DigiTrains 2.8 on Play

New features:

1. You are able to enable/disable automatic speed set to zero when direction button is pressed in Traincontrol Options menu with a checkbox. This setting will apply to all locomotives. This setting has no effect when locomotive is controlled from virtual cab or with gamepad, since these control modes are to provide realistic train control. This setting can be useful for magnetic decouplers.

2. Layouts are saved automatically in Dispatcher game after leaving layout editor menu.

3. DigiTrains 2.8 was tested with latest JMRI 4.0 Production version. JMRI functions bug fix: functions are displayed in Train Control screen.

DigiTrains on Windows - BlueStacks

You can use DigiTrains on Windows PC or tablet by using BlueStacks android emulator.

You can download BlueStacks from here: http://www.bluestacks.com/

This emulator is about 2 GB. After installation the program turns your PC or phone into an android tablet. It can run in a window or fullscreen. Registrate your gmail account and download DigiTrains from Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hu.digitools.digitrains

The emulated android system will use the network of your PC or tablet. So you need to connect it to the same network where Z21, JMRI or DigiWifi is connected. In case of JMRI it can run also on the same PC of course.

By using this solution you enjoy easy-to-use user friendly DigiTrains android application on your Windows PC or tablet, and control your digital layout. I used this device to Play on my layout:

https://www.asus.com/Tablets/ASUS_VivoTab/

Important notice: you cannot install BlueStacks on a Windows Phone currently. In the near future DigiTrains will be available on Windows and IOS, too.

Automatic signal change depending on occupancy feedback

dispatcher game: automatic signal change depending on occupancy feedback

In layout editor after you select the block for red and press save, the highlighted track will go back to white.

At this point you can select signals to change automatically when this block is occupied. Touch the signal to select it with red rectangle. Long-touch the signal to change its status. This status represents how to set it when the block is occupied. If you ready with the selections, press the save button again. After that you can set the address and input of the bock.

During the game when the block becomes occupied, the signals will be set automatically. This way a signal can be set to red when a train passes it (using the next block after the signal).

Important notice: this automatic change happens only on the layout loaded currently. If you have a big layout and it is made in more layouts in DigiTrains and you want the automatic signal change to happen on all layouts in the current profile, then you need to set this option by pressing the top right “block” icon  in the header (highlighted with red rectangle).

If you enable the checkbox, then Digitrains will set signals belonging to occupied blocks on all of your layout in the current profile.

During thegame you can navigate to other menus. You can drive a train, Digitrains will take care of the signals in the background. 

Control your locomotives with Gamepad

Gamepad

You can control your locomotives with android compatible bluetooth gamepad as well. 

Connect your gamepad via Bluetooth to your device. Select a train in locomotive library and you are ready to use the gamepad for train control. Meanwhile you can also navigate to other menus to change turnouts or routes. If you press the driving wheel icon in Train Control menu you will get a special virtual driving cab similar to the one already available in Digitrains without the gamepad. There you will have all function buttons, direction knob, emergency stop button and speed display in km/h or mph. The program recognizes automatically if you have a gamepad connected or not and opens the proper virtual driving cab on the screen.

1.  Direction buttons:

a.    UP: increase speed with one speedstep

b.    DOWN: decrease speed with on speedstep

c.    RIGHT: forward

d.    LEFT: backward

2.  Left joystick: not used

3.  Right joystick

a.    Forward: accelerate

b.    Backward: decelerate

c.    Right: forward

d.    Left: backward

4.  F0

5.  F1

6.  F2

7.  F3

8.  F4

9.  not used

10. not used

11. F5

Other functions are available on the screen.

The gamepad you use must be a Bluetooth HID gamepad compatible with android. I use the MOGA PRO and MOGA HERO gamepads. It can be purchased on amazon.com. It also provides a universal phone holder and tablet holder. The PRO version is able to charge your phone while playing.

Video:

DigiTrains 2.7 on Play

DigiTrains 2.7 release notes

dispatcher game: automatic accessory change based on occupancy

There is a new function in dispatcher game. If a block becomes occupied specified accessories (signals) can be changed automatically by DigiTrains. This useful for example to change a signal to STOP if a train goes by. 

Locomotive control with gamepad

Locomotives can be controlled with android compatible bluetooth gamepads.

Dispatcher game advanced logic: protective turnout

Protective turnouts belonging to an active route cannot be changed until the route is released. 

New locomotive picture

This is a bug fix. When you created a new picture for a locomotive its old picture was caches in some menus and did not change until program restart. Now it will be refreshed immediately.

DigiTrains on JMRI webpage

I am proud to tell you, that DigiTrains is now presented also on JMRI webpage due to the lots of users who uses DigiTrains with JMRI to control their digital model railway layout.

www.jmri.org

Dispatcher game: how to use the layout editor video