Release Notes for JMRI 3.7.3 release

Date: March 13, 2014

From: Bob Jacobsen

Subject: Test version 3.7.3 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 a JMRI 3.8 production release around the middle of 2014.

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:

The XmlIO web service has been deprecated and is scheduled to be removed in JMRI 3.11. All users who are relying on direct access to the XmlIO API are recommended to begin using the JSON API. inControl web throttle users are recommended to begin using webThrottle instead, or to plan on investing in devices that can support webThrottle, the iOS WiThrottle, or the Android Engine Driver.

Older warnings

This release has some changes to the application-initialization structure, particularly in the apps.Apps class. If you have written code of your own that runs applications based on JMRI, please check for use of deprecated methods.

The internals for handling CV read and write addressing have been extensively reworked. The change should be transparent (invisible) to users. If you do notice anything problems involving CV reading, writing, storage or anything else, please let us know.

The configuration structure for JMRI is changing to use Configuration Profiles. Configuration Profiles allow a single JMRI application to have multiple, user selectable, configurations that can be changed as application startup. For some users, this change will have no impact; other users will be visibly impacted by this change. See http://jmri.org/help/en/html/profiles.shtml for more information.

The JMRI SRCP implementation is undergoing extensive revision, in part due to testing with 3rd party SRCP clients and servers. If you are using the SRCP support, you will need to upgrade both the client(s) and the server to the same JMRI version.

The JMRI Web Server is being extensively rewritten. Some functionality has been temporarily lost while this rewrite continues.

This release, and all other releases in this cycle, require Java 1.6 or newer.

Known problems with this release

Do not use this release for programming any ESU Select or V4.0 decoder. Instead, please use test release 3.7.7 or later.

Download links:

Please use these links for downloading:

During development leading to the actual release, you can find test download files on the continuous integration build page. These are development files, and might not be working at any particular time.

Changes since test release 3.7.2:

The Web server has been extensively updated by Randall Wood:

• A conductor's view has been added to the operations servlet.

Ken Cameron has:

• Enabled startup features like scripts and panels to use portable filenames. This replaces the absolute pathnames with relative pathnames within the scope of other parts of JMRI like the users preferences.
• Enabled Logix references like scripts and sounds to use portable filenames. This replaces the absolute pathnames with relative pathnames within the scope of other parts of JMRI like the users preferences.

• Added a scroll pane for the virtual signalmast panel.
• Fix Bug 451
• Layout Editor Crossover - Block 1's connection point is now highlighted in pink or blue depending upon if a track segment is connected to aid identification
• Layout Editor Turnouts can now be connected together by moving the turnout so that the connection points overlap
• Layout Editor Turnouts - When connecting a new LH or RH Turnout to an existing turnout, the editor will automatically rotate the turnout to match the turnout that it is being connected to.
• Fixed an issue with distance UK Semaphore signals

Suzie Tall updated the LMS-1932 and CR-2008 signal sets.

Michael Mosher improved the QSI Version 9 decoder definition.

Pierre Billon updated the Doehler & Haass definitions.

Dave Heap added LokPilot Fx V4.0 and LokPilot XL V4.0, plus many corrections and improvements to existing ESU decoder definitions.

Alain Le Marchand provided the Digitrax decoder definitions for DN163A4 (derived from DN163A2) + fix width values, for DN163A1/A2, DN163I2, DN163K0E

Alain Le Marchand updated the Uhlenbrock 73400 definition:

• Increased High version value to 4 (from a decoder purchased in 2011)
• Change family name to Mini instead of Micro (Mini is the name used on the decoder user manual)
• Removed Speed Table, not supported by this decoder (only Vlow, Vmid, Vhigh)
• Fix enum for CV54 (cannot use a mask, only two specific values allowed 128 and 132)

Alain Le Marchand added custom definitions for Atlas decoders sourced from Digitrax and Lenz

Alain Le Marchand improved the Kuehn definitions

Nigel Cliffe updated the Zimo definitions to extend the volume controls.

Pete Cressman added logging warrant and tracking messages to file. Use Log menu item in Warrant menu

Dick Bronson updated the RR-CirKits decoder definitions.

In the Preferences under Start Up, you can now set buttons for Preferences, Profiles and Rebuild Roster.

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