Release Notes for JMRI 4.99.5 release

Date: April 9, 2022

From: Bob Jacobsen

Subject: Test Release 4.99.5 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 4.99.* test releases to migrate JMRI to Java 11. It requires Java 11 to work. (See our page on downloading Java 11) We expect this series to end in the next JMRI 5.0 production release at the end of Spring 2022. (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 4.24, 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 release.

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, use those from now on, and go on to step 3.
3. Is your current version older than JMRI 4.24? Then update to JMRI 4.24 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.
4. 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 opening a Throttle, you may get an erroneous error dialog. You can just dismiss it and continue. If you'd like to avoid it in future (until we get it fixed), once you have the throttle open click "File -> Save Current Throttle". This is GitHub Issue 10874 and the fix is PR 10875.

If this affects you, please either wait for JMRI 4.99.6, or (once there's a fix for the problem) pick up a JMRI development build installer from Jenkins.

New warnings for this release:

• None yet

Older warnings

See the JMRI 4.26 release note for more warnings predating the 4.99 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 before installing this test release.

• Since JMRI 4.99.2 Example scripts related to MQTT moved from jython directory to jython\MQTT directory. This will require an update to any start-up actions that reference their location.
• Since JMRI 4.99.1 This test release, and all subsequent ones, require the use of Java 11 or later. Java 8 is explicitly not supported. There's more information on this migration on the JMRI Tech Road Map and JVM Capabilities pages.
• Since JMRI 4.99.1 A number of classes and methods that have been deprecated for a long time are removed in this release. These include:
  • apps.JmriPlugin
  • apps/startup/StartupActionFactory
  • Routes/Turnouts/Sensors: One form of getNextAddress
  • Handling of preferences from before JMRI 4.0; upgrade through JMRI 4.20 instead
  • ShutDownTask, AbstractShutDownTask - use call & run methods now
  • Removed JythonAutomaton, JythonAutomatonAction, JythonSiglet, JythonSigletAction unused classes. These have been made obsolete by JMRI's native scripting, and haven't been used since JMRI 1.2
  • SSL (BlockBossLogic) - change to start/stop calls
  • Various TrafficManagers.instance methods - use InstanceManager
  • Throttle.getListeners() - use getPropertyChangeListeners
  • Removed obsolete RosterRecorder class; function now available via scripting
  • Removed deprecated methods from Throttle panels
  • Manager.getSystemNameList - rework with getNamedBeanSet
  • Manager.getNamedBeanList - rework with getNamedBeanSet
  • Manager.setPropertyChangesMuted - use setPropertyChangesSilenced
  • Manager.getBeanBySystemName - use getBySystemName
  • Manager.getBeanByUserName - use getByUserName
  • FileChooserUtil
  • get/setFontFamily in SystemConsolePreferencesManager
  • throttle.FunctionPanel#changeState(..) has been replaced by #setSelected(..)
• Since JMRI 4.99.1 The PowerManager now only fires events with the id "power". Before this release, it also fired events with the id "Power". Check that your scripting code is looking for the right form.
• Since JMRI 4.99.1 This version no longer reads ZeroConf IPv4 and IPv6 preferences written with JMRI 4.16 and before. Please make sure to upgrade to JMRI 4.20 (or later) and save your preferences before updating to this version if you have configured the WiThrottle preference pane.

Download links:

Changes since Test Release 4.99.4:

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

Hardware Support

CBUS

• The consist tool is now available for the Pi-SPROG 3v2 in command station mode, the SPROG 3 Plus and the MERG CANCMD.

KPF-Zeller

• Improved the speed calibration

LocoNet

• Configuration - Permit disabling of interrogate messages.
• Slotmonitor - better guess the column widths

MERG

• The consist tool is now available for CBUS.

OpenLCB / LCC

• Throttle support. JMRI Throttles can now operate OpenLCB locomotives on OpenLCB / LCC Command Stations via the Traction Protocol draft.
• Monitor Log updates. Decodes and prints the Traction Protocol messages in the Monitor Log window.
• Accessibility changes. The network browser / tree is now navigable using keyboard shortcuts. On the Configuration Editor panel the keys F6 and Shift+F6 can be used to navigate between subsequent sections of the configuration and the bar of buttons at the bottom.
• Test Event button. In the Configuration Editor the Event panels have a new button More... which opens a dropdown. In the dropdown there is a Trigger button which sends the given event. This is useful for testing. In the same dropdown there is a Create Sensor button which for JMRI will create a single-event sensor.
• Bug fixes. Fixes memory leak when opening many different nodes' Configuration Editor windows. The CAN Interface engine now correctly supports sending a message to a Destination Node ID for which there is no currently registered Alias in the Alias Map. The outgoing message will be enqueued and an alias lookup interaction is triggered.

SPROG

• The consist tool is now available for the Pi-SPROG 3v2 in command station mode and for the SPROG 3 Plus.

New / Updated decoder definitions

Tam Valley Depot

• QuadLN_S - added support for new firmware version 3.1 features

ZIMO

• Fixed the coding for CV155 Half Speed Settings

Dispatcher

• Fixed bouncing speed slider in manual mode.
• Size AutoTrainsWindow correctly when going between auto and manual with use scroll bars off.
• Enabled disaplay scale speed for running with speed profiles.

Internationalization

• Spanish translation added to decoder and programmer panes

Throttle

• Add capability to display/print throttle files in easy-to-read browser format (using XSL transform)
• If there are at least two connections that have support for throttles, a new menu appears that lets you open a throttle for a particular connection.

Virtual Sound Decoder

• Added a new version of "advanced location following". This is now based on a LayoutEditor panel and hence much easier to setup. See the documentation for details.

Miscellaneous

• Add a search feature to the JmriHelp local web page.
• The method JUnitUtil.releaseThread(this) and JUnitUtil.releaseThread(this, delay) has been removed. Use JUnitUtil.waitFor(int time) instead. Replace the call JUnitUtil.releaseThread(this) with JUnitUtil.waitFor(JUnitUtil.DEFAULT_RELEASETHREAD_DELAY);
• Improve Block tracking in the case of a broken train being rejoined.
• Multiple updates to the Bachrus/KPF-Zeller speedometer support:
  • Improved GUI
  • Now handles programming on main without needing to go to service track first
  • Improved speed matching algorithm
  • Updated docs

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