---
name: "cangen"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "can-utils"
version: "2023.03-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/cangen"
---

# cangen(1)

manual page for cangen 2023.03-1

## NAME

cangen - manual page for cangen 2023.03-1

## SYNOPSIS

**cangen** \[*options*\] *\<CAN interface\>*

## DESCRIPTION

cangen - CAN frames generator.

## OPTIONS

- **-g** \<ms\>

  (gap in milli seconds - default: 200 ms)

- **-a**

  (use absolute time for gap)

- **-t**

  (use SO\_TXTIME)

- **--start** \<ns\>

  (start time (UTC nanoseconds))

- **--mark** \<id\>

  (set SO\_MARK to \<id\>, default 1)

- **-e**

  (generate extended frame mode (EFF) CAN frames)

- **-f**

  (generate CAN FD CAN frames)

- **-b**

  (generate CAN FD CAN frames with bitrate switch (BRS))

- **-E**

  (generate CAN FD CAN frames with error state (ESI))

- **-R**

  (generate RTR frames)

- **-8**

  (allow DLC values greater then 8 for Classic CAN frames)

- **-m**

  (mix **-e** **-f** **-b** **-E** **-R** frames)

- **-I** \<mode\>

  (CAN ID generation mode - see below)

- **-L** \<mode\>

  (CAN data length code (dlc) generation mode - see below)

- **-D** \<mode\>

  (CAN data (payload) generation mode - see below)

- **-p** \<timeout\>

  (poll on **-ENOBUFS** to write frames with \<timeout\> ms)

- **-n** \<count\>

  (terminate after \<count\> CAN frames - default infinite)

- **-i**

  (ignore **-ENOBUFS** return values on write() syscalls)

- **-x**

  (disable local loopback of generated CAN frames)

- **-c** \<count\>

  (number of messages to send in burst, default 1)

- **-v**

  (increment verbose level for printing sent CAN frames)

### Generation modes:

- 'r'

  \=\> random values (default)

- 'e'

  \=\> random values, even ID

- 'o'

  \=\> random values, odd ID

- 'i'

  \=\> increment values

-

  \<value\> =\> fixed value (in hexadecimal for **-I** and **-D**)

-

  \=\> nibbles written as 'x' are randomized (only **-D**)

The gap value (in milliseconds) may have decimal places, e.g. '-g 4.73' When incrementing the CAN data the data length code minimum is set to 1. CAN IDs and data content are given and expected in hexadecimal values.

## EXAMPLES

cangen vcan0 -g 4 -I 42A -L 1 -D i -v -v

-

  (fixed CAN ID and length, inc. data)

cangen vcan0 -e -L i -v -v -v

-

  (generate EFF frames, incr. length)

cangen vcan0 -D 11223344DEADBEEF -L 8

-

  (fixed CAN data payload and length)

cangen vcan0 -D 11xx3344DEADBEEF -L 8

-

  (fixed CAN data payload where 2. byte is randomized, fixed length)

cangen vcan0 -I 555 -D CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC -L 8 -g 3.75

-

  (generate a fix busload without bit-stuffing effects)

cangen vcan0 -g 0 -i -x

-

  (full load test ignoring -ENOBUFS)

cangen vcan0 -g 0 -p 10 -x

-

  (full load test with polling, 10ms timeout)

cangen vcan0

-

  (my favourite default :)