Sticky VCDScripter for automating coding tasks

[hadez16]

Dear Community,

It was already announced and released in the german VCDS community but I'd like to share it also with the RoW/NAR community.

The VCDScripter to automate coding tasks

The idea is to have an easy scripting language to write automation scripts that direct VCDS to do what you want.
There exist the following commands:

• StartVCDS
• CreateAutoscan
• CreateAdpMap
• CheckForUnits
• TestPartNo
• TestComponent
• TestAdpChannel
• LoginToUnit
• ClearDTCs
• ClearAllDTCs
• OpenUnit
• CloseUnit
• ChangeCoding
• ChangeCodingInSub
• ChangeAdpChannel

The logical structure is to open a control unit, do something with the control unit, close the control unit, and maybe doing it again with other units, except for commands where the scope is not on a special control unit like ClearAllDTCs.
An error handling logic is implemented to skip or exit the script if some requirements like part no or component string does not match your requirements for example.

Everything is localized in english when you open the Scripter from a non-german Windows OS.
VCDS has to be installed to C:\Ross-Tech\VCDS

Here you have a link to the english documentation:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1F086cE2FLlW433JAdIUqxfcTEooYJm4a

Another feature is to compile a script to an stand-alone EXE one-click application in order to execute the script on PCs where VCDScripter is not present. (Compile script)
Screenshot of security question before execution of EXE one-click:

Scripts can be saved natively in .vsf file format.

The capabilities are quite huge to establish general scripts for different model years for several purposes.

There is a little tool in the ZIP that is named AdpmapToVCDScript.exe
When you drop a CSV adaptation map of a control unit on the EXE file, it will create a script to batch-change adaptation channels. Assure that inplausible channels are removed. Retrofitters could love this when swapping MQB BCMs or MIB units.
Screenshot of german version:

VCDS has to be closed and your interface has to be connected to the car prior to run any script.

Download-Link to the software and an extended description of everything is available in german on my blog:
https://www.motor-talk.de/blogs/had...-automatisieren-mit-vcdscripter-t6470357.html
(scroll down to "Download Zip")

Everything is tested by me on Version 18.9.0 of VCDS.
Virus-scanners could bother you that the software is malware. Unfortunately this is normal! Please ignore it and/or define an exception!

VCDScripter has a few limitations and restrictions:

• Only vehicles are supported that support automatic detection of installed units ("Installed” tab on the control module overview)
• Short / decimal type of coding is not supported
• Adaptations based on channel numbers is not supported
• Only the new interface generation is supported (HEX-V2 or HEX-NET)

Have fun and tell me your thoughts (or problems)

Cheers,
hadez16

(If you are interested in mending all the issues I got with my girlfriend during development phase, there is a little donation link beneath the download link................)

 

[siLc]

Consider adding the ability to change the window size horizontally to solve the need to scroll with the mouse so much

Also searching within the code text field with CTRL+F would be nice.

 

[icardiag]

I get "VCDS installation not detected" error on start

 

[hadez16]

I get "VCDS installation not detected" error on start

Hey there,

where do you have VCDS installed exactly?

 

[hadez16]

Consider adding the ability to change the window size horizontally to solve the need to scroll with the mouse so much

Also searching within the code text field with CTRL+F would be nice.

Thank you for your Input!
You seem to have the plan to write quite huge scripts?

 

[icardiag]

@hadez16:
My VCDS is located at C:\MyData\OneDrive\CarDiag\VCDS as I'm synchronizing the same content to all of my 3 computers.

 

[hadez16]

@hadez16:
My VCDS is located at C:\MyData\OneDrive\CarDiag\VCDS as I'm synchronizing the same content to all of my 3 computers.

So how does your VCDS work at all?
See the quote in my opening post:

VCDS has to be installed to C:\Ross-Tech\VCDS

 

[siLc]

Thank you for your Input!
You seem to have the plan to write quite huge scripts?

Well, I have a pretty high resolution computer monitor and would like to have a good overview of the whole code. The names of the adaptation channels tend be pretty long and the ends of the code lines aren't visible, like in the last picture in your first post. The user could manually scroll to right but it kind of interrupts the workflow.

If you could implement being able to resize the VCDScripter program window horizontally and also add the button to maximise to full screen, it would improve the usability of your program tremendously. Even better, being able to have two VCDScripter windows side-by-side filling the whole screen is an advantage. Kind of like this snapping the browser to half-screen like presented here -> https://youtu.be/Bk8yTBLEj3c?t=39

 

[hadez16]

Well, I have a pretty high resolution computer monitor and would like to have a good overview of the whole code. The names of the adaptation channels tend be pretty long and the ends of the code lines aren't visible, like in the last picture in your first post. The user could manually scroll to right but it kind of interrupts the workflow.

If you could implement being able to resize the VCDScripter program window horizontally and also add the button to maximise to full screen, it would improve the usability of your program tremendously. Even better, being able to have two VCDScripter windows side-by-side filling the whole screen is an advantage. Kind of like this snapping the browser to half-screen like presented here -> https://youtu.be/Bk8yTBLEj3c?t=39

I'll keep this in my backlog for a next version.
My first intention was it not to have such a big window as many VCDS users tend to use low res notebooks. As functionality came before GUI features, this is not yet implemented.

Stay tuned and thanks

 

[darkchina811]

I'll keep this in my backlog for a next version.
My first intention was it not to have such a big window as many VCDS users tend to use low res notebooks. As functionality came before GUI features, this is not yet implemented.

Stay tuned and thanks

this has nothing to do with your work, I just wanted to add a side note. EVERY TIME I use VCDS I still wonder why the application windows cannot be maximized...

 

[icardiag]

So how does your VCDS work at all?
See the quote in my opening post:

Sorry my fault, I didn't notice this requirement.
I solved it, made a symlink in C:\Ross-Tech\VCDS to my Onedrive directory and done, VCDS was found by VCDSScripter.

So far I ran into these problems:
1.) "Error: unterminated string" when trying to compile the script (script can be run correctly).
2.) "Script idle time is too long. Script is cancelled" while trying to enter MQB bcm (Hexnet over wifi in AP mode).

Keep up the good work! I'm really looking forward to english version of CodingCompare (as I already wrote you at another website )

 

[hadez16]

Interesting. Aren't you able to compile any piece of script? Virus-Scanner deactivated?
Do you have an example script where you get the compiler error?

Hardening of the tool lives from such community feedback, although I had days of testing

2.) "Script idle time is too long. Script is cancelled" while trying to enter MQB bcm (Hexnet over wifi in AP mode).

Do you already use Version 1.3? The timeout values where increased in that version.
Why does your HEX-NET take so much time to get connected properly? I also tested MQB BCM with a HEX-NET and never ran into timeout...

 

[icardiag]

@hadez16:
Script timeouts while loading the modules attached to BCM, maybe 2 seconds after the 09 is opened. I'll make a video later, so far only picture:

 

[Uwe]

Modules with a lot of sub-systems can take quite a while to enumerate them all.

-Uwe-

 

[hadez16]

Modules with a lot of sub-systems can take quite a while to enumerate them all.

-Uwe-

That is true. I already increased the timeouts in the newest Version 1.3 and tested it with a HEX-NET on the most evil mqb units like 08,09,19...
I'll just gather all the feedback for an improved 1.4

 

[icardiag]

@hadez16:
I was playing with VCDSScripter today for some time and regarding the mentioned bugs I have some notes to add:
1.) it seems the "Error: unterminated string" is related to kind of buffer overflow or something, it happened when I tried to write a script with 180 lines (don't laugh). Having just 30 lines was OK, script was succesfully compiled to executable.
2.) the "Script idle time is too long" appears always when trying to change something in BCM, video can be found here https://1drv.ms/v/s!Ajw8QAhefKwVj-VOeRDB_fLnXFtoUQ, password is "cogitoergosum" for anyone who wants to watch it. Maybe just a coincidence but I was not able to make an onscreen video using Cyberlink Screenrecorder as when the recorder was started, the VCDS was started from VCDSScripter but no single user input was sent there.

 

[hadez16]

@hadez16:
I was playing with VCDSScripter today for some time and regarding the mentioned bugs I have some notes to add:
1.) it seems the "Error: unterminated string" is related to kind of buffer overflow or something, it happened when I tried to write a script with 180 lines (don't laugh). Having just 30 lines was OK, script was succesfully compiled to executable.
2.) the "Script idle time is too long" appears always when trying to change something in BCM, video can be found here https://1drv.ms/v/s!Ajw8QAhefKwVj-VOeRDB_fLnXFtoUQ, password is "cogitoergosum" for anyone who wants to watch it. Maybe just a coincidence but I was not able to make an onscreen video using Cyberlink Screenrecorder as when the recorder was started, the VCDS was started from VCDSScripter but no single user input was sent there.

1) This should NOT happen and should not be related to the amount of lines. I'll doublecheck that. Could you send me the script to vcdscripter@vcds.de ?
2) It is absolutely important that VCDS has always the focus and does not lose the focus during the procedure! Your last sentence points me to the idea that VCDS did not have the focus but maybe your Screenrecorder software or something.

 

[hadez16]

@icardiag

I got your e-mail and checked your script.
First of all, it is absolutely legit to have a script with many lines like this.
It is indeed a limitation in the backend I have to workaround somehow. Will be fixed. Sorry!

 

[icardiag]

@hadez16:
Great! And regarding the "Script idle time is too long"?

 

[hadez16]

@hadez16:
Great! And regarding the "Script idle time is too long"?

I assume you're already using Version 1.3?
If yes, I'll review the timeouts for opening a unit...