Runtime and Artifact Layout

ChargeLink keeps all state in files under directories you choose. Nothing is written to the Windows registry. This page is the map of those files for administrators who set up backup, retention and access control.

Roots and how they are chosen

Every command that gets past argument parsing creates the runtime and artifact roots if they do not exist, including commands that then fail as unsupported. Running chargelink from a directory you do not control therefore leaves a .chargelink folder there; this is why the manual always passes explicit roots.

Runtime root

runtime\
  sessions\<run-id>\                   session state, process, lock and heartbeat files and a lifecycle log
  sessions\<run-id>\stop.flag         written by evse stop / evcc stop / test stop
  active\evse.lock.json, active\evcc.lock.json   one live session per role
  recovery\                             recovery records written by runtime recover
  integration\                          gRPC server state (sessions, signals, campaigns)

Do not edit these files; use the runtime commands. Session status values: dry_run_validated, starting, running, stop_requested, stopped, failed, not_implemented, recovered_stale. A live session is reported stale when its process has ended or its heartbeat is older than stale_after_ms. Print the lifecycle policy with chargelink --json runtime policy.

Artifact root

artifacts\<run-id>\
  manifest.json                       run_id, role, protocol, profile_id, created_unix_ms, integrity_algorithm sha256, signed_evidence_status, files[] {path, kind, description, size_bytes, sha256, redaction_class, export_allowed}, warnings[]
  command_result.json                 JSON result of the producing command
  traces\*.jsonl                      protocol trace events; live-v2gtp-frames.jsonl for every frame
  exi\*.exi                           EXI captures
  protocol\*.json, protocol\*.bin     session reports, raw V2GTP request dumps
  sim\*.json, pki\*.json              deterministic simulation reports and transcripts
  *.json                              role-specific status and diagnostics
  redacted\ + redaction_report.json   created by artifacts redact
  support_bundle\support_bundle_manifest.json   created by artifacts support-bundle

The role-specific files are described in ChargeLink as Charger and ChargeLink as Vehicle. Redaction classes: public_metadata, operator_log, protocol_trace, sensitive_credential, customer_confidential, unknown. Print the policy with chargelink --json artifacts policy.

License home

licenses\
  active_license.cllic                copy of the activated license
  activation_record.json              record of the activation (license ID, customer ID, time, source path)

license deactivate deletes both files. Back up the original .cllic you received; the activation record alone cannot recreate it.

Test and package outputs

<test output>\
  campaign_plan.json  campaign_status.json  verdicts.json  customer_report.json  artifact_manifest.json
  evidence\source_manifest.json  evidence\evidence_index.json
<package run>\
  pics_pixit.json  campaign.json  run_report.json  verdict_report.json  signed_verdict_manifest.json
  customer_report.json  customer_report.md  customer_report.html
  support_bundle_manifest.json  package_protection_manifest.json  entitlement_evaluation.json  package_content_sha256_manifest.json

VeriStand bench (charger PC)

The kit has a charger\ and a vehicle\ folder.

C:\ChargeLink\<VERSION>\charger\bench-configuration.json        written once by New-BenchConfiguration.ps1
C:\ChargeLink\<VERSION>\runs\<yyyyMMdd-HHmmss>-automation\  one folder per session (runs_root; -manual for manual sessions)
  SESSION.json  campaign-configuration.json  native.json  validation.log  host.log
  host-output\                 the owner host's result, failure and evidence files
  external_evcc_artifacts\     the SECC's traces and protocol evidence
  owner-commands\              manual sessions: every command request and reply
%ProgramData%\DEVlink\ChargeLink\RuntimeOwnership\          native-activation.state (bench state record; not the license)
%ProgramData%\DEVlink\ChargeLink\tls\                       suggested location for the charger PC's TLS material

The file names inside a run folder are listed in Reading the result. Keep each run folder with the package's manifest\SHA256SUMS; delete runs_root and native-activation.state when you uninstall.

Package directory (read-only)

<package>\README.md  KIT_CONTENTS.md  docs\  licenses\  manifest\  charger\  vehicle\

Schemas of interest for your own automation: artifact_manifest, artifact_integrity, diagnostic_envelope, exit_code_policy, runtime_session, protocol_trace_event, protocol_test_evidence, protocol_test_verdicts, profile, license, offline_license_request, tls_pki_diagnostics.

Backup and retention

• Back up C:\ChargeLinkData (runtime, artifacts, licenses, pki, tests, support) as one unit; the runtime root is small but holds the locks that explain an interrupted run.
• Restrict pki and licenses to the operator and administrators; restrict the artifact root to the project team.
• Keep raw and redacted artifacts separate; decide retention per class before the first customer run.
• Verify integrity after restore (artifacts integrity --run-id).

Names shown as printed

Some names in ChargeLink's output appear exactly as printed below.