The JMRI System Console panel is where you get system output from JMRI.
JMRI provides connection information via the system console. You can find the system console under the main menu header "Help" then "System Console...". Below is an image of the console window when the program is operating normally. Note that the window size has been adjusted so we can read it a bit more easily.
If you're having problems, the console window can look like the one below:
To help you better understand what might be happening and to possibly resolve your problem we'll explain some of the warning and error messages displayed in the above console window.
The very first messages are information message labeled "INFO". The first message occurs at time "0" which can be found at the left side of the message. The next "INFO" message states where this log file is stored. The next info provides the version of JMRI and JAVA that you are using. And the last info message provides the communication port that you've selected in preferences, along with the baud rate or the speed of your connection.
The first warning message states that there was a timeout to message "AA". During startup, JMRI checks to see if your Preferences match those in the NCE command station. Message "AA" requests the EPROM revision of the command station. The response is normally three characters, something like "6.2.1". A timeout means that JMRI asked for something and the command station didn't respond. When the connection is correct and the system is powered up, you should not see any timeout messages.
The next warning message states that because there was a timeout, the program didn't get the information requested from the command station. The next messages continue as the program tries every 10 seconds to read the EPROM revision by issuing the "AA" command. You can try and trouble shoot your connections knowing that every 10 seconds JMRI will retest to see if you've fixed the problem.
Whenever JMRI detects a problem with the connection or NCE command station, it will request the EPROM revision to see if the connection and command station is still operational. So if you see timeouts and "AA" commands you have either poor or failed connection, or a powered down or failed command station.
See JMRI Logging for details of how to change the logging levels.
This is the apps.SystemConsole.shtml help page.