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 set up my Preferences?

Using DecoderPro

• How do I set up to program a decoder?

DecoderPro® Programming Modes

• What are the Programming Modes?
• Single CV Programmer
• Service Mode Programmer
• Ops Mode Programming
• Multi Decoder Control (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

JMRI® DecoderPro® Manual

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

JMRI is a Java-based cross-platform application for model railroaders. JMRI contains applications for:

• The programming of Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders (DecoderPro®)
• Drawing computer based panels for depicting a model railroad layout (PanelPro™)
• Controlling the layout (Layout Editor)
• Creating train manifests for duplicating railroad operations (Operations)
• Controlling the signals on the layout
• Controlling lighting and sound in the room, and so forth (SoundPro™)

All this capability is contained in one program (JMRI) which has several "start-up" screens for the various applications.

If this is your first visit to our manual we suggest that you take the Decoder Pro® tour at http://jmri.org/help/en/html/apps/DecoderPro/Tour.shtml
to get an overview of what we're about to cover.

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 (in "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® v3.6 DecoderPro only, and the SHTML verified using HTML4 and Cascading Style Sheets. If the formatting looks odd, you probably need to update your browser.

Table of Contents

Installing JMRI®

• Preparing to Install JMRI®
• Installing JMRI® Software

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 set up my preferences?

Using DecoderPro®

• How do I set up to program a decoder?
• What are the Programming Modes?

DecoderPro® Programming Modes

• Single CV Programmer
• Service Mode Programmer
• Ops Mode Programming
• Multi Decoder Control (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

The Advanced Programmer

• Starting Advanced programmer
• Function Labels Pane
• Roster Media
• 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

DecoderPro® Main Window

• Main Window
• Menu Overview
• File Menu
  • Print Decoder Definitions...
  • Print Preview Decoder Definitions...
  • Quit
• Edit Menu
  • Cut
  • Copy
  • Paste
  • Preferences
• Tools Menu
  • Programmers
    • Single CV Programmer
    • Service Mode Programmer
    • Ops Mode Programmer
    • Multi-Decoder Control
  • Tables (not yet covered in this manual)
  • Throttles
    • New Throttle...
    • Throttles List Window
    • Save Throttle Layout...
    • Load Throttle Layout...
    • Save as Default Throttle Layout
    • Load Default Throttle Layout
    • Start Wi Throttle
  • Consisting Tool
  • Clocks
    • Set up Fast Clock...
    • Nixie Clock
    • LCD Clock
    • Analog Clock
  • Power Control...
  • Turnout Control...
  • Simple Signal Logic (not covered in this manual)
  • Sensor Groups... (not covered in this manual)
  • Speedometer...
  • Light Control...
  • Dispatcher... (not covered in this manual)
  • Send DCC Packet...(not covered in this manual)
  • USS CTC Tools (not covered in this manual)
  • Operations
    • Settings
    • Locations
    • Cars
    • Locomotives
    • Routes
    • Trains
  • Start JMRI Web Server
• Roster Menu
  • Roster
  • Create Entry...
  • Edit Entry...
  • Copy Entry...
  • Import Entry...
  • Export Entry...
  • Delete Entry...
  • Print Summary
  • Print Preview Summary...
  • Roster Groups
    • Create Roster Group
    • Delete Roster Group
    • Table Association
    • Add Roster Entry to Group
    • Remove Roster Entry from Group
  • Export Complete Roster...
• Panels Menu
  • New Panel
  • • Panel Editor
    • Control Panel Editor
    • Layout Editor
  • Open Panels...
  • Store Panels...
  • Show History
  • Show Panel
    • Panel
    • Panel 2
    • Control Panel
    • My Layout
  • Run Script...
  • Thread Monitor
  • Script Output
  • Script Entry
• Operations (see the JMRI® OperationsPro User's Guide)
  • Settings
  • Cars
  • Locomotives
  • Routes
  • Trains
• System dependent menu
  • Acela
  • CMRI
  • EasyDCC
  • Grapevine
  • LocoNet
  • NCE
  • OakTreeSystems
  • Powerline
  • QSI
  • RPS
  • SECSI
  • SPROG
  • TMCC
  • Wangrow
  • XpressNet
  • Zimo
• Debug Menu
  • Memory Usage Monitor
  • Import Decoder File
  • Import Decoder URL
  • Recreate Decoder Index
  • Recreate Roster Index
  • Update Decoder Definitions
  • Validate XML File
  • Check Decoder Names
  • Check Programmer Names
  • Load Logixs Disabled
  • Log Message
  • Display Message Log
  • Display Log Categories
  • Virtual Sound Decoder
    • VSDecoder Manager
    • Manage VSD Locations
    • VSDecoder Preferences
    • VSDFile and Configuration
  • PRICOM
    • PRICOM Pocket Tester
    • • Connect
    • PRICOM Flash Updater
  • USB Input Control
  • USB Device Viewer
  • RailDriver Throttle
  • Start JMRI Web Server
  • Start Wi Throttle
• Window Menu
  • Minimize

  (lists all DecoderPro windows that are open)

  • DecoderPro
  • LocoNet Traffic
  • Power Control
• Help Menu
  • Window Help...
  • General Help...
  • License...
  • Locations...
  • Context...
  • System Console...
  • Upload Debugging info...
  • About DecoderPro

JMRI® OperationsPro Program

Creating a Decoder Definition

• Getting Started
• Format
• Testing
• Submitting to JMRI

Error Messages

• Decoder Programmer Error Messages

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Thanks for reading, and Let's Run Trains!

Revisions

Version	Revision Date	Editors	Major Revisions
original	9/4/2002	Joe Ellis	Bethlehem-Ares Railroad, a 1:160 Corporation
1.3	no date	Bob Blackwell	Updated to JMRI version 1.3
2.4	2/15/2009	Dale A. Tripp Bruce Shanks	Updated to JMRI 2.4, new sections added added Main Menu information added Decoder Definition How To added Error code page
2.8	1/15/2010	Dale A. Tripp Bruce Shanks	Updated to JMRI 2.8 Expanded Table of Contents with additional direct links Updated Comprehensive Programmer, moved Function Label pane to Advanced Programmer added Advanced Programmer features, including Roster Media pane Added Roster Group feature Updated decoder definition submission process Added Operations section
2.12	9/15/2011	Dale A. Tripp Bruce Shanks Walter Thompson	Updated to JMRI 2.12 Installation information added Contents updated to current functions
2.14.1	7/26/2012	Dale A. Tripp Bruce Shanks	Updated from JMRI 2.12
3.0	8/9/2012	Dale A. Tripp Bruce Shanks	Updated from JMRI 2.14.1
3.2	1/20/2013	Dale A. Tripp	Updated from JMRI® 3.0 and separated Operations to separate User's Guide
3.4	8/29/2013	Dale A. Tripp	Updated from JMRI® 3.2
3.6	3/1/2014	Dale A. Tripp	Updated from JMRI® 3.4

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