Donate to JMRI.orgJMRI LocoIO Programmer
The preferred method to program a LocoIO board since JMRI 3 is using DecoderPro with the dedicated Public_Domain_HDL_LocoIO Decoder Definition. See full instructions below.
A LocoIO board is a DIY stationary interface to LocoNet for inputs (fascia pushbuttons, turnout feedback or
occupancy sensors) and outputs (fascia indicator LEDs, signal LED's, turnout motors etc.). The original LocoIO
design by John Jabour was further developed by Hans Deloof from
Belgium.
A typical board contains 16 signal pins, also called channels or ports. Each port can be individually programmed
as an input or an output, and to perform a number of different things (depending on the module's hardware and
firmware (PIC) version:
Inputs:
- Block Detector - Active Low
- Block Detector - Active High
- Block Detector - Active Low - Delayed
- Block Detector - Active High - Delayed
- Push Button - Active Low
- Push Button - Active Low - Indirect
- Switch Point Feedback - Normal
- Switch Point Feedback - Contact 2
- Switch Point Feedback - Contact 1
- Push Button - Active High - Indirect
- Push Button - Active High
- Toggle Switch
- Toggle Switch - Indirect
Outputs
- Fixed - 1 - Off
- Fixed - 2 - Off
- Fixed - 1 - On
- Fixed - 2 - On
- Pulse - 2 - Soft Reset
- Pulse - 1 - Soft Reset
- Pulse - 2 - Hard Reset
- Pulse - 1 - Hard Reset
- Fixed - 1 - Off - Blink
- Fixed - 2 - Off - Blink
- Fixed - 1 - On - Blink
- Fixed - 2 - On - Blink
- Fixed - 1 - Off - 4-Way
- Fixed - 1 - Off - 4-Way - Blink
- Fixed - 2 - Off - 4-Way
- Fixed - 2 - Off - 4-Way - Blink
- Fixed - 1 - On - 4-Way
- Fixed - 1 - On - 4-Way - Blink
- Fixed - 2 - On - 4-Way
- Fixed - 2 - On - 4-Way - Blink
- Block (Occupancy) Detector
- Block Detector - Blink
- Servo (LocoServo ports 5-12 only)
Since rev 1.49
- Port Not In Use
- On older boards, you are advised to configure unused ports as Output Fixed to prevent accidental signals
See the Cheat Sheet included in the DecoderPro LocoIO Programmer for further details.
The ports are configured via LocoNet messages, but the DecoderPro Programming interface takes care of many technical details. Documentation is included below and in the decoder definition file.
LocoIO Programmer via Roster
The Public_Domain_HDL_LocoIO Decoder Definition in the "Public Domain and DIY" category supports set-up of a wide range of LocoIO devices up to rev 1.54 LocoIO/LocoBooster/LocoRCD/LocoServo hardware since 2020.
To use the current LocoIO Programmer follow these steps:
- Turn on the layout and power up the LocoIO hardware. No jumpers or buttons on the LocoIO need touching in order to preceed.
- Open DecoderPro or the Roster menu option in PanelPro. >
- In the Decoder Installed box, navigate to "Public-domain and DIY" > "Hans Deloof LocoIO".
- Looking at your hardware, select the correct PIC programmer firmware version from the list. It often is
labeled on the biggest IC chip. If your version is not in the list, select the first higher one. In this
example we pick "LocoIO v1.53":
- On the right of the Create New Loco pane, enter a name for this module, eg. "LocoIO 81/1 rev 1.53", and
fix the ultra-long decoder DCC address suggested. We chose 81, the factory default board address:
Click [Save] and close the Create New Loco pane. - You will see the new entry appear in the Roster.
Select it, make sure to select Programming on Main, and click [Program]:
- On the Basic tab, enter the actual LocoIO Main Address and Sub-address, "81" and "1" respectively in our
example:
- Next, go to the Roster Entry pane, click [Save to Roster] and close & reopen the LocoIO
definition from the Roster to update the actual decoder address:
- Returning to the Basic tab, click [Read full sheet]. If a LocoIO is found at the address, its firmware version is displayed (the Monitor LocoNet window will show more precise information regarding the firmware).
- Warning: If you wish to change the address of a LocoIO board,
you MUST first ensure that ONLY a single LocoIO-based board is
connected to the LocoNet, as the address is set via a broadcast message.
If you Write CV2 and CV3 on the CVs tab or press [Write All] from the Basic tab, ALL LocoIO's on your LocoNet will be reprogrammed with the same new address.
- After Read All, many ports will show a Mode selected. Due to the complexity of the LocoIO memory
DecoderPro can't figure out some choices, so you will have to assist at this point for those ports that still
show "Port not in Use". At least you will notice the numbers already changed.
For example on Port 4 the number in the Config field reads "95":
- Turn to the Cheat Sheet tab reference, in the Config column look up "95". It's is a Block Detector -
Active High:
- Return to the Ports tab and in the Port 4 Mode combo, pick "Block Detector - Active High" (either odd or even
address, will correct automatically later on):
- After clicking [Read changes on sheet]:
- After fixing all mode combo's that are not "0", once again click [Read full sheet] to update all fields
and inspect the LocoIO configuration. Scroll down to see more ports:
- Inputs allow setting up to two more actions carried out when the pin goes to ON. You can set the action
type and the address on the right hand side of the LocoIO programmer pane as shown here. See the HDL
documentation for examples and further information:
- A LocoBooster module will show several special options:
Third Party info
- For more information on the LocoIO and how to use the boards, see LocoHDL .
- Original LocoIO DIY project description is available at www.locobuffer.com
LocoIO Programmer 2 (no longer supported)
The following entry is only shown as reference for JMRI versions before 3.0.
You can still use it for the original boards, but consider switching over to configuring your LocoIO boards with the current programmer, documented above.
Version 2 was written by John Plocher for JMRI release 1.8 and only dealt with SV1 & SV2 (address/subaddress) and SV3-SV50 (primary Mode, Value1 and Value2 for ports 1-16). In particular, it did not handle SV0 (board level configuration), SV51-SV98 (alternate Opcodes) or SV101-124 (servo config).
Available options:
- Enter the LocoIO board address as hex value (example: 0x51 = 81 decimal)
- Click on "Probe" button.If a locoIO is found at that address, its firmware version is displayed (the Monitor LocoNet window will show all the LocoIO's that responded to the probe request if you need to refresh your memory)
- Select a port operation mode from the drop down list
- "Read All" reads all the CV values from the LocoIO specified. "Write All" writes them all out
- The individual read/write buttons do the same, but for only one port at a time.
- "Capture" extracts the address out of the next turnout or occupancy sensor LocoNet message it sees and uses it as the address of the selected port.
LocoIO Programmer 1 (no longer supported)
The first LocoIO programmer was part of JMRI 1.x. It provided a table-based 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/LocoIO.htm)
The LocoIO programmer v1 used a table to represent the configuration of each channel.
The "Action" column is used to select how the channel/port behaves. Click in a cell to be given a menu of available choices. Currently, the choices are:
- "Toggle switch controls turnout"
-
Generate a OPC_SW_REQ to close/throw a turnout when a toggle switch changes state. When the input goes high, a "close" command is sent; when the input goes low, a "throw" command is sent. The channel configuration value is 0x0F.
- "Input low flips turnout"
-
Generate a OPC_SW_REQ LocoNet message when the input goes low. This is intended for use with a momentary pushbutton. The command sent will alternate the position of the addressed turnout or signal; if "close" was last sent, a "throw" will be sent now and vice-versa. The channel configuration value is 0x2F.
- "Input high flips turnout"
-
Generate a OPC_SW_REQ LocoNet message when the input goes high. This is intended for use with a momentary pushbutton. The command sent will alternate the position of the addressed turnout or signal; if "close" was last sent, a "throw" will be sent now and vice-versa. The channel configuration value is 0x6F.
- "Status message sets output"
-
Drive an output from OPC_INPUT_REP input status messages on the LocoNet. The output goes high when an "input high" message is received, and goes low when an "input low" message is received. These messages are also used for block occupancy status; the output will go high when the block is occupied, and low when its empty. The channel configuration value is 0XC0.
- "Turnout close cmd sets output"
-
Drive an output on the LocoIO board from received OPC_SW_REQ commands. The channel configuration value is 0x80. This adjusts the address field to look for a command that sets the turnout "closed".
- "Turnout throw cmd sets output"
-
Drive an output on the LocoIO board from received OPC_SW_REQ commands. The channel configuration value is 0x80. This adjusts the address field to look for a command that sets the turnout "thrown".
The "Hex Value1,Value2" column sets the address that the LocoIO board will use for LocoNet communications. This contains a hexadecimal representation of the two configuration values described in John Jabour's LocoIO programming guide. You generally won't need to figure out these addresses, as the buttons will find them for you.
The button reads from the LocoIO board via the LocoNet and shows the current configuration for that pin. The button stores the current settings to the LocoIO board.
The button provides an easier way to find a needed LocoNet address. Configure the input and output for a particular pin, then press the button. The address in the next LocoNet message of the right type will be put in the address column.
For example, if you have a channel set to act when a "Turnout closed status message" is received, press the button and use your throttle to command the correct turnout Closed.
As another example, if the channel is configured to send a "Send throw turnout command", press the button and use your throttle to command the correct turnout Thrown.
At the bottom of the table are some general controls. The LocoIO address field sets the address of the board being programmed. LocoIO processors are sent with an address of 1051 programmed; see below for how to change that. Address "0" is a global address which any LocoIO board will respond to; make sure you have only one connected when you use that!
The button will use the global address to configure a specific address into a LocoIO board. Again, make sure you have only one connected.
The and buttons read or write all of the channels, and are just a convenience.
Status messages during capture/read/write are displayed at the bottom of the window. If no response is heard from the LocoIO unit, the operation will be retried until it succeeds or until you close the window.