Release Notes for JMRI 3.11.3 release

Date: February 15, 2015

From: Bob Jacobsen

Subject: Test version 3.11.3 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 the next JMRI production release around the middle of 2015.

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.

Known problems with this release

None at release time.

New warnings for this version:

The Save button in the Preferences window now only prompts for restarts if required. There may be instances when pressing save incorrectly fails to prompt to restart JMRI or prompts to restart JMRI when it should not.

This JMRI version removes some files that were present in earlier versions. Failure to remove these can result in some portions of JMRI (notably the web server) failing to function correctly. If you are updating an existing JMRI installation to this version Linux, you must remove any older version of JMRI or unpack this version of JMRI in an alternate location. The recommended update procedures for JMRI on Microsoft Windows (run the installer) and Mac OS X (open disk image and drag to final location, e.g. Applications folder) remove/replace the older version of JMRI, ensuring that these obsolete files are not present.

Older warnings

This release, and all later releases in this cycle, require Java 1.8 or higher. To use this or any later JMRI releases, you'll have to update the Java on your computer to Java 1.8 or higher.

This release uses JDOM 2.0.5, which requires some code changes if you are directly calling the parts of JMRI that interchange XML objects.

There are now separate settings for the default Service Mode Programmer and for the default Ops Mode Programmer. If you're using two or more system connections, this lets you use one connection for ops mode (on track) programming and another connection for your programming track. If you're using two separate connections, you should go to the Defaults pane on the Preferences window and check that those defaults were set properly.

If you are making a direct connection to a Intellibox unit via serial or USB, you will have to reselect your preferences. See the Uhlenbrock support page for instructions.

If you are using an NCE USB adapter, you will have to reselect your preferences the first time you use a JMRI 3.11 version (if you set them using JMRI 3.10 or earlier). See the page on configuring JMRI for NCE for instructions.

Because of internal code changes, this version of JMRI is not compatible with CATS 2.34 or earlier. Keep using JMRI 3.10 with CATS until there's a CATS update that says it will work with JMRI 3.11.

The XmlIO web service has been removed. All users who were relying on the XmlIO API are recommended to begin using the JSON API. inControl web throttle users are recommended to begin using webThrottle instead, or invest in devices that can support webThrottle, the iOS WiThrottle, or the Android Engine Driver.

Download links:

Please use these links for downloading:

Changes since test release 3.11.2:

Ken Cameron fixed a problem (present since 3.11.1) that prevented the NCE Consist tool window from opening.

Fixed a stall occasionally encountered when running a locomotive to measure a speed table via a LocoNet connection.

Fixed a problem where, if the decoder definition causes DecoderPro or DecoderPro3 to select a non-default programming mode, that wasn't properly being displayed.

Randall Wood fixed a problem that would cause an exception when starting without an existing configuration.

Hardware Support

Uhlenbrock Intellibox

• Implementation of CV programming through IB-COM / Intellibox II.
• Turnout control added for some Intellibox command stations
• Full handling of decoder functions beyond F8 from/to throttles for Intellibox-II.
• Partial handling of decoder functions beyond F8 from throttles for Intellibox-I with SW version 2.x (changes from IB-I keyboard not handled by throttle).
• Improvements in message transfer from and to the LocoNet connection

Bachrus Speedometer

Dennis Miller made the following changes:

• Added a new feature that allows loading a reference speed profile to make it easier to do speed matching.
• Fixed a bug that prevented loading the loco address from the roster.
• Made the Reset Graph button also reset the speedometer dial scale.
• Fixed the scaling routine so that it uses the maximum of all profiles, not just the first.
• Updated the help files for the speedometer

Signals

Dave Sand improved the SPTCO-1930 definitions.

Egbert Broerse improved the signal documentation.

Suzie Tall provided additional signal icons

New / Updated decoder definitions

Dave Heap updated the Function Mapping page to emphasise that "label" and "tooltip" attributes should not be added to a "fnmapping" element (they are ignored).

Fleischmann

Xavier Chazelle contributed a decoder definition for the N scale Fleischmann "Leig einheit" F830681 double unit of van equipped with a Fleischmann-specific dual decoder for opening or closing doors

SoundTraxx

Added definition for Bachmann On30 Whitcomb 50-Ton Center-Cab (DCC Sound On-Board, Plug-and-Play Sound Module) (Alain Le Marchand)

Fixed a problem (originating in the Great SoundTraxx renaming that took place in JMRI 3.11.1) that prevented some Soundtraxx decoders from being recognized

ESU

Dave Heap made the following changes:

• Added a Row Move facility to the Function Map pane.
• Updated the "Read Me" pane.
• Replaced confusing LokSound V4.0 models that are functionally identical with generic models.
• Corrections to displayed state of a Function Map summary line.
• Fixed assorted V4 and LokPilot Standard issues, including rename CV48 for V4 and move to Sound pane.
• Added generic LokSound Select steam and diesel models for use with as-yet undefined models.
• Fixed an issue with "Requires Drive Sound" for V4 and Select decoders.

TCS

Michael Mosher updated the TCS WOW definitions.

Trix

Added Trix 66840 (Bjørn Kvisli - Alain Le Marchand)

Zimo

Nigel Cliffe and Mark Waters did a lot of work on the Zimo decoders.

Operations

Dan Boudreau made the following changes to operations:

• New feature for schedules. You can now select a random value for any schedule item. For example if you select 15 as the random value, you have a 15% chance that this item will be selected. Great feature for RIP tracks where you would like to randomly send a car to maintenance.
• Fixed a problem where manifests and switch lists wouldn't preview or print if there wasn't a logo specified. Problem was introduced in versions 3.11.1 and 3.11.2
• Improved the "Two Column by Track" manifest and switch list format to automatically not show the car's track name. Allows the conductor and yardmaster windows to now show the track name when using the "Two Column by Track" format.
• New feature when departing staging, you can now control the maximum number of cars that can depart out of staging. By adjusting the number of cars requested in the train's route departure staging location, you can have the program select a staging track that has a number of cars equal to or less than requested. Note that if you set the requested number of cars out of staging to zero, the program will look for a staging track that doesn't have any cars. This new feature could cause existing trains builds to fail. To fix this type of build failure, just enter in the train's route departure staging location a number of requested cars greater than the numbers of cars that can fit on the departure staging track. For example, if your staging track can fit 12 cars maximum, a request of 12 cars or more should fix the build failure if there was one.

Blocks

Fixed a problem where the Block Table would throw errors at various times when JMRI was in a locale where decimal numbers are written 0,00 (as opposed to 0.00).

Preferences

The parameters for ramping speed changes used by Warrants and the Speed Map are now accessible through Preferences.

Clicking the Save button now prompts to restart only if the preferences have changed and if the change requires a restart. (Randall Wood)

Closing the Preferences window now prompts to save or discard preferences if the preferences have been changed. (Randall Wood)

Web Server

Fix an issue preventing the Web Throttle from handling certain turnouts. (Randall Wood)

Fix an issue preventing the Web Throttle from loading rosters. (Randall Wood)

Fix an issue preventing the Web Throttle from setting routes. (Ken Cameron)

Remove documentation and examples that use the XmlIO protocol.

The Web Server has been upgraded from Jetty 8.1.11 to 9.2.7. This is expected to improve performance, especially on constrained devices such as the Raspberry Pi. (Randall Wood)

Miscellaneous

LinkingLabels will now restore a minimized frame on Windows (already worked this way in Linux) (mstevetodd)

Add ability to specify the default location for new configuration profiles. (Randall Wood)

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