Loco registration

[Coat]

Hi there.

I’m having trouble registering engines on my Elink software, even with Horny locos. I put the appropriate "R" code in, the images scowl through and I end up with a blank page and no loco details. Any suggestions?

All the best.

Andy W.

[RB51]

Hi Andy - just to check that this is where you are entering the "R" number?

Clicking here for the drop down menu ......

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And entering your R number here?

 

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There is, on my machine anyway, a small delay after entering the third character before it appears in the window. Make sure you do not type more numbers than you need as that will result in a failed search = blank screen. 

 

R-

[Chrissaf]

Having reviewed all your posts up to this posts date, they all relate to some aspect of entering a loco into your RailMaster loco roster. It seems to me that you are having some difficulty in the procedural process you are following. I have therefore documented below a 'Step by Step' guide for entering a loco that is in the Hornby database.

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EDIT: Roger posted his tutorial whilst I was preparing mine. In his tutorial the reason for the blank screen is because the loco you are searching for is not in the Hornby database (or due to mistyping an entry - this reply text revised due to Roger's correction in next post). My tutorial on the other hand assumes that the loco is in the Hornby database. It too gives a situation where a blank screen is created - see fourth image down. If the reason you have a blank loco search window is because the loco you want is not in the Hornby database, then follow the supplementary link that I have provided at the very end of my reply.

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For the purpose of this tutorial I have chosen to add a loco chosen at random, namely the R3390T which is a TTS sound loco:

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Step 1 Click the 'Loco Settings' icon to open the 'Loco Settings' window.

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Step 2 Click the 'Down Arrow' on the name box to open the loco search window.

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Step 3 start typing the R number of the Hornby loco you require. This example is searching for R3390TTS. Notice how the loco is found before the whole R number has been typed.

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Step 4 click the loco in the search results box to select it. This of course assumes that the loco is in the Hornby database. If it is not in the database then see the supplementary link at the very bottom of this reply.

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The 'Loco Settings' window will now populate with all the loco settings. Note that as this is a TTS sound loco used in the example, the sound function list on the right hand side is also populated.

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Step 5 enter the loco ID (DCC Address) you want to use for this loco. In this example I have used Address 9.

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IMPORTANT NOTE. Entering a value in this box will NOT write that value to the loco decoder. If you want to write address 9 to the loco you first have to put your loco on the separate programming track and click the CV writing icon (Arrow 6) and use the CV reading / writing window that will then open.

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Step 7 click the green 'Save Loco' tick.

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NOTE: After clicking the 'Save Loco' tick in Step 7 above. The loco entry will blank out. This is normal. It is maybe this step that you are describing in your original post and what is confusing you.

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Note however, that the loco you have just entered is not lost, it is now shown listed in the loco roster pane - see Arrow 8

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Step 10 clicking the loco in the roster pane will now repopulate the window with the loco details for you to double check.

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Step 11 click the Window close X to exit the window.

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The loco you have just entered should now appear in your loco throttle list (Arrow 12) on the right hand side of RailMaster.

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If your loco is not found in the Hornby database via Step 3 above, then it will need to be manually entered. To manually enter a loco not in the Hornby database see this previous reply posted by me.

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https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/r3459tts-decoder-not-recognized/?p=1/

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[RB51]

Just to be clear, the reason for the blank screen in my scenario was more to do with mistyping the R number in the search field rather than a loco not being in the database (although it produces the same blank screen end result). Which is why I cautioned against typing too quickly. R-

[hedley_reynolds]

Hi as you may know that I'm new to dcc and I'm using n gauge I have just been reading the above and the links as well however I had thought that rm would read the cv's and place them into the list automatically if it's on the programming track and I didn't realise that I would have to list all the cv's myself as one of my loco's is a Pullman with 2 power cars so therefore it has 2 decoders but I don't have the information on them as my local model railway shop where I purchased it from installed them for me so I was hoping that railmaster would tell me which one is which. I would be very grateful if you could please let me know that if I would have to do it manually 

thanks hedley

[Fishmanoz]

Hi Hedley, I think there is some confusion in your post as all of the content above is about populating the functions for a loco in RM by either calling it up by the correct R number, or populating the, yourself from your loco/decoder information.

 

If you want to know what your CV values are, put the loco on the programming track and follow the instructions to read the,.  Do for each of power and dummy car separately. 

 

If if you want to know what functions are available for your loco (I'm assuming no R number as N gauge), you've will need to look up the details for your loco or the decoder.  If you don't know the type, ask your supplier. 

[Rog RJ]

The chip (decoder) manufacturer can be identified by reading CV8.  This CV contains a number which is unique to each manufacturer.  Once you have found the makers ID number it can be looked up on the NMRA list of manufacturers ( available here http://www.nmra.org/manufacturer-id-numbers ) to find the maker.

 

CV7 contains contains a number which may be used to identify the exact decoder version or firmware version.  Not all manufacturers use this CV in the same way though, so it can be a bit hit or miss.

[Chrissaf]

Hedley, just for clarity and the elimination of doubt.

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As other's have said above, my 'Step by Step' tutorial above relates to populating the main features and functions that have been configured for the loco. I say loco and not decoder for a reason. They will only auto populate when the loco is a Hornby loco (Hornby loco information is contained in a database stored within the RailMaster application. This information is NOT held in the decoder) and that Hornby loco is typically a factory DCC fitted loco (particularly with regard to sound locos).

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However, I believe you are interested in the actual CV values in the decoder. This is something completely different to what the core of this thread is written about. RailMaster does INDEED read the CVs of a decoder and auto populate the relevant RM display window with their value contents.

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Note: Hedley you need to be very careful about the terminology you use. You have used the term CV. A CV is not the same as the decoder function such as F1, F2, F3 etc. If in your question you mean auto-populating the 'Functions' list and not 'CVs', then as I have clarified above, auto population of the Functions only happens for Hornby locos that have been added by Hornby to the RM database. This information needs to added manually for non Hornby locos. Manually entering a loco Function list is covered in my other tutorial. Follow the link at the end of my original reply above. If your query does indeed relate to CVs, then continue reading below.

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Look back at the images posted in my reply. The third image down shows arrow number 6 pointing to an icon that looks like an " i " ( i for Information). Click this icon and a new smaller window will open. This is the CV window. Clicking the Green Tick (bottom right) will read the range of CVs selected in the top right of the window and populate the values for each readable and valid CV in the list. The loco needs to be placed on the 'Programming Track' when doing this. Once read, this information can be saved against the loco entry you have called up and be available to auto populate the list the next time the loco is called up in the loco configuration window. This is also the window you use to alter and change CV values for any loco placed on the 'Programming Track'. RailMaster does not support programming on the main (Operate Mode).

[hedley_reynolds]

Hi all thanks very much for all of your help and I'm sorry for the confusion as you can see I'm getting everything mixed up as I thought that the cv's contained the functions as well so I'll just stick to programming cv 1 for to change the loco's number and just stick to that until I get used to dcc and the different things that I would be able to do or not as the case may be and in time I might  try a four digit number for a loco however I know that rm makes it easier for me to do this but I think that I'll keep it simple for the time being

Thanks very much again Hedley

[hedley_reynolds]

Hi all I have just realised where I have gone wrong and the penny has just dropped that I have got the two lists completely mixed up and that they are separate to each other and not the same one as I had said

But thanks very much again for everyone's help and understanding Hedley

[Chrissaf]

"Cher ching"........sound of a penny dropping.......glad you have now got a better understanding.

[Fishmanoz]

Hedley, just to help that penny not bash against the sides on the way down.  You talk of programming CV1 when in fact you mean programming the loco address I believe.  They are not necessarily the same and I'll explain.

 

Decoders store short loco addresses in CV1.  Short addresses are those up to 127, above that they are called long addresses which can go up to 9999.  Long addresses are not stored in CV1 at all but in a combination of 3 other CVs, starting with one only of the bits in CV29 which determines whether the address is short or long.  But we don't need to go into any of that because all controllers have a system within their menus for writing a loco address to a decoder which doesn't rely on knowing anything about the CVs it is stored in.  You just use the menu system to select and write an address short or long to the decoder.

 

Can't remember if you have Elite or eLink with RM, but am assuming Elite as you talk of not using RM to write addresses and that is not possible with eLink which is only an interface between RM and the track and can't do anything on its own.  Irrespective, may I suggest you spend a little time with the RM manual to learn how to enter locos in its roster, change addresses from the default 003 (most important), and quite separately read and write CVs.  As you indicate, all of this is far simpler with RM and its onscreen menus than using the very extensive but primitive Elite menus.  Ten points if you have your head around those menus but you'll probably wish you'd never bothered once you can use RM. 

 

Finally, don't forget you have decoders from both power and dummy car to program with the same address.  You can probably do both at the same time by putting both on the programming track.  But sometimes you have to do them separately and swap both into the power car to do it it as some decoders refuse to be written to unless they have a motor load.

 

I trust this helps with the learning.

 

PS.  Chris, Ozzie pennies seem to go ker.....chung rather than Cher....ching. 

[hedley_reynolds]

Hi Chris and fishman first of all thanks very much for everything that you have said and I do have the elink and not the elite controller and I have been squatting up on the manual for railmaster and things are starting to make sense more so now with the information that you have given me also the penny does sometimes take a little longer for it to drop with me anyway as age has crept up on me in more ways than one but as long as I know where I live and how to get my loco's running then I'll be happy 

but thanks very much again for your patience and explanations hedley 

[Fishmanoz]

Your most welcome Hedley.