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I am new to this group.
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I have been using JMRI for a number of months with a DCC++ base station constructed using an Arduino UNO and an Arduino Motor Shield. I use it only as a basic throttle and it has worked well.? The host is a Windows 10 x64 ThinkPad X220 laptop.
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I recently built a DCC-EX base station using an ELEGOO Mega and the same model Arduino Motor shield. When I first tested the DCC-EX system I plugged it into a different USB port than I had used for the DCC++ system, after unplugging the DCC++ system of course, and the DCC-EX system worked.
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However, the USB port I first used for the DCC-EX system was on an inconvenient side of the laptop, so I moved it to the same port I had been using with the DCC++ system. After that, the DCC-EX system has not worked and even the DCC++ system sometimes fails.
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I know that Windows assigs COM ports to devices, so if the DCC++ was assigned as COM3, then I believe that the DCC-EX system would have to be COM4. ???The DCC-EX system seems to install a COM Port called Base Station which Device Manager says is not working properly. I have removed that each time it appears.
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I’ve deleted COM3 and COM 4 and even edited the Registry to “clean out” the COM Port assignments. I’ve created new profiles in JMRI. I can get the DCC++ system to work, but not the DCC-EX system. The JMRI power button reports “unrecognized” when the DCC-EX system is connected. ?
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Has anyone else had the same issue?? If so, how can I fix it? Or is it not possible to switch between DCC++ and DCC-EX using the same USB Port?
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Vic Roberts
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Vic
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Ignore JMRI for now. Once the correct COM port is known you can attempt to use JMRI.
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Make sure the old DCC++ system is unplugged, and don't plug it in yet. Also make sure the new DCC-EX system is unplugged for now.
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Now open Device Manager and look for the Ports section. Expand that to list your Ports currently in use (if any), then plug in your new DCC-EX system. If Windows recognises it, a new Port will appear, and will have a COMx number (not necessarily COM3 or COM4). Unplugging your DCC-EX system should cause that port to disappear from the list. If you have confirmed a port number for your DCC-EX system this way, use that port number in JMRI.
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You can repeat that test then with your old DCC++ system to find the port assigned to it.
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If you want both connected at the same time, then they must have different port numbers, and I believe JMRI must be set to use each one for specific actions (such as main track and programming track)
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If no port appears when you plug in your DCC-EX system, then you need to check the following list identify the cause:
- Is the USB cable faulty? Try another cable.
- Is it a problem with that USB port on the laptop? Try using a different port on the laptop.
- Do you need to install or update drivers to recognise the new Elegoo Mega? Look for a device appearing in the 'Other' section of Device Manager.
- Can you try your DCC-EX system on another PC? The port number will almost certainly be different to your PC but at least this would confirm if your DCC-EX system is working.
Good luck.
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Cheers,
Trevor
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Victor,
More likely you would want to have two profiles, one for each system.
This would let you use one or the other. It would not matter if
Windows thinks they use the same COM port. But if for some reason you
wanted to use both systems at the same time, they would have to be
different COM ports. As said, if you had one profile with the two
connections, you would assign which services each system was
supporting.
-Ken Cameron, Member JMRI Dev Team
www.jmri.org
www.fingerlakeslivesteamers.org
www.cnymod.com
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Ken,
Thanks. I forgot to add to my original question that fact that I did make
two different profiles. Each identified the devices as DCC++ since my
understanding of the DCC-EX documentation was that DCC++ was the correct
device choice for the DCC-EX system in JMRI. So I must have a different
issue.
After reading more of the jmri documentation I think I may have a driver
issue. The DCC-EX documentation refers to a USB driver that gets loaded with
the Arduino IDE is installed. However, I have not yet used the IDE on the
laptop I'm using for jmri control, so I'll install that today and try again.
I'm also a bit confused about the single letter designators that are
assigned in the jmri profiles. Since both systems start with "D" that
designator, as assigned by jmri is also "D". What is the function of that
entry, and does it matter that both profiles used "D" at some point? (I've
since changed one to "E".)
Thanks again,
Vic Roberts
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-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] < [email protected]> On Behalf Of Ken Cameron Sent: Sunday, October 27, 2024 7:33 AM To: [email protected]Subject: Re: [jmriusers] Can JMRI Alternately Support Both DCC++ and DCC-EX Base Stations? #dcc-ex #dccpp Victor, More likely you would want to have two profiles, one for each system. This would let you use one or the other. It would not matter if Windows thinks they use the same COM port. But if for some reason you wanted to use both systems at the same time, they would have to be different COM ports. As said, if you had one profile with the two connections, you would assign which services each system was supporting. -Ken Cameron, Member JMRI Dev Team www.jmri.org www.fingerlakeslivesteamers.org www.cnymod.com
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On Oct 27, 2024, at 7:44?AM, Victor Roberts via groups.io <x@...> wrote:
I'm also a bit confused about the single letter designators that are
assigned in the jmri profiles. Since both systems start with "D" that
designator, as assigned by jmri is also "D". What is the function of that
entry, and does it matter that both profiles used "D" at some point? (I've
since changed one to "E".) The letters in separate profiles with single connections defined don’t conflict: Profiles are independent of each other. If you have two connections defined in a single profile, then the letters have to be distinct. They’re how JMRI knows which connection you’re referring to when you e.g. refer to a turnout. Bob — Bob Jacobsen rgj1927@...
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Thanks Bob!
Vic
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-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] < [email protected]> On Behalf Of Bob Jacobsen Sent: Sunday, October 27, 2024 7:47 AM To: [email protected]Subject: Re: [jmriusers] Can JMRI Alternately Support Both DCC++ and DCC-EX Base Stations? #dcc-ex #dccpp On Oct 27, 2024, at 7:44?AM, Victor Roberts via groups.io <x@...> wrote:
I'm also a bit confused about the single letter designators that are
assigned in the jmri profiles. Since both systems start with "D" that
designator, as assigned by jmri is also "D". What is the function of that
entry, and does it matter that both profiles used "D" at some point? (I've
since changed one to "E".) The letters in separate profiles with single connections defined don’t conflict: Profiles are independent of each other. If you have two connections defined in a single profile, then the letters have to be distinct. They’re how JMRI knows which connection you’re referring to when you e.g. refer to a turnout. Bob — Bob Jacobsen rgj1927@...
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Trevor, ? Thanks for these suggestions. ? I did get a port under Other yesterday when the DCC-EX system was installed, but it had the error indicator. I’m now hoping that the required driver will be installed when I install the Arduino IDE. ? ? Vic ?
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Trevor Rowland
Sent: Sunday, October 27, 2024 3:57 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [jmriusers] Can JMRI Alternately Support Both DCC++ and DCC-EX Base Stations? #dcc-ex #dccpp? Ignore JMRI for now. Once the correct COM port is known you can attempt to use JMRI. Make sure the old DCC++ system is unplugged, and don't plug it in yet. Also make sure the new DCC-EX system is unplugged for now. Now open Device Manager and look for the Ports section. Expand that to list your Ports currently in use (if any), then plug in your new DCC-EX system. If Windows recognises it, a new Port will appear, and will have a COMx number (not necessarily COM3 or COM4). Unplugging your DCC-EX system should cause that port to disappear from the list. If you have confirmed a port number for your DCC-EX system this way, use that port number in JMRI. You can repeat that test then with your old DCC++ system to find the port assigned to it. If you want both connected at the same time, then they must have different port numbers, and I believe JMRI must be set to use each one for specific actions (such as main track and programming track) If no port appears when you plug in your DCC-EX system, then you need to check the following list identify the cause: - Is the USB cable faulty? Try another cable.
- Is it a problem with that USB port on the laptop? Try using a different port on the laptop.
- Do you need to install or update drivers to recognise the new Elegoo Mega? Look for a device appearing in the 'Other' section of Device Manager.
- Can you try your DCC-EX system on another PC? The port number will almost certainly be different to your PC but at least this would confirm if your DCC-EX system is working.
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I want to thank everyone who has been helping.? Here is some updated information. ? First, I reported I was unable to get even the older DCC++ system working. JMRI seemed to work with that system but there was no power to the tracks. That problem was traced to an unrelated issue.?? I use a small Buck/Boost converter sourced from eBay to raise the voltage of my 12 Volt supply to 15 Volts before feeding the motor shield. The buck/boost converter also provides a current limit in the case of a short. That device, which is not get mounted in a case, is connected to two barrel connectors, one for the input and the for the other output, with 4 wires. With all the switching of the output connector between the two systems, one of the output wires had become disconnected. After that was fixed, the DCC++ system worked as before. ? Now to the port tests.? Both the DCC++ and DCC-EX systems reported COM3.? Since JMRI was configured to consider each as a DCC++ system, per the instructions, I thought that the same profile might work on each, but that did not work.? (But that may be a port problem as described below.) ? I swapped the COM port for the DCC-EX system from COM3 to COM 4, but that did not fix the issue with the USB port I wanted to use. Call that Port A. However, I was able to get the DCC-EX system working with jmri using either of the two other USB ports on the X220.? Very strange.? (The DCC++ system works on all three USB ports.) ? When I look at Device Menager I see two entries under Other devices, one labeled Base System Device and the other PCI Serial Port. I think, but cannot prove, that these appeared with I first tested the DCC-EX system.? Does anyone know if these are related to the DCC-EX system?? I can uninstall the two devices, but they come back when I reboot the system even if neither of the DCC base stations are connected. ? ? ? The only other thing I currently do not understand is that the throttles look very different when using the two different systems. ? The throttles for the older DCC++ system are pointer on a narrow line, as shown immediately below, while the throttles for newer DCC-EX system are wide bars, as shown in the second image.? (I’m assuming this system allows images.) ? I understand that the throttle type may be controlled by a jmri setting I have not yet discovered. ? Note. My locos have two digit address since I am transitioning ?from a Bachmann system that only allowed 2 digit addressing. ? 
? 
? ? Vic ?
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Victor Roberts via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, October 27, 2024 8:26 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [jmriusers] Can JMRI Alternately Support Both DCC++ and DCC-EX Base Stations? #dcc-ex #dccpp? Trevor, ? Thanks for these suggestions. ? I did get a port under Other yesterday when the DCC-EX system was installed, but it had the error indicator. I’m now hoping that the required driver will be installed when I install the Arduino IDE. ? ? Vic ? ? Ignore JMRI for now. Once the correct COM port is known you can attempt to use JMRI. Make sure the old DCC++ system is unplugged, and don't plug it in yet. Also make sure the new DCC-EX system is unplugged for now. Now open Device Manager and look for the Ports section. Expand that to list your Ports currently in use (if any), then plug in your new DCC-EX system. If Windows recognises it, a new Port will appear, and will have a COMx number (not necessarily COM3 or COM4). Unplugging your DCC-EX system should cause that port to disappear from the list. If you have confirmed a port number for your DCC-EX system this way, use that port number in JMRI. You can repeat that test then with your old DCC++ system to find the port assigned to it. If you want both connected at the same time, then they must have different port numbers, and I believe JMRI must be set to use each one for specific actions (such as main track and programming track) If no port appears when you plug in your DCC-EX system, then you need to check the following list identify the cause: - Is the USB cable faulty? Try another cable.
- Is it a problem with that USB port on the laptop? Try using a different port on the laptop.
- Do you need to install or update drivers to recognise the new Elegoo Mega? Look for a device appearing in the 'Other' section of Device Manager.
- Can you try your DCC-EX system on another PC? The port number will almost certainly be different to your PC but at least this would confirm if your DCC-EX system is working.
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I found the setting that changes the appearance of the throttle bar. ? I can also confirm that, when using a “good” USB port, I can set both the DCC++ and DCC-EX controllers to COM3 and connect them alternately to the same USB port, and also use the same jmri profile. (Since they have the same COM address and jmri considers them to be the same controller type.) ? Vic ?
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From: Victor Roberts <x@...>
Sent: Sunday, October 27, 2024 12:00 PM
To: '[email protected]' <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: [jmriusers] Can JMRI Alternately Support Both DCC++ and DCC-EX Base Stations? #dcc-ex #dccpp? I want to thank everyone who has been helping.? Here is some updated information. ? First, I reported I was unable to get even the older DCC++ system working. JMRI seemed to work with that system but there was no power to the tracks. That problem was traced to an unrelated issue.?? I use a small Buck/Boost converter sourced from eBay to raise the voltage of my 12 Volt supply to 15 Volts before feeding the motor shield. The buck/boost converter also provides a current limit in the case of a short. That device, which is not get mounted in a case, is connected to two barrel connectors, one for the input and the for the other output, with 4 wires. With all the switching of the output connector between the two systems, one of the output wires had become disconnected. After that was fixed, the DCC++ system worked as before. ? Now to the port tests.? Both the DCC++ and DCC-EX systems reported COM3.? Since JMRI was configured to consider each as a DCC++ system, per the instructions, I thought that the same profile might work on each, but that did not work.? (But that may be a port problem as described below.) ? I swapped the COM port for the DCC-EX system from COM3 to COM 4, but that did not fix the issue with the USB port I wanted to use. Call that Port A. However, I was able to get the DCC-EX system working with jmri using either of the two other USB ports on the X220.? Very strange.? (The DCC++ system works on all three USB ports.) ? When I look at Device Menager I see two entries under Other devices, one labeled Base System Device and the other PCI Serial Port. I think, but cannot prove, that these appeared with I first tested the DCC-EX system.? Does anyone know if these are related to the DCC-EX system?? I can uninstall the two devices, but they come back when I reboot the system even if neither of the DCC base stations are connected. ?  ? The only other thing I currently do not understand is that the throttles look very different when using the two different systems. ? The throttles for the older DCC++ system are pointer on a narrow line, as shown immediately below, while the throttles for newer DCC-EX system are wide bars, as shown in the second image.? (I’m assuming this system allows images.) ? I understand that the throttle type may be controlled by a jmri setting I have not yet discovered. ? Note. My locos have two digit address since I am transitioning? from a Bachmann system that only allowed 2 digit addressing. ? ? 
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? ? Vic ? ? Trevor, ? Thanks for these suggestions. ? I did get a port under Other yesterday when the DCC-EX system was installed, but it had the error indicator. I’m now hoping that the required driver will be installed when I install the Arduino IDE. ? ? Vic ? ? Ignore JMRI for now. Once the correct COM port is known you can attempt to use JMRI. Make sure the old DCC++ system is unplugged, and don't plug it in yet. Also make sure the new DCC-EX system is unplugged for now. Now open Device Manager and look for the Ports section. Expand that to list your Ports currently in use (if any), then plug in your new DCC-EX system. If Windows recognises it, a new Port will appear, and will have a COMx number (not necessarily COM3 or COM4). Unplugging your DCC-EX system should cause that port to disappear from the list. If you have confirmed a port number for your DCC-EX system this way, use that port number in JMRI. You can repeat that test then with your old DCC++ system to find the port assigned to it. If you want both connected at the same time, then they must have different port numbers, and I believe JMRI must be set to use each one for specific actions (such as main track and programming track) If no port appears when you plug in your DCC-EX system, then you need to check the following list identify the cause: - Is the USB cable faulty? Try another cable.
- Is it a problem with that USB port on the laptop? Try using a different port on the laptop.
- Do you need to install or update drivers to recognise the new Elegoo Mega? Look for a device appearing in the 'Other' section of Device Manager.
- Can you try your DCC-EX system on another PC? The port number will almost certainly be different to your PC but at least this would confirm if your DCC-EX system is working.
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Hi Vic
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I'm glad you have sorted it out.
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The entries under the 'Other' section in Device Manager sound like PC system devices, rather than anything to do with your DCC-EX systems, especially as they come back after a reboot.? I wouldn't worry about them, and leave them there.
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Cheers,
Trevor
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Trevor, ? The Base Station entry is apparently related to the Lenovo docking station. That one went away after I updated the X220 drivers from the Lenovo site.? The PCI Serial Port remains after the driver update. ? I still don’t know why one of the two DCC systems works with the “bad” USB port but the other one does not.? However, I don’t really care anymore. I dug out the docking station, wich ahs lots of ports, and the DCC-EX system works just fine. ? Thanks for your help. ? Vic ?
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Trevor Rowland
Sent: Sunday, October 27, 2024 6:38 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [jmriusers] Can JMRI Alternately Support Both DCC++ and DCC-EX Base Stations? #dcc-ex #dccpp? I'm glad you have sorted it out. The entries under the 'Other' section in Device Manager sound like PC system devices, rather than anything to do with your DCC-EX systems, especially as they come back after a reboot.? I wouldn't worry about them, and leave them there.
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I have some additional debug data that may point to the problem with the “bad” USB port. ? The X220 has three USB ports, two are USB 2.0 and one is USB 3.0.? The port that does not work with jmri and my DCC-EC controller is the USB 3.0 port. ? Now, here is the kicker.? The USB 3.0 port does work with both jmri and my older DCC++ controller, which uses an Arduino Uno, and it works with the newer DCC-EX controller if I use DCC-EX Web Throttle. But the DCC-EX controller will not work with JMRI on the same port. Jmri starts but the Power button is labeled Unknown.? (The DCC-EX board uses an ELEGOO MEGA 2560 R3 board.) ? ?Vic Roberts ?
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Victor Roberts via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, October 27, 2024 7:32 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [jmriusers] Can JMRI Alternately Support Both DCC++ and DCC-EX Base Stations? #dcc-ex #dccpp? Trevor, ? The Base Station entry is apparently related to the Lenovo docking station. That one went away after I updated the X220 drivers from the Lenovo site.? The PCI Serial Port remains after the driver update. ? I still don’t know why one of the two DCC systems works with the “bad” USB port but the other one does not.? However, I don’t really care anymore. I dug out the docking station, wich ahs lots of ports, and the DCC-EX system works just fine. ? Thanks for your help. ? Vic ? ? I'm glad you have sorted it out. The entries under the 'Other' section in Device Manager sound like PC system devices, rather than anything to do with your DCC-EX systems, especially as they come back after a reboot.? I wouldn't worry about them, and leave them there.
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If I understand correctly, you are saying that the USB 3.0 port works correctly, the DCC-EX controller (built with the Elegoo Mega) works properly, and JMRI works properly, BUT NOT when you use that specific combination of items.
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That's certainly strange.? Maybe a conflict between JMRI (or the Java you are using), and the underlying hardware / drivers used for the USB 3.0 port and the Atmega16u2 used on the Elegoo Mega?
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Cheers,
Trevor
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Trevor, ? I cannot confirm that the USB 3.0 port works correctly with every type of device, but it does work correctly with the combinations I listed and incorrectly with the one combination also listed. ? BTW, I’m using JMRI 5.8 and Java 17.0.12(en)?? (I should have given this information earlier.) ? I think that the person with the Mac in another thread also has a DCC-EX system that works with Web Throttle but not with JMRI, and he gets the same error that I do: the Power button is labeled Unrecognized instead of On/Off. ? Vic ? ? ?
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Trevor Rowland
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2024 7:10 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [jmriusers] Can JMRI Alternately Support Both DCC++ and DCC-EX Base Stations? #dcc-ex #dccpp? If I understand correctly, you are saying that the USB 3.0 port works correctly, the DCC-EX controller (built with the Elegoo Mega) works properly, and JMRI works properly, BUT NOT when you use that specific combination of items. That's certainly strange.? Maybe a conflict between JMRI (or the Java you are using), and the underlying hardware / drivers used for the USB 3.0 port and the Atmega16u2 used on the Elegoo Mega?
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Another user in thread “DecoderPro layout power status is showing Unknown,”? reported that his problem was fixed by increasing the connection timeout to 10 seconds. That also fixed the problem on my system!? I can see it takes a few seconds for the status of the Power button to change from Unknown to Off. ? Vic Roberts ?
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Victor Roberts via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2024 7:27 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [jmriusers] Can JMRI Alternately Support Both DCC++ and DCC-EX Base Stations? #dcc-ex #dccpp? Trevor, ? I cannot confirm that the USB 3.0 port works correctly with every type of device, but it does work correctly with the combinations I listed and incorrectly with the one combination also listed. ? BTW, I’m using JMRI 5.8 and Java 17.0.12(en)?? (I should have given this information earlier.) ? I think that the person with the Mac in another thread also has a DCC-EX system that works with Web Throttle but not with JMRI, and he gets the same error that I do: the Power button is labeled Unrecognized instead of On/Off. ? Vic ? ? ? ? If I understand correctly, you are saying that the USB 3.0 port works correctly, the DCC-EX controller (built with the Elegoo Mega) works properly, and JMRI works properly, BUT NOT when you use that specific combination of items. That's certainly strange.? Maybe a conflict between JMRI (or the Java you are using), and the underlying hardware / drivers used for the USB 3.0 port and the Atmega16u2 used on the Elegoo Mega?
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Vic,
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Good pickup!? Well done on finding the solution.
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Cheers,
Trevor.
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Trevor, ? Thanks, but the credit goes to the person who posted the solution in the thread “DecoderPro layout power status is showing Unknown.” ? Vic ?
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Trevor Rowland
Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2024 7:35 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [jmriusers] Can JMRI Alternately Support Both DCC++ and DCC-EX Base Stations? #dcc-ex #dccpp? Good pickup!? Well done on finding the solution.
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Ken Cameron
Bob Jacobsen