Serge NOEL
636 lines
36 KiB
Plaintext
636 lines
36 KiB
Plaintext
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<title>JMRI Hardware Support - LocoNet® Addressing</title>
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<meta name="author" content="Bob M.">
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<meta name="keywords" content="Digitrax SE74 with JMRI">
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<h1>Hardware Support: Digitrax SE74</h1>
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<table>
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<tr><td>
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<ul class="snav">
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<li>
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<a href="#general">Using the SE74 with JMRI</a>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<a href="#configuring">Configuring the SE74</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="#signaling">SE74 and JMRI Signaling</a>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<a href="#se8csig">Signaling when the SE74 is in "SE8C-compatible" mode</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="#aspectsig">Signaling when the SE74 is in "aspect" mode</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="#whichsigmode">Which SE74 signaling mode should I choose?</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="#configAspectSignaljmri">Configuring SE74 "Aspect"-mode
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"Signal Head" objects in JMRI</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="#configSe8cSignaljmri">Configuring SE74 "SE8C"-mode "Signal
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Head" objects in JMRI</a>
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</li>
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<li>
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<a href="#configSigMastjmri">Configuring SE74 Signal Heads on
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Signal Masts in JMRI</a>
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</li>
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</ul>
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</li>
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<li><a href="#turnouts">Controlling SE74 "turnout" outputs</a></li>
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<li><a href="#inputs">Using SE74 Inputs</a></li>
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<li><a href="#routes">Using SE74 Routes</a></li>
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</ul>
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</li>
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<!-- h2 TOC -->
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</ul>
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<img src="images/Se74.png" alt="An image of the SE74 with one signal cable attached
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and one signal connected to that signal cable" >
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</td> </table>
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<h1 id="general">Using the SE74 with JMRI</h1>
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<p>The Digitrax SE74 provides a variety of features which may be used with JMRI.
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JMRI-supported features include signal control, switch control, and inputs.
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<h2 id="configuring">Configuring the SE74 with JMRI</h2>
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<span class="since">Since <a href="jmri5.3.4.shtml">JMRI 5.3.4</a></span>
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DecoderPro can configure the Op Switches of the SE74 so long as it has
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a LocoNet connection to the SE74.
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<p>To do this, you open DecoderPro (as an individual application or via
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selecting "Roster" in PanelPro) and create a new roster entry. Select the
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Digitrax SE74 decoder type for it and enter the SE74's address.
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You can then use the usual DecoderPro panes to read and write the configuration
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variables (Op Switches) in the SE74.
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<p>Configuring the SE74's routes be done using the methods described
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in the Digitrax documentation for the SE74.
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<h2 id="signaling">Signaling using the SE74 with JMRI</h2>
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<p>The SE74 has two mutually-exclusive operating modes which determine how JMRI
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can control the signal heads. As such, these instructions present two different
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ways of configuring JMRI to control the SE74 - one for each SE74 operating mode.
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One method is "SE8C-compatible" mode. The other is "Aspect" mode.
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<p>The "Turnout" mode of controlling signals makes use of Turnout control
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messages to convey the "aspect" information to the hardware. It operates in
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the same way as the SE8C device does, and JMRI support for this mode of operation
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is the same as when using the SE8C device.
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<p>Alternately, control of SE74 signal heads is via an "Aspect". This mechanism
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uses different LocoNet messaging than SE8C mode, and requires different support
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in JMRI. SE74 "aspect" mode signaling has a few benefits over SE8C mode. SE74
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users are encouraged to make use of this mode of SE74 operation.
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<h3 id="aspectsig">Signaling when the SE74 is in "aspect" mode</h3>
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<p>The SE74 offers an alternate mode for controlling signal head appearance.
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In the SE74 documentation, Digitrax refers to this mode as "aspect" mode.
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Control of each individual signal head is via DCC "Extended Accessory Decoder"
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packets. LocoNet-connected SE74 devices may get their control information
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directly from the LocoNet messaging, rather than from the DCC track signal.
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<p>The DCC "Extended Accessory Decoder" messaging uses an "address space"
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which is independent of the addressing used for turnout control messaging.
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As such, a turnout with address 260 <em>does not</em> conflict with a
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SE74 signal head at "aspect"-mode signaling address 260! This also makes it
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easier to configure SE74 addressing in a way that does not conflict with
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other "turnout"-type objects associated with the layout.
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<p>When an SE74 is operating in "Aspect" mode and it sees such a message
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which is addressed to one of its signal heads, it extracts the aspect
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number from the message and updates the addressed head to reflect the
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aspect associated with the aspect number.
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Note specifically that the "Aspect" mechanism Digitrax uses is controlled
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at the level of the "Signal Head". This design choice provides compatibility
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with some 3rd-party LocoNet signaling hardware. And it means that JMRI
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does not require SE74-specific support in its signaling implementation. It
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also means that changing the aspect of a mast which has more than one head
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can require more than one message to be issued when the aspect changes.
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(When a JMRI Signal Mast's aspect changes, the JMRI implementation will
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send a message to each Signal Head associated with the Signal Mast, regardless
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of whether the head aspect has changed).
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<p>This SE74 behavior is notably different from the behavior seen in some
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other signaling implementations. Some devices use a single single DCC extended
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accessory decoder control message to influence _all_ of the heads on the
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mast. That difference in hardware implementation and messaging usage
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means that configuring a JMRI Signal Mast using other hardware types will
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be different from configuring a JMRI Signal Mast for the SE74-controlled
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signal heads when the SE74 is configured for "Aspect"-mode signaling.
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<h3 id="se8csig">Signaling when the SE74 is in "SE8C-compatible" signaling mode</h3>
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<p>One of the SE74 signal control modes relies upon DCC Accessory Decoder (in other words.
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"Turnout") control mechanisms. The SE74 Instruction Sheet refers to this mode of
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operation in several different ways: "4 Turnout" mode, "SE8C Compatible" mode
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and "SW control" mode. For the purposes of this documentation, the use
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"SE8C" mode shall be used.
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<p>As is implied by one of those names used in the Instruction Sheet, this
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SE74 mode uses the same LocoNet messaging and mechanisms to control the
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signal head behavior.
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<p>When operating in "SE8C" signaling mode, the SE74 may be used JMRI when
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using any DCC system which supports control of turnouts from JMRI.
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<h3 id="whichsigmode">Which SE74 mode should I choose?</h3>
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There are a few considerations when choosing an SE74 signal head control mode:
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<ul>
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<li>Does your DCC system support DCC Extended Accessory Decoder
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control messages <em>or</em> LocoNet?
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<br>
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If your DCC system supports neither, then SE8C mode is the only option.
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<br>If your DCC system supports either or both, then either mode may be used.
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</li>
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<li>Do you already use SE8C-based signaling on your layout?
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<br>If so, then it may make sense to continue to use SE8C mode, for
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the sake of consistency.
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</li>
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<li>Will your signals display any "flashing" aspects?
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<br>When using SE8C mode, any head displaying a flashing aspect
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requires a control message <em>every</em> time the head aspect
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changes. This message traffic can become problematic in some
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situations.
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<br>
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However, when using SE74 "Aspect" mode signaling,
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only one message is needed to enable the flashing aspect for a
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signal head, and the head will remain flashing until some other
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aspect control message is directed to that head. This can
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significantly reduce the signaling-related message traffic and can
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reduce or avoid the problematic issues which may be seen with
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flashing aspects and "SE8C" mode signaling.
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<li>If you want/need control over the AUX outputs on the S1 thru S4
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cables, you (apparently) must use Aspect mode, as there appears
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to be no way to control the AUX outputs in "SE8C Compatible" mode.
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JMRI does not have any reasonable way to control the AUX output
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(i.e. what SE74 documentation calls the "Lunar" aspect) when
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SE74 OpSw41 is "C"losed.
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</li>
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<li>Because SE8C-mode signaling is controlled via "Turnout" operations,
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it is necessary to program the SE8C so that its signal control
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addresses do not "conflict" with any other turnout-controlled
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device on the layout. SE74 "Aspect" mode signaling can only
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conflict with those devices which use the "Extended Accessory
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Decoder" messaging (or its LocoNet equivalent), thus making it <em>
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far</em> easier to void addressing conflicts.</li>
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<li>Control of a "Lunar" aspect is not available when the SE74 operates
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in "SE8C" signaling mode. When the SE74 operates in "Aspect" signaling
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mode, a "Lunar" aspect may be displayed. Depending on the SE74 OpSw
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settings, the "Lunar" aspect may be displayed in addition to another
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aspect (Red/Yellow/Green/Flashing Red/Flashing Yellow/Flashing Green),
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or instead of that other aspect.</li>
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</ul>
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<p>In the author's <em>opinion</em>, "Aspect" mode is preferred over "SE8C
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Compatible mode" for any system which can support "Aspect" mode.
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<h3 id="configAspectSignaljmri">Configuring SE74 "Aspect"-mode "Signal Head" objects in JMRI</h3>
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<p>This section describes how to associate a JMRI "Signal Head" object with the
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SE74 hardware and one of its controlled Signal Heads, when the SE74 is
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configured to use "Aspect"-mode signaling. This section does not apply
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when the SE74 is configured for "SE8C"-mode signaling; see <a href="#configSe8cSignaljmri">
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this section</a> for information on configuring JMRI Signal Head objects
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when using the SE74 in "SE8C"-mode.
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<p>It is assumed that you have JMRI configured to communicate with your
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DCC system, and that you have configured the SE74 for "Aspect" mode signaling
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and that the SE74 has a base address which does not conflict with any other
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aspect-mode signaling hardware. With those assumptions met, you may
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start configuring the JMRI "Signal Head" objects.
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<p>Within the JMRI Panel Pro application, open the Signal Heads" table
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(i.e. <strong>Tools ⇒ Tables ⇒ Signal Heads</strong>
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). This table shows all the Signal Heads which have been defined.
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<p>To configure a new JMRI "Signal Head" object, it is necessary to "add"
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a signal head. This is done by activating the "Add" button at the bottom
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of the Signal Heads table. This will open an "Add Signal Head" window,
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where the specific information required to define a signal head may be
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entered. An example image is shown below.
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<br>
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<img src="images/Se74AspectModeSignalAHead.png" alt="Example of the add signal head window when adding a DCC controlled Signal Head">
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<ul>
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<li>For use with SE74-controlled signal heads when the SE74 is configured
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for "Aspect"-mode signaling, the "DCC Signal Decoder" control method
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is appropriate. Select this control mode at the top of the window.
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When the signal head control mode is changed to "DCC Signal
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Decoder", the window will be re-drawn to show only the signal head
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configuration information which applies to this method of controlling the
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signal head.</li>
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<li>Select the appropriate "connection" type. Choose the JMRI "connection"
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name which reflects the connection from which the SE74 will get its
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control information. When using the SE74 with a Digitrax-based layout, the
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connection name will typically be "LocoNet".
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</li>
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<li>Enter the "Hardware Address". This is the address by which JMRI
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communicates with the individual signal head. When the SE74 is used in
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"Aspect" signaling mode with a LocoNet-based command station, the hardware
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address can be related to the SE74 "base address" using the following
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equation:
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<br>
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<code>Aspect Mode Hardware Address = (SE74 base address) + ((SE74 head number) - 1)</code>
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</li>
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<li>The "Address offset" checkbox can be used to configure JMRI to adjust
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the hardware address value for use on DCC systems which use a different
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interpretation of the NMRA "DCC Extended Accessory Decoder" message specification.
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This offset is unneeded when used with Digitrax DCC systems, and should
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remain unchecked in those cases.</li>
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<li>The "Send Count" setting allows for the DCC system to repeatedly send an
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aspect change message multiple times. For LocoNet-connected SE74s, this
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parameter may be reduced to its lowest value.</li>
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<li>In the "Add Signal Head" window, enter a "User name" for the signal head.
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It is common to specify a user name which gives the "location" of the
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signal mast upon which the head will be used, as well as which head it
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represents on the mast. It may also be useful to give specific information about
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how the Signal Head will be used on the layout. Some User Name examples include:
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<ul>
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<li>"West Duluth Westward Main A Head", or, more compactly "W.D. WWD M A"</li>
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<li>"Rangeley River Jct. Main 2 Eastward B Head", or, more-compactly, "RRJct M2 EWD B"</li>
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<li>"Alleghany Eastward Siding Westward A Head", or, more-compactly, "Al. EWD Siding WWD A"</li>
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<li>"132A", for the "A" (top) head on mast 132</li>
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</ul></li>
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<li>The JMRI "default" values for the aspect numbers are consistent with SE74
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aspect numbering and should not be modified.</li>
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<li>Once you have updated all settings to reflect your needs for that head,
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activate the "Create" button.</li>
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<li>An additional head may be created by updating only those fields in the "Add
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New Signal Head" window which differ from the displayed data. Typically this
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means the "User Name" and "Hardware Address" fields will need to be changed.
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Activate the "Create" button to add a new signal head using the modified
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information.</li>
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</ul>
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<p>Note that there is no JMRI requirement to select a user name that mentions the
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Digitrax "head letter", except that it will be easiest to wire and debug
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if you leave yourself sufficient hints. Those hints may be left in the
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user name, in the "comments", or may be left out of the JMRI information
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altogether at the user's choice. If you are able to compute the connector
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number and Digitrax "head" letter from the "head" address and the SE74
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base address, you may not need such hints.
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<p>Note also that the SE74's "aspect-mode" signaling provides a SE74 setting
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where the "Lunar" aspect may be made "persistant". JMRI is not able to
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understand the concept of a "persistant" aspect capability, so that feature
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needs to be disabled in the SE74's OpSw settings.
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<h3 id="configSe8cSignaljmri">Configuring SE74 "SE8C"-mode "Signal Head" objects in JMRI</h3>
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<p>It is assumed that you have JMRI configured to communicate with your DCC
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system, and that you have configured the SE74 for "SE8C Compatible" mode
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and that the SE74 has a base address which does not conflict with any of
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your other hardware. With those assumptions met, you may start
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configuring the JMRI "Signal Head"s.</p>
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<p>Within the JMRI Panel Pro application, open the Signal Heads" table (i.e.
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<strong>Tools ⇒ Tables ⇒ Signal Heads</strong>
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). This table shows all the "JMRI Signal Heads" which are defined within JMRI.
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A JMRI "Signal Head" provides a mechanism for JMRI to interact directly with a
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single signal head.</p>
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<p>Set up each individual signal head by "add"ing a signal head. This is
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done using the "Add" button at the bottom of the Signal Heads table.
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This will open an "Add Signal Head" window, where the specific
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information required to define a signal head may be entered.</p>
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<img src="images/Se74CompatabilityModeSignalAHead.png" alt="Example of configuring a JMRI Signal Head for a SE74 configured for SE8C-compatible signaling mode">
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<ul>
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<li>Select "SE8C 4 Aspect" at the top of the "Add New Signal Head" window.</li>
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<li>Enter a "User name" for the signal head.
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It is common to specify a user name which gives the "location" of the
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signal mast upon which the head will be used, as well as which head it
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represents on the mast. It may also be useful to give specific information about
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how the Signal Head will be used on the layout. Some User Name examples include:
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<ul>
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<li>"West Duluth Westward Main A Head", or, more compactly "W.D. WWD M A"</li>
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<li>"Rangeley River Jct. Main 2 Eastward B Head", or, more-compactly, "RRJct M2 EWD B"</li>
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<li>"Alleghany Eastward Siding Westward A Head", or, more-compactly, "Al. EWD Siding WWD A"</li>
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<li>"132A", for the "A" (top) head on mast 132</li>
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</ul></li>
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<li>For each of the two turnouts which control the signal head hardware:
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<ul>
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<li>Specify the connection type which will convey the "Turnout" control
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messages to the SE74. For LocoNet-based systems, this will usually
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be the "LocoNet" connection.</li>
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<li>Specify whether JMRI should create a new Turnout Table entry
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for the turnout, or to rely upon an already-existing Turnout
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Table entry for the turnout. For LocoNet-based systems, if JMRI has
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already interrogated the hardware, then the entries
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may already exist in the Turnout Table.</li>
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<li>Specify the turnout address associated with the signal head.
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The entries for "Turnout 1" and "Turnout 2" can be related to the SE74 "base
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address" using the following equation:
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<br>
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<code>"Turnout 1" hardware address = SE74 base address + ( 2 * ( SE74 head number + 1 ))</code>
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<br>
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<code>"Turnout 2" hardware address = SE74 base address + ( 2 * ( SE74 head number + 1 )) + 1</code>
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</ul></li>
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<li>Once you have updated all the settings to reflect your needs for that head,
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activate the "Create" button.</li>
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<li>An additional head may be created by updating only those fields in the "Add
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New Signal Head" window which differ from the displayed data. Typically, this
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means the "User Name" and "Hardware Address" fields will need to be changed.
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Activate the "Create" button to add a new signal head using the modified
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information.
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<p>Extending the example above, a three-head mast would require two
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additional head definitions. If the additional heads are to be configured
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to be the next two heads on a SE8C-mode SE74, they would be defined as
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shown in the images below.
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<br>
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<img src="images/Se74CompatabilityModeSignalBHead.png" alt="Example of configuring
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a JMRI Signal Head for a SE74 configured for SE8C-compatible signaling mode">
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<img src="images/Se74CompatabilityModeSignalCHead.png" alt="Example of configuring
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a JMRI Signal Head for a SE74 configured for SE8C-compatible signaling mode">
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</li>
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</ul>
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<p>Once you have defined your signal head(s), and you have your signaling hardware
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connected, you should verify that the JMRI Signal Heads actually control
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the signal hardware appropriately. You may check this by verifying that the
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physical signal head is actually displaying the aspect which is shown for that
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signal head in the Signal Heads table's "Appearance" column.
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<p>Note that JMRI supports displaying "flashing" aspects on SE8C-mode signal
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heads, but it <em>does not</em> support the SE8C's "Flashing Aspect" feature, and
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therefore does not support the SE74's equivalent feature. Be sure that the
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SE74's "fourth aspect" setting specifies "Dark" as the fourth aspect.This
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limitation was intentionally chosen by JMRI designers because the SE8C
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"flashing aspect" feature would only be able to support one flashing color.
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That limitation is inconsistent with many prototypical signaling systems.
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Instead, JMRI developers chose to make use of "dark" for the "fourth aspect"
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as the fourth aspect, as JMRI could then control the head's
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turnouts in appropriate patterns in order to achieve "flashing" aspects for
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any of the head's colors.
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<h3 id="configSigMastjmri">Configuring SE74 Signal Heads on Signal Masts in JMRI</h3>
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<p>Once you have configured one or more JMRI "Signal Head"s defined, you may
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then create one or more JMRI "Signal Mast"s which use those configured heads.
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Configuring JMRI Signal Mast objects is necessary for several forms of
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JMRI-controlled signaling, especially for JMRI "Signal Mast Logic"-based
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signaling.
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<p>Creating a JMRI Signal Mast object using one or more JMRI Signal Head objects
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|
allows JMRI to hide any differences in Signal Head implementations at the Signal
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|
Head level. That means that defining the Signal Mast is <em>independent</em>
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|
of the SE74's signaling mode setting - if you have configured the JMRI
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Signal Heads in a way which matches the SE74 signaling mode, then the JMRI
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Signal Mast simply uses the Signal Heads, and "gets it right" automatically.
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<p>The image below shows how to configure a JMRI Signal
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Mast when the mast is controlled via JMRI "signal head" objects.
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<p>The mast being defined is a three-head Searchlight mast using the AAR-1946
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"signal system", and will be used at "East Edsel". The specified "User
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|
Name" was chosen to describe the location of the mast, and is chosen to
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|
included the word "Mast" to help differentiate the Signal Mast's User
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|
Name from the User Names used for the Signal Heads. If there were any other
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|
masts at East Edsel which governed movement in the opposite direction, then
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|
it would be appropriate to include some sort of "direction" in the user name,
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|
such as "E. Edsel WWD Mast", where "WWD" is an abbreviation for "WestWarD".
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|
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|
<p>The mast comprises the three signal heads - the three "SE8C-mode"
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|
SE74 signal heads defined above in the section on defining SE8C-mode SE74
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|
signal heads. Note that if the mast were comprised instead of three "aspect-
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|
mode" SE74 signal heads, the mast definition would <em>not be any different</em>
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|
- it would simply use the appropriate signal head "user name"s.
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|
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|
<p>Also note that two "aspects" have been disabled - aspects associated with
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|
"Limited Speed" indications, because in this example, the trackwork at
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East Edsel does not have any route which supports the "Limited" speed, so
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|
those aspects are not allowed to be displayed by this mast.
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|
<br>
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|
<img src="images/SignalMastExample.png" alt="A Signal Mast Example showing
|
|
a Signal Head Controlled Mast">
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|
<p>To create such a mast, the following steps are necessary:
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|
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|
<ul>
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|
<li>Create the appropriate signal heads before creating the signal mast.</li>
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|
<li>Open the Signal Masts Table - via <strong>Tools ⇒ Tables
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|
⇒ Signal Masts</strong>.</li>
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|
<li>Activate the "Add..." button (at the bottom of the Signal Masts table window).</li>
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|
<li>Enter an appropriate, meaningful User Name, such as "E. Edsel Mast"</li>
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|
<li>Select the signaling system. In this case, the railroad uses "AAR-1946" signaling.</li>
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|
<li>Select the appropriate mast type. In this case, the mast is a
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|
"triple searchlight high signal" mast.</li>
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|
<li>Specify the "Mast Driver" as "Signal Head Controlled Mast". This indicates
|
|
that the mast will control the connected hardware via the defined signal
|
|
heads.</li>
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|
<li>Specify if the mast will be allowed to be "unlit" (i.e. "Dark") via the
|
|
"This mast can be unlit" checkbox. Allowing a mast to be "unlit"
|
|
is useful when implementing "approach lighting".
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|
<br>
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|
Since the example head is a 3-head signal, and in US-prototype signaling,
|
|
the 3-head signal mast is typically used as a "home" signal at an
|
|
"interlocking", and since most US-prototype railroads keep their
|
|
"home" signals lit constantly, the example leaves the checkbox
|
|
un-checked.
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|
<li>Specify the applicable "Signal Heads". Note that the top-most entry
|
|
corresponds to the head at the top of the mast. The next-lower entry
|
|
corresponds to the next-lower head on the mast, etc., as appropriate
|
|
for the mast type.</li>
|
|
<li>You may place a check-mark in the box labeled "Include previously used
|
|
Signal Heads" in order to include, in the "drop-down" signal head lists,
|
|
those signal heads which have already been assigned to a JMRI signal mast.
|
|
Since it is very rare that any one JMRI signal head's indication can be used
|
|
on more than one signal mast, it is generally best to leave this box
|
|
un-checked.</li>
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|
<li>In the "Disable Specific Aspects" section, you may prevent the signaling
|
|
logic from displaying one or more of the mast's possible aspects by
|
|
placing a check-mark next to the aspect(s) to be disabled. In this
|
|
example, the "Limited"-type aspects are not appropriate, so they have
|
|
been "check-mark"ed.</li>
|
|
<li>When satisfied with the signal mast configuration, activate the "Create"
|
|
button at the bottom of the "Add/Edit Signal Mast" window.</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<p>In the example, the mast will always be "lit", because the "This mast
|
|
may be Unlit" feature has not been enabled (has not been "check-marked").
|
|
This choice makes sense for the type of signaling which is being implementing
|
|
for this mast. Other masts might make use of the
|
|
"Unlit" feature, perhaps for so-called "approach lighting".
|
|
|
|
<p>Once the JMRI Signal Mast has been configured, any change to the signal
|
|
mast's "Appearance" will cause the associated JMRI Signal Head object(s)
|
|
to be changed to the individual head aspect(s) to match the mast's definition
|
|
for that aspect. Any such Signal Head aspect change(s) will be propagated,
|
|
under the JMRI "Signal Head" object's direction, to the appropriate signaling
|
|
hardware (in this case, the SE74), so that the hardware may update
|
|
its outputs based on the control information which has been conveyed to it.
|
|
<p>This means that you can test the JMRI configuration of your SE74 hardware
|
|
using the following techniques. (They also apply to other signaling
|
|
configurations, too!)
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>You may test JMRI's ability to update the appropriate JMRI
|
|
Signal Head object(s) by changing the "Appearance" value for
|
|
the JMRI Signal Mast object in the JMRI Signal Masts table.
|
|
Change the "appearance" of the signal mast object, then check
|
|
the Signal Heads table to see that the appropriate head(s)
|
|
have been changed to the appropriate aspect(s).</li>
|
|
<li>Once you know that the JMRI Signal Head objects are properly
|
|
controlled by the JMRI Signal Mast "Appearance" setting, you can
|
|
then check that the JMRI Signal Mast "Appearance" setting has
|
|
the appropriate effect on the SE74-controlled signal. Change
|
|
the mast's "appearance" value and then check that the physical signal
|
|
changes to the appropriate "aspect".</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
An example of this is shown in the image below. The "E. Edsel Mast" was
|
|
placed on a Layout Editor panel and associated with the "Anchor Point"
|
|
located where two different blocks met, and the icon placed "to the right
|
|
side" of the track line, as viewed from the cab of an approaching train.
|
|
When the "Appearance" setting in the "Signal Masts" table for the "E. Edison
|
|
Mast" was changed to "Advance Approach Medium", this caused JMRI to:
|
|
|
|
<ol>
|
|
<li>Update the icon on the panel to show the appropriate mast aspect:
|
|
Green over Yellow over Red.</li>
|
|
<li>Propagate the appropriate "appearance" values to each of the Signal
|
|
Head objects associated with the mast:
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>"E. Edsel A" head to "Green"</li>
|
|
<li>"E. Edsel B" head to "Yellow"</li>
|
|
<li>"E. Edsel C" head to "Red"</li>
|
|
</ul></li>
|
|
<li>Propagate the changes to the signal head Appearance values to the
|
|
hardware, using the mechanisms appropriate for each head and as
|
|
defined by the JMRI "Signal Head" definition.</li>
|
|
</ol>
|
|
<img src="images/Se74MastOnPanel.png" alt="Image showing a JMRI Layout Editor panel
|
|
with some track, a level crossing, and a three-head signal mast
|
|
protecting leftward movement over the level crossing.">
|
|
<br>
|
|
<p>Note that any change to the "Appearance" value for an individual Signal
|
|
Head object will propagate to the appropriate hardware, but a change of a
|
|
JMRI Signal Head object's Appearance will not propagate to a JMRI "Signal
|
|
Mast" object. This is a characteristic of the implementation of the
|
|
"Signal Head Controlled Mast" type of JMRI Signal Mast.
|
|
|
|
<h2 id="turnouts">Controlling SE74 "turnout" outputs</h2>
|
|
<p>JMRI may control the SE74's "turnout" outputs just like it controls any
|
|
other Turnout - via a JMRI "Turnout" object. In general, JMRI Turnout objects are defined
|
|
in the JMRI "Turnouts" table, and are discussed elsewhere.
|
|
|
|
<p>JMRI's LocoNet mechanisms provide a mechanism where JMRI can "discover"
|
|
LocoNet-connected turnouts. That mechanism is able to discover
|
|
SE74-related turnout objects, and will do so when the SE74 is powered and is
|
|
connected to LocoNet when JMRI starts up with a live connection to that
|
|
LocoNet.
|
|
|
|
<h2 id="inputs">SE74 inputs</h2>
|
|
<p>While the SE74's inputs may be used with JMRI, the behaviors of the SE74s
|
|
inputs, at least for SE74 firmware versions available to the date of
|
|
this writing, are "odd". In general, the SE74 input pin behaviors do not
|
|
match the behaviors of any previous Digitrax product. The SE74 "SWx" input pins
|
|
"sort-of" behave like the similarly-named DS64 input pins do when the DS64 is in
|
|
configured one way. The "SENSx" pins "sort-of" behave like the "AUXx"
|
|
DS64 input pins do for other DS64 configurations.
|
|
<p>With SE74 firmware implementations available in early 2023, the "default"
|
|
values of SE74 OpSws 11 and 30 result in the SENSx input pins generating
|
|
LocoNet messaging which is suitable for "general-purpose" sensor input.
|
|
Those inputs will be reflected as four JMRI "Sensor" objects, with sensor
|
|
hardware addresses of:
|
|
<table >
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<th> Sensor </th>
|
|
<th> Hardware Address </th>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<td><strong>SENS1</strong></td>
|
|
<td><strong>hardware address = (2*(SE74 base address)) - 1</strong></td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr><td><strong>SENS2</strong></td>
|
|
<td><strong>hardware address = (2*(SE74 base address)) + 1</strong></td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr><td><strong>SENS3</strong></td>
|
|
<td><strong>hardware address = (2*(SE74 base address)) + 3</strong></td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
<tr><td><strong>SENS4</strong></td>
|
|
<td><strong>hardware address = (2*(SE74 base address)) + 5</strong></td>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
</table>
|
|
<br>
|
|
<p>Some examples include:
|
|
<table>
|
|
<tr>
|
|
<th> Base Address </th>
|
|
<th> Input </th>
|
|
<th> Hardware Address </th>
|
|
</tr>
|
|
|
|
<tr><td rowspan="4">253 (factory default)</td ><td> SENS1 </td><td>505</td></tr>
|
|
<tr><td>SENS2 </td><td>507</td></tr>
|
|
<tr><td>SENS3 </td><td>509</td></tr>
|
|
<tr><td>SENS4 </td><td>511</td></tr>
|
|
|
|
<tr><td rowspan="4">254</td ><td> SENS1 </td><td>507</td></tr>
|
|
<tr><td> SENS2 </td><td>508</td></tr>
|
|
<tr><td> SENS3 </td><td>511</td></tr>
|
|
<tr><td> SENS4 </td><td>513</td></tr>
|
|
|
|
<tr><td rowspan="4">255</td ><td> SENS1 </td><td>509</td></tr>
|
|
<tr><td> SENS2 </td><td>511</td></tr>
|
|
<tr><td> SENS3 </td><td>513</td></tr>
|
|
<tr><td> SENS4 </td><td>515</td></tr>
|
|
</table>
|
|
|
|
<h2 id="routes">SE74 Routes</h2>
|
|
<p>The SE74 provides "route" functionality, where each of 8 routes may be
|
|
configured with a "trigger" switch control, and up to 7 additional switch
|
|
control messages to send when that trigger switch control is seen as a
|
|
message on LocoNet. JMRI does not have a tool for configuring the SE74's
|
|
"routes" functionality at this time. Instead, use the mechanisms described
|
|
in the SE74 manual.
|
|
<p>JMRI may <em>trigger</em> an SE74 route by sending a LocoNet switch
|
|
control message which matches the "trigger" entry for any one of
|
|
the routes configured in the SE74.
|
|
|
|
<p>LocoNet® is a registered trademark of <a href="https://www.digitrax.com/">Digitrax,
|
|
Inc.</a></p>
|
|
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