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Vag-Com Data Logging FAQ and How To
Vag-Com Reference Page - To purchase a vag-com diagnostics cable, please visit www.ross-tech.com
To begin the data logging process, plug the vag-com cable into the OBDII port in your vehicle. This port is usually
located under the stearing column near the hood release latch. Then connect the other end of the controller to your
computer.
After having downloaded the software onto your computer you will find the vag-com icon located either on your computer's
desktop or you may access it through the start menu. The following is a screenshot of the vag-com item as well as a
shortcut folder that was created where the data logs will be stored for easy access.
In order to create a shortcut folder for easy access to your data logs, first click on the "My Computer" icon and locate
the computer's hard drive in which the "Program Files" are located. Usually this means clicking on the "Local Disk C:"
drive and then click on the "Program Files" folder. Inside the "Program Files" folder will be the vag-com folder titled
appropriately "Vag-Com". Click on this folder and locate the folder titled "Logs". This is the folder
where the data logs are automatically stored after a logging session. It may be convenient to right click on this
folder and highlight the "send to" option and choose from that menu "Desktop (create shortcut)". This will create
an easy to access folder on your desktop as pictured in the above screenshot. Otherwise you will have to proceed through
the above directions to access your logs each time you conduct a data logging session.
Once you have created your shortcut folder you will be ready to begin the data logging process. Begin by clicking
the "Vag-Com" icon located on your desktop. The following screen will appear...
From the above opening screen, select the upper left hand button titled "Select" located under the heading "Select Control
Module". The following screen will now appear...
Next, select the "01- Engine" control module located in the upper left hand corner of the common control modules screen.
Once you have selected the "01" control module, the following screen will appear...
Select the button located on the left side of the screen titled "Meas. Blocks - 08". The items on the vehicle you
will be logging or measuring are located in informational groups referred to as "measuring blocks". Sometimes the measuring
blocks are also referred to as channels. The following is the screen you will see once you have clicked on the "Meas.
Blocks -08" icon...
The above screen is used to select what information you would like to be measuring on your vehicle. Study the screen
and take note that it is possible to log three groups of measuring blocks simultaneously. Each group has a three digit
box that displays the measuring block you will be recording. You can toggle through the measuring blocks using the up
or down buttons or if you already know which measuring block you would like to select, you can simply drag your curser over
to that box and type in the measuring block number you desire to record. Take note that while it is possible to measure
three blocks simultaneously, the more blocks you measure together the less data rate will be used and therefore less points
of data will be collected across the rev band as you record the data. One action you can take to improve the data rate
and one that is highly suggested each time you data log is pressing the "Turbo" button located on the top right of the page.
You can press this button any time throughout this selection process prior to actually starting the log. Once the button
is depressed, you will see the turbo button turn into the title "9901".
In the above screenshot, the user has elected to record measuring blocks #34, #20, and #115. The user has
not yet pressed the turbo button in that screenshot but will do so prior to logging. Once all the channels are selected
for logging and the turbo button is pressed, click on the "Log" button located on the lower right side of the screen.
The following is the screen that will appear...
The above screenshot has changed from the previous in a couple significant ways. First, notice that the boxes that
contained the measuring block numbers you selected are now shaded and you are unable to toggle back and forth to select a
different block. This is because the measuring process is now locked and ready to go. Also note towards the bottom
of the screen is a box titled "File Name:" and inside that box is the location and title of the data log you will be accessing
later to read the data from. The file name for this log is expressed as "LOG-01-034-020-115.CSV". Notice that
the default file names correspond to the channels this user has chosen to record...channels 34, 20, and 115. While still
working within this screen it is possible to change the filename to whatever you prefer. Just remember to keep the extension
".CSV" on the end of this file. Once you have your car posistioned properly and ready to begin the logging process,
press the "Start" button located under the file name. This will begin the recording process and logging has thus officially
begun. The following screen will appear once the start button is depressed...
You're probably noticing a lot hasnt changed in this screen once you have pressed the "Start" button. That is true.
The only change that has occured is that the button that once was titled "Start" has now changed to read "Stop". Once
you are done recording the information you desire, click the "Stop" button and the recording process will terminate.
The following is the screen that will appear once the "Stop" button has been depressed...
Again, not much has changed. But notice that the "Stop" button has now taken on the title "Resume". At this
point you may choose to continue recording this group of measuring blocks (perhaps you had to stop the car for a moment and
wanted to pause the measuring process) or you can choose to terminate the logging process by selectng the button titled "Done,
Close". Once you have selected the "Done, Close" button you have now ended that logging session and the data from the
session is instantly downloaded to your "Logs" folder in the form of a Microsoft Excel document. You may now exit out
of vag-com if done logging for this session and locate your log of information by opening the "Log" folder and locating your
filename. The following is a screenshot of the "Log" folder opened up...
You might have noticed that the files located in the above screenshot do not include the log of block 34, 20, and
115 as none of the titles match up with these measuring blocks. That is only because for this article, that file was
deleted (sorry) but under normal circumstances the file name "LOG-01-034-020-115" would be present.
You have now finished the collection phase in the data logging process. Congratulations! You are now a data
logger. If you have found this page helpful or would like to make a suggestion, please let us know by contacting us
using our "Contact Us" page. And be sure to refer a friend.
The next step involved in data logging is to intepret the data you have collected during your session. The
following link is a measuring block interpretation page of common blocks...
Data Logging Measuring Block Guide
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