CygNet CRC Generator Utility

Warning: This is an unsupported utility. Use this utility at your own risk. It is an advanced diagnostic tool; it does not check security. Troubleshooting implications of each piece of information produced by the CygNet CRC Generator Utility is outside the scope of this document. For a simpler and supported alternative to the CygNet CRC Generator Utility, see the Communications Data Viewer in CygNet Explorer.

The CygNet CRC Generator utility (CrcGenerator.exe) is a protocol analyzer used to troubleshoot field device communication responses. It can be used to determine if a response returned from a field device has meaningful data in it, if the response is formatted correctly, and if the response has noise in it. It can also perform ad hoc Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) calculations. Enter byte data into CygNet CRC Generator Utility and manipulate the data to troubleshoot communication issues.

Click the following image to see a sample CygNet CRC Generator dialog box:

CygNet CRC Generator utility is stored in the CygNet\Utilities directory (CrcGenerator.exe) on the host server. To start the utility, browse to the directory using Windows Explorer and double-click the program icon.

Note: You can also set up this utility to be installed and launched (started) via CygNet Client Installer so that the application can be version managed. See Version Management for instructions on how to do this.

To Use the CygNet CRC Generator Utility

Go to the CygNet\Utilities directory on the host server and open the CygNet CRC Generator Utility (CrcGenerator.exe).

Select the appropriate byte source from the Mode drop-down menu to correctly enable the text box or enable the file Browse button to search for an import file.

Select the remote device type from the Calculation drop-down menu in the CRC Parameters area to ensure the appropriate algorithm is used to generate CRC calculations. The CRC Parameters options change depending on the remote device driver selected for the Calculations drop-down menu. Any changes made to CRC Parameters override the appropriate CRC algorithm. CygNet does not recommend altering any of these settings.

Highlight hex bytes in the large text box to view converted values in the Parsed Values area. Select different sets of bytes to display different converted values.

CygNet CRC Generator Utility Properties

The following table lists and describes properties of the CygNet CRC Generator Utility.

Property	Description
Mode	The Mode field defines the way bytes are read. Options include: Binary File — Specifies type of file from which to import bytes. Selecting one of these options enables the File Name chooser. After selecting the appropriate Mode, browse to the file containing the desired bytes. Decimal Text File — Specifies type of file from which to import bytes. Selecting one of these options enables the File Name chooser. After selecting the appropriate Mode, browse to the file containing the desired bytes. Hex Text Box — Activates the text box. This allows hex bytes to be copied directly out of the Communications Data Viewer and pasted directly into the CygNet CRC Generator Utility for analysis. After selecting this mode, copy and paste desired bytes into the text box. Hex Text File — Specifies type of file to import bytes from. Selecting one of these options enables the File Name chooser. After selecting the appropriate Mode, browse to the file containing the desired bytes.
File Name	The name of the file to import bytes from.
Selection Byte Offsets	Displays the byte offset of the first and last selected byte. Note: This option might return untrustworthy results.
Length	Displays the number of bytes in the highlighted selection. Note: This option might return untrustworthy results.
Set Selection	Click to change highlighted selection according to the Selection Byte Offset and Length properties. For example, if Selection Byte Offset is 1 and the Length is 2, this changes the selection to the first byte and the following two for a total of 3 bytes.
< >	Jump through the message forward or backward one byte at a time.
<< >>	Jump through the message forward or backward one selection length at a time. For example, if 4 bytes are highlighted, the >> button will highlight the next set of 4 bytes.
Byte Profiles	You can save any calculated byte profile for later viewing. Give the current byte profile a name and click Save. All saved profiles will appear in this drop-down menu.
Save	Click Save to save the current byte profile with a user-defined name. Type the name in the Byte Profile Name dialog box.
Delete	Click Delete to remove a current byte profile in the drop-down menu above.
CRC (hex)
Find in Text	Click Find in Text to search all the bytes to find a valid message. If a valid CRC is found, the valid data bytes appear in the Find CRC Results dialog box along with a summary of total bytes, CRC, and how many bytes of header and footer noise were found. If a valid CRC is not found, a dialog box appears indicating this. This tool is especially helpful when analyzing large messages that might have a lot of noise bytes.
Rosetta Stone	Click Rosetta Stone to sort through known calculation types. The results are displayed in the Find CRC Results dialog box.
Last Find…	Click Last Find to display the last successful output from the Find in Text function.
Clean Text	Click Clean Text to strip off all unneeded bytes surrounding the message so that only the valid data stream and CRC are displayed. This function is useful to simplify the data before running additional analyses.
Calculate	Click Calculate to force a calculation with current settings.
CRC	Displays ad hoc CRC calculations. Highlight all bytes except CRC to find out if the generated CRC is valid by comparing to the ad hoc calculation displayed in the * box.
Input Byte Count	Displays number of selected bytes to be used in ad hoc CRC calculation.
CRC Parameters
Calculation	For advanced users only. Select the remote device type to ensure the appropriate algorithm is used to generate CRC calculations.
Bits	For advanced users only.
Polynomial	For advanced users only.
Initial Value	For advanced users only.
Output Mask	For advanced users only.
Reflect Input and Output	For advanced users only.
Normalize CRC	For advanced users only.
Direct Table Processing	For advanced users only.
Parsed Values — View parsed data in Big Endian, Little Endian and Big Endian Word Swap formats.
Integer (1, 2, 4 byte)	Indicates the integer equivalent for the selected bits/bytes.
Unsigned Int (1, 2, 4 byte)	Indicates the unsigned integer equivalent for the selected bits/bytes.
IEEE Float (4, 8 byte)	Indicates the IEEE float equivalent for the selected bits/bytes.
Format	Indicates the custom float equivalent for the selected bits/bytes. Options include: Benchmark RIPN Dec Float HP1000 A900 Float
ASCII Text	Indicates the ASCII text equivalent for the selected bits/bytes.
Convert ASCII to Binary	Check to convert ASCII to binary.
Parse for All Data Types	Click Parse for All Data Types to display each selected value byte as its own row in a grid in various numeric formats such as hex, binary, decimal, floating point, double, and so forth. The ASCII format is displayed as well. See To Parse for All Data Types below.
Parse Device Specific	Some remote devices might have device-specific features. Click Parse Device Specific to display device-specific byte information such as item, value, and description in the Device Specific Information dialog box. You also have the option to build data groups from this dialog box. If this option is not applicable to the selected remote device type, a dialog box appears stating "No features specific to this device have been implemented."

Property

Description

Mode

The Mode field defines the way bytes are read. Options include:

Binary File — Specifies type of file from which to import bytes. Selecting one of these options enables the File Name chooser. After selecting the appropriate Mode, browse to the file containing the desired bytes.
Decimal Text File — Specifies type of file from which to import bytes. Selecting one of these options enables the File Name chooser. After selecting the appropriate Mode, browse to the file containing the desired bytes.
Hex Text Box — Activates the text box. This allows hex bytes to be copied directly out of the Communications Data Viewer and pasted directly into the CygNet CRC Generator Utility for analysis. After selecting this mode, copy and paste desired bytes into the text box.
Hex Text File — Specifies type of file to import bytes from. Selecting one of these options enables the File Name chooser. After selecting the appropriate Mode, browse to the file containing the desired bytes.

File Name

The name of the file to import bytes from.

Selection Byte Offsets

Displays the byte offset of the first and last selected byte.

Note: This option might return untrustworthy results.

Length

Displays the number of bytes in the highlighted selection.

Note: This option might return untrustworthy results.

Set Selection

Click to change highlighted selection according to the Selection Byte Offset and Length properties.

For example, if Selection Byte Offset is 1 and the Length is 2, this changes the selection to the first byte and the following two for a total of 3 bytes.

< >

Jump through the message forward or backward one byte at a time.

<< >>

Jump through the message forward or backward one selection length at a time. For example, if 4 bytes are highlighted, the >> button will highlight the next set of 4 bytes.

Byte Profiles

You can save any calculated byte profile for later viewing. Give the current byte profile a name and click Save. All saved profiles will appear in this drop-down menu.

Save

Click Save to save the current byte profile with a user-defined name. Type the name in the Byte Profile Name dialog box.

Delete

Click Delete to remove a current byte profile in the drop-down menu above.

CRC (hex)

Find in Text

Click Find in Text to search all the bytes to find a valid message. If a valid CRC is found, the valid data bytes appear in the Find CRC Results dialog box along with a summary of total bytes, CRC, and how many bytes of header and footer noise were found. If a valid CRC is not found, a dialog box appears indicating this. This tool is especially helpful when analyzing large messages that might have a lot of noise bytes.

Rosetta Stone

Click Rosetta Stone to sort through known calculation types. The results are displayed in the Find CRC Results dialog box.

Last Find…

Click Last Find to display the last successful output from the Find in Text function.

Clean Text

Click Clean Text to strip off all unneeded bytes surrounding the message so that only the valid data stream and CRC are displayed. This function is useful to simplify the data before running additional analyses.

Calculate

Click Calculate to force a calculation with current settings.

CRC

Displays ad hoc CRC calculations. Highlight all bytes except CRC to find out if the generated CRC is valid by comparing to the ad hoc calculation displayed in the * box.

Input Byte Count

Displays number of selected bytes to be used in ad hoc CRC calculation.

CRC Parameters

Calculation

For advanced users only.

Select the remote device type to ensure the appropriate algorithm is used to generate CRC calculations.

Bits

For advanced users only.

Polynomial

For advanced users only.

Initial Value

For advanced users only.

Output Mask

For advanced users only.

Reflect Input and Output

For advanced users only.

Normalize CRC

For advanced users only.

Direct Table Processing

For advanced users only.

Parsed Values — View parsed data in Big Endian, Little Endian and Big Endian Word Swap formats.

Integer (1, 2, 4 byte)

Indicates the integer equivalent for the selected bits/bytes.

Unsigned Int (1, 2, 4 byte)

Indicates the unsigned integer equivalent for the selected bits/bytes.

IEEE Float (4, 8 byte)

Indicates the IEEE float equivalent for the selected bits/bytes.

Format

Indicates the custom float equivalent for the selected bits/bytes. Options include:

Benchmark RIPN
Dec Float
HP1000 A900 Float

ASCII Text

Indicates the ASCII text equivalent for the selected bits/bytes.

Convert ASCII to Binary

Check to convert ASCII to binary.

Parse for All Data Types

Click Parse for All Data Types to display each selected value byte as its own row in a grid in various numeric formats such as hex, binary, decimal, floating point, double, and so forth. The ASCII format is displayed as well.

See To Parse for All Data Types below.

Parse Device Specific

Some remote devices might have device-specific features. Click Parse Device Specific to display device-specific byte information such as item, value, and description in the Device Specific Information dialog box. You also have the option to build data groups from this dialog box.

If this option is not applicable to the selected remote device type, a dialog box appears stating "No features specific to this device have been implemented."

To Parse for All Data Types

Parse for All Data Types displays value bytes on their own rows in a grid in various numeric formats. Numeric formats include hex, binary, integer, decimal, floating point, and other. The ASCII format is displayed as well.

The Parsed Values table provides the following functionality:

Use Display to display values in either Big Endian, Big Endian Word Swap, or Little Endian format.

View Offset for the bit offset of the value byte.

Check Hex to convert all standard table values into Hex.

Print the table by clicking Print.