Exporting and Converting Measure Data

V8.7 supports all versions of MDFClosed This file is a binary file format for measurement data (MDF). This format is used to store, exchange and analyze measure data for automotive system development purposes. MDF files contain so-called meta-information like user, company, project, file comments etc. Typically for MDF format version V3.x the file extension *.dat is used. For MDF format version V4.x, the file extensions *.mdf or *.mf4 are used. files. MDF files can be read and written. Exporting measure data, i.e. writing a new file, is limited currently to signals having numeric values and enumerations. You can either export a complete measure file or a subset of signals.

To see how you can export a measure file for a selection of signals, or how to convert a measure file into a new file format, watch our video Exporting Signals and Files.

With MDA V8 the additional add-ons MdfCombine.exe and MDFConvert.exe are delivered. For more information, see Command Line Tools. The header of MDF 4.x files created with MDA shows which MCD Core version has been used.

You can perform the following actions:

To export measure data

To see how you can export a measure file for a selection of signals, or how to convert a measure file into a new file format, watch our video Exporting Signals and Files.

You have the following choices to export measure data:

  • If you want to export a complete measure file, e.g. into another file format or just for a specific time range, select the measure file in the File Explorer.

  • If you want to export a subset of signals from the configuration, select the signals in the Variable Explorer.

  • In case you want to export a subset of signals for a specific time range only, the export from the instrument level is recommended. Then the assigned signals and the visible time range are used as default values. In the export dialog it is still possible to adapt the time range or to include all signals in the export file.

    Note that exporting from an instrument is currently only supported for oscilloscopes, scatter plots, and tables. In oscilloscopes, signals for which you have hidden the signal curve are also exported.

  1. Do one of the following:
    • To open the export dialog from the File Explorer or Variable Explorer, right-click and choose Export Measure Data.

    • To open the export dialog from an instrument, click the export icon in the toolbar of the instrument.

      The Export Measure Data window displays the total number of signals that will be exported. When exporting from an instrument, you can additionally choose to export all signals from all sources.

  2. Define the start and end time.

    If you have opened the export dialog from an instrument, it displays the time values of the currently visible time range of the instrument by default.

  3. To choose a folder path and file name, click Browse.

    V8.7 checks whether a file with the same name already exists. If this is the case, an increment is automatically appended to the export file name. If the export file name is manually changed by the user to a file that already exists, a warning message appears.

  4. Click Export.

    Note  

    When exporting a measure file, the attachments are deleted.

To define the output raster for exported signals

  1. To open the Export Measure Data window, perform step 1 and 2 as described in section To export measure data.

  2. Select the checkbox Output Raster and define the desired raster value.

  3. Click Export.

    This raster will be used for all exported signals.

If no sample exists for a time stamp of the new output raster, the last available sample before this time stamp is used.

To convert measure data into another file format

  1. To open the Export Measure Data window, perform step 1 and 2 as described in section To export measure data.

  2. If multiple file extensions are possible, select the desired extension from the File Format drop-down menu.

    The new file format is automatically applied in the File Name field.

  3. Click Export.

To compress measure files

If the file format for the export is MDF V4.1, the resulting file is compressed automatically. This happens also when MdfConvert.exe is used and the target file format is MDF V4.1. Any other file format does not support compression.

To cancel an export

  1. In the bottom right corner, click .

  2. Click the red icon next to the running export.

    A warning symbol is shown to indicate that the export was canceled.

To check the export status

  1. In the bottom right corner, click .

    All individual exports are listed. The status is marked as follows:

    • Blue: The export is in progress.
    • Red: The export has failed.
    • Yellow: The export was canceled.
    • Green: The export is finished.

    The export icon shows the overall status of the export progress.

  2. If you want to reduce this list, you can delete entries for exports that are not in progress. Right-click an export in the list and choose one of the following:
    • Remove finished element to delete this specific export
    • Remove all finished elements to clear the complete list of finished exports.

To see the exported file in Windows Explorer

  1. Right-click an export in the list.
  2. Select the option Open File in Windows Explorer.