Thursday, June 4, 2026

Creating a Project in vTESTstudio - Step by Step

 


Contents

1    Overview
2    Create a Project
3    Configure the Project Environment
4    Create a Test Unit
5    Create a Test Table
6    Create a Test Case
7    Build a Test Unit
8    Configure a Test Unit in CANoe

1    Overview

This article describes how to create a test unit with vTESTstudio and how to integrate it into CANoe. It shows all necessary steps from creating a vTESTstudio project to carrying it out in CANoe and it will be the best entry into vTESTstudio area for beginners. The final example project can be downloaded from here: Creating_a_Project_in_vTESTstudio.zip

2    Create a Project

  1. Open vTESTstudio.
  2. Click New Project in the File menu. The New Project dialog appears.
    Screenshot 1
  3. Select a folder, enter a name and click Save. The new project will be created.
    Screenshot 2

3    Configure the Project Environment

The System Environment defines the environment in which the test units will be later executed. This environment must either correspond directly with the System Environment of the CANoe configuration or at least to those parts used in the test. Referenced files are not added automatically to the CANoe configuration when configuring a test unit in CANoe. The System Environment can be created automatically from an existing CANoe configuration while CANoe is running. Click the Import button to import the System Environment from an open CANoe instance.

This example uses the CANoe configuration vTESTstudioProject.cfg which is contained in the ZIP archive Creating_a_Project_in_vTESTstudio.zip.

  1. Start the CANoe configuration in which you want to use the test units from your vTESTstudio project.
  2. Open in vTESTstudio the project configuration under Home | Configuration.
    Screenshot 3

  3. Select the System Environment tab.
  4. Click Import to be able to import the CANoe environment. It contains references to Databases, System Variables and Diagnostics description files.
    Screenshot 4

  5. Select the Build tab. Choose with ... the output path in which the test units shall be created.
    Screenshot 5

  6. There are 4 methods to publish the System Environment:
    • Click Apply & Close
    • or click File | Save Project File
    • or click Publish Symbols of All Files (in Ribbon under Build)
    • or press <F5>. 

The System Environment is now active.

Note: It is alternatively possible to...

  • ...use the configuration from a venvironment.yaml file (see step 4). This alternative is often convenient when working with CANoe Server Editions, 
  • ... load the references to Databases, System Variables and Diagnostics description files manually by clicking Add / Add Network (see step 4) without opening the CANoe configuration.

4    Create a Test Unit

  1. Open the Project View (Layout | Views | Project View) if not already open.
  2. Right-click on the created project e.g. vTESTstudio_Project.
  3. Select New Test Unit from the context menu of the created project.
    Screenshot 6

    In the Project View window a subfolder appears.
    Screenshot 7

  4. Type in a test unit name and press <Enter>.

The new test unit is created then.

5    Create a Test Table

  1. Open the Project View.
  2. Right-click on the created test unit e.g. TestUnit1.
  3. Select Add | Test Table from the context menu of the created project.
    Screenshot 8

    In the Project View a subfolder appears.
    Screenshot 9

  4. Type in a Test Table name and <Enter>.

The new Test Table is created now. A Test Table tab opens automatically.

6    Create a Test Case

  1. Make sure that the Test Table is still open.
  2. Select the new Test Table tab e.g. TestTable_Example.vtt.
  3. Click on Command… and type test. The autocomplete input assistance opens.
    Screenshot 10

  4. Select Test Case and press <Enter>. The Test Case appears in the Test Tree.
  5. Select Test Case name (e.g. TestCase1) and other general Test Case settings according to your requirements.
    Screenshot 11

The implementation of the Test Case follows in the next steps.

Test scenario: When the signal Velocity has a value of 100, the signal LockState has to have a value of 1. The test should set the signal Velocity to the value of 100 and check that the signal LockState is set to a value of 1 within 200 ms.

Test implementation: In this example the State Change command is used to implement this scenario. This command contains a Set – Wait – Check sequence.

  1. Make sure that the Test Table is still open.
  2. Select the new Test Table tab e.g. TestTable_Example.vtt.
  3. Click on Command… and type state. The autocomplete function of vTESTstudio opens a context menu.
  4. Double click State Change.
    Screenshot 12

  5. Click on State Change.
  6. In the Set line click Symbol… and type velocity.
    Screenshot 13

    The autocomplete function of vTESTstudio opens a context menu and shows suitable signals of the database (the available signals depend on the database imported under chapter 3. Configuration).
  7. Select Velocity.
  8. In the Set line, enter a value of 100.
  9. In the Wait line, enter a value higher than 100, e.g. 200 because the cycle time of this message is 100 ms in the database.
  10. In the Check line click Symbol… and type LockState. The autocomplete function of vTESTstudio opens a context menu and shows suitable signals of the database.
  11. Select LockState
  12. In the Check line, enter a value of 1

To see all available commands, go to menu Test Table | Test Commands. Please note that the Test Commands window might be docked at any side of the screen or floating outside of vTESTstudio.

Screenshot 14

7    Build a Test Unit

Test units have to be compiled, before they can be used in CANoe.

In vTESTstudio select Home | Build All Test Units from the context menu or press <F6>.

Screenshot 15

An executable test unit with file format VTUEXE is now generated in the folder which was defined in Project | Configuration… | Build (see Chapter 3, step 5).

Screenshot 16

The Output window shows the results of the built test unit. Errors or warnings are displayed here if the build was not successful.

Screenshot 17

8    Configure a Test Unit in CANoe

  1. Open the CANoe configuration from which the System Environment was imported to vTESTstudio.
  2. Select Test | Test Setup | Test Configurations. A new window Test Configurations for test units opens now.
  3. Click Add Test Configuration icon.
    Screenshot 18

    Enter a descriptive name. Confirm with <Enter>.
    Screenshot 19

    A new Test Configuration dialog opens.
  4. Select the Add Test Unit icon in the test configuration window.
    Screenshot 20

    A new window opens
    Screenshot 21

  5. Select the executable test unit according to the output path of the vTESTstudio (see Chapter 3, step 5).
  6. Start the CANoe measurement (with <F9>). Click the Start icon to start the test. The test is executed.
    Screenshot 22

  7. When the test execution is finished, click the Open Test Report icon to view the resulting test report.
    Screenshot 23

    Screenshot 24, Test Report

 

 

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Tuesday, February 24, 2026

ECU Diagnostic DSPACE Control desk--ODX/CDD file

 

ECU Diagnostics Demo

Opening demo projects

For instructions on opening demo projects, refer to Copying and opening a demo project.

Description of the demo project

The DiagDemo project lets you perform the following tasks even without a real ECU connected to your host PC:

Required products and modules

Working with this demo requires:

  • ControlDesk

Demo setup

The DiagDemo project contains the ECU Diagnostics (MCD-3D v2.0.2) experiment, which contains the following devices:

  • ECU Diagnostics (MCD-3D v2.0.2) device

    The device is preconfigured to access the CalDemo ECU via CAN using a virtual CAN channel. ControlDesk starts the CalDemo ECU automatically when you open the DiagDemo project. For instructions on starting the CalDemo ECU manually, for example, if you closed it unintentionally, refer to Starting the CalDemo ECU.

    ControlDesk automatically loads a demo ODX database to the device when you open the DiagDemo project. A variable description based on the ODX database is added to the device so you can perform measurement and calibration of diagnostic variables via the ECU Diagnostics device.

  • CAN Bus Monitoring device

    The device is preconfigured to monitor CAN communication between ControlDesk and the CalDemo ECU.

The illustration below shows the demo setup in ControlDesk's Project pane:

Demo layouts

The ECU Diagnostics (MCD-3D v2.0.2) experiment contains the following layouts:

Executing diagnostic jobs

You can execute jobs with the Diagnostics Instrument. For example, you can execute the UDS Demo Security Access Job diagnostic job to enable security access, which is required to perform parameter changes on the CalDemo ECU via the ECU Diagnostics device.

Tip

The job is executed for demonstration purposes only. Normally, you do not have to execute it manually. ControlDesk executes it automatically when you start online calibration since this is necessary for write operations and access to protected areas.

To get security access by executing a diagnostic job, perform the following steps:

  1. On the Home ribbon, click Status Control – Go Online to start online calibration. ControlDesk connects to the CalDemo ECU. You are now directly accessing the hardware.

  2. In the Diagnostics Instrument on the diagnostics layout, select UDS Demo Security Access Job and click Execute.

The job performs the following steps:

  1. It executes the DiagnosticSessionControl service and changes to the programmingSession.

  2. It executes the SecurityAccessRequestSeed service to request the seed value from the CalDemo ECU.

  3. It executes the SecurityAccessSendKey service to send the key to the CalDemo ECU.

Configuring and executing diagnostic services

You can configure and execute services with the Diagnostics Instrument. For example, you can execute the WriteDataByIdentifier service to configure the current gear value.

To configure the gear value by executing a service, perform the following steps:

  1. On the Home ribbon, click Status Control – Go Online to start online calibration. ControlDesk connects to the CalDemo ECU. You are now directly accessing the hardware.

  2. In the Diagnostics Instrument on the diagnostics layout, select the WriteDataByIdentifier service.

  3. Select DemoCarEngineData as the DataIdentifier.

  4. Specify 0x4 as the CurrentGear value.

  5. Click Execute to execute the WriteDataByIdentifier service.

    The Time Plotter on the diagnostic variables layout displays the gear change:

Measuring and calibrating variables via the ECU Diagnostics device

You can measure and calibrate diagnostics variables via the ECU Diagnostics device in connection with ControlDesk's standard instruments. Measurement and calibration via the ECU Diagnostics device uses diagnostic services available from the ODX database. When you calibrate a parameter value, for example, you implicitly configure and execute the service related to that parameter.

ControlDesk's Variables pane shows all the available diagnostics variables:

Perform the following steps:

  1. On the Home ribbon, click Status Control – Start Measuring to start measuring.

    The Time Plotter on the diagnostics variables layout displays various variables that originate from the ECU Diagnostics device.

  2. Use, for example, the Climate Control Multiswitch on the diagnostics variables layout to change the Desired Temperature parameter value.

    You can observe the effect of the changed parameter value in the Time Plotter.

Measuring diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs)

The demo provides DTC measurement variables generated from the device's ODX database. DTC measurement variables make diagnostic trouble codes visible in ControlDesk instruments other than the Fault Memory and the Diagnostics Instrument.

ControlDesk's Variables pane shows all the available DTC measurement variables in the <Diagnostic Trouble Codes> node:

To change the current DTC states (set and clear DTCs) for DTC measurements, perform the following steps:

  1. On the Home ribbon, click Status Control – Start Measuring to start measuring.

    The instruments on the diagnostic trouble codes layout display various DTC measurement variables.

  2. Clear the checkboxes next to 0x1CC, 0x145 and 0x78.

    This deactivates the occurrence of the selected DTCs, i.e., sets the DTC states to 0.

  3. Click  next to the three DTCs.

    This clears the DTCs:

    Note

    When you clear a DTC without having deactivated its occurrence, the DTC reoccurs immediately after you clear it.

Tip

The Fault Memory Instrument on the diagnostic trouble codes layout also displays when DTCs occurred. If you specify an Update Rate [s] value in the instrument, this information is updated cyclically.

Monitoring CAN communication

Via ControlDesk's Bus Navigator, you can monitor CAN communication using the CAN Bus Monitoring device. The CAN Monitor monitoring list displays the raw data of the monitored CAN communication:

The monitored CAN messages originate from communication between the ECU Diagnostics device and the CalDemo ECU:

  • CAN messages with the 0x001 ID are requests from the ECU Diagnostics device.

  • CAN messages with the 0x002 ID are responses from the CalDemo ECU

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Creating a Project in vTESTstudio - Step by Step

  Contents 1    Overview 2    Create a Project 3    Configure the Project Environment 4    Create a Test Unit 5    Create a Test Table 6    ...