Help Center - CANalyzer Level 2

One of CANalyzers main components is the ability to log and replay logged data.  With these features, it is no longer necessary to always stay connected to the bus to perform analysis on traffic.

How do I capture a log file in CANalyzer?

1. Configure the log file
   1. Right-click on the log file icon in the Measurement Setup window and select “Log file”
      
   2. Click the “Select file” button to choose a log file name and type

2. Setup triggers
   1. Right-click on the Logging block in the Measurement Setup window and select “Configuration”
   2. Select a trigger mode

3. Enable the logging block
   • If the logging block is faded in the Measurement Setup window, right click on the “broken” hotspot  
     
     next to the logging block and choose “Remove break”.

Can I setup incremental log files?

Yes.  Right-click on the log file icon and select “Log file”.  Select either Standard or Extended Log file naming.  Now select any of the increment triggers from the provided list.

Each time a trigger is reached, the log file will close, and another one will be started.  The name of the log file will be updated with a number indicating which trigger was reached.

If Standard naming is selected, the log file will only be incremented at the start of each measurement or after each trigger block has been activated.  The log file will also receive a name appended with a numeral to denote incrementing.  Ex.  Logfile1.log.

If Extended naming is selected, the log file can now be incremented if a specific size has been reached (in MB) or if a specified amount of time has passed.  The log file name will also be appended with an extended naming convention to specify which trigger was used:

• M – denotes a measurement trigger
• T – denotes a trigger block
• L – denotes a limit trigger, both size and time

What do the different logging modes mean?

There are three logging modes available in CANalyzer:

• Entire measurement -
  From the time the measurement is started to the time the measurement is stopped. will be logged to the file
• Single trigger -
  One event is captured along with any specified time prior and after the event.  This event can be limited in the number of logs it triggers, or it can be unlimited.
• Toggle trigger -
  Different events are used to start and stop logging.  Just like with the single trigger, these events can be limited in number or unlimited.

What types of log files can I create?

ASCII – (*.asc) -

When ASCII format is selected, the data are saved as a readable text file.
The primary purpose of ASCII formats is to permit data exchange with external programs or the transfer of Trace data into documents.
ASCII files can be opened and edited by pressing the [Edit file] button in the configuration dialog.

Binary – MDF (*.log) -

The advantage of the older binary format MDF was that it produced smaller files than the ASCII format.
The MDF format supports only CAN buses and doesn't support Environment Variables (CANoe).
For new recordings you should select the new BLF format.
The MDF logging format does not support LIN signals.
If the messages you save in a logging file in MDF format, have a time distance of more than 240 seconds they cannot be replayed with their correct time stamps (e.g. in offline mode and in the replay block).

Binary – BLF (*.blf) -

The BLF format supports all bus systems/protocols and Environment Variables.
For new recordings you should select the new BLF format.

What kind of conditions can be set to trigger logging?

• Start – The start of the measurement
• Stop – The end of a measurement
• CAPL – Special functions available for logging requiring complex logic
• User defined – Simple conditional triggering on signal values or special CAN events

Additionally, a trigger block can be used to facilitate logging.  The trigger block is a special block that is setup just like a logging block, but can be placed anywhere in the Analysis Branch of the Measurement Setup window.  Used when multiple trigger modes are required for writing to multiple log files.

How many logging blocks can I have?

There is no limit to the number of logging blocks that can be in a CANalyzer configuration.

How do I replay a log file in CANalyzer?

1. Create a Replay block -
   Right-click on a hot spot in the Measurement Setup window and choose “Insert Replay block”.
2. Select the log file to replay
   1. Right-click on the Replay block and select “Configuration”
   2. Click on the […] button to select a log file to replay. Note:  the “Edit” button will only allow edits to be made to an ASCII log file.

 

Can I control how the Replay block operates?

Yes, there are different ways to control how the Replay block behaves within the measurement.  By right-clicking on the Replay block and selecting “Configuration”, the following options can be changed:

• Output modes
  • Standard
    Events are replayed in chronological order, with no interruption
  • Step
    Events are played one at a time, requiring the user to step through each event
  • Animated
    Events are replayed within a designated amount of time, in ms, ignoring the timestamp in the log file
  • Repetitive output sending mode
    With this box checked, the Replay block will continuously replay the data from the log file until it is instructed to stop

• Start timing conditions
  • Immediately
    The Replay block will start replaying events on start
  • With the first event time
    The timestamp is used to dictate when events start; if the first timestamp is 15 minutes then the first event will be sent after 15 minutes
  • After a timeout
    The Replay block will wait a designated amount of time, in ms, before sending the first event

• Start options
  • Start replay on measurement start
    With this option unchecked, the Replay block will not start until some other trigger starts it

• Keys
  These events can be tied to a keyboard event to allow some user control
  
  • Start/Stop
  • Pause/Resume

In addition to these options, a user can choose to remap the CAN channels in order to send captured traffic out on other channels.