A desktop GUI application for monitoring, debugging, and sending CAN bus messages. Built with PySide6 and python-can, developed during an internship at Ather Energy.
- Multi-interface support — PCAN (USB), ACAN (custom serial @ 1Mbps), and UDP socket server
- Live message table — real-time CAN frame display with ID, DLC, data bytes, direction, and timestamp
- Overwrite mode — shows only the latest frame per CAN ID (like a live signal monitor)
- DBC decoding — load a
.dbcfile to decode signal values inline in the message table - Send frames — manually send CAN frames with configurable ID, DLC, and data bytes (keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+1 to Ctrl+0)
- FPS counter — live frames-per-second display
- Autoscroll — optionally follow the latest incoming message
- Python 3.10+
- PySide6
- python-can
- cantools
- pyserial
Install dependencies:
pip install -r requirements.txt
- Clone the repo:
git clone https://github.com/Ashok-Kumar17/Python-based-can-debug-tool.git
cd Python-based-can-debug-tool- Copy the example config and edit it for your machine:
cp can_config.example.json can_config.json
Edit can_config.json to match your CAN interface. For example, on Linux with a SocketCAN interface:
{
"linux": { "channel": "can0", "bus_type": "socketcan" },
"bus_config": { "bitrate": 500000 }
}- Run the application:
python infinity.py
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| PCAN | PEAK USB CAN adapter via python-can. Uses can_config.json for channel and bitrate. |
| ACAN | Custom serial-over-USB protocol at 1Mbps. Select your COM/tty port from the dropdown. Frame format: 0xAA [4B timestamp] [1B DLC] [4B CAN ID] [8B data] 0xBB |
| UDP Server | Listens for CAN frames sent over UDP. Configure IP and port in the Connections tab. |
├── infinity.py # Entry point
├── main_window.py # Top-level QMainWindow
├── can_message_ui.py # Main widget — tabs, controls, message processing
├── can_message_table.py # CAN message table model and view
├── connection_manager.py # Handles PCAN / ACAN / UDP connections
├── connection_window.py # Connection dialog
├── dbc_manager.py # DBC file loading and signal decoding
├── send_frame_manager.py # CAN frame transmission logic
├── can_enums.py # Enums for connection type, capture state, etc.
├── can_config.example.json # Template config — copy to can_config.json
├── styles.qss # Qt stylesheet
└── requirements.txt
Ashok Kumar Meena
Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras
Intern — Embedded Software, Ather Energy (Summer 2025)