Date: July 9, 2018
From: Bob Jacobsen
Subject: Test Release 4.11.9 of JMRI/DecoderPro is available for download.
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 2018. (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.
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.
import gnu.io statements will have to be replaced by
import purejavacomm statements.
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.
Since JMRI 4.11.8 Some new display capabilities were recently introduced into Layout Editor. This release changes some of the defaults in this area, which might change the appearance of some track segments on your panels if they're still using default values. If you select them and change their properties, then save your panel file(s), you can restore their previous appearance. There's a PDF document with more details. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Since JMRI 4.11.8 Because of changes to the "node identification" algorithm used to tell one computer running JMRI from another, you might receive a warning message about the "Node Identity" the first time you run this JMRI version. (If you have more than one profile, this can happen with each). There's no permanent problem here, but you might have to reset your window preferences (i.e. position and size, column layout, etc) in this case. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Since JMRI 4.11.4 The additions to Layout Editor in JMRI 4.11.4 mean that files containing Layout Editor panels written by JMRI 4.11.4 or later will fail a validation check in JMRI 4.11.3 or earlier. If you back-date your JMRI version and need to to get past this, please bypass validation.
Since JMRI 4.11.4 If you are running a local website with a copy of the JMRI content, as described here, please repeat the "setSymLinks.sh" step near the bottom of those instructions after installing JMRI 4.11.4 (or later). This will make some new formatting available on your local site.
Since JMRI 4.11.4 There are issues with the Pi-SPROG One command station operation. A number of workarounds should be applied:
Since JMRI 4.11.2 The system connection preferences (i.e. hardware preferences) are now enforcing the correct form for system prefixes: One upper case letter, optionally followed by a number (one or more digits, e.g. "L12"). Existing prefixes in existing configurations are unchanged, but new ones will have to have the correct form.
Since JMRI 4.9.4 Due to changes in the capitalization of some method and property names, some scripts may fail until adjusted to use the new capitalization. The Javadocs for any JMRI class will list the correct capitalization.
Since JMRI 4.9.4 For Windows users only: JMRI 4.9.3 (and all later) has a new version of the "LaunchJMRI.exe" program. It's used to set options as JMRI is starting up, and is a completely normal part of JMRI. Because it's new and different, however, your anti-virus program may reject it. You might get a message about "file removed" or "file quarantined" or similar and then JMRI might not start. The solution is to make sure that your anti-virus program doesn't interfere with JMRI's installation and running. There are so many of those, unfortunately, that we can't really provide useful instructions beyond that.
Since JMRI 4.9.2 JMRI saves the Uhlenbrock connection's "baud" rate as an Internationalized string, and, upon loading a configuration profile, requires an Internationalized "baud" rate in the .XML file. JMRI will fail to properly configure the serial port if the "baud" rate from the configuration profile does not match one of the baud rate strings for the current Internationalization "locale". If you experience problems where JMRI start-up of a Uhlenbrock-based connection does not configure the serial port, it may be necessary to edit the connection's preferences, select the appropriate "baud" rate, save the connection. This updates the configuration profile XML file to use one of the "baud" rate strings expected by the Uhlenbrock-specific code in JMRI. It is necessary to re-start JMRI for this change to take effect.
Since JMRI 4.7.6 If you're having trouble getting your DCC programmer to work, try checking that the "Defaults" under "Preferences" are set to your hardware system. The reason: This version of JMRI (and all later) provides more options for "default systems": If you have multiple sets of hardware attached, which should be used for throttles, for programming, etc. JMRI tries to guess the right settings for these when you upgrade to this version, but apparently it sometimes gets that wrong (we haven't been able to track that down yet). Setting them manually fixes any wrong guesses.
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; these will have to
be changed manually.
Since JMRI 4.7.1 When loading a panel file, JMRI applications now check the file's syntax and contents. This process is called "XML validation" If validation fails, an error message is shown that should explain the error, allowing it to be fixed using an editor. (The explanations remain a work in progress.) If you have a problem loading a panel file, please
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):
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.
/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.
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.
Please note that the download links in this and future JMRI releases link to Github servers. People are welcome to distribute the download files further via other websites, etc. If you want to check that you've received original, unmodified versions, please check the files against the checksums shown below.