Examples for the default recording configuration¶

This page complements Default recording configuration with detailed example scenarios. Each example describes the initial situation, the involved configuration, and the runtime behavior.

Automatic assignment of signals

A note on automatic assignment of signals: It is recommended to name signal groups after the system identifier of the signals intended for them (if empty), or after the system identifier of the signals they contain. For example, use A-CAN for bus signals from A-CAN. The examples in this chapter follow this recommendation consistently. In principle, it is also possible to create a signal group MyGroup and add a fixed bus signal from A-CAN to it. If the signal group name is not sufficient, automatic assignment takes the system identifier of the contained signals into account.

Working with stimulation and analysis packages

The following examples do not discuss the use of analysis packages in projects. By combining a test case package as a stimulation package with one or more analysis packages, additional signals may appear at runtime. Roughly summarized, these additional signals behave exactly as if they were added manually to the Assign automatically group (see examples 1 and 2).

Automatic assignment and group extension¶

Example 1: Everything in `Assign automatically`¶

Initial situation

In the test case package, signals are only referenced in the Assign automatically group. There are no dedicated domain-specific signal groups there.

Configuration in the default recording package

There is a signal group A-CAN with a matching recording group. Auto-Start/Stop is enabled for the recording group. The signal group does not contain any signals.

Configuration in the test case package

The Assign automatically group contains the bus signals A-CAN/VehState/VehicleSpeed and A-CAN/VehState/EngineSpeed.

For automatic assignment, the matching signal group must have exactly the same name as the system identifier of the bus signals used, in this case A-CAN.

Runtime result

Since there is no matching local signal group in the test case package, the default signal group A-CAN is adopted together with its recording group. The two signals therefore end up in this group and are recorded there. Since automatic starting and stopping of the recording is enabled for the recording group, a recording file is created that contains the progression of both signals over the course of the test.

When recording frame-based formats, the complete bus communication may be contained so that additional bus signals can later be extracted using the bus database.

Recommendation

This setup is useful when many test case packages are developed and handling of signal recordings can be managed uniformly. This reduces local effort to decide which signals are needed.

Assignment based on the system identifier is easy to follow.

Example 2: Additional local group exists¶

Initial situation

A test case package already has its own signal group A-CAN because local settings or additional signals are maintained there.

Configuration in the default recording package

The signal group A-CAN contains the signals A-CAN/VehState/VehicleSpeed and A-CAN/VehState/EngineSpeed. In addition, a measurement list is stored there. Auto-Start/Stop is enabled.

Configuration in the test case package

The local signal group A-CAN contains only A-CAN/VehState/VehicleSpeed. In addition, there is a local group for recorded test case variables or other test-specific signals. Auto-Start/Stop is not enabled. Instead, the test case uses Start/StopTrace test steps.

The overlap of A-CAN/VehState/VehicleSpeed in both packages is intentional here in order to demonstrate extension of a local group with the same name.

Runtime result

No second signal group A-CAN is created. Instead, the local group is used and extended with missing signals from the default group, in this case A-CAN/VehState/EngineSpeed. Locally defined signals and local recording groups remain unchanged. Settings of recording groups with the same name are not merged from the default recording package into the local recording group, for example no Auto-Start/Stop is applied. Since no measurement list is configured for the local group, the measurement list of the default group is used during execution.

Recommendation

This setup is useful if a bus is specified centrally, but the individual test case package still needs local additions or its own group settings. For automatic assignment, the group should still be named exactly A-CAN.

Synchronization¶

Example 3: How must a local group be connected?¶

Initial situation

In the default recording package, two groups, for example A-CAN and EngineECU, shall be synchronized. In addition to these groups, the test case package shall contain recorded test case variables and integrate them into the synchronization chain.

Configuration in the default recording package

Both signal groups each have a recording group. A synchronization is defined between these recording groups. A-CAN is the synchronization master. Auto-Start/Stop is enabled for both groups.

Configuration in the test case package

The test case package uses signals in such a way that both required groups are actually available at runtime. In addition, the recorded test case variables shall be synchronized with the other groups in order to enable temporally correct results in trace analysis.

For this purpose, a local group EngineECU is created because this makes the test case variables easier to synchronize. EngineECU becomes the synchronization master. Auto-Start/Stop is enabled for EngineECU because it is not adopted automatically. Auto-Start/Stop is also enabled for the test case variables group.

Runtime result

The synchronization chain is resolved to A-CAN (master) ← EngineECU ← test case variables. If the test case package does not use a signal from A-CAN, the group A-CAN is not taken into account, neither for recording nor for synchronization (EngineECU would then be the master).

Recommendation

If synchronizations are to be defined centrally, the affected groups in test case packages should not be renamed unnecessarily or split into multiple local recording groups. For bus signals, the signal group names should match the system identifiers of the participating buses.

Always record¶

Example 4: Always record a few signals¶

Initial situation

A few signals, such as A-CAN/VehicleState/VehicleSpeed and A-CAN/VehicleState/EngineSpeed, shall generally be recorded in many test cases, even if they are not explicitly used in the actual test flow.

Configuration in the default recording package

There is a dedicated signal group A-CAN containing exactly these signals together with a matching recording group. Auto-Start/Stop is enabled for the recording group. Alternatively, the test case package could use Start/StopTrace test steps, which start or stop all recording groups.

Configuration in the test configuration and in the test case package

In the test configuration, the default recording package is enabled and, in addition, the option Always use signal groups and signals in test case packages and stimulation package steps is enabled. The test case package itself no longer needs to reference these signals explicitly. For the setting to take effect, the package is marked as a test case in the package properties. Alternatively, it could be used as a stimulation package in a project.

Runtime result

The group A-CAN is adopted completely from the default recording package. As a result, the contained signals are recorded even if they do not appear in the test case package, neither in Assign automatically nor in test steps.

Recommendation

For a small number of permanently relevant bus signals, a dedicated, lean default signal group is the clearest solution.

Example 5: Always record many signals¶

Initial situation

A larger set of signals of the ECU EngineECU shall be recorded over XCP.

Configuration in the default recording package

The signals of EngineECU are combined in the signal group EngineECU. For extensive quantities, it is useful to work with measurement lists in addition, instead of maintaining every signal individually.

Configuration in the test configuration and in the test case package

The default recording package is active and the option Always use signal groups and signals in test case packages and stimulation package steps is enabled. The test case package then contains only the signals that are truly test-specific. As in Example 4, the package is marked as a test case.

Runtime result

The default signal group EngineECU is adopted. This keeps the test case package much leaner.

Recommendation

For large and largely uniform recording configurations of an ECU or bus, this is the preferred setup. It reduces maintenance effort and keeps the actual test case packages focused on their test-specific contents.