Start/Stop logging button adds track markers??

924RACR
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Start/Stop logging button adds track markers??

Postby 924RACR » Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:10 pm

Ran my DL1/Dash 3 combo for the first time in anger this weekend at Mid-Ohio. Had a good weekend, but plenty of fighting with the system to get things working.

Most questions have been answered/issues resolved, but one odd one remains, and concerns me a little.

When trying to start or stop logging manually - a track marker is added instead!?!

This occurred both using the button on the DL1, and using a button so configured on the Dash 3.

When it happened using the DL1 button, the only thing shown on the Dash3 was the message "Track Marker added". When using the Dash3 configured button, messages shown were "Request to stop logging" followed by "request failed" or "request timeout" (can't remember with certainty which one) followed by the "track marker added" message.

So this would seem to indicate, to me, that there's a problem in the DL1, not the Dash.

If I use an external start/stop logging button, hardwired to the DL1, it worked just fine - had this config in my DSR and it seemed to be working, but not in my ITB car (which I ran this past weekend).

I also should note that this is the first time we've had this problem with confusion internally between start/stop logging and adding track markers. We've previously run the system - both in DL1 standalone config and with the Dash3 - without this issue. However that was before configuring the external start/stop hardwired button (we've moved the system between the two cars a few times). Perhaps this is related?

I'm wondering if it's necessary to somehow reset the DL1, perhaps with a fresh firmware download?

Other issues were related to autologging being unreliable, combined with the start/stop button on the DL1 not working - found an adequate, if not good, workaround for that (good would mean no workaround), and user error issues with track maps (didn't name the file correctly).

I've been playing with the system nearly all season now - almost have it functional! :?

osborni
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Postby osborni » Wed Oct 13, 2010 4:57 pm

I'm pretty sure that the "track marker added" is the system telling you that there is a valid .lap file on the CF card and that is has loaded the lap/sector markers. My system (DL1+Dash2) has never added a marker when I didn't want it too.

I've never used the auto/start stop as I use a LED lighted switch that indicates logging status. Starting the system is just part of the prep routine before going on track. Check lugs and hood, helmet on, hans connected, strap in, check mirrors, turn car on, check engine criticals, start logger, check brakes on drive to hot pit, etc.
BMW 2000 M Coupe

924RACR
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Postby 924RACR » Wed Oct 13, 2010 5:57 pm

osborni wrote:I'm pretty sure that the "track marker added" is the system telling you that there is a valid .lap file on the CF card and that is has loaded the lap/sector markers. My system (DL1+Dash2) has never added a marker when I didn't want it too.


I'd love to hear confirmation on that...

osborni wrote:I've never used the auto/start stop as I use a LED lighted switch that indicates logging status. Starting the system is just part of the prep routine before going on track. Check lugs and hood, helmet on, hans connected, strap in, check mirrors, turn car on, check engine criticals, start logger, check brakes on drive to hot pit, etc.


That would by far be my preference, except for item #1! In my case, the filename was too long, and it should not have been used...?

osborni
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Postby osborni » Wed Oct 13, 2010 8:57 pm

My understanding is that if the filename isn't 8.3 format, then it won't be used.

Not sure why you are getting extra markers - do you or do you just get the dash message?
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924RACR
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Postby 924RACR » Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:53 pm

I seem to just get the dash message, but couldn't be certain - didn't have time to mess with it, and was very very busy on-track. :lol:

When I had the start-stop working before, I didn't have any .lap track file on the card at all - further confirmation that it was tied to a bad track filename.

Definitely will have the track filename sorted correctly before I head back out...

osborni
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Postby osborni » Thu Oct 14, 2010 2:29 pm

I haven't *really* tracked it, but it seams that sometimes I do and sometimes I don't get the "new markers added" message. 99 out of 100 times I get sector/lap data. Every once in a while I need to do a re-boot of the DL1 or the Dash2 to get everything working properly. IIRC, there isn't serial error correction to ensure the update rates are appropriate. The best thing I did was pull the serial message rate to the dash back to 5 hz for just about everything and turn off the channels that are not used.
BMW 2000 M Coupe

924RACR
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Postby 924RACR » Thu Oct 14, 2010 4:26 pm

Good call on that; mine's still on defaults, everything on and full-speed. Been wondering about that...

osborni
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Postby osborni » Thu Oct 14, 2010 5:59 pm

The dash firmware (at least for the Dash2) is more stable then it was ~2 years ago. With the newer firmware and reducing the data load on the serial bus makes the unit much more reliable. Out of ~35 or so track sessions this year I think I had the Dash2 fritz out once. A quick power cycle and it's all better. I think I had ~2-3 sessions where the lap markers didn't load right. That takes a DL1 re-boot so I just suck it up for one session. The data is OK though.
BMW 2000 M Coupe

DarkGift
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Postby DarkGift » Mon Oct 18, 2010 8:16 pm

924RACR wrote:
osborni wrote:I'm pretty sure that the "track marker added" is the system telling you that there is a valid .lap file on the CF card and that is has loaded the lap/sector markers. My system (DL1+Dash2) has never added a marker when I didn't want it too.


I'd love to hear confirmation on that...


My DL1Mk2+Dash3 will always show that it is loading track markers when you start a logging session (assuming a .lap file). This should be the Dash3 telling you that it found and is loading the .lap file as has been stated.

924RACR
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Postby 924RACR » Fri Oct 22, 2010 11:55 am

One small update on this; I've been playing with it more on the street, commuting. Confirmed that the Dash3 does display the "track marker added" message apparently when loading a .map file. Good to understand, though it's a shame it can't actually bother to display an appropriate message... :oops:

924RACR
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Postby 924RACR » Mon Nov 01, 2010 12:11 pm

Had more time to play with this last week, during a proper on-track session (or ten).

I just can't get the auto start/stop functions to work effectively, or even work well with the manual start/stop. I've come to the conclusion that this was my original problem; when I'd attempt to start or stop logging, the autostart config would interfere and either start logging immediately again, or prevent logging from stopping (couldn't tell). Of course, since it'd start logging right away, and there was a track marker file loaded, the message "track marker added" would immediately be displayed.

So the solutions have been multiple. #1, disable any auto start/stop settings.

#2, still playing about with track marker files. I've defintely found that it's preferable to set up markers in the analysis program vs. while on-track, as the default marker "gate" width isn't always wide enough (for example, to cover both a track and a pit lane).

Finally, though I don't believe this was a consideration previously, this past week we were working out of a garage, in an area with apparently poor satellite signal, and at times had to wait quite some time for a GPS lock. This also impacted the effectiveness of loading the track map (if we tried logging before full GPS lock).

Going back again, and this time will try to play more with more sectors and predictive lap timing; have 3 days to figure it out, and should be able to.


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