JMRI DecoderPro Throttle - F29 +

[Ian J.]

I've done a temporary 'install'* of 5.1.2, and the throttle still shows only 0 to 28.

 

* In Linux, it seems to be enough to rename the original install folder to something else, then unzip the targz file to the same location. The Decoder Pro help shows it's version 5.1.2, so I'm presuming it's correct.

[beejack]

I thought that might be the case but thought it worth asking.

As DCC++ has been mentioned I might try with DCC++EX to see if that shows the extra functions.

 

For me It's not a real issue as the only loco I have that uses anything above F28 is the accurascale Deltic and I swapped F22/F23 and F29/F30 in decoder pro as Don't need the wipac functions with Meld!

[Ian J.]

Bearing in mind that the profile for the Deltic is as per the old JMRI version, is there anything I might need to do (change a setting, etc) for JMRI 5.1.2 to 'know' that the loco has the extra funcitons?

[Matt C]

Ill be test running my sound loco for the first time tomorrow using Sprog 3 and jmri so ill update jmri first before putting in the roster Profile details. What decoder should I be looking for  In the Decoder list ?

Edited July 12, 2022 by Matt C

[Ian J.]

The one that came up with the automatic selection on the A/S Deltic for me was the 'Loksound 5 DCC' (as against the 'Loksound 5' that came up for the Rails 18000 gas turbine). I'm not sure if there's any actual difference, or whether it's just a duplication in the decoder files. However, I expect there will be some kind of identification code that differentiates between them.

[beejack]

I agree it's the Loksound 5 DCC 

Main differences between the Loksound 5 and Loksound 5 DCC are:

[Nigelcliffe]

12 hours ago, Ian J. said:

The one that came up with the automatic selection on the A/S Deltic for me was the 'Loksound 5 DCC' (as against the 'Loksound 5' that came up for the Rails 18000 gas turbine). I'm not sure if there's any actual difference, or whether it's just a duplication in the decoder files. However, I expect there will be some kind of identification code that differentiates between them.

 

They are different decoders, with different capabilities.  Notably how speed curves and acceleration values behave.   

 

There's also no support for other protocols such as Selectrix in the "DCC" version.  The "DCC" labelled version is intended for North American markets.  

 

 

- Nigel

[Crosland]

23 hours ago, Ian J. said:

I've done a temporary 'install'* of 5.1.2, and the throttle still shows only 0 to 28.

 

* In Linux, it seems to be enough to rename the original install folder to something else, then unzip the targz file to the same location. The Decoder Pro help shows it's version 5.1.2, so I'm presuming it's correct.

Hi Ian,

 

That's disappointing, but...it seems to work at my end...

 

If you highlight the loco in the roster view and then click on 'Labels & Media' how many functions do you see defined?

 

If I create a new loco from an ESU Loksound 5 I see 0 - 31 and I get all the function buttons in a throttle.

 

I'm guessing now, but it may be that the functions are limited in the old roster, due to the lack of support in the old version, and you may need to recreate the roster entry in 5.1.2. Save you existing roster file somewhere safe first! :)

 

Can you try that?

 

Andrew

[Matt C]

Ok so test complete !

First I downloaded  jmri test 5.1.2 but it wouldn't install as it needed Java 11.

Tried to upgrade java through Orical but it said 8 was latest update available 

Went through jmri . . .  Https://jmri.org/ java which gives you options to dowload java 11 from third party sites, chose the first site and dowloaded and installed ok and THEN was able to install 5.1.2

Fired up decoder pro and added Deltic D9004 ( Locksound 5 DCC chip chosen) to roster

 

Fired up A Throttle chose D9004 and hey presto !  All 30 functions available and working

 

This is through a Sprog III SO @Crosland your fix is working thanks !

 

If you are using the sprog with jmri but aren't seeing  31 function buttons  available, you DO need to scroll the functions table down to see the bottom ones and if you still dont see them I would suggest possibly deleting the Deltic sound loco from the Roster and re entering it once you have upgraded the software

Edit to Add. . No matter what loco I choose I now see 31 function buttons available instead of the old 28. .but you DO need to scroll down ( at least I do 😋) 

 

Sounds bloomin Awesome !!!

 

 

 

[Ian J.]

No luck, I'm afraid. 'Labels and Media' does show 0 to 31 entries, but the throttle still only shows 0 to 28, and yes I am scrolling down, I have to to see 27 and 28.

 

I deleted the old entry for the Deltic and created it new. Still showing the same 0 to 31 in L&M, but 0 to 28 in the throttle.

 

My Sprog 3 is one of the originals, I take it it does support 31 functions?

[Ian J.]

@Matt C or @Crosland,

 

Can you let me know what your local ThrottlesPreferences.xml file has in it? I've checked mine and it only goes up to function 28.

 

      <functionsKeys-27>
        <ksc-0 m="2" k="118" />
        <ksc-1 m="2" k="103" />
      </functionsKeys-27>
      <functionsKeys-28>
        <ksc-0 m="2" k="119" />
        <ksc-1 m="2" k="104" />
      </functionsKeys-28>
    </throttlesControls>
  </throttlesPreferences>
</throttles-preferences>

 

I need to know what to enter for the extra buttons...

 

In Linux Mint, this file is located in '/home/[user]/.jmri/My_JMRI_Railroad.jmri/throttle'. I have no idea where it is in Windows.

[Matt C]

Hmmm not sure, I see this in the ThrottlesPreferences.xml

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE throttles-preferences SYSTEM "/xml/DTD/throttles-preferences.dtd">
<throttles-preferences>
  <throttlesPreferences isUsingExThrottle="true" isUsingToolBar="true" isUsingFunctionIcon="false" isResizingWindow="false" windowDimensionWidth="800" windowDimensionHeight="600" isSavingThrottleOnLayoutSave="true" isUsingRosterImage="true" isEnablingRosterSearch="true" isAutoLoading="true" isHidingUndefinedFunctionButtons="false" isIgnoringThrottlePosition="true" isSilentSteal="false" isSilentShare="false" />
</throttles-preferences>
 

 

think this is one for @Crosland to help you with as it looks like Linux is different to the Windows Xml ?

Edited July 13, 2022 by Matt C

[Crosland]

1 hour ago, Matt C said:

This is through a Sprog III SO @Crosland your fix is working thanks !

 

😀

 

1 hour ago, Matt C said:

Edit to Add. . No matter what loco I choose I now see 31 function buttons available instead of the old 28. .but you DO need to scroll down ( at least I do 😋) 

 

If the roster entry defines fewer functions for the loco then I think the throttle display should adjust. I saw that one one occasion but now I'm not 100% sure.

 

1 hour ago, Ian J. said:

My Sprog 3 is one of the originals, I take it it does support 31 functions?

 

Yes, it does, along with SPROG II, all versions.

 

Pi-SPROGs will require a firmware upgrade in due course.

 

[Nigelcliffe]

Just to add to the "it just works"   
I started JMRI v5.2 on a Windows machine, an old Sprog II USB device (very old - around 15 years), created a new LokSound5 entry in the roster, and opened the throttle.   Buttons to F32 visible and available.  

 

 

[Crosland]

1 hour ago, Ian J. said:

@Matt C or @Crosland,

 

Can you let me know what your local ThrottlesPreferences.xml file has in it? I've checked mine and it only goes up to function 28.

 

      <functionsKeys-27>
        <ksc-0 m="2" k="118" />
        <ksc-1 m="2" k="103" />
      </functionsKeys-27>
      <functionsKeys-28>
        <ksc-0 m="2" k="119" />
        <ksc-1 m="2" k="104" />
      </functionsKeys-28>
    </throttlesControls>
  </throttlesPreferences>
</throttles-preferences>

 

I need to know what to enter for the extra buttons...

 

In Linux Mint, this file is located in '/home/[user]/.jmri/My_JMRI_Railroad.jmri/throttle'. I have no idea where it is in Windows.

 

On windows it only lists up to 28 but the throttles diplay up to F31, so I doubt that is the issue. The timestamp on ThrottlesPreferences.xml is old, so it hasn't been updated by 5.1.2.

 

Andrew

 

[Crosland]

Ian,

 

If you simply open a new throttle, without going through the roster, how many buttons do you see? They should be disabled.

 

Then if you select a loco from the roster in the same throttle window, does the number of buttons and appearance change?

[Ian J.]

54 minutes ago, Crosland said:

Ian,

 

If you simply open a new throttle, without going through the roster, how many buttons do you see? They should be disabled.

 

Then if you select a loco from the roster in the same throttle window, does the number of buttons and appearance change?

 

New throttle, no roster, Light (F0) to F23.

 

Select any loco in that new throttle, Light (F0) to F28.

 

 

[Ian J.]

OK, looks like problem 'solved'.

 

I'm lucky in that I've hardly set up any locos in the roster, so can afford to 'junk' it. In Linux (Mint), the .jmri folder in the user's home folder seems to be holding configuration information. I closed JMRI, changed the name of the folder, then restarted JMRI. It recreated the .jmri folder in my home folder, and with it whatever configuration files it needed. Now I was able to redo the little bit of JMRI installation and create a new loco from scratch by reading the Loksound 5 DCC in the Deltic. Once done, I opened a throttle and it has 31 function buttons 🙂

 

I spoke too soon. It looks like the throttle works to F31 in programming mode in JMRI for the Sprog, but when I switch to Sprog Command Station, the throttle only has up to F28...

Edited July 13, 2022 by Ian J.

[Crosland]

On 13/07/2022 at 20:52, Ian J. said:

I spoke too soon. It looks like the throttle works to F31 in programming mode in JMRI for the Sprog, but when I switch to Sprog Command Station, the throttle only has up to F28...

 

Ah, that is interesting. I can't find the embarrassed emoji :)

 

Watch this space...

[Crosland]

The fix for SPROG command station mode should be in the next test release.

 

Apologies for that. It completely slipped my mind that the two connection profiles have different throttle code.

 

Andrew

[KingEdwardII]

On 14/07/2022 at 21:38, Crosland said:

I can't find the embarrassed emoji :)

You can never have enough test cases...

 

...the bugs will certainly gather where the test cases don't go. Nasty little blighters.

 

Yours,  Mike.

[Ian J.]

Been there, done that, have several t-shirts. Duplicate code can be a real pain in the a*se.

[ISW]

15 hours ago, Ian J. said:

Duplicate code can be a real pain

Hence the saying "... do it once, and do it right ...". Similarly for documents "... say it once, and say it right ...", and thereafter reference that text (which is easy with 'referencing' in MS Word). I can remember so many technical documents that contained conflicting information because the Author didn't following this principle, and then 'updated' one section without updating the rest. And lost all appeals / arguments as a result.

Ian

[Crosland]

Except that it's not quite duplicated code.

 

It's two different functions that inherit from the same base class. Almost every other system, if not all, will also inherit the same code in JMRI and will need the same changes with system specific tweaks.