Weather (.w / .wz / .wzset)#
XeroKewl fetches current conditions and (for non-METAR lookups) a short forecast.
These commands work both in channel and as a private message (/msg XeroKewl <command>).
<you> .wz 94025
<XeroKewl> San Mateo, CA — 62°F (17°C), partly cloudy. …Commands#
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
.w <location> / .wz <location> | Get weather for a one-off location. |
.w / .wz | Use your saved default location (see Getting registered). |
.wz --user <nick> | Use someone else’s saved default. |
.wzset [--metar] [--metric|--imperial] <location> | Save your default location (and units). |
.wzset --metric|--imperial | Update only your saved units (no location change). |
.wzhelp | PMs you this command list. |
.w and .wz are aliases — same command. You can type either.
Location formats#
| Format | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ZIP | 94025 | US zip code. |
| City, State | San Mateo, CA | Spell it out; use the state. |
| IATA airport code | SFO | General weather near the airport. |
ICAO code (with --metar) | KSFO | Only valid with --metar. |
| Ambient Weather Network URL | ambientweather.net/dashboard/… | A personal weather station dashboard URL. |
| 32-char station slug | <32-char slug> | Ambient station slug. |
| CWOP callsign (SSID 13) | <CALLSIGN-13> | APRS/CWOP station callsign with SSID 13. |
ICAO codes (like
KSFO) only work with--metar. For ordinary weather use the IATA code instead (e.g.SFO, notKSFO).
Flags#
--metar— raw aviation weather (METAR). Requires an ICAO code (e.g..wz --metar KSFO). Anything else is rejected:--metar is only valid with ICAO codes (e.g. KSFO). Location not saved.--metric— show metric first, imperial second. (This is the default.)--imperial— show imperial first, metric second.- Use
--metric/--imperialwith.wzsetto change your saved default units.
Saving a default (.wzset)#
.wzset <location> saves a default so a bare .w / .wz returns your weather
without typing the location every time. Your default is stored against your
eggdrop handle — which is why you have to be registered for it to work.
<you> .wzset 94025
<XeroKewl> Preference updated. Default is now 94025 --imperial
<you> .w
<XeroKewl> San Mateo, CA — … (uses your saved default + units)You can also save a METAR default: .wzset --metar KSFO.
Getting registered#
The single most common confusion: you run .wzset, or a bare .w, and the bot
tells you you’re “not registered”. Here’s what that means and the exact path
to fix it.
The bot doesn’t auto-add users — every user record is created by hand by a botmaster. So to save a default, you need a record. Here’s how to get one:
- Ask a channel operator (chanop) to add you. If the op you ask isn’t a botmaster, they can find one on the bot partyline — see the chanop cheat sheet.
- A botmaster creates your record with
.+user <handle> <hostmask>— see the botmaster cheat sheet. You’ll be non-privileged by default (no flags), and that’s fine — you don’t need any flags to save weather preferences, just a record. - The bot should now recognize you by your hostmask. If it doesn’t (your IP/host changed — dynamic ISP, VPN, travel), ident so it re-matches you to your handle — see the eggdrop cheat sheet.
- Now
.wzset <location>works, and a bare.w/.wzuses your saved default.
You don’t have to wait to be registered to use weather at all —
.wz <location>(with a location) works for anyone, no record needed. Getting registered is only required for saving a default and using the bare.w/.wzform.
The bot is a pass-through, not the data source#
XeroKewl pulls data from upstream providers — WeatherAPI, AVWX (METAR), the Ambient Weather Network, and APRS/CWOP — and does not generate or control any of it. A wrong temperature, a stale METAR, a station that’s down, or a “location not found” that you know exists — that’s the upstream provider, not the bot. There’s nothing to “fix” on the bot side; try a different location format (ZIP vs city vs IATA) or wait for the provider to update. (Same idea as the search bot — blame the source, not the messenger.)
Error messages#
| You see | Why |
|---|---|
You must be registered with the bot to use a saved default. Try .wz <location>. | You ran a bare .w/.wz but have no user record. See Getting registered; for now use .wz <location>. |
You must be a registered bot user to save preferences. Try .wzhelp for usage. | You ran .wzset with no record. See Getting registered. |
<nick> is not registered with the bot. | You used .wz --user <nick> and that nick has no record. |
No default set. Use .wzset <location>. / No default location set. Use .wzset <location> to save one. | You have a record but no saved location. Run .wzset <location>. |
Unknown location. Try .wzhelp for usage. / Unknown location format. Try .wzhelp for usage. | The bot couldn’t parse your location. Try another format. |
--metar is only valid with ICAO codes (e.g. KSFO). Location not saved. | You passed --metar with a non-ICAO location. |
--metar requires an ICAO code (e.g. KSFO). … | You passed --metar with no location. |
<provider error> Location not saved — check the location and try .wzset again. | The provider rejected the location while saving. |
Run .wzhelp in channel or /msg XeroKewl wzhelp any time for the command list.