Serge NOEL
342 lines
19 KiB
Plaintext
342 lines
19 KiB
Plaintext
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<title>JMRI: Consisting Tool</title>
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<meta name="author" content="Paul Bender">
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"hardware layout java model railroad JMRI CMRI decoderpro panelpro tools loconet lenz nce easydcc dcc nmra">
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<h1>JMRI: Consisting Tool</h1>
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<h2>What is a Consist?</h2>
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<p>There are three types of consists used on DCC systems:</p>
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<ol>
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<li>A <em>basic</em> or <em>primary address consist</em>.
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<p>In this type of consist, each Locomotive is assigned the same address on the
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programming track, or on the main with OpsMode Programming (if supported by the command
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station and decoder). You can use either a long (CV17 and CV18) or short (CV1) address
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for a primary address consist.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>A <em>Command Station Assisted Consist</em> (CSAC).</p>
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<p>A command station assisted consist is built using a function of your command
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station.<br>
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Command Station Assisted Consists go by the trade names listed in the table below. The
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table also lists the known limitations imposed by each manufacturer.</p>
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<table>
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<tr>
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<th>Manufacturer</th>
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<th>Trade Name</th>
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<th>Usage Notes</th>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>Digitrax</td>
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<td>Universal Consist</td>
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<td>Limited to number of slots supported by the system.</td>
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<td>Allows any address to be used.</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>Lenz</td>
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<td>Double Header</td>
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<td>Limited to 2 Locomotives</td>
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<td>Allows any address but 00 to be used.</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>NCE</td>
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<td>Old Style Consist</td>
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<td>Limited to 8 Locomotives</td>
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<td>Allows any address but 00 to be used.</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>EasyDCC</td>
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<td>Standard Consist</td>
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<td>Limited to 8 Locomotives</td>
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<td>Allows any address but 00 to be used.</td>
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</tr>
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</table>
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<p>The common trait shared by all versions of CSAC is that a separate speed and direction
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command is sent to the track for each Locomotive that is in the consist.</p>
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</li>
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<li>A <em>Decoder Assisted Consist</em> (DAC), also referred to frequently as an
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<em>Advanced Consist</em>.<br>
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The NMRA has set aside CV19 as a dedicated location for consist addresses.<br>
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If CV19 contains a value other than 0, the Locomotive will respond to speed and direction
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instructions on the address in CV19. Otherwise, it will respond to speed and direction
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commands sent only on the usual short or long decoder address.<br>
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Since the consist address is a single CV, it is limited to the range of 1 to 127. If you
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add 128 to the consist address, the Locomotive will run backwards (relative to it's normal
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direction of travel) in the consist.<br>
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For most decoders, this type of consist can be by programming operations in the same ways
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that a basic Consist can be. We say most here because some decoders block writing to any
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address CV using operations mode programming.<br>
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The NMRA has also set aside a special command to set up a Decoder Assisted Consist on the
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mainline. This command should be supported by all decoders that support Decoder Assisted
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Consisting.<br>
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The advantage to DAC, when compared to CSAC is that only one speed and direction command is
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sent to the entire consist.<br>
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By default, Locomotives in a DAC ignore function commands sent to the consist address. You
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can configure some decoders so they will respond to function commands issued to the consist
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address as well (through CVs 21 and 22). If supported by the decoder, The appropriate
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values can also be configured through DecoderPro using the Consisting Tab in the
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comprehensive programmer.<br>
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One final note: Advanced Consists operate in 28 speed steps (always). You may need to make
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sure your throttle is sending 28 speed steps to the address to avoid flickering
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headlights.</li>
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</ol>
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<h3>Consisting Support in JMRI</h3>
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<p>JMRI provides support for consists using the Consist Tool, which is accessible through the
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Tools or Actions menu of any JMRI application. (There is also a <a href=
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"../../../package/jmri/jmrix/nce/consist/NceConsistEditFrame.shtml">NCE-specific Consisting
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Tool</a> that works somewhat differently from the tool described here)</p>
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<p>The Consisting tool provides a visual tool for manipulating the Decoder Assisted Consists
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and, on some command stations, Command Station Assisted Consists.<br>
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Backing up the Consist Tool is a consist manager. The consist manager is responsible for
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maintaining information about existing consists and for communicating the necessary
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information between the consist tool and the Command Station.</p>
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<h4>Available JMRI Consist Managers</h4>
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<ul>
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<li>The <em>Generic Consist Managers</em> are used on any system which does not have it's
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own consist manager, but supports either operations mode programming or a sending raw DCC
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packets.<br>
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There are two generic consist managers, one uses operations mode programming to change
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CV19, and the other sends a special DCC packet to change CV19. Which version is used is
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dependent on the support the associated system provides, and is not user selectable.<br>
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The Generic Consist Managers only able to manipulate Decoder Assisted Consists.<br>
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<em>The Generic Consist Manager bypasses any routines the command station has to set the
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consist address.</em> The importance of this is that IF your command station provides a
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method for you to run a consist by selecting a Locomotive by it's address, this won't
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function. You'll need to use the short address identifier you selected for the consist ID
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to control the consist speed and direction.</li>
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<li>The <em>XPressNet Consist Manager</em> uses support provided by XPressNet Based systems
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to manipulate consists. This consist manager is able to construct a Lenz "Double Header" in
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addition to Advanced Consists.<br>
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Since this consist manager uses the consist creation instructions provided by the XPressNet
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protocol, the Lenz <em>Smart Consisting</em> feature works with consists created by the
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tool. On Lenz systems, <em>Smart Consisting</em> refers to the ability to be able to run a
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consist from <em>any</em> of the consisted Locomotive addresses or from the consist
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address.<br>
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The XPressNet Consist Manager is capable of reading consist information from the command
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station, both for Advanced Consists and Lenz Double Headers.</li>
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<li>The <em>EasyDCC Consist Manager</em> uses support provided by CVP's EasyDCC system to
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manipulate consists. This consist manager is able to construct EasyDCC "Standard Consists"
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in addition to Advanced Consists.<br>
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CVP does not provide a method to construct Advanced Consists. As a result, advanced
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consists are created by bypassing the command station. Unlike the Generic Consist Manager,
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the EasyDCC Consist Manager creates these by issuing a Consist Control packet to the track.
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This allows inclusion of Locomotives that do not permit writing CV19 using operations mode
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programming. As with the Generic Consist Manager, you must use the short address selected
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as the consist address to control the consist.<br>
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For EasyDCC Standard Consists, there are a couple of restrictions imposed by the EasyDCC
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Protocol. First, as with consists created on the command station directly, consists are
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limited to 8 addresses. Second, unlike consists created on the command station directly,
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CVP limits the standard consist address to addresses between 1 and 255.<br>
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The EasyDCC Consist Manager will read Standard Consist information for consists in the
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allowed range (1-255) from the command station's memory. Since the command station is
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bypassed to create Advanced Consists, these cannot be read from the command station.</li>
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<li>The <em>Internal Consist Manager</em> is a special consist manager associated with the
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Internal JMRI system. It functions like the <em>Generic Consist Managers</em>, but it is a
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available as a user selectable option so that users can choose to bypass a system specific
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consist manager.</li>
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</ul>
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<h4>Selecting a Consist Manager</h4>
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<p>To select the consist manager in use, we first need to open the defaults tab in the
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preferences.</p>
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<img src="images/Preferences-ConsistManagerSelection-Annotated.png" alt=
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"Annotated User Preferences window">
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<p>Once the preferences are loaded, the choices for the consist manager will be selectable in
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the "Consists" column (inside the box labeled 1 in the figure above). Here we see two
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choices, one for a LocoNet connection, labeled A and one for the Internal connection labeled
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B.<br>
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If you have more system connections available, other options may be available as well.</p>
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<p>If you choose option A, then you choose to use the consist manager associated with the
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system. This will either be a system specific consist manager or one of the generic consist
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managers, depending on the support of the system.</p>
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<p>If you choose option B, then the <em>Internal Consist Manager</em> manager is used. In
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this case, if there is a selection made in the Command Station column (in the box labeled 2
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in the figure) then the consist will be created on the system with the selected command
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station. This selection will cause consists to be created using a special DCC packet for
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creating consists.</p>
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<p>If you choose option B and there is no selection for the command station, consists will be
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created on the system with an Ops Mode Programmer selected in Column 3. This selection will
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cause consists to be created using Operations Mode Programming. Note that if the Internal
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system is selected in this case, no consists will be created.</p>
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<h4>Consists and the JMRI Roster</h4>
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<p>JMRI users sometimes create Advanced Consists using the programmer to set the value of
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CV19. Begining with JMRI Version 4.17.3, the JMRI consisting tools provide some tools to
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synchronize the advanced consists created by programming with those of the advanced</p>
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<h5>Import From Roster</h5>
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<p>Users can import consists created with the programmer into the Consist Manager by
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selecting the <em>Scan Roster for Consists</em> option in the Consist Control's <em>File</em>
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menu.</p>
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<img src="images/ConsistTool-ScanForConsists.png" alt=
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"The Scan For Consists Option is a Choice in the Consist Control Window's file Menu">
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<p>Once the scan completes, any consists discovered will be added to the list of consists
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available to the Consist Control. Please note that this tool does not write the consists to
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the DCC system.</p>
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<h5>Keeping the Roster Synchronized</h5>
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<p>Users may choose to have JMRI update consist information in their roster when creating and
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removing locomotives from Advanced Consists. This optin is activated by checking the
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<em>Update CV19 in roster when modifying advanced consists</em> box in the <em>Consist
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Control</em> section of the JMRI preferences.</p>
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<img src="images/ConsistControl-Preferences.png" alt="Preferences for the Consist Control">
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<p>Selecting this option may cause a performance impact when modifying rosters, due to
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reading and writing the roster file. This option is disabled by default.</p>
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<h2 id="tool">Using the Consist Tool</h2>
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<p>You find this tool</p>
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<ul>
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<li>in DecoderPro: in the Actions menu</li>
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<li>in PanelPro: in the Tools menu</li>
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</ul>
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<p>When you first open the Consist Tool, you will see a screen similar to the following:</p>
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<img src="images/ConsistTool.png" alt="Blank Consist Tool" height="251" width="725">
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<p>The radio buttons in the top row are used to select between an Advanced (or Decoder
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Assisted) Consist and a Command Station Assisted Consist. If the Command Station Assisted
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Consists are not supported by the tool for your system, these selections will be grayed
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out.</p>
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<p>The box next to the label <strong>Consist:</strong> lets you enter the Consist ID. For
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<em>Decoder Assisted Consists</em>, this should be the short address used to identify the
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consist. For Command Station Assisted Consists, this value may automatically be filled in
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with the lead Locomotive address when you try to add it to the consist.<br>
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To specify how you wish to use an address from 1 to 127 (excluding 3) that can be either
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short or long, use the drop down list next to the Consist text field to select your
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choice:</p>
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<img src="images/ConsistTool-AddressType.png" alt="Consist Tool - ID Added" height="74"
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width="235">
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<p>Setting a typical ID for a Decoder Assisted Consist should now look like the
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following:</p>
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<img src="images/ConsistTool-IDAdded.png" alt="Consist Tool - ID Added" height="75" width=
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"726">
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<p>The second line of the consisting tool is used to add Locomotives to your Consist. A
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Locomotive may be added either by entering it's number in the box next to <strong>New
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Locomotive</strong>:</p>
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<img src="images/ConsistTool-LeadLoco.png" alt="Type in Lead Locomotive Address" height="60"
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width="722">
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<p>or by selecting it's number from the roster drop down box:</p>
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<img src="images/ConsistTool-PickLoco.png" alt="Select Lead Locomotive" height="77" width=
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"725">
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<p>Clicking the <strong>Add</strong> button will add the Locomotive to the Consist, and it
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will appear in the list below the second line:</p>
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<img src="images/ConsistTool-LeadLocoAdded.png" alt="Lead Locomotive Added to Consist"
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height="72" width="723">
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<p>Clicking the <strong>Reset</strong> button will clear the information on the New Loco
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entry line.</p>
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<p><img src="images/ConsistTool-Reverse1.png" alt="Direction Normal (or reversed) check box"
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height="125" width="457" class="floatRight"> The <strong>Direction Normal</strong> checkbox
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allows the user to specify if the new Locomotive is traveling in Forward or Reverse when the
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Consist is traveling Forward.<br>
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You may notice from the previous screen shots that this box is grayed out until a lead
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Locomotive is selected. When adding subsequent Locomotives, you can (un)check this box to
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indicate the direction of each new Locomotive relative to the lead Locomotive.<br>
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After adding a second Locomotive to the consist, with the direction reversed, you should see
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something like the following:</p>
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<img src="images/ConsistTool-SecondLocoAdded.png" alt="Second Locomotive Added" height="251"
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width="726">
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<p>If you made a mistake, and add a second Locomotive to the Consist with the wrong direction
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set, you can change it's direction simply by clicking on the checkbox in the Direction Normal
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column.<br>
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The direction of the first (lead) Locomotive cannot be changed once added.</p>
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<p>To delete an individual Locomotive from the consist, you can select the
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<strong>Delete</strong> button in the right most column of the appropriate row of the table
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of addresses.</p>
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<p>To delete an entire Consist you can use the <strong>Delete</strong> button at the bottom
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of the screen.</p>
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<p>The Throttle button at the bottom of the screen can be used to bring up a JMRI throttle
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for this Consist address.</p>
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<p>To add a new Consist, select the first, blank entry in the drop-down box next to the
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current consist's ID:</p>
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<img src="images/ConsistTool-NewConsist.png" alt="Select New Consist" height="82" width=
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"364">
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<p>To recall an existing Consist for inspection, select the appropriate entry from the
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drop-down box next to the current Consist's ID:</p>
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<img src="images/ConsistTool-SelectConsist.png" alt="Select a Consist" height="83" width=
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"353"> <!--#include virtual="/help/en/parts/Footer.shtml" -->
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<h2 id="track">Keeping Track of Consists</h2>
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If you'd like, you can track your consists in a new column in the DecoderPro
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listing. To do this, you create the column, then manually enter the
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consist information (There is no automatic population of this column
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DecoderPro can't keep track of all the various methods of consisting;
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we want to avoid user confusion when automatic updates show invalid info)
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<p>
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To do this:
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<ol>
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<li>Select a locomotive
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<li>Under the Action menu, select Labels and Media
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<li>On that window, select Roster Media
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<li>In the lower half of the window, enter "Consist Info" over the three dots (…)
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in the Name column, and your value over the three dots in the Value column.
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<li>Hit Return, and then click “Save to Roster”
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<li>Close the window.
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<li>The first time you do this, quit and restart JMRI (it would be nice if this
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wasn’t necessary, but right now it often is)
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<li>On the main roster, right-click or ctrl-click on the heading in any column.
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Select your new Consist Info entry to put a checkmark next to it.
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A new column should appear titled Consist Info and showing the value you
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entered on that locomotive.
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Ctrl-drag on the heading to move the column to where you want it.
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<li>Now that it’s set up, you can click on a cell in that column to enter the
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your value for any locomotive. DecoderPro will keep the info from one
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run to another in the roster.
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</ol>
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