Selecting a Parameter

Parameters are sensor outputs or other signals that may be useful to monitor using VCM Scanner. You will need to select a parameter when you do any of the following:

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Add a signal to the Chart vs. Time panel.

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Add a gauge to the Gauge panel.

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Add a table or histogram to the Graph panel (tables require selecting three parameters: cell content, column axis, and row axis).

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Define a Math Parameter or an Expression Filter. The calculations performed by these structures often include multiple parameters.

However, the parameter will not provide data during scanning or playback unless a channel has been defined to supply data to it. For example, if your chart, gauge, table, or math parameter is tied to "Engine Speed", you must have an "Engine Speed" channel in the channel list. See Channels for more information.

Parameter Groups

Specific Parameters

Specific parameters are tied to a specific channel provided by the vehicle's control modules.

Since the channels that are provided vary from vehicle to vehicle, gauges, graphs, etc. that use parameters in this group are often not portable to vehicles with different controllers and operating systems than the original vehicle.

NOTE: If there is a generic sensor of the same type, VCM Scanner will prompt you to see if you want to use the generic sensor instead.

Generic Sensors

The parameters in this group will work with any channel that provides the type of sensor data described. Using these parameters allows much more compatibility and portability from vehicle to vehicle.

External Inputs

This group lists external inputs that can be connected to your computer either through your HP Tuners interface device or though your computer's serial port.

The parameters listed here represent the raw, untransformed data from the external input. If you applied a transform to this input in the channel list, select the transform you used from the Transforms group to use the transformed data instead.

Transforms

Lists transforms that can be applied to external channels. If you added a channel that required a transform, select the transform that was applied to the channel to use the transformed output.

NOTE: If there is a generic sensor of the same type, VCM Scanner will prompt you to see if you want to use the generic sensor instead.

Maths

This group contains parameters that are defined by performing calculations on the output of one or more other parameters. There are a number of pre-defined math parameters based on commonly-used calculations. But, it's also possible to create custom math parameters of your own. See Math Parameters for more information.

Parameter Search and Filtering

Item	Description
1.	Data Type Filters. Click an icon to turn off the display of parameters with a particular data type. Click again to turn it on. Currently-displayed data types have a blue box around them. Show/hide parameters that provide scalar (numerical) data. Show/hide parameters that provide switch data (the current selection in a list of possible options) Show/hide channels whose output is a flag (a simple True/False or On/Off indication).
2.	Filter Parameters Without Channels Click this icon to turn off the display of parameters that do not have channels set up to provide data for them. Click again to turn the display of these parameters on again.
3.	Sort Order. Click an icon to select the order in which parameters will be displayed. Sort by section Sort by parameter name Sort by parameter ID
4.	Tree Expansion. Collapse or expand the parameter tree. Collapse all items in the list. Expand all items in the list.
5.	Filter By Parameter Name. To filter the tree display by parameter name, enter the text you wish to search for in the [Text Filter] box. The displayed tree items will be dynamically filtered as you type.