search JMRI:

Setup JMRI

• Preparing to Install

Getting Started

• What is DCC?
• What DCC systems will DecoderPro work with?
• What hardware do I need?
• How do I start the program?
• How do I start DecoderPro® program for the First Time User?
• How do I set up my Preferences?

Using DecoderPro

• How do I set up to program a decoder?

DecoderPro Programming Modes

• Single CV Programmer
• Service Mode Programmer
• Ops Mode Programming

The Basic Programmer

• Entering Locomotives in the "Roster"
• The basic programmer
• Reading the data from the decoder
• Entering and editing new data
• Writing the new data to the decoder
• Saving the new data to a file
• What if I need to do more?

The Comprehensive Programmer

• Setup and Roster Panes
• Expanded Basic Pane
• Motor Control Pane
• Speed Control Pane
• Speed Table Pane
• Function Mapping Pane
• Lights Pane
• Consisting Pane
• Advanced Features Pane
• Analog Controls Pane
• Sound Pane
• Sound Levels Pane
• Global CV Pane
• Manufacturer-Specific Pane
• Printing the Decoder Data

Advanced Features

• Function Labels Pane
• Roster Media

DecoderPro® Main Window

• Menu Bar
• Toolbar
• Roster Table
• Decoder Information
• Status Bar

Error Messages

• Error Codes explained

JMRI®: DecoderPro® Manual

This Manual deals with DP3 up to version 3.6.
Online Help for the current version of JMRI® DecoderPro® is here.

DecoderPro3® is a Java-based cross-platform application for model railroaders.

DecoderPro® can run on any computer system that will run Java 1.6.0 or later, whether it is Macintosh, Windows, or Linux based. It does require that Java be installed on the computer.
You can get Java as a free (but large) download at: java.com/download/

Notes:

1. All screen shots in this manual are from a Windows machine using the "Metal" User Interface option. While your screens will probably differ in some layout details, they will be essentially the same. All programming examples shown are with Digitrax PR3 (MS100 mode) connected to Digitrax Super Chief Radio Command Station. Most of the decoders in locomotive samples will be Digitrax, except for sound examples.
2. This entire manual has been updated to correspond to JMRI® 3.6 DecoderPro only, and the SHTML verified using HTML4 and Cascading Style Sheets. If the formatting looks odd, you probably need to update your browser.
3. DecoderPro® v3.x was at one time known as DecoderPro3® v3.x, however since JMRI version 4 we leave out the 3 in the name.

Table of Contents

Installing JMRI

• Preparing to Install JMRI
• Installing JMRI Software

Getting started

• What is DCC?
• What DCC systems will DecoderPro3® work with?
• What hardware do I need?
• How do I start the program?
• How do I start DecoderPro3 program for First Time User?
• How do I set up my Preferences?

Using DecoderPro3

• How do I set up to program a decoder?

DecoderPro Programming Modes

• Single CV Programmer
• Service Mode Programmer
• Ops Mode Programming

The Basic Programmer

• Entering Locomotives in the "Roster"
• The Basic Programmer
• Reading the data from the decoder
• Entering and editing new data
• Writing the new data to the decoder
• Saving the new data to a file
• What if I need to do more?

The Comprehensive Programmer

• Setup and Roster Panes
• Function Labels Pane
• Roster Media
• Expanded Basic Pane
• Motor Control Pane
• Basic Speed Control Pane
• Speed Table Pane
• Function Mapping Pane
• Lights Pane
• Consisting Pane
• Advanced Features Pane
• Analog Controls Pane
• Sound Pane
• Sound Levels Pane
• Global CV Pane
• Manufacturer-Specific Pane
• Printing the Decoder Data

DecoderPro3® Main Window

• Main Window
  • Menubar
  • Toolbar
  • Roster Table
  • Decoder Information
  • Status Bar
• System dependent menu
  • Acela
  • CMRI
  • EasyDCC
  • Grapevine
  • LocoNet
  • NCE
  • OakTreeSystems
  • Powerline
  • QSI
  • RPS
  • SECSI
  • SPROG
  • TMCC
  • Wangrow
  • XpressNet
  • Zimo

Error Messages

• Decoder Programmer Error Messages

---

Thanks for reading, and Let's Run Trains!

Revisions

Version	Revision Date	Editors	Major Revisions
2.14.1	2/26/2012	Dale A. Tripp Bruce Shanks	Create DecoderPro® User's Guide
3.0	8/4/2012	Dale A. Tripp Bruce Shanks	Update to version 3.0
3.2	1/12/2013	Dale A.Tripp	Update to version 3.2
3.4	8/21/2013	Dale A.Tripp	Update to version 3.4
3.6	2/17/2014	Dale A. Tripp	Update to version 3.6

---

---