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How to Create a Custom Component

Add any CAN bus device to Profinity by creating a Custom Component with a DBC file and optional dashboard.

Prerequisites

  • A DBC file for your CAN bus device
  • (Optional) A dashboard YAML file
  • Access to create components in Profinity

Steps

Step 1: Create a New Custom Component

  1. Navigate to ADMIN → Components
  2. Click Add Component
  3. Select Custom Component

Step 2: Configure Basic Settings

  1. Enter a Component Name (e.g., "My CAN Device")
  2. Set the CAN ID if required
  3. Configure connection settings

Step 3: Add Your DBC File

Option A - Using DBC Editor: 1. Click the DBC Editor icon in the toolbar 2. Paste your DBC content or upload a DBC file 3. Editor validates your DBC syntax 4. Save the DBC configuration

Option B - Upload DBC File: 1. Find the DBC file upload option in settings 2. Click Browse and select your .dbc file 3. Upload the file 4. Profinity parses and validates the DBC file

Step 4: (Optional) Add a Custom Dashboard

  1. Click the Dashboard Editor icon
  2. Start with "Hello World" template or upload existing YAML
  3. Create dashboard with data bindings: 
    bind:
  - target: value
    source: '{COMPONENT_NAME}.YourMessage.YourSignal'
  4. Save the dashboard

Step 5: Save and Activate

  1. Click Save to save your Custom Component
  2. Component appears in your component list
  3. Add it to your active profile if needed

Step 6: Verify the Component

  1. Check component appears in the sidebar
  2. View component dashboard to see data
  3. Verify CAN messages are being received
  4. Check signals are displaying correctly

Using Your Custom Component

Once created, your Custom Component:

  • Receives CAN messages defined in your DBC file
  • Displays signals in the dashboard (if configured)
  • Can be logged to InfluxDB, Prometheus, or files
  • Can be monitored in real-time
  • Can be used in scripts via the Profinity API

Tips

  • Test with CAN Log Replay: Use the CAN log replay feature to test your component with recorded messages
  • Start Simple: Begin with a basic dashboard and add complexity gradually
  • Validate DBC: Ensure your DBC file is valid before uploading
  • Use Examples: Look at existing component dashboards for reference

Troubleshooting

  • No data appearing: Check that CAN messages are being received and match your DBC definitions
  • Dashboard not loading: Validate your YAML syntax in the dashboard editor
  • Signals not found: Verify signal names match exactly (case-sensitive)