The computer runs a LabVIEW™ program, reading real-time data from the DT800, every 2 seconds. The HTML pages of the Datataker Weather Station, and the VI are published on the internet using the built-in LabVIEW™ web server. The user can either view the HTML pages, or interact with the remote panels of the VI.

To interact with the Datataker weather station, the LabVIEW™ 7.1.1 run-time engine needs to be installed.

For further information, refer to the instructions.

When the user requests historical data, by selecting the Interactive Historical Data tab on the remote panels page, a command is sent to the DT800 to pause real-time data, and unload the logged data. While real-time data is paused, the logger still acquires and stores data, but does not return data to the PC. Once the user selects another tab, a command is sent to the DT800 to resume sending real-time data.

Once a day, the weather station program locks out the remote panel connection, and updates the images used in the HTML pages. Once the program completes the image update the remote panel connection is enabled, allowing users to interact with the VI.

The program on the DT800 has a number of different schedules and tasks running at different rates, alarms controlling backup power if battery voltage drops, history for the daily rainfall, and the time range for histograms which are used to generate the wind rose.

The LabVIEW™ program was written with a state machine template, which is covered in the LabVIEW™ training courses run by National Instruments.

For further information on LabVIEW™ training, refer to the National Instruments website.