Date: January 27, 2010
From: Bob Jacobsen
Subject: Test version 2.9.3 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 third in a series of test versions. We expect this series to end in a JMRI 2.10 (or perhaps JMRI 3.0) production release in Summer 2010.
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.
If you're using a Lenz XPressNet connection, please uncheck the "Check Buffer Status" box in the preference pane where you selected the Lenz protocol.
Some user of 64-bit Windows 7 have reported compatibility problems. The issue is associated with exactly which (32-bit or 64-bit) Java version is installed, and where it was placed. This will be fixed in a later version.
There's a temporary fix for the 64-bit Windows 7 compatibility issue. See RXTX on Java; third party website).
This version does work fine with Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) and 10.6 (Snow Leopard), but some users of earlier versions have reported problems. If you're using Mac OS X 10.4, you should probably wait for the next release.
You may get some messages like:
WARNING: RXTX Version mismatch
Jar version = RXTX-2.2pre1
native lib Version = RXTX-2.2pre2
and
(some stuff) INFO - failed to set serial framing: gnu.io.UnsupportedCommOperationException: Not supportedFor now, these should be considered normal. We'll try to get them removed before the next release.
Due to the inclusion of the new DecoderPro manual in the help files, these download files are significantly larger than previous ones.
When loading an older panel file containing signal head icons, you may get WARN messages about "did not locate lunar icon file" and "did not locate flashlunar icon file". To make these stop, just store the file again so that it's rewritten in the most recent format.
Please use these links for downloading:
Dan Boudreau made some improvements to programmer error messages, and to operations build messages.
Alfredo Sola updated the Spanish translation.
Removed the warning message when the program starts up if no roster entries have been stored yet.
Fixed a problem with lunar lamps in aspect signaling.
You can now add Signal Mast icons in the panel editor. The images used are taken from the definition of the signal system in use.
A history of the panel files loaded and stored by JMRI is now kept. You can look at the current history from the Panel menu. The display is still in a very preliminary stage, we'll improve that later, but we put the feature in now to start accumulating the history in the file.
Dan Boudreau added two new build options for trains: by owner, and by built date.
Joan Carrancà added a set of signal definitions for the DB 1969 system .
Dan Boudreau added two new build options for trains: by owner, and by built date.
The DecoderPro manual in the help pages has been extensively updated.
Paul Bender added a set of signal definitions for the SLSF (Frisco) system .
David Duchamp fixed two bugs in the Maple interface
Kevin Dickerson added a page title to the roster print out that will either be "DecoderPro Roster All Entries" or "DecoderPro Roster Group 'GroupName' Entries", so you can see if you're printing the entire roster or just one of the roster groups.
Kevin Dickerson fixes the order in which the MERG SD2 signal head sequences.
Matt Harris added protection against trying to use a Digitrax MS100 on Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Kevin Dickerson added a new "single output" signal type. This allows you to have a signal that only has two states controlled by one turnout, e.g. one that only shows a single color and dark, or two specific colors.
Andrew Berridge improved the SPROG serial communications
Dan Boudreau made a minor operations improvement with regards to engine roads: The user can exclude a road for cars, but still allow an engine to be assigned to the train with the excluded car road.
Dan Boudreau added a new operations feature: Allow users to move or terminate a train from the Trains window.
Kevin Dickerson added check-boxes for disabling various reminder prompts, along with a way to remember those during the next time the program runs, and a tool for resetting them if you change your mind.
Matt Harris fixed a spurious warning about "Insets" when running under Gnome-based Linux.
Kevin Dickerson added a set of British Rail signal definitions and associated images.
Jason M'Sadoques provided an update to use an Android phone as a throttle.
Dan Boudreau added a new build option for operations: aggressive. Setting aggressive true will cause the build process to immediately make available tracks that are vacated by cars being picked up. He also added a new feature, under tools in the train edit window, so users can print the train's manifest, even after terminating the train.
Several updates to the Lionel TMCC support to fix multiple bugs. The TMCC support was badly broken in JMRI 2.4, and only with this version should be considered working.
Marc Fournier updated the version numbers in the MRC Athearn MP15 decoder definition.
Michael Mosher provided a decoder definition for the QSI Stock Car.
Michael Povel provided definitions for the TAMS LD-G-21 and LD-G-32 decoders.
David Duchamp updated Simple Signal Logic to use up to five sensors, which allows more complicated trackwork to be handled by Layout Editor.
Jack Shall updated the Tsunami Diesel definition to include the Kato KT100 models.
David Duchamp made Dispatcher enhancements for both manual running and future automatic running of trains.
Kevin Dickerson fixed how Signal Mast icons rotate in the Panel and Layout Editors.
Kevin Dickerson added a custom power on/off control to the SPROG menu.
Fixed a problem with the DecoderPro function map when using more than 12 function definitions.
Andrew Crosland updated the configuration files for building and running JMRI under NetBeans.
Harald Barth improved the SRCP implementation.
Andrew Crosland improved how the speed-step setting is saved with a Throttle
Dick Bronson provided a set of SP 1960 signal definitions
Andrew Berridge provided a first version of an XBox throttle
Dan Boudreau added a "Copy Route" to operations