Hello,

My name is Craig and I am new to the user group. I love the JMRI program and have used it in the past at both home and a club I used to belong to.

I recently moved and can't seem to get a sold green light on my PR3, it seems to flash about every 2 seconds. of course I get the "timeout talking to command stn" error

On a mac mini running Yosemite 10.10.5
JMRI Decoder pro 4.16
updated Java (decoder pro runs, my old roster is there)
checked the serial port in Terminal and have the correct port set

Everything seems correct. It all worked at my old house. it was about 6 months ago that it was set up last. I can't remember if the Mac OS did any updating, but we did update JMRI however I did that when I was already having this issue.

I am sure its something simple I am missing. I have a 70 year collection of my departed fathers engines to manage as well as my own. Its about 25 rubbermaid boxes of engines alone...need a program like JMRI to help manage this for sure!

Thanks,
Craig Nelson
HO Ontario Northern Modeller

Thanks Marc,

I am set up in Stand alone mode, my lights seem to work as you described. I may be wrong but I had all the cables in the same box and only had one power supply for my DCS 52, which I run independently from the system. On the PR3 I have two wires hooked directly to the test track and run a USB to the computer (thats it) which I am assuming after reading is my issue, although as I said before, these are the same cables I had it set up with originally. I have never has a serial adaptor, so I am going to assume that is the solution even though it worked with these cables before. ( I have several dozen locos set up in the roster that I programmed using this cable.

Also, if running as Stand Alone, in configuration I have the system connection set to Loconet PR3, the serial port is correct ?(cu.usbmodem1421), command station type is PR3 Stand alone programmer, conn prefix is L, connection name is Loconet.

I am unfamiliar with a system console log or where to access it.

Getting ready to ditch the Mac and grab a pc...

Thanks again,

Craig

oh, and I tried using my digitrax power supply for my DCS52 plugged into the PR3 and it made no difference on getting any reading from the programming track or in the lights on the PR3.

Craig

开云体育

On the PR3 I have two wires hooked directly to the test track and run a USB to the computer (thats it) which I am assuming after reading is my issue, although as I said before, these are the same cables I had it set up with originally. I have never has a serial adaptor, so I am going to assume that is the solution even though it worked with these cables before. ( I have several dozen locos set up in the roster that I programmed using this cable.

The PR3 doesn't use an external USB-Serial adaptor. It's inbuilt and reports as a standard USB Modem Class device so doesn't need driver installation either.

Craig,? A PR3 when it is in Standalone mode MUST have a power supply attached to it. When you load the Standalone profile, DecoderPro sets the PR3 for
Standalone mode.? Without a power supply attached, the RED ERROR indicator goes into rapid flash, clear indication something is wrong.?

If none of this is occurring with your setup, then the device driver is probably root cause on your " mac mini running Yosemite 10.10.5 "

The JMRI 4.16 baud rate issue does not affect the PR3/PR4.. only the Locobuffer-USB in my experience with all of them.

Marc

Hello Again,

Still no joy...(yes still on the Mac)

I received the new Digitrax PS14 which I have connected to my PR3
the PR3 is connected directly to the programming track. the other end of the leads go into the small outputs on the PR3
The PR3 is connected via a USB cable to a port identified in terminal as cu.usbmodem1411
The green light on the PR3 is mostly on with a slow flash every couple of seconds.
depending on some random factor most of the time the ERR LIGHT IS CONSTANT. Sometimes the Stat light is on a flash and the ERR light is not on. This requires a reboot.

JMRI preferences are set up to
DIGITRAX
Loconet PR3
cu.usbmodem1411
PR3 Standalone programmer
Prefix L
Loconet

additional settings are
57,600 Baud rate (grey unchangeable)
Hardware flow
Normal
No
Normal

on decoder pro, programming mode is Paged, track power says unknown.
it tries to read CV29 on a known good loco thats in my roster.

I still get a timeout trying to communicate with command station.

Still baffled. I can only sit at the workbench winding trees for so long...lol.

Thanks in advance again for any suggestions.

Craig

My PR3? in Standalone mode with power supply :

The Green USB led is mostly ON with a? OFF every 2 secs AND the RED ERR is OFF constant.??
If I disconnect the power supply from the PR3, the red ERR indicator goes into a rapid flash state indicating no power applied to it.

Your led indications tel me you possible have selected the wrong COM port but that the device driver IS loaded for it.
Without the device driver mounted,? the led condition should be GREEN mostly off with on at 2 sec.
Error 306 "Timeout talking to command Station" is what I get if the wrong COM port is selected (COM1 is valid on my system but is not the PR3)?

To find out of thePR3 is in proper mode, disconnect the power supply, the ERR led must start flashing rapidly

BY the way.. Press and hold both USB and ERR buttons until the STAT led show alternate red/green... This is a RESET of the PR3.?

Marc

Craig,

Your first post was dated Dec 8 and its Dec 30 and you are still no where. Get a windows laptop from Goodwill and be done with it. Its not going to kill you to learn another platform. I've don't particularly care for Apple products but I have them because portions of my customer base uses them.

Some if these issues are really difficult. i just figured out a problem with the Raspberry Pi that was dated 2 years ago.?
If Marc, Ken, Dave, Dave and Bob (off the top of my head) haven't talked you through this then its a difficult issue.

There's so much to this hobby now that time has becomes a commodity. We'll be finished with another decade tomorrow.

In any case I'm just trying to encourage you to find the fastest and easiest way to the next thing.

Inobu

? ?

. .?

Hi Inobu,

I tried a pc as I have one that is a Math buster from my business (renders illustrations for billboards...lots of power)

With that I had a tech install additional ports and then had com port conflicts. §Removed the card with the additional ports and still had conflicts. Did not want to go any further. Figured better to stick with one mess for now.

I guess the longer it takes the more satisfying it will be when its done and an accomplishment...Like how it feels when you stop banging your head against a wall, lol.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I have reset the PR3 as per Marc's suggestion, going to try a change of USB port now.

Craig

To check the proper address of the port:

1) _Without_ the device connected, restart the computer.
2) Start JMRI. Look at the preferences and write down (or take a screen shot) of the existing ports.
2) Stop JMRI.
3) Plug in the device. Count to 15.
4) Start JMRI again and check the preferences. The entry that wasn’t there in (2) is the one you want. If there are two, you want the one that has “cu” in it instead of “tty”.

Bob

On Dec 31, 2019, at 10:00 AM, Craig Nelson via Groups.Io <dablaze919@...> wrote:

I have reset the PR3 as per Marc's suggestion, going to try a change of USB port now.

--
Bob Jacobsen
rgj1927@...

Craig,

It can be frustrating no doubt. It's all about getting and using what is proven. In this case you don't need a lot of processing power
just components that are proven and known good.

JMRI on RPiZero_w

Hello,

Finally some success!

Changed over to hooking it all up through loconet and the Digitrax DCS-52. I had tried this before, however this time I changed the locate port on the PR3 to the left one. (they are unmarked on the PR3) it seems that on the DCS52 the port a is on the left and on the PR3 the port A is on the right. I really don't know if it matters which port you use, but it seemed to on my system.

I had saved my roster from when I had it set up at my old house. It does not recognize my locos as being the same ones on the roster.

I can't get a throttle to work from JMRI. This is probably inexperience as I have rarely used them before.

Very happy to be able to program again. Fixed an issue with an egine we will run as our new years train on a friends layout, we are wiring it for DCC and want to complete a loop tonight.

Happy New year all!

Craig

Cant seem to edit my post, by Locate port I meant Loconet port.

Thanks,

Craig

Doh, got the throttle going...forgot to throw my with to power the track...guess I am into the New Years Scotch too early!

A little lost here.. You have a PR3 AND a Digitrax DCS52 ??

The DCS52 has an integrated PR4? in it which you can connect to via the USB connector out back. There is no need for the PR3 with the DCS52.?
But the PR3 can still be used as a Standalone Programmer.

All Loconet ports are common/pass thru. There is no difference between the two Loconet sockets in any device.

Marc

... Unless there is a problem with one of the sockets:? bent pins/contacts within socket.

Marc

On Tue, Dec 31, 2019 at 01:52 PM, Craig Nelson wrote:

Cant seem to edit my post, by Locate port I meant Loconet port.

The only " EDIT "? possible is? " DELETE "? on this forum, unfortunately. using that? 'MORE' button

Marc

Inobu,

On 31 Dec 2019, at 6:49 PM, Inobu One via Groups.Io <one2beros@...> wrote:

Your first post was dated Dec 8 and its Dec 30 and you are still no where. Get a windows laptop from Goodwill and be done with it. Its not going to kill you to learn another platform. I've don't particularly care for Apple products but I have them because portions of my customer base uses them.

That's a crass and unwarranted statement. I've satisfactorily used a PR3 on both Mac and Windows and both were easy to set up and use.

I've seen no evidence that this is a Mac-specific problem.

The fact that the setup worked in the past may point towards a hardware problem with the PR3.

Some if these issues are really difficult. i just figured out a problem with the Raspberry Pi that was dated 2 years ago.
If Marc, Ken, Dave, Dave and Bob (off the top of my head) haven't talked you through this then its a difficult issue.

We are all limited humans and don't have time to talk through every issue. I already spend far too much of my day talking people through problems.

Dave in Australia