ThingSpeak Channel Does Not Update Automatically when using ESP8266 with AT Commands and C Programming Language

I am very new to this area. My small project is as follows:

• MCU: NXP
• ESP8266 module
• C programming language with AT Commands for ESP8266
• IDE: Online Mbed Complier
• ThingSpeak Cloud Server

My goal is simply to simply read data (measurement) from a sensor and push it to ThingSpeak cloud. Part of my code with AT commands for ESP8266 module is as follows:

//Sending Data to the Cloud Server via ESP8266 WiFi Module
strcpy(snd,"AT+CIPMUX=0\n\r");        //AT+CIPMUX: Enabling Single Channel Mode
wifi.SendCMD(snd);
wait(1);
wifi.RcvReply(rcv, 1000);
wait(1);
        
sprintf(snd,"AT+CIPSTART=4,\"TCP\",\"%s\",80\n",CloudIP); //Establish TCP connection w/ Cloud Server
wait(1);
wifi.RcvReply(rcv, 1000);
wait(1);
      
strcpy(snd,"AT+CIPSEND=100\n\r");    //Set length of the data that will be sent
wifi.SendCMD(snd);
pc.printf("%s\r", rcv);
wait(1);
wifi.RcvReply(rcv, 1000);
pc.printf("%s\r", rcv);
wait(1);
        
//Pushing the data acquired from HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Sensor to Cloud Server via API
sprintf(snd,"GET https://api.thingspeak.com/update?api_key=3LV9GHWHJYDZNWEH&field1=%f \r\n\r\n", dist_percent);
pc.printf("%s\r",snd);
wifi.SendCMD(snd);
wait(1);
wifi.RcvReply(rcv, 1000);
pc.printf("%s\r", rcv); 

Before this, I do initialization part for connecting my ESP module to my Wifi router. That works fine. No issues.

Problem: I need to click on the GET link as shown in the screenshot below, in order to update my ThingSpeak cloud server. I have tried many AT commands but none seems to automatically update cloud. Everytime, I have to open terminal (TeraTerm) and then double click on the link, which then opens a new web page with just a single digit. Then after I go back to my ThingSpeak Channel dashboard, I see the new value. Else, channel does not automatically update itself. Please note that I am only updating (writing the channel), not reading from it or anything.

(Screenshot with the GET link. When I double click on it, only then does my ThingSpeak Channel gets updated).

Is there a way to automate this? Am I missing any AT command or anything else? I apologize, I am new to programming ESP module and ThingSpeak server. So, your help will be much appreciated. Thank you for your time.

Answer 1

[Vinod]

Have you looked at the examples in the ThingSpeak Communication Library? Specifically, this example might be a useful starting point.