Desirable features for future Railmaster Software updates

[RDS]

Hi all,

In another thread on the Railmaster Forum, I have been discussing with Fishmanoz, the idea for a Desirable Features list that could perhaps be formed here by members and then forwarded to Hornby. Would there be support for such a list?

I have started to jot down a few suggestions that I will add over the next few days but I would like to start with:

1) Railmaster to indicate when communication has been lost with the Elite.

[darrenmarkgreen]

Hi,

I would support such a list.

The buttons in railmaster at the top i would like to be removed in the settings after you have set everything up to the layout can be bigger and that know one else can change anything.

 

Thanks

Darren

RDS

 

said:

 

Hi all,

In another thread on the Railmaster Forum, I have been discussing with Fishmanoz, the idea for a Desirable Features list that could perhaps be formed here by members and then forwarded to Hornby. Would there be support for such a list?

I

 

have started to jot down a few suggestions that I will add over the next few days but I would like to start with:

1) Railmaster to indicate when communication has been lost with the Elite.

[St1ngr4y]

Hi guys,

I am also in favour. I recently suggested (through customer care) adding diagonal points and incorporating the red/green buttons as part of the point icon, but maybe a list like this may have a better chance of achieving an improvement.

Ray

[Fishmanoz]

On opening, RM to search for and adjust com port setting for Controller 1

App installation to set up static IP address asking for permission to do so. And similarly on opening RM if found to be not static (currently notifies if not static but no option

 

to do anything about it).

Activate upgrade from eval version of RM on line instead only purchase via physical CD.

[geoffb41]

option to save double header setups otherwise you have to redo them every time you start rm

 

geoff

[DaveAus]

A simple setting to change direction on a specific loco so when I bring a loco from the inner track to the out track I can change the direction so forward is again forward.

[RDS]

Hi all,

It is almost a month now since I raised this topic and I guess I had expected a few more suggestions by now. I thought it may be worth adding another suggestion of mine, if only to bring the topic back up to the top.

- It is possible to adjust

 

the zoom level of the track layout from the main screen but there is currently no possibility of changing the default zoom level.

 

Over the next few days I will compile and post a summary of the suggestions received so far to make sure that what I submit

 

to Hornby, is what people expected.

In the meantime though, please continue to add your thoughts.

[Graskie]

Yes, RDS, I agree re the default zoom level. I wish mine would default to 50% to show the whole of my layout without me having to change it each time I start the program up. Also I think it's a little bit confusing to set loco regions. It defaults to showing

 

Eastern even if you have ticked one of the other boxes. It should really default to the particular region you set for each loco.

[RDS]

@Graskie

Can I just try and understand your comment about regions as I do not use that part of RailMaster myself.

If there is only one region that can be applied at once, how would RailMaster be able to display the particular region you set for each

 

loco, or do people who do use this only have one region.

If this is the case do you want RailMaster to allow you to set a default region?

 

[LMSTim]

When you refer to "regions" are you actually talking about the loco grouping facility which allows you to put locos within groups then list all locos in that group, selected from the pull-down list at the top-right of the screen?

 

If it is that facility

 

is does remember the last group you used the next time you start RailMaster. You can also put a single loco in as many groups as you like so, for example, an early BR GWR loco could also appear on a late GWR roster (where company logos still mixed with BR

 

ones).

 

[Fishmanoz]

What about a USB games console interface so that those who don't want to stare at a screen, like WTD, can have a physical controller.

[Fishmanoz]

I'm thinking of a readily available games controller to go with an RM/e-Link combination so that you don't need to use the screen/touch screen or buy an expensive Elite to control locos or operate accessories.

[Graskie]

Sorry, RDS, I have only just picked up on your response re my suggestion for showing regions properly by default. By using that facility I can, for instance, just show my Midland, Western, Eastern, Southern or diesel locos, rather than the whole lot. It's

 

not easy to explain but, normally, when you select a region, it should, to me, by default show the particular region of a specific loco when you have set it up, rather than me having to scroll down to see which box has been ticked. I thought I had set everything

 

to my first region until I realised exactly what was going on. Perhaps I'm being a bit thick but it would be nice not to have to scroll down to see which region I had set a specific loco at. You probably need to have a go at it to understand what I mean.

[MetmanUK]

Hi All,

I am only at the early stages of planning my model railway but having just retired from an IT development background I am very interested in the possibilities of Railmaster/e-Link. So, what I would like is an API.

 

For those who do not

 

know what an API is ..... It's an Application Programming Interface. Sounds boring but if an application, such as Railmaster/e-Link, is (preferably) built using an API or has one added later it enables interested parties to provide alternatives to the Hornby

 

product. Whilst Hornby retain complete control of the base product, including licensing, it would be possible, for example, to build an alternative user interface with controls placed in different positions. This is a trivial example but would enable the more

 

nimble or innovative modellers to build alternative (better) solutions and let Hornby get on with developing the base functionality. There would also be the potential for commercial organisations doing similar. The result would be a superior Railmaster/e-Link

 

product from which Hornby and users would both benefit.

 

An example of a real-world free API is Google Maps. Most of us make use of the standard Google Maps but many also use greatly enhanced maps which have been developed using the Google Maps API eg

 

www.flightradar24.com .

 

If you've got this far ..... Well done and thanks for reading!

 

 

[Graskie]

Sorry, LMS Tim, I missed your posting 4 days ago. Yes, I do mean the grouping facility. In my case I split groups into the main four BR Regions, plus another for diesels (regardless of region).

[PeterCook]

Just my thoughts

1. When in Track Plan mode - need three buttons at bottom of page. First should be a SAVE button, Second a CANCEL button(this would undo all changes that have been made since loading track plan) and third button to EXIT the Track Plan

 

Designer (if changes have been made and not saved prompt user to save changes.

2. When in Locomotives screen same thing as item 1. Three buttons SAVE, CANCEL, EXIT.

3. Change buttons across top to normal windows style menu items.

4. Change three

 

buttons on top right of screen to icons on a status bar at bottom of screen.

5. Allow text to be entered into track plan.

 

Thanks

[DCCTinker]

You can already save a track plan (there is a button in the track plan for this). There is also an exit button to exit the track plan. The same goes for the locos screen.

 

What do you mean by "3. Change buttons across top to normal windows style

 

menu items". To my knowledge there is no "Normal" when it comes to 'menu' buttons or a button/ribbon bar.

 

Again, "4. Change three buttons on top right of screen to icons on a status bar at bottom of screen". Are you referring to the minimise, restore

 

and maximise buttons? Aren't these always at the top-right of Windows screens?

 

Text can be entered onto a track plan using the label button. It's mentioned in the PDF guide.

 

PeterCook said:

 

Just my thoughts

1. When in Track Plan mode

 

- need three buttons at bottom of page. First should be a SAVE button, Second a CANCEL button(this would undo all changes that have been made since loading track plan) and third button to EXIT the Track Plan Designer (if changes have been made and not saved

 

prompt user to save changes.

2. When in Locomotives screen same thing as item 1. Three buttons SAVE, CANCEL, EXIT.

3. Change buttons across top to normal windows style menu items.

4. Change three buttons on top right of screen to icons on a status

 

bar at bottom of screen.

5. Allow text to be entered into track plan.

 

Thanks[/reply]

[58001]

I'm not sure if it possible with the current NRMA standards for DCC, but I would find it very useful if Railmaster could detect all of the locomotives on the layout in realtime and provide them as a quicklist for the user to select from. Currently you

 

have to search through your entire list, or from across a number of groups if you want to control a loco placed on the layout. In the meantime you have lost the controller for any locos already selected.

[RDS]

I have another one to add:

The command to switch lights on or off, just toggles the present setting, so if the lights are on, it switches them off and vice versa. I would like to see 2 separate commands. One to switch lights on and one to switch them

 

off. (Unless anyone can suggest why Hornby have set it up like this?)

 

[LMSTim]

RDS - you need to be a little more discerning about the things that go on the list, and also bear in mind that some of them are not feasible. For example 58001's suggestion that RailMaster discovers every loco on the layout is not workable as it takes

 

far too long to interrogate a loco (even if you know the ID). Bearing in mind RailMaster cannot possibly know the ID of every loco you have put on the layout it would, in reality, have to cycle through every ID from 1 to 9999 to test if the loco is there.

 

You'd be waiting all day for the results to come back.

 

Other items on the list, like producing an API link is again not feasible. If Hornby are creating something which they are making better and better on a regular basis (presumably wanting to be the

 

best), why would they want to create a support nightmare by allowing third parties to mess about with control of locos, points and so on from outside the program, whilst still using the program as a conduit. It is clear, from the announcements that are being

 

made (i.e. apps, voice control and so on) that hornby are really working hard on making RailMaster the best system on the market. Once the loco detection system is out I don't there will be anything out there to touch it.

 

The likes of JMRI are there

 

for those very high-tech users who like to fiddle and write their own programs. After all, it was written by many users all over the world.

 

What you need to do is put together a coherent list that makes sense and that really provides useful functions,

 

for example, making the screen bigger by removing the top buttons and even the logo at the bottom and so on. I think people are now starting to think up things for the sake of it without realising how much work would be involved to implement them and the few

 

users who are likely to take advantage of them.

 

Remember that RailMaster has come from nowhere in just two years and is now one of the most popular systems on the market (from the chats I've had with other modellers). I know what I use it. It is by

 

far the easiest system to use.

 

I have a long wish-list in my mind of niceties to add to RailMaster but I'm sure the developers will make those improvements.

 

When you present your list to Hornby, don't be surprised if they say "Can't do this"

 

to some of the entries.

 

[RDS]

@LMSTim

Thank you very much for your detailed response. I have been waiting for someone to come back with comments about someone else's suggestion.

In particular, I personally have been concerned and unconvinced by the API suggestion. The discovery

 

one, I had thought was a reasonable idea but I was not aware of the time it may take to discover a loco. (Computers normally do things pretty quickly)

I started this thread off because I hoped that people may have suggestions to make but I do not believe

 

it is for me ALONE to be discerning about what goes on the list. DCCtinker has made some valuable points about the suggestions by PeterCook and this is the type of discussion I had hoped this thread would raise.

Ideally, I would like to submit a list to

 

Hornby that has the blessing of the forum community, ideally as a whole, rather than just individuals. My reasoning behind posting the combined list was to get comments on it, both positive and negative.

Incidentally, I don't think that you should assume

 

that the developers will make the improvements you would like to see. Maybe you could add the odd one or two to the list.

Thanks again,

 

[PeterCook]

DCCTinker said:

You can already save a track plan (there is a button in the track plan for this). There is also an exit button to exit the track plan. The same goes for the locos screen.

What do you mean by "3. Change buttons across

top to normal windows style menu items". To my knowledge there is no "Normal" when it comes to 'menu' buttons or a button/ribbon bar.



Again, "4. Change three buttons on top right of screen to icons on a status bar at bottom of screen". Are you

referring to the minimise, restore and maximise buttons? Aren't these always at the top-right of Windows screens?

Text can be entered onto a track plan using the label button. It's mentioned in the PDF guide.

PeterCook said:

Just my thoughts
1.

When in Track Plan mode - need three buttons at bottom of page. First should be a SAVE button, Second a CANCEL button(this would undo all changes that have been made since loading track plan) and third button to EXIT the Track Plan Designer (if changes have

been made and not saved prompt user to save changes.
2. When in Locomotives screen same thing as item 1. Three buttons SAVE, CANCEL, EXIT.
3. Change buttons across top to normal windows style menu items.
4. Change three buttons on top right of screen

to icons on a status bar at bottom of screen.
5. Allow text to be entered into track plan.

Thanks

[/reply]
The three buttons I was referring to in the top right of the screen are the "Internet Active, Elite Active and the Loco detection

Active" icons. I know there is no such thing as normal menus in windows. As a programmer I know many clients have asked for the oddest of menus. What I am looking for is to free up more screen by converting the large icons at the top left and Top right of

the screen to a simple set of menus and information in a status bar at the bottom of the screen.

My apologies about the text one should always read all the manual before asking for something extra.

[MetmanUK]

RDS and LMSTim,

Could I ask if there is any specific reason for you dismissal of my API suggestion ?

 

I'll happily provide a fuller explanation (once I've finished decorating tonight!) if you can guide me in the right direction.

Regards,

 

MetmanUK

[LMSTim]

MetmanUK, it is not outright dismissal, but rather scepticism.

 

Look at it this way: why did Hornby produce RailMaster in the first place when the likes of RailRoad & Co, JMRI and plenty of others are already in the marketplace and have been for

 

years?

 

Answer: RailMaster is infinitely easier to set up and use than the others. The others are for techie geeks and nerds (not being insulting, just realistic). The other (free) packages allow a certain amount of tailoring and techie intervention.

 

This is a different user group to the vast majority of Hornby and mainstream users, who simply want a working system that is supported and developed onwards in its native format by a large company like Hornby.

 

To allow access to the workings of RailMaster

 

is pointless. Why would somebody else want to develop their own interface and merely use RailMaster communications (which is what the API would boil down to). Anybody with the skills to produce their own interface merely needs to go through the NMRA spec and

 

produce their own comms handling too. You see why it is pointless for Hornby to spend hundreds of hours creating an API that, perhaps, only you would use.

 

Let me finish by asking you this: suppose Hornby did produce an API for you to link into RailMaster

 

externally. You give us a list of what you would actually develop on the back of it that Hornby have not already? I will then counter each point, playing devil's advocate.

 

To help answer your question I would throw in the following:-

 

1. Hornby

 

have taken months, if not years, to profile every loco going back to 1975. Nobody else in the world has done this. This will have cost a fortune and you couldn't possibly replicate that, which means from the off your control interface will have to be inferior

 

to RailMaster's as you cannot use the scale speed, shunting and so on, or would you expect the API to give access to those features, and how on earth would that be enabled, practically.

 

2. Would you develop your own programming front-end, with the amount

 

of work that has gone into RailMaster already?

 

3. Would you expect Hornby to give up technical secrets on the way certain things work? I am thinking here of interfacing the wireless handheld apps and loco detection, which are unique ideas in the way

 

they work?

 

In summary, there is a lot to think about before just saying "I want an Application Interface to RailMaster so that I can do my own stuff". It is, at the end of the day, pointless and I believe Hornby will never provide it simply because

 

it will become counter-productive and it is hard to imagine that anybody, using even a sophisticated API (which must also be fully documented and supported by Hornby) could produce an interace that is better than RailMaster already has.

 

Hopefully that

 

explains, from an 30-year I.T. professional's point of view, why an API to RailMaster is not viable.

 

[LMSTim]

RDS, just to answer the point about detecting locos on a layout, it is not the power of the PC that makes it non-viable, but rather the time it takes for the loco decoder chip, in conjunction with the DCC controller, to feed back to the PC the fact that

 

the loco is there.

 

In practice, the software would have to cycle through each of the 1 to 9999 potential locos that could be on the track and send a command, in effect asking "Are you there?". The loco decoder chip (depending on the manufacturer and

 

model) will take between 8 and 12 seconds to respond. You do the maths and you will see it is not feasible to scan all locos.

 

Even if you were to think laterally and say, okay, only scan the known locos in the RailMaster database that have been set

 

up by the user (this of course will leave any other - visiting or unknown locos out) it will still take ages.

 

Again, I ask a simple question: Why do you need to scan all locos on the layout. What practical benefit does it give you. Nice but, useful?

 

From

 

what I am seeing I get the feeling that people are making suggestions for the sake of it, without actually thinking it through from a practical point of view. I can come up with one. Wouldn't it be nice if RailMaster could be interfaced to my Morphy Richards

 

kettle so that once a program has finished, RailMaster could have a nice cup of tea ready for me. Not viable.

 

For my part, I am happy with what Hornby have done, thus far. They are producing world-beating functions: the app is the best I've seen on

 

any device for railway control, the loco detection (when it's out) will clearly be the most sophisticated available, voice control (an amazing feature which will have taken a great deal of work to achieve) will bring another form of control. It is clear that

 

Hornby are concentrating their efforts on this product (together with the new eLink interface - again never done by a mainstream company before) and I am happy to be pleasantly surprised by new features which seem to come along on a regular basis.

 

I

 

am sure that Hornby already get feedback from many users (including me) as well as put their own thoughts into the program otherwise good software doesn't move forward. Having spoken with somebody from Hornby recently they have made it clear that they want

 

RailMaster to be the best system in the world. Looking at what they have done from a standing start in just two years, if you extrapolate over the next two years, there is no doubt in my mind that they will achieve this.