Release Notes for JMRI 4.7.4 release

Date: May 28, 2017

From: Bob Jacobsen

Subject: Test Release 4.7.4 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 around the middle of 2017. (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.

Known problems with this release

• Since JMRI 4.7.3 The buttons to start the LocoNet Over TCP server may not be set properly if the server has already been started with the program (e.g. if the preferences are set to start the server).

• Since JMRI 4.7.4 If the NCE Command Monitor window is open, messages of the form "ERROR - Unhandled (command/reply type); code: …" will appear in the JMRI System console. The NCE Command Monitor still seems to be functioning correctly.

If any of those effect you, please either wait for JMRI 4.7.5, due out shortly after this one, or (once there's a fix for the problem) pick up a development build installer from Jenkins.

Required Migration StepSince JMRI 4.7.4

JMRI was updated in JMRI 4.7.4 to use a new serial library. Depending on your exact circumstances, you may need to do some migrations:

• If you are using JMRI on Linux or Mac OS X and are updating from an older JMRI version, you must open the JMRI preferences and make sure that the selections are correct for your serial device(s). Be sure to save the changes.

  In general, previous versions used serial device names like "/dev/cu.usbserial-ABC123FG". This version will generally omit the prefix, and use serial device names like "cu.usbserial-ABC123FG". (If given the choice if a name starting with "tty" and one starting with "cu", pick the "cu" one). See the before and after images to the right.

• If you are using Linux and have previously used the "JMRI_SERIAL_PORTS" option to make sure your serial device is visible to JMRI, you'll have to change that to use the "purejavacomm.portnamepattern" option instead. See the JMRI Linux install page for more information.
• If you have your own JMRI scripts to access a serial device, you'll have to update their library references:
  • Any import gnu.io statements will have to be replaced by import purejavacomm statements.
  • More generally, any reference to gnu.io, e.g. a reference to a class like gnu.io.SerialPort, statements will have to be replaced by a reference to the corresponding purejavacomm class.

New warnings for this release:

• This version of JMRI uses a new library to access serial ports, including USB serial ports. This is a major migration for JMRI, so please let us know if you encounter any problems connecting to your layout. See the migration note above for steps you might have to take.
  • Windows users only: this version only, fixed in JMRI 4.7.5, you might have to manually remove a lib\jna-4.2.2.jar file if it's present. If the program starts OK for you, don't worry about this.
• This version of JMRI (and all later) writes a slightly streamlined version of panel file contents. Older files should still be readable by this version of JMRI, but files written by this version may not be readable by versions before JMRI 4.7.4 depending on their contents.
• The LocoNetOverTCP server has changes that may require users to take action:
  • If you have set the JMRI Preferences to start the LocoNetOverTCP server when JMRI starts, or you have selected a port other that 1234, you need to go back to the Preferences window and reconfigure that. The previously-stored preferences won't work with this version.
  • Scripts refering to the class jmri.jmrix.loconet.loconetovertcp.Server need to be changed to refer instead to jmri.jmrix.loconet.loconetovertcp.LnTcpServer.

Older warnings

See the JMRI 4.6 release note for warnings predating the 4.6 development series. These may be relevant to you if you're updating from an earlier version.

Since JMRI 4.7.3 This release will not start cleanly if installed over earlier versions of JMRI (the Windows installer ensures this is not an issue). Remove the JAR files jackson-annotations-2.0.6.jar, jackson-core-2.0.6.jar, and jackson-databind-2.0.6.jar from the lib directory within the previous installation directory to resolve this.

Since JMRI 4.7.1 JMRI no longer supports the portable paths resource: or file: that were deprecated in JMRI 2.13. When loading a panel, an error message will be displayed if the panel contains a path that starts with resource: and the panel will not load until changed using an external editor. Paths starting with file: cannot be automatically flagged because JMRI allows file: URLs.

Since JMRI 4.7.1 JMRI applications will not load a panel file that fails XML validation; an error will be shown that should explains the error, allowing it to be fixed using an editor. (The explanations remain a work in progress.)

Since JMRI 4.7.1 The LocoNet Server (the LocoNetRMI service; not the LocoNetOverTcp service) in this version of JMRI doesn't properly interoperate with JRMI 4.6 or before. The workaround is to update both client and server JMRI machines to the same JMRI version. We expect this will be fixed in JMRI 4.7.5.

Since JMRI 4.5.6 As part of fixing the TMCC throttle issue, the handling of TMCC preferences was changed. If you have a TMCC connection configured, please go to the "Defaults" pane in the Preferences window and make sure that the TMCC connection is selected for the appropriate device types.

Since JMRI 4.5.2 This and future releases of JMRI may not function on OS X if the Java SE 6 provided by Apple is installed. OS X operating system updates routinely remove this version of Java SE 6. Please raise any issues concerning this on the user's group. To remove Java SE 6 from OS X, follow these steps (these steps assume JMRI is installed in the folder /Applications/JMRI, if not, adjust the following paths as needed):

1. Open Terminal.app.

   El Capitan only: Reboot into Recovery Mode by restarting your Mac and pressing Cmd-R until the Apple logo appears. Once in Recovery Mode, select Terminal from the Utilities menu.

2. Run the command /Applications/JMRI/PanelPro.app/Contents/Resources/uninstall-java6.sh It can take up to a half hour to complete. Wait for the message Removed Apple Java SE6.

   El Capitan only: Run the command bash /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/Applications/JMRI/PanelPro.app/Contents/Resources/uninstall-java6.sh /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD It can take up to a half hour to complete. Wait for the message Removed Apple Java SE6.

3. El Capitan only: Restart your Mac.

Since JMRI 4.5.2 Support for directly executing AppleScript within JMRI has been removed due to changes in macOS and Java outside our control. If you require the ability to use AppleScript, you may be able to add this capability on your own by visiting JMRI AppleScript Support, but please be aware that this may not work on upcoming releases of macOS or Java.

Since JMRI 4.5.1 Internal turnouts and sensors need to have complete, individual system names. The names "IT" and "IS" (without any suffix) are no longer permitted: "IT12" is fine, but just "IT" is not. Most panel files that contain these should automatically migrate them to new names when saved, but in some cases you might need to manually update them.

Since JMRI 4.3.3 You can now set the order of your startup items: If you're opening panel files, running scripts, etc as the program starts up, there's a preferences pane that lets you easily set the order in which those happen. If you've set the order manually (e.g. by editing configuration files) in the past, please check this preference to make sure it's set the way you want.

Since JMRI 4.1.2 Jython has been upgraded to version 2.7.0 with the following potentially breaking changes:

• The decodeJmriFilename() function is no longer available by default. Use the FileUtil.getExternalFilename() method instead.
• The simple propertyListener object is no longer available by default. Create your own, following the examples provided in the jython folder in the JMRI distribution.
• jmri_defaults.py included in the JMRI distribution is no longer executed by default, but will be executed before any other Jython scipts if included in your User Files location.
• The default behavior of python.cachedir.skip is now true. If using a custom python.properties file, include "python.cachedir.skip=false" in that file.
• Certain Python scripts are too large to be evaluated in Jython. If a script fails with the java.io.IOException: Mark invalid error, set "jython.exec=true" in a custom python.properties file or rewrite the script to be less than 100,000 characters per file. Note that when using "jython.exec=true" it may be desirable to run the included script jmri_bindings.py as a startup action to emulate the evaluation environment used when jython.exec=false.

Since JMRI 4.1.1 Decoder definitions that use the "ivariable" form are now deprecated. Definitions included with this release have been converted to the new form. If you have decoder definitions with the older "ivariable" form, they will no longer validate, but can still be used for the first couple of test releases in this series. Please ask on the JMRI Users group for help converting them, or just drop them and use the current definitions.

Download links:

Please note that the download links in this and future JMRI releases link to Github servers. If that doesn't work for you, the files up to 4.11.x are also still available from the SourceForge.net servers. Please let us know of any problems.

Note that this release was made by a different process which is detailed in its GitHub build history.

Changes since test release 4.7.3:

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

Hardware Support

C/MRI

• This release has improved support for multiple C/MRI connections. Working now:
  • Multiple connections, with the extra ones either identified by a new letter ('K', etc) or a suffix ('C2', 'C3', etc). Each connection has to have its own nodes defined via the preferences screen.
  • The connections can be of mixed type: Multiple serial, or multiple network, or a mix of serial and network.
  • Sensors, Turnouts and Lights can be defined in all the C/MRI connections through the respective tables.
• Not yet in this release:
  • You can't (yet) configure start-up actions to work with the 2nd and later C/MRI connections. E.g. if you open a C/MRI monitor in the startup, it'll be using the 1st connection.
  • Some of the labeling and documentation needs to be updated.

Digitrax

• Contains a fix for the "Looping" behavior with SE8c SignalHeads seen in JMRI 4.7.3.

LocoNet

• The LocoNet over TCP server has been refactored with the following changes (#3498):
  • The server can now be started automatically using the Startup preferences.
  • Server preferences are set in the application preferences window.
  • The server classname has changed to jmri.jmrix.loconet.loconetovertcp.LnTcpServer (any scripts referencing the server will need to be changed).

ZTC

• Added Support for the ZTC611 Command Station's internal USB connection
• Added a ZTC611 specific implementation of XPressNet Turnouts

New / Updated decoder definitions

Hornby

• Dave Heap made the following changes:
  • Added the "Hornby TTS 9F 2-10-0".
  • Improved Hornby model identification.
  • Replace the incorrectly named "Hornby TTS A4 4-6-0" definition with "Hornby TTS A4 4-6-2".
    ("Update Decoder Definitions" from the "Actions" menu will fix existing roster entries.)

Logix

• Logix conditionals are now directly related to a parent Logix. When an existing XML file is loaded, any conditional references are automatically converted. A review of the system console for any messages is recommended. There are two possible messages:
  • Conditional has no parent Logix
  • Conditional is not in the Logix index
  Both of these were caused by errors in previous versions or manual changes to the panel xml file. After saving the xml file, the errors will not occur.
  Use Help >> System Console... to display the system console.
• When creating a conditional reference, the input field has been replaced by two drop down combo boxes. The first one is used to select a Logix and the second one to select the Conditional within the selected Logix.

Operations

• Train and route departure times can now be set to one minute intervals. Previously, the menus only allowed departure times to within five minute intervals.
• The option to make backup copies of manifests now also makes backup copies of switch lists.

Panel Editors

• Fixed initial size and position of new Switchboards

Turnouts, Lights and other elements

• Egbert Broerse added the option to display the current state of Turnouts, Lights, Sensors and Blocks as graphics instead of text. It can be enabled in the Preferences > Display > GUI tab.

Signals

Signal Heads

• Contains a fix for the "Looping" behavior with SE8c SignalHeads seen in JMRI 4.7.3. This most commonly hit LocoNet systems, but as SE8c boards can be used with any DCC system, it was a general problem.

Web Access

• Operations, Trains web page now auto-updates as trains are added, deleted or changed.

Internationalization

• Sonnys Hansen improved the Danish translation

Miscellaneous

• This version of JMRI (and all later) writes a slightly streamlined version of panel file contents. Older files should still be readable by this version of JMRI, but files written by this version may not be readable by versions before JMRI 4.7.4 if they contain definitions of Blocks or OBlocks.
• This version of JMRI uses a new library to access serial ports, including USB serial ports. This is a major migration for JMRI, so please let us know if you encounter any problems connecting to your layout. See above for some steps you will have to take to update settings in the preferences.

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