Raster Editor

In the rasterClosed Acquisition rate (measuring frequency) used for measuring one or more measurement variables editor, you can define the rasters that will be used.

The raster editor is divided into four separate parts:

  • The combo-box above the raster table lets you select the Trace Trigger type.
  • The dropdown menu above the raster lets you select the Fixed mode for DISTAB. This mode allows the user to set that the given rasters will be statically configured on the XETK/FETK.
  • The Automatic DISTAB Configuration option is enabled if DISTAB 17 is used in fixed mode. By selecting the option a valid DISTAB configuration for the DISTAB raster is created. In the raster details the values for Number of Variables and Output Table Size are set. The memory is distributed nearly even among the DISTAB raster. The performance limitations of the raster (Maximum Variables per second and Maximum Bytes per second) are considered. As much memory as possible is distributed. This is also valid for trace rasters, supporting the supplementary DISTAB.
  • The raster overview, which is displayed in the left half of the editor window, lists all rasters that are currently defined for the current project.
  • The raster details, which are shown in the right part of the editor window, display the individual settings of the raster that are selected in the raster overview. Certain changes in the raster settings are reflected in the raster overview.

For ETKs, the raster layout will be used for the creation of A2L definitions only;  it will not be downloaded to a connected ETK device!
If you download a configuration to an ETK device and upload it again to the PC, the raster layout in the raster editor will be empty!

Editing the entries in the raster editor may lead to invalid settings or conflicts between certain settings. In this case the corresponding fields are underlaid in red. To correct the settings, modify the entries until they are not marked as invalid any more, otherwise it will not be possible to download the settings to the XETK device or generate an export file with the A2L entries of the current configuration.

 

Defines how triggers are released if you collect data via trace windowsClosed Item within the configuration of a trace triggered measurement which determines the range that shall be traced. (you can identify trace triggered rasters by the description in the Trigger Property column). The following trace trigger types are available:

  • By Address

    A trigger is released when any value is written to the trigger address that is set in the raster details on the right side of the editor.

    When this setting is selected, all trace rasters listed in the raster table must have different trigger addresses.

  • By Value

    A trigger is released when a certain value is written to the trigger address that is set in the raster details on the right side of the editor.

    When this setting is selected, all trace rasters listed in the raster table must have the same trace address, but different trigger values, i.e. the trigger values defined for the different rasters determine which raster will be triggered.

    This setting is not available for all device types.

 

Each row in the table view of the raster overview represents one rasterClosed Acquisition rate (measuring frequency) used for measuring one or more measurement variables. The raster overview contains the following fields:

Name

This field shows the name of the measurement raster and is used for identification purposes.
Raster names can be edited. They must be unique within the project.

t [µs]

Enter the nominal time period for the raster.
For angle synchronous rasters, where the period depends on the rotational speed, the value in this field indicates the shortest period (i.e. the highest acquisition rate).

Priority

The entry in this field influences the priority granted to the raster within the ETAS measurement system. You can enter any value between 1 and 64; the higher the value, the higher the priority.
In order to ensure that the system is used to optimum capacity, the fastest measurement raster should be given the highest priority.

All rasters with a trace trigger source and the trace trigger type "By Value" may have the same priority.
For rasters with a stim event trigger source, no priority can be defined. When stimClosed abbreviation for the additional bypass method "Synchronized DMA Stim" rasters are exported, they are exported with the lowest priority ("1").
Apart from that, the value for the priority must be unique within the complete project.

If the configuration contains invalid entries for the priority, you can automatically correct it by selecting Automatically update priorities from the context menu of the raster with the invalid entry.

Acquisition Control

Select the method that is to be used for data acquisition in the selected raster. You can choose between the following methods:

Trigger Source

Select the kind of trigger that will be used. You can choose between the following alternatives:

Which trigger sources are available depends on the (X)ETK device type.

  • Hardware-Trigger (1-64): The trigger for this raster is set by the ECU. The numbers 1 to 64 indicate which trigger is used for triggering the measurement in this raster.

    Select only hardware triggers that are offered by the corresponding (X)ETK device type. For further information please refer to the user manual of the (X)ETK.

  • Dynamic Hardware Trigger: The hardware trigger for this raster is selected dynamically by the ECU. The list of available hardware triggers must be defined in the DISTAB Editor.

    Dynamic Hardware Triggering is only supported for (X)ETK using DISTAB version 17.

  • New Timer: The trigger for this raster is set periodically by the (X)ETK. There is no interaction with the ECU software required.

    The period for the timer can be set in the Time field in the raster details.

    As soon as you select a timer as trigger source, the timer is renamed according to the name of the currently selected raster.

  • New Trace: The trigger for this raster is set by the ECU updating the trigger address in the trace window. This trigger source is useful if you collect data via trace windows.

  • Stim Event: Use this trigger source when using the Synchronized DMA Stim bypass method. The trigger for this raster is set by the XETK. Stim rasters must be configured with the raster type "Stim".

    The event number of the Stim event identifying the raster can be set in the Event Number field in the raster details.

  • Start DAQ: The trigger for this raster is set only once upon measurement start. Only one Start DAQ raster can be used. Start DAQ rasters must be configured with the raster type "Measurement".

    The event number of the Start DAQ identifying the raster can be set in the Event Number field in the raster details.

Trigger Property

This field displays information on the selected trigger method. It cannot be edited.

The trigger properties can be set in the raster details or, if DISTAB version 17 is used, in the DISTAB Editor.

Raster Type

You can choose between the following raster types:

  • Measurement: The raster only uses a measurement channel.
  • Bypass: In addition to the measurement channel, a back channel for bypass application is used by the raster.

  • Stim: The raster only uses a back channel from the PC to the XETK.

    This raster type is available only for XETK device types supporting the Synchronized DMA Stim bypass method.

  • Special Usage: This raster is used for special usage cases such as providing information with RTA TraceClosed Method which provides runtime information on processes running on the operating system.

    This raster type cannot be used for measurement and application.

 

The raster details provide further settings for the raster that is selected in the raster overview. The options that are displayed in the raster details depends on the raster settings in the raster overview and can be partly adapted (Adress table count, Output table size) if the fixed mode for DISTAB is activated.

Which settings are available depends on the (X)ETK device type, the settings in the raster overview, and for devices supporting DISTAB, also the selected DISTAB version.

Raster Details depending on the selected Acquisition Control and (X)ETK device type

Display Table

These settings are used to configure the DISTAB address table and the DISTAB output table. They are only shown if a hardware trigger is used as trigger source.

The Display Table also appears when device uses DISTAB version 17 and Fixed Mode is activated, but the values Address Table Address and Output Table Address cannot be changed.

Address Table Address

Specify the start address of the DISTAB address table.

Number of Variables

Specify the number of entries for measurement variables in the DISTAB address table.

Output Table Address

Specify the start address of the DISTAB output table.

Output Table Size

Specify the size of the DISTAB output table in Bytes.

ECU Property

These settings are shown if a hardware trigger is selected as trigger source. They are used to configure the performance limitation of the raster and to optimize the copy routine of the ECU.

The performance limitations of the rasters are mandatory. They are used by INCA to calculate the performance.
They should not be set to "0", because that would mean that the raster would not be used at all.

The performance limitations of the individual cores and of the overall ECU can optionally be defined in the DISTAB editor.

Core

Specify the core the raster is assigned to.

Variables per second

Specify the performance limitation of the raster in variables per second.

Bytes per second

Specify the performance limitation of the raster in bytes per second.

8/16/32/64 bit signals allowed

Indicates which signal sizes shall be handled at all by the ECU.

This setting is used to optimize the copy routine of the ECU.

The following table provides a simple example showing the assignment of some rasters to cores and their performances, as well as the performance for the cores and the complete ECU:

Raster 1: core=1 variables/s = 100 bytes/s = 400
Raster 2: core=1 variables/s = 200 bytes/s = 800
Raster 3: core=2 variables/s = 300 bytes/s = 1200
Core performance for core 1 variables/s = 250 bytes/s = 1000
Core performance for core 2 not defined not defined
Overall performance variables/s = 400 bytes/s = 1600

These data can be read as follows:

  • The total of rasters 1 and 2 may not exceed 250 variables or 1000 bytes respectively.
  • The total of all rasters may not exceed 400 variables or 1600 bytes respectively.

Triggered Direct Measurement

Address Table Address

Specify the start address of the DISTAB address table header used for triggered direct measurement.
Raster details depending on the selected trigger source

The hardware trigger settings are not shown when DISTAB17 is used; in this case they will be set in the DISTAB editor.

Trigger Type

Select the type of the trigger used for this raster.

Direct: The hardware trigger is directly associated with the raster, i.e. there is only one raster used for the corresponding hardware trigger.

Indirect: It is possible to associate multiple rasters with one hardware trigger. When you use indirect triggers, you need to enter the address of the trigger flag.

Trigger Flag Address

If indirect triggering is selected, you need to enter the address of the trigger flag that is used to differentiate the assignment of rasters to a hardware trigger. The flag addresses for a specific hardware trigger must be unique.

In order to ensure that the system is used to optimum capacity, it is recommended that you use direct triggers as long as sufficient hardware triggers are available.

Trigger Type

Select the trigger type that is to be used for triggering measurements.

Direct: The timer trigger is directly associated with the raster, i.e. there is only one raster used for the corresponding timer trigger.

Currently only direct triggers are supported.

Time (in µs)

Enter the period duration of the timer trigger. The period for the measurement raster is set accordingly (T [µs] in the raster overview).

Trigger Type

Select the trigger type that is to be used for triggering measurements in a trace window.

Direct: The trace trigger is directly associated with the raster, i.e. there is only one raster used for the corresponding trace trigger.

Currently only direct triggers are supported.

Trigger Address

If you are using a trace window as trigger source, you must enter the trace address; the address must be located in a trace window which is defined in the Trace Windows Editor.

If the trace trigger type "By Address" is selected, all trace rasters listed in the raster table must have different trace addresses.
If the trace trigger type "By Value" is selected, all trace rasters listed in the raster table must have the same trace address.

If the configuration contains different trace addresses although the trace trigger type "By Value" is selected, you can automatically correct it by selecting Automatically Update Trigger Addresses to ... from the context menu of the raster with the trace address to be used.
Trigger Value

This parameter is only displayed if the trace trigger type "By Value" is selected.

If you are using a trace window as trigger source and the trace trigger type "By Value" is selected, you must enter the trigger value which shall identify the raster to be triggered.

All trace rasters listed in the raster table must have the same trace address, but different trace values, i.e. the trace values defined for the different rasters determine which raster will be triggered.

Event Number

If you are using a Stim Event as trigger source, you must enter the event number identifying the raster; the number must be between 0x1 and 0xFF.

Event Number

If you are using a Start DAQ as trigger source, you must enter the event number identifying the raster; the number must be between 0x1 and 0xFF.
Raster details depending on the selected raster type

Bypass Table Address

Specify the start address of the bypass output table.

Bypass Table Count

Specify the number of bypass variables in the bypass output table.
Raster details only available for BR_XETK-S3.0A

DAQ Paked Mode

Enable or Disable the DAQ Packed Mode. This setting only affects the XCP A2L export. If a raster is activated, a corresponding configuration is created in the XCP A2L export for this raster.

Sample Count

Enter a valid value for Sample Count.

See also

Define Rasters in the Raster Editor

Configuration Window