Sig / Status Generator

Ashlar · 02-16-2007, 09:52 PM

What is it?

An application that I made that takes the statistics provided by your web enabled controller (AC Jr / 2 with AquaNotes, AC3/3Pro with ethernet, or Premium Aquatics LightHouse) and turns them into an image that you can use as a signature on your favorite forum, emails, or even as an image on your web page.

How does it work?

A program on my server reaches out every five minutes to your controller and gathers data that you specify. Temperature, ph, ORP, device status- most any data that your controller displays on a web page- all of it can become part of your image. This data gets formatted in the way you want, either fancy or simple, and turned into an image.

How much does it cost?

Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero. There are no ads, no pop-ups, no tracking cookies, or fees. This was just something cool that I came up with because I'm a reef geek. If you feel guilty about using it for free, then renew your membership to your local reef club, send a donation to MASNA, or give a newbie a frag of something and help spread the responsible reef keeping ethic.

Okay, cool, how to I get started?

Register for an account at ReefChat - Home and once you're logged in, click 'Extras' then 'Signature Generator' from the top menu. Help is available from every screen, and I've even put up a HOWTO with screenshots. I'd appreciate feedback on how to make it better, too.

The controllers the application supports can grow, too. If you have another controller that has a web interface, and it's not listed here, I'd love to work with you to make it compatible.

Here are a few sigs that some users have..

Yes, Brent needs to calibrate his ph probe

**CarmieJo** · 02-25-2007, 08:57 PM

Hi Ashlar,

to TR. Thanks for sharing this cool tool! Too bad I don't have a controller like this.

Ashlar · 03-01-2007, 11:07 PM

Thanks! I picked up an ACII, used, cheap from a local reefer. The lighthouse is also pretty entry level priced (~$350 w/ ph probe.)

Ashlar · 03-03-2007, 09:33 AM

Oh, I added a new feature.. since I'm grabbing everyone's stats, why not graph them?

Click mine to view my stats for today..

Ashlar · 06-08-2007, 03:53 PM

I'm really hoping someone with an RK II and the new firmware will ping me so that I can make it work with this.

**thesaent14** · 06-10-2007, 01:52 AM

i have a aquatronica controler can it worck with that

Ashlar · 06-20-2007, 05:04 PM

If it has a web interface, I should be able to expand it to cover it

Ashlar · 07-05-2007, 12:06 AM

I added another new feature. You can get your stats in XML (for integration into your own web pages) as well.

Time

One of the guys using this has it integrated into his web page..

CarlosReef.com

**thesaent14** · 07-05-2007, 12:21 AM

here is what i got Aquarium Obsessed - Aquatronica, Custom Aquariums, H&S, Tunze, Fauna Marin, Milwaukee, Prodibio, Shuran, Sfiligoi and More!
will this be good or i need to research some more i will like to do this to my setup

Ashlar · 07-16-2007, 11:32 PM

Cool! Do you have a web interface that you can log into to see your current tank conditions? If so, I should be able to make it work. PM me with your email address and we'll talk.

Drimo · 01-24-2008, 09:22 AM

Do you have additional programs for interacting with the Premium Aquatics / Lighthouse Controller? I am interested in that controller because I like the integrated web server, ability to capture data packets, and ability to write custom application pages in php (I think it uses php). I'm a software developer so I have some big ideas for this controller.

Ashlar · 01-24-2008, 08:23 PM

The PA controller does spit out a nice list of data. If you hit http://<ip>/data.htm , you get a list of name / value pairs.

The sig gen works with the lighthouse, and one of the other guys at reefchat wrote a yahoo widget that also parses the data.htm output.

Drimo · 01-25-2008, 09:14 AM

Cool, thanks. I am thinking of writing my own software but making it a webpage rather than a standalone application. Of course, I don't even have a controller yet as I am trying to decide between the Premium Aquatics one or whether or not I should wait for the Reefkeeper Elite.

Ashlar · 01-25-2008, 09:40 AM

For me, it came down to number of devices, and how granular I wanted to control them. The AC II, then 3 let me do multiple conditions, and things like progressively turning off lights if the temperature creeped up.