Intro

Maritime Data Server is the central Data (cloud) server for Maritime Data. It stores the Data that come from, for exmaple MDC (Maritime Data Collector or LoRa-Bootsmonitor or any other device), into a database and gives the user a GUI to show the Data and do some configurations.

The initial idea was, to have the possibility to be able to see some Maritime Data (temperature, battery voltages, bilge alarm) while you are not on the boat.

The MDC it a small board with an ESP32 and a few sensors, that collects the sensor Data and transfer these Data to the MDS. You will find the MDC documentation under https://github.com/bytecrusher/MaritimeDataCollectorSmall

MDS (Maritime Data Server)

The Maritime Data Server is a web application to store Data and display Data for the user. It requres a mySQL Database for storing the Data and a webserver with php support to display the informations with Data. The MDS can display the Data from sensors in graph/gauges or charts. Also it is possible to configure your boards and sensors.

Description

The server is organized in a Backend (API for receiving Data from collector and TTN, send emails) and a Frontend for displaying Data in the users Browser.
The Backend stores the Data into the DB. It also checks if Data are valid and board and sensors are existing in the DB, otherwise new DB records will be create.
For the Frontend the user needs to login. Now the user is able to do some configurations or display some Data.

Functions / ToDos Status / Bugs

• MDS with Web interface
• Alert via email an Telegram (need more configuration)
• Chart view of Data
• configure boards and sensors in web interface
• change client communication to JSON.
• get Data from TTN
• Change static email addresses (sender) into variables. These will be defined in the install script.

Folder description

• docu_donotdeploy folder contains Data and Images for documentation.
• src
  • frontend the frontend files for this web project
    • api api files for requests from JS.
    • common common files like "header" and "footer".
    • css stylesheets
    • func php functions for internal use (DB connection, users, boards...).
    • img images for pages, i.e. board images.
    • js javascript files.
    • register Files for new user registering.
  • install scripts to install and prepare sql DB, create the tables and the admin user.
  • logs log files for debugging.
  • node_modules (maybe not exist right now, because it will be created after running npm)
  • otafirmware contains OTA files for update ESP.
  • receiver functions for receiving Data from MDCs.

Installation

Copy all MDS files from the "src" folder into your htdocs dir. Create a new Database (with phpmyadmin) and create a new User with write privileges to this Database. Open http://yourdomain/maritimedataserver/install/index.php in your Browser and step through the instalation steps. After install is finished, remove the dir named "install" (for security reasons).

Now the MDS is available under http://yourdomain/maritimedataserver

MDS Requirements

For running the MDS you need a (Apache) Webserver with PHP support and a MySQL DB.
If you run MDCs outside our local network, your MDS needs to be public (TTN should be able to reach this server).

Development

For development i use different solutions. First is local Docker container that runs on my coding computer. Second i have on my webhosting a subdomain, that pulls my "developtment" branch from guthub there.

######## My current way First wave: I setup 4 containers (one for each service):

• Apache
• PHP
• PHPmyAdmin
• MySQL

I configured my VSC to be able work direct in the htdocs folder if apache. So there is no manual synch of files needed.

Second wave: in my webhosting subdomain, i setup my respository, so i am able to run a pull request from the plesk panel and have tha latest development branch on the webspace.

Debugging with xDebug

for php debugging i use xdebug. The configuration in MAMP is done in **/Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/etc/php.ini and looks:
[xdebug]
zend_extension="/usr/local/Cellar/php/8.1.1/pecl/20210902/xdebug.so"
xdebug.mode=debug
xdebug.client_host=127.0.0.1
xdebug.client_port="9000"

In Firefox i use the "Xdebug helper" (IDE Key: VSCODE).
In Safari i use "XDebugToggleExtension 1.2".

For Debug you have to go to "Ausführen" - "Debugger starte" and the green play button (F5).

Sensor Schemas

Due different types of sensors and try to reduce the amount of Data transferred via wifi (and later lora) it is a good idea to have a schema for sensors to transfer the Data. Also there is no need to deliver the name of the value.
If all values deliver in the correct order, it is clear which value is wich.

Schema #: 1
Name: DS18b20
Deschription: Tempsensor
Nr of sensor (that are connected): 1
Count of Values: 1
Name of Values: #1 Temperature
Type of value: #1 uint8 (?)

Schema #: 2
Name: DS2438
Deschription: Batteriemonitor
Nr of sensor (that are connected): 1
Count of Values: 4
Name of Values: #1 CH1 Voltage, 2# CH1 Current, #3 CH2 voltage, #4 CH2 current
Type of value: #1 uint8 (?), #2 uint8 (?), #3 uint8 (?), #4 uint8 (?)

Schema #: 3
Name: DHT11
Deschription: Tempsensor & Humidity
Nr of sensor (that are connected): 1
Count of Values: 2
Name of Values: #1 Temperature, #2 Humidity
Type of value: #1 uint8 (?), #2 uint8 (?)

Schema #: 4
Name: Digital Input
Deschription: Digital Input
Nr of sensor (that are connected): 1
Count of Values: 1
Name of Values: #1 Digital input
Type of value: #1 Bool (?)

Schema #: 5
Name: GPS
Deschription: Data from GPS Receiver
Nr of sensor (that are connected): 1
Count of Values: 4
Name of Values: #1 Latitude, #2 Longitude, #3 Course, #4 Speed
Type of value: #1 uint8 (?), #2 uint8 (?), #3 uint8 (?), #4 uint8 (?)