Communication Tracing

Every IChannel raises PacketTraced when raw bytes are sent or received. The event does not parse protocols; it records actual TX/RX bytes for field diagnostics, communication windows, and fault snapshots.

Subscribe Directly

var meter = app.Channels.Get("meter");
meter.PacketTraced += (_, e) =>
{
    var direction = e.Direction == ChannelTraceDirection.Sent ? "TX" : "RX";
    Console.WriteLine($"{e.Timestamp:O} {meter.Name} {direction} {e.Hex}");
};

Hex is a continuous uppercase hex string. Format e.Data.Span yourself if you need spaces.

Keep the Last N Entries

var meter = app.Channels.Get("meter");
using var trace = new ChannelTraceBuffer(meter, capacity: 200);

await app.StartAsync();
await meter.WriteAsync(new byte[] { 0x01, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00 });

foreach (var entry in trace.Entries)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"{entry.Timestamp:HH:mm:ss.fff} {entry.ChannelName} {entry.Direction} {entry.Hex}");
}

Entries returns a snapshot from oldest to newest. When capacity is full, the oldest entries are removed.

Write to a File

var meter = app.Channels.Get("meter");
using var traceFile = new ChannelTraceFileLogger(meter, "logs/meter-trace.log", append: true);

await app.StartAsync();
await meter.WriteAsync(new byte[] { 0x01, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00 });

Each line contains UTC time, channel name, direction, and uppercase hex payload, separated by tabs. Parent directories are created automatically.

Write to ILogger

var meter = app.Channels.Get("meter");
var logger = app.Services.GetRequiredService<ILoggerFactory>().CreateLogger("comm.trace");

using var traceLog = new ChannelTraceLogger(meter, logger);
await app.StartAsync();
await meter.WriteAsync(new byte[] { 0x01, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00 });

The log template includes structured fields: Channel, Direction, ByteCount, and Hex. The default log level is Debug.

Trace vs DataReceived

API	Purpose
DataReceived	Business or protocol code consumes received bytes
PacketTraced	Diagnostic code records sent and received raw bytes
ChannelTraceBuffer	Rolling in-memory trace
ChannelTraceFileLogger	Continuous text-file trace
ChannelTraceLogger	Structured ILogger trace

PacketTraced and DataReceived may fire on IO threads. Use the UI adapters before updating WinForms or WPF controls.