JMRI/Decoder Pro/Sprog.

[peterm1]

I hope this is in the right place. I'm using a Win10 small laptop and have all my loco's on there. I've recently bought some MS decoders and wondered if there are any specific files for them on DP/JMRI. I'm on JMRI v4.25 and can't go any higher because for some reason JRE thinks I haven't got Java v11 which I do have. Anyway, that's no problem if I can get any new decoder definitions whether MS or MX on this version. I'd appreciate some help with this,remembering that I'm not that good with computers.

[Nigelcliffe]

Yes the files for new MS decoders exist, you need an up to date JMRI.  I wrote the files.   
Back-installing the MS-series decoder files to an earlier JMRI is just about possible, but you're on your own working out what has to be replaced (because even if I tried to give a list of which files to replace and which to leave, I'd probably miss something).  

 

Your Java problem is likely to be one of:

a) did not uninstall Java8 before installing something newer, so things end up pointing at Java8

b) when installing Java11, did not set the relevant registry keys (in which case uninstall Java11, get an installation copy which does set the keys)

c) confusion caused when you try to update Java8 to "latest" and it not being clear that "latest" means "latest Java 8". 

d) installing a newer Java than Java11,  JMRI might work with newer, but not tested, and not recommended.  

 

Recommended fix: 

This page at JMRI for advice:  https://www.jmri.org/java/

Uninstall ALL Java versions from machine, there is an Oracle tool to remove Java8 properly.  

Get one of the Java11 installers recommended on the JMRI site.  

 

 

 

Edited January 21, 2023 by Nigelcliffe

[peterm1]

Thanks Nigel,

 

I managed to blindly stumble through things what were alien to me and with your advice, I now have JRE11 and DP 5.2.

 

One more question. I did look for a list of decoder definitions that I could download and use, but couldn't work out where to go for them. I did find your list of MS decoders that you've written, but couldn't find how to download them if I need to. Luckily the update to DP 5.2 has put them on there, but I might need to use more as and when they come out.

 

 

[Izzy]

2 hours ago, peterm1 said:

I did look for a list of decoder definitions that I could download and use, but couldn't work out where to go for them.
 

Luckily the update to DP 5.2 has put them on there, but I might need to use more as and when they come out.

 

 

I have just downloaded definitions in the distant past, but can’t recall how I did so. As they only really arrive in conjunction with a new JMRI version I find now it’s just as easy to install that.

 

Bob

[Nigelcliffe]

7 hours ago, peterm1 said:

Thanks Nigel,

 

I managed to blindly stumble through things what were alien to me and with your advice, I now have JRE11 and DP 5.2.

 

One more question. I did look for a list of decoder definitions that I could download and use, but couldn't work out where to go for them. I did find your list of MS decoders that you've written, but couldn't find how to download them if I need to. Luckily the update to DP 5.2 has put them on there, but I might need to use more as and when they come out.

 

Decoder files, like everything, are on the JMRI website.  But you need to be a techie to find them.  Start from jmri.org/xml and dig down the folder structure.   Many decoder files reference out to other files (Zimo and ESU do so to a very large extent), so need to also copy all the referenced files as well.     I suggest you do not try this approach unless you're confident in what goes where, and why - which probably means you're getting into writing decoder files to contribute back to JMRI.  

 

 

Much easier to just get a new version of JMRI fairly regularly, and let the install process do everything for you.   I'd suggest at least once a year, and more frequently if needing newer decoder types.     ( I've never known a test-release have a fault with decoder programming, so the test releases are also fine ).  

 

 

 

[Butler Henderson]

5.2 is the current release (17 Dec 2022) so those decoder files should be part of it . Try reading the decoder and it should work (or at least come up with a list of decoders to pick the right one from)

[peterm1]

Thanks all. I'll do as suggested and update DP when they become available.

 

I updated from 4.25 to 5.0 and then to 5.2 as suggested on the DP page but after each one, I started off as a new user. I did manage to get all my files back from the backup, But I'm sure this wasn't the case years ago when I last went to v4.24.

[Nigelcliffe]

8 hours ago, peterm1 said:

Thanks all. I'll do as suggested and update DP when they become available.

 

I updated from 4.25 to 5.0 and then to 5.2 as suggested on the DP page but after each one, I started off as a new user. I did manage to get all my files back from the backup, But I'm sure this wasn't the case years ago when I last went to v4.24.

 

Sounds like it may be an issue with "profile" which is a feature which allows a user to have multiple different setups.   Investigate what your profile might be, and where the software thinks the folders associated with the profile might be.    
Normally profiles "just work", but it can get confused/lost.  

 

 

 

[peterm1]

Sorry to be so long replying... hospital appointments. You have to be tough to get old.🙁

 

I'll have a look at profiles, but not sure what I can do once I'm in there.

[peterm1]

Well I thought I'd have a look at 'profile', but it's nowhere to be found. I can't find 'debug' either.

[5BarVT]

Thanks form me to Nigel too.  Successfully upgraded from Java 8 JMRI 4.16 to Java 11 JMRI 5.2.

Paul.

[peterm1]

I usually need help with things like this.