Logging Speed from GPS etc.

[ErnieJones]

Hi folks;

Sorry for what's probably going to be a dumb question but I just got back from a run that was logged and I don't seem to have any GPS data.

I'm using a Microsquirt Module with Shadow Dash and the 10Hz GPS all connected through Blue Tooth. Shadow Dash is configured to record data, and it is, but it looks like the entire GPS stream is missing as well as some other fields. I looked at the log file and I'm missing data for all of the following fields (I don't know how many are supposed to be missing);

gpioadc1 gpioadc2 gpioadc3 gpioadc4 gpioadc5 gpioadc6 gpioadc7 status1 status2 status3 status4 status5 Timing Err% AFR Target 1 Lost Sync Count Lost Sync Reason InjTiming1 InjTiming2 PW3 PW4 VE Trim 1 VE Trim 2 VE Trim 3 VE Trim 4 Knock In On/Off Outputs Status Bits PORTs BDE PORTs AM PORT T XForce YForce ZForce AccelForce TurnForce LateralForce HeadingEnhanced KPH Speed Altitude Latitude Longitude Heading Accuracy GPS.PositionX GPS.PositionY GPS_Time GPS_Update

Log GPS Data & Log Accelerometer data are enabled in Shadow Dash.

Am I missing a step here somewhere? I did see that in Tuner Studio, under GPS Configuration, it was turned on and there was something selected even though the notebook used to connect does not have a GPS. I disabled that setting - could that be where the problem was? Of course, Tuner Studio is not running when Shadow Dash is active.

Any pointers would be helpful as I can probably get another run in tomorrow if the weather holds (today was 5c ) - not nice on a motorcycle!

[LT401Vette]

So are you saying that the above fields were in the log, but there is no data?

Are you seeing GPS data on the gauges in SD?

If you can post a data log, that will help.

[ErnieJones]

Yes!

The dash board works, the 10Hz GPS is showing the speed on Shadow Dash as well as accelermoeter data. So it seems that the dash is seeing all the data.

The log file contains all the fields across the top but the data is empty (nothing logged) for all the fields mentioned above. Data for all the other previous fields to the left are logged. Everything from the gpioadc1 field to the right of that field are empty

[LT401Vette]

Everything from the gpioadc1 field to the right of that field are empty

Is that looking at it in a Text Editor?
Are you sure it isn't just that the numbers are shorter than the Field Names, so they won't line up under the field names in a text editor.

If those where really "empty", they wouldn't load in MegaLogViewer.

Do you have a log file?

[ErnieJones]

Yes, to looking at the with a text editor, yes to looking at them in MegaLog viewe - they do load. Here's the most recent log indicating the issue;

[LT401Vette]

It looks to all be there.
GPS_Time
GPS_Update
Heading
Speed
KPH
GPS.Position.X
GPS.PositionY
xForce
yForce
zForce
Longitude
Latitude
You have a nice view of the Strait of Georgia

[ErnieJones]

It is quite the view

Strange....OK, when I play it back in MegaLog Viewer which field is supposed to show my speed? I thought I tried them all and got nothing, which caused me to look at the log file and see nothing in those fields...

[LT401Vette]

There are 2 speeds put in the log:
Speed - is in m/s

Then depending on what you have in set in Preferences it will log KPH or MPH.
Your log has KPH.
Did you want MPH?

[ErnieJones]

No, I was after KPH. But I'm still not getting my head around it When I look at the log files it's clear that there's nothing under those fields. I'm guessing that the data does not line up with the fields as you are able to see the GPS data....

So when I go into Mega Log Viewer and play back the log file, whether I choose Speed or KPH - I still see no meaningful data. I think the max speed it shows for KPH is 2.6

If I put the data into Race Renderer I get the same thing. I think I'm missing a basic understanding somewhere here....

[LT401Vette]

So when I go into Mega Log Viewer and play back the log file, whether I choose Speed or KPH - I still see no meaningful data. I think the max speed it shows for KPH is 2.6

That is what I saw as well. Latitude and Longitude change little also. I assumed the log was taken while you were not really moving.

I take it, you were moving? I though 12600 RPM's was a lot for not moving...

According to GPS_Update says the GPS was still sending data at 10 Hz. It would appear it was sending mostly the same data though.
Was something interfering with the satellite view, perhaps placement near other electronics or chasis?
I should have it log the number of satellites too so we could see what sort of signal it was getting.

[ErnieJones]

This was high-speed run testing on the freeway so the distance traveled was significant - at least 100K and probably closer to 200 I develop products for this bike to make it faster so I am always testing out in the wide open on the freeway.

There are periods of idling on the side of the road. The PDOP from the GPS, as shown by QuartzGPSView is very low so it has many satellite fixes. The speed indicator on the dash is consistent and accurate. Even at the house, in the bathroom, in the bathtub, the GPS can pick off tons of satellites and that's going through the roof etc. I've been very impressed by the sensitivity of the GPS. It works everywhere. Typically what I see is nothing more then sharper accuracy when outdoors.

The GPS is located at the far rear of the bike which is away from everything. I can't think of a spot that is more isolated.

Needless to say this is a feature I really need as it's an integral part of my testing methodology. I need to know what makes the bike faster/slower etc. Looking at the logs with a test editor (TextPad) I still can't see where the GPS records are. They don't line up with the fields across the top and even if I look at the last 4 columns, which should be for GPS.PositionX, GPS.PositionY,GPS_Time,GPS_Update I still see nothing but zero's.

I can't seem to get my head around where the GPS data is in the logs

[LT401Vette]

If you open the log in Excel, the data will line up under the Headers. It will be the same as what is displayed in MLV though.

Hmm, so SD was displaying the appropriate values while driving, but the logs have redundant data for GPS?

That sounds like a different trouble.
When using the internal GPS is the log updating (albeit slow)?

[ErnieJones]

OK, thanks for the that Opening it in Excel makes it much easier to see that the GPS appears to be stuck in one location. I think the smart move would be for me to do another test run and see if the data looks better. Now that I can see the raw data I can infer what the issue may be....

Shadow Dash does display all the info properly (that I can see). Ie, the speedometer works very well, appears to be accurate all the time (no drop-outs, high frequency changes of very minor amounts etc). The acceleromoters are always moving around at high frequency. I really can't see any issue with respect to GPS fix - this is a high accuracy GPS area to start with and lots of open sky - couple that with the 10Hz and it means fast and accurate fixes. Certainly the dash, with the 10Hz, is unreal!

I'll go do another run and see if things change on this one. When I look at the log file in Excel it almost seems like perhaps it didn't log the entire run. Perhaps it only logged the warmup cycle in the driveway (which would cause the GPS to show almost identical data as the bike was nearly fixed in place). The engine temperature field shows full cold and then ramps up to 177f - this would be the warmup cycle. When under way the airflow over the engine tends to make it run at roughly 155-165 - I'm not seeing a drop in temps. This makes me think that the logfile either got chopped off or stopped prior to going down the road.

The bike does stall (right now) when cold. Sometimes several times as it's not fully tuned. I also turned off the ignition and turned it back on (reset the ECU). What I'm thinking is that perhaps it stopped logging at some point and did not resume. A new test run should help with determining that. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I think that this is almost certainly what happened.

I'll post back after the run with new info. In the meantime, one quick question with respect to VEAL - it looks like VEAL can be run off-line from a logfile - is this correct?

And thanks for your help with this - it's appreciated!

[LT401Vette]

Yes, MLV's VE Analyze can go off the log files.

I just went for a drive with SD and the GPS did log fine. That doesn't mean there isn't some reason it doesn't under some other set of circumstances
So keep me posted.

[ErnieJones]

Yes, MLV's VE Analyze can go off the log files.

I just went for a drive with SD and the GPS did log fine. That doesn't mean there isn't some reason it doesn't under some other set of circumstances
So keep me posted.

OK, went for a ride and this time I warmed up the bike without stalling or power cycling the ECU (clean start). The ride was shorter then before but what I got was a full length datastream (much larger) with ALL info

The issue must be related to the ECU being power cycled while Shadow Dash was running. For some reason it did not start a new log file or append the data? I cant explain it better then that, other then to say that during the first warmup cycle the ECU was power-cycled and Shadow Dash was not. So something there with respect to resuming logging when the ECU goes off-line and comes back? Just a guess, but I'm very happy that I was able to record the datastream and it's already being crunched into a video with a dashboard

Keep in mind, the bike is not properly tuned. If it were, it would be much easier on Shadow Dash as there would be no power cycling or anything like that. So it's probably my unique circumstance that's resulting in abnormal 'crash testing'

With respect to off-line VE Analyze live tuning, this would be really, really handy for me. Right now the bike runs well enough to ride but it's 5c out and between huge gloves and carrying the laptop and dodging oil slicks/semi's etc - it would be way easier to just take the log file and do it off-line.

I saw the directions in the log viewer but I just can't seem to get my head around it (what else is new?). I take my latest config file, the latest log file, and then do I run them in TS or in Log viewer? Just a broad overview would help me out Being able to do an off-line auto-tune is a really, really big feature for me. It means I can more/less go for a joy ride and not have to have the netbook and still accomplish my goals from the warmth of my desk!

[ErnieJones]

I saw the directions in the log viewer but I just can't seem to get my head around it (what else is new?). I take my latest config file, the latest log file, and then do I run them in TS or in Log viewer? Just a broad overview would help me out Being able to do an off-line auto-tune is a really, really big feature for me. It means I can more/less go for a joy ride and not have to have the netbook and still accomplish my goals from the warmth of my desk!

I figured it out after some intense messing around

It seems there's two ways to use VE Analyze. You can do it live through Tuner Studio or you can do it off-line and for that you use MegaLog Viewer.
You load up the log file in Mega Log Viewer and then load in the tune file. Loading in the tune file is where all the frustration came from.
If you have collapsed the right hand pane in MegaLog Viewer you will not see the Open Tune File Button and you can spend hours trying to find it....

See attached pic

Once you expand the right hand pane the button magically appears and from that point on it's pretty self-explanatory. Run the analysis, save it to a file and then use Tuner Studio to load that file as your new tune file and send it to the ECU.

What screwed me was the understanding that Tuner Studio is used for live analysis and the log viewer is used for off-line analysis. So both software can perform the auto-tune function. If you're right hand pane is collapsed in the log viewer you will not see the button for importing the tune file and you can spend hours looking for it

Hope this helps others with the same issue!

[LT401Vette]

Keep in mind, the bike is not properly tuned. If it were, it would be much easier on Shadow Dash as there would be no power cycling or anything like that. So it's probably my unique circumstance that's resulting in abnormal 'crash testing'

Keep an eye on this. It should recover from any restarts, controller power cycles, etc. If not, it is a bug.
It is quite annoying if you are at the track and don't get a data log for 1 of the hundred reasons that can happen.