What you describe is roughly parallel to my experience some years ago.
I belong to a railroad club which uses JMRI and Digitrax DCC.? I am also a novice user and trying to gain more knowledge.?
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Sort of the deep end of the pool learning to swim experience.
My goal is to put JMRI on my home laptop and run the practice (not sure of the name) file so I learn how to use the system.
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I have Win 10, MSI GS75 Stealth 95E (few years old), have downloaded and installed Java 11, 64 bit.
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That is a good start.
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If someone would help mentor me to getting this installed so I can learn what to do and how to do it I would be greatly thankful.
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The home page at has a reasonable set of instructions in the portion labeled "Kick the tires:" aimed at beginners.??
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For your laptop, the first time you start up each one of the JMRI apps, PanelPro or DecoderPro for example, it will force you to identify the Connection to a DCC command station.? In your case the choice most likely is to select Digitrax for the System Manufacturer and then select LocoNet Simulator for the System Connection.
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In our club, there are three windows computers, all running Zulu Java version 17.
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One workstation computer is connected to a test track via a Digitrax Command Station that a few members help with the DecoderPro features and I only make sure that it is kept up to date.? We keep the latest test version on that one since the newest decoder definitions are included.? There are two or three members who have configured several hundred locomotive decoders for each one that I have done.
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The main layout is controlled with a separate computer running PanelPro and another Digitrax Command Station.? The PanelPro installation involves about twenty control panels and a WiFi connection for WiThrottle users.? We do not have an internet connection, but the local router allows smartphone and tablet usage.? ?We keep the latest production version of JMRI installed on that computer.? Developing and testing the panels was largely my responsibility.?
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For historical reasons, there is a third computer that is mostly used for the laser printer, but the Operations Team uses several times a month with PanelPro or OperationsPro or DispatcherPro. To tell you the truth, the only time I know what they are doing is when someone complains or asks for help.? I also keep that one up to date with the most recent production version of JMRI.
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None of our club computers require passwords to access, but we do not have any internet other than the occasional smartphone hotspot.? The workstation and the layout computers have old DOS type batch files that start up the appropriate JMRI app, so the first member to get there can just turn the computer on.? That is because we shut the whole building down and kill all the power at the external circuit breakers when the last member leaves.??
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My laptop gets plugged into either a LocoNet or a LCC connection depending upon what task is needed.? Mostly LCC work on our expansion layout for the last year or so.
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Other club circumstances will produce other examples of what might or will work for you.??
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The important message is that JMRI is a very big program and none of us know much more that a small slice of the total of what is available.? Pick a small or urgent target area and get comfortable with that, and find someone who can provide a little help with some of the other areas.
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Best of luck,
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Cliff in Baja SoCal
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