Add-on:Oz Weather

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Oz Weather
icon.png

See this add-on on the kodi.tv showcase

Author: Bossanova808
Website: link
Type: Weather information
Repo: Kodi.tv repo v20
Kodi.tv repo v19

License: GPL v2.0
Source: Source code
Summary: Weather forecasting and radar images for Australia using Bureau of Meteorology data
Home icon grey.png   ▶ Add-ons ▶ Oz Weather
Attention talk.png Need help with this add-on? See here.

Weather forecast data scraped from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology via WeatherZone - www.bom.gov.au and www.weatherzone.com.au. For full features (e.g. radar) make sure you install the replacement skin files found via the addon wiki (https://kodi.wiki/index.php?title=Add-on:Oz_Weather).

Installing

This add-on is installed from the Add-on browser located in Kodi as follows:

  1. Settings
  2. Add-ons
  3. Install from repository
  4. Weather information
  5. Oz Weather
  6. Install

This Add On is for Kodi (Gotham and above....right through to Matrix) - with a recent re-write to improve the scraper robustness & speed.


Support, discussion, release notification:on the xbmc forum thread.

It has been adapted to source it's data from the BOM (Australian Bureau of Meteorology) - as this is really the only authoritative source for weather data in Australia.

Features
  • Animated BOM radar maps (you can choose any animated BOM radar, & see notes on skin changes needed for this, below)
  • 7 Day Forecasts
  • Today's extended forecast
  • Direct access to 'ABC National Weather Update in 90 Seconds'
  • Mini weather when you pause video & display video information etc. if you want (Confluence only)

It looks like this with Kodi's default skin, Estuary (although usually with more rain clouds here in Melbourne!!):

<img src="https://github.com/bossanova808/repository.bossanova808/raw/master/repository-downloads/Other%20Downloads/Screenshots/OzWeather/OzWeather%20Estuary%20-%20Main%20Page.jpg" width="960" height="540">

With Estouchy:

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bossanova808/repository.bossanova808/master/repository-downloads/Other%20Downloads/Screenshots/OzWeather/OzWeather%20Estouchy.jpg">

or if you're old school and still using Confluence like me:

<img src="https://github.com/bossanova808/repository.bossanova808/raw/master/repository-downloads/Other%20Downloads/Screenshots/OzWeather/OzWeather%20Frodo%20With%20Rain.png">

Instructions

Go into Get More Add-Ons and choose Weather -> OzWeather... (Oz Weather is in the official Kodi repo). For radar support, see notes below on skin changes and a tool to help with this.

NB if you experience errors running OzWeather, particularly if using profiles other than the Master profile, please check in Settings->System->Addons->Manage Dependencies and make sure that both the requests and urllib3 modules are actually enabled

To Configure - First, go to XBMC settings->Weather and choose the OzWeather add on as your weather add on. In the add on settings you can add up to three locations - you do this using their postcode - it will prompt you to choose from a list of matching locations, if more than one area uses that postcode.

If you enable the extended features (see skin changes required below!) - then you need to direct input the BOM radar codes for the radar's you want displayed. Go to the BOM site and find the radar you want, then check the url:

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR023.loop.shtml#skip

...the code you need to enter (precisely) is IDR023

...there is also a list of Radar IDs and what they are on the BOM site. Note not all codes actually work all the time, as some radars are only in part time use. The main capital city ones work well, e.g. IDR023 above which is the Melbourne 128km loop, or try IDR00004 for a nice national radar.

List of radar codes from BOM site here.

Notes: If you get just the rain and no backgrounds on your radar, re-start Kodi and it will reload the skin & textures and the radar should come up ok. Don't hammer the location/refresh button - it can take up to 15 seconds or so to update, and you can confuse it if you go too fast...

If you are using an Apple TV with Crystalbuntu (or in general have issues with the radars and find messages about PIL or Python Imaging Library in your debug log, the try running: [code] sudo apt-get install python-imaging [/code]

Skin Changes

If you enable the long forecasts & radar, skin changes are needed.

Utility to Patch Skins

If you're on Kodi Matrix and above, and you're using Estuary, Estouchy, or Confluence as your skin, I have written a utility tool to make this easier. Note that the skin folder must be writeable for this to work (meaning if you're on Android, you _may_ need a rooted device).

(I am willing to add support for other skins - if you can supply working skin files for the current Kodi version - just let me know in the OzWeather forum thread).

To install the utility - you will need to install my repo...download the latest .zip for that here: https://github.com/bossanova808/repository.bossanova808/tree/master/repository-downloads/repository.bossanova808

Install that, and then install the 'OzWeather Skin Patcher' add-on from that repo. Then, run it. It can both patch and restore the skin files as needed.

The Manual Approach

Otherwise, you can take a manual approach, using these instructions/files...note that there are updates to these files in teh skin patcher add on so use that if at all possible.

You just need to copy some files into your skin/720p or skin/xml folder. Note this *will* break compatibility with other weather add ons, so best to back up the original files first if you're worried about this.

Download the zip file for Estuary (Leia onwards) here

Download the zip for all versions of Confluence (i.e. Matrix/Leia/Krypton/Isengard/Helix etc...) here.

In your zip are up to three files, MyWeather.xml, DialogSeekBar.xml and (possibly, varies on version) a Font.xml - these much be copied to the 720p or xml folder in your local skin installation folder. Re-start Kodi after doing this so it reloads the skin files.

(If you are using openelec like me, you will find the system Confluence folder is not writeable, so I suggest you copy the system Confluence skin to your add ons directory, change the name in addon.xml, and start using your own modded Confluence!).

In the blade menu on the left you will also find a link to ABC's Weather in 90 Seconds video.

There is also an optional DialogSeekBar.xml that you can use if you want a mini forecast on your pause screen (shows radar map, current temp, predicted high, overnight low and tomorrow high).

Looks like this:

<img src="https://github.com/bossanova808/repository.bossanova808/raw/master/repository-downloads/Other%20Downloads/Screenshots/OzWeather/OzWeather%20Estuary%20-%20Seek.jpg" height="540" width = "960">

or

<img src="https://github.com/bossanova808/repository.bossanova808/raw/master/repository-downloads/Other%20Downloads/Screenshots/OzWeather/PlaybackRadar.png">


AppTV (all versions)

Skin supplied with native ozweather integration. Alternate weather views (including radar images) available from sidebar menu.

Skin available from main Kodi repo.

Aeon MQ8 (Leia era)

User wacko37 made some files for Aeon MQ8 - available here

Aeon Nox Silvo (Leia era)

User quinndexter made some files for Aeon Nox Silvo - available here Includes files for displaying a Fire Danger graphic.

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/wUeJ6EH.jpg" width="400">

OLD SKIN FILES - MOST LIKELY NEED UPDATING

Left here just to help get folks started if they want to use variants of these older skins...

Neon (Eden era)

Contributed by forum user hastarin - thanks! May need updating for Frodo/Gotham Neon.

Download the zip here.

Neon (Helix era)

Note: The radar has been added to the weather home screen. Pic on forum.

Download the zip here.

Aeon MQ5 (Gotham era)

Contributed by forum user uksa007- thanks!

Download the zip here.

Titan MediaBrowser (Helix era)

Download the zip here.



Other Skins

Contributions gratefully accepted - please feel free to edit the other skins section above and add your skin files.

Support & Troubleshooting

If your radar does not work - check your debug log first!

If there are errors about 'no muodule found PIL' or similar, it means python image library (PIL) is not installed. You can usually solve that with: sudo apt-get install python-imaging

Also, check your radar code - is it exactly as the BOM one - i.e. IDR023 or similar. You must include the IDR part! Does the URL in the debug log load if you paste it in to a browser?

Any issues, please post them on the xbmc forum thread.