Release Notes for JMRI 4.25.6 release

Date: November 17, 2021

From: Bob Jacobsen

Subject: Test Release 4.25.6 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 at the end of 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 4.21.4 If you use a Safari browser on macOS X, the local help system might not work. There are two workarounds:
  1. If your computer is connected to the internet, use the web-based help. Go to JMRI Preferences, then select Help on the left, then click "Open help pages online"; save and restart
  2. To get local access, you can select Safari's Preferences, then the Advanced pane, then checkmark "Show Develop menu in menu bar"
  If you're using another browser, like Chrome or Firefox, you shouldn't encounter this issue.
• We will be removing a number of deprecated classes after JMRI 4.26 is released in December 2021. If your scripts are generating messages like:
  WARN - SomeClassName is deprecated, please remove references to it
  you should update your script to replace that class. If you don't know how, please ask on the JMRIusers list.
• 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 4.11.4 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:

Changes since Test Release 4.25.5:

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

Hardware Support

CBUS

• More module GUI editors added.

MERG

• Support for CBUS CANMIO-SVO live updates during servo position setting

MQTT

• Add protection against a concurrent-modification error that can happen during very fast operations.
• If the connection is disconnected, JMRI tries to reconnect.

LogixNG

• The action Listen On Beans is improved.

Operations

• Fixed pick up car error on Manifests when using route blocking order.

Scripting

• Added KeyListenerExample
, a sample script that shows how to listen to the keyboard.

Signals

Signal Systems

• Fixed a bug in the CCOR-1967 set that kept one aspect from displaying properly.

Throttle

• Added ControlPanel.getSpeedSlider() for scripting
• Added default throttle file preference, will be loaded when a new throttle is acquired and no specific roster entry exist for the used address

Transit

• Transits can now have unlimited number of sections.

Warrants

• Loss of control when train loses occupation detection (dirty track or pickup, unreliable sensor, etc) is fixed. Formerly trains could run uncontrolled at their current speed setting. An emergency stop is made and speed is set to zero upon loss of detection.
• Calculation of ramp times and distances is improved. However, the need for good data of path lengths and train speed profiles remains.
• The occasional freeze of the Warrant List Table is fixed.
• The address column of the Warrant List table is changed to show a roster id instead of the DCC address. Un-rostered addresses may still be entered and the warrants run with such engines. In this case, the column entry is the address bracketed with $ signs.
• Warrant activity can be "traced" on the console. An Enable/Disable button in Warrant Preferences activates this feature. Default is tracing disabled.
• "Slow Speed Assistance" can be given when a train is inordinately late in getting to the next block of the script. This done only when train approaching the block has a speed less than a configurable percentage of throttle. If the train has not reached the block within 10 seconds of its scheduled script time, its speed is increased by one "Ramp Step Throttle Increment". This is done at 10 second intervals until either the train reaches the block or has attained the configurable percentage throttle speed. Upon entering the block the original script speed is restored.
  This feature will allow balky engines with poor low speed characteristics to reach their destinations without stalling. The default throttle percentage for triggering Slow Speed Assistance is 2.5% and may be changed in Warrant Preferences. Slow Speed Assistance is disabled by setting this trigger speed to 0%.

Miscellaneous

• Simplify JmriHelp, eliminate static stub files.

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