openCONFIGURATOR Features — What You Need to Know in 2025

How to Install and Configure openCONFIGURATOR Step‑by‑StepopenCONFIGURATOR is an open-source tool for generating and managing CANopen device descriptions and configurations. This guide walks you through a complete, step‑by‑step installation and configuration process on Windows and Linux, shows how to create and edit device EDS/DCF files, explains basic NodeGuarding and SDO behavior, and offers troubleshooting tips and best practices.

What you’ll need

A PC running Windows ⁄₁₁ or a modern Linux distribution (Ubuntu 20.04+ recommended).
Administrative privileges to install dependencies and drivers.
A CAN interface (USB‑to‑CAN adapter such as Peak, Kvaser, or lawicel) and corresponding drivers.
Basic familiarity with CANopen concepts: PDOs, SDOs, Object Dictionary, and Node IDs.

1. Download and install openCONFIGURATOR

Windows

Visit the official openCONFIGURATOR release page and download the latest Windows installer (.msi or .exe).
Run the installer as Administrator. Accept the license and follow prompts.
If your CAN adapter requires vendor drivers (Peak, Kvaser, etc.), download and install them before connecting the device. Reboot if prompted.
Launch openCONFIGURATOR from the Start menu to confirm installation.

Linux (Ubuntu example)

Install dependencies:


sudo apt update sudo apt install build-essential qt5-default libqt5serialport5-dev

Download the latest Linux AppImage or compiled binary from the project releases. For AppImage:
```
chmod +x openCONFIGURATOR-*.AppImage ./openCONFIGURATOR-*.AppImage 
```
If using a kernel CAN driver or USB adapter, install SocketCAN tools:
```
sudo apt install can-utils 
```

Connect your CAN adapter and verify with:

ip link show # or for USB adapters dmesg | grep -i can

2. Configure your CAN interface

Using SocketCAN (Linux)

Identify the CAN interface (for example, slcan0 or can0).

Bring the interface up at the desired bitrate (e.g., 500 kbit):


sudo ip link set can0 down sudo ip link set can0 type can bitrate 500000 sudo ip link set can0 up

Test with candump:
```
candump can0 
```

Using Windows drivers

Install vendor utilities (Peak Control Center, Kvaser CANlib tools) and verify the adapter is recognized.
Configure bitrate and channel in the vendor tool or within openCONFIGURATOR when selecting the interface.

3. Create a new project in openCONFIGURATOR

Open openCONFIGURATOR and select “New Project.”
Specify a project name, CAN channel, and bitrate.
Choose whether to start from an existing EDS/DCF file or create devices from scratch.

4. Add and configure devices

Add a new device node: assign a Node ID (1–127) and device name.
Load an EDS (Electronic Data Sheet) or DCF (Device Configuration File) if available. openCONFIGURATOR will import the Object Dictionary and map entries to the UI.
If creating manually, populate the Object Dictionary entries: indexes (e.g., 0x1000 for Device Type), subindexes, data types, access type (RO/RW), and default values.

Tips:

Keep Node IDs unique on the bus.
Use descriptive names for device and PDO mappings.

5. Configure PDOs (Process Data Objects)

In the device editor, open the PDO configuration panel.
Create Transmit (TPDO) and Receive (RPDO) mappings. For each PDO, select objects (index.subindex) and define data lengths and mapping order.
Set communication parameters: COB‑ID (usually 0x180 + NodeID for TPDO1), transmission type (synchronous/event‑driven), inhibit/time gap, and event timer.
Validate total mapped length does not exceed 8 bytes per PDO (for classic CANopen). For CAN FD, configure extended lengths if supported.

Example mapping:

TPDO1 (COB‑ID 0x181): map 0x6064 (control word, 16‑bit) + 0x6060 (mode of operation, 8‑bit) etc.

6. Configure SDO and communication parameters

Ensure SDO server is enabled for each device that will accept configuration. Typical SDO COB‑IDs: 0x600 + NodeID (client→server) and 0x580 + NodeID (server→client).
Set default SDO timeout and retry parameters as required by your system.
Use the SDO client within openCONFIGURATOR to read/write object dictionary entries for verification.

7. NodeGuarding, Heartbeat, and NMT

Choose between NodeGuarding or Heartbeat mechanisms for node monitoring. Heartbeat is simpler and commonly used with modern stacks.
Set heartbeat producer interval in each device (for example, 1000 ms). Configure the NMT master to expect heartbeats and set timeouts (e.g., 3× heartbeat interval).
Configure NMT commands and allowed state transitions for safety.

8. Generate and export configuration files

After configuring devices and PDOs, use openCONFIGURATOR’s export function to generate DCF/EDS files and, if supported, source code or configuration scripts for device stacks.
Save a complete project archive (includes Object Dictionaries and network configuration) for version control.

9. Upload configuration to devices (Online configuration)

Connect to the CAN network via your adapter and openCONFIGURATOR.
Switch to “Online” or “Connect” mode in the tool. The tool should detect nodes by Node ID and read current object dictionary values.
To apply configuration: either write individual SDO entries or push a complete DCF to the device (if the device supports DCF download). Monitor SDO responses and error codes.

Safety note: Some parameters (e.g., PDO mappings, device modes) can immediately affect device outputs. Put actuators in safe states before writing.

10. Test and validate

Use live monitoring to observe PDO traffic (candump or internal monitor).
Verify mapped values update correctly and SDO reads/writes return success.
Simulate faults: unplug a node or change heartbeat to test NMT behavior and master reactions.

Troubleshooting common issues

CAN bus not detected: verify drivers, adapter connection, and terminate the bus with 120Ω resistors.
Node not responding to SDO: check Node ID, SDO COB‑IDs, and whether SDO server is enabled or protected by a security mechanism.
Mapped PDOs show incorrect data or length errors: re‑check mapping order and object sizes; ensure total ≤ 8 bytes for classical CAN.
Timing issues: verify bitrate, bus load, and use event timers/ inhibit times appropriately.

Best practices

Use version control (Git) for DCF/EDS files and project exports.
Keep a separate test network for validating configurations before deploying to production.
Document Node IDs, PDO mapping, and special object settings in a shared network document.
Backup device configurations after successful commissioning.

Resources and next steps

Review your openCONFIGURATOR project files and export backups.
Read device vendor EDS/DCF documentation for vendor‑specific object dictionary entries.
If using CANopen over Ethernet (e.g., CANopen FD or CiA 610 series), consult stack and device documentation for extended features.

If you want, I can:

Provide a downloadable checklist for installation and commissioning.
Produce example EDS/DCF snippets for a motor drive and an encoder.
Tell me which you’d like.