LocoNet Tools

LocoNet™ Tools

LocoNet is a trademark of Digitrax, Inc.

The JMRI project contains a number of LocoNet tools. This page introduces them, describes how to use them, and points you to installation and other information.

LocoNet monitor: Display and log the traffic on the LocoNet, in either hex or human readable form.
Slot Monitor: Watch the contents of the command station's slots as they're changed.
Clock Monitor: Monitor the LocoNet Fast Clock.
LocoNet Interface Statistics monitor: Monitor the LocoNet interface hardware status.
BDL16, SE8c, PM4 and DS64 Programmers: A tool to help you configure these boards.
LocoIO Programmer: A tool to help you configure a LocoIO board.
Command Station Configuration Tool: A tool to help you configure the Digitrax command station.
LocoNet ID Configuration Tool: A tool to help you configure the LocoNet ID number which is used by infrared and simplex throttles and the UR9x panels.
Duplex Group Configuration Tool: A tool to help you configure the Digitrax Duplex radio network.
Send Throttle Message Tool: A tool to help you send text messages to some Digitrax throttles.
Packet Source: A tool to let you type and send packets to the LocoNet.
PR3 Mode Tool: A tool to let you set the PR3's operating mode.
Firmware Download Tool: A tool to download firmware updates to some Digitrax equipment and to some 3rd-party LocoNet-compatible devices.
Sound Project Download Dool: A tool to download sound projects to Digitrax mobile sound decoders.
Sound Project Editing Tool: A simple tool to change sounds in sound projects for Digitrax mobile sound decoders.

These tools also present in the JMRI demo program, and to some extent in DecoderPro. And, of course, you can build them into a program of your own! The LocoNet Tools program is simply a convenient platform for finding and accessing these features.

The libraries also contain utilities for controlling your layout (operating turnouts and signals, responding to inputs and block occupancy, etc), for programming decoders, and others. These are not LocoNet specific, so are described elsewhere on this web site.

LocoNet Monitor

The LocoNet Monitor tool displays LocoNet traffic in a human-readable form. The last 20 messages are available in a scrolling window. Optionally, you can include the time the message was received, and/or the raw packet bytes. The log information can also be stored in a text file.

For more information, see the help page.

Slot Monitor

The Slot Monitor tool displays a table of the command station's "slots" contents. Slots are used to control individual locomotives and "universal" consists. The display includes the decoder's speed step format, current speed and function settings, consist information and status. You can choose to show either all slots or just the ones being actively used.

For more information, see the help page.

Clock Monitor

The Clock Monitor tool allows the user to display and set the LocoNet fast clock.

For more information, see the help page.

LocoNet Interface Statistics Monitor

This tool provides a mechanism to examine the status of the LocoNet interface hardware device.

For more information, see the help page.

BDL16, SE8c, PM4 and DS64 Programmers

These programmer tools provide a simple graphic interface for configuring Digitrax power and block-occupancy boards. Each "option switch" is shown as a checkbox on the screen. You can read the current contents from the board, and write your changes back easily. There is no need to remove the board from the layout, or climb underneath the layout to push buttons, as all programming is done via the board's LocoNet connection.

LocoIO Programmer

The LocoIO programmer provides a simple interface for configuring John Jabour's LocoIO board, a powerful component for building CTC boards and control panels. (More information on the board is available at http://www.locobuffer.com/LocoIO.htm)

A LocoIO board has 16 signal pins, each of which can be programmed as an input or output, and to do a number of different things. The board is also sometimes described as having 16 channels.

The channels are configured via LocoNet messages, so you don't need physical access to the board to program it (you can do it without pushing any buttons on the board or rewiring it).

More information on the JMRI LocoIO programmer is available on a separate page.

Digitrax Command Station Configuration Tool

This tool provides a mechanism to read and write the command station OpSw values which control the basic command station features.

For more information, see the help page.

LocoNet ID Configuration Tool

This tool provides a mechanism to read and write the LocoNet ID number. The LocoNet ID number is used by all Digitrax throttles which are capable of tetherless operation via an infrared link or a simplex radio link with a UR9x receiver.

For more information, see the help page.

Duplex Group Configuration Tool

This tool allows reading and changing the Digitrax Duplex Network identity information, including Duplex Group Name, Channel and Password. This tool also provides a mechanism to scan for interfering radio signals on Duplex radio channels. This tool is based on the Digitrax program DigiGroupSetup.exe.

Details on this tool may be found here.

Send Throttle Message Tool

This tool allows the user to send text messages to some models of Digitrax throttle when the throttle is tethered, and some models of Digitrax throttles when the throttle is untethered.

For more information, see the help page.

Packet Source

The Send Packet tool lets you type in a LocoNet packet and send it to the layout. You type the packet in hexadecimal as pairs of characters, in the same way its displayed in the LocoNet monitor.

For more information, see the help page.