Release Notes for JMRI 2.13.2 release

Date: October 2, 2011

From: Bob Jacobsen

Subject: Test version 2.13.2 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! And please back up your JMRI files before installing this, in case you want to go back to an earlier version.

This is the next in a series of test versions. We expect this series to end in a JMRI 2.14 or 3.0 production release.

Some of the changes involved are quite extensive. They may require a certain amount of experience before they are working well. Therefore, this test version should be considered experimental.

JMRI is now only available under the GNU General Public License. For more information, please see our copyright and licensing page.

New warnings for this version:

Older warnings

The way in which UserNames are edited in the tables changed in JMRI 2.13.1, renames are now performed via a mouse pop-up menu and can not be directly edited.

The method we use for building release files was extensively changed with JMRI 2.13.1. Please let us know of any problems with installation or unpacking.

This release of "DecoderPro 3" is a test. There are a few more features we'd like to add, but before doing that we need feedback from users; does it work for you, what do you want to see changed, etc. We'll look at all the information which comes back and incorporate it in future developments. We have tested "DecoderPro 3" and are not expecting major file-damaging faults. But with any test-release of software there is always a small risk that something has been overlooked. So, please check that you have a backup of your Roster files just in case something unexpected happens. If you install with the Windows installer, a backup copy of your old files (including the roster) is created by default.

JMRI 2.12 is the last release which is completely supported by Java 1.5. Starting with this release, there will be minor interface features, such as drag-and-drop of some items, that require your computer to have Java 1.6 installed. Computers with only Java 1.5 will still be able to use JMRI, including PanelPro and DecoderPro, through the end of this 2.13.* release cycle. Releases in the next cycle will require Java 1.6.

Known problems with this release

Operations in aggressive mode will always report a build failure when a train departs from staging. Work around is to use normal mode to build your trains. You can also download a replacement jmri.jar file from Dan Boudreau's site: http://home.comcast.net/~daboudreau/JMRI_JAVA1.6/jmri.jar

Download links:

Please use these links for downloading:

Changes since test release 2.13.1

Dan Boudreau made the following enhancements to operations.

• Now when the program fails to find destinations for cars departing out of staging, the program will list all of the cars and provide the option of removing the cars without destinations from the staging track.
• Added train copy feature. See under Tools for Trains or Edit Train.
• New feature, train conductor. Now you can get the manifest for a train in a window that updates as the train moves. It also includes a check list for the work needed at each location. To activate the train conductor, see under Edit Train, Tools, Conductor. You can also launch the train conductor from the train icon. Right click the icon and select Conductor.
• The program now confirms during a build that all of the cars in a kernel have the same departure location and track.
• The program now waits for the scripts to complete before building a train.
• You can now rename the RFID and Value fields to anything you like. See Settings->Tools->Options

Kevin Dickerson made the following enhancements.

• Updated the Ecos Sensor code to recognize the new ESU Detectors
• Updated the Ecos messaging code to handle information from the Ecos better and improve performance
• Made some improvements to the performance of displaying the Preferences for the first time
• Made some improvements to the performance of opening the create loco for the first time
• Provide Friendly Names for the serial ports, this is only available for Windows Systems

Randall Wood resolved the issue that prevented DP3 from loading on a PowerMac (PPC Macintosh) computer.

Gert Muller

• The current implementation for Align Horizontally or Vertically computes the average of the X or Y, and then move the components to that in the Panel Editor. But then you might have to move all of them again to the place wanted. It would be really nice to be able to select (Ctrl-Left Click in Windows and Linux at least) the piece of track that does not need to move first, then select the rest of the components and choose "Align Horizontally to first selected" (or Vertically of course).
• It is quite helpful to be able to write a script to execute and then be able to save it to a file, and similarly to be able to load one to perhaps edit and then execute it. The attached patch implements both Load and Store.

Mark Dance provided a set of train order signal icons in resources/icons/smallschematics/trainorder/.

Bob Jacobsen fix the problem that was preventing some QSI decoders from properly loading.

Michael Mosher

• Provided decoder XML files for Zimo MX644 & MX645
• Updated the QSI Version 7 decoder definitions

Nigel Cliffe

• Provided decoder files for the Fleischmann FMZ DCC and and Twin DCC decoders.
• New file for version 100 and above of CT SL51 and SL75 sound decoders. Thanks to John Clutterbuck for work on this file.

Dick Bronson provided a decoder definition for the RR-CirKits LNCP Control Point board.

Mark Underwood

• Virtual Sound Decoder (actually introduced in 2.13.1)
• Added the ability for the VSD sound to follow a Train defined in Operations

Matthew Harris added network connection and server information to the context reports.

---