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 The majority of weather widgets on this site were built with the same code which is now outdated.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 3)

sViz

on Jul 10, 2009

Thanks for the links Zu. Now we just need more DX coders willing to take on these alternatives.

ZubaZ

on Jul 10, 2009

Yet one more option:

http://www.rssweather.com/wx/us/mi/plymouth/wx.php / http://www.rssweather.com/wx/us/mi/plymouth/rss.php

"Web Site Usage - If you are using the feed on your web site, you are required to maintain a link to rssWeather.com and hamweather.com"

Not so bad and many global sites.

ZubaZ

on Jul 10, 2009

sViz

reply 6

Thanks for the links Zu. Now we just need more DX coders willing to take on these alternatives.

Now is a great time for "the good ol' days of skinning" to return and a bunch of different people try their hand at making thier best code and the users reap the benefits.

sViz

on Jul 10, 2009

Now is a great time for "the good ol' days of skinning" to return and a bunch of different people try their hand at making thier best code and the users reap the benefits.

I agree. I'm willing to finish up the one for TWC, which is around 90% now, and then take a stab at Wunderground.

If any other authors are going to take a stab at it, I HIGHLY recommend using an external script that saves to a location on the user's computer, and having as little code as possible in the actual objects.

k10w3

on Jul 10, 2009

Zubaz

reply 8

Now is a great time for "the good ol' days of skinning" to return and a bunch of different people try their hand at making thier best code and the users reap the benefits.

I would really like to learn how to make DX weather widgets, but I would need somebody to put together a tutorial that goes through each individual step with matching pictures, because I can't make heads or tails out of the tutorials that are available now, even though I believe the present tutorials are probably fantastic. I just can't seem to grasp the theory behind them.

Richard Mohler

on Jul 10, 2009

So just replace xoap to xml instead.. That's all I did and it works..

sViz

on Jul 10, 2009

Updated with important information for DX authors.

ZubaZ

on Jul 10, 2009

Richard Mohler

reply 11

So just replace xoap to xml instead.. That's all I did an.d it works..

There is license text at the top of that feed. If you use the feed you have to comply to the license

MaxBlade

on Jul 10, 2009

How can I say THINGS! Man I had one that I could'nt even find here anymore (shows big sun, big moon) I new nothing on how to fix it Yet with this thread I fixed it and turned it into a wedget!

Edit: does anyone know if I need to fix this? "http://www.w3.weather.com/weather/alerts/?alertId=" & Object.PersistStorage("swid") & "&dbSeq=null"

it dont seem to work.. I lol have no clue.. thanks..

az0th

on Jul 11, 2009

I'm outside the U.S. so option B is out. I panic when it comes to script but the weather widgys were busted anyway, so with nothing to lose I tried fix A (Neophil78) on a couple I regularly use and darned if it didn't work !!!

Thanks sViz and Neophil78!!!

RedneckDude

on Jul 11, 2009

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.

This, in my opinion, is the only way to go. I am looking at this as a learning opportunity. Any weather feed we use can change their TOS at any time. I am no longer going to be dependent on a feed that may change. I think that DX Themes without weather widgets incorporated into them is the way to go. Weather widgets can always be added later. That way, if this happens again in the future, theme authors won't have to redo their work again, and the end user can simply not use weather until it is resolved again. But their themes will still load. I also think, from a DX theme author's point of view, that sViz's suggestion of an external script is great.

RedneckDude

on Jul 11, 2009

I would also like to go on record as saying that I do not see this as Stardock/WC's fault, I do not see it as their responsibility to fix. As Zubaz and others have stated, Stardock cannot control weather.com. And fixing this is on us, the authors, and scripters/coders. It most definitely is a *itch, but, it is what it is, and we have to deal with it. I for one don't wanna just throw 4 years of learning to skin out the window and say I'm done. So, we move on.

neophil78

on Jul 11, 2009

Quoting Richard Mohler, reply 11

So just replace xoap to xml instead.. That's all I did an.d it works..

Qoting Zubaz, Reply 38

There is license text at the top of that feed. If you use the feed you have to comply to the license

Didn't see any license text. can you give us the link to it ?

neophil78

on Jul 11, 2009

double post

_Martin_

on Jul 11, 2009

Well, whilst I agree with this to a point I can't say I agree wholehearted. I probably created one of the (if not the) earliest weather scripts using weather.com. At that time it was clear from the content of the feed returned that there were potential licencing issues. I made this crystal clear to some very senior members of Stardock staff who made it clear that they didn't think it was much of an issue. As weather.com based objects proliferated, I repeated this concern and still no action was taken.

Within the past year I raised strong concerns that skins were being sold that were based on my weather scripts. Whilst I had no issue about people making financial gain from them, I was very concerned about potential legal implications. Again, the response was not to act.

As such, when developing DeskNotes I made the decision to enter into my own commercial relationship with WeatherBug. Whilst this significantly reduces the revenue I get from sales, it is legal.

I feel sorry for the community in this situation. I am also disappointed that Stardock chose not to act on this a long time ago when then were warned, particularly when commercial widgets exhibited the problem. I'm afraid I don't think they can totally be absolved of responsibility.

I am also disappointed that there was no broad communication to members about this issue. I was personally advised by sViz which I really appreciate, because I don't have much time to keep track of things on WC anymore. However, there may simply be people on extended vacations that don't realise there is an issue and come back to find their work deleted!

I, for one, will not be updating my weather scripts because there are dozens of them and I simply don't have the time, nor the inclination. I'm afraid thinks like this are precisely why I'm skinning less and less!

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