Release Notes for JMRI 4.19.5 release

Date: April 23, 2020

From: Bob Jacobsen

Subject: Test Release 4.19.5 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 releases. We expect this series to end in the next JMRI production release in early summer 2020. (See the tentative release schedule)

Some of the changes involved are quite extensive. They may require a certain amount of experience before they are working well. Therefore, this test release 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.

Update From Older JMRI Versions

If you are currently using JMRI 4.11.9 or earlier, we strongly recommend that you update to JMRI 4.12 and make sure that's running without errors during startup or on the JMRI log. Once you have JMRI 4.12 running OK, store your configuration and panel files and use those from then on. There have been changes in serial port support, panel file format and configuration options since those earlier releases, and moving to the stable JMRI 4.12 release is a good way to work through any possible problems.

If you are currently using JMRI 4.7.3 or earlier on Linux or macOS (Windows doesn't need this), you must update to JMRI 4.12 and carrying out the migration process described in the JMRI 4.12 release note before updating to this release.

If you are currently using JMRI 4.17.7 or earlier, including if the previous paragraphs convinced you to update to JMRI 4.12, we strongly recommend that you update to JMRI 4.18 and make sure that's running without errors during startup or on the JMRI log. Once you have JMRI 4.18 running OK, store your configuration and panel files and use those from then on. There have been changes panel file format and configuration options since earlier releases, and moving to the stable JMRI 4.18 release is a good way to work through any possible problems.

Known problems with this release

• None

New warnings for this release:

• Layout Editor files that are stored with this version will not generally be readable by earlier versions. This version continues to be able to read files written by releases back to 4.12 and in many cases even older.

Older warnings

See the JMRI 4.18 release note for more warnings predating the 4.19 development series, including pointers to various migration issues. These may be relevant to you if you're updating from an earlier version.

• Since JMRI 4.19.4 Manager.getSystemNameArray() has been removed after being deprecated for two years. Please migrate to using Manager.getNamedBeanSet() instead. If you really must have an array, use Manager.getNamedBeanSet().toSet()
• Since JMRI 4.19.3 Manager.getSystemNameArray() has been removed after being deprecated for two years. Please migrate to using Manager.getNamedBeanSet() instead. If you really must have an array, use Manager.getNamedBeanSet().toArray(); see this tutorial for examples.
• Since JMRI 4.19.3 The JavaCSV API has been replaced with the Apache Commons CSV API. This may impact some scripts. See TurnoutStatePersistence.py for an example of how to use the new CSV parsing API. If unable to use the new API, the JAR for the old API can be downloaded and added to jmri.conf using the --cp:a=path/to/javacsv.jar parameter.
• Since JMRI 4.19.1 JMRI now enforces the standard form of system names, where the system is denoted by a single letter or a letter plus digits. Some users of JMRI 4.18 or earlier might have incompatible values. If you have one of these hardware connections:
  • Anyma DX512 using “DX”
  • DCC++ using “DCCPP"
  • DCC4PC using “DP"
  • JSON client using “json”
  • MRC using “MR"
  • Marklin CS2 using “MC"
  • Raspberry PI using “PI"
  • TAMS using “TM”
  you may have to migrate. Please update to JMRI 4.18 prior to installing JMRI 4.19.1 (or later) and check the JMRI Console to see if there are any instructions there. See the migration page for additional information.
• Since JMRI 4.19.1 The getBeanByUserName and getBeanBySystemName calls in the various Manager classes are no longer needed with Java 8 and have been deprecated for eventual removal. Their replacements are getByUserName and getBySystemName respectively. If you use getBeanByUserName and getBeanBySystemName in script or Java code you've written, please switch to the new names.
• Since JMRI 4.17.5 JMRI's scripting support now defaults to the UTF-8 character encoding for all script files on all platforms. This may require that some scripts be re-saved using UTF-8.
• Since JMRI 4.17.5 Windows Only The JMRI installer removes the existing lib folder from a JMRI installation when upgrading JMRI. The existing lib folder contents are retained in the backup folder. This means that any files you have added to the lib folder will be removed.
• Since JMRI 4.17.5 macOS Only This version includes changes to how the final .dmg file is built, signed and notarized. This was done to increase compatibility with macOS 10.15 Catalina. Please drag the JMRI icon to the Applications folder to install this release. For more information on Catalina compatibility, see the JMRI website.
• Since JMRI 4.17.4 Panel file NamedBean items such as Turnouts, Sensors, etc are now written to panel files in order by their Manager system prefix and system name. Previously, they had (roughly) been written in the order they'd be read from the earlier file(s). This will result in a big change to the order the first time a file is re-written, but after that it should be much more stable.
• Since JMRI 4.11.4 There are issues with the Pi-SPROG One command station operation. A number of workarounds should be applied:
  • Do not turn on the track power until the power supply to the Pi-SPROG ONE is turned on
  • Do not enable extra debugging through default.lcf, nor open the system console window
  • Do not open the SPROG console window
  • Disable power conversion (CV 29) in all locos
  • If connecting via VNC (or similar), setup the screen layout before turning on the track power
  Pi-SPROG One with version 2.4 or earlier firmware will cause a timeout after a track short circuit. A dialog box will open to inform the user of this. The track power will be turned off and must be turned on again using the power control.

Download links:

Please note that the download links in this and future JMRI releases link to Github servers. People are welcome to distribute the download files further via other websites, etc. If you want to check that you've received original, unmodified versions, please check the files against the checksums shown below.

Changes since Test Release 4.19.4:

The list of included changes is available from our GitHub code repository.

Hardware Support

MERG CBUS

• CBUS Console - Translation of Bootloading ( Firmware Update ) CAN Frames.
• CBUS Console - Display JMRI Turnout, Sensor and Light status from CBUS On / Off Events.
• CBUS Event Table - Improvements to UI

New / Updated decoder definitions

BLI

• Blueline change version range

ESU

• Added LokPilot 5 family.
• Updated LokSound 5 Consist and Sound Levels panes to handle latest firmware updates.

SoundTraxx

• DSD-100LC steam & diesel add CV59

Control Panel Editor

• The Palette and Circuit Builder windows make a "best effort" to open at a position minimizing any area that may obscure the panel display.
• Circuit Builder
  The system name is auto generated when the Add New Detector Circuit window is opened. This name may be changed before the Occupancy Block is created. After creating, the field is removed from the window since the system name can no longer be edited.
• Palette
  • Each tab resizes to display itself with its preferred dimensions.
  • The Memory Tab has been modified to display generic forms of their respective devices. Dragging is best accomplished by mouse down within the Drag to Panel box, but outside of the device icon itself.
  • Bugs in the Signal Mast and Background tabs have been fixed.
  • The Text tab items have been rearranged.

Dispatcher

• The displayed names in the Section and Transit tables, along with the transit selection and block selections in the Activate New Train Dispatcher window, now behave like other JMRI tools. Instead of the system name (user name) format, the names use the display name format. The display name format uses the user name. If not available, the system name is used.
• The list size for the dropdown combo boxes use the content size instead of the default 8 rows.
• The Section, Transit, and Dispatcher help documents have been updated. The Section and Transit help have been cleaned up to reduce redundant verbiage.

Scripting

• Jython has been updated to version 2.7.2
• Long deprecated instance() methods to get the default instance of a manager have been removed. Use InstanceManager.getDefault(NameOfManager.class) instead.
• PR 8286 revised the way that JMRI code should fire and catch events. If you have code (Java or script) of your own that implements event firing or tricky listening, you should review those changes to see if they will or should affect your code.

Signals

Signal Systems

• Eckart Meyer updated the DB HV 1969 system to have proper aspect control.

Throttle

• Add a speed step dropdown to the extended throttle; this makes it easier to select the speed step mode and makes it possible to select the less common speed step modes exposed by some systems.
• Consolidated the throttle layout code, centralized the logic for determining if throttle icons should be shown, and added unit tests for the control panel layout and some preferences.

Warrants

• The Warrant List now responds to changes in window size. The length of the status field varies as needed and keeps the Stop All Trains button visible even on small screens.

• When creating a new warrant the system name is auto generated. This name may be changed before the warrant is saved. After saving the field can not be edited.

Virtual Sound Decoder

• The VSD old graphical user interface (GUI) was removed. For users who call VSD from JMRI PanelPro, nothing changes. For users who call VSD from a Jython script, theoretically the script can fail. Please see also here.

Miscellaneous

• Windows Installer updated to support OpenJDK 8 from AdoptOpenJDK.net.

---