Date: August 30, 2008
From: Bob Jacobsen
Subject: Test version 2.3.2 of JMRI/DecoderPro is available for download.
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 second in a series of test versions. It contains many new features, including:
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.
There may be a problem with automatic identification of QSI decoders in this version. We're still trying to determine what's going on. If you find that DecoderPro can't identify a QSI decoder type, please select the right decoder manually.
JMRI is moving toward requiring Java 1.5 or later. Certain new features may not work if you are using an earlier version of Java. To see JMRI's future plans for this and other compatibility issues, please see the JMRI technology roadmap.
JMRI no longer supports NCE AIU broadcasts. This change was needed so that JMRI could reliably read certain CV values. We recommend that if you use NCE AIUs, that you upgrade the command station EPROM to version 2007 or newer and turn off AIU broadcasts. Code has been added to detect if AIU broadcasts are enabled, and if so a warning message will appear at startup requesting that AIU broadcasts be turned off for proper operation of the JMRI programs.
Indexed CVs will not be included in any printouts for this release.
QSI CV 56.129 Engine ID Access is not supported in this release.
While programming QSI decoders in Ops mode, it is necessary to disable CV 62 QSI Control (Verbal Acknowledgement), otherwise the writes will fail.
QSI CV 64 CV Numeric Verbal Readout currently does not work for indexed CVs.
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.
David Duchamp made it possible for files written by JMRI 2.3.2 to be read by JMRI 2.2 (the most recent production version)
David Duchamp fixed bugs in Layout Editor additions mostly related to use with Windows.
Dan Boudreau has started adding his support for operations. This is not yet functional.
Some improvements to how the default roster location is stored.
Ian Birchenough added a decoder definition for the Lenz Standard decoder.
Dan Boudreau added some support for accessory programming modes.
A decoder definition for the new Soundtraxx Diesel Tsunami is included, thanks to information provided by Bruce Petrarca of Litchfield Station and Nancy Workman of Soundtraxx.
More RPS support, particularly improvements to the tracking displays.
Ken Cameron added a "DebounceSensor" sample script.
The JMRI CBUS support now includes Sensors and Turnouts. Also, when using a non-MERG CAN adapter, the CAN ID is fixed at 126.
The Turnout Control and Add Turnout window have been improved so the size of the text fields for system and user names expand as the window is expanded. This lets you enter the really long names that some systems (RPS, CBUS) can use. If this works well, it'll be done for the rest of the places.
The JMRI throttle now has a "Program" button which opens an ops-mode programmer window for the selected locomotive. It's only active when a roster entry has been selected on the throttle.
Turnouts, Sensors, Lights, etc all now have an associated "comment" field for recording whatever information you'd like. You can enter the info via a column in the associated table. It will be stored in panel files along with the object's other information, and can be accessed via scripts, etc.
The JMRI CBUS support now takes an easier format for specifying CBUS events in sensors and turnouts: MT2e3, which means "event 3 from node 2". The CBUS naming page discusses various optional forms.
Jos Wils provided updated ESU decoder definitions, and extended the Comprehensive programmer format to work well with them.
The JMRI editor for Digitrax SDF sound definitions has been updated with more editing options and some layout improvements.
Pekka Siiskonen suggested that we add "error numbers" to e.g. the programming error messages, so that when people report a problem it's really clear which error they've hit. We've started to do this, including a page that serves as a central registry of error numbers.
Bob Coleman updated the CTI Acela support to include all types of sensors and initial configuration of sensors and outputs. He's also added the start of formal support for Acela Turnouts.
Ronnie Pinkerton updated the throttle so it uses screen space more efficiently.
David Duchamp fixed a bug in the screen grid of the Layout Editor.
A problem with indexed CVs (as in QSI decoders) and adding new entries to decoder definitions has been fixed.
JMRI windows can now be accessed from a web browser.
David Duchamp added an "edit" capability to the Signal Table, so you can now change the details (but not the type) of a signal definition. He also updated the help pages for signals and the Signal Table.
It was possible to select e.g. a background image while browsing panel icons, which then was so large that it made the window unusable. This was fixed by adding scroll bars to the preview part of the window.
The layout for "Active DCC Address" was changed in DecoderPro to make it more self-explanatory.
New setup tool for CBUS users.
Editing text fields in tables has been a little frustrating because when you tab into the field, a table didn't behave like everything else in the program. With most fields, if you start typing, it replaces the prior content. In tables, the typing has been appended to the prior content. This is now fixed; when you tab into a table cell, the current content is selected. If you type e.g. without setting the cursor, you'll replace the prior content.
David Duchamp added a snap-to-grid option to the layout editor.
The Digitrax slot tracking has been updated to track F9 through F28. These are not actually in the command station's slot's state information, since they're handled by transient LocoNet messages, but we're able to track their status reasonably well. This allows LocoNet throttles to properly share the status of F9 through F28.
David Duchamp fixed a number of minor bugs in the Layout Editor.
David Duchamp and Peter Rushworth added a Reporter icon to the Layout editor.
When using the "LocoNet simulator", you can now close the simulator window with that stopping the program.
Andrew Crosland added a filter to the CBUS console (event display), which lets you pay attention to just the events you're interested in, and made a lot of other refinements.
Matthew Harris updated how the insets are handled in JMRI windows.
There as a bug with programming "confirm" operations on LocoNet, now fixed.
Matthew Harris added a "QuietShutDownTask" to enable a task to be run at shutdown without any user prompt.
There's a new "CMRI simulator" choice, which should be used if e.g. your C/MRI system is not working or not connected. In that case, you can still work with your panel definitions, etc without needing to connect. For normal operation, the existing "C/MRI" choice is now called "C/MRI serial".
Michael Mosher updated the QSI decoder definitions to add new models and newly located CVs.
Michael Mosher added a decoder definition for the Soundtraxx Tsunami EMD 567 and 645.
Fixed a problem with F11 and F12 in the Digitrax DG383/DG583 definitions.
Giorgio Terdina and Dave Duchamp added zooming and antialiasing to Layout Editor.
Giorgio Terdina fixed a long-standing problem with international time zones.
Dan Boudreau added train markers to Layout Editor panels.