For a very simple track I wanted to implement a simple automatic steering of the loc, but with automatically controlled playing of sounds, speed and light. Using e.g. JMRI with additional PC or RP would have been a kind of overkill for what I need. Here is the simple solution, and I hope some people find that a useful add-on. I am using a DCC++EX control station and additionally I connect an ESP8266 to the serial port. But it is connected to TX0/RX0 and not to one of the additional serial ports on the Arduino Mega. Then I do not get a Wifi port for a manual controller, but I can issue all steering commands from a programm running in the ESP8266. Simple Programm looks like this (I made the example a bit shorter): void setup() { Serial.begin(115200); while (!Serial) { ; // wait for serial port to connect. Needed for native USB port only } void loop() { // Track Power on Serial.println("<1>"); delay (50); // light inside Serial.println("<F 11 7 1>"); delay (4000); // engine start Serial.println("<F 11 5 1>"); //Light front and back Serial.println("<F 11 0 1>"); delay (46000); //1. announcement Serial.println("<F 11 4 1>"); delay (15000); // 2. announcement Serial.println("<F 11 9 1>"); delay (9000); //depart Serial.println("<t 1 11 3 1>"); delay (1000); Serial.println("<t 1 11 6 1>"); delay (1000); Serial.println("<t 1 11 9 1>"); delay (1000); Serial.println("<t 1 11 15 1>"); delay (1000); Serial.println("<t 1 11 30 1>"); delay (2000); Serial.println("<t 1 11 45 1>"); delay (2000); Serial.println("<t 1 11 90 1>"); delay (50000); // arrival in station Serial.println("<F 11 3 0>"); delay (1000); Serial.println("<t 1 11 0 1>"); delay (8000); // Light off Serial.println("<F 11 0 0>"); delay (5000); //Engine off Serial.println("<F 11 5 0>"); delay (6000); // Track power off Serial.println("<0>"); } Next step will be to integrate a simple Web-server to allow some manual intervention, but very limited steering over a web Page.
You can still have 2 or 3 serial ports so anything like JMRI or DCCpp CAB that send <DCC++> commands will work. You need to create a second instance of the command parser, set the baud rate and call it's loop function in loop(). So look in CommandStation-Ex.ino and double up on all the Serial lines. Throttle wifi can be Serial1, so we will start with 2: DCCEXParser serialParser; // existing DCCEXParser serial2Parser; // add Serial.begin(115200); Serial2.begin(115200); serialParser.loop(Serial); serial2Parser.loop(Serial2); Know that command responses will go back to the serial that sent them... but diagnostic messages ONLY get sent to Serial (USB or tx/rx) As for automation, we will be releasing EX-RAIL (tentative name), an automation scripting language to make it easy to do what you are doing for everything on a layout. Triggering sounds too. Fred DCC-EX
Hi Fred, thanks for the hint with the additional serial line .... I was hopeing it will come someday..... it is already available - GREAT. I have seen that you are also planning something like a scripting language ... but I was not patient enough. I will test it as soon as something is available. Same for the MQTT. BTW: I have a first version of a WebTrottle on an ESP8266 already running. I will put it on Github as soon as it is a bit more mature .... and when I have EX-Rail integrated ....
Hopefully I make this understandable. I have the parts to build Dave B's wireless throttle which uses the RX on the Arduino. I also have JMRI connected using a phone throttle. I believe that it also uses the same Rx via the USB cable. It has been posted that they both work at the same time but it also appears that it might not be the best situation. If I'm reading your post right it appears now there would be the option to setup a second serial port and use Dave's wireless throttle on it after rewriting his sketch to some degree and connecting the wireless receiver to a different set of pins. If that is the case I will try and dive in deeper to try that out. If it isn't the case I'll just build the throttle and see how the throttle and JMRI coexist. Thanks, Sumner
Sumner. As you said, It may not be the best solution but mine is still running with a Raspberry Pi 3b+ running an earlier Steve Todd image DCC++ classic on an Uno clone with a Deek Robot motor shield and Dave Bodnar's throttle. I also loaded Steve's image to a Raspberry Zero W. It also worked, but had a bit to much lag running on the Zero. Later Richard
Thanks Richard, I still need to take the time to put the throttle together and try it out. Are you running Gregg's original DCC++ or the newer DCC++ Classic the guys have worked on? Have you also tried DCC++EX on the Uno. That is what I have on mine now and also putting it on a Mega, Sumner
I have run both Gregg's original and the Classic. Presently have the new DCC++ Classic up and running. Loaded on a Mega and an UNO. Did a DCC++ Classic class for my local NMRA virtual meeting a few months back. Looking at the DCC++EX have a couple UNOs and a Mega not being used so will load it on them and try it out. Need to get Dave's booster built. Have the parts just need to set up the camera and document the build for another class. Later Richard
Hope you put that video up. I also have the parts but did buy a Tam Valley booster but would still like to put Dave's together also. Did you do a video on the hand throttle? Sumner
No just did a PowerPoint on the DCC++ build. Not a bad Idea though. I could do rehash of the throttle build. The classes are all going toward my NMRA Author AP. I did 1 on making your own static grass also. Hope to get my MMR certificate eventually. Later Richard
well .... you area little bit off-topic, aren`t you . I can add here only something for DCC++EX. I am only using DCC++Ex on Arduino Mega with a ESP8266 connected to TX0 and RX0. According to my experience you can not use the USB port and at the same time some direct serial connection using TX0 and RX0. Then USB connection to Arduino fails. However the serial connection between ESP8266 and Arduino works no matter what you do with USB. Therefore, so far I remove the jumper cables for the TX0 and RX0 when using USB. But a usage of e.g. JRMI via USB and some trottle connected to TX0 and RX0 can not work at the same time. What Fred proposed is a solution to the problem. Unfortunatly it does not solve the issue completely. On the ESP8266 there is only one serial port. Therefore, I still have to remove the jumper cables when I want to upload new software to ESP8266 . So I either live with the fact that I currently remove them 20 times a day and put them back to continue testing ....or I finally try out the software based serial port on ESP8266 .....which is a bit slow.
Don't know which ESP8266 you are using but all mine have more then one serial port. https://randomnerdtutorials.com/esp8266-pinout-reference-gpios/ I use Wemos D1 mini for mqtt communication with DCC++ EX. D4 on Wemos (GPIO2) is Tx1 and that I connect to Rx0 on the Mega. Thus I can use the USB-port on the Wemos for uploading and monitoring.
Sorry about that. I kind of get in the habit of thinking that forum talk can be like sitting around drinking coffee or a beer with friends and the conversation can drift off topic . How about a double pole toggle switch in the circuit to the pins to connect or disconnect? Sumner
oh ..... I am using Wemos D1 mini as well ... and even in your reference it does not mention TX1/RX1 for the Wemos D1 mini .... on the other hand they are using anyway just other GPIOs .... I thought there is some special HW support behind TX0/RX0 .... I found somewhere a hint to a "software based" serial port but the hint said it only supports 300 baud .... which might be enough anyhow. Do you have a code example how you use the second serial port? Do you know something about the speed of the serial port? Well ..yes, that would work... I always used to think it is the last time I need to switch. But I guess I go for using the second serial port on ESP8266 .....once I have worked out: how?
Don't worry .... was just an attempt to get back the conversation with friends to the topic I am currently interested in .
If you focus on GPIO numbers it may be easier to compare different boards equipped with ESP8266. As I mentioned, GPIO2 is Tx1 (D4 on Wemos D1 mini). Wemos D1 mini does not have Rx1. You use Tx1 in the same way as Tx0. In "Setup": Serial.begin(115200); // start serial communication Rx0/Tx0 Serial1.begin(115200); // D4 TX1 transmit only And elsewhere in your program: Serial.println(string); // debugging/monitoring Serial1.print(stringToDCC); // send via Tx1/D4 to dcc++master Rx It's very easy.
