Comunicating with CAN bus

Using Arduino Programming Questions
1

I understand the concept of CAN bus, but am having problems finding examples of how you send / format the data string and how you know what you are reading when you connect to a device.

For example lets say I want to know or send the following:

  • Engine RPM
  • Voltage
  • Status
    They are all "on the bus" but I have no idea how to get the value for each?
    Are they named / ID in some way, and is there any standard parameters that are used in CAN bus?

Google has failed me on this one =(

2

02660:
I understand the concept of CAN bus, but am having problems finding examples of how you send / format the data string and how you know what you are reading when you connect to a device.

CAN bus does not use textual message formats. In order to understand what you are receiving, you need to know the protocols being used. I can't imagine how Google failed to locate a description of how CAN bus works, but here is a starting point:

3

And here's a link to Microchips primer on the subject:
http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1824&appnote=en011694
Ciao, Lenny