Glossary¶
Key terms used throughout the TrueFidelity Desktop documentation.
A¶
Application Modes – The three main operational modes: System Design, Monitoring, and CAN Log Analysis.
B¶
BLF – Binary Logging Format, a compact file format for storing CAN bus data and other automotive network traffic.
Bus Node – Connection point on a network where ECUs attach. CAN networks have CAN bus nodes, Ethernet networks have switch ports.
C¶
CAN Frame – A single message on a CAN bus, defined by ID, DLC, payload, timestamp, and flags.
CAN Log Analysis Mode – Application mode for analyzing recorded BLF/MDF4 files with playback and signal decoding capabilities.
Console Panel (ECU Console) – Panel showing aggregated output logs from all running ECUs with filtering by ECU and log level. Works with all ECU types including Zephyr and FreeRTOS.
D¶
Data Injection – Feature in Signal Player that transmits CAN frames to simulate or modify traffic using Start/Pause/Stop controls.
DBC – CAN database file defining messages, signals, scaling, and metadata for decoding raw CAN data.
Delete Confirmations – Currently the only configurable setting in TrueFidelity, controls whether deletion actions require confirmation.
Docker Desktop – Required software for running ECU containers. Must be installed and running for ECU simulation features.
E¶
ECU – Electronic Control Unit, simulated as Docker containers in TrueFidelity Desktop.
ECU Hardware Status Panel – Panel displaying the operational status of ECUs with color-coded indicators (green=running, red=error, gray=stopped).
Export – Save data to external files. Traffic export supports Text, CSV, JSON, and candump formats. Capture recording supports BLF, MDF4, and CSV formats.
F¶
FlexLayout – The React-based docking framework used for panel management in TrueFidelity Desktop.
G¶
Gateway – ECU component that bridges between different network segments in system design.
J¶
JSON System File – File format (.json) used to save and load system designs including ECU configurations and network topology.
L¶
Layout – Arrangement of panels in the workspace. Switch layouts via View → Layouts menu. Available layouts include System Design, ECU Monitoring, and CAN Log Analysis.
LIN – Local Interconnect Network, a lower-cost automotive serial network protocol supported alongside CAN.
M¶
MDF4 – Measurement Data Format version 4, binary log format optimized for large datasets, supported for import alongside BLF.
Monitoring Mode – Application mode for real-time monitoring of running ECU systems with resource tracking and terminal access.
N¶
Network Traffic Panel – Displays raw CAN frames during playback or monitoring with filtering capabilities.
Network – Communication bus (CAN, LIN, or Ethernet) connecting ECUs in a system design.
P¶
Payload – Raw byte content of a CAN frame.
Playback – Controlled replay of recorded BLF/MDF4 files with adjustable speed (0.5x to 10x).
Project Explorer Panel – File browser panel showing system components and structure in System Design mode.
Properties Panel – Panel for configuring selected elements (ECUs, networks) in System Design mode.
R¶
Resource Monitor Panel – Displays CPU, memory, and disk usage metrics for running ECU containers. Requires agent code to be included in the ECU firmware build for data collection.
Reset Layout – Restore default panel arrangement by switching to a predefined layout via View → Layouts menu.
S¶
Settings Dialog – Configuration interface currently offering only delete confirmation toggle, accessed via File → Settings.
Signal Chart Panel – Visualization area plotting decoded signals over time, supports 4-6 signals simultaneously.
Signal Player Panel – Primary control interface for BLF/MDF4 playback and CAN injection with timeline and transport controls.
Signal Viewer Panel – Interface for viewing and selecting decoded signals from loaded DBC files.
System Canvas – Main drawing area in System Design mode where ECUs and networks are visually arranged and connected.
System Design Mode – Application mode for creating and editing ECU network topologies.
T¶
Task Monitor Panel – Displays running processes within ECU containers when available.
Terminal Panel – Provides interactive shell access to running ECU containers. Only available for Linux-based ECUs (FSL Linux, Ubuntu). Not available for RTOS-based ECUs (Zephyr, FreeRTOS). Use ECU Console for log viewing on all ECU types.
Timeline – Visual representation of playback progress in Signal Player, showing current position and allowing navigation.
Toolbox Panel – Component palette in System Design mode containing ECUs, networks, and other system elements.
Transport Controls – Play, pause, stop buttons in Signal Player for controlling playback and injection.
U¶
UI Theme – Currently only dark theme is available, with light theme planned for future release.
V¶
Vector – Company that created the BLF format, commonly referenced in CAN tool compatibility.
W¶
Workspace – The overall UI environment containing panels, canvas, and controls specific to each application mode.
Container and Docker Terms¶
Container – Isolated runtime environment for an ECU, managed by Docker.
Docker Image – Template used to create ECU containers, containing the operating system and software.
Docker Stats – Command and metrics showing resource usage of running containers.
File Formats¶
.json – System definition files (truefidelity-system.json) containing ECU and network configurations.
.blf – Binary Logging Format files for CAN data recordings.
.mdf/.mf4 – Measurement Data Format files for automotive data logging.
.dbc – CAN database files for signal definitions.
.csv – Comma-separated values export format for human-readable data.
Status Indicators¶
Green – ECU is running normally.
Red – ECU has encountered an error.
Yellow/Orange – ECU is starting or in transitional state.
Gray – ECU is stopped or not started.