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androc-intro-en

andRoc Introduction & Setup

andRoc 2.1

Check for important information andRoc 2.1.


Features

  • Works with all Command Stations supported by Rocrail
  • Loco/Car throttle with:
  • Loco Setup:
    • Vmin, Vmid and Vmax
    • Programming on the main. (PoM)
    • Dispatch for LocoNet Throttle
  • Controls:
    • Automatic mode
    • Routes
    • Actions
    • Switches
    • Outputs
    • System
  • Accessory pad
  • System monitor
  • Layout:
    • List with all ZLevels
    • Block status color
    • Interactive
    • Fiddle Yard
    • Turntable, Traverser
    • Staging block
    • Module view
    • Zoomable
    • Selectable background color
    • Shows active routes and occupancy
    • Text and Images
    • Buildings
    • Block enter side
  • User interface is localized; Depending of the language selected for the device.
  • Shows device ID in the Rocview as throttle ID
  • Guest Loco setup.


Prerequisites


Install

Google Play

This method is preferred; You will be notified about updates, and crash reporting is supported.

  1. Search for andRoc or Rocrail in Google Play.
  2. Touch the install button.
  3. Ready to run.

Browser

Permissions

Name: Reason:
android.permission.INTERNET To enable a network connection with the Rocrail server.
android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE For using the cell phone number or device ID as throttle ID.
android.permission.CHANGE_WIFI_MULTICAST_STATE Multi cast for R2RNet announcements.
android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE Needed for loco image cache; /sdcard/androc/


Internationalization

andRoc will use the selected device language if available. It defaults to English.

Add or edit your own language at LaunchPad:
Translations at LaunchPad: https://translations.launchpad.net/rocrail/androc/+pots/androc


The activities

androc-menu.jpeg
Navigation between the activities is done by the Menu.

  • Starting with revision 495 the options menu can also be opened by a long click on the level view titlebar; A short click will launch the throttle. (Many new devices do not feature a menu button…)
  • Starting with revision 512 the options menu can also be opened by clicking on the tripple dot in the right upper edge of the display.

Touching the Loco image will cycle through the Throttle, Loco and Loco Setup activity.

Connect


After connecting the Rocrail server a dialog shows the progress of loading the plan.
The last host:port combination is saved for the next session.

Title

The plan title of the Rocrail server which did announce itself over R2RNet.

Host

The IP address or computer name of the target Rocrail server.
The "Help/Info" dialogue of Rocview will show you the IP adress.

Port

The client port of the Rocrail server. Default 8051.

Ctrl code

The Control and Slave code.

Recent

Select one of the previous connected Rocrail server from the list.


Options


System monitoring

This option needs a restart of andRoc to get active.
:!: Use this option with care because this requires a lot of processing power on small devices and can block the user interface of andRoc.
Leave it off for normal use.

Keep screen on

Prevent the device of going into sleep mode.

Module view

Switch directly to module view in case the loaded plan is modular.

Small Throttle

Option for large displays to keep the throttle dialog small.
Default is 300 x 380 device units. It can be changed by setting the Throttle width/height.
:!: Do not use this option on small devices.

Images on demand

Load only loco images as needed to decrease communication at startup.

Sort by address

Sort loco list by address instead of ID.

Sort by category

The blue arrow represents the Loco placing.

Engine
  1. Steam
  2. Diesel
  3. Electric
  4. Trainset: Independent from engine type if commuter flag is set.
  5. Special: Cleaning or Post type.
Era
  1. I, II, II, IV, V, VI
Road name

All Road names found in loco definitions are listed as category.
If a loco or car has no Road name set it will be added in the "None" list.

Power off for EBreak

Use power off instead of emergency break.

Synchronise speed

Enable throttle speed update. Disable in case of a slow network to avoid slider jumping.

Use all speed steps

Option for decoders with 127/128 speed steps to set the slider resolution 1:1.
Starting with version 439 this option will be ignored incase the throttle controls a consist to avoid Command Station overload. (Multi-headed train)

Buttons for speed

Use buttons instead of speed slider. Auto repeat after 1 second.

Step increment

If not using all speed steps this number is used for in- and decreasing the speed.

Clear recent list

Clear the list of recently connected Rocrail servers.

R2R Address/Port

If a Rocrail server has R2RNet activated it will provide its client connection information by multi casting to the andRoc clients.

andRoc:  <netreq req="clientconn"/>
Rocrail: <netrsp host="192.168.100.37" port="8051" rsp="clientconn" plan="Plan-F"/>

Ping

If Ping is activated andRoc will send every 2.5 seconds a ping to the loco controlled in the throttle.
If the ping will not come within 5 seconds the Rocrail server regarded the andRoc connection as broken and will stop the loco immediately to prevent accidents.



Guest Loco

Add a → Guest Loco by address.
The new guest loco will appear in the loco category "Special".

Menu Guest Loco Dialog

The default is DCC and 128 speed steps if only the address is set. In this case the loco ID will be the same as the address.

Note: For all attributes, except Address, is a Rocrail server needed with revision 4559+.



Throttle & Loco

Throttle Function icons Loco control Loco selection list Button speed control

Long clicks

Button Function
Loco image Loco control
RE Power OFF
FG Emergency Break
F1-F6 Throttle selection
F13 Manual mode ON/OFF (Zimo MX10)
F14 Shunting ON/OFF (Zimo MX10)
Lights (F0) Dispatch
Direction Consist management
Swap Swap block enter side


Loco image

A short touch on the loco image will open the Loco list for selecting.
A long touch on the loco image will open the Loco activity.

Loco ID

The first line under the Loco image shows the ID and between brackets the automatic mode.
If the selected loco is in a block, or moving from one to another, this will also be shown on this line.
If the automatic mode is idle or wait the background of this line will turn to red. Otherwise it will be green.

ST

Start/Stop automatically running the selected loco if the auto mode is activated.
This button is disabled if the auto mode is not activated.

RE

Release a loco from this throttle.
Without releasing a loco from a throttle it is not possible to control it by another throttle/client. This behavior can be manipulated by disable steal loco control.
A long click will send a power off command.

FG

Function group selection button. There are four groups of 6 function buttons available.
A long click will send an emergency break.

F1-F6

A long click will select throttle 1-6.

Lights

Toggle the locomotive lights on/off.
A long click will dispatch the selected locomotive for use with a Fred.

Direction

Flips the current driving direction of the loco and shows the current speed.
A long click will activate the Consist management.

Velocity bar

Velocity commands are send if the delta is 5 or at move end.
The delta is introduced to reduce the amount of commands triggered by changing the bar position.

Start

Start automatically running the selected loco if the auto mode is activated.
The selected schedule is used as destination if set.
On long click the selected block is set as destination. (Fixed in 405.)

Half Auto

Determines if the Start will issue a normal GO or one in half automatic mode.

Set in block

Moves the loco in the selected block.

Swap

Swap the logical placing of the loco.
A long click will swap the block enter side. (448+)


Consist management

View, add and remove consist members:

Throttle Consist management Consist view Loco control Slave shows master

Activated by a long click on the direction button.
A long click on the direction button will switch to the master of the consist if the selected loco is already a consist member.
Selecting a loco from the view list will open the loco control which can be used to swap the placing.


Train categories

Category Loco engine Loco details
Trainset - commuter
Special - cleaning, post type or guest loco
Steam steam -
Diesel diesel -
Electric electric -
Car car Only cars with interface address > 0 are listed.



Loco Setup

Vmin, Vmid and Vmax

Adjust the velocity in all running modes including automatic.

CV Write/Read

Programming on the main. PoM
Reading CV value from the main needs bidirectional communication.

Dispatch

Dispatch the loco for a throttle like the LocoNet Fred(i).



Accessory


This is for testing of accessories.
Especially of use at starting up a new layout in Rocrail.

Type

The addressing scheme can be selected with the Type button:

  • M → Module
  • F → Flat
  • P → Port

For more information on addressing schemes: Addressing

<< < > >>

Selecting a start address can be done with the numeric touch field or those four buttons on the bottom of this view.


System


On power down a notification is shown. The system activity will get visible if this notification is touched.

Monitor

System events and CS messages are listed up below the buttons of this view.
The max. list length is 100, the oldest entry will be removed from the list.

Auto start

:!: Start all trains in automatic mode.

Shutdown

Shutdown the Rocrail Server if its not in console mode and Rocweb is not in slave mode.
This action needs a confirmation.

EoD (End of Day

Routes


Selecting a route will send an activation command to the Rocrail server.
This is mainly used for testing.



Actions


Selecting an action will send an unconditional activation command to the Rocrail server.
This is mainly used for testing.



Info


Information about Copyright, license, Version, Throttle ID and so on are listed up on this view.



Layout


A list of all available ZLevels.
The example shows all module names of a modular layout.
This list will not appear when only one ZLevel is defined for the current layout.
The first entry in the list is the "modview" visualization if the plan is a modular layout.

Level

A single touch on an object will send for most types a Flip command to the Rocrail server.
Block, FiddleYard and Turntable objects will send an Open or Close command.


Block


A single touch on the block will open a new view for controlling it.
Long pressing on an occupied block will open the loco control.

Loco

Clicking the loco will open the loco list. Selecting a loco from the list will set it in this block.
A long click opens the loco control.
Touching the loco image will also open the loco activity.

Open/Close Block

Set the block to the Open or Closed state. The LED signals if the block is Open.

Accept BiDi Ident

Accept a BiDi Ident from a loco in auto mode.
See also: Accept Ident


Fiddle Yard


Touching the FY will open a new view for controlling it.

Open

Opens or closes this fiddle yard for trains.

Next/Previous

Move the table to the next/previous track.

Track

Move to the selected track.


Turntable / Traverser


Touching the TT will open a new view for controlling it.

Open

Opens or closes this turntable for locomotives.

Next/Previous

Move the bridge to the next/previous track.

Track

Move to the selected track.


Trouble Shooting

Plan does (partial) not load

Check the plan if it is XML well formed with a tool like "XmlSpy".
Or use the W3C service: http://validator.w3.org/#validate_by_upload
Rocrail and Rocview are using the Rocs parser which is not so strict as the Java one.

Image and Icon Updates

The Loco images and function icons are stored locally on the SD card. ("/sdcard/androc/")
They must be deleted manually in case new versions are provided by the Rocrail server.

Loco image does not show

Imagenames are case sensitive under Android.

andRoc crashes

Report it in the Rocrail andRoc Forum with following information:

  1. andRoc version.
  2. Rocrail version.
  3. A step by step description on how to reproduce the crash.
  4. Attach the plan.xml from the server you connected andRoc with.
  5. Device brand and type.

Layout issues

  • Empty buttons?
  • Unusable layout?

Try this: Switch To The Stock Android Interface.

androc-intro-en.txt · Last modified: 2020/03/26 10:27 by rjversluis