Release Notes for JMRI 4.21.2 release

Date: October 3, 2020

From: Bob Jacobsen

Subject: Test Release 4.21.2 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 2021. (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 a version older than JMRI 4.20, please follow these instructions carefully:

1. Is your current version older than JMRI 4.12? If so, then update to JMRI 4.12 first, and ensure everything works correctly: check start-up, check things you need to be working, and check the JMRI log as well) before doing anything else. Store your configuration and panel files under a new name and use those from now on. Then continue with step 2.

   If you are currently using JMRI 4.7.3 or earlier on Linux or macOS (Windows doesn't need this), then it's very important that you update to JMRI 4.12 and carrying out the migration process described in the JMRI 4.12 release note before updating to any later relese.

2. Is your current version older than JMRI 4.20? Then update to JMRI 4.20 first, and ensure that works correctly (check start-up, check things you need to be working, and check the JMRI log as well) before doing anything else Store your configuration and panel files under a new name and use those from now on.
3. You can then install this release.

Following this multi-step order of updating via stable major releases safeguards you against possible migration issues that can arise from skipping these versions.

New problems with this release

• None

New warnings for this release:

• None yet

Older warnings

See the JMRI 4.20 release note for more warnings predating the 4.21 development series, including pointers to various migration issues. These may be relevant to you if you're updating from an earlier version; we strongly recommend you update to JMRI 4.20 installing this test release.

• Since JMRI 4.21.1 The jmri.jmrix.SystemConnectionMemo class has become a jmri.SystemConnectionMemo interface and a jmri.jmrix.DefaultSystemConnectionMemo class. This may require changes to scripts. If you have a script that references jmri.jmrix.SystemConnectionMemo, please change it to either jmri.SystemConnectionMemo or jmri.jmrix.DefaultSystemConnectionMemo (it's easier to have you just try the two than to explain which one will work in which case)
• Since JMRI 4.21.1 The way preferences are loaded at startup has been slightly modified. There is no impact to JMRI applications, but Non-JMRI applications that are not derived from apps.Apps or apps.AppsBase but are using jmri.implementation.JmriConfigurationManager to load preferences will no longer see preferences if an error occurs. To restore the old behavior, use apps.AppsConfigurationManager instead.
• 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 4.11.4 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 4.21.1:

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

Hardware Support

Acela CTI

• Fixed issue unable to initialise adapter

DCC++

• Only send function refreshes if required (version < 3)

DCC4pc

• Improved System Name validation for Sensors and Reporters, must contain at least 1 number.

ESU

• Improved System Name validation for Turnouts, Sensors and Reporters, must contain at least 1 number.

IPOCSMR

• Initial support added.
• Turnouts, Lights (on/off) and Sensors

LocoNet

• The legacy LocoIO programmer help points to the current DIY decoder method to configure these boards.

MERG CBUS

• Default Output Interval reduced to 100ms.

MQTT

• Fixed a bug that caused an erroneous ERROR message on operating MQTT Lights

OpenLCB

• Default Output Interval reduced to 100ms.

Pi

• Improved System Name validation for Turnouts and Sensors, numeric from 0 - 999

RFID

• Improved System Name validation for Standalone sensors, must contain at least 1 number.

TAMS

• Improved System Name validation for Turnouts and Sensors, must contain at least 1 number.

XPA

• Improved System Name validation for Turnouts, must be numeric.

New / Updated decoder definitions

ESU

• Added "LokSound 5 micro E24 DCC" and "LokSound 5 micro KATO".
• Replaced incorrectly-named "LokPilot 5 micro DCC Next18" with "LokPilot 5 Micro Next18 DCC".

Public Domain and DIY decoders

• LocoIO programming using the Public_Domain_HDL_LocoIO decoder definition has been significantly expanded. This update requires JMRI 4.21.2 or later. Because of the included improvements you are advised to start with new Roster Entries for your LocoIO boards. Help files have been updated.

SoundTraxx

• TSU2 Diesel fix sound slections, Genesis OEM Diesel add models

CTC Tool

• The CTC tool no longer uses an external XML file, CTCSystem.xml, for retaining its configuration. The configuration is now part of the standard PanelPro data file. This change eliminates issues with data consistency between the JMRI tables and the CTC configuration. The CTC Editor File menu has an menu item to import an existing CTCSystem.xml file so that the configuration will be included in Panels ⇒ Store Panels.

Logix

• The "Copy Logix" feature has been enhanced to provide more assistance in copying conditionals. See the updated help files for details.

Scripting

• new scripts ShutdownOS.py and RestartOS.py which can be called to safely end JMRI and then request that the underlying OS shutdown or restart itself

Virtual Sound Decoder

• The "Location Following" (sound follows loco) with occupancy sensors and JMRI Blocks now also works with a RosterEntry or RosterId as Block value.

Meters and MeterFrames

• jmri.MultiMeter is split into jmri.Meter.
• jmri.VoltageMeter and jmri.CurrentMeter is added.
• AmpMeterFrame and VoltMeterFrame are replaced by MeterFrame
• The user can select which VoltageMeter/CurrentMeter the MeterFrame should show
• The MeterFrames are stored in the panel file and restored when the panel is loaded

AbstractProxyManager

• AbstractProxyManager can now automatically create system specific managers.
• When a NamedBean is added to a proxy manager, there needs to be a system specific manager for that bean unless the bean is for the internal manager. The ProxyMeterManager and AbstractProxyManager automatically creates a new system specific manager if it doesn't already exists. This works as long as the system specific manager doesn't need to have system specific knowledge of the named beans.
• This means that, for example, the user may create a Jython script that creates a Meter for the LocoNet connection but doesn't need to create the LocoNet meter manager since that manager is automatically created.
• Once a specific connection needs to store specific data about meters, a connection specific manager needs to be created, for example LnMeterManager for LocoNet.

Miscellaneous

• Windows launcher updated to honour return codes to shutdown or reboot host machine
• The Ant version invoked by Maven was bumped to 1.10.8. No user action required, but developers need to be online the first time they build using Maven.
• An option (disablePermissiveSignalMastLogic) has been added to SignalMasts and SignalMastLogic to enable conditional permissive aspects. See the jmri.SignalMast Javadoc for details.

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