still unable to get Dashware to work

[ProtoTim35]

I'm fairly certain that the reason I can't get Dashware to work for me, with my MK3, is the time format. Can someone please, send me a data file that works with Dashware, so I can see if I can find what the program is looking for, so I can hopefully find a way to meet that format?

Unfortunately, without DashWare, the MK3 has very limited use, and I'm not at all happy with not having a software program that is able to decipher the data, so that i can properly utilize the MK3. when I bought the MK3, I was under the assumption that it would come with software to be able to utilize what it records. So far, not only does that not seem to be the case, but I'm having a very difficult time finding a program that will interact with the data in the format that it's recorded in.

If I can get Dashware to work, that would be great. So far, I'm not getting any help on this from anyone at AutoSports Labs, Dashware, or GoPro, and the blog/forum doesn't provide adequate information to make it work. It has what appear on the surface to be descent instructions, but when I follow them the way they were written, there are holes left, for the time format, and I've tried just about everything and can't find a way to fill those holes in a way the program will accept. Specifically, the instructions don't tell what time format DashWare is looking for, and apparently it's very picky, because I've tried MANY different formats, and it rejects them all.

[ferg]

To me it seems like your issue is on the Dashware side. I hadn't looked at that in a while. They are pretty confident they can handle different formatted data. I would try contacting their support and sending them a sample file after you've tried some of the steps outlined below.

I found this in their FAQ's that may help:

Here are some notes on making a DashWare-friendly CSV data file:

-It’s good to have a static line of text at the top declaring that it is your data format. Something like “Some Cool Logger Data File”. The DashWare Data Profile for your format can then be easily set up to automatically detect one of your data files.
-We require a CSV header line: A line of text containing the column headers/names.
-Then the raw data lines would follow after that.
-There should be a Time column (full timestamps work great, e.g. “2011/08/07 20:10:02.200”, or the total running time in seconds e.g. “1.1”)
-Latitude and Longitude should be in +/- decimal degrees
-Be consistent with your data units, or at least change the column name when you use different units. DashWare can be used to create calculated data columns for other units.

You will then need to make a Data Profile that understands your format. Bring up the Data Profile Editor (File Menu > Edit Data Profiles…) and press F1 for detailed help. Tips:
-The column mappings (bottom right area of dialog) are used to map your column names to known DashWare data types. Set up the mapping for your time column first, so you can use the “Test File / View Data…” button. It is very handy. “ / Data Running Time, Seconds” is the mapping you need.
-To get a map to show up, you need to use our “Degrees to Cartesian Converter” (calculators/converters are in the bottom left area of dialog) to create X and Y units in feet. You must map these new X and Y output columns to our “Positional \ Longitude / X Position (Feet)” and “Positional \ Latitude / Y Position (Feet)” data types.

Have a look at an existing data profile, such as the GPX one, as an example.

[ferg]

While looking around, I found this thread insightful:

viewtopic.php?t=4620&highlight=dashware

Now that I think about it, I would suggest you just create a new logged channel using Lua Scripting called "Time", keep updating it at ontick() time, and then you will have the timestamp column you need for Dashware.

If you are interested in having someone do this development for you (ie, you want to pay for it), feel free to contact me, I may be able to help.

[ProtoTim35]

I've tried most or all of the above, and when I try to open the file in Dashware, it still acts like I never selected a data file. By that, I mean I select the file, and click OK, and when it takes me back to the screen to initiate a search, it still shows blank, where there should be the name of the file I selected.

I did get some new information though, that I thought should help me - what format Dashware is looking for on the time. I created that profile, and it still didn't work. The only thing I can figure is there must be something wrong with Dashware or the profile.

Too bad it seems that everybody wants to sell a product, but when it comes time to support it, they want to charge for that too, and they don't seem to want to make it user friendly - and it seems that many sellers seem to think that the buyers know what the sellers know, so they don't write instructions in layman language - rather in programmer language, so the instructions are often just short of useless.

For some reason I guess people don't feel that they should create a product that's ready to be used by a layman, or supply the necessary support to be able to use it. I don't plan to keep putting good money on bad, by paying for someone to get this program operating right. If I can't get the necessary support here, i will BUY somewhere else that will provide support and has a reputation for doing so. It might cost me a little more up front, but it will be worth it to get what I'm paying for. This entire endeavor has been nothing less than very frustrating from the very beginning. I wish I had gone to a competitor to begin with. I've wasted hundreds of hours chasing my tail on this, and get almost no support.

[ferg]

I can sense your frustration. I hope it isn't with me. I bend over backwards to make sure my customers are buying a product that will work for them. Generally I won't sell something I haven't made work myself, or I will be responsible for making it work.

I look at Dashware, and I see complex product now given away for free, so I expect there will be minimal support. But the tools and knobs are there for someone to make it work. Will it take time, I'm sure it will.

In Dashware, I think the place you need to start is File->Edit Data Profiles. If I had one of your CSV files (first 100 lines would be enough), I would see what happens when I used "Open Data File..." from that window.

If you've got a Dashware Profile you've created -- then post it. (I don't think you can get far in Dashware without creating a profile for YOUR data).

But, you've provided nothing that allows me to help beyond what I've provided already.

[brentp]

Thanks Dave, for providing assistance and advice.

Hi Tim,

We have a couple of guides in our wiki for video overlay, written by our community members.

One is for RaceRender and one for Dashware:

https://wiki.autosportlabs.com/RaceCapt ... nder_Guide
https://wiki.autosportlabs.com/RaceCapt ... Ware_Guide

These are linked from the top documentation page for RaceCapture/Pro:
https://wiki.autosportlabs.com/RaceCapture-Pro_MK3

I scanned your post here and I was thinking perhaps might have not seen the guide in the wiki, so I included them here for completeness.

Let us know if the instructions work (for either product) and if/where they fail so we can help investigate.

Also, if you have a video clip and data file to share on a file sharing service perhaps we can take a look as well.

Thanks!