v1.63 Rev2: error easily solved

[RDS]

After weeks of, should I risk the v1.63 or should I stick with v1.62, I decided to 'upgrade'.

All seemed to be well as the new version installed without problems and my Elite was shown (not greyed out) in the top right hand corner as usual.  My track plan loaded up and then .....

 

Error window, notifying me that:

The connection with DCC controller A has been lost.  This could be due to a short circuit or USB connection.  Clear the error then click the tick and RailMaster will try to connect again.

 

There is no short circuit and the USB is firmly attached, so I clicked the tick.  Same again and again and again.

 

At which point, I solved the problem by reloading v1.62 and this time I will put up with the annoying message that a new version is available!

[Chrissaf]

To make 1.63r2 work for you and your Elite, you probably just need to make the 'railmaster.ini' changes that have been previously documented in other threads. If you don't sort it now, what will you do when 1.64, 1.65, 1.66 etc come along. The .INI file modifications will most likely be a prerequisite for those releases as well.

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If you can't face the trauma of changing .INI, then just delete the 'railmaster.ini' file from your Railmaster program folder. Then install 1.63r2 from the downloaded file  (link top of  forum RM section) and a new .INI file with all the appropriate settings should be created as part of the installation.

[96RAF]

Could be wrong, but I'm not convinced a replacement ini file would have those new entries Chris. They certainly weren't amended into my existing one by the last revision - I had to do it by hand.

 

Its worth the delete/reload test though just to prove the rule for the record and in case of future advice to folks.

 

I will be glad to see the back of the ini and have it replaced by a GUI tick box arrangement like Rocrail, which has tabbed configurations for both the server and client side ini files.

[PJ_model_trains]

Surely HRMS shouldn't change the .ini file without saying.

 

What is the point of users tweaking setting if they can be over written in a download?

[Chrissaf]

From this, and other detected parameters, the program creates the best default INI file for that system, therefore there should be no problems.

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My post saying that a freshly generated .INI file should have appropriate settings is based upon a reply made by HRMS. An extract of which is in the yellow box above, although I have taken the liberty of adding bold to highlight the appropriate sentence.

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With regard to PJ's "Surely HRMS shouldn't change the .ini file without saying." absolutely. They don't, that's precisely why some users have had such dire problems. I was saying that you had to purposely delete the existing .INI file and reinstall RM to get a new .INI file generated. Thus it is the user that is instigating a new changed file, not HRMS.

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Rob, you said in your post. "They certainly weren't amended into my existing one by the last revision". The key words in your sentence is 'existing one'. Thus, in your scenario the existing .INI was still there and not deleted. It is the deletion that I read from HRMS posts that make the difference. The delete .INI file to generate a new one is also documented in the RM manual if I recall correctly.

[Fishmanoz]

What Chris has said, which is exactly as I have read it from HRMS, is the reason only existing users have to change their ini file when they upgrade to 1.63.  All new users downloading from the link get a correct ini file automatically generated for them.  Not sure what happens if they start from a CD though, I suspect they then get stuck with an out of date one.

[Chrissaf]

Not sure what happens if they start from a CD though

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Fishy, In response to that specific question, I asked HRMS on that very point. I'm paraphrasing the reply I got, but it went along the lines of:

 

"user puts CD in PC, starts installation, install program checks powerpos for latest version (before actually installing the CD one). Install program uses latest download and generates the appropriate .INI file from that."

 

So using an old CD for a completely fresh install shouldn't make any difference. It should still generate a completely up to date RM installation of latest version. Presumably subject to that user having the PC connected to the Internet at the time of install.

[RB51]

You are correct Chris. I have also just noticed that the wording in the pop-up that "pops-up" when you click the cog wheel has been changed and now suggests to users that if RM does not operate correctly after making changes then deleting the .INI file from the program folder, closing RM and opening again will create e a new version of the .INI file. R-

[Chrissaf]

Roger, I did try deleting the .INI file and re-opening RM to try that feature out. In my case, RM just 'hung' during start up. I only tried it that once, so it may have only been a 'one off' glitch. I did however get a new .INI file generated if I ran the RM 'installer' instead of just re-opening (starting) the existing RM installation.

[RB51]

Oops, well it does say "re-starting" not "re-downloading". Perhaps HRMS could check what is supposed to happen and then adjust the wording if needed. R-