Obtaining the latest drivers for use with Davis data loggers

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Unfortunately, Davis instruments tends to fall behind on providing software drivers that work with the latest versions of OSX.  If you are having difficulties connecting to your station using WeatherCat, consult with the [http://athena.trixology.com/ WeatherCat support forum] to determine which version of drivers are needed and where to obtain them.
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When using a Davis Instruments USB data logger, you need to install the [https://www.silabs.com/ Silicon Labs] USB-serial bridge driver into MacOS.  The driver package can be found here: [https://www.silabs.com/products/development-tools/software/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers USB to UART Bridge VCP Drivers].  I would not try getting them from the Davis site; they have been reported to not keep them up to date.
  
Frequently, it is necessary to download the latest drivers from the manufacturer of the interface hardware used by Davis: [https://www.silabs.com/ Silicon Labs].  As before, check with the WeatherCat forum to be sure you are obtaining the correct drivers for your computer, operating system, and Davis station.  The link to the download page at Silicon labs has been for some time: [https://www.silabs.com/products/development-tools/software/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers USB to UART Bridge VCP Drivers]Scroll down until you see the drivers for "Macintosh OSX".  The page also includes a link to software revision notes that may assist you in determining if you are downloading the correct drivers.
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'''When you upgrade MacOS to a new major version, you will normally need to upgrade the Silicon Labs serial driver.'''
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If you are having difficulties connecting to your station using WeatherCat, check the [http://athena.trixology.com/ WeatherCat support forum] to determine which version of drivers are needed for your system and Davis hardware, and where to obtain themIt may also be useful to review the release notes from Silicon Labs (found inside the installer zip files).
  
 
'''Note:''' ''Installing the Silicon Labs driver directly is at your own risk as it is not supplied by Davis.''
 
'''Note:''' ''Installing the Silicon Labs driver directly is at your own risk as it is not supplied by Davis.''
  
Follow the instructions for downloading and installing the drivers. System Preferences may need to be changed to allow the installation of the drivers, as Administration permissions are required. Upon successful installation, the system may need to be rebooted manually (no longer needed in Catalina though).
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Follow the instructions for downloading and installing the drivers. The driver will prompt you to grant permission in System Preferences and give you a button that leads to the right place.  I strongly recommend doing this when prompted during the driver installation. It can be tricky to find later, and as of Catalina there is a 30 minute timeout window for you to do it.
  
If you are running macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later there is one additional step.  The operating system will not allow the driver to operate if you do not go to the Security pane of the system preferences and authorize the installation.  As of MacOS Catalina 10.15, you have 30 minutes after installing the driver to do this.  The installer will prompt you and offer a link to the Security preferences pane asking if you want to authorize the Silicon Labs driver.  Only after you authorize it will WeatherCat be able to use it.
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Upon successful installation, older MacOS versions may need to be rebooted manually (no longer needed in Catalina and Big Sur).
  
 
After installing the driver, WeatherCat should be able to successfully connect to your Davis station data logger. To do that, select it in the communications window in WeatherCat as shown below:
 
After installing the driver, WeatherCat should be able to successfully connect to your Davis station data logger. To do that, select it in the communications window in WeatherCat as shown below:
  
 
[[File:Slabs_Connection.png]]
 
[[File:Slabs_Connection.png]]
 
Be sure to restart the system if any hardware connections are changed.
 
 
''Note: This document is adapted from one originally published on the Lightsoft Weather Center LWC Forum in 2010.''
 

Revision as of 12:52, 5 May 2021

When using a Davis Instruments USB data logger, you need to install the Silicon Labs USB-serial bridge driver into MacOS. The driver package can be found here: USB to UART Bridge VCP Drivers. I would not try getting them from the Davis site; they have been reported to not keep them up to date.

When you upgrade MacOS to a new major version, you will normally need to upgrade the Silicon Labs serial driver.

If you are having difficulties connecting to your station using WeatherCat, check the WeatherCat support forum to determine which version of drivers are needed for your system and Davis hardware, and where to obtain them. It may also be useful to review the release notes from Silicon Labs (found inside the installer zip files).

Note: Installing the Silicon Labs driver directly is at your own risk as it is not supplied by Davis.

Follow the instructions for downloading and installing the drivers. The driver will prompt you to grant permission in System Preferences and give you a button that leads to the right place. I strongly recommend doing this when prompted during the driver installation. It can be tricky to find later, and as of Catalina there is a 30 minute timeout window for you to do it.

Upon successful installation, older MacOS versions may need to be rebooted manually (no longer needed in Catalina and Big Sur).

After installing the driver, WeatherCat should be able to successfully connect to your Davis station data logger. To do that, select it in the communications window in WeatherCat as shown below:

Slabs Connection.png

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