Release Notes for JMRI 5.1.1 release
Date: June 25, 2022
From: Bob Jacobsen
Subject: Test Release 5.1.1 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 first in a series of 5.1.* test releases.
It requires Java 11 to work.
(See our page on downloading Java 11)
We expect this series to end in the next JMRI 5.2 production release in December 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
New warnings for this release:
Older warnings
See the
JMRI 5.0 release note for more warnings predating the 5.1 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 at least
JMRI 4.20
before installing this test release.
- 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
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:
The
list of included changes is available from our
GitHub code repository.
New / Updated decoder definitions
Massoth
- New decoder definition for "Pulsed Smoker for round boilers" (product nr 8415001
DecoderPro
- Fixed a problem preventing import of CSV files exported from JMRI.
Dispatcher
- Separated reverse at end delays from reset delays
- Allow a next traininfo to be run at successful termination using the same loco info
LogixNG
- The MQTT action now has the option Remove channel from topic.
Preferences
- A Shutdown preference has been created to support the
StoreAndCompare process that detects changes to PanelPro tables and panels.
Turnouts, Lights, Sensors and other elements
- Fixed a spurious error message when creating some internal items.
Miscellaneous
-
Several of the PanelPro tables, such as Routes and Logix, display a reminder to store changes before quitting. There are a number of issues with this approach.
- Only some of the tables have the reminder.
- Panel changes don't have a reminder.
- The reminder does not occur when quitting, or if it does, it is too late.
The JMRI 5.1.1 test release has a global store reminder when running PanelPro.
DecoderPro is not affected. Any change that affects the stored layout data file will
trigger a reminder with an option to do a store before the final shutdown.
The global store reminder process is controlled by a new Shutdown option in JMRI Preferences.
This is located between Start Up and Display. There are a number of scenarios where the
global store reminder is not appropriate, such as running PanelPro using automatic start up and shutdown.
See Shutdown Preference for details.
What is considered a change that needs to be stored?
The process creates a temporary stored file and compares it to the last loaded file.
If they are different, a store notification will occur.
The comparison is a line by line compare, not a logical content comparison.
Listed below are some of the implications of the process.
- Running PanelPro without loading a layout data file,
such as running Operations, a WiThrottle server, etc.
Since there is no file to compare to, it is assumed that there might be additions that need to be stored.
- External events that make changes.
Examples are scripts that create new table entries,
new hardware that can generate table entries, such as adding a DS64 on LocoNet, etc.
- JMRI version changes. These can be significant, such as new features.
Or trivial because the sequence of rows are in a different order in the layout data file.
This last one affects layout data files from JMRI 4.26 that use signal heads and SSL.
The compare process stops with the first occurrence of a potential change.
The details of the compared lines are listed in the JMRI system console (Help => System Console).
- Minor changes to resolve Spotbug OS_OPEN_STREAM_EXCEPTION_PATH
- Minor changes to resolve Spotbug ST_WRITE_TO_STATIC_FROM_INSTANCE_METHOD
