought there might be someone that's come up with a "mod" that would pull data the from the free version stored local to a web page.

 

[Ashlar]

*nod* it's an access database, so a VB app or the like would be able to pull it (assuming it's not password protected or something.)

The sig generator can work with the Jr- we've got a few users with the full version of AquaNotes running with a II or Jr.

Bill Esposito, author of JAqua - uses the sig gen connected to his AquaNotes.

http://www.rowelab.com/AquaController/rc_bill-e1_sig.png

I'm also working on making the sig spit out an RSS feed:
http://www.rowelab.com/AquaController/Serk.xml

 

[slallen]

And the latest version of the widget produces an xml file as well.

BTW - the db is password protected and encrypted. (Believe me I tried!) Not to say that one of you guys out there has an OLD version that is not encryted.

 

[blide]

I've got some nice password cracking tools at work. I'll give it a shot tomorrow and see what I can come up with.

(I have to break lots of access db's due to engineers leaving and thier replacements being unable to modify them. :shock: )

Disclaimer: I'm not trying to hack their software for my own gain. Just finding out the how the program works and creating discussion.

Here is a list of the DB's:

 

[slallen]

Yes I have had to crack a few as well. All though I think it may be encrypted. IF not then great. Like Scott said a simple vb app and away you go.

 

[blide]

Scott,

I pulled this quote from your DIY touch screen and was wondering if you could give us some more details. This is what I'm trying to accomplish and it looks like you've got an easier solution than tearing up Aquanotes.

 

[Ashlar]

Yup, I'm using tcl, but if you're good with VB, you could use the mscomm.ocx control to do the same..

I open up a telnet session on COM1, and send 'c'. The response is the current status without any formatting.

I installed winCron, which requires perl and a bunch of perl dependencies. The only reason I used wincron is because I have zero experience with the windows scheduler.