DesktopX Weather Widget Fixes

Published on July 8, 2009 By sViz In DesktopX

The purpose of this thread is to compile and post fixes for the recent weather widget problem for anyone who has the patience to implement them. I'll try to edit this post to keep it up-to-date.

Edit 7/10: Important information for DX authors.

Edit 7/12: Added clarification to 2a for DX users - ZubaZ

Edit 7/13 : Removed fixes due to legal ambiguity

Contents

1. The Problem

2. The Fixes

e. Disable the Weather

3. For Authors

a. Using The Weather Channel Feeds

b. Using Another Source

c. Weather & DX Themes

1. The Problem

If your weather widget has suddenly stopped working properly, it is likely because the source, Weather.com, has changed their site to prohibit unlicensed usage. The majority of weather widgets on this site were built with the same code which is now outdated.

Symptoms of this particular problem are:

-You get a message saying the location is invalid
-When you try to clear this message it keeps popping up

2. The Fixes (as far as we know)

*** UPDATE 7/13/09 ***

I have tried to find more information and understand the legalities of the TWC XOAP data feed services and due to ambiguity I have removed these fixes so as not to put anyone else at risk of violating known or unknown weather.com license agreements.

A very good read on the situation with weather.com and their feeds can be found here: http://www.rainmeter.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=615

At the present time the only remaining option for end-users is to disable and/or discontinue using the weather widgets.

E. DISABLE THE WEATHER:

If you are using a combo widget or theme and would just like to disable the weather parts read below.

There are a few objects that need to be "turned off". To do this you will open the widget/theme in DX Builder (be sure to turn off internet connection first,) find the object, right-click and uncheck Script Enabled.

These objects may be several of the following. (You can ctrl + click to select more than one object in the object list, then r-click and uncheck Script Enabled.)

Version 1:

"weather_image"
"weather_temp"
"weather_location"

Version 2:

"kdockweatherimage" (and/or "kdockweatherimage2")
"Kdockweatherlocation" (and/or "kdockweatherlocation2")
"kdockweathertemp" (and/or "kdockweathertemp2")
"kdockforecastimage1" (through "kdockforecastimage5")

Version 3:

"Weather_Output"
"Weather_Script"
"WeatherFunction_ToggleUnits"
"CUI_SCripts"
"WeatherFunction_SetLocation"

3. For Authors

A Notice From the WC Staff:

Starting Monday, July 20th, we will start exiling weather widgets from the WinCustomize galleries that have not been updated and/or violate any ToS/ToU in regards to weather feeds.

See here for more details.

Q: Can't I fix and reupload my widgets?

It's fairly certain that our widgets are not in compliance with The Weather Channel's license agreements. Among other things, a widget using TWC's feed now needs to include their logo and 5 advertisement links (to see the full details get registered and download the SDK file included in your confirmation email.)

This is aside from the fact that most of these fixes hard code YOUR license ID and KEY, and you CAN NOT allow others to use these; uploading a fixed widget with your ID and KEY is in violation of the license agreement.

The short answer is no. We can't use these fixes and then reupload our widgets.

Q: What CAN I do?

Right now you need to archive your skins before they are deleted from the galleries.

Q: So that's it? No more weather widgets?

Not necessarily. We have two options: A. Re-build our widgets in compliance with TWC's license agreement or B. find another data source.

A. USING THE WEATHER CHANNEL FEEDS

If you are looking to rebuild your widget in compliance with TWC's agreement you'll need to do the following:

- Register, download and thoroughly read the SDK file included in your confirmation email
- Comply
- Add a function to allow the user to input their license key and partner ID.
- Add a link to the registration page so users know where to get the key and ID.
- Be mindful of the fact that TWC could change their site again and consider putting contingencies in place to prevent further headaches. (i.e., Use and external script that can be copied onto the user's computer, and have as little code in the actual objects.)

To be clear, anyone looking to make a weather widget using weather.com services MUST be in compliance with their terms of service and license agreements.

B. USING ANOTHER SOURCE suggestions by Zubaz

If you decide to part ways with TWC, here are some alternative weather feed sources to consider (You will need to abide by their Terms of Service as well):

- Wunderground.com -- LINK

- Yahoo! -- LINK

- rssweather.com -- LINK

Again, I strongly advise using an external script to save yourself (and by extension your end-users) from any headaches in future.

C. WEATHER & DX THEMES

If you are a DesktopX theme author, the best advice for now is to exclude the weather widget from your theme and consider uploading weather as a separate widget in future.

That's all for now...

Leave questions, comments, and your experience reports below.

Comments (Page 11)

151

k10w3

on Jul 23, 2009

Why not just have Stardock ASK? Tell them what you are going to be doing.. lol ask.. I get.. I dont see why not

While you're waiting, you might want to read an interesting post over at the Rainmeter forum: http://www.rainmeter.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=453

I really don't understand SO much of what's involved in this weather widget fiasco. I don't make weather widgets myself, but I HAVE made a few Rainmeter weather widgets for personal use (I don't understand the creation DesktopX -- Rainmeter seems a little easier to me, because it's like Rainlendar -- some pngs and an .ini file).

From reading the Rainmeter forum, I see that AccuWeather (which Stardock uses in their own MyColors gadgets) seems to have just gifted Rainmeter skinners with the authority to use their weather information along with access to official icons and logo (which isn't as strict as what the readers of this thread are led to believe are the terms of service for TWC's).

Up until this point, I thought it would make sense if Stardock purchased a license to the the rights to use TWC, or extended their license with AccuWeather to be used as script for (their product) DesktopX...something that in my mind made fiscal sense -- Stardock could sell more DesktopX programs if they provided free access to weather feeds along with their product. I thought Stardock was just being very conservative in these tough financial times, by not extending this generosity of purchasing the rights to either TWC or extending AccuWeather access to those who own DesktopX. So you can imagine my surprise to read on Rainmeter that AccuWeather is providing this access to Rainmeter for free AND advertising Rainmeter at AccuWeather's site!

Why hasn't Stardock followed the same route as Rainmeter? This just doesn't make any sense to me.

152

neophil78

on Jul 23, 2009

So you can imagine my surprise to read on Rainmeter that AccuWeather is providing this access to Rainmeter for free AND advertising Rainmeter at AccuWeather's site!

I didn't see in the TWC licensing terms of use ANYTHING speaking about cost, which for me means licence is FREE

153

k10w3

on Jul 23, 2009

neophil78

reply 2

So you can imagine my surprise to read on Rainmeter that AccuWeather is providing this access to Rainmeter for free AND advertising Rainmeter at AccuWeather's site!

I didn't see in the TWC licensing terms of use ANYTHING speaking about cost, which for me means licence is FREE

Right, I understand that, but what I'm referring to is the fact that Stardock uses AccuWeather for the MyColors gadgets, and when this whole thing started with TWC changing their code, and everyone's weather world went into hurricane mode, the mods implied that Stardock would have to purchase a license extension for DesktopX skinners if they wanted to use AccuWeather (which was still working for the MyColors gadgets since Stardock has a corporate license for AccuWeather), rather than saying "hey...why don't we talk to AccuWeather, since we already have a corporate association with them" -- and then discovered AccuWeather was willing to allow their data to be used for free AND would provide free advertising back here.

154

neophil78

on Jul 23, 2009

I perfectly understand what you mean k10w3 ... and can just agree

155

bilbo1930

on Jul 26, 2009

BUMP!

156

sViz

on Jul 26, 2009

I'll be uploading the TWC widget later this week for everyone to try out.

Working on a NOAA/wunderground hybrid that's around 80%:

on Jul 26, 2009

on Jul 26, 2009

thanks sViz

159

Doubird

on Jul 27, 2009

Question: should we delete our weather widgets in the gallery or will stardock take them off?

160

ZubaZ

on Jul 27, 2009

Doubird

reply 9

Question: should we delete our weather widgets in the gallery or will stardock take them off?

If you would . . that'd be great. As soon as we get some free time we'll do it . . but free time is hard to come by.

161

neophil78

on Jul 27, 2009

As soon as we get some free time we'll do it . .

Perhaps you'd better use free time to find a solution to the weather widgets problem

162

RedneckDude

on Jul 27, 2009

Question: should we delete our weather widgets in the gallery or will stardock take them off?

I was under the impression that was done on July 20th.

163

laciwife

on Jul 28, 2009

Is there a reason that no one is using Accuweather.com as an alternative to the Weather.com weather sources? I'm not a coder and have no idea how this works, I'm just curious. The Rainmeter skinners, some of them, are using Accuweather, so that's what started the curiosity. Sorry, if this was mentioned before and answered already.

164

neophil78

on Jul 28, 2009

Here's a Gloss Burgundy WTC widget with logo and link to WTC

The problem is that the widget includes MY licence key, which may be used by anyone else having DesktopX.

Though i need an upgrade of DesktopX whith an option to "export as non-editable widget" (i mean it would be still a widget - which needs DesktopX to be installed on the PC - and not a gadget)

N.B: I call back that end-user has in no case to get a licence as he's just a user (and it will be certainly the same with any other weather feed )

165

sViz

on Jul 28, 2009

laciwife

reply 13

Haven't looked into them, yet. The reason I went with TWC is because it's familiar and the code is already in place. There are a few other, lesser known weather providers out there who might be interested in giving TWC a run for their money in the desktop widget market; the key is finding one that provides API--that's the raw data in an easy to parse XML form--and one that might be willing to negotiate their terms.

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