Weather App

A Python application that displays current weather information for cities around the world using the WeatherAPI.com API.

Course Outcomes Addressed

This application demonstrates:

1. Display message on screen (a):

   • Formatted welcome banners
   • Status messages and loading indicators
   • Error messages with custom styling
   • Formatted weather data output

2. Design classes for given problem (e):

   • WeatherData class to encapsulate weather information
   • WeatherApp class for console application functionality
   • WeatherAppGUI class for graphical interface functionality

3. Handle exceptions (f):

   • Network connection errors
   • HTTP response errors
   • JSON parsing errors
   • Data structure errors
   • Generic exception handling

Setup

1. Clone or download this repository

2. Install the required packages:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

   If you encounter issues with the above command, try:

   python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
   

   Or install packages individually:

   pip install requests==2.28.1
   pip install pillow==9.2.0
   pip install python-dotenv==1.0.0
   

3. Create a .env file in the project root with your API key:

   WEATHER_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
   

4. Run the application:

   python weather_app.py
   

Usage

Command-line Version

1. Enter the name of a city when prompted
2. View the current weather information
3. Type 'history' to see recent searches
4. Enter another city or type 'quit' to exit

GUI Version

1. Run the GUI application:

   python weather_app_gui.py
   

2. Enter the name of a city in the input field
3. Click the "Search" button
4. View the current weather information displayed in the GUI
5. Click the "History" button to see recent searches

Security Note

• The .env file containing your API key is listed in .gitignore and will not be pushed to Git
• Never commit sensitive information like API keys directly in your code
• Each developer needs to create their own .env file locally with their API key

Features

• Current temperature (in Celsius)
• "Feels like" temperature
• Weather conditions description
• Humidity percentage
• Wind speed
• Current date and time of the weather data
• Weather icons (GUI version)
• Recent searches history
• Secure API key management using environment variables

Troubleshooting

Common Errors and Solutions

1. Package Installation Issues

   If pip install -r requirements.txt fails, try these alternatives:

   • Use the full path to requirements.txt:

     pip install -r "/path/to/requirements.txt"
     

   • Check pip version:

     pip --version
     

   • Update pip:

     python -m pip install --upgrade pip
     

   • Install packages one by one:

     pip install requests
     pip install pillow
     pip install python-dotenv
     

2. Missing Modules

   If you see an error like ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'requests' or No module named 'dotenv', it means the required packages are not installed. Run:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

3. API Key Issues

   Error: API key not found. Please set WEATHER_API_KEY in .env file.

   Solution: Create or edit the .env file in the project root directory and add:

   WEATHER_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
   

4. Connection Errors

   Error: Failed to connect to the weather service.

   Solution:

   • Check your internet connection
   • Verify that the API service is running by visiting weatherapi.com
   • Ensure your API key is valid and has sufficient credits

5. City Not Found

   Error: City '{name}' not found.

   Solution:

   • Check the spelling of the city name
   • Try adding a country code (e.g., "London,UK" instead of just "London")
   • Use a more specific location name

6. Display Issues in GUI

   If elements are cut off or not visible in the GUI:

   • Resize the window to make it larger
   • Use the scrollbar to view all content
   • Try a lower screen resolution if available

7. Python Version Compatibility

   This app is tested with Python 3.7+. If you have errors related to syntax or incompatible features, check your Python version with:

   python --version
   

8. Image Loading Issues

   If weather icons don't appear in the GUI:

   • Check your internet connection
   • The app will continue to function without icons and will display text descriptions instead

For additional help, please submit an issue on the project's GitHub page or contact the developer.