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254 lines
14 KiB
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<title>JMRI: Sections Documentation</title>
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<meta name="author" content="Dave Duchamp">
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<h1>JMRI: Sections Documentation</h1>
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<p>This document describes the characteristics of Sections. Sections and Transits provide the
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foundation for the Dispatcher tool.</p>
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<p>Links:</p>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<a href="../../package/jmri/jmrit/beantable/SectionTable.shtml">Using the Section
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Table</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="../../package/jmri/jmrit/beantable/SectionAddEdit.shtml">Add/Edit Section</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="Transits.shtml">Transits Documentation</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="../../package/jmri/jmrit/dispatcher/Dispatcher.shtml">Dispatcher
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Documentation</a>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<h2>What is a Section?</h2>
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<p>A <strong>Section</strong> is a group of one or more connected <strong>Blocks</strong>
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that may be allocated to a train traveling in a given direction. Sections were created to
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solve the direction problem that can occur when using Blocks directly. A Section has only two
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directions, "forward" or "reverse". Sections can be traversed by a Train in either direction.
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Section direction is independent of the direction set for the locomotive by a throttle. In
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addition to solving the direction problem, Sections offer the user other useful features.</p>
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<!-- image by Egbert Broerse @silverailscolo 2018 -->
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<img src="images/DispatcherSection.png" width="842" height="137" alt="sample sections">
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<p>Sections can be considered an extension of Blocks. Many Sections contain only one Block.
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All Blocks contained in a multi-Block Section must be different. Blocks are kept in
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order--the first block is connected to the second, the second is connected to the third, etc.
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That means a Block in a Section must be connected to the Block before it (if there is one)
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and to the Block after it (if there is one), but may not be connected to any other Block in
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the Section. A Section may not contain any reverse loops.</p>
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<p>Sections and their associated <strong><a href="Transits.shtml">Transits</a></strong> are
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designed to provide support for dispatching, either manual dispatching (by a dispatcher
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sitting at a panel), or automatic dispatching by the computer. Dispatching is the temporary
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allocation of Sections for the exclusive use of a train, either run by an engineer with a
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throttle, and/or run automatically by the computer. Support for dispatching is provided by
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<a href=
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"../../package/jmri/jmrit/dispatcher/Dispatcher.shtml"><strong>Dispatcher</strong></a>, which
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also provides for set up and running of trains automatically.</p>
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<p>A Section's <strong>direction</strong> is defined by the sequence in which Blocks are
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added to a multi-Block Section. For a single Block Section the direction is chosen
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arbitrarily when the Section is created. A train may run through a Section in either the
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<strong>forward</strong> direction (from first block to last block) or
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<strong>reverse</strong> direction (from last block to first block). If a Section has only
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one Block, the <strong>direction</strong> of that Section is chosen when setting up its
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<strong>Entry Points</strong> (see below).</p>
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<p>Therefore, when setting up multi-block sections, you should choose blocks in the same
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order across the layout for sequentially connected sections. That way, the forward and
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reverse directions will have consistent meaning for sections on a relative basis. For
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example, a loop style layout might declare clockwise to be forward. A point-to-point layout
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might define left to right as forward.</p>
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<p>A Section has one or more <strong>Entry Points</strong>. An Entry Point defines a
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connection from a Block inside the Section to a Block outside of the Section. Entry Points
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are set up using Paths of Blocks in the Section--Paths that represent connections to Blocks
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not contained in the Section. Entry Points are classified in one of two ways:</p>
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<ol>
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<li>Whether entering the Section at that Entry Point will result in a train traveling in
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the "forward" direction.</li>
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<li>Whether entering at that Entry Point will result in a train traveling in the "reverse"
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direction.</li>
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</ol>
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<p>Sections are designed to be allocated to one train at a time. If a portion of connected
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track is long enough to support multiple trains simultaneously traveling in the same
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direction, one following the other, that connected track should be divided into two or more
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Sections, if the user wants to run following trains in that area.</p>
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<h2>Direction and Stopping Sensors</h2>
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<p>Optionally, each Section may have two <em>direction sensors</em>, one for the Forward
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direction and one for the Reverse direction. These are normally internal Sensors, bearing
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system names that begin with IS. They automatically follow the state of their Section. A
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Section has three states: <strong>FREE</strong> (not allocated to a train),
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<strong>FORWARD</strong> (allocated for travel in the forward direction), and
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<strong>REVERSE</strong> (allocated for travel in the reverse direction. When the state of
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the Section is <strong>FREE</strong>, both direction sensors are set <strong>ACTIVE</strong>.
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When the state of the Section is <strong>FORWARD</strong>, the forward direction sensor is
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<strong>INACTIVE</strong> and the reverse direction sensor is <strong>ACTIVE</strong>.
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Similarly, when the state of the Section is <strong>REVERSE</strong>, the forward direction
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sensor is <strong>ACTIVE</strong> and the reverse direction sensor is
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<strong>INACTIVE</strong>. These sensors may be used in signal logic to force signals for
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travel in the direction opposite to the allocated direction to <strong>RED</strong> (Stop).
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Tools are provided in the Section Table menu to automatically add direction sensors to signal
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logic or to automatically remove all direction sensors from signal logic. Alternatively, if
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<a href=
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"../../package/jmri/jmrit/dispatcher/Dispatcher.shtml"><strong>Dispatcher</strong></a> is
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being used, it can add direction sensors to signal logic as needed.</p>
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<p>The direction sensors can also be used with Signal Mast Logic. The direction sensors are
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manually added or removed using the Signal Mast Logic <strong>Sensor</strong> tab. Select the
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direction sensor that corresponds to the direction to the destination mast and set the
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desired state to INACTIVE. As indicated above, the direction sensors are normally ACTIVE.
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This forces signal mast logic to set the mast aspect to Stop. When a transit is activated,
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the Forward or Reverse direction sensors for the sections in the transit are set to INACTIVE.
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This triggers signal mast logic to update the signal mast aspect.</p>
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<p>Also optionally each Section may have two <em>stopping sensors</em> that indicate when a
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train in the Section has reached the end of the Section by traveling in the forward direction
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or in the reverse direction. Stopping sensors should be physical sensors on the layout, for
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example infrared point detectors. For manual dispatching, these sensors may be displayed on a
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panel to indicate to the dispatcher when a train has reached the end of its allocation. For
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automatic running, these sensors may be used to stop a train before it reaches the end of its
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allocated Section, and before it overruns a red signal, if signals are present.</p>
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<h2 id="SignalMast">Using Signal Mast Logic with Sections</h2>
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<p>If your signaling is based on <a href=
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"../../package/jmri/jmrit/beantable/SignalMastLogicTable.shtml">Signal Mast Logic</a> and the
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associated logic has been generated using the Layout Editor, then it is possible to also have
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Sections automatically generated based upon that same logic.</p>
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<p>The tool to accomplish this can be found in the <strong>Signal Mast Logic Table</strong> |
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<strong>Tools</strong> | <strong>Generate Sections</strong>. Running this will immediately
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create Sections that each contain all of the Blocks between any already-defined Signal Mast
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Pairs. It will also set up each "Automatically Generated" Section so that they include those
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Blocks in the correct order, with the direction being set as FORWARD travel, going from the
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Source to the Destination Signal Mast. Please note that the Block details are not saved when
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the Panel is stored, but are re-created when the file is loaded.</p>
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<p>The tool will also automatically create forward and reverse direction Sensors and place
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them in the Section. However the Signal Mast Logic does not use the direction sensors and
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their creation is only there to allow validation of the Section (or inclusion by the user in
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unrelated Logix if desired). If desired, they can be added to the signal mast logic as
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described above.</p>
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<p>Sections generated with the tool will only have a pair of Entry Points and simply follow
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the Path between the two Signals.</p>
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<p>The details of the Optional Direction and Stopping Sensors are saved when the Panel file
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is stored.</p>
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<p>To use the Sections that have been built this way, you will next need to set up <a href=
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"Transits.shtml">Transits</a>. Following that, you will also need to set the <a href=
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"../../package/jmri/jmrit/dispatcher/Dispatcher.shtml"><strong>Dispatcher</strong></a> to use
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SignalMast Logic via the Dispatcher's <a href=
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"../../package/jmri/jmrit/dispatcher/Options.shtml"><strong>Options</strong></a> menu.</p>
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<p>With stubs (UK sidings), a special procedure has been adopted. When working with signal
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mast logic, transits work best when the sections are all FORWARDS. If a reverse section is
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used the transit sometimes works, but sometimes does not. There is no signal mast section
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facing out of a stub, and a block section at the stub has been found to work well in transits
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emanating from the stub.</p>
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<p>When signal mast logic is automatically called, block sections for all stubs are also
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produced. Transits produced with the transit Create Tool (reached by right clicking signal
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masts in sequence), automatically use these block sections. Care must be taken to use the
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block sections (as opposed to using a signal mast logic section in the reverse direction)
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when using the 'Add Transit' method accessed by clicking the Transits option in the Tools
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Menu.</p>
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<h2>Requirements</h2>
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<p>Sections build on JMRI's Blocks and Path structures. So before attempting to create any
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Sections, you should have Blocks and Paths fully initialized for your layout. A Layout Editor
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panel of your layout with Blocks assigned is required to create the necessary path
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information. See <a href="../../package/jmri/jmrit/display/LayoutEditor.shtml">Layout
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Editor</a> for details on creating a Layout Editor panel.</p>
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<p>Layout blocking should be carefully planned, to provide "<em>reasonable</em>"
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Sections--Sections that make sense for a Dispatcher to allocate to a certain Train. For
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right-handed or left-handed Turnouts switching mainline track, for example, this usually
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means including the Turnout in the same Block as the track entering at the Turnout throat,
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and providing separate Blocks for continuing and diverging tracks. Some users prefer to have
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a Turnout in a separate Block, and that works fine also. From a Dispatching perspective,
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tracks of mainline Turnouts that branch to industries do not need to be separately blocked,
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but blocking here is acceptable. A layout blocking scheme that works well for Signals, should
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work fine for Sections also.</p>
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<p>Signals are not required for using Sections, but Sections will work fine with Signals
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installed. If Signals are installed, the direction Sensors included in Sections provide an
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easy way to set up simple APB signaling (see <a href="#SignalMast">above</a>).</p>
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<h2>How to setup Sections</h2>
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<h3>Creating and Displaying Sections</h3>
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<p>All the Sections that JMRI knows about can be viewed using the <a href=
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"../../package/jmri/jmrit/beantable/SectionTable.shtml">Section Table</a>. Select
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<strong>Sections</strong> in the <strong>Tables</strong> submenu of the
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<strong>Tools</strong> menu of the main JMRI program window. Sections can either be created
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manually from the Section Table pane, or they can be created automatically if you also plan
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to use <a href="#SignalMast">Signal Mast Logic</a>.</p>
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<h3>Section Table Controls</h3>
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<p>Below the Section Table there's an <a href=
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"../../package/jmri/jmrit/beantable/SectionAddEdit.shtml">Add...</a> button.</p>
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<p>The <a href=
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"../../package/jmri/jmrit/beantable/SectionTable.shtml#tools"><strong>Tools</strong></a> menu
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gives access to:</p>
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<ul>
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<li>Validate All Sections...</li>
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<li>Set Direction Sensors in Logic...</li>
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<li>Remove Direction Sensors from Logic...</li>
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</ul>
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<h3>Creating a new Section</h3>
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<p>To Create a new Section, click the "<a href=
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"../../package/jmri/jmrit/beantable/SectionAddEdit.shtml">Add..."</a> button.</p>
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<h3>Saving Sections to disk</h3>
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<p>Sections are kept in your <em>layout configuration</em>, along with Turnouts, Sensors,
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Signal Heads, Lights, control panel setup etc. To store this information on disk, allowing
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you to <a href="../../package/jmri/jmrit/display/PanelMenuHelp.shtml">reload it</a> next time
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you run JMRI, see <a href="../apps/LoadStoreWork.shtml">Loading and Storing Your
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Work</a>.</p>
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