MoTeC Global Forum

Hello MoTeC Experts,

I've been climbing the learning curve with Dash Manager and Display Creator for my project...loving the power and flexibility of all this software! I thought I had a good grasp of the steps and process between Dash Manager and Display Creator but I can't seem to get the following (simple) scenario to work; hoping someone can shed some light...

Goal: I have a series of 'status icons' that I want to illuminate on my C127 when they are activated; like headlights, high beams, etc. I can't seem to get any of it working. Here's one use case: my electronic power assist steering [EPAS] unit has a status LED; I clipped the LED off and wired it directly as in input switch to my PDM30. I confirmed the EPAS switch channel is operating perfectly in the PDM (0=off, 1=on). Next, I want to output the status of this channel over to my C127 and dislpay an icon on the screen when the channel is 'on'. To do this, I setup a CAN Output message on my PDM30 as follows (see Channel 1, but you can see the other channels where I'm trying to do the same):



As you can see, I'm using CAN ID 0x50A as the transmit address. I confirmed using the CAN Inspector that its correctly being transmitted on CAN-1. Byte-1 is correctly set to '1' when EPAS is activated in CAN ID 0x50A:



So far so good. But here's where I got myself confused. I setup the following signal called 'EPAS State' with same channel name, to be received by Display Creator per the following:


I set Start Bit = 8 with Bit Length = 8 (I tried Bit Length = 1 too since this is a simple boolean output, but still no go). I check the condition using a Switch in Display Creator and if 'EPAS State == 1', I activate the green steering wheel icon on the dash, per the following:


I uploaded the DC project to the dash and get nothing, even though I confirmed i'm seeing the message transmitted on CAN BUS 1 (via CAN Inspector).

What am I doing wrong? Perhaps rather than doing this in Display Creator, do I need to setup this message in Dash Manager: Communications Setup for CAN-1 first? Then import/update the DBC file in Display Creator to generate the signals and channels? I figured I would ask here first before I dig any deeper. Thanks in advance for any tips or advice!

Regards,
Dan

UPDATE: I had some time tonight and went back out to the garage to do more testing. I ended up ditching the Display Creator signals/channels i configured above and instead setup the CAN Receive messages in Dash Manager, then updated the DBC in Display Creator. BINGO--that was it; got everything working like a champ...

But now I'm wondering what a proper use case is for defining messages/signals in Display Creator and NOT with dash manager? Since it appears all CAN signals needs to be configured in Dash Manager, not sure why DC lets you create them? Just curious..

Thanks!
-Dan

Hi Dan,

There are a couple of reasons for this. Display Creator is also used with our D series non logging display units. These Displays were originally intended for use with enclosed logger devices or display loggers to be an auxiliary display - for items such as steering wheels. Their function was expanded when Display Creator was released allowing them to function as a stand alone device (provided you had a suitable gateway to program them). With no manager, their can interface relies on the communications setup tab for interpreting the CAN bus.

Without going into too much detail, with a C series dash, there are 2 main parts of the system - the logger component (which has the can transceivers) and the display component. Display creator (or the fixed display) exist on the display component - which has no direct connection to CAN 1/2/3/4.

The messaging received is on a 'virtual' can bus based on internal comms between these two physically separate pieces of hardware. There is the ability to relay these messages to the display interface exists by making a receive message relay, which transmits over all the channels you are receiving for that can bus, but requires you to set up the receive message in display creator as well in the communications section.



So in short, with a C series dash you need to define the channel received on CAN in dash manager. Only a D series dash can directly define a message in display creator.

The other reason the comms is there is you can create (non maths) channels in the display creator (counters for menus etc) that can be transmitted back to dash manager to be transmitted elsewhere.

Hi Nathan--excellent detail and information. I completely understand now. Thanks for taking the time for such a detailed response and explanation!

Best Regards,
-Dan