Raw Capture

The Raw Capture block displays a real-time list of every CAN message (or error message) that is received by its input port. Aside from showing all the relevant information, if an incoming packet is defined in the current CAN database, the packet will be highlighted using the assigned color-code. The block also provides "live" text filtering based on all displayed columns, advanced hierarchical column sorting, locked/unlocked automatic scrolling, exporting to excel for post-analysis, full integration with the active CAN database, an advanced details view for each packet, and the ability to display all relevant fields in either decimal or hexadecimal.

The live packet list is the most fundamental feature of any network bus analysis tool, so naturally a large amount of effort has gone into CANCapture to ensure that it's raw capture packet display has been well-developed.

  • The most unique and popular feature of the Capture block is its ability to display unique colors for each message definition. The colored packet list reveals a surprising amount of information regarding the presence (or absence) of certain packets; it can help visually confirm message timing and otherwise makes locating certain packet IDs much easier than the traditional black-and-white message dump.
  • The live-scrolling feature of the list has been implemented with an emphasis on speed and efficiency so that even on the most heavily loaded CAN buses scrolling is smooth and a "red diagnostic message" or that "green throttle position packet" can be easily spotted.
  • The filter textbox allows a live search to be performed on all data and columns in the list. If you only want to see packets with a certain ID or datalength, just type the value in the filter box and all other messages will be hidden - when you're done, just clear the filter box and they will all be back. The filter can even be changed while a capture is "live."
  • All packets received by the CAN bus are hardware timestamped with microsecond precision.
  • J1939 multipacket and NMEA-2000 Fast Packet messages are seamlessly supported by the capture list; after the final packet of the J1939 connection management session is received, a virtual multipacket message will be received as well (unless its disabled in the ECOM block). It is displayed in the list just like any other packet except that the datalength will be greater than eight; all variables (ASCII included) inside the message can be viewed as well.
  • Choose from a list of columns for every data field in a CAN packet. All J1939 fields (priority, source address, PDU-F, PDU-S, data-page bit, and reserved bit) are also available.
  • Export the entire list to Microsoft Excel's comma-sepearated-value (CSV) format for post-analysis - start and stop the export at anytime.
  • Define and jump to packets in the CAN database at anytime, even while a capture is "live." Add a color to a definition and all the packets will be revealed immediately as well.
  • A detailed view panel is available to display even more information about each packet including the instantaneous value and details for every defined variable.