error message : lost connection

[steamfreak]

Hi all

I have recently upgraded to railmaster version 1.71 rev o, everything was working fine before this upgrade.however, I now keep getting the following error message:-

"The connection with controller A has been lost.

This could be due to a short circuit or usb  cable disconnection.

Clear the error then click the tick and railmaster will try to connect again."

Whilst this message is on the screen the locos carry on running but can't be controlled.Does this mean there can't be a short circuit? As everything was ok before the upgrade I don't see a problem with the USB connection.

any ideas anyone ?

best regards

steamfreak

 

[Chrissaf]

This is a known and well documented issue and can easily be fixed by amending your 'railmaster.ini' file.

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Follow the guidance in this previous thread.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/train-will-not-run-on-elink-plus-other-issues/?p=1

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Ignore the references to 1.70.2......the fix is still applicable for the 1.71 release. Focus more on the 'check your railmaster.ini file' part of my post (3rd post down on the page). If you have an eLink controller, then you also need to change the "Reset eLink on start" entry to 0 (this is documented in the post).

[steamfreak]

Hi Chris

I am using an elite not Elink .does this make any difference ?

the last 3 lines on my ini file read:-

alt comms = 1

check contoller = 1

elite feedback = 1

am I missing your point somewhere ?

best regards

steamfreak 

[Chrissaf]

I am using an Elite not eLink .does this make any difference ?

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No

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The reference to eLink only applied to the "Reset eLink on start" line.

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As I documented in the post. There are four potential combinations for the two lines:

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Alternative comms=n [where n is a 1 or a 0]

Check controller=n [where n is a 1 or a 0]

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You will need to try each of the four possible combinations for those two lines to find the combination that now works for you using 1.71

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At a guess....I suspect that the working combination will result with Check controller being changed from 1 to a 0, with possibly Alternative comms being 0 as well, but it might be 1......you will just have to test them all to find the working combination.......let us all know which combination it ends up being.....assuming the issue is resolved. On my RM / Elite setup, both entries are now 0, whereas prior to 1.70 they where Ac=1 & Cc=0.

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Also move the two lines as the last two lines in the file i.e delete & retype them below the Elite feedback line. There is no rhyme or reason why moving the lines to the end of the file should make a difference, but it does seem to for some inexplicable reason (but more so when using an eLink controller).

[steamfreak]

hi chris

many thanks .I will try to find time over the weekend to try & resolve the issue

I will let you know the outcome

best regards

steamfreak

[steamfreak]

Hi Chris

problem solved with both values set to 0

many thanks

best regards

steamfreak

[Chrissaf]

Same as me then......both entries 0 when using an Elite.

[Codger]

Chris et Al

I'm hoping your skills may assist me before I contact Railmaster - I really need to make sure I've checked all options before I contact them. I've upgraded to RM v1.71 and my controllers are v1.44. Com ports are 4 & 5 - and always have been when working ok. Toshiba laptop is running Windows 10.

I have 2 Elite controllers - A = Locomotive and B = Acessories/Points. I've been rebuilding the layout over the last few months and testing as I go using RM and the controllers manually to make sure points work, trains move etc. About 3 weeks ago, nothing would work using RM, yet it used to work fine - and still does - when using the controllers manually. That's when I upgraded to 1.71, because I had read the posts in this forum topic.

I've tried all 4 possible settings for Alternative Comms and Check Controller and in all but one circumstance (Alternative Comms=0; Check Controller =1 which produced an error with a message that advised to "Disconnect Power and USB and reconnect" etc) the other 3 settings show both cotrollers connected and their version numbers.

I still cannot get RM to move a loco or switch a point, yet operating the controllers manually to do these tasks works fine. When I hover the mouse over the dark green controller icons at the top right of the RM screen, the display shows "Controller A version 1.44 / Controller B version 1.44" and checking in the System Settings dialogue, I get the same result.

It seems to me that

a) The controllers are connected to the track and points etc and work as expected.

b) Railmaster is connected to the controllers with no apparent errors.

c) Railmaster is either providing erroneous connection statuses or otherwise I should be able to use it to control my layout.

I guess my question is - before I contact RM, - can anybody suggest anything else to try before I do contact them?

Thanks,

Codger

[96RAF]

I would check that the controller settings e.g. baud rate and comm port, match in both Device Manager and RM setup screen as it has been known for updates (windows at least in my case) to mess things up. 

[Chrissaf]

It does seem rather strange that you are experiencing control issues yet RM is not reporting any controller connection issues. Double check that the Elite entry in the RailMaster  'System Settings' Controller 'pull down' list does not have a 'pink' background to the Elite text entry. If the Elite text background is 'pink' then there are communication errors even if you do not have any specific error messages showing.

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As you are using two controllers A & B, then the 'railmaster.ini' entries are a little different.

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My 'how to fix' posts you have been following were written for users who only have one single controller.

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The .INI file lines....

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Alternative comms=n

&

Check controller=n

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only apply to Controller A. For Controller B you have to have present in the .INI file (add them if missing) the following two lines:

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Alternative comms2=n

&

Check controller2=n

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So although you have tried the different combinations of the ' n ' values for Controller A, you may not have done the same for Controller B. It may be the Controller B Elite that is causing the issue if the xxxxxxxx xxxxx2=n lines are missing.

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I suggest the following diagnostic checks.

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Firstly, check the Elite start up screen and make sure that they both start in 'Standard Mode' and not 'Classic'. If either of the Elites start in 'Classic Mode' change it to 'Standard Mode' - Page 67 in the Elite manual.

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Secondly, disconnect your Controller B Elite USB connection and select 'None' in the pull down list for the Controller B column in 'System Settings'.

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Now try the .INI file combinations for Controller A with the aim of getting a working connection......i.e the ability to control trains. Since you have unusually two Elites for both Controller A and Controller B I would start with the following two lines for Controller A set as ' n ' = zero.

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Alternative comms=0

Check controller=0

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As Rob suggested. Don't forget to check and compare the assigned USB Com Port number between Windows Device Manager and RailMaster 'System Settings' to ensure that they match and that the 'baud' rate is correct for Controller A.

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If the zero values or other values arrived at through experimentation clear the issue. Then re-connect and  reinstate the second Elite for Controller B in the 'System Settings' pull down list. Leaving the Controller A Elite connected and working.

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Now experiment with the ' n ' values for the Controller B .INI settings. Again I would start with ' n ' = zero for both entries.

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Alternative comms2=0

Check controller2=0

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Again don't forget to check and compare the assigned USB Com Port number between Windows Device Manager and RailMaster 'System Settings' to ensure that they match and that the 'baud' rate is correct for Controller B.

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[Codger]

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I'm fairly sure baud rate, stop bit settings etc match  but I'll check. Hadn't considered the separate ini settings for the controllers so will try that. Is the setting Alternative Comms assumed to be for Controller A and I only need Alternative Comms2 for B?

FYI - the Elite entries for both A &  B are white - no pink and both controllers start in standard mode.

Thanks again

Geoff 

[Chrissaf]

As I said before:

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Alternative comms=n

Check controller=n

are for Controller A

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Alternative comms2=n

Check controller2=n

are for Controller B

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However if the xxxxx xxxxx2=n lines are missing. RM gets confused over what to use for Controller B. You need all four lines when RM is using both A & B controllers.

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[96RAF]

If all else fails you can take a punt on deleting the ini file and allowing RM to regenerate a new one that will reflect two Elites in play.

[Codger]

A quick update. I can make loco's move! I disconnected controller B and removed it from RM settings and concentrated on controller A.

The controller A Check Controller and Alternative Comms settings are 0. No luck with controller B yet, but it's getting late and I'm away out of town tomorrow for 10 days, so something to look forward to when I get back.

Chris, the only reason I have 2 Elites is that on my original Elite, the programming track connections failed and Hornby replaced the controller - even couriered it to NZ! So I have the new controller as A and the original one as B.

Again, thanks for your help - I'll keep you posted when I'm back.

Cheers

Geoff

[Chrissaf]

In that case, I would suspect that the 'PROG' fault in the original Elite (now Controller B) is getting worse and is now affecting its interaction with RM.

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You could test this by leaving the RM configuration as is, and swapping the good known working Elite controller for the original PROG fault one. Use the same USB port. In fact, all I would do is unplug the USB lead from the good Elite controller (controlling track and locos) and plug that same lead into the original Elite with the faulty PROG output. You will also need to swap the DCC outputs as well so that the connected Elite is now connected to the track instead of the Accessory Bus. Again as before, just have one single controller connected as Controller A in RM.

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Check that the Com port settings still match between Windows Device Manager and RM and see if you can still control locos with it.

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If you can't, then it appears that the Elite fault has got worse and is now unusable.

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If it controls the locos OK, then re-connect the good known working replacement Elite controller as Controller B so that it now controls the accessories instead of track and re-instate the dual A&B controller configuration in RM. If the ability to control either locos or points is lost again, then it seems to indicate that the there is something wrong with one of the controllers that is affecting their ability to be used in a dual controller configuration. I would, of course, then suspect the original one with the faulty 'PROG' output as being the culprit.

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[96RAF]

Bear in mind with all this swapping around that only Controller A can do programming through RM, so stick to basic operational checks.

[Codger]

Gents,

Thanks for all you help. Both controller A and B are now doing their required jobs - I can move trains and switch ponts. The INI settings for both controllers for Alternative comms and Check contoller are the same as what they were at 0 and 0 before the problem started - although now I have Alternative comms2 and Check controller2 settings as well.

I disconnected the B controller and with Controller A I did cycle through all 4 settings as per your suggestions and although the problem persisted, it seemed to be that ensuring that after changes were made to either the Railmaster settings or the INI settings were changed, both Railmaster and the PC were restarted. Once Controller A was working, I repeated the exercise with B and that now works.

Why it failed to begin with, I don't know, but when re-setting everything, a restart of PC and then Railmaster seems to be mandatory.

Again, thanks so much for your help and suggestions.

Cheers,

Geoff

[Chrissaf]

Glad to hear you have made significant progress using my suggestions.