Release Notes for JMRI 5.13.7 release

Date: November 28, 2025

From: Bob Jacobsen

Subject: Test Release 5.13.7 of JMRI/DecoderPro is available for download.

Notes:

This is a test release. Please post a note if you encounter any new or old bugs! And please back up your JMRI files before installing this, in case you want to go back to an earlier version.

This is the next in a series of 5.13.* test releases. It requires at least Java 11 to work. We recommend that you use Java 17. (See our page on downloading Java) We expect this series to end in the next JMRI production release in December 2025. (See the tentative release schedule)

We are getting close to the next production release, so we would particularly appreciate your testing of this release to make sure it works for you. That way, if you find new problems, we can try to fix them before the production release.

JMRI is now only available under the GNU General Public License. For more information, please see our copyright and licensing page.

Update From Older JMRI Versions

If you are currently using a version older than JMRI 5.0, please follow these instructions carefully:

1. Is your current version older than JMRI 4.12? If so, then update to JMRI 4.12 first, and ensure everything works correctly: check start-up, check things you need to be working, and check the JMRI log as well) before doing anything else. Store your configuration and panel files under a new name and use those from now on. Then continue with step 2.

   If you are currently using JMRI 4.7.3 or earlier on Linux or macOS (Windows doesn't need this), then it's very important that you update to JMRI 4.12 and carrying out the migration process described in the JMRI 4.12 release note before updating to any later release.

2. Is your current version older than JMRI 4.20? Then update to JMRI 4.20 first, and ensure that works correctly (check start-up, check things you need to be working, and check the JMRI log as well) before doing anything else. Save your preferences again. Store your configuration and panel files under a new name, use those from now on, and go on to step 3.
3. Is your current version older than JMRI 4.24? Then update to JMRI 4.24 first, and ensure that works correctly (check start-up, check things you need to be working, and check the JMRI log as well) before doing anything else. Save your preferences again. Store your configuration and panel files under a new name and use those from now on.
4. Is your current version older than JMRI 5.0? Then update to JMRI 5.0 first, and ensure that works correctly (check start-up, check things you need to be working, and check the JMRI log as well) before doing anything else. Save your preferences again. Store your configuration and panel files under a new name and use those from now on.
5. You can then install this release.

Following this multi-step order of updating via stable major releases safeguards you against possible migration issues that can arise from skipping these versions.

New problems with this release

• None yet

New warnings for this release:

• None yet

Older warnings

See the JMRI 5.12 release note for more warnings predating the 5.13 development series, including pointers to various migration issues. These may be relevant to you if you're updating from an earlier version; we strongly recommend you update to at least JMRI 5.0 before installing this test release. See instructions above.

• Since JMRI 4.99.1 This test release, and all subsequent ones, require the use of Java 11 or later. We recommend that you use Java 17. Java 8 is explicitly not supported. There's more information on this migration on the JMRI Tech Road Map and JVM Capabilities pages.
• If you're using a Firefox web browser and opening JMRI help files locally (not over the web), a Firefox bug can sometimes cause it to enter a loop. There's a workaround in this JMRIusers post.
• Since JMRI 5.11.3 There's been a change to how OpenLCB turnouts are addressed when using the MTT addressing short cut. Turnouts 253,254,255, 510, 511, 512, 765, 766 and 767 will be addressed differently. If you're using any of these via e.g. MTT253, you will need to change the address. If you've been having trouble getting those addresses to work, this change should fix that.
• Since JMRI 5.11.5 OperationsPro program file locations were changed in JMRI 5.11.5. Start up actions involving operations windows from previous releases no longer work. You'll need to remove them and add them back if needed.

Download links:

These files are located in the JMRI 5.13.7 GitHub release.

Changes since Test Release 5.13.6:

The full list of included changes is available from our GitHub code repository.

Hardware Support

OpenLCB / LCC

• The Send Frame tool has
  • some button labels updated,
  • a new Send Global Identify Events button,
  • more reliable control of the Open CDI Editor button state and
  • some clean-up of the window layout.
• STL Editor: CDI parsing error handling has been improved. Debug output has been enhanced and explained in the STL Editor help page.

New / Updated decoder definitions

• A No Decoder decoder with extended addressing decoder has been added. This "no decoder" definition allows a roster entry to be created that does not have a physical decoder of its own.
  It was created to suport the Zimo MX series of funcion-only decoders that allow TWO addresses to be defined for a single decoder - the primary address and a secondary address. Function operations will result from commands sent to EITHER decoder address.
  The initial "No Decoder" definition is limited to a primary address of 1-127, this extended version allows the full range of extended addresses to be used
• "DCCWorld.com" has been added as a manufacturer ID that DecoderPro recognizes.

DecoderPro

• Fixed a problem causing the starting value when doing CV reads to erroneously be zero.

Dispatcher

• Display minimum scale speed when activating train.
• Add basic column sorting on the traininfo selection screen, and correct missplaced columns.
• Tidy up debug/trace in RosterSpeedProfile.
• Make info message in allocated section to debug.
• Fix Exception when starting trains under inauspicious circumstances.
• Change the default location for the dispatcheroptions.xml file to the dispatcher directory.
• Optionally, limit Maximum Speed to any Block occupied by the train.
• Add scroll bars to the Dispatcher Options for the smaller screens

Layout Editor

• Improved how the "?" is drawn for UNKNOWN turnouts (when that option is selected)

NX - Entry/Exit Tool

• Add two options to override the changes made in PR #13857 - Entry/Exit Enhancements
  • Suppress the multi-point failed dialog
  • Revert to the old GUI behavior

OperationsPro

• When a car arrives at a spur with a schedule, the car's final destination now changes when the car's load status changes.

Scripting

• Add MemoryValuesPersistence.py. The script will write the values for selected memory variables at shutdown and load them after starting PanelPro and loading the layout data xml file.

Turnouts, Lights, Sensors and other elements

• There's a new "Property Add/Edit" in the item popup menu in the various tables. This lets you add or edit property values associated with a particular item.

Miscellaneous

• Testing - JUnitUtil - waitFor condition failure text can be formed from a String Supplier, e.g. a lambda expression. The expression is only evaluated ( lazily ) when the assertion fails.

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