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TrueFidelity

Complete platform for automotive ECU development, testing, and analysis

TrueFidelity User Guide

Welcome to the TrueFidelity desktop application documentation. This guide helps you install the app, get productive quickly, and master key workflows like playback analysis, signal visualization, and safe data injection—without exposing internal implementation details.

What is TrueFidelity?

TrueFidelity is a desktop application for automotive ECU development, testing, and analysis. It provides a unified platform for:

  • Designing virtual ECU systems with a visual canvas where you can create multi-ECU topologies, configure network connections, and manage system configurations
  • Monitoring running ECU containers in real-time with resource usage tracking, console log aggregation, network traffic analysis, and interactive terminal access
  • Analyzing CAN bus data by playing back log files, decoding signals with DBC definitions, visualizing data in charts, and exporting findings for validation and reporting
  • Injecting test messages safely into controlled environments to validate ECU responses and system behavior

Built on containerized infrastructure, TrueFidelity enables you to develop, test, and debug ECU systems locally using Docker-based virtualized environments. Whether you're designing new systems, monitoring running containers, or analyzing captured CAN traffic, TrueFidelity provides the tools and workflows to streamline your embedded systems development process.

Who this guide is for

  • Engineers analyzing CAN logs and signals
  • Test and validation teams preparing reports and exports
  • Power users building repeatable workflows and layouts
  • New users who need a safe, step-by-step ramp-up

If you are deploying or administering the app, see your internal runbooks and IT guidance (not covered here).

What you can do with TrueFidelity

  • Design ECU Systems: Create virtual ECU topologies with drag-and-drop canvas, configure networks, and manage system configurations
  • Monitor Running Systems: Real-time monitoring of ECU containers with resource usage, network traffic, console logs, and terminal access
  • Playback & Analyze CAN Logs: Open and navigate large CAN logs with smooth playback, decode signals with DBC definitions, and visualize data in charts
  • Interactive Terminal Access: Connect to ECU operating systems through integrated terminals for debugging and configuration
  • Build & Deploy: Compile firmware for multiple targets and manage build configurations through visual interfaces
  • Signal Injection: Safely inject test traffic in controlled environments and monitor responses
  • Export & Report: Add annotations and bookmarks, then export findings and reports for validation and documentation

Supported platforms (user-facing summary)

  • Windows 10/11 (x64)
  • macOS 12+ (Apple Silicon/Intel)
  • Linux (x86_64, mainstream distributions)

For best experience with large logs, use modern CPUs, 16 GB+ RAM, and SSD storage.

Getting started (at a glance)

For ECU System Development:

  1. Install the application for your OS
  2. Launch and complete activation if prompted
  3. Create a new system (File → New)
  4. Add ECUs to your system canvas and configure networks
  5. Build firmware and deploy to containers
  6. Monitor running ECUs through status panels and terminals

For CAN Log Analysis:

  1. Install the application for your OS
  2. Launch and complete activation if prompted
  3. Set default folders (projects/logs/exports) and preferences
  4. Open a log file and press Play ▶
  5. Pin a few signals and add them to Charts
  6. Select a time range and Export a short segment

Tip

Create a dedicated analysis folder on an SSD and keep exports separate from raw logs.

Use the top navigation to explore major topics:

  • Getting Started
  • Installation, first launch, activation, and key concepts
  • Using The App
  • UI tour, system design canvas, ECU monitoring panels
  • Workspaces, layouts, terminal access
  • Playback, charts, messages, signals, annotations
  • Filters/search, DBC definitions, exports and reports
  • Data Injection
  • Overview, schedules and profiles, safety and best practices
  • Tutorials
  • System design workflow, ECU monitoring walkthrough
  • CAN log analysis, injection scenarios, end-to-end examples
  • Reference
  • File compatibility, settings, performance tips
  • Troubleshooting, FAQ, glossary
  • Help & Policies
  • Support channels, privacy and data handling, release channels

Note

If a link appears but the page is not yet available, it means content is being authored. Check back soon or use the search in the top bar.

Conventions and notation

  • Times are shown in seconds unless otherwise specified.
  • Hexadecimal IDs are prefixed with 0x (e.g., 0x123).
  • Keyboard shortcuts are shown in a platform-agnostic way; use Cmd on macOS and Ctrl on Windows/Linux.

Quick start (5 minutes)

  • File → Open → choose a CAN log
  • Press Play ▶ and set speed to 1× or 2×
  • Open Signals, pin a few, and add them to Charts
  • Drag-select 10 seconds on the timeline
  • File → Export Segment → CSV

Tip

Use a consistent naming scheme for exports, including date, project, and range (e.g., 2025-10-30_projectX_120-180s.csv).

Feature highlights

System Design & Management

  • Visual system canvas with drag-and-drop ECU placement
  • Network topology configuration (CAN, Ethernet)
  • Build system integration with multiple target support
  • Container lifecycle management and monitoring

ECU Monitoring

  • Real-time ECU status and resource monitoring (CPU, memory)
  • Multi-ECU console log aggregation with filtering
  • Interactive terminal access to ECU operating systems
  • Network traffic visualization and CAN message monitoring
  • Process monitoring and task scheduling visibility

CAN Log Analysis

  • Timeline selection and loop mode for focused inspection
  • Charts with multiple series, auto-scale, and manual axis ranges
  • Dual-cursor measurements for timing deltas
  • Messages view with flexible filtering and CSV export
  • Definitions management to decode signals from your DBC files
  • Signal viewer and player for playback analysis

Data Injection

  • Profiles for repeatable data injection
  • Schedule-based injection with safety guards
  • Real-time monitoring of injected traffic

Working with large logs

  • Keep logs on SSD storage for best IO performance
  • Close unused panels and reduce visible time window
  • Prefer one chart with multiple series over many chart panels
  • Use filters early to shrink the working set

Warning

Large files can be resource-intensive. Save your project regularly and consider segmenting very long analyses into smaller ranges.

Annotations and reporting

  • Add bookmarks/annotations while you play back
  • Filter by tags to build a clean narrative
  • Export annotations to CSV and charts to images
  • Assemble findings into a report for handoff

How to use this site

  • Use the search box in the top bar to quickly find topics
  • Open the left navigation to jump across sections
  • Follow tutorials for step-by-step walkthroughs

If something is unclear or missing, contact support through your standard support channel (see Help & Policies → Support).