options request : post your ideas

[nevinsb]

Thanks Blacky! I'll give that a try.

[Rich Z]

Sorry if this may have been mentioned before, or perhaps it exists and I just haven't figured out how to do it. I'm still a raw newbie at this.

I find that when I am viewing playback of a log file, that I may want to jump to an anomalous value that I believe may be in the data. Somewhere.. So being able to search the data based on a value (above, below, range) would be extremely helpful. And yeah, I'm pretty sure it would be pretty tough to program something like this that would suit ANY data stream.

[Blacky]

Sorry if this may have been mentioned before, or perhaps it exists and I just haven't figured out how to do it. I'm still a raw newbie at this.

I find that when I am viewing playback of a log file, that I may want to jump to an anomalous value that I believe may be in the data. Somewhere.. So being able to search the data based on a value (above, below, range) would be extremely helpful. And yeah, I'm pretty sure it would be pretty tough to program something like this that would suit ANY data stream.

That feature is included in the new V8 Scan Tool design.

Meanwhile in V7, you can create a calculated PID in V7 that returns 0 for "in-range" data and 1 for out of range data and then manually scan through the log file to see where the calc PID is 1 or 0.
For example, the calc PID below returns 1 when the spark is >25 and 0 when it is <=25.


The calc PID is defines like this:

# ==============================================================================
# File details
# ------------
#
# This section defines various details about the file format.

*FILE

#Parameter  Value            Description
#---------- ---------------- ---------------------------------------------------
VERSION     7.1.1            File version
DECSEP      .                Decimal separator used in this file



# ==============================================================================
# Units
# -------------------
# See sae_generic.txt for more information on the *UNITS section

*UNITS

#Code     System     Abbr     Description
#-------- ---------- -------- -------------------------------------------------------------

None      None       ""       "No units"


# ==============================================================================
# Add slot definitions here
# --------------------------------
# See sae_generic.txt for more information on "SLOT" formats
#
#Units             Low          High      Fmt  Expression
#------------ ------------- ------------- ---- --------------------------------------------------------------
*CLC-00-001
None               0.0           1.0       .0  "Iff({SAE.SPARKADV}>25,1,0)"


# ==============================================================================
*PRN - Parameter Reference Numbers
# --------------------------------
# See sae_generic.txt for more information on the *PRN section
#
#Code                      PRN  SLOT         Units            System           Description
#------------------------- ---- ------------ ---------------- ---------------- ------------------------------------------
CALC.SPARK_HIGH            F400 CLC-00-001   None                Performance      Spark Montior

Regards
Paul

[Rich Z]

Thanks for the reply, but I hope version 8 does this search automatically. To be quite honest, MANUALLY searching through a log playback for that trigger would be no more helpful than just scanning through looking for the event itself I am interested in. I would only be looking at a different line in the display.

[Blacky]

Thanks for the reply, but I hope version 8 does this search automatically.

Yes.

[Rich Z]

OK, now how about the log file playback controls themselves in version 8? Will it have the capability of starting or resuming playback (forwards and backwards) from any point in the file, or will it be limited as it is in version 7 with ONLY being able to start at the beginning of the file? For instance, putting in a note in the file position while paused would be helpful, and then later on being able to jump immediately to that point and then resuming playback (again forwards or backwards) at that point would be helpful. While manually scanning through a log file it would be helpful to be able to resume (or even start) playback at any point in the file.

Thanks.

[Blacky]

OK, now how about the log file playback controls themselves in version 8? Will it have the capability of starting or resuming playback (forwards and backwards) from any point in the file, or will it be limited as it is in version 7 with ONLY being able to start at the beginning of the file? For instance, putting in a note in the file position while paused would be helpful, and then later on being able to jump immediately to that point and then resuming playback (again forwards or backwards) at that point would be helpful. While manually scanning through a log file it would be helpful to be able to resume (or even start) playback at any point in the file.

Thanks.

I saw that request earlier but I can't understand why it is something that would be useful? What extra information can you obtain by playing back the file that you can't obtain simply by looking at (and/or scrolling through) the charts?
The only reason a playback option exists at all is so that we can show unattended demo charts scrolling across the screen when the software is on display at trade shows. I can't think of any other use for the playback mode.

If there is some reason that playback to/from preset points is useful then I'd happily incorporate it into the software.

Regards
Paul

[Rich Z]

I saw that request earlier but I can't understand why it is something that would be useful? What extra information can you obtain by playing back the file that you can't obtain simply by looking at (and/or scrolling through) the charts?
The only reason a playback option exists at all is so that we can show unattended demo charts scrolling across the screen when the software is on display at trade shows. I can't think of any other use for the playback mode.

If there is some reason that playback to/from preset points is useful then I'd happily incorporate it into the software.

Regards
Paul

OK, suppose I want to scan through a log and find a point where I want to just have the log "play" while viewing the interrelationships between the various traces? Well, that WAS interesting. Well, let me see that again. Oops, have to start over from the BEGINNING. Hmm, that section was 10 minutes into the drive, so I guess I can go get a drink in the next 9 minutes. Yeah, I can set a note at the spot I want to make note of, but once I jump directly to that point, then what? Matter of fact, I can see where setting a point A and a point B and continually looping through that segment would be helpful.

Also I want to take video of certain sections of the logs for instructional purposes if I want to demonstrate to people on my own forum about how the results of a scan can show what is REALLY going on with the engine's sensors and controls. Right now this would be downright painful to try to do. Heck, did you see my thoughts on being able to convert a log file playback to a video file? I'm surprised that people who teach this stuff have beaten down your doors asking for it. The log playback function gives us the ability to display information from sensors in real time. I find a lot of value in that I can see things HAPPENING in real time, which means while the display is in motion. Watching some values ramp up or ramp down in relation to one or more values causing such changes is invaluable in understanding what is really going on. Heck, I've got a problem with the IAT sensor or harness that is spiking the detected incoming air temperature. It's downright instructive watching how a fault like this affects other parameters concerning the performance of my engine.

Heck, I don't know, maybe I'm the only one who thinks that scanning through the logs is an incredible learning tool. That is why I am taking the time to LEARN the scan tool before jumping into tuning. My perception of this is that tuning without understanding what you are doing or seeing BEFORE you make the first table change is much like shooting in the dark, then waiting to see if you hear something yelp that it got hit. Everything going on in the engine based on what controls tell it to do, and what sensors detect are happening because of those controls, as a flow of data that this tool allows us to view AS IT HAPPENED during the logging session. To me, that data means a whole lot more if I am watching it happen as that flow, and not simply static images snapped along the way. Log files are going to have segments that are more interesting and telling than others, some being intermittent based on hapstance, and others simply because the driver changed the values of the controls to make those changes. So having a manner to get to them quickly, and play ONLY those sections would be a benefit to someone reviewing all the data being displayed.

Have you ever processed raw video files to paste segments together? Only the rawest of newbies think that their entire video is worth watching from beginning to end. You cut out the fluff and things that aren't pertinent and interesting by jumping to those sections you want to include in your presentation and extracting them into your final cut. Any video software that had the limited controls of EFILive for viewing the video (the equivalent of the data displayed in log files) would drive someone trying to use that software insane. Heck even the most rudimentary video processing software (like Windows Movie Maker) will resume play from any point you select on the timeline.

Can I be the only one who sees the value of using EFILive's data logging for diagnostic purposes? Isn't this what everyone does when they log files after making tuning changes?

IMHO....

[mr.prick]

OK, suppose I want to scan through a log and find a point where I want to just have the log "play" while viewing the interrelationships between the various traces? Well, that WAS interesting. Well, let me see that again. Oops, have to start over from the BEGINNING. Hmm, that section was 10 minutes into the drive, so I guess I can go get a drink in the next 9 minutes. Yeah, I can set a note at the spot I want to make note of, but once I jump directly to that point, then what? Matter of fact, I can see where setting a point A and a point B and continually looping through that segment would be helpful.

You can replot & scroll the log forward then crop the section or
filter out frames you want/don't with a calc_pid based on frame number.

#Units         Low      High     Fmt    Expression
#------------ ---------- ----------- -------- --------------------------------------------------------------
*CLC-00-004
Frame            0      99999       .0        "frame()"
#Code                                  PRN         SLOT            Units          System                Description
#--------------------------------- ----------- ------------------- --------------- -------------------- -------------
CALC.FRAME                     F004     CLC-00-004      Frame       Conditions        "Frame Number" 

I saw that request earlier but I can't understand why it is something that would be useful? What extra information can you obtain by playing back the file that you can't obtain simply by looking at (and/or scrolling through) the charts?
The only reason a playback option exists at all is so that we can show unattended demo charts scrolling across the screen when the software is on display at trade shows. I can't think of any other use for the playback mode.

IMO
Playback (forward or backward ) is frivolous when you can record, filter, cut & paste.
This seems to be a case of not knowing what can be done with the software.

[Rich Z]

You can replot & scroll the log forward then crop the section or
filter out frames you want/don't with a calc_pid based on frame number.

#Units         Low      High     Fmt    Expression
#------------ ---------- ----------- -------- --------------------------------------------------------------
*CLC-00-004
Frame            0      99999       .0        "frame()"
#Code                                  PRN         SLOT            Units          System                Description
#--------------------------------- ----------- ------------------- --------------- -------------------- -------------
CALC.FRAME                     F004     CLC-00-004      Frame       Conditions        "Frame Number" 

IMO
Playback (forward or backward ) is frivolous when you can record, filter, cut & paste.
This seems to be a case of not knowing what can be done with the software.

And this is better and easier than just having the controls programmed into this tool?