Release Notes for JMRI 1.3.11 developer release

Date: March 6, 2004

From: Bob Jacobsen

Subject: Test version 1.3.11 of JMRI/DecoderPro is available for download.

Notes:

• This is a test release.
• Please post a note if you encounter any new or old bugs!
• Please back up your JMRI files before installing this, in case you want to go back to an earlier version.
• Although there are many important items on the to-do lists, we also need a new production version. Please test this version thoroughly, and post your results. Unless new critical problems are found, this will become the production version on April 2nd, 2004.

New warnings:

• Panel files written by this and later versions may not be readable with versions before 1.3.0. Older files will remain readable, but if you edit them with this version and then store them, you might not be able to read them if you go back to version 1.2.5.

Older warnings for the 1.3 series of test versions:

• There is no OS/2 version of this test release because our OS/2 test machine is no longer online. If you have a suitable OS/2 machine and are willing to host our release testing, please let me know.
• If you are building your own copy of the program from the source code using Ant, please make sure to update the build.xml file. There have been some changes in the build procedure during the 1.3.9 build.
• These downloads are significantly larger than version 1.3.5 and previous. This is due to the addition of a help system starting in test version 1.3.8.
• LocoNet sensor numbering has been changed starting in version 1.3.4! This will effect people who have panel files (.xml files containing panel definition) for LocoNet block occupancy sensors. The sensor numbers now start with 1, not 0, so you'll have to edit the panel files to change e.g. LS0 to LS1, LS23 to LS24, etc. This does not effect input via other (non-LocoNet) protocols, including C/MRI, NCE AIU, etc. If you use LocoNet sensor numbers for the Speedometer, you'll have to increase them by one also.
• If you have pre-1.2.3 roster entries that use Zimo decoder definitions, you'll have to recreate them. The Zimo decoder definitions have been completely reworked in a better organization starting with test version 1.2.3.

Changes since test version 1.3.10:

• Added "Load Throttle" as one of the available buttons/startup actions in advanced preferences. Also added I8N to those items (only English at present), and made the mechanism easy to extend.
• Added example of creating your own button via a script (jython/JButtonExample.py)
• Various small improvements to panel load/store to improve robustness of storing signalling information
• "Simple Signal Logic" tool now allows a signal to drop red if any one of up to four blocks is occupied. Old panel files still work, but will be automatically rewritten in a new format when stored again.
• Fixed bug #912806: Read Sheet doesnt read CV7, CV8
• Fixed bug #879990: Changing Roster Entry pane fields doesn't set file-dirty
• Michael Green provided an update to the SoundTraxx LC Diesel PNP FX decoder definition to fix some misleading typos
• Michal Basta provided internationlization for the Czech language, so DecoderPro is not available in Czech both with and without diacritical marks.
• (Paul Bender) Improvements to handling of XPressNet input sensors. Added a timeout for sending turnout "off" messages on certain Lenz systems.
• Added CV7, CV8 to the Digitrax DS54 programmer (Walt Thompson)
• Paul Bender fixed some problems with XpressNet throttles that first appeared in JMRI 1.3.10. These included odd behavior in 128 and 28 step mode, and the speed scale being wrong in 28 step mode.
• Nick Kulp contributed three new sets of signal icons, available at:
  • resources/icons/smallschematics/PRRsignals
  • resources/icons/smallschematics/bordersearchlights
  • resources/icons/smallschematics/RDG_Catface_Signals
• Michael Green provided new decoder definitions for the S Helper Service F3 and F7 DCC Sound decoders. These decoders were custom manufactured by SoundTraxx for S Helper Service's engines.
• The sample panel for Nick Kulp's PanelPro clinic is in the distribution at
  • xml/samples/NicksClinic.xml
• Paul Bender improved handling of XPressnet turnout and sensor messages for certain Lenz command stations.
• Windows installer no longer removes old files from the xml, resources and lib directories, so that user-added files will be kept.

Download links:

Please use these links for downloading, including the "?download" at the end. That adds to SourceForge's advertising statistics, which makes them happy to host our stuff.