Railmasters small Yellow square

[gilbo2]

Have read the manual and now starting to develop some RailMaster programs. Really, really good when it all works :-)

 

I have noticed though that sometimes (not every time), at a random moment, when a program is running that the small yellow square

 

next to the program name lights and the system seems to pause for a couple of seconds or so and then carries on. This upsets the program timing which then goes through a rapid "catch up" causing instructions to be missed by locos etc.

 

Does anyone know

 

exactly what this yellow square is and how to stop it coming on, upsetting timings?

 

Have tried disabling background processes including Anti-Virus etc, but does not seem to make any difference. Also, increasing the times between instructions. Increasing

 

"polling time" in the .ini file makes a marginal improvement though.

[96RAF]

I'm surprised HRMS hasn't commented back on this.

I have also seen the yellow flash and I have also had missed commands but didn't connect the two events at the time, so maybe it is a program warning.

I have made sure each line in my programs has

 

enough time to complete before the next one is actioned (particularly the longer sounds, even though once a sound is started it continues to the end - e.g. noon clock chimes and train departing near enough at the same time).

You like to think if the program

 

was smart enough to flash a caution it would also be smart enough to ensure that the current and following commands weren't affected.

[RDS]

@RAF96

After seeing this thread when it was first raised, I have been eagerly awaiting a comment from HRMS, because I think my problems with the 'chain program' command seem to coincide with something like this.

 

[gilbo2]

If anyone is interested, after extensive testing over the last week I have been able to confirm my "yellow square" problem is resolved which occurred on XP and Windows 8.1 based machines.

 

I ended up renaming the Railmaster.ini file to cause a new

 

file to be generated. I then changed some of the settings back to my preferences, eg no point arrows and also set the polling time up to 999 and Check controller to 0. Both files below listed for expert comment. The bottom line is the new one works fine but

 

the old one does not. As a further good measure I also make sure that Antivirus and Windows update checks have completed each day before running RM to ensure nothing going off in the background!

 

This has also flushed out some configuration settings

 

I've not seen documented, eg "Load Hornby locos" and also the TCP start port is changed from 30 to 50. This latter change fixed my iPad communication error on one particular loco :-) - added bonus!!!

 

New Version;

Tipper speed=80

Tipper timer=86.4

Turntable

 

speed=40

Turntable timer=23.56

Points timer=0.75

Conveyor speed=65

TCP start port=50

Check serial ports=0

Show upgrade button=1

Allow deactivate=1

Use default curves=1

Polling time=999

Confirm delete=1

Classic buttons=1

Show

 

point indicators=1

Uncoupler time=5

Detection Timeout=5

Button bar vertical=0

Throttle timer=5

Handheld plan area=1,1,135,135

Program tick sound=1

PING time=60

Reset eLink on start=1

Check controller=0

Enable mouse=0

Warn static

 

IP=0

Load Hornby locos=1

Point button arrows=0

 

OLD Version;

Tipper speed=80

Tipper timer=88

Turntable speed=40

Turntable timer=19.30

Points timer=0.75

Conveyor speed=65

TCP start port=30

Check serial ports=0

Show upgrade

 

button=0

Allow deactivate=1

Use default curves=1

Polling time=999

Confirm delete=1

Classic buttons=1

Detection Timeout=5

Button bar vertical=0

Throttle timer=5

Palm interval=7

Ask to set points=0

Handheld plan area=1,1,135,135

Program

 

tick sound=1

PING time=60

Reset eLink on start=1

Enable mouse=0

Warn static IP=0

Point button arrows=0

 

Finally, the Chain command issue is not resolved by the above. ie I find the last instruction is ignored and yet when you manually

 

Merge files they work fine. EVEN if being silly and making all the programme lines occur at the same times!

[Graskie]

I just can't take all this. My head hurts. Any suggestions?

[gilbo2]

Graskie said:

I just can't take all this. My head hurts. Any suggestions?

Maybe side by side helps, or not :-)

New Version; OLD Version;
Tipper speed=80 Tipper speed=80
Tipper timer=86.4 Tipper timer=88
Turntable

speed=40 Turntable speed=40
Turntable timer=23.56 Turntable timer=19.30
Points timer=0.75 Points timer=0.75
Conveyor speed=65 Conveyor speed=65
TCP start port=50 TCP start port=30
Check serial ports=0 Check serial ports=0
Show upgrade button=1

Show upgrade button=0
Allow deactivate=1 Allow deactivate=1
Use default curves=1 Use default curves=1
Polling time=999 Polling time=999
Confirm delete=1 Confirm delete=1
Classic buttons=1 Classic buttons=1
Show point indicators=1 Detection

Timeout=5
Uncoupler time=5 Button bar vertical=0
Detection Timeout=5 Throttle timer=5
Button bar vertical=0 Palm interval=7
Throttle timer=5 Ask to set points=0
Handheld plan area=1,1,135,135 Handheld plan area=1,1,135,135
Program tick sound=1

Program tick sound=1
PING time=60 PING time=60
Reset eLink on start=1 Reset eLink on start=1
Check controller=0 Enable mouse=0
Enable mouse=0 Warn static IP=0
Warn static IP=0 Point button arrows=0
Load Hornby locos=1
Point button arrows=0

[Fishmanoz]

Have a lie down Graskie.

 

DG, very interesting, particularly as a first look tells me the differences are minimal in instructions that might affect the running of programs.

 

Pity no HRMS comment on this one. Can I suggest you email them out

 

of RM, maybe just referring to this thread for detail to save you typing again and report back with what they have to say?

[gilbo2]

Sorry, format looked good until I posted it!

[gilbo2]

Fishmanoz said:
Pity no HRMS comment on this one. Can I suggest you email them out of RM, maybe just referring to this thread for detail to save you typing again and report back with what they have to say?

Think I've upset them,

find too many issues :-)

[Fishmanoz]

Still a little hard to read due to the different instructions and their order. But seems to me the only significant difference is the TCP start port.

 

Surely they'll answer a direct question emailed to them though DG.

[Graskie]

I'm probably having an early night after that one.

[gilbo2]

If at first you don't succeed....

 

New Version; _______________________OLD Version;

Tipper speed=80 ____________________Tipper speed=80

Tipper timer=86.4 __________________Tipper timer=88

Turntable speed=40 _________________Turntable

 

speed=40

Turntable timer=23.56 ______________Turntable timer=19.30

Points timer=0.75 __________________Points timer=0.75

Conveyor speed=65 __________________Conveyor speed=65

TCP start port=50 __________________TCP start port=30

Check serial

 

ports=0 _______________Check serial ports=0

Show upgrade button=1 ______________Show upgrade button=0

Allow deactivate=1 _________________Allow deactivate=1

Use default curves=1 _______________Use default curves=1

Polling time=999 ___________________Polling

 

time=999

Confirm delete=1 ___________________Confirm delete=1

Classic buttons=1 __________________Classic buttons=1

Show point indicators=1 ____________Detection Timeout=5

Uncoupler time=5 ___________________Button bar vertical=0

Detection Timeout=5

 

________________Throttle timer=5

Button bar vertical=0 ______________Palm interval=7

Throttle timer=5 ___________________Ask to set points=0

Handheld plan area=1,1,135,135 _____Handheld plan area=1,1,135,135

Program tick sound=1 _______________Program

 

tick sound=1

PING time=60 _______________________PING time=60

Reset eLink on start=1 _____________Reset eLink on start=1

Check controller=0 _________________Enable mouse=0

Enable mouse=0 _____________________Warn static IP=0

Warn static IP=0

 

___________________Point button arrows=0

Load Hornby locos=1

Point button arrows=0

[geochoice]

dgilbert2 said:

If at first you don't succeed....

New Version; _______________________OLD Version;
Tipper speed=80 ____________________Tipper speed=80
Tipper timer=86.4 __________________Tipper timer=88
Turntable speed=40

_________________Turntable speed=40
Turntable timer=23.56 ______________Turntable timer=19.30
Points timer=0.75 __________________Points timer=0.75
Conveyor speed=65 __________________Conveyor speed=65
TCP start port=50 __________________TCP start

port=30
Check serial ports=0 _______________Check serial ports=0
Show upgrade button=1 ______________Show upgrade button=0
Allow deactivate=1 _________________Allow deactivate=1
Use default curves=1 _______________Use default curves=1
Polling

time=999 ___________________Polling time=999
Confirm delete=1 ___________________Confirm delete=1
Classic buttons=1 __________________Classic buttons=1
Show point indicators=1 ____________Detection Timeout=5
Uncoupler time=5 ___________________Button

bar vertical=0
Detection Timeout=5 ________________Throttle timer=5
Button bar vertical=0 ______________Palm interval=7
Throttle timer=5 ___________________Ask to set points=0
Handheld plan area=1,1,135,135 _____Handheld plan area=1,1,135,135
Program

tick sound=1 _______________Program tick sound=1
PING time=60 _______________________PING time=60
Reset eLink on start=1 _____________Reset eLink on start=1
Check controller=0 _________________Enable mouse=0
Enable mouse=0 _____________________Warn

static IP=0
Warn static IP=0 ___________________Point button arrows=0
Load Hornby locos=1
Point button arrows=0

Ouch my head hurts seeing triple now not double ooh ooh ""nurse" help !

[Fishmanoz]

And dg, still could make it easier to see the differences by keeping like entires aligned with each other all the way down and having blanks on the opposite side where lines appear in only one version.

 

But what do you conclude are the significant

 

differences?

[Colpatben]

Sorry to Bump this thread but the Yellow Flashing Square has started to happen on my Railmaster. Does anyone have a clue? As all google searches bring me back here as does the limited search function on this Forum!

I am currently experimenting with the Programme Repeat command so maybe this is the culprit.

And no I cannot email Support from within the RM programme as the PC running RM is NOT connected to the internet for the one reason that I do not want to get the intrusive Microsoft updates so I run the original W10 home Build Version 1511 yes not a Typo the original 1511 ie Nov 2015!

 PC is a DELL Inspiron desktop and Monitor is a DELL Touchscreen

Railmaster v1.68

Ignore my signature bar as I am using another PC at the moment

[Colpatben]

OK got it myself it is the .ini file setting for Elink Feedback polling between controller and RM

 

I.e. matching the throttle position on both elink display and the RM Throttle display,

 

File entry; Elite feedback=0

0=Do not feedback throttle to RailMaster, 1=Feedback throttle.

RM Manual Page 33.

[Chrissaf]

eLink (I assume your references to eLink are a typo error) does not have throttle position feedback capabilities since the eLink does not have any throttles on it. This is an Elite ONLY feature.

[Colpatben]

eLink (I assume your references to eLink are a typo error) does not have throttle position feedback capabilities since the eLink does not have any throttles on it. This is an Elite ONLY feature.

OOPS of course.  The Elite it is. 😳

Too many 'e' numbers they make me hyper, and then I am prone to unexplained typos.

Thank you for pointing out my error.