Date: March 27, 2009
From: Bob Jacobsen
Subject: Test version 2.5.2 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 have been extensive changes to the way JMRI installs and starts on Windows. (See the updated installation documentation for details). If you have custom shortcuts, you may have to revisit them.
The downloads are significantly larger due to more text and images in the help pages, especially the updated manual.
JMRI now requires Java 1.5 or later. If you are using an older version of Java, please upgrade your Java installation. To see JMRI's future plans for this and other compatibility issues, please see the JMRI technology roadmap.
The way you drag things in the Layout Editor has changed if you are using a Linux computer.
Windows desktop shortcuts have been restructured to make them more reliable. If you have custom shortcuts (ones you made), you may have to update them. The JMRI-created ones will be updated automatically. Users of Mac OS X and Linux will not be affected by this change.
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.
Xavier Chazelle provided a new decoder definition for the Uhlenbrock 73400 mini decoder.
New NMRA manufacturer numbers:
Matt Harris improved the Windows startup scripts to put the messages.log log file and the Jython cache files in the JMRI preferences directory. This lets JMRI run cleanly on Windows 7.
Nigel Cliffe and Mark Waters provided new definitions for the Zimo MX620 decoder.
Dan Boudreau made several enhancements to the operations program. You can now specify car loads, and define the name of the load received or shipped for a siding by using the schedule feature. Schedules can now be accessed from the Locations menu under Tools. You can now also modify the default load names for empty and loaded. Edit frames now appear on top when launched from tables. He also fixed a print problem when a car with a FRED was printed in a switch list or manifest. Trains, Train, and Route windows now have print and preview tools. Also fixed a problem where some buttons were not visible on some operations windows.
Matt Harris fixed a problem launching JMRI on a Windows 64-bit machine with more than 2GB of memory installed.
Ken Cameron fixed a problem saving the Powerline CP290 configuration.
The Linux startup scripts should now have executable permission set automatically.
Bob Coleman added Acela Signalhead support. Double and Triple will now work, but they send individual on and off commands rather than more optimal Acela signal commands down to the hardware. So, added an Acela Aspect option that will do things efficiently for Acela and also correctly supports BiPolar and Wigwags.
Matt Harris made the startup scripts more reliable on Windows 98.
John Plocher updated the instructions for using Eclipse to build JMRI.
Andrew Crosland improved the CBUS and CAN utility tools.
David Duchamp added automatic setting of turnouts to Dispatcher
Bob Coleman did a lot of important work on improving the JUnit build tests for the operations feature.
Walter Thompson did a lot of work to improve sample scripts.
Jack Shall updated the "Lenz 54" decoder definition.
Tom Starbuck updated and organized the model numbers in the TCS BEMF decoder definitions.
A bunch more baud rates were added for CAN connections.
Paul Bender updated the XPressNet support to properly handle non-standard operations by the Hornby Elite. He also added a configuriation tool for the Lenz LI-USB.
Andrew Crosland improved the CBUS support and added a new "Event Table" tool.
Marc Fournier improved the TCS BEMF decoder definition.
Peter Ulvestad improved the LnSendTool.py sample script.
Walt Thompson improved some web pages.
Mark Waters provided a new Zimo MX640 definition for version 1, 2, 3 and 4 decoders.
Jack Shall updated the Comprehensive programmer to add some lighting options.
Dan Boudreau and Mark Schutzer improved the reliability of ops-mode (on the main) programming when using an NCE system and certain non-NCE decoders
Ken Cameron updated the Team Digital Sic24 decoder, plus added the Sic24AD version.
Matt Harris added a decoder definition for versions 41 to 43 of the Lenz LE103XF.
Matt Harris updated the definition for the Digitrax TF4 and TF2 with information from Bob Grosh.
Jeff Schmaltz updated the Massoth decoder definitions.
Jeff Schmaltz added additional detail to the Zimo MX69 and MX690 definitions.
Jeff Schmaltz updated the version numbers for several ESU decoders.
Mark Waters fixed CV38 in the Zimo MX620 series of decoder definitions, updated the more recent versions to include additional CVs, and created a new definition for the MX620 decoder version 9.12.
David Duchamp updated Blocks to contain length and curvature information, and improved the associated help files.
David Duchamp added saving and restoring train setup information and the ability to select layout scale to Dispatcher.
Dan Boudreau added a tool to the NCE menu that provides a table of active NCE cabs addresses, loco speed, and function keys.
Matt Harris has created a new, much more professional Windows installer.
Bob Jacobsen updated the RPS support to handle large number of points better.
David Duchamp added a continuous running option to Dispatcher.
Fixed a problem with the function mapping in DecoderPro when a decoder has a large number of functions and outputs, which was causing trouble for the MRC Sound Brilliance 1644 decoder.
Pete Cressman and David Parks fixed a problem with a tiny active area for MultiSensors when the default inactive, etc, icons are still used.
Ken Cameron added methods so you can enable and disable polling of C/MRI, etc, nodes via scripts.
Peter Cressman provided a large update to Logix. In particular, the Conditionals in the Logix can now compute more complicated logical expressions; more than two actions can be attached to a conditional; the user interface is more flexible; and certain internal race conditions that resulted in inconsistent results have been fixed.
Richard Sauerbrun provided info for the TCS 1278 decoder model.
David Duchamp added a 3-way turnout tool and other additions to Layout Editor tools
Simon Ginsburg updated the German, Czech and Spanish translations.
Ken Cameron provided an example script for turning CMRI node polling on and off.
Fixed a bug in C/MRI error handling that would cause the wrong node to be reset if several polls were missed. (This only affected C/MRI, not other hardware types)
Matt Harris added scrolling options to the panel editor and layout editor windows.
Dan Boudreau fixed a problem a with the EPROM revision error message when using NCE and a TCP/IP connection.
Mark Waters updated the decoder definitions for the various versions of the Zimo MX640.
Mike Mosher updated the QSI Version 7 decoder definitions.
Nigel Cliffe updated the CT Elektronik DCX decoder definition.
Peter Cesaro updated the MRC Sound Brilliance 1663 and 1656 definitions.
Jim Thompson provided a new "PM42forCTC.py" sample script, and greatly improved the previous PM4Announce.py script.
Lou DeHayes provided a definition for the MRC Sound Brilliance 1806 decoder.
Pete Cressman improved the user interface for defining Sensor Groups. Also, Sensor Groups can now be migrated to become a Logix conditional by viewing the group and then pressing the 'make group' button. (This deletes the group as a series of routes and implements it as a Logix Conditional. This is a special type of Conditional for radio button type action and cannot be edited as a Conditional.) A Panel for the names of existing groups is added to the Sensor Group window. Editing of Sensor Groups is done from Sensor Group window - view the group, make changes, press make group.
Pete Cressman removed the limitation on the number of turnouts or sensors that can be set in a route.
Pete Cressman made it possible to export Routes to Logix conditionals - there, additional attributes can be added to the triggering controls or outputs by ordinary conditional editing. Pressing 'Add Route' still creates a traditional route in the Route Table. Existing Routes can be migrated to their equivalent implementation as Logix Conditionals by pressing the 'Export to Logix' button on the Route Editing window.
Marc Fornier added the K1D4 decoder to the TCS definitions.
Jim Betz added the Z2 TCS decoder
Ken Cameron added CmriNodeTool.py, a sample script that acts as an interactive tool to enable/disable polling of CMRI nodes.