Release Notes for JMRI 4.25.7 release

Date: December 1, 2021

From: Bob Jacobsen

Subject: Test Release 4.25.7 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)

We are getting close to the production release, so it would be very helpful if you could try this test release and let us know of any problems you find.

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. Save your preferences again. 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

• When a warrant is stopped by a signal or by occupation of another train or warrant, or by a halt from the user, restoring the former speed is not completed properly. The ramping up is interrupted and using "resume" command only allows the train to proceed block by block. This is a serious defect found only in release 4.25.7 and is be fixed in release 4.25.8.

If this affects you, please either wait for JMRI 4.25.8, due out shortly after this one, or (once there's a fix for the problem) pick up a development build installer from Jenkins.

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.
• 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 4.25.6:

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

New / Updated decoder definitions

LDH

• Added a new LDH SyM v60 decoder definition in Spanish and Portuguese

SoundTraxx

• TSU2 Genesis OEM add new models

LogixNG

• The LogixNG actions Light, Sensor and Turnout can now set the states Unknown and Inconsistent.
• The LogixNG action Show dialog has been added.
• The LogixNG action Timeout has been added.

Throttle

• Documentation update
• Minor bug fixes : Modifier keys were not showing on the keyboard control preferences screen and preference apply was not done immediately for throttle list window
• Removed the global preference "Hide speed step selector" as it is available per throttle. Less complexity.

Miscellaneous

• Basic support for TypeScript has been added to the webserver file system.
• Users that have HighDPI scaling set to something different than 100% can now select whenether or not to force Java to use 100% scaling. It's set in the file JMRI_InitPreferences.properties in the JMRI system preferences directory with the setting sun.java2d.uiScale. If this value is 1, Java forces the scaling of JMRI to 100%. If this value is 0, Java uses the same scaling as the system.
• The setting for HighDPI scaling can be changed in Edit -> Preferences -> Display. The checkbox has the text Force 100% scaling when the OS uses higher scaling.

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