Release Notes for JMRI 5.7.4 release

Date: Feburary 9, 2024

From: Bob Jacobsen

Subject: Test Release 5.7.4 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 5.7.* 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 5.8 production release in June 2024. (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. We would appreciate your feedback on it.

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 5.0, 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. Is your current version older than JMRI 5.0? Then update to JMRI 5.0 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.
5. 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

• None yet

New warnings for this release:

• None Yet

Older warnings

See the JMRI 5.6 release note for more warnings predating the 5.7 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 5.0 before installing this test release. See instructions above.

• 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 5.5.3 Scripts that output Logging statements with log4jv1.x ( org.apache.log4j ) imports will stop working from JMRI 5.5.4 and should be updated to use SLF4J logging.
  See here for some examples on how to do this.
• Since JMRI 5.5.4 Custom default.lcf Logging Control Files will cease to take effect from JMRI 5.5.4
  To create a custom default_lcf.xml in the new Logging Configuration format, see JMRI Debugging and Logging
• Since JMRI 5.5.5 XML files with table contents and panels have been changed in JMRI 5.5.5. It's therefore not possible to load an xml file with tables and panels that has been created with JMRI 5.5.5 or later with a JMRI version pre 5.5.5.
• Since JMRI 5.5.5 MQTT Connection - Throttle loco address and function placeholders in MQTT topics have changed from $address and $function to {0} and {1} for consistency with other objects.
• Since JMRI 5.7.1 Several systems have had extensive updates to their serial support. If you have trouble connecting to your layout hardware after installing this version, please contact us on the JMRIusers list for assistance.

Download links:

These files are located in the JMRI 5.7.4 GitHub release.

Changes since Test Release 5.7.3:

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

Hardware Support

LocoNet

• Several tools have improved layout when the screen size is reduced.
• LocoNet Monitor has improved reporting of "Query Mode" messages.

MQTT

• Fixed missing topic unsubscribes when deleting turnouts, sensors, etc
• Fixed missing topic unsubscribe on throttle release for cab functions
• Added code to properly dispose of MQTT components

MRC

• MRC serial connections should use odd parity.

OpenLCB / LCC

• Updated script DisplayTrackCircuit.py to support the Tower +Que node

  This script populates a set of events to match the traffic circuit and then creates a listener for them. That listener populates and maintains a memory to show text for the state of the traffic circuit.

• Several tools have improved layout when the screen size is reduced.
• Added an "ID Tool". This will cause the transmit LED on one physical node to flash. This can be a convenient way to identify which physical node underneath the layout is the one you're working with in JMRI, e.g. when you need to move a wire.
• Configuration of large String fields now has an improved interface: You can see how many characters remain in the large field and word breaks are now respected.
• The Event Table now has buttons to copy Sensor and Turnout user names into the relevant Event ID names. These only fill in blank Event ID names, they don't overwrite any names you might have already entered.
• Fixed a bug in the event table that could cause duplicate event listings.

New / Updated decoder definitions

MD Electronics

• New definition for the mXion DRIVE-L decoder.

PIKO

• Add CVs for PMW modulations, add tooltips

SoundTraxx

• Genesis OEM add new models

Uhlenbrock

• Add CVs for PMW modulations, add tooltips

LogixNG

• The action Table: For each can now loop thru the headers too. If indirect addressing is used for the row or column name, use the empty string to get the headers.
• The action Table is added. It lets the user set the value of a cell in a LogixNG table.
• The action Request update of sensor is added. It requests that the state of a sensor is updated from the layout, if possible. Not all connections supports this, for example LocoNet.
• LogixNG has two new preferences which are disabled by default:
  • Use strict typing of global variables
  • Use strict typing of local variables
  If strict typing is enabled, local and global variables that are initialized to a string, integer or floating number cannot be set to a value of another type. LogixNG will try to convert the new value to the desired type, for example a local variable of type floating number will be assigned the value 12.0 if it's assigned 12 and it will be assigned the value 32. if it's assigned the string "32.5".
  Local and global variables that are initialized to another type, for example array, map or LogixNG table can't be assigned a new value.
  If you want to use strict typing but still want to override this setting for a particular local or global variable, then initialize this variable to None. Variables that are initialized to None will not have strict typing,
• A new preference is added that selects if the If Then Else action should have Execute on change or Always execute as the default.
• The expression Sensor Edge no longer supports indirect addressing of the sensor. It has never really worked since Sensor Edge needs to listen on the sensor and it cannot listen on a sensor if indirect addressing is used.
  If a panel is loaded and a Sensor Edge expression uses indirect addressing, an error message is added to the log:
  Error during loading Sensor Edge expression IQDE:AUTO:0003 due to: Addressing must be Direct
  where IQDE:AUTO:0003 is the system name of the expression.
• The action Window to front as been added. It brings a window to the front and can be used if you for example want to have an icon on a panel that moves focus to another window.
• The action Decode JSON is added. It decodes a JSON string in a local variable to a JsonNode tree and puts it in another local variable.
• LogixNG formula now supports JSON as well. It's in particular useful together with the action Decode JSON. A JSON dataset can be indexed as a map or as an array, for example by MyJson{"decoder}{"model"}[4]. The result is a Json text node, so use the str() function to convert the value to a string afterwards.

Resources

• Added a blue medium LED.

Routes

• You can now specify where the control turnout should have its known state (the default old behavior) or its commanded state checked to see if the route should be set. This can be useful e.g. if you have feedback set on the turnout and want to react quickly to a commanded change.

Signals

Signal Masts

• Fixed bug where no dialogue would display when Discovering Signalling Mast Pairs and Layout Block Routing is not enabled.

Cab Signals

• Initial support for creating ERTMS / ETCS Driver Interfaces

Turnouts, Lights, Sensors and other elements

• Fixed a bug where deleting the last (highest-numbered) Turnout would throw an exception.
• Fixed a Turnout Table bug where an incorrect border may display in Turnout Feedback.

Miscellaneous

• The JOAL library has been updated to run natively on Windows and Linux machines.

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