Serge NOEL
304 lines
13 KiB
Plaintext
304 lines
13 KiB
Plaintext
<!DOCTYPE html>
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<html lang="en">
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<meta name="generator" content="HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Apple macOS version 5.8.0">
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<meta name="keywords" content="MERG supports JMRI help support">
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<title>JMRI Hardware Support - MERG Main Support</title>
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<meta name="author" content="Andrew Crosland Oct 2020"><!--#include virtual="/help/en/parts/Style.shtml" -->
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</head>
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<body>
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<div id="mBody">
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<div id="mainContent">
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<h1>JMRI Hardware Support: MERG Main Support Page</h1>
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<ul class="snav">
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<li>
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<a href="#introduction">Introduction</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="#connecting">Connecting MERG Hardware</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="#dcc">DCC over CBUS</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="#thirdparty">Further Support</a>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<img src="https://www.merg.org.uk/merg_images/merg_logo.png" class="floatRight" alt=
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"MERG logo" height="48" width="102">
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<h2 id="introduction">Introduction</h2>
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<div>
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<p>MERG (Model Electronic Railway Group) hardware supported by JMRI is currently centred
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around the range of CBUS® kits designed by and for members of MERG.</p>
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<p>This page is aimed at helping users of MERG hardware and JMRI to setup their system.</p>
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<p>For an overview of CBUS see the separate <a href="../can/cbus/index.shtml">CBUS help
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topic</a>.</p>
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<p>For JMRI installation issues, see <a href="https://www.jmri.org/install/Debug.shtml">Debugging Your Installation</a>.</p>
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</div>
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<h2 id="connecting">Connecting</h2>
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<div>
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<h3>Typical first-time Connection Steps</h3>
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<p>Launch JMRI and create a new system connection for MERG as the System Manufacturer.</p>
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<p>JMRI's general approach is to support as many hardware combinations as possible. By
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supporting as many people and their hardware desires as possible, we can create a growing
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community of developers, hence more code. As part of this, the JMRI CAN support is designed
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to use as many CAN adapter types as possible. Not many PCs have a RS232 serial port now,
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however is still supported.</p>
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<p>Choose the <a href="Details.shtml">System connection</a> appropriate to your
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hardware.</p>
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<p>Save / Restart JMRI</p>
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<p>If you are using DCC over the MERG connection, check that JMRI Preferences > Defaults
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are set correctly, see <a href="#dcc">DCC over CBUS</a>.</p>
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<p>A new menu item MERG appears in the PanelPro or DecoderPro window, containing the MERG
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tools.<br>
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Help > Window Help will show relevant info in the tools and any JMRI window.</p>
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<p>Test events can be sent from the <a href=
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"../../../package/jmri/jmrix/can/swing/send/CanSendFrame.shtml">Send CAN Frame
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tool</a>.<br>
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Set the test event, eg Frame packets "+1" and / or "-2" (without the quotation marks),
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waiting 500 msec and click Start Sending to generate steady CBUS network traffic.<br>
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Check that these events are actually being sent over the CBUS network by using a module
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such as a CANACT.</p>
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<p>Use an external producer module to test connectivity receiving events, confirming they
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appear in the <a href=
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"../../../package/jmri/jmrix/can/cbus/swing/console/CbusConsoleFrame.shtml">CBUS
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console</a>.</p>
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<p>The <a href="../../../package/apps/SystemConsole.shtml">JMRI System Console</a> is a
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good tool for diagnosing issues during setup and operation.</p>
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</div>
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<h2 id="dcc">DCC over CBUS with MERG hardware</h2>
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<div>
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<img src="images/connection/merg-jmri-cbus-preferences-defaults-500x215.png" width="500"
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height="215" alt="JMRI MERG CONNECTION DCC DEFAULT PREFERENCES" class="floatRight">
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<p>You do not need to have a DCC layout to use MERG hardware with JMRI. Many DC layouts use
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MERG hardware for route setting, signalling and track occupancy purposes.</p>
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<p>If you are using DCC, JMRI will send and receive the DCC packets over the CBUS network
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and can be monitored within the CBUS console</p>
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<p>Loco sessions are best viewed with the <a href=
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"../../../package/jmri/jmrix/can/cbus/swing/cbusslotmonitor/CbusSlotMonitorPane.shtml">CBUS
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Command Station Monitor</a>, which displays the sessions in a table format.</p>
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<p>There are also a number of DC Command Stations which have been designed by MERG members
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which use the standard CBUS protocol for requesting and controlling loco sessions.</p>
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<h3>Throttles</h3>
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<p>All of the programs within the JMRI suite (including the JMRI WiThrottle server)
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internally share the same command station slot for a given loco address, so all of JMRI
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appears to the command station as a single CANCAB for any single address.</p>
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<p>JMRI (via the CBUS Node Manager) can tell if a command station is available which
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supports the CBUS steal or share feature (eg. supported with CANCMD v4 +).</p>
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<p>The Steal / Share features are for when throttles are requested which are already in use
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by something external to JMRI.</p>
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<p>When a JMRI application requests a loco (which is already in a CBUS session), JMRI will
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check the main <a href="../../tools/throttle/ThrottlesPreferencesPane.shtml">Throttles
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Preferences</a>.</p>
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<p>If Silent Steal or Silent Share has been selected, this will be the default action.</p>
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<p>If neither have been checked and you are using the main JMRI Throttle, you will be asked
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if you want to Steal, Share, or cancel.</p>
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<img src="images/web/cbus-throttle-steal-share-dialogue-322x128.png" width="322" height=
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"128" alt="JMRI CBUS Steal Share Dialogue">
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<p>If you are using an automation script and neither option is checked, the system will
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attempt to acquire a Share on the session.</p>
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<p>The command station may disable or enable steal / share at any point, so even if you
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have a preferred option, an automation script may attempt to use the non-preferred option
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to obtain the session.</p>
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<h4>Throttles Stolen from JMRI</h4>
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<p>When a Throttle session has been stolen / cancelled from outside of JMRI, any open JMRI
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throttle window for that loco will cease to accept commands, ie throttle slider and
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function keys greyed out.</p>
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<p>If Silent Share is enabled in the Throttle Preferences, and share is available on the
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Command Station, after a short delay JMRI will attempt to share the throttle.</p>
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<p>For most users, silent sharing enables most layouts to operate with minimum of fuss.</p>
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<p>If Silent Steal is enabled in the Throttle Preferences, and steal is available on the
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Command Station, after a short delay JMRI will attempt to steal the throttle back.</p>
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<p>Beware of creating Steal loops if more than 1 CAB is capable of auto-stealback! If you
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find this is happening, disable the Silent Stealing option to stop the loop.</p>
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<p>If neither option is enabled, or the steal / share is not possible, a notification will
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be displayed:</p>
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<img src="images/web/cbus-throttle-stolen-dialogue-278x138.png" width="278" height="138"
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alt="JMRI CBUS Stolen Throttle Dialogue">
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<p>Ticking the checkbox before closing the popup will supress loco steal notifications for
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the rest of the JMRI session, for all loco sessions.</p>
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<p>Relevant information can be viewed in the main JMRI Console log.</p>
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<p>Note that not all JMRI applications currently have a method for dealing with a stolen
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throttle.</p>
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<h4>Dispatch / Release</h4>
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<p>Dispatch is available according to Command Station Firmware (eg. supported with CANCMD
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v4 +)</p>
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<p>Note that as dispatch availability for a single loco address may change, this will be
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reflected by button availability in the main JMRI Throttle.</p>
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<h3>Consisting</h3>
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<p>The MERG system allows for advanced consisting to be set using CANCMD and CANCABs.</p>
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<p><a href="../../../html/tools/consisttool/ConsistTool.shtml" title="JMRI Consisting">JMRI
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Consisting</a> : Advanced Decoder Consisting (Decoder Assisted Consist)</p>
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<p>Primary Address Consists are also supported.</p>
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<h3>Connecting a MERG DCC Command Station (CANCMD , CANCSB etc.)</h3>
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<p>On JMRI startup, the CBUS Node Manager can search for command stations.</p>
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<p>If a command station responds then it will be added to the node table.</p>
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<p>A command station found at startup will also enable the Track Current Meter, available
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from the main PanelPro > Tools > Track Current Meter.<br>
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This listens for extended event 1 from whichever node number command station 0 is set
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for.</p>
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<p>The frequency and other settings for this are within the command station node
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variables.</p>
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<p>Make sure that main <a href=
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"../../../package/apps/TabbedPreferences.shtml#Defaults">JMRI Preferences Defaults</a> are
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set to your MERG connection for Throttles, Power Control, Command Station, Service
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Programmer and Ops Mode Programmer.</p>
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<p>You can use an existing DCC command station, or have a separate DCC command station for
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a programming track (eg. a <a href="../../../html/hardware/sprog/SPROG.shtml">SPROG</a>) by
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setting these options.</p>
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<p>Events do not need to be set up to connect a MERG DCC Command Station CANCMD.</p>
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<p>DCC Accessory Decoders can be controlled over CBUS and a CANCMD by creating turnouts
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with explicit RDCCx Opscode commands, see <a href=
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"../../../html/hardware/can/cbus/Names.shtml#hex">CBUS hex event naming</a>.<br>
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This is also discussed within the <a href="#thirdparty">CBUS WIKI</a> documentation.</p>
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<h3>Programming CV's</h3>
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<img src="images/web/merg-dcc-decoders-355x398.png" width="355" height="398" alt=
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"JMRI MERG DCC Decoders" class="floatRight">
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<p>Program decoder CV's using DecoderPro</p>
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<p>CANCMD fully supports DCC CV programming.</p>
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<p>There are definitions within DecoderPro for the MERG CANACC5 and other MERG DCC
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decoders.</p>
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</div>
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<h2 id="thirdparty">Further Support</h2>
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<div>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<a href="https://www.merg.org.uk/resources/cbus">MERG introduction to
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CBUS</a>.
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="https://cbus-traincontrol.com/">CBUS protocol specification</a>.
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="https://www.merg.org.uk/resources/dcc">MERG DCC Resources</a>.
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="https://www.merg.org.uk/content/kits">MERG kits for CBUS</a>.
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="https://groups.io/g/jmriusers/">JMRI Users at Groups.io</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="https://www.merg.org.uk/forum/">MERG Forum</a> (members only)
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="https://github.com/MERG-DEV">https://github.com/MERG-DEV</a> MERG members'
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CBUS Development on Github - Much of it is licensed under the GNU General Public
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License v3.0.
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href=
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"https://github.com/phillipsnj/mergCbusServer">https://github.com/phillipsnj/mergCbusServer</a>
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mergCbusServer - enables multiple network connections to a MERG CANUSB4 using <a href=
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"https://nodejs.org/en/">Node.js</a> , MIT License.
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href=
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"https://github.com/amaurial/mergCanBus">https://github.com/amaurial/mergCanBus</a>
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CBUS implementation for Arduino. (+ have a look at Amauria's other CBUS Github
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projects)
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="http://www.oscale.net/?q=en/cbus">http://www.oscale.net/?q=en/cbus</a> CBUS on
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an Arduino using CAN BUS shields - See download links at bottom (in English + German)
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href=
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"https://www.npmjs.com/search?q=keywords:MERG">https://www.npmjs.com/search?q=keywords:MERG</a>
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node.js modules to create a CBUS module + Class to create a CBUS module conneted via
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ethernet.
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href=
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"http://www.rickdavis.co.uk/rail/control-cbus.php">http://www.rickdavis.co.uk/rail/control-cbus.php</a>
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Middle Earth Model Railway has over 70 MERG designed CBUS modules installed on it and
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uses JMRI.
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</li>
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</ul>
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</div>
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<p>CBUS® is a registered trade mark of Dr Michael Bolton</p>
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