Cervello configuration file

The Cervello configuration is a JSON file stored in the RBRcervata. It defines user-adjustable settings, such as sampling rates for batteries, deep sleep periods, and general behaviours for controlling loggers. The JSON documentation can be found here.

{
 "file": {
 "date": "20230509000000",
 "version": "3.1.0",
 "schema": "0011713",
 "customer": "ONC"
     },
 "controller": {
 "battery_period": 600,
 "deep_sleep": {
 "enabled": true,
 "deep_sleep_duration": 600
        },
 "clock_sync_timeout": 43200
    },
 "gps": {
 "enabled": false
    },
 "instrument": [
        {
 "enabled": true,
 "label": "APT",
 "type": "RBR",
 "config_file": "deployment01.json",
 "port": 1,
 "ssm": 0,
 "battery_period": 1200,
 "can_be_stopped": true,
 "max_stopped_download_gap": 2000000000,
 "enforce_max_dataset_size": true,
 "max_dataset_size": 580608000
        },
        {
 "enabled": true,
 "label": "BPR",
 "type": "RBR",
 "config_file": "deployment02.json",
 "port": 2,
 "ssm": 0,
 "battery_period": 1200,
 "can_be_stopped": true,
 "max_stopped_download_gap": 2000000000,
 "enforce_max_dataset_size": true,
 "max_dataset_size": 414720000
        }
    ],
 "streaming": {
 "enabled": false
    },
 "processing": {
 "enabled": false
    },
 "telemetry": {
 "enabled": false
    }
}

Brief description

Key Description Units Default Value

Key	Description	Units	Default Value
controller
battery_period	How frequently to record the data controller battery level.	seconds	600
deep_sleep	Whether the data controller should enter deep sleep whenever it’s finished downloading from the logger.	boolean	false
deep_sleep_duration	How long to stay in deep sleep before checking the logger for data again.	seconds	300
clock_sync_timeout	The number of seconds allowed to pass after setting the flag for the instrument clock sync to happen. It is meant to provide a safeguard against synchronizing the instrument clock with a stale and possibly inaccurate Cervello clock.	seconds	43200
gps
enabled	Whether position retrieval via GPS is enabled.	boolean	false
instrument
enabled	Whether communication with/downloading from an RBR data logger is enabled.	boolean	true
label	Human readable descriptor of the specific unit (eg. Bottom CTD)	string	""
type	Type of logger, defines driver to be used.	string	"RBR"
config_file	Configuration file for this instrument.	string	"deployment01.json"
port	Port number to which it is connected.	integer	1
ssm	If the logger is connected to the data controller via an MLM, the serial number of the SSM connected to the instrument.	integer	0
battery_period	How frequently to record the logger battery levels.	seconds	600
can_be_stopped	Whether the logger can be stopped and restarted when there is too much data in memory to download in a reasonable amount of time (see max_stopped_download_gap), or when the logger’s configuration doesn’t match the configuration found in `deployment.json`.	boolean	true
max_stopped_download_gap	If the logger will be stopped or is stopped and the difference between the amount of data stored on the data controller and recorded in logger memory exceeds this amount, the logger will be restarted and its memory reset.	bytes	3000000
enforce_max_dataset_size	Whether we should enforce a maximum dataset size. Useful for forcing the dataset to roll over in conjunction with the cervata.	boolean	false
max_dataset_size	The maximum permissible size of the dataset in logger memory. If it grows past this size, the logger should be restarted.	bytes	262144000
streaming
enabled	Whether streaming data via the serial debug port is enabled or not.	boolean	false
processing
enabled	Whether data processing for telemetry is enabled or not.	boolean	false
telemetry
enabled	Whether telemetry is enabled or not.	boolean	false

controller

battery_period

How frequently to record the data controller battery level.

seconds

600

deep_sleep

Whether the data controller should enter deep sleep whenever it’s finished downloading from the logger.

boolean

false

deep_sleep_duration

How long to stay in deep sleep before checking the logger for data again.

seconds

300

clock_sync_timeout

The number of seconds allowed to pass after setting the flag for the instrument clock sync to happen. It is meant to provide a safeguard against synchronizing the instrument clock with a stale and possibly inaccurate Cervello clock.

seconds

43200

gps

enabled

Whether position retrieval via GPS is enabled.

boolean

false

instrument

enabled

Whether communication with/downloading from an RBR data logger is enabled.

boolean

true

label

Human readable descriptor of the specific unit (eg. Bottom CTD)

string

type

Type of logger, defines driver to be used.

string

"RBR"

config_file

Configuration file for this instrument.

string

"deployment01.json"

port

Port number to which it is connected.

integer

ssm

If the logger is connected to the data controller via an MLM, the serial number of the SSM connected to the instrument.

integer

battery_period

How frequently to record the logger battery levels.

seconds

600

can_be_stopped

Whether the logger can be stopped and restarted when there is too much data in memory to download in a reasonable amount of time (see max_stopped_download_gap), or when the logger’s configuration doesn’t match the configuration found in deployment.json.

boolean

true

max_stopped_download_gap

If the logger will be stopped or is stopped and the difference between the amount of data stored on the data controller and recorded in logger memory exceeds this amount, the logger will be restarted and its memory reset.

bytes

3000000

enforce_max_dataset_size

Whether we should enforce a maximum dataset size. Useful for forcing the dataset to roll over in conjunction with the cervata.

boolean

false

max_dataset_size

The maximum permissible size of the dataset in logger memory. If it grows past this size, the logger should be restarted.

bytes

262144000

streaming

enabled

Whether streaming data via the serial debug port is enabled or not.

boolean

false

processing

enabled

Whether data processing for telemetry is enabled or not.

boolean

false

telemetry

enabled

Whether telemetry is enabled or not.

boolean

false

Modifying configuration files on an RBRcervata

A command called "edit-config" is available within the diagnostic menu of the RBRcervata for editing the configuration files. For modifying a cervello configuration file you can issue the following command:

edit-config -c cervello

If you would like to have an empty file as a starting point add "-n" or "--new-file" parameter to the command:

edit-config -n -c cervello

You’ll be greeted with a file opened in nano for ease of use in the terminal environment. If you chose to start from an empty file, you can copy/paste the entire text on it.

After you finish editing it, press Ctrl+o, enter and then Ctrl+x. It will ask for confirmation in case something went wrong, press 'y' if you want the file to be permanently saved or anything else to cancel the edition.