This might seem a noob question to some, but I've been looking for the answer for a while.Function key latching - what actually controls that? The cab or command station?I use Loksound decoders and notice that Fn26 and Fn27 both assume momentary button presses (like F2). However, neither the NCE PowerCab or the Digitrax DCS210+/DT602d support this. (except for F2)I use Engine Driver on a ESU MCII with the LNWI and it doesn't support it either. Engine Driver doesn't seem to have options in their button editor.So, I conclude that the command station is in control of this. Someone care to put me out of my misery?
Bumping your post because I don't know the answer.
I thought it was a property of the docoder but playing around with the horn sound on a Lokprogrammer I don't see latching as an option.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
What are functions 26 and 27 linked to in your locos? With Loksound, this can be next to anything, defined by the specific project loaded in the decoder.
I haven't seen any system yet that has momentary capability on functions outside of F2 and F3, and possible F1. On ones that do give options for momentary or latching, it's controlled by the throttle. On NCE, it's even both ways on the same function at the same time - press the horn button and it's momentary. Press 2, and it latches F2 on until you press 2 again.
Loksound allows you to trigger a sound slot or activate a function wire when the function is on, when the function is off, when it goes from off to on, or when it goes from on to off (and additionally can be qualified by the loco moving, in what direction it's moving, or if another function is also on or off). This is how the horn works - F2 off to on plays the horn intro sound, F2 on plays the horn middle sound, and F2 on to off plays the horn ending sound.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
My Lenz system allows me to set momentary or latched on an engine by engine basis. I think I have the ability to store 32 engines in the command station. Nothing is actually stored in the throttle except which engine is active.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
My DCC system is an MRC Prodigy Advance² and most of my decoders have four functions out. The most I’ve used is three, MARS light, Classification lights and the third to control the passenger car lighting.I use single function only decoders for controlling the backup light in my streamline observation cars. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
F26 and F27 are in all the USA Loksound v5 projects I am using.They are the manual notch up and notch down buttons. (I know these are largely obsolete with Drive Hold, but I do like to notch up and down the engines. Kinda feels right.)Lokprogrammer driver's cab has these as momentary buttons, but my NCE and Digitrax systems both have them as latching. ie not set in the decoder.
This is not life or death. I am merely curious. I can work around this with notches set to specific throttle steps and using the -- and ++ buttons in Engine Driver.
Have you tried it? I don't think the settings need momentary functions - more like one notch up or down for every cycle of the function. At least, that's how my older ones before DriveHold work, just mapped to a lower function so it's easier to access. You can always do that - map the action to a lower function and move something you don't use to a higher function.
Usually with the ProtoThrottle you have very high momentum set and that's how the notching happens - pretty much the way I operate my locos with a regular knob throttle. Advance from notch 1 to notch 6 and the prime mover cranks up but the loco doesn't jump up in speed. It gradually speeds up, and you back off the throttle as the desired speed is reached. I really need to get one of those, looks like way too much fun.
The latching / momentary abilities are set in the command station .... IF your command station even supports it. I have the ESU EcoS and I am able to set literally ANY function to be latching or momentary. My MCII throttles will then respond according to how I set the individual functions in the command station.
Not 100% sure, but I don't believe there are any other systems that will allow you that much freedom with the control of ALL the functions.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
Thanks Mark R.I was coming to the conclusion it was in the command station. You've confirmed it for me. I presume the CabControl command station would be the same as ECoS.
And as I mentioned earlier, I have workarounds for the Notch Up/Down feature. I was merely curious. And yes, you certainly can press F26 twice to notch up by one. I can even assign a few of the side button on the MC2 to help out.
Thanks all for your thoughts. Appreciated.
The throttle server in JMRI allows momentary function control. It is set in the Roster window by clicking 'Labels and Media'. Once there, unclicking the checkbox in the 'Lock' column will render the function as momentary. I have used it for a brake control with ESU V5 decoders. The L & M page also allows setting descriptive names for all of the functions, which then appear on the Engine Driver throttle. That alone is a wonderful feature.
George
Edgewood, WA
Ah 2ManyHobbeez, so if I ditch the Digitrax LNWi and use the JMRI web server, I can do it? Fascinating. I can see the menu you mention, and will try it. Many thanks.
The longer I play trains, the more I learn. Hopefully this helps someone else too.
Let us know if it works out for you. For me the JMRI throttle server combined with ED on an old Moto X phone is perfect. I crank up lots of momentum and then notch up/down with the volume rocker switch. I set it to 28 steps and 4 steps per click so that works out to 7 notches, 2 thru 8. Notch 1 doesn't do much in the real world anyways.
G
Yep, works a treat.
To re-iterate what I've done:* JMRI Wi-Server running with 'lock' unticked for F26 and F27 in the roster 'Labels and Media' screen.* ESU MobileControl II running Engine Driver. The -- and ++ buttons configured to raise and lower throttle in steps of 10 out of 128 so I can do this with Drive Hold too. One press per notch.* LokSound v5 decoder setup on "Sound Slot Settings" screen to have notch 2 set to a value of 20, notch 3 set to 40, notch 4 set to 60 etc. This matches a notch up sound to every 10 speed steps.* So when I want to drive by notches, I click F28, then F26 4 times to get to notch 4. Then I can inch forward with the throttle. True independance of sound and speed. * When I want to drive by Drive Hold, I press F9 and then notch up with the ++ button, then release Drive Hold to move off and catch up with the throttle setting.I now need a computer at the layout now, not just my study. Glad it's all been sorted out. And thanks all for your help.
I found that Loksound v5 decoders reach notch 8 sound long before they reach top speed. It's about halfway actually. So I reset the notch points by modifying "sound cvs" 2 through 8 to 30, 68, 104, 140, 176, 213 and 249 respectively. Of course I set the max speed to a protypical value as well. These cv values are referenced to "internal" speed steps which can have 255 values. When I step up on my ED throttle 4 steps out of 28 at a time the commanded speed is just above each of the notch points. End result is 8 notches with appropriate sound change at each notch with top speed reached at notch 8. With max momentum applied I rarely feel the need to mess with drive hold. BTW setting speed steps to 128 on throttle would still work but doing so buys you nothing unless you are controlling your loco by twisting a knob with no momentum applied. I am not one of those guys. I figure real engineers don't twist knobs.
If you are interested you can peruse more of my thoughts in the Loksound group on groups.io in the GH files folder in the files section.
Glad you are making progress. I recommend a Raspberry pi 4 as your dedicated computer. I tried using a 3 for a while because I had one but it's performance was unacceptable when used with Lok 5 decoders. Took 3 minutes to load one up for programming. Also was running out of memory a lot. 1 GB is not enough.
Yep, it was a revelation to find the 'SoundCV configuration' part of Lokprogrammer. I was getting a bit envious of other decoders where they can set the notches easily and rather stung by one YouTube influencer saying that driving LokSound locos was too sterile. (yes Gregg, you!) I took that as a challenge and was initially delighted to find F26-F28 but then disappointed when I couldn't find where momentary/latched function keys was set. Thus this topic.
I must admit my settings for the speed steps per notches are entirely based on guesses. My layout is still being built and all I can really play around with in my study are loco settings.I am sure my max speed setting will be wrong, but right now I can't really find out until I get a decent run of track.And also my settings for where the notches change will most likely change. I had a feeling that notch 8 around half throttle would be ok since above that I would likely just be using a ton of momentum to get any higher speed and for tackling the grades.
I think I can finally work my way around all the Loksound settings.It's all a great deal of fun!
P.S. I am not good at navigating Loksound@groups.io - where are your comments and files?
Each group has a number of subdivisions associated with it one of which is "files". Maybe you have to be a member of the group to see it. If working with Loksound decoders you should join.
My stuff is in a folder "GH Files" in the Files section.
Yep. Subscribed and found the files which appeared. Looks like I've been duplicating your work. Oh well. Glad it's all true.On a rolling road I wasn't sure I was hearing the sound changes. But I was able to hear the notch points in the "Sound Tab" of LokProgrammer for sound slot 1. Click "Simulator" and "Function" buttons to watch where the sound notches change when advancing the slider. All rather clever I thought and a confirmation of the notch points vs speed steps.
That simulator can be quite useful. Good work discovering it for this use case.