I finally got around to setting up JMRI. I have quite a few Broadway Limited Paragon2 locos (as well as a few Blueline).
I noticed that under Create New Loco, JMRI doesn't have any BLI Paragon2 listed, just Blueline and Paragon3 Rolling Thunder.
What do I do to use Decoder Pro to program the Paragon2 locos?
I recall answering a recent thread about BLI and JMRI. I'll see if I can find it.
(I did!)
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/253930.aspx
What version of Decoder Pro are you using?
There was a release note on the V4.2 that says:
Some BLI decoder definitions (PR2, PR3 and similar) may not be available until you select the "Rebuild Decoder Index" item from the menu. It's on the Debug menu in PanelPro, and the Actions menu in DecoderPro.
I found this to be true with the most recent version that IIRC I downloaded in December. Once I made the fix everything was A-OK
Good Luck, Ed
Version 4.2.1
I just tried what you recommended, but the PC I'm using right now (not the one on the layout) has JMRI in Loconet Simulator mode, things just jam up for a while and then back to normal but nothing listed for Paragon2.
Maybe I have to be "live" on the layout PC for this to happen?
Everything should work in simulator mode just fine. If you aren't seeing an PR2 or PR3 definitions, try the rebuild of the decoder index. Or maybe reinstall JMRI, perhaps the download was corrupt and missing some files.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Try going back to version 3.10.1 at least for a while.
http://jmri.sourceforge.net/releasenotes/jmri3.10.1.shtml
At least until 4.3.3 is made the production version (it is in beta, now).
Ed & Randy, thanks. Doing the "Recreate Decoder Index" thing worked.
It's kind of slow. And there's no status window or any indication that JMRI is doing anything. In the meantime, while JMRI is doing whatever it's doing, everything is locked up. Menus are not accessible. It gives the impression something has crashed. After a couple minutes everything was back to normal and Paragon2 was available in the Decoder List.
ArtoAnd there's no status window or any indication that JMRI is doing anything.
Right...
I mentioned that in the earlier thread that I linked to in the above reply.
I just did what the above notation says (except the menu choice is "recreate decoder index") and, sure enough, the BLI options are back. A buggy Decoder Pro release? There is no acknowledgement that the index is rebuilt.
Decoder Pro is an ever-evolving bit of software since it has to keep up with every change that develops in decoder technology.
The people that write the code do an amazing job of keeping the system operating and there will occasionally be times when bugs turn up.
Glad you got things going. There is a line in the release notes for 4.3.3 that some corrections have been made to the BLI index.
Ed
It happens when they make changes to the file structure for the decoder files, like adding additional information to chose which definition is the right one (so many decoders report exactly the same thing in the version CVs so the best the system can automatically do is figure out that the decoder is say a paragon 2. Which loco is left up to you to pick from a list of what it thinks it found), and it is also needed when you download additional deocder files that people create between releases of JMRI. Or it could be that someone simply forgot to run the index update before packaging that release for download on the SourceForge site.
As the list gets bigger, it probbaly would be a good idea to add some sort of progress indicator so people don't think the program locked up, but I'm sure that's way down on the list of priorities for any of the people who contribute code updates.
In my limited experience I think JMRI Decoder Pro is a God-send.
Trying to program so many different make/models of deoders with the typical hand-held throttle device is insane (IMO), not to mention all the hexidecimal stuff I thought was left behind a couple decades ago (as far as the typical end-user is concerned). Yes, it appears some throttles are easier to use for this (like NCE), but that wasn't part of my criteria for choosing what I did (Digitrax).
So far I think JMRI is pretty slick. Just a little bummed out that I had to spend a few hundred more bucks for additional components (PTB-100, PR3) and more time wiring and configuring things, not to mention the 11 year old PC I managed to bring back to life in order to use it for JMRI & the layout.