DataBlockProperties

To display the DataBlock Properties dialog, right-click on the plot area of a Signal and select DataBlock->Properties.  See Manipulating DataBlocks.

The first property of a DataBlock is its name. You can use the default name or enter a new name here. The rest of the properties are categorized into four tabs. These are described below:

hmtoggle_plus1General Tab

•Description - A field to allow you to describe the purpose of the DataBlock

•Duration - This is the time duration of the DataBlock.
hmtoggle_plus1Data Source Tab

Initially you provide information about how a Signal changes over time by using the mouse to represent graphically how the Signal changes over time.  This information is stored in the XML TestCase file in the form of a sequence of Transitions.  The data may also be imported into the TestCase.  It is still stored in the TestCase file.  Apart from a sequence of Transitions, there are a couple of other ways that the data may be captured in the XML file.  These are:

•Signal Generator - You can use a Signal Generator to create a waveform. Currently, Sine, Random, PWM, and Sawtooth waveforms are supported.  In this case, the XML TestCase file stores only the parameters needed by the Signal Generator.

•External Data Source - The XML TestCase file references an External Data File (CSV format).  The CSV file stores the information about how Signals change over time.  It is not imported permanently into the TestCase, but is loaded when the TestCase is loaded.
hmtoggle_plus1Pass/Fail Criteria Tab

The following DataBlock properties apply only to output Signals. For more information, see Pass/Fail Judgment Overview.

To enable or disable Pass/Fail checking for multiple Signals,  you must use the context menu.

DataBlocks_EnableTab

Check DataBlock Body - Use this property to configure whether Results Checking (Pass/Fail Judgment) is On or Off during the range of this DataBlock. When Results Checking is Off, the DataBlock is shown in gray.

Five DataBlocks. Resutls Checking is disabled for DataBlocks 2 and 4.

Five DataBlocks. Resutls Checking is disabled for DataBlocks 2 and 4.

 

Check InVal -This property is necessary to help fully define the shape of the tolerance envelope at the beginning of a DataBlock. It is only needed if there is an expected transition at T=0 in the DataBlock. (It often simpler to adjust DataBlock boundaries so there are no expected transitions at T=0).

When there is an expected transition at T = 0, you need to specify:

•The expected value after that transition. This is done as usual with the T=0 transition.

•The expected value prior to the transition, also at T=0. To do this, set InVal to that prior value.

The InVal property is set in the DataBlock Pass/Fail properties as shown above. Just switch on Check InVal and set Expected Initial Value to the value prior to the T=0 transition.

In the example below, for the second DataBlock, InVal is set to 4 and the transition at T=0 (TestCase=3s) is set to 1.

A transition at the beginning of the second DataBlock

A transition at the beginning of the second DataBlock

 

InVal is used to 'shape' the tolerance band at the start of a DataBlock. Consider the two cases below in which we have a DataBlock where a transition at T=0 sets the expected value to 600.

Case 1: In this image, we see the tolerance band calculated if we have no knowledge of where the Signal came from. We just want it to have a value of 600 at T=0 (+/- some tolerance). Check InVal is Off.

InVal1

Case 2: In this case, we set Check InVal to On and specified that the Signal transitions from a value of 300 (the Expected Initial Value) to 600 (the expected transition) at T=0. The red dots show an acceptable sequence of measured Signal values.

InVal2

The tolerance band is quite different and the purpose of Check InVal is apparent. This situation occurs only when:

•The DataBlock has an expected transition at T = 0.

•The Signal changes in a step fashion as opposed to a gradual change.

•We have non-zero time tolerances (in general only for testing in HIL environments).

Because it is an uncommon situation and because it complicates the creation and maintenance of tests, especially with multiple DataBlocks, the default is for Check InVal to be Off.

Message Signals

For message Signals, other options are available.

Check Transition Periodicity - This is used to test periodic signals. When this button is selected, each transition must be no more than the specified Period Maximum after the previous transition or the test fails. If the button is not selected, the Period Maximum is ignored. See Periodic Signals.

DataBlocks-Message

If you select Verify Value and Time of Transitions, the Message Order tab is displayed. If Ignore Message Order is checked, the order of the actual messages does not have to match the order of the expected messages to pass.

DataBlocks_MessageOrder

 

By default, time tolerances in a DataBlock are inherited from the Signal Properties. They can be overridden on this tab. For more information, see Tolerances.

DataBlocks_TransitionTimes

Note: For continuous signals, these values are ignored if the discrete pass/fail algorithm is selected.

Test Window - Choose whether the time pass/fail measurements are made relative to the start of the TestCase or relative to the previous transition (for Signals that use the discrete pass/fail algorithm). If you select Relative, you may also wish to set a Transition Count tolerance on the next tab.

DataBlocks_TransitionCount

Click the Transition Count tab to set the Negative and Positive Tolerances. For the test to pass, the actual number of transitions must be greater than or equal to the number of expected transitions minus the negative tolerance or less than or equal to the number of expected transitions plus the positive tolerance (for a discrete response Signal). This may be necessary if the Transition Times tolerances allow a variance in the number of Transitions over the length of the DataBlock.

DataBlocks-SignalValue

Click the Signal Value tab to override the default negative and positive Value Tolerances. You can also define a Custom Tolerance.

hmtoggle_plus1Triggers Tab

Triggers are used to cause a change in the execution path of a sequence of tests, or for setting up relative time pass/fail criteria.

A DataBlock can have zero or more Triggers defined.  Select the Triggers tab to define or edit Triggers. See Creating a Trigger.

•A Trigger should be named.  It is useful for maintenance purposes.  Optionally a description can be provided.

•Trigger Condition - This governs when a Trigger will fire. For more details, see Creating a Trigger–Trigger Condition.

oChange - A Trigger can fire on a particular transition. For example, a Trigger could fire when the second Message transition is received.

oThreshold - A Trigger can fire when a Signal Value threshold is crossed.  For example, a Trigger could fire if the Temperature exceeds 30 deg.

oFailure - A Trigger can fire when a failure is detected.

•Trigger Action - This governs what action is taken when a Trigger Fires

oNone - No action is taken.  This is useful however for Relative Time Pass/Fail criteria (set up in a TestCase).  Measurements are made between the time of two Trigger events.

oSet TestCase Complete - This causes the TestCase to terminate immediately, but the Scenario  continues.  This is useful when you want to wait in a TestCase until a condition is met.  You could configure a test to advance to the next TestCase once the temperature is reached, or fail if the temperature is not reached before the end of the TestCase

oSet Scenario Complete - This causes the Scenario to terminate immediately.  It is usually used if some unsafe condition is encountered, for example if a current exceeds a limit.

For more information, see Creating a Trigger.

 

Related Topics:

Creating a Trigger (example)

Merging DataBlocks

Ranges

Signal Generator

External Data Source

Pass/Fail Judgment Overview