Writng cv value.

[fac]

Having a faulty decoder that failed to read any cv i tried writing a new address. The address was accepted andconfirmed along with 4 associated cv. The decoder would still not read cv when ticked. Changed address by writing as railmaster icon, address changed and confirmed with associated cv . Checked tick icon, decoder would still not read cv. Disconnected lead from programming terminal of ELINK changed address by writing (as railmaster icon )  address changed and confirmed with associated cv.

Iam aware that my decoder is faulty and i have used the program icon to change decoder address in the past But unsure why railmaster thinks it has changed and confirmed the new address with no elink track connection.  Very Strange i would have expected unable to program not show verification.. Or am i doing something wrong?

[96RAF]

RM has no idea if you have connected to the programming track or not.

 

It just reports if it can or cannot read CV values in its routine.

If not it asks if you are connected, please check, blah, blah.

If connected it looks for CV7 and 8 to ID the manufacturer and decoder to decide which set of values to look at.

 

By disconnecting your programming track you will achieve nothing other than getting RM asking you to check you are connected.

 

Upon submitting changes then RM will attempt to write to that CV and confirm by verification on screen and the value going green if it was done or not.

[fac]

What i am stating is that if i write a new address,it turns green confirms and writes and confirms additional associated CV with a faulty decoder or no decoder connected.(i.e. simulated by disconnectiing program wire from Elink)

While i know from experience re-programming the address works with a known good decoder, i would expect a confirmation failure with a faulty or no decoder connected.

I believe the decoder is faulty as it will not read any CV when in read only, It fails CV 8 and continuing cv.

It is then natural to try a full reset re write cv8 to zero, or to try re programming the address back to 3 or another value. which always appears to re-program and confirm. However operating read mode it again fails to read from CV8 onwards.

I would like some confirmation that write mode will appear to operate and confirm on a faulty decoder, so that if a decoder fails to read, a write test will confirm regardless and not be an indication that the decoder may be good.

[Chrissaf]

It is then natural to try a full reset re write cv8 to zero

.

Just in case this is not a typo. You write 8 to CV8 to perform a reset. Not sure what adverse effect, if any, writing zero to it will have.

[fac]

If only i could be sure, i believe i wrote 8 to CV8 and 0 was a typo as when programming i usually refer to the decoder instruction sheet. However i have seen the above problem previously on a differant Elink.

[96RAF]

Usually if RM can't initially read a CV value it will carp about it then retry then tell it has failed and ask if you want to carry on to the next one.

 

This is usually accompanied by a request to make sure you are connected to a programming track, so if you try it disconnected it should tell you this.

 

Upon successfully reading values and then changing a value and then asking it to write that to the decoder (pencil icon on my screen) it will tell of writing and confirming and the value will go green, else it will say confirm failed.

 

So from your description I guess your one isn't working as it should. I would suggest that RM is duff not the eLink and immediate action is always to download and install the latest version from the link at page top and see if the problem is still there.

[fac]

Downloaded and run latest software. Selecting write option and changing cv values  the values change and appear to read back without any output connection from the Elink.  Selecting  read cv tick  reports unable to read cv.   While the write option functions on a good decoder it can be rather confusing on a faulty one where  it appears to be recieving and confirming written information. Could someone please attempt a write operation with an empty programming track and report the result. Obviously trying a read operation will fail as expected.  I am trying to confirm that a faulty decoder may appear to be programed with write cv data when it is not. Then i will know that if any decoder does not allow a cv read ,there is no purpose in attempting to write to it even though it may appear to program in railmaster. Unless everyone is aware of this already and i am behind the times or have not picked this up in the documentation.  I somewhat doubt it is my setup however. 

[Fishmanoz]

Fac, go through your routine as you have reported, then immediately send an email to HRMS from the facility in the Help screen and describe to them what you've just described to us.  Important to go through the routine first as the email goes with a log.txt file telling them exactly what you have done. 

[fac]

Will report as suggested. It would appear that anything displayed when the write icon is operated only confirms that the software has written to the program track. (assuming all hardware connections are in place)  To actually confirm that the decoder has recieved and acted upon any write information input. It is neccersary to operate the read icon and check cv output against any written change value made.

[96RAF]

The more I read this thread the more it keeps coming back to my addled brain that we have seen this 'unable to write before read has been established' problem before.

 

From memory the outcome was you had to read the values in before you could successfully change them in RM, which is unlike the direct approach using a stand alone controller such as Select or Elite. Come to think of it using a stand alone controller outwith RM you can ask it to write a value but it does not confirm it has happened and you have to read the CV to see if the write event had worked.

 

It may be the logic used in RM requires the read preset condition to be present before it can make a good write. Anyhow reporting it in will allow HRMS to make comment.