---
title: "Automotive reference and troubleshooting"
---

# Automotive reference and troubleshooting

Settings, interfaces, vendor tools, file formats and the other capabilities of the Automotive module with their verification state, plus fixes for common problems.

## Settings

Under **Neural Inverse Automotive** in Settings. They are inert in a workspace without automotive work. Library, interpreter and tool paths are machine scoped.

| Setting | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| `neuralInverse.automotive.vectorLibraryPath` | empty | Vector XL Driver Library (`vxlapi64.dll` or its folder) |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.pcanLibraryPath` | empty | PEAK PCAN-Basic (`PCANBasic.dll`, `libpcanbasic.so` or its folder) |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.kvaserLibraryPath` | empty | Kvaser CANlib (`canlib32.dll`, `libcanlib.so` or its folder) |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.plinLibraryPath` | empty | PEAK PLIN-API (`PLinApi.dll`, Windows only) |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.kvaserLinLibraryPath` | empty | Kvaser LINlib (`linlib.dll`, `liblinlib.so`) |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.dpduRootFile` | empty | The MVCI root description file listing the D-PDU APIs of installed VCIs |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.pythonPath` | empty | Python with python-can; empty uses `python3`, then `python` |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.arxmlSchemaFolders` | `[]` | Folders with the AUTOSAR XML schemas |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.busMonitor.recordingFolder` | empty | Where **Start CAN Recording** writes, named by date and time. Empty asks for a file each time |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.busMonitor.graphicsRetentionSeconds` | `600` | Seconds of samples the CAN Graphics and State Tracker views keep |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.dumpcapPath` | empty | Wireshark's `dumpcap` for live Ethernet capture |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.someip.localAddress` | empty | IPv4 address of the adapter the SOME/IP node uses. Empty asks when the node starts |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.someip.sdMulticastAddress` | `224.244.224.245` | SOME/IP-SD multicast address |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.someip.sdPort` | `30490` | SOME/IP-SD port |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.someip.clientId` | `0x4E49` | Client ID of the node's requests |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.someip.ttl` | `3` | TTL in seconds of offers, finds and subscriptions |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.someip.cyclicOfferDelay` | `1000` | Milliseconds between offers in the main phase |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.someip.repetitionsMax` | `3` | Repeated offers before the main phase |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.someip.repetitionsBaseDelay` | `10` | Milliseconds before the first repeated offer |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.someip.requestTimeout` | `2000` | Milliseconds a method call waits for its response |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.dlt.ports` | `[3490, 3491]` | TCP and UDP ports the Ethernet trace reads DLT on |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.dlt.descriptionFiles` | `[]` | FIBEX or ARXML files describing non-verbose DLT messages |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.dlt.utcTime` | `false` | Show DLT receive times in UTC |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.canoeToolsPath` | empty | CANoe4SW Server Edition's command-line tools |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.reportViewerCliPath` | empty | Vector's `ReportViewerCli` |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.canoeArchitecture` | empty | The architecture `environment-make` builds for (`-A`) |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.davinciCliPath` | empty | DaVinci Configurator Classic's `dvcfg-b` (or `dvcfg`) |
| `neuralInverse.automotive.bswPackagePath` | empty | The BSW package (MICROSAR SIP) folder for `dvcfg-b -b` |

## CAN and LIN interfaces

| Interface | Path | State |
|---|---|---|
| Vector CAN interfaces and Virtual CAN Bus | Vector XL Driver Library, helper process | Kit shipped; not run against the library |
| PEAK CAN interfaces | PCAN-Basic, helper process | Kit shipped; not run against the library |
| Kvaser CAN interfaces and virtual channels | CANlib, helper process | Kit shipped; not run against the library |
| IXXAT, SocketCAN, gs_usb and other python-can interfaces | python-can 4.0 or later, separate process | Verified on python-can 4.6.1's virtual and udp_multicast interfaces; no physical adapter, no SocketCAN |
| slcan (Lawicel, CANable) | Serial port | Modelled |
| Virtual CAN bus | The Editor's bus host | Verified across processes |
| Vector, PEAK, Kvaser LIN | XL Driver Library, PLIN-API, LINlib | Kit shipped |
| Virtual LIN bus | The Editor's bus host | Modelled |
| VCIs through the D-PDU API (ISO 22900-2) | Your VCI vendor's D-PDU API | Modelled against a test library; kit shipped |

## Vendor tools

| Tool | What the module does | State |
|---|---|---|
| CANoe4SW Server Edition | Build environments (`environment-make`), build and run test units (`test-unit-make`, `canoe4sw-se`), read reports through `ReportViewerCli` | Kit shipped; not run against CANoe |
| CANoe projects (`venvironment.yaml`, test units, `.vsysvar`, CAPL) | Read; CAPL as a language with navigation, completion and checks | Readers verified on Vector's published files; no customer project. `.cfg` files are listed, not read; desktop CANoe is on [What's next](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/whats-next/) |
| DaVinci Configurator Classic (`dvcfg-b`) | Validate DaVinci Project, Generate BSW and RTE, Update DaVinci Project from New Extract | Kit shipped; not run against DaVinci |
| CANdb++, CANalyzer, CANape, INCA, PCAN-View, PCAN-Explorer, vFlash | Files written for them | None has opened a file written here |

## File formats

| Format | Read | Written | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| DBC | Yes | Minimal edits in CANdb++'s formatting; new from templates | Reading verified; writing modelled |
| LDF (LIN 1.3 to 2.2) | Yes | Text only | Modelled |
| ARXML (AUTOSAR 3 and 4, up to R23-11) | Yes; CAN, J1939, LIN, FlexRay clusters | Text only; CAN channel saved as DBC | Verified on vendor samples (3 frames) |
| A2L | Yes | Address and type updates from the build | Verified against XCPlite and a2lfile |
| ODX, PDX | Yes | No | Verified on vendor examples against odxtools |
| CDD (CANdelaStudio) | Yes | No | Modelled |
| ODX-F flash containers | Yes | No | Modelled |
| Vector ASC | Yes | Yes | Reading verified; writing modelled |
| BLF, MF4 bus logging | Through python-can and asammdf | Through python-can and asammdf | Reading verified; writing modelled |
| PEAK TRC 1.0 to 2.1 | Yes | Yes, every version | Reading checked against PEAK's document; writing modelled |
| candump logs | Yes | Yes | Modelled |
| MF4 measurements | Yes, own reader | Yes, own writer | Verified against asammdf and mdflib |
| DCM 2.x, CDF 2.0 data sets | Yes | Yes | Modelled |
| Intel HEX, S-record, binary images | Yes | Calibrated images | Read by GNU objcopy |
| pcap, pcapng | Yes | Live capture saved | Modelled |
| Communication matrix (xlsx, CSV) | CSV import | Yes | Verified on vendor samples |
| `.flashjob.json`, `.eol.json`, `.lintrace`, `*.panel.json`, `.vscode/automotive-ecus.json` | Yes | Yes | The module's own formats |
| ReqIF 1.2 | Yes, beside CANoe test units | No | Reading verified on public files |
| PEAK `.sym`, FIBEX for FlexRay, CANape `.cna`, INCA workspaces, CANoe `.cfg` | No | No | Not read |

## Other capabilities

| Capability | State | Page |
|---|---|---|
| SAE J1939 networks: PGN decoding, transport protocols, address claims, DM1 and DM2 | Decoding verified on CSS Electronics logs; transport protocol modelled | [J1939 networks](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/j1939/) |
| AUTOSAR E2E (profiles 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 22) and SecOC with CMAC/AES-128 | Modelled | [E2E and SecOC](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/e2e-and-secoc/) |
| SOME/IP messages, service discovery, client and simulated services | Modelled | [Automotive Ethernet and SOME/IP](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/ethernet/) |
| Panels (`*.panel.json`) bound to the bus, simulation, XCP and test units | Modelled | [Panels](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/panels/) |
| Test variants and parameter sets for CANoe test units | Kit shipped | [CANoe projects and CAPL](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/canoe/) |
| Requirements traceability from ReqIF | ReqIF reading verified; kit shipped | [Requirements coverage](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/requirements/) |
| BSW configuration (ECUC values and definitions) | ECUC reading verified against autosar-data on public files; `dvcfg-b` kit shipped | [BSW configuration](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/bsw-configuration/) |
| Software components editor | Verified on public ARXML against autosar-data; not run against DaVinci Developer or ISOLAR-A | [Software components](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/software-components/) |
| Test design: test tables and sequences | Modelled; compiled CANoe4SW units validated against Vector's schemas, not run in CANoe | [Test design](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/test-design/) |
| FlexRay clusters and traces | Verified against autosar-data and cantools on written descriptions; no live FlexRay bus | [FlexRay](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/flexray/) |
| Adaptive AUTOSAR manifests | Verified against autosar-data on public files; not run against DaVinci Configurator Adaptive or ISOLAR-AB | [Adaptive manifests](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/adaptive-manifests/) |

The vendor's change management and the import of vendor keymaps, layouts and settings are on [What's next](https://neuralinverse.com/docs/modules/automotive/whats-next/); today the module binds only Ctrl+Alt+J and Ctrl+Alt+H, and offers Git with the DBC compare.

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom | What to do |
|---|---|
| Nothing automotive appears | Trust the workspace, and make sure it holds an automotive file within three folder levels. An `.asc`, `.ldf`, `.trc` or `.log` counts only if its first bytes match the format |
| A vendor interface is listed with what is missing | Install the vendor's driver package, or set its library path setting |
| Vector XL Driver Library is not listed on Linux | It is a Windows library |
| A Vector or Kvaser channel says it opened at another application's settings | Another application (such as CANoe) holds init access. Close it or accept the shared settings |
| A python-can interface cannot be used | Check `neuralInverse.automotive.pythonPath` and that python-can 4.0 or later is installed; the picker says why each interface cannot be used |
| BLF or MF4 traces do not open | They need your python-can, and asammdf for MF4 |
| The error frame fault or entry is not offered | The channel's backend cannot transmit error frames (PEAK, slcan, SocketCAN, Vector CAN FD) |
| Rest-bus simulation does not offer a file | It holds no CAN network (for example an ARXML with only a LIN cluster) |
| An ARXML file says "schema not found" | Add the folder holding the named schema to `neuralInverse.automotive.arxmlSchemaFolders` |
| A DBC shows wrong letters | It is in a code page other than those guessed. Reopen it with its encoding |
| Identify ECU Variant sends nothing for a CDD | CANdela files hold no variant identification the reader can establish; choose the variant |
| Reprogramming fails at the identification check after reset | The ECU may still be restarting. Set **Wait for Restart** in **Configure Reprogramming Sequence...** |
| An agent does not call automotive tools | The default chat participant does not pass tools to the model in this build |

## Known limits

- No hardware, no real ECU, no vendor library, no Windows or macOS run, no customer project.
- Nothing written here has been opened by the vendor tool it is meant for.
- Offline install, a managed machine without administrator rights, a licence server failure and a packaged, signed build have not been checked.
- To run the CAN, LIN, seed-key and CANoe verification kits on your bench, ask your Neural Inverse contact. Do not send files your programme's data agreement keeps on site.