Creating msq from scratch

[racingmini_mtl]

Phil,

A reply from James on another thread prompted my to write this.

It has been possible with MT and seems to be possible also with TS from my quick testing to create an msq file from a new empty setup. If this file is then loaded to an MS a whole lot of problems will be created by the numerous non-initialized fields which default to 0.

It should not be possible to create an msq from scratch. Unless I'm missing something, there is absolutely no reason that this should be possible. It should either be started from an existing msq file or from the content of an MS. That may create some issues from users who just want to try the software but it will save a lot of headaches for people helping out supporting new users.

Jean

[Peter Florance]

Phil,

A reply from James on another thread prompted my to write this.

It has been possible with MT and seems to be possible also with TS from my quick testing to create an msq file from a new empty setup. If this file is then loaded to an MS a whole lot of problems will be created by the numerous non-initialized fields which default to 0.

It should not be possible to create an msq from scratch. Unless I'm missing something, there is absolutely no reason that this should be possible. It should either be started from an existing msq file or from the content of an MS. That may create some issues from users who just want to try the software but it will save a lot of headaches for people helping out supporting new users.

Jean

Like a hidden variable that is only populated in the default msq. If it's not correct, tuning software gives warning?

[racingmini_mtl]

Or simply that unless an MS is connected or you have loaded up an existing msq, turn off the editing menus.

[Peter Florance]

Or simply that unless an MS is connected or you have loaded up an existing msq, turn off the editing menus.

I guess what I was thinking was that hidden variable would be saved the first time MT or TS was connected to MS. Then any MSQ that was opened would have the value in the hidden variable. Because right now, I don't think MT knows the difference between real and blank MSQ.

[LT401Vette]

I think this makes sense. I have seen quite a few support issues where the root cause came back to the user trying to create a new msq from scratch. While this is theoretically doable... I can't help but to feel bad for the time they wasted, then inevitably something is missed or fat fingered.

TunerStudio keeps a local representation of what is in the controller, when you first open a project and have not changed anything it is just a 2 dimension array mem[page][pageSize] that is all 0's. It is tracked as uninitialized in this state.

I'm thinking like Jean suggested. Until the memory is initialized all tuning menu's would be disabled and perhaps make a load msq more apparent. If a connection is made, that will naturally initialize the memory with what is actually on the controller.

[racingmini_mtl]

I don't think there is a need for the software to know that an msq is real or blank. If you can't create an msq without either being connected or starting from an existing msq then there is no issue. Of course if you start from an existing blank msq, you're screwed but if the software won't allow you to create such an msq, the new users won't have this issue.

Jean

[msoultan]

This is similar to an issue I mentioned earlier regarding the priming pw. After uploading the MS2/Extra firmware it powers up the MS and injects a priming pulse. Until you get to the point to actually change that setting, every time you turn the unit on and off (or retry the firmware upload), you're injecting priming pulses. I've flooded my engine specifically because of this. I would guess that there are newbies that don't know what's going on, reload their firmware over and over because they get some kinda error, and flood their engine in the process. Then when they finally get the firmware loaded correctly they can't start the car and think there's another problem and get all frustrated. I believe that if a "default tune" is to be distributed, it should be distributed in the release in it's own folder called "default tune" and the code should be bare-bones and zero'd out.

[jsmcortina]

MS1/Extra always shipped with a default.msq . We've not done this for MS2/Extra.

I think though that TS should know if the user has "started blank" or is safe i.e. if
a. they are connected to MS then it is safe to assume "we are live"
or b. they load an existing tune.

Otherwise, how about on the first time they try to change anything, come up with a big warning like
"Caution! You have not loaded any default settings, do not start tuning your engine like this as it will create all manner of problems.

If you are just experimenting with the software then it is safe to continue, otherwise please load a tune or connect to your Megasquirt now.

Continue / Abort"

Also do not permit saving any data created this way.

I like the idea of being able to trial the software without loading any data, but stopping the "blank MSQ" will help many users from making that mistake, so this safety feature in some form gets a big thumbs up from me.

James

[racingmini_mtl]

I like this idea of being able to try the software without loading data and not being able to save this. So if this is possible I would add to the warning the fact that it will not be possible to save the data entered.

Jean

[LT401Vette]

Good idea James... That is the the one thing I didn't like about locking it down.