XHandbook — EHANDBOOK Navigator Alternative for ECU Documentation
Open, search, and navigate EHANDBOOK containers and interactive function models — then follow any label straight to its A2L calibration data. Local-first, no license server. The EHANDBOOK‑NAVIGATOR workflow you know, modernized.
Local-First
Runs entirely on your workstation. No always-on backend, no license server — your proprietary documentation never leaves your machine.
EHANDBOOK-Compatible
Opens EHANDBOOK containers (.ehb, .ehbcrypt, .ehbp) with their documentation, interactive models, and metadata — validated against real OEM containers.
A2L-Aware
Every label links to its calibration object — ECU address, record layout, conversion method, and units — bridging documentation and the live ECU.
Native Rust Core
A native Rust engine parses containers — archives, SQLite metadata, and model XML — with no Electron runtime. Lazy loading keeps huge multi-container projects fast and the install small.
One Explorer, Whole Workflow
Built for calibration and validation engineers who live between ECU function documentation, interactive models, and calibration data.
Document & Model Explorer
Browse the full table of contents, read function documentation, and open interactive function models with automatic graph layout. Follow breadcrumbs and cross-links between docs and models without losing your place.
Instant Global Search
Search across topics, labels, components, and calibration objects in one query — with source-container provenance so you always know which container a hit came from. Find-in-tab narrows results inside the current view.
Deep A2L Integration
Convert A2L into a container, then resolve any label to its CHARACTERISTIC, MEASUREMENT, or AXIS_PTS — complete with ECU address, record layout, conversion method, units, and limits. Reverse lookup goes from an ECU parameter back to every topic that documents it.
Label Intelligence
Click any label for a popup of its metadata and the functions that import, export, and define it. Curves and maps render as calibrated 2D and 3D visualizations right where you need them — pin it, or copy it straight to search.
Library, Comments & Attachments
Organize bookmarks and model views into folders, leave comments in document and model contexts, and attach supporting files to topics. Import and export your annotations to share knowledge across the team.
Export & Extract
Export functional components to PDF for review, extract a subset of content into a new container, and bundle support logs in a click. Share exactly what a colleague or supplier needs — nothing more.
From Container to Calibration
XHandbook turns a static documentation drop into a living, queryable knowledge base in three steps.
Open the container
Load an EHANDBOOK container or convert an A2L on the spot. XHandbook indexes the table of contents, labels, and calibration objects first, then streams heavy content only when you open it.
Navigate & search
Move through documentation and interactive models, or jump anywhere with global search. Multi-container projects keep clear source provenance so cross-references always resolve to the right place.
Resolve to the ECU
Click a label to bridge documentation and calibration data — its A2L object, ECU address, conversion, and value. Bookmark, comment, and export what matters for the next review.
It Understands the Whole Container
An EHANDBOOK container is far more than a PDF. XHandbook parses every layer — documentation, interactive models, structured metadata, and the search index — and normalizes them into one navigable model with stable, resolvable links.
- article Documentation — structured DITA topics and generated HTML for function descriptions and parameter tables.
- hub Interactive models — KAOM function graphs with blocks, ports, connections, and annotations, laid out automatically.
- database Metadata — component and element relationships with access type, category, data type, units, and limits.
- manage_search Search index — ingested when present, with a fast fallback so any container stays searchable.
XHandbook vs Legacy EHANDBOOK Tooling
The familiar EHANDBOOK‑NAVIGATOR workflow, rebuilt local-first and calibration-aware.
| Capability | Legacy Doc Tooling | XHandbook Navigator |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | License-server dependent | Local-first, no license server |
| Platform | Windows-only legacy build | Modern desktop — Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Runtime & footprint | Heavy legacy runtime | Lightweight native Rust core, small install |
| Calibration link | Limited / separate tools | Deep native A2L resolution & reverse lookup |
| Container authoring | Separate toolchain | Built-in A2L → container builder |
| Interface | Legacy desktop widgets | Modern, responsive UI |
Bring your ECU documentation to life.
Give your calibration and validation teams a single, local-first explorer for documentation, models, and calibration data — part of the Vehicle Lab desktop suite alongside MDX. No license server, no data leaving the building.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is XHandbook Navigator a replacement for ETAS EHANDBOOK-NAVIGATOR?expand_more
XHandbook Navigator reads the same EHANDBOOK container formats (.ehb, .ehbcrypt, .ehbp) and provides equivalent Document Explorer, Model Explorer, global search, and label popup capabilities. The key differences are that XHandbook runs entirely local-first with no license server required, and adds deep A2L integration — resolving documentation labels directly to ECU calibration objects (address, record layout, conversion method, units, live HEX) — which is not available in ETAS EHANDBOOK-NAVIGATOR.
What EHANDBOOK container formats does XHandbook support?expand_more
XHandbook Navigator supports .ehb (standard containers), .ehbcrypt (encrypted containers), and .ehbp (partial containers). These are ZIP-based archives containing DITA documentation, KAOM function models, a metadata.db SQLite database, and a Lucene search index. XHandbook has been validated against real Bosch and ETAS golden containers including HVR100 and FlexECU demo sets.
Does XHandbook Navigator require a license server?expand_more
No. XHandbook is fully license-server-free. It runs as a local Tauri desktop application on Windows, macOS, and Linux with no network dependency for core operation. This eliminates the floating license overhead that ETAS EHANDBOOK-NAVIGATOR requires.
What is A2L integration in XHandbook and how does it work?expand_more
XHandbook's A2L integration resolves any documentation label (CHARACTERISTIC, MEASUREMENT, AXIS_PTS) to its full ECU definition — memory address, record layout, conversion method, units, and live HEX value — directly from within the document or model view. You can also import an A2L file and convert it into a standalone EHANDBOOK container using the bundled build-ehb tool.