Application Logging

[Mike AA]

I am nearing completion of my controller setup MC050-018. I have many items logging and I can save off the application log just fine and see all the values. All the values are in one vertical column I would like to have each sensor on its own vertical column. Is there something in the way the application log is written to get everything separated into its own column? I would like to use everything I have an not have to buy another device to record off the canbus.

Thanks
-Mike

[oiltronic]

Do you mean that exporting the log file from the Service Tool produces a single column?  If so, it sounds like a *.csv delimter problem.   Look under Options->Settings->General for the export delimiter settings.  Otherwise it's how the file is imported into your spreadsheet program.  See also pages 37-39 of the (7.2.10) Service Tool user manual.

[dlewis]

Are you talking about logging within the MC050-018 or logging through the service tool's logging feature?  If it's logging within the controller alone.  I found like you have that the controller logs all events in a single column.  Because of this I only use the controller to log specific events such as faults.  I do not use it to get a data log stream such as logging pressure over a period of time. For that type of logging, I either use the service tool's logging feature (requires computer to be connected to CANbus during the logging) or I use a separate data acquisition system such as a eDAQ or Kavaser Memorator which can log CAN based signals.

Hope this helps and good luck.

[BRIan]

If you create the APPLOG as attached, then when you import it into Excel, you can parse it into separate columns using the space as the delimiter. (In this case Date, time, pressure, speed, distance).

[Mike AA]

dlewis,

That is exactly my problem. I have a bout 8 sensors I am using that I need to read constantly and currently they are logging every 10 seconds I believe. I will have to get a Kavaser Memorator, I was looking at these but couldn't tell what kinda output they actually saved and how the file displayed.

BRIan,

I will go change my applog to this layout to see how it looks with all my sensors. That looks like it should work.

Thanks everyone, I will let you know in the next few hours if Brian's suggestion works hopefully.

[dlewis]

We use a Kavaser Memorator R Semipro to log the desired CANbus data and then to analyze the data we use NI's Diadem.  So far it has worked great.  The Memorator is small enough to easily place on the truck that we are taking data from. 

Good Luck

[Mike AA]

BRIan's solution worked I just had to make a few changes and take out values I didnt need and spaces that goofed things up. A quick view of the log still had my old values all over the place and the new values in easy to read columns. This will make analyzing so much better.

dlewis,

The NI Diadem looks like EXACTLY what we are looking to do. We will be taking the data and need to share across many different platforms and people with different backgrounds so that will definitely give us everything we need!

Thanks again guys, I am so happy to have joined this forum during this learning stage of Plus1Guide. I'm sure I'll be back!

[BRIan]

You should set up an erase and status routine to clear out the old stuff and monitor the status (writing, erasing, full)

[Mike AA]

Alright guys I'm back messing with the app log. I hadn't really had a need to get it fully working before but now we are wanting more records of what we are doing. I have 13 values plus time I am logging every 5 seconds on an MC050-018. I will be increasing the delay between writes once I am finished trouble shooting and setting things up. I can get the time  to log properly every 5 seconds and the constants and the first 5 variables (speed sensors and flow meters) to list correcty in the columns when I pull the log. I have 2 values that are shifted 2 columns to the right from where they should be and I have a value that I am not sending to the log that is being saved on the log. This value -30200 I cant find anywhere putting checkpoints on everything that gets sent to the applog. Has anyone had this kind of issue?

Attached is an excerpt. Column A and B are just columns exported by the CSV file. Column C is my time, Column D and E are speed sensors, Column F and G are constants to show what the setting is currently at. Column H is a speed setting, I is the current traveling speed. J is a flow meter. Column K is the random value getting saved. Column M and N values should be in column K and L.

Thanks,
Mike Aalderink

[Mike AA]

Solved my problem above. Apparently the Applog does! log 32 bit characters if your conversion character is correct. I was feeding one 32 bit function which was moving values across the board and putting in random values but was using %d where it needed to be %ld. I found the value which was causing this by going one by one setting a constant value for each line going into the applog until things were normal. Then Warren pointed me to a page in the manual around page 600-700 Showing the conversion character properties.

Thanks Warren!

Mike




EDIT: DOES!