Plotting a line meter with a custom data set

[eddie2302]

Hi, I'm new here so sorry if the question seems dumb.

I am trying to use Rainmeter to plot data from an excel file as a line meter. I can access individual data points through the .xml file and the webparser plugin. However, I am unsure how to produce a measure with numerous data points so that a line meter can be plotted with it.

Is there any relatively simple (I'd rather not use LUA, C++ or C# to code a measure) way to do this?

[balala]

Hi, I'm new here so sorry if the question seems dumb.

There are no "dumb" questions. Don't worry we're here to help, whenever we can.

However, I am unsure how to produce a measure with numerous data points so that a line meter can be plotted with it.

A measure can have one single data. It can change, but it's one single.
The code you have so far would be great, along with an example .xml file.

[eddie2302]

The following is a simplification of the setup.

The xml file is of the form (saved as Test.xml):

Code: Select all

<item>
	<value>1</value>
</item>
<item>
	<value>2</value>
</item>
<item>
	<value>3</value>
</item>

I then read the data with the a skin which basically consists of the following (Test.xml is the .xml file):

Code: Select all

[Rainmeter]
Update=1000
DynamicWindowSize=1
AccurateText=1

[MeasureReadXML]
Measure=Plugin
Plugin=WebParser
URL=file://#CURRENTPATH#Test.xml
RegExp=(?siU)<value>(.*)</value>.*<value>(.*)</value>.*<value>(.*)</value>.*

[MeasureValue1]
Measure=Plugin
Plugin=WebParser
URL=[MeasureReadXML]
StringIndex=1

[MeasureValue2]
Measure=Plugin
Plugin=WebParser
URL=[MeasureReadXML]
StringIndex=2

[MeasureValue3]
Measure=Plugin
Plugin=WebParser
URL=[MeasureReadXML]
StringIndex=3

My question really relates to how I can get the data in a form so that a line meter can be produced, plotting the y axis as the values obtained from the .xml file and the x axis as any arbitrary scale (e.g. MeasureValue1 at x=1, MeasureValue2 at x=2 etc.).

I have literally no clue where to start with this so sorry if I can't provide much insight (the code snippets are no help at all - there aren't even any meters).

[balala]

My question really relates to how I can get the data in a form so that a line meter can be produced, plotting the y axis as the values obtained from the .xml file and the x axis as any arbitrary scale (e.g. MeasureValue1 at x=1, MeasureValue2 at x=2 etc.).

I have literally no clue where to start with this so sorry if I can't provide much insight (the code snippets are no help at all - there aren't even any meters).

You need a Count variable, which will be cycled when you want to show up the values returned by the WebParser measures, into a Line meter. You also need a Calc measure, which will return the value of the appropriate WebParser measure, when the Count variable is cycled ([MeasureValue]). And finally you need an ActionTimer plugin measure ([MeasureSlide]), to cycle the variable, when the WebParser measures get their values.
Here is an example code. Please test it and let me know if there is anything to be added:

Code: Select all

[Rainmeter]
Update=1000
DynamicWindowSize=1
AccurateText=1

[Variables]
Count=0
U=[!UpdateMeasure "MeasureSlide"][!UpdateMeasure "MeasureValue"][!UpdateMeter "MeterNetworkLine"][!UpdateMeter "Uptime"][!Redraw]
ExtendHor=50

[MeasureSlide]
Measure=Plugin
Plugin=ActionTimer
Group=Sliders
ActionList1=Repeat Step,250,3
Step=[!SetVariable Count "(Clamp((#Count#+1),0,3))"]#U#
DynamicVariables=1

[MeasureReadXML]
Measure=Plugin
Plugin=WebParser
URL=file://#CURRENTPATH#Test.xml
RegExp=(?siU)<value>(.*)</value>.*<value>(.*)</value>.*<value>(.*)</value>.*
FinishAction=[!CommandMeasure "MeasureSlide" "Execute 1"]

[MeasureValue]
Measure=Calc
Formula=[MeasureValue#Count#]
DynamicVariables=1
UpdateDivider=-1

[MeasureValue0]
Measure=Calc
Formula=0

[MeasureValue1]
Measure=Plugin
Plugin=WebParser
URL=[MeasureReadXML]
StringIndex=1

[MeasureValue2]
Measure=Plugin
Plugin=WebParser
URL=[MeasureReadXML]
StringIndex=2

[MeasureValue3]
Measure=Plugin
Plugin=WebParser
URL=[MeasureReadXML]
StringIndex=3

[MeterNetworkLine]
Meter=Line
MeasureName=MeasureValue
X=0
Y=0
W=210
H=70
LineCount=2
LineColor=140,252,124,255
LineColor2=254,211,122,255
SolidColor=0,0,0,255
AutoScale=1
AntiAlias=1
UpdateDivider=-1
TransformStroke=Fixed
TransformationMatrix=#ExtendHor#;0;0;1;(([MeterNetworkLine:X]+[MeterNetworkLine:W])-#ExtendHor#*([MeterNetworkLine:X]+[MeterNetworkLine:W]));([MeterNetworkLine:Y]-[MeterNetworkLine:Y])

I added a TransformationMatrix option to the Line meter, to extend it horizontally.

[eddie2302]

Wow balala, you are a magician. I had literally started plotting lines using shape meters giving co-ordinates based on the values involved. Your way is 1,000,000 times better. Thank-you so much

One last question - is there any way to show negative values on the line meter? I've tried adding a MinValue and a MaxValue to MeasureValue but only the MaxValue seems to be having an effect.

[balala]

Wow balala, you are a magician. I had literally started plotting lines using shape meters giving co-ordinates based on the values involved. Your way is 1,000,000 times better. Thank-you so much

One last question - is there any way to show negative values on the line meter? I've tried adding a MinValue and a MaxValue to MeasureValue but only the MaxValue seems to be having an effect.

Wow balala, you are a magician. I had literally started plotting lines using shape meters giving co-ordinates based on the values involved. Your way is 1,000,000 times better. Thank-you so much

One last question - is there any way to show negative values on the line meter? I've tried adding a MinValue and a MaxValue to MeasureValue but only the MaxValue seems to be having an effect.

I think the only way would be to add the same value to all values which have to be shown, in a way to convert them to positive values. Then, represent them. Although these values are not the same as the original ones, the shape of the line would follow the shape of the meter constructed with the original values.

[eddie2302]

Lol I was literally just writing to say don't worry about this, I'll do the addition in the excel file to make them all positive. Thank-you so much for all your help.

[balala]

Wow balala, you are a magician. I had literally started plotting lines using shape meters giving co-ordinates based on the values involved. Your way is 1,000,000 times better. Thank-you so much

Thanks for the kind appreciations. But I doubt I would be magician.

One last question - is there any way to show negative values on the line meter? I've tried adding a MinValue and a MaxValue to MeasureValue but only the MaxValue seems to be having an effect.

I think the only way would be to add the same value to all values get by the WebParser measures, in a way to get positive all values. Although this way the represented values wouldn't be the same, the shape of the line would follow the shape of the line drawn by the original (negative) values.

[balala]

Lol I was literally just writing to say don't worry about this, I'll do the addition in the excel file to make them all positive. Thank-you so much for all your help.

Yep, this is a solution. As you can see above, I practically recommended the same way, with the only difference that I'd add that value into the skin itself.