RUNNING PROGRAMS IN RM [Signals and Points]

[PJ_model_trains]

Hi guys

 

I am adding this post to hopefully see what ideas member have for using programs in Signals and Points. 

 

I am struggling to see what or how they could be used (other than for sounds or similar not loco activity BUT). 

 

Hopefully others will have thought about this and would like to share their thoughts, maybe HRMS could also comment.

 

To set the discussion off this is what I am seeing... Let's say I am running a program already in RM, starting a new program from a point or signal would kill the first program (and may leave the train to run on!)

 

If I run a loco from a siding to a signal ready to join a main line and then change a point of signal it could run a program for me, providing I am not already running one and couldn't run another until the first program has ended.

 

Question -1 --- am I missing something here?

 

Question -2 --- do you think RM should allow more than one program to run at any one time?

 

[96RAF]

Responding to Q2 - the problem with running more than one program at a time is you need some form of error checking along the various routes and/or actions that one program may set in motion in another program(s).

 

This to ensure that one program does not set a route and then the other program be initiated into setting a conflict.

 

Painstaking programming could ensure this would never happen of course, but as I see it the only way we will have to hopefully achieve this automatically without complex interlocking signalling and points systems is the tardy Loco Detection System.

 

[RDS]

Hi PJ

I don't think you are missing something because I have found the same as you.

I agree with RAF96 though, regarding running of 2 programs.  Even when RM reports that another program is running and do you want to stop it, that seems a strange message because invariably that would mean stopping a Loco part way through its program and probably before its intended destination.

My view is that if it is not possible to run 2 programs at once (and it currently is not possible), a message should just come up to say that a program is already running and it should be allowed to continue, before a new program is started.

It would of course be nice to run 2 programs at once but that situation is likely to result in some missed commands in one or both of the programs, due to processor conflicts.

[St1ngr4y]

Hi PJ,

I agree with RAF96 and RDS that to allow two or more programs to run concurrently to "do their own thing" would require LD to prevent chaos. However, it would be, in my opinion, advantageous to allow two concurrent, with the proviso that it is the user's responsibility to ensure they don't use conflicting routes, before LD arrives. For example, if a layout has one or two clockwise loops and one or two anticlockwise loops, it would be quite possible to run two or three trains without conflict, each using their own program. In fact, I have achieved this on my layout, which has one clockwise loop and one anticlockwise loop, using the chain command to run several programs in total, with a maximum of two trains running at a time, one in each direction.

Ray

[PJ_model_trains]

Interesting replies guys

 

All answers as expected for question 2, I agree with Ray to run more than one program at once could be useful, but agree with everyones comments that this side of LD could definately cause more problems than we could possibly cope with.

 

So we wait for LD, which I think stands for... Long Delay  ;o)      

(John will like that one)

 

When I placed the post for discussion, I must admit, question 2 was thrown in to see what views people had, but the main reason for the post was Question 1. That got no replies. Ermmm.

 

Part of me says, HRMS have built the option for running programs from signals and points as 'another option for starting programs' (as we can only run one program at a time). Then another part of me says, why? It views the same list of programs as the option at the top of our layout, so it is not a program that is chosen from a shorter list of pre-prepared programs. What other reason could HRMS have for building in these options?

 

Dear HRMS when you have a minute to spare, would you like to enlighten us?  Thank you in advance.

 

[PJ_model_trains]

I went to post message and it 'hung' for ages, eventually I pressed the save button again and 2 messages were posted!!!  So have edited the second to this.