HOWTO: Data Logging

[Matt@pcmtec]

UPDATE: 12-09-22

Here is a link to the latest datalogging manual which can be viewed via help -> View Datalogger Manual

Introduction

The data logger is build into the PCMTEC editor, and allows you to seamlessly log your vehicle, and switch between the Nagivator and Flashing windows during a logging session, and then continue logging after reflashing and restarting the vehicle.

2.11 October 2022 Update

 

Once the Datalogger windows is opened, and the vehicle ignition turned on, the data logger will automatically connect to the Vehicle PCM:

Vehicles with a ZF automatic transmission can connect also the the transmission, using the 'Trans' button

External logging for recording AFRs, boost pressure or other user defined variables can be done using the DLP IO8-G Analogue/Digitial converter. This is covered in another HOWTO here

Selecting Channels

Use the Channels tab to select which Scalars you wish to view in the chart. Whilst the chart itself can display upto 16 channels (comrised of 4 charts, with 4 slots per chart), extra channels can be logged and saved and reviewed later on.

These can be selected live whilst connected to the PCM and TCM (ZF) and are then added to the logging session. 

Clicking on the Scalars tab displays the currently selected items. Anything greyed out is not displayed on the chart, but can be added using the right click menu

Allocating Chart Items

Right click and select a Chart item to allocated TQ_ETC_SRC to Chart 4 / Slot 1 for example

Otherwise use Multi Chart add to quickly add to the next available slot (if any are available)

That now displays in our chart

Using Scalar Delete will remove items from the chart, but they will still be recorded as part of the logging session

Using Chart Remove will free up the slot on the chart, but keep logging it and displayed in the Scalar section (greyed out)

Adjusting Ranges

There are several methods to adjust ranges of scalars from their defaults:

1. Right click Scalar and adjust range

2. Click and use the Zoom +/- buttons

3. Hover the axis and use the mouse scroll button, and adjust by hold and move up / down

4. Otherwise click the axis and use CTRL PAGE / CTRL DOWN keys

Use the PAGE UP / PAGE DOWN keys to adjust the position of the axis

5. Right click the axis and adjust the range using the window

All range adjustments are saved, and can be stored in the save Layout feature

Sorting Scalar items list

By default all items are sorted into their 'parent' groups, matching the Channel tree. If you Right click and disable 'auto sort' you can custom configure the ordering of the 'Scalars list'

Here I used CTRL UP and CTRL DOWN to move the scalar items with all temperature scalars positioned together

Enumerated Items

Some chart items like FUEL_SOURCE and TQ_ETC_SRC have meanings attached to the values, these are enumerated items. You can display the raw value by unticking the Enumerated tickbox

Update rates

Whilst there are no limitations on the number of channels you can log, on BA all channels will be 'polled'. Adding more channels will gradually reduce the update rate. On vehicles BF upwards, rapid packet reading is available for upto at least 15 DMRs and then polling available on top of this. 

If one of the channels you have selected requires a faster update rate, it can be forced to use rapid packet by selecting High Priority for that channel

The priority tickbox (left of the Scalar name) will be enabled for those High priority items you have selected. If none are selected then at least the 15 first DMRs in the list will be used for rapid packet.

Layout Load / Save

Use the Save / Load / Load append layout buttons (also available from the File menu) to keep a copy of your current chart configuration, including the items ticked, their chart slot and their ranges

Load append will add extra chart items to your current chart (ticked and their position if available) if they were not ticked previously. Note: Where a slot is already used, these will be ignored and not displayed

Layout files are saved in the PCMTec/Logging layouts folder, and saved as TLO files

Pause / Start / Clear buttons

During logging you can pause the live log updates (logging will still happen in the background) and then review your current log by moving the blue cursor

You can drag the cursor with the LHS mouse button and moving the mouse, or using the LEFT / RIGHT cursor keys. Holding the cursor keys will flip through the log page by page as it scrolls through the log. The legend/scalar values will update showing the current values at the cursor, even during a live logging session.

Clear button will clear out the current log. If the logging is over 10 seconds then you will be prompted if you want to keep the log. Logs are auto saved in case you wish to retrieve something later, then check out the auto save folder

Loading and Saving Logs

Use the Save icon to save your log as a TECLOG or CSV file (for loading into other software like MegaLogViewer for example)

Open the file will start in the PCMTec/Data logs folder, where your save files are located

CSV files from PCMTEC as well as other Ford tuning software export CSV format, are supported by the data logger for playback mode

In playback mode, you can press Start to begin playback, and pause to stop. 

Display Options

Smoothing: is on by default and will remove some of "stair casing" of the chart data

Auto range: is off by default. This will adjust the chart range based on what has been logged so far (or the range during playback).

Turning on will adjust the range to fit the current screen you see:

Auto scroll: will stop the chart scrolling if unticked

Legend: when unticked will hide the legend window if required

Adjusting units

Units must be adjusted whilst the PCM is disconnected. When doing this, the charts will be auto scaled to the new units type (for example from deg F to deg C)

Either adjust individually, from the Units dropdown:

Or adjust everything from bulk change:

 

Zooming

The time axis can be zoomed in and out using the scroll wheel on the mouse, when hovered over the main chart. Either zoom to the Left or Right hand side of the chart, upto a maximum of 1/8 second zoom level.

Using the keyboard, using UP and DOWN arrow keys will also perform similar zoom functions

Full short cut keys are available with F1 or the Shortcuts icon

Full short cut keys descriptions are in this HOWTO

 

[Romulus]

How can shift map be logged?

[Roland@pcmtec]

On 4/8/2020 at 7:51 AM, Romulus said:

How can shift map be logged?

I don't have a vehicle with a ZF to test with but there are several scalars in the ZF that look promising. Connect to the TCM and browse through the various shift map related scalars. Here are some ones that look interesting.

TID000568 - Actual Number of used shiftmap

TID002575- Current active shift (code)

TID000357- ID of used shift pattern

TID000351 - Actually used shift pattern

[Roland@pcmtec]

Video demonstration

 

[Roland@pcmtec]

For those of you who want to test this out at work here are some test files.

 

Example of 5 minutes driving.teclog

[Roland@pcmtec]

It was asked how to log torque. There is the actual torque value, the targetted torque (if undergoing torque reduction) and the 14 individual torque channels.

TQ_ACT -> Torque Actual
TQ_TARGET -> Targeted Torque (eg reduction)
TQ_LIM_x -> Torque Reduction Level (there are 14 of these that map to the torque requestors)

[fordsrule]

Wow

[Roland@pcmtec]

New public bug report forum for any other issues people find can be found here. Make sure your forum email address is the same as your registered email address if you post in here, otherwise send us an email with a link.

https://forum.pcmtec.com/forum/5-bug-reports/

[hulk]

Any one happy to share there layouts that thieve set 

up for logging.

trans,pressure,shift time,

engine , fuel, spark,boost,

keen to see what others have done

Thanks 

 

[AMR]

Where do I find the abbreviation to log rpm?

 

[Roland@pcmtec]

It's in the default.tlo layout file. Otherwise search for "engine speed" 

[AMR]

Thanks mate

[Roland@pcmtec]

Here are some early screenshots showing the Datalogger version 2. This has map tracing, histograms/scatterplot and a new revamped UI.

Here is an example showing a line trace over a spark multiplier map with a histogram showing min/max/avg spark values below. You can instantly create the histogram with axis pulled from a table by simply highlighting a section of the log and clicking add map trace.

Here is a screenshot of the new UI which will show min/max/avg on the left hand side of the selected area. There is also a new scroll bar which shows the rpm trace making it easy to find you WOT run after a dyno trace.

There will be more updates to come but this should be available around Christmas time. Thanks to @Matt for working very hard on this recently.

When it is complete and ready for public testing we will put a video up.

[fordsrule]

Hi, just wondering about Ver. 1.24, does it include map tracing?

I've seen reference to it but haven't been able to find it in the Datalogger or am I on the wrong track?

Thanks

[Roland@pcmtec]

The post above you says it's coming soon. It will be in the next major release of version 2.0

Aiming for a January release

[JETURBO]

Hey Roland & Team 

Great job on the scanner, What’s the chances ( unsure if it’s easy enough or not ) to have an option to have the colour/theme/layouts selectable to mimic HPT or SCT Advantage for people/workshops proficient in either of those to utilise a familiar display ? 
 

Not to say the 80’s colour selection isn’t good nostalgic but it’s crazy “Busy” to the eyes haha 

 

Probably more to the point can or has anyone worked their PCMtec layout to reflect as such ? 

[Roland@pcmtec]

You can change the theme via the theme menu. We are going to make the chart colours configurable at some stage in the future after map tracing and histograms are done. 

[JMSMotorsport]

Any update on the the Logger Stage 2?

[Roland@pcmtec]

Getting close. 

[Roland@pcmtec]

I'll put the reply here as well regarding poll rates.

The way the datalogger works is you get 15 rapid packet polls, these update at roughly 50ms. Then every thing else after this is polled as fast as it can, eg if you have 16 items you are logging, the 16th item will still log very fast. If you have 60 items, the 45 items after the first 15 will log quite slowly, roughly once a second.

We get a few 'freebies' that are broadcast data and always log fast irrespective of whether they are set to high priority. These are engine rpm, oil temp and a few others. This is something only we do, other companies don't take advantage of these.

If you are very curious about how it works you can right click on the name column, select column chooser, scroll down to 'rate' and add this column. This will show a number which is number of updates per second. For a fast dyno pull you need at least 250ms updates for rpm, boost, load, knock for it to be useful, otherwise the values will not line up and you will miss spikes of knock etc.

In future versions we will be setting high priority by default on knock, rpm, cam angle etc. Currently it has to be done manually if you have selected over 15 items.

[Loke]

any update on logger 2.0?

[Roland@pcmtec]

12 hours ago, Loke said:

any update on logger 2.0?

It is going through the final round of QA now, need to make sure it is right before it goes out.

[Roland@pcmtec]

Here is a link to the latest datalogging manual which can be viewed via help -> View Datalogger Manual

[rfh]

Hey Guys

Could someone please clarify when the spark source is "base" , which spark table is the pcm accessing? 

HAEDJK6

Thanks Rob

[Roland@pcmtec]

Base spark is MBT + any emissions or other adders. It will use the lowest value of all the different sources from MBT, BLK etc + the adders. Basically you can assume this is using MBT when it says base. Check auF2727 "Base spark retard for NVH", there are also a few emissions tables that subtract spark, these can come into play in some calibrations (Most have them zero'd). If these adders are active then it will likely report the source as base.

It can also report base spark when coming out of oscillation control, eg if you stab the throttle in first gear it will trim the spark to try and avoid driveline shuffle. It will then ramp back out of this mode. You might have seen tip in/tip out as the spark source prior to it saying base.

The intermediate value you can datalog for the various spark sources are.

MID90840 Spark Base

MID91036 Spark MBT

MID91051 Spark Base for NVH (noise vibration harmonics)

MID90837 Spark Base for Anti Fouling (zero'd out in all cals I've seen)

Also have a read of this if you haven't seen it before.

 

[rfh]

Much appreciated Roland

[Roland@pcmtec]

No worries. Good luck!