AEM CD-7 Dash 30-5500-5501-5502-5503
AEM CD-7 Dash 30-5500-5501-5502-5503
AEM CD-7 Dash 30-5500-5501-5502-5503
30-5500
30-5501
30-5502
30-5503
In addition to the graphical display editor, AEM DashDesign also provides a comprehensive setup editor to
program the input, output and mathematical functionality of the AEM CD-7 / CD-7L.
Once created, setups are uploaded to the AEM CD-7 / CD-7L via a USB link.
Kit Contents
4
CD-7 Features
· Full color CAN display and logger (CD-7L only)
· Completely user definable CAN receive
· Dual CAN bus
· Full graphics display with up to 6 different pages
· Unit ships with 6 display pages for the AEMNet data stream as the default setup
· Completely user definable graphical layouts
· Stand-alone PC program to create and customize layouts
· Water resistant enclosure with rear facing DTM 12 pin connector
· 7" (diag) 800x400 super bright color display
· Night mode input
· 7 shift lights and 2 alarm LEDs
· 200mb onboard logging memory (CD-7L only)
· Up to 100hz sample rate (CD-7L only)
· Log data downloaded and viewed with AEMdata via USB port with sealed bulkhead extension cable (CD-7L
only)
· Beacon input
5
VDM Features:
· GPS latitude & longitude delivers AEMdata track map functionality via AEMnet CANbus
· Easily Add GPS, lateral G, altitude, pitch and roll data to engine data logs!
· Simply install it in the correct position, connect to AEMnet and the data streams through AEMnet CANbus!
8
· Continuous time data can be used for Infinity USB log file naming
· Accelerometers supply all 3-axis acceleration data for chassis tuning
· Ideal for road racers who want to use the gyrometer data for suspension adjustments
· Perfect for drag racers who want G-loads and wheel stand data
· GPS vehicle speed, heading and altitude logged for data analysis, lap comparisons
· Status LED indicates power & GPS signal
· Weather resistant enclosure with IP67 rated GPS/GLONASS antenna
Go to Setup | Lap Timing... Select the GPS button to configure for GPS lap timing. A virtual start/finish line
creation feature allows you to use the beacon input (violet wire in flying lead harness) to set a virtual start/finish
line. While driving the course, press the momentary beacon switch when you cross the start/finish line. Hold
for a few seconds until the left and right LEDs flash. The system captures the location information when you
first press the button. Holding for a few seconds eliminates the likelihood of false triggering the input. You can
define your virtual track width in the dialog window. Set to the approximate width of the track surface plus
some extra. The dash creates a start finish line the width of the Track Width/m setting perpendicular to the
heading when the start finish is set. It then checks whether the previous two points cross this line; the only
caveat being that the heading is +/- 90 degrees of the original heading.
9
Installation
The VDM is equipped with an AEMnet connector (power, ground, and CAN)
so that it is a true plug and play experience when used with other AEMnet
products such as the Infinity ECU.
Ideally, the VDM module should be installed near the center (both fore/aft
and side-to-side) of the vehicle and as low as possible. For example, the
module may be mounted to the floor of the vehicle between the two front
seats. The module should be mounted using the provided "hook-and-loop"
material or may be more rigidly mounted using fasteners through the
module's mounting ears. Take care to avoid over-torquing mounting
fasteners, if used.
Status LED
There is a status LED located on the top of the VDM module that gives an indication of its operating status,
specifically the quality of the current GPS signal:
LED Description
OFF The device is not powered
FLASHING RED No valid GPS fix
RED Valid fix, zero satellites in view
FLASHING GREEN Less than 4 satellites in view
GREEN 4 or greater satellites in view
OTHER Please contact AEM Support
Channels / Data
GPS
The VDM utilizes an internal 5Hz GPS/GLONASS receiver with a matching external active antenna. Faster
time to fix, and better global coverage is afforded by the support of both the GPS and GLONASS
constellations. The module is designed with an internal super capacitor that will retain the last known satellite
position (ephemeris) while power is disconnected from the VDM for up to 2.5 hours. This will allow for a very
fast time to fix (<1 sec typ) once the device is turned on again; if power is removed for greater than the 2.5
hours then the time to fix will increase. The capacitor is automatically recharged and never needs to be
replaced such as is the case with a more traditional battery.
The following GPS channels are output on AEMnet for logging on your Infinity ECU or other device:
Channel Name Notes
GPS Latitude [deg] + = North, - = South
GPS Longitude [deg] + = East, - = West
GPS Speed [mph] Speed
GPS Altitude [ft] Above Mean Sea Level (MSL)
GPS Course [deg] Course over ground, NOT heading
GPS Satellite Count "Visible" number of satellites
GPS Valid 1 = Valid Fix, 0 = No Fix
GPS Year UTC Time
GPS Month UTC Time
GPS Day UTC Time
GPS Hours UTC Time
GPS Minutes UTC Time
GPS Seconds UTC Time
Accelerometer / Gyroscope
The following accelerations and yaw rate channels are output on AEMnet for logging on your Infinity ECU or
other device:
11
Display Setups
The display setup file has the extension .aemcd7 and contains all the information needed to configure a color
display including connection definition, sensor calibration and screen layout.
You can copy entire pages from another file. First, make sure the target page is open and selected and that
the layout is unlocked.
Select the file that contains the screen you want to copy. A window will open showing the six screens in the
target file.
12
Select the screen you want to import by clicking on the screen name and Clicking OK.
NOTE: Any missing bitmaps and bitmap selectors will be imported with the page. Bitmaps of the same name
are not replaced which potentially could cause unexpected results if bitmaps had been changed between
setups. Channel names carry over so even if you import a .dbc file after copying the screens, the names will
be tallied up (if they are the same). Any variable string gauges will show "No Input" if the output name is not
present. Editing any gauge where the output name is not present will show a blank in the output name - the
name is still there and will be used if the output is created at a later date though if you change the combo, it
will change the output as expected.
The last five files opened can be accessed by selecting File | Reopen followed by the appropriate file from the
sub menu.
13
To save a setup under a new filename, select File | Save As...., enter a file name in the file save dialog and
click the Save button. To save a setup with the current name, select File | Save.
If a setup or AEM DashDesign is closed and the setup has changed since the last save, a prompt will appear
asking if the changes to the setup are to be saved. Select Yes to save the changes, No to abandon the
changes or Cancel to return to editing the current setup.
The Layout Locked feature displayed at the bottom right of the screen prevents unwanted moving of screen
items.
The Layout Locked feature can be disabled by going to File | Lock Layout or by clicking the red Layout
Locked area of the screen. Caution as inadvertent clicks and drags can move items unintentionally. Some
basic editing of the default screens is possible even with the Layout Locked feature turned on. It is a good idea
to leave the Layout Locked activated until you specifically need to move or delete a gauge. Having it on
prevents you from accidentally moving a gauge or deleting one inadvertently.
Double clicking on the Engine Speed text label in the example above will display the available editing menu.
The dialog allows editing of all unlocked characteristics if Layout Locked is turned on. Locked characteristics
are typically related to size and position. To change the text displayed in the text label example above, simply
15
highlight the text and edit. Double clicking on the "0" in the example above opens the value label editor. This
is live data displayed on the screen.
Here you can change the input displayed at this location. Click on the drop down to view a list of available
channels.
You can think of the display editor as a collection of tools for creating items on your screens. An AEM
DashDesign setup consists of four logical components: Sources, outputs, sensors and gauges. These are
defined as follows:
lead bundle). Click the Show Predefined Outputs box in the Display Editor to
add all Predefined Outputs to the list.
17
Click on the Import DBC... button to load or append a new .dbc file.
18
Available .dbc files will be located in the \Documents\AEM\DashDesign\DBC folder. Selecting a file will open
the import dialog.
Select the channels for import by clicking the boxes. All available channels are selected by default. Click the
Import button to import. All CAN message information is automatically imported along with necessary Scalar
and Bit string operations. The channels are now available for assignment.
To configure logging, select Setup | Logging to show the log setup window. Channels available to be logged
are shown on the left hand side. To log a channel, select the desired rate from the Log Rate column. Logging a
specific channel also automatically selects all other children and parent channels for logging at the same rate.
AEM CD-7 / CD-7L inserts markers in the data to indicate various states and these are displayed in AEMData.
The following markers may be inserted by AEM CD-7 / CD-7L:
· Lap - This is inserted when the beacon input is triggered and is typically used for lap timing.
· Power - This is inserted when the display is configured to start logging immediately on power up.
· Log Start - This is inserted when the log start condition is met after power up
· Overrun - The display has been unable to write the log data to the memory in the time available. Either
reduce the number of logged channels or reduce the complexity of the display screen.
The logging can be started or stopped dependent on channel conditions. Every time a new log is started, a
new Log Run is created in the logger. Log runs can be downloaded individually with AEMData which reduces
the time taken to download the data.
· Single input start/stop - When the specified input is non zero, the log will be started. When zero, the
log will be stopped. For example, if the channel EngineSpeed is used as the trigger, the logger will log
anytime the engine is running.
· Twin start/stop triggers - When the Start trigger is non zero, the log will be started. When the Stop
trigger is non zero, the log will be stopped.
· Log Always - The logging starts logging immediately on power on and will log until switched off or until
the log is full.
20
To download log files from an AEM CD-7L, connect the USB cable between the dash and your PC. Launch
AEMData analysis software and turn on the switched ignition power to the Dash. The message below will be
displayed when AEMData detects a connection to the dash.
If there are logs saved on the dash, a list similar to the one below will be presented. Select the files to
download. Choose whether to erase the files from the dash or not.
21
AEM DashDesign communicates with the AEM CD-7 / CD-7L via USB.
To upload a setup:
· Select Tools | Upload Firmware. Select the firmware (.bin) file from the location above.
· The upload process starts. Do not switch the display off during the upload process as this may corrupt the
firmware.
· Once the upload process has finished, unplug the USB cable to reboot the display.
23
Each page of the editor has Insert and Delete buttons which are used to insert or delete an item in that tab.
The following sections describe the various operation types available and how they are used to make an output.
Outputs
Outputs are values, strings or bitmaps that are used by gauges or other outputs. The output that it passes is
determined by the operation that it uses.
The example above shows the basic use of a x1 scalar. It uses a raw input and passes it through as itself with
the opportunity to change the name.
CoolantFan1State = (CoolantFan1State_raw)*(1)
This Scalar operation uses a Scalar value of 1.8 and an offset value of 32. Applying this Operation results in
the following math expression.
25
CoolantTemp F = (CoolantTemp*1.8) + 32
The next example uses EngineProtectionState_raw as the Primary Input. This input has two possible values
with are 0 or 1. A Bit String operation is used to convert these values into text strings that can be displayed on
the dash.
Shown above, the Bit String operation performs the following transformation:
CAN Receive
The CD-7 is a CAN display dash. The CAN receive tab of the Setup Editor must be defined for proper
functionality. The steps involved in defining a CAN message structure from scratch is outside the scope of this
manual. However, the system includes a robust CAN .dbc import feature that greatly simplifies the process.
26
The “Start Bit” refers to the location of the LSB. The message contents and the byte/bit numbering can
be viewed by clicking on the … button for each message.
27
Scalars Operation
The scalar sensor applies a gain (if specified) to the input which is then multiplied by the scalar and the offset
added. If signed is ticked and the gain is not set to NONE, the input is treated as a twos compliment number.
The scalar sensor is used for linear signals.
28
Functions Operation
The function table sensor is used when a non-linear signal needs to be processed. The function table sensor
applies a gain (if specified) to the input and looks up the input in the function table to produce the appropriate
output. If the input falls between two values, linear interpolation is used to derive the output value. If signed is
ticked and the gain is not set to NONE, the input is treated as a twos compliment number.
To edit the function table, click the ellipsis button (...) to show the function table editor:
The values in the Input column must increase with each row.
To edit the Time Filter operation values, click the ellipsis button (...) to show the time filter editor:
29
· Update period: Specifies the rate at which values are sent to outputs and gauges used by this output.
For example, if the Update Period is set at 1000, a gauge displaying the value from this output will update
once per second. If 0 is specified, the output will update as fast as possible.
· Rolling period: Specifies the time period over which the rolling function is calculated. If zero is specified,
the rolling period is set to the update period.
· Rolling function: Specifies how the value produced from the output is calculated:
· Maximum: The output is the maximum value occurring during the last (rolling period) milliseconds.
· Minimum: The output is the minimum value occurring during the last (rolling period) milliseconds.
· Average: The output is the average of all values occurring during the last (rolling period) milliseconds.
· Current: The output is the last received value. This effectively disables the rolling period function.
Bitmasks Operation
The bitmask operation is used to mask off bits from a raw (32 bit) input. This is useful when data is received
from the ECU that contains information for two different outputs. For example, the lower 4 bits of a value may
be used to determine gear position while the upper 4 bits determine diff mode. The bitmask is specified as the
sum of all the bits being masked.
To create a bit string operation, add a name for the operation in the Bit String tab and click on the (...) button to
show the bit string editor:
The priority determines the order in which the bitmasks are evaluated with low numbers being a higher priority.
This ensures that if two bitmasks match, only the highest priority output string is returned from the sensor.
The bitmap selection count is the number of bitmaps used in the sensor and is at least two. The first bitmap is
shown by default. Subsequent bitmaps are shown according to the settings in the Bitmap Selections box.
· Index - The number of the selection bitmap for which the following settings are made. For example, if the
selection count is set to 3, 1 will specify the first selectable bitmap and 2 will specify the second
selectable bitmap.
· Value - When the input (specified in the output) is equal to this value, this bitmap is shown instead of the
default bitmap.
· Enable Blink - If checked, this bitmap will blink according to the On Time and Off Time in seconds. The
bitmap swaps between the indexed bitmap and the default bitmap.
· Enable Max Duration - If checked, the bitmap is only be shown for the specified duration no matter how
long the input is equal to the value.
Alarm Operation
To create a new Alarm output, push the Insert button in the Outputs tab of the Setup Editor.
Assign the output a new name and choose Alarm from the dropdown list of available Operations. Push the
button under the Primary Input column for the new Alarm Output. This will open the Alarm Output Setup
window. The new name will automatically be added to the Alarm Output Name box.
32
Select an Input from the drop down list along with Condition and Limit selections.
In the example above, the Input AFR1_Gas is checked against a maximum condition of 15:1 AFR. Click the
Add button to add additional criteria.
Above, the input EngineSpeed is added as an "AND" condition with a limit of 0 RPM. With this logic, IF
AFR1_Gas is greater than 15 AND EngineSpeed is greater than 0 (engine running), the alarm will trigger.
33
The Retrigger value specifies a timeout in seconds after which the alarm (if still triggered) will toggle to
untriggered and back to triggered. This is useful for when an alarm has been used to trigger a page change,
usually showing a warning to the driver, for example, low oil pressure. The driver can select the standard page
again to cancel the alarm. If the oil pressure is still low after the specified period, then the warning page will be
shown again.
If the retrigger value is set to zero, then the alarm will only retrigger if the input conditions change to false and
back to true again.
The logical expressions are evaluated from top to bottom and the running result of the logical test is used as
the input for the next logical evaluation.
· The warning input typically uses an output defined with an alarm operation. If the value of the output is non-
zero, the associated warning message will be displayed.
· The label input is optional and is used to provide a value to be shown in the warning message.
The example above shows two existing Warning Inputs. These were both previously defined as Alarm outputs
before setting up this window.
The Warning Editor message is entered in the Warning Label column. When an '@' symbol is inserted into the
warning label a formatted input value from the label input replaces it in the display. The Label Input defines the
data that replaces the '@' symbol. The input label format column allows the format of the value from the label
input to be defined. For full details on value formatting, see Value Formatting in the gauge reference section.
If all the warning inputs are zero, the output string is empty. If only one warning input is non-zero, the
appropriate warning is displayed. If multiple warning inputs are non-zero, the appropriate warning labels are
displayed in turn, with each one being displayed for around a second.
34
The On Time, Off Time and Min On Time can be used to affect how the warning is displayed when only one
warning is active and are scaled in milliseconds. For example, to have a single message flash at 2Hz, set the
On Time to 1000 and the Off Time to 1000. Setting the Off Time to 0 disables flashing.
The Min On Time can be used to ensure a warning is visible even if it is only briefly triggered. For example, a
low oil pressure alarm triggered during cornering may only occur for a fraction of a second but by setting the
Min On Time to 2000 ensures that the message is displayed for 2 seconds and so is more likely to be seen.
To set up the odometer, choose Setup | Odometer. Select an output that is road speed km per second. AEM
DashDesign will automatically create an output called ODOMETER which is scaled in km and can be
displayed on the screen.
All AEM base setups include an odometer scaled in both miles and kilometers.
An optional turn blinkers feature is available on some AEM supplied setups. Pins 11 and 12 can be used for
LEFT TURN and RIGHT TURN blinkers respectively. When these inputs are grounded, the turn blinkers will
activate.
35
Most AEM default setups include a lap timing screen. The VDM for GPS speed and lap timing section
describes the basic setup and configuration of a GPS input for speed and position. Once configured, the
screen will update with current data as the laps progress.
Go to Setup | Lap Timing... Select the GPS button to configure for GPS lap timing. A virtual start/finish line
creation feature allows you to use the beacon input (violet wire in flying lead harness) to set a virtual start/finish
line. While driving the course, press the momentary beacon switch when you cross the start/finish line. Hold
for a few seconds until the left and right LEDs flash. The system captures the location information when you
first press the button. Holding for a few seconds eliminates the likelihood of false triggering the input. You can
define your virtual track width in the dialog window. Set to the approximate width of the track surface plus
some extra. The dash creates a start finish line the width of the Track Width/m setting perpendicular to the
heading when the start finish is set. It then checks whether the previous two points cross this line; the only
caveat being that the heading is +/- 90 degrees of the original heading.
The GPS start/finish reference and fastest lap data is saved to non volatile memory in case the vehicle power is
interrupted during operation.
Once your file that contains GPS data is added to an AEMData project, you can add a track map to your
project. Go to Add | Track and select a spot on your layout.
Click the Setup Track button and choose the GPS tab to configure your track.
37
The Settings dialog will be populated correctly with all AEM supplied setup files. The options can be changed
for custom setups. Night mode dialog box should be empty unless you want to control the mode via CAN.
Default is empty and controlled by the flying lead harness input.
The LED and shift light setup will be pre-configured with AEM supplied setup files. The Alarm outputs used to
trigger the LEDs can be adjusted in the Setup Editor as shown in the example below.
39
Alarm Page
AEM setups will come pre-configured with many optional Alarm outputs. Choose the ones you want to trigger
the Alarm Page.
On Change Page
The On Change Page allows you to setup a custom page that will be displayed when any changes are
detected on selected channels. The list of available channels will be displayed at the left. Double click or
press the space bar to move them to the right Selected Channels list.
40
The example below shows one version of an AEM supplied On Change Page. Different operating modes and/or
multi-map selections can be displayed using this page. Other useful items are boost target and traction
controls set points.
Brightness
The Brightness setup dialog allows you to choose two different brightness settings for both the screen and
LEDs. See CD-7 Harness and Wiring section for Night Mode input wiring. 100% should only be used in direct
sunlight. 70% gives almost as much brightness without overdriving the backlight. 5%-10% is appropriate for
night mode.
Display Screens
The AEM CD-7 / CD-7L supports 6 screen pages. The display also has a monitor list which enables permanent
monitoring of data and a splash screen that appears when the display starts.
Display Scaling
By default, AEM DashDesign displays the screens at actual screen size (100%). For example, if the screen
size of the hardware is 800x480 pixels, then the screen editor windows will also be 800x480. Editing in this
mode provides a true what you see is what you get editing experience.
41
However, it is possible to show the editor windows at different scalings by selecting and appropriate value from
the Display | Display Scale menu. Supported scales are 75%, 100% (default), 125%, 150%, 175% and 200%
.
Furthermore, outputs added to the monitor screen are automatically stored in non-volatile memory. Thus, the
value of a min, max or average output added to the monitor screen is preserved even when the screen is
powered off.
Select Display | Monitor to view the monitor screen setup. Add the outputs to be continuously monitored to
the list.
To design the splash screen, go to Display | Splash Screen and design the screen layout as normal. Typically,
this will just be a logo but other static values (such as the serial number or version details) will work as well.
Adding a Gauge
Once a screen page is open, it is possible to add gauges to the screen. To add a gauge:
· Select the gauge required from the Gauge menu or the tool bar.
· Click on the area of the screen the gauge is to be added to and whilst holding the mouse button down drag
a box to the size required for the gauge.
· On releasing the mouse button, the gauge will be added to the screen.
Selecting a Gauge
A gauge is selected using either the mouse or keyboard. To select a gauge using the mouse, move the cursor
over the gauge. If gauges are overlapping the topmost gauge is selected. Try moving the mouse to an area
where the gauge to select is not covered by another gauge. Alternatively, use the keyboard. To select a gauge
using the keyboard press the tab key repeatedly until the appropriate gauge is selected. When a gauge is
selected a border appears around it.
Moving a Gauge
A gauge can be moved using either the mouse or the edit window. To move a gauge using the mouse:
· When the cursor appears as a pointing hand click and drag the gauge to the required position.
· Show the Gauge Property window by right clicking on the selected gauge or by selecting it from the Edit
menu.
· Change the values of the x position and y position properties to appropriate values.
Resizing a Gauge
A gauge can be resized using either the mouse or the edit window. To resize a gauge using the mouse:
· Move the cursor to the border of the gauge which requires resizing. The pointing hand cursor changes to a
sizing cursor depending on the position:
· If the cursor is at the top left or bottom right corner of the gauge the cursor changes to a NW-SE cursor
· If the cursor is at the top or bottom edge of the gauge the cursor changes to a N-S cursor and is
resized by dragging that side.
· If the cursor is at the left or right edge of the gauge the cursor changes to an E-W cursor and is
resized by dragging that side
· Show the Gauge Property window by right clicking on the selected gauge or by selecting it from the Edit
menu.
· Change the values of the x size and y size properties to appropriate values.
Deleting a Gauge
To delete a gauge:
· From the Edit menu, select the name of the gauge to edit.
The gauge property editor is specific to the type of gauge being edited. See the Gauge Reference section for
full details.
· Edit | Copy | Gauge copies the currently selected gauge into the paste buffer.
· Edit | Copy | Screen copies the current screen into the paste buffer.
· Edit | Paste | Gauge pastes the last gauge copied into the paste buffer into the current screen.
· Edit | Paste | Screen pastes the last screen copied into the paste buffer into the current screen. Any
gauges already present on the current screen will be removed.
To paste a gauge or screen into a different setup file, copy it, close the file, open the appropriate setup file and
screen and paste.
44
When gauges are placed on top of other gauges, it can be useful to change the order in which the gauges are
drawn (the Z order). For example, if an alarm bar is added over a value gauge, only the alarm bar will be visible.
By changing the Z order so that the value gauge is drawn after the alarm bar, the value gauge will appear drawn
on the alarm bar.
To change the Z order on a page, select Edit | Z Order... or press Ctrl Z. The Z order editor will be shown. To
change the order of a gauge, select it from the list (it will be simultaneously highlighted in the screen editor)
and use the up and down cursor keys or the up down buttons to move the gauge within the list. gauges
towards the top of the list are drawn first (behind other gauges). Gauges towards the bottom of the list are
drawn last (in front of other gauges).
Gauge Reference
Gauges are the visual elements of a AEM DashDesign screen page. The various different gauge types available
in AEM DashDesign are described in this section.
· Name - The name is used to identify the gauge in the Edit menu. AEM DashDesign assigns a name to a
new gauge automatically although it is useful to give gauges more meaningful names as it makes them
easier to identify in the Edit menu.
· Input - The output used by the gauge.
· Minimum - The value at which a gauge starts, for example the start value of a bar gauge.
· Maximum - The value at which a gauge finishes, for example the end value of a bar gauge.
· Graticule Size - Graticules or divisions are drawn at this frequency.
· Label Frequency - Labels are drawn at every Label Frequency number of graticules.
· Label Font - The font used by the gauge.
· Label Font Size - The font size used by the gauge.
· Label Format - Determines how numbers are formatted in the gauge. See the Value Formatting section
for more information.
· X Position - The left most position of the gauge.
· Y Position - The top most position of the gauge.
· X Size - The width of the gauge.
· Y Size - The height of the gauge.
· Background color - color of the gauge background.
· Line color - color of the graticules and outline of the gauge.
· Fill color - color in which to draw a filled part of the gauge, for example the part of a bar graph that has
data.
· Text color - color of all text in the gauge.
Value Formatting
Many gauges can use a Label Format property in order to control how values are displayed. The following
table shows the standard formatting characters that can be used.
45
Thus, the following formats would display the time in the following manner:
· Hms - 24:00:00
· hmsf - 12:00:00.0
· hmsff - 12:00:00.00
· y - 01-01-09
· hmsz - 12:00:00 01 Jan 09
System information can be shown by adding a value gauge to the screen and setting the Label Format
property as follows:
Bar Gauges
There are four types of bar gauge - rectangle and triangle shaped bars in either horizontal or vertical orientation.
A bar contains a number of graticules that divide the bar up between the minimum and maximum limits as
shown in the diagram below:
46
Tacho Gauges
The tacho gauges are typically used with engine speed or road speed and are available as either a curved bar
gauge or a round gauge. They use minimum, maximum and graticule size in the same manner as bars but also
have labeled graticules, the frequency of which is specified by the label frequency property. The label values are
divided by the label divisor property and then formatted. A typical bar tacho setup is shown below.
· Square Tacho - If checked, the tacho will be rectangular instead of having an arc.
· Enable Lower Tacho Limit - Turns on the lower tacho limit. When enabled, the first part of the tacho
(up to Limit End) is drawn in Limit color as it is filled. If Enable Flash Below Limit is checked, the
lower part of the tacho will flash if the input value is below Limit End.
· Enable Tacho Limit - Turns on the upper tacho limit. When enabled, the last part of the tacho (after to
Limit Start) is drawn in Limit color as it is filled. If Enable Flash Above Limit is checked, the upper
part of the tacho will flash if the input value is above Limit Start.
· Flash Entire Tacho above Limit - If the upper limit is flashing because Enable Flash Above Limit is
checked, all the filled tacho blocks will flash if this option is checked.
· Flash Rate - The rate at which to flash the tacho when in any of the flash modes.
47
It can be seen that with these options, the tacho can effectively be divided into three separate different colored
regions.
Note: It is important to select the background color of the value gauge to be the same as the color of
the background the gauge is over. Failure to do so will result in corruption of the value displayed.
49
Value Gauge
The Value Gauge shows the value of the output specified in the Input property according to the format
specified in the Format property. The Justification property specifies whether the text is aligned to the left,
right or centre of the bounding rectangle.
Note: It is important to select the background color of the value gauge to be the same as the color of
the background the gauge is over. Failure to do so will result in corruption of the value displayed.
The value gauge has an optional warning mode that changes the color of the gauge when a warning limit for the
input is exceeded. To activate warning mode, check the Warning Mode Active box and specify the Warning
color.
· To have the warning activated when the value of the input goes above a certain value, click the Input
Limit Exceed button and enter a value for the Warning Limit. The displayed data will changed from
the Text color to the Warning color when the input value is greater than or equal to the Warning
Limit.
· To have the warning activated based on a secondary input, click the Secondary Alarm Output button
and select the output to be used as the trigger. The displayed data will changed from the Text color to
the Warning color when the secondary input value is non-zero.
· If Flash If Warning Active is checked, the gauge will alternate between the warning color and the
background color whilst the warning is active.
50
For example, if Box Count is 3, Limiter Start is 8000 and Limiter Offset is 200, the first box will change
color at 8000, the second at 8200 and the third at 8400.
51
Bitmap Gauge
The Bitmap gauge is used to show a bitmap from a file or the output of a bitmap selector output. The Bitmap
property has a drop down box from which any bitmap selector outputs and bitmaps currently present in the
setup is selected. At the bottom of the list is the option Add New Bitmap which is used to add a new bitmap
from a file to the list. Bitmaps must conform to the Microsoft Windows bitmap standard and should be no
bigger than 800x480 pixels. The bitmap can be true color (32 bit) though lower definition bitmaps may be
preferable to reduce the size of the setup.
It is also possible to set the warning color of an alarm bar directly from an output. To set this mode, tick the
Drive color Directly From Input check box. In this mode, the input to the alarm bar is treated as a 16 bit
RGB value and this is used to set the color directly. Thus it is possible to have the alarm bar display a range of
colors to indicate for example tire or brake temperature.
The 16 RGB color value treats the top 5 bits as red intensity, the next 6 bits as green intensity and the lower 5
bits as blue intensity. Thus, it is possible to display any one of 65535 colors. The hexadecimal (and decimal)
values of some common colors are shown below:
52
Typically, a function table will be used to map a given value to a specific color. To avoid interpolation between
the color values, the function table should be set up such that a range of values defines one color. For
example, the following function table would map brake temperatures of 0 to 250 to blue, 251 to 500 to green,
501 to 700 to yellow and 701 to 1000 to red:
Input Output
0 31
250 31
251 2016
500 2016
501 65504
700 65504
701 63488
1000 63488
Note that it is also possible to display an alarm bar underneath a value gauge. For this to work correctly, the
alarm bar must be bigger than the maximum likely size of the value gauge. When setting this up in the editor, it
is easier to add the alarm bar to the page first then the value gauge; this ensures that the value gauge is visible
and makes sizing the alarm bar correctly easier. If you have trouble selecting an item to edit, you can adjust
it’s Z-Order to push it behind other objects.
Shape Gauges
Shape gauges are static gauges (i.e. have no input) that are used to draw shapes on the screen. They have
two special properties:
· XInput, YInput specify the inputs for the X and Y axes of the gauge.
· X Minimum, Y Minimum specify the starting values for the X and Y axes.
· X Maximum, Y Maximum specify the end values for the X and Y axes.
· Cursor Size is the size of the cross hair cursor.
· Background Bitmap can be used to specify a bitmap that will be shown behind the cross hairs, This can
be used to clarify the meaning of a particular position for the cross hair.
Historical Graph
The Historical Graph gauge is used to show the trend of one or more outputs in the form of a y-t graph. The
Historical Graph gauge has the following special properties:
· Time Base - This is the width of the x axis in seconds. When a page with a historical graph gauge is first
selected, the data is drawn from the left hand side of the graph (t=0). As the time progresses, the lines
progress towards the right hand side of the graph. Once t = time base, the graph scrolls to the left to
make more space available for drawing the lines.
· Input Count - The number of lines (outputs) drawn in this graph.
· The Inputs box allows the details of each line to be specified:
· Input Index - Selects which line the following settings apply to.
54
The round tacho bitmap gauge has the following special properties:
· Background bitmap - the background gauge image.
· X Centre, Y Centre - The centre of the gauge from which the logical centre of the pointer will be drawn.
· Centre Offset - The number of pixels from the logical pointer centre at which the pointer will be drawn.
· Length - The length of the pointer.
· Start Degrees - The number of degrees from 6 o'clock (the zero degree position) that the starting value
of the gauge should be drawn.
· End Degrees - The number of degrees from 6 o'clock (the zero degree position) that the end value of the
gauge should be drawn.
The gauge default rotation is clockwise. If you want anti-clockwise operation you switch the Start Val and End
Val settings.
55
UEGO oxygen sensors are considered w ear items and are not covered under w arranty.
Please note that before AEM can issue an RMA for any electronic product, it is first necessary for the installer or end user to contact
the EMS tech line at 1-800-423-0046 to discuss the problem. Most issues can be resolved over the phone. Under no circumstances
should a system be returned or a RMA requested before the above process transpires.
AEM w ill not be responsible for electronic products that are installed incorrectly, installed in a non-approved application, misused, or
tampered w ith.
Any AEM electronics product can be returned for repair if it is out of the w arranty period. There is a minimum charge of $50.00 for
inspection and diagnosis of AEM electronic parts. Parts used in the repair of AEM electronic components w ill be extra. AEM w ill
provide an estimate of repairs and receive w ritten or electronic authorization before repairs are made to the product.
56 AEM DashDesign
Firmware updating 21
Index Format 44
Function table 28
-A- -G-
Adding gauges 42 Gauge 44, 46
Alarm 31 adding 42
Alarm bar gauge 51 alarm bar 51
Alarm page 39 bar 45
bar tacho 46
bitmap 51
-B- copy and paste 43
cross hair 53
Bar gauges 45
deleting 43
Basic setup editing 13
editing properties 43
Bit string 29
historical graph 53
Bitmap 30
moving 42
Bitmap gauge 51
progressive limit 50
Bitmask 29
resizing 42
Brightness 40
round tacho 46
round tacho bitmap 54
-C- selecting
shape 52
42
-D- GPS
standard
7
44
Default colors 41
Default setups
Deleting gauges
11
43
-H-
Display editor 15 Historical graph gauge 53
Display screens 40
-E- -I-
Installation 7
ECU string 29 Installing AEM DashDesign 7
Editing gauge properties 43 Installing USB Drivers 7
Introduction 3
-F-
Features 4
Index 57
Sensor
scalar 27
-L- Settings 37
Setup
Lap timing 7, 35
editor 24
LEDs 38
Setup editor 24
Limit filter 28
Setups 11, 12
Logging 19
creating 21
opening 12
-M- saving
uploading
12
21
Monitor screen 41 Shape gauge 52
Mounting 5 Shift lights 38
Moving gauges 42 Spash screen 41
Standard gauge properties 44
-O-
Odometer 34
-T-
On change page 39 Tacho gauges 46
Opening setups 12 Text label gauge 47
Outputs 24 time filter 28
Track mapping 35