Bug: Bit Length for NMEA parameter

JZanni
Posts: 29
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:09 pm

Bug: Bit Length for NMEA parameter

Post by JZanni » Wed Nov 10, 2010 1:05 pm

The documentation page 74 states:
The bit length of the parameter in its PGN message. The length of the data is
measured in bits.
When the data length is less than 1 byte, this field must be filled. For example,
SPN 899 Engine Torque Mode has a start position of the 1st byte and 1st bit in its
PGN with 4 bits data length. As a result, Start Byte = 1, Start Bit = 1, Byte Length
= 0 and Bit Length = 4 should be inputted for this parameter.
If the data length is greater than 1 byte, users may choose to fill in the data length
in either Byte Length, Bit Length or combined. For example, SPN 190 Engine
Speed has a start position of the 4th byte in its PGN with 16 bits data length. As a
result, Start Byte = 4, Start Bit = 1, Byte Length = 0 and Bit Length = 16 may be
input for this parameter if users prefer.
I am creating a NMEA PGN. Bit filed length is 11. It would appear that you can enter any number between 0 and 9. But only one digit seems allowed contrary to the example above.
jpratt
Enovation Controls Development
Enovation Controls Development
Posts: 222
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2010 11:18 am

Re: Bug: Bit Length for NMEA parameter

Post by jpratt » Thu Nov 11, 2010 9:38 am

After chatting with people around here, it appears that this is not something we were expecting. I think the assumption was that any standard PGN's were less than 8 bits when using it as a bit field. I will log this to get corrected in a future release. For now you will probably have to manipulate the data via a script to get the desired effect.
Jake Pratt
Software Development Manager
JZanni
Posts: 29
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:09 pm

Re: Bug: Bit Length for NMEA parameter

Post by JZanni » Thu Nov 11, 2010 10:08 am

Thanks for the response. So far I was reporting data entry only. I went around by entering the length as being 1 Byte+3 bits hoping the sytem will read this as an 11 bits wide field. I am still developing and I do not know if this will work as I hope. But for NMEA bit field apprently can be as wide as they want. For example NMEA Unique Number is 21Bits. I have seen some as wide as 24 bits. So will 1Byte+3 bits work? If you think not let me know.

JM
dwills
Enovation Controls Development
Enovation Controls Development
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 8:27 am

Re: Bug: Bit Length for NMEA parameter

Post by dwills » Wed Nov 17, 2010 1:56 pm

Using a length of 1 byte + 3 bits will be seen as a bit field with a length of 3. This won't work. We don't currently have a good way of supporting this, unless you want to create 2 separate varaibles and manipulate the variables with a script to create one with a length of 11 bits. If the data rate for this message is fairly low this shouldn't be too much of a burden on the system.