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problem with Decoder Pro??

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  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Gateway City
  • 1,593 posts
problem with Decoder Pro??
Posted by yankee flyer on Thursday, January 17, 2013 5:24 PM

HI

I'm not sure if anyone can help VIA long distance, but here goes.
I'm using NCE Power Cab,  NCE USB port, windows 7, and Decoder Pro on a lap top. Everything works perfect but on occasion the program  sets there with the spinning circle and says com port 3 is in use or off line. Nothing I do will make it work.  I shut everything down, then come back later, everything fires up and works correctly.  Any thoughts?

Thanks Sigh

Lee

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 1,932 posts
Posted by Stevert on Thursday, January 17, 2013 5:37 PM

Just a guess, but your laptop may have a power policy that under certain conditions reduces or turns off power to the USB ports.  Try setting it to an "always on" power policy and see if that helps.  I don't think it's anything in JMRI itself.

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Gateway City
  • 1,593 posts
Posted by yankee flyer on Thursday, January 17, 2013 7:11 PM

Stevert

I couldn't find anything related to com ports. The lap top has 3 levels of readiness. it's on medium.
I will look some more when I'm using it next.

Thanks for the tip.

Lee

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, January 18, 2013 7:35 AM

 With theinterfae connected, go into Device Manager and look under COM Ports. Find your USB to serial adapter, and right click and select Properties. There should be a Power Management tab, uncheck the box that says "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power"

Java seems to have a hard time recovering if the port goes away and then comes back. I know on my laptop if it ever goes to sleep with my PR3 connected, the only way I can get JMRI to come back up again is to reboot, even though the device shows up in Device Manager, with the same COM port as before, JMRI just says COM Port not found, until I reboot.

              --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Gateway City
  • 1,593 posts
Posted by yankee flyer on Friday, January 18, 2013 7:56 AM

Thanks Randy

I have to go supervise (referee) the Grandsons today. I'll print out your E-mail and give it a try as soon as I can.

I appreciate the help.

Lee

da1
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Alberta, Canada
  • 219 posts
Posted by da1 on Friday, January 18, 2013 11:37 AM

Hey Randy,

I too have had this intermitant issue with my Dell laptop and JMRI.  Up till now I thought there was a sensor detecting fatique or beer/football deficiency and was turning of fthe comm port so I'd stop locomotove tweaking and go to bed or watch football. 
Wink

Thanks for the detailed advice on making JMRI more reliable.
Dwayne A

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