Loading Bus Trace Files (BLF, ASCII, MDF)

For prerequisites about using this functionality, see Supporting Bus Trace Files (BLF, ASCII, MDF).

The steps to load CAN and LIN Bus Trace files are basically the same.

  1. In the Configuration ribbon, click Add Bus Trace .

  2. MDA will check whether a valid license for the Bus Trace functionality is available.

  3. In the dialogue "Enter Bus Trace information":

    1. Select a Bus Trace file (mandatory for CAN and LIN)

    2. Select a description file (optional for CAN)

    3. If a description file was selected, define the Bus ID or the Bus cluster

    4. Optionally adapt the proposed name for the AFF entry.

  4. Click Save and Add.

  5. The input files are combined to an AFFClosed Virtual signal resulting from the mathematical and/or logical combination of one or more input signals and/or constants. (Associated File Format) file shown as entry in the File Explorer.

    By means of the description file the Trace File contents are interpreted to derive signals. These can be used as ordinary signals from measure files.

CAN Bus Specifics

A description file can be in DBC or ARXML format. In case of a DBC file the CAN Bus ID needs to be set. In case of an ARXML file the CAN Cluster can be selected from the drop-down menu.

Even without a description file three basic signals will be shown for the CAN AFF file in the Variable Explorer, namely the Bus ID, the Frame ID and the payload.

Note  

If no data is shown for the interpreted signals check whether the CAN Bus ID was selected properly.

LIN Bus Specifics

A description file in LDF format is mandatory.

Note  

The LIN Bus ID is typically "1". But if no data is shown for the interpreted signals, another ID should be tried.

see also

Handling of Special Files