Invalid zip code when running weather widgets

Tuesday, July 7, 2009 by jag4710 | Discussion: DesktopX

My computer was shutdown incorrectly when the breaker in my apartment went off. Now, when I run a weather widget, I get an invalid zip code error. I uninstalled and reinstalled DesktopX, but it didn't help. I cleared the widget cache, but I still get the same error. Does anyone have any suggestions? I never had any problems running anything in DesktopX before this.
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RedneckDude
Reply #161 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 4:02 PM

Works fine but something's might be missing somewhere else to get the units correctly in Celcius or Fahrenheit, because for me it's 63°C now

Yeah, I clicked the 85C to change to 85F and I get an error. 

RedneckDude
Reply #162 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 4:03 PM

It's different for different widgets, though. Yours uses Object.PersistStorage("zipcode"). Others, like ~Fairyy's, use the variable "location", and still others (Tiggz's) use the varaible "zipcode".

I got my feed and numbers, I still can't change locations. Using Tiggz Kweather weather. My location only.

RedneckDude
Reply #163 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 4:05 PM

little patience jim..

Bilbo, please send me some, I think I have proven in the past that I am a tad short on it...lol. 

RedneckDude
Reply #164 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 4:06 PM

http.Open "GET", "http://xoap.weather.com/weather/local/" & Object.PersistStorage("zipcode") & "?cc=*&dayf=5&link=xoap&prod=xoap&par=YOURID&key=YOURKEY" & str_UNITS & str_RANDOM_URL, False

and it appears that I have to put this in 2 different lines with the script I'm using?

 

Not working here.

I will wait for a fix for everyone, I don't need a weather app that only works for my location. I mainly use it for my themes.

Wizard1956
Reply #165 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 4:13 PM

RedneckDude

little patience jim..


Bilbo, please send me some, I think I have proven in the past that I am a tad short on it...lol. 

I can vouch for that.

neophil78
Reply #166 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 4:17 PM

Well if you no need harcode your location :

Replace that line to:

http.Open "GET", "http://xoap.weather.com/weather/local/" & Object.PersistStorage("zipcode") & "?cc=*&dayf=5&link=xoap&prod=xoap&par=YOURID&key=YOURKEY" & str_UNITS & str_RANDOM_URL, False

next steps, like sViz suggested

In case there's opportunity to enter two locations in the widget, what you are suggesting works fine in case you don't replace "zipcode" by the real ZipCode ( FRXX0040 in my case ) and of course if you replace YOURID and YOURKEY by the PartnerID and License Key received by mail

Though the first zip code asked for first location is effectivly hardcoded, but you can modify as you want the second one at any time (and °C or °F are correctly displayed )

ZubaZ
Reply #167 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 4:35 PM

So you think it's ok to force me to either put adware and logos in my work?
Yes, if that is the agreement that you have to make to use *thier* work.  Pay to play.
Because it's free, I should allow adware into my work.
It's not free . . it's an exchange.  It always has been, they just have not enforced it.
I am a little irked, too.
Me too.  But being irked is my issue, not weather.com's or Stardock's.
Following this logic,we should be ok with free software that contains a mandatory toolbar or other app as long as we didn't have to pay for it. Whatever happened to free choice?
You are free not to use the feed if you disagree with the requests of the feed owner.  That is your choice.
Btw,the sidebar gadget and Yahoo Messenger were free but I paid for DX,which from my end-users viewpoint is now useless. Let Stardock show them the love.
DX is working exactly as designed.  User code and feeds are not part of DX.

 

Look . . I'm not happy about this either.  But the fact is that weather.com is in the right.  And they have rights.

What if you created an object and in the script you said that it could be reused but only if the new object was atributed to you.  And then someone took credit.  Would you be pissed?  I would.  What's the difference?

sViz
Reply #168 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 4:40 PM

RedneckDude

http.Open "GET", "http://xoap.weather.com/weather/local/" & Object.PersistStorage("zipcode") & "?cc=*&dayf=5&link=xoap&prod=xoap&par=YOURID&key=YOURKEY" & str_UNITS & str_RANDOM_URL, False


and it appears that I have to put this in 2 different lines with the script I'm using?

 

Not working here.

I will wait for a fix for everyone, I don't need a weather app that only works for my location. I mainly use it for my themes.

 

Yes, for Tiggz's it's two places in one script. AND for your newer themes you need to modify this in the "kweatherimage" object as well as the "kweatherimage2" object.

sViz
Reply #169 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 4:55 PM

To allow the ability to change the location, depending on which script you're working with (I'm going by author here), use one of the following lines:

Bilbo's widgets:

http.Open "GET", "http://xoap.weather.com/weather/local" & Object.PersistStorage("zipcode") & "?cc=*&dayf=5&unit="&str_UNITS&"&link=xoap∏=xoap&par=ID&key=KEY" , False

Tiggz's widgets:

http.Open "GET", "http://xoap.weather.com/weather/local" & zipcode & "?cc=*&dayf=5&unit="&str_UNITS&"&link=xoap∏=xoap&par=ID&key=KEY" , False

~Fairyy's widgets:

http.Open "GET", "http://xoap.weather.com/weather/local" & location & "?cc=*&dayf=5&unit="&str_UNITS&"&link=xoap∏=xoap&par=ID&key=KEY" , False

 

Generally you need to pay attention to the variable that comes after the first part of the url-- the bolded parts. Modify the line of code accordingly.

 

EDIT: Got my codes mixed up.  The str_UNITS part cannot be on the end of the url

RedneckDude
Reply #170 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 5:09 PM

Well if you no need harcode your location :



Replace that line to:



http.Open "GET", "http://xoap.weather.com/weather/local/" & Object.PersistStorage("zipcode") & "?cc=*&dayf=5&link=xoap&prod=xoap&par=YOURID&key=YOURKEY" & str_UNITS & str_RANDOM_URL, False



next steps, like sViz suggested

In case there's opportunity to enter two locations in the widget, what you are suggesting works fine in case you don't replace "zipcode" by the real ZipCode ( FRXX0040 in my case ) and of course if you replace YOURID and YOURKEY by the PartnerID and License Key received by mail

Though the first zip code asked for first location is effectivly hardcoded, but you can modify as you want the second one at any time (and °C or °F are correctly displayed )

 

This did not work here, I will retry.

RedneckDude
Reply #171 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 5:15 PM

What if you created an object and in the script you said that it could be reused but only if the new object was atributed to you. And then someone took credit. Would you be pissed? I would. What's the difference?

I suppose you may be right there, but for me, the difference is redoing all my themes. Therefore, if this is the only choice, my will probably be that my future themes will not include a weather app. I am tired of updating and reuploading. I have a lot of themes and all of them but 1 or 2 have weather applets. We are talking about a lot of work on my part, the part of the moderators, and all the users will need to redownload. And, as was said before, they could very well do something else next year, and then I have to start all over again.

So I agree you may have a legit point, and as you said, it's my choice whether or not to use their feed. But either way I choose, I have a lot of work to redo for a third time.

Edit: And I'm not actually blaming anyone. I suppose it's their right to ask this to use the feed. I'm just irked at all the rework that lies ahead. And I can see this being a problem for WC because there are a hell of a lot of weather widgets out there that will be reworked and reupped. This is going to create a lot of work for WC/Stardock and for mods, and a flooding of the galleries, and we all know how well that goes over...

Snakew
Reply #172 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 5:25 PM

To me the solution should be rather simple rather than all of you great skinners bantering back and forth as to how get around the promblem STARDOCK should be taking the lead action to fix this problem as Desktop X  is purchased from them and includes  Weather Widget .Yet I have not seen a reply post from them. They should be promptly addressing correcting this problem in a fairly quick time frame or  perhaps a refund of some amount is in order

RedneckDude
Reply #173 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 5:31 PM

To allow the ability to change the location, depending on which script you're working with (I'm going by author here), use one of the following lines:

Bilbo's widgets:

http.Open "GET", "http://xoap.weather.com/weather/local/" & Object.PersistStorage("zipcode") & "?cc=*&dayf=5&link=xoap&prod=xoap&par=YOURID&key=YOURKEY" & str_UNITS & str_RANDOM_URL, False

Tiggz's widgets:

http.Open "GET", "http://xoap.weather.com/weather/local/" & zipcode & "?cc=*&dayf=5&link=xoap&prod=xoap&par=YOURID&key=YOURKEY" & str_UNITS & str_RANDOM_URL, False

~Fairyy's widgets:

http.Open "GET", "http://xoap.weather.com/weather/local/" & location & "?cc=*&dayf=5&link=xoap&prod=xoap&par=YOURID&key=YOURKEY" & str_UNITS & str_RANDOM_URL, False



Generally you need to pay attention to the variable that comes after the first part of the url-- the bolded parts. Modify the line of code accordingly.

OK, this seems to be working, so will it work when in a theme/widget and sent to someone else? Or will they need to put their own numbers into it? ID and Passkey?

RedneckDude
Reply #174 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 5:32 PM

Yet I have not seen a reply post from them.

Actually you have, Zubaz works for and speaks for(I think), Stardock.

ZubaZ
Reply #175 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 5:34 PM

It is going to be a lot of work.  This is why a better method may need to be looked at going forward before we all go nuts implementing something.

For example, if weather widgits called an external file for the scripts, if something like this ever happened again, a DX coder could upload a new widgit that had that one file modified with instructions on how to replace it . . all would be well.  Right?

Or what if our weather widgets worked similarly to the Mac widgets adn flipped over with any logos htat were requiered?

ZubaZ
Reply #176 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 5:38 PM

Snakew
To me the solution should be rather simple rather than all of you great skinners bantering back and forth as to how get around the promblem STARDOCK should be taking the lead action to fix this problem as Desktop X  is purchased from them and includes  Weather Widget .Yet I have not seen a reply post from them. They should be promptly addressing correcting this problem in a fairly quick time frame or  perhaps a refund of some amount is in order
The one weather widget we include as a sample was actually one created by a DX user and allowed by them to be distributed with DX.

Again, there is nothing wrong with DX.  It's calling feeds correctly. 

Lastly, we will be updating that sample object soon to work with our (licensed) accuweather feed.  Or, baring that, removing it as a sample object.

sViz
Reply #177 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 5:41 PM



OK, this seems to be working, so will it work when in a theme/widget and sent to someone else? Or will they need to put their own numbers into it? ID and Passkey?

They'll need to put their own ID and Key as per the license agreement. These fixes are for the end-user to implement. I am working on a new weather template for authors which should eliminate the need to hard code this stuff in there. That is, if Vad doesn't come up with one quicker.

I could modify your code for you, but then you also have to put the TWC logos in place and create objects for the advert links, etc, etc, etc, etc.  *sigh* We've got a lot of work to do.

k10w3
Reply #178 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 5:44 PM

Snakew
To me the solution should be rather simple rather than all of you great skinners bantering back and forth as to how get around the promblem STARDOCK should be taking the lead action to fix this problem as Desktop X  is purchased from them and includes  Weather Widget .


I would think if they truly "supported skinning" (isn't that the WinCustomize mission statement?) this would be the route to go.  Being able to use and create weather widgets is kind of a major selling point of DX.  I know the profit margin comes first, but I would think keeping the customer satisfied would come in a close second, and would certainly guarantee that the customer returns to renew their subscription when it expires.  Having an outstanding product will bring in customers, but customer service will KEEP customers.

sViz
Reply #179 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 5:48 PM

 

For example, if weather widgits called an external file for the scripts, if something like this ever happened again, a DX coder could upload a new widgit that had that one file modified with instructions on how to replace it . . all would be well. Right?

Yep. That would be best.

Or what if our weather widgets worked similarly to the Mac widgets adn flipped over with any logos htat were requiered?

From the license:

Whenever possible, the logo should appear in the lower right or lower center of the design space. weather.com must be legible at all times.

And it goes on...

RedneckDude
Reply #180 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 5:53 PM

For example, if weather widgits called an external file for the scripts, if something like this ever happened again, a DX coder could upload a new widgit that had that one file modified with instructions on how to replace it . . all would be well. Right?

This is a nice scenario, but even with instructions, most users will not be able to replace a widget completely in one of my themes. This would work well for standalone widgets.

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