Extracting Bits from a Signal or Elements from an Array

MDA supports the extraction of individual bits from analog signals and the extraction of individual or all elements from an array signal.

For each selected bit or extracted array element, a calculated signal is created The name of the calculated signals consists of the original signal name and the bit number, respectively the array element ID. The calculated signals are available in the Variable Explorer and in the Calculated Signals Editor. You can use these signals in instruments and other calculated signals. For more information, see Assigning Signals to Instruments and Defining Calculated Signals.

To delete extracted bit signals, see To delete a calculated signal.

Extracting Bits from a Signal

Some signals can be interpreted as a combination of 1-bit signals. For example, a byte signal contains eight different, independent status bits. Each bit represents one specific status information. For such signals, rather the individual bit signals are relevant.

To see how you can extract individual bits from a signal and rename them, watch our video Extracting Bits from a Signal.

To extract these from the complete signal block, proceed as follows:

  1. In the Variable Explorer, select the signal from which the individual bits shall be extracted.
  2. In the context menu, select Generate Bit Signals.

  3. Select one or more bits.

    The number of checkboxes depends on the data type of the selected variable.

  4. Click Generate.

Extracting Elements from a Array

  1. In the Variable Explorer, select the array signal from which the elements shall be extracted.
  2. In the context menu, select Extract Array Elements.

  3. Select one, more or all elements.

    1. Select one element via clicking on one individual element.

    2. Click Select all to choose all elements available.

    3. You can also define the array size manually by clicking on individual elements to make your own choice.

  4. Click OK or Clear Selection.

    For each extracted array element the same conversion formula is applied.

The conversion formula defined for the array in total is valid for all elements of the array. Therefore, when extracting an element of an array, the individual element gets the same conversion formula.