5.1.3 Auto-Configuration Format

If the start byte of a Data Stream packet is 0x5F then this packet is a special Configuration packet.

Table 5-3. Configuration Packet Format
Field	Size	Values	Description
Start token	1 byte	0x5F	Start token reserved for configuration packets.
Checksum format	4 bytes	0xB4 0x00 0x86 0x4A	Specifies the checksum format to be used. Currently only LRC8 is supported.
Configuration identifier	12 bytes	Any value	Unique identifier for the configuration.
Checksum	1 byte	Checksum according to Checksum format	Currently only LRC8 checksum format is supported. This is the XOR sum of the packet excluding the start token, the checksum itself and the end token.
End token	1 byte	0xA0	Following the Data Stream format the end token is the inverse of the start token.

The identifier given in the Configuration packet is used by Data Visualizer to look-up the corresponding configuration files used to configure the Data Visualizer. Three configuration files are needed:

A .ds file defining the Data Stream. This is a normal Data Stream format file and follows the format given in Configuration Format.
A .db file defining the Dashboard. This file follows the format of the files generated when saving a Dashboard to file, see Edit Panel.
A .sc file defining the connections between the Data Stream components defined in the .ds file and the elements of the Dashboard defined in the .db file. The format is defined in Signal Connections File Format.

All three configuration files should have a name equal to the hex values of each Configuration identifier byte. As an example, a Configuration identifier of [0x12, 0x34, 0x56, 0x78, 0x9A, 0xBC, 0xDE, 0xF0, 0x12, 0x34, 0x56, 0x78] corresponds to configuration files named 123456789ABCDEF012345678.sc, 123456789ABCDEF012345678.db and 123456789ABCDEF012345678.ds.

The Data Streamer Auto-Configuration feature is available both in the DGI Control Panel for all DGI serial interfaces and in the Serial Port Control Panel for COM ports and Virtual COM ports (CDC interface)

To enable Auto-configuration the Autodetect protocols option must be enabled.

After pushing Connect the Data Visualizer will enable all interfaces while it looks for the ADP handshake message or a Data Stream Configuration packet. If an ADP handshake message is received, the Data Visualizer will request configuration information from the target application. If a Data Stream Configuration packet is found, the Data Visualizer searches through the folders in the Auto-Configuration search path looking for configuration files with names matching the detected ID.

Important: To make sure the Data Visualizer detects the Data Stream Configuration packet, it must be sent by the target at least twice per second.

Important: Asynchronous serial protocols (e.g., UART protocols used by DGI USART and CDC Virtual COM port interfaces) use the following baud rates for auto-detection:

Table 5-4. Baud Rates Used on Asynchronous Interfaces for Auto-Detection of Protocols
Baud Rate
9600
19200
38400
57600
115200
230400
500000
1000000
2000000

Using any baud rates not in the table will not work for auto-detection of protocols over asynchronous interfaces (DGI UART and Serial port/CDC Virtual COM port).

Tip: To see the current search path used by Data Visualizer to look for configuration files, check the Show Config search path option.

The search path is a semicolon separated list of paths. When Data Visualizer detects an Auto-Configuration ID, it will search through the paths in the list looking for configuration files with the correct file names.

If the Data Visualizer cannot find any valid configuration files it will show a browser dialog window asking for the path to the folder where the correct configuration files reside.

After selecting a folder, the folder will be APPENDED to the Auto-Configuration search path.

Tip: To reset the search path and select a new single folder as the search path, click the link on the Autodetect protocols option text.

Data Visualizer will then pop up a browser dialog asking for the path to the folder where the configuration files reside. The original search path will be CLEARED and the newly selected folder will be set as search path.

Important: All three configuration files must reside in the same folder.