JMRI 4.14 on MacOS Mojave?

[MetroRedLine]

I know this is more of a computer issue than a DCC issue per se, but I recently upgraded my MacBook Pro laptop from MacOS X Mavericks to MacOS Mojave and since then have yet to run JMRI Decoder Pro properly. The program either hangs when launching or opens but can't recognize my DCC controller (Digitrax DCS 51). Everything was fine as far as JMRI before I upgraded, and I even installed the latest Java version. Anyone have these issues? One person on Facebook's JMRI Users group also tells me that he hasn't been able to use JMRI properly on MacOS Mojave either.

[BN1970]

I have no problem with JMRI 4.12 running on an iMac with Mojave 10.14.4 connected to a Digitrax DCS100, I use it every day. --Brian

[GaryHinshaw]

I had connection problems that I was never able to resolve when I upgraded beyond jmri 4.8 using Sierra, talking to a DCS100 via a PR3.  They had to do with USB to serial handshake issues.  Even the experts on the jmriusers board were unable to crack it, though they were able to reproduce it.  As a debugging step, you might try installing jmri 4.8 or earlier and see if that lets you connect with Mojave.  (They switched serial libraries after jmri 4.8.)  It's not a solution, but it might help isolate the problem.

My ultimate solution was to put a Raspberry Pi in place of the laptop, connect it to a LocoBuffer USB and then use it as a LocoNet Over TCP server.  I now connect my laptop (currently running High Sierra) to the Pi's jmri and it all works beautifully.  As a side benefit, I can connect wirelessly, so I can place my dispatcher - with laptop console - outside the crowded layout room.

I hope you find a solution.  It can be very frustrating until you do.

[C855B]

... My ultimate solution was to put a Raspberry Pi in place of the laptop, ...

I concur, although I am operating the RPi as a standalone and (can) access panels from other devices within its intranet using the JMRI web service. What I have not done (yet) is configure the RPi to hang on the internet for ideas like Gary's remote DS project. That should be easy enough, I have fixed IPs available for it. That doesn't help you with Decoder Pro, obviously, but IMO you will be time and money ahead by abandoning the idea of using a Mojave-upgraded Mac, hang a monitor, etc., on the RPi and call it done.

As discussed previously, I have embargoed OSX products > 10.10.x over issues like this, and it was quite a project to rid my most recent new Mac acquisition (late 2014 mini) of Mojave. Apple has been working very hard to break legacy with each annual 10.x release and I had to put my foot down on that nonsense. [Yes, it means a future life of shopping for 2nd-hand hardware, but broken trust is broken trust.]

Bottom line? Upgrading to Mojave from Mavericks was and is a bad idea. If it's a case of using 3rd-party commerical products (TurboTax in my case, for example), there are usually competing products that don't force the OS "upgrade".

[MetroRedLine]

Bottom line? Upgrading to Mojave from Mavericks was and is a bad idea. If it's a case of using 3rd-party commerical products (TurboTax in my case, for example), there are usually competing products that don't force the OS "upgrade".

I use my MacBook Pro primarily for music, and I haven't had any issues with those programs. I also have a PC but it's a tower that resides in my music studio in another room in the house. My layout is in my room, and the laptop is usually there, so that's why I use JMRI on a Mac.

If indeed JMRI is problematic on Mojave, then I'll just buy a cheap used PC laptop and run that for JMRI use. But still hope to find a solution for my Mac laptop.

[railnerd]

JMRI runs just fine on my machine (10.14.4 (18E226))...  did you upgrade JMRI before or after macOS?

What serial adapter/Locobuffer are you using?

-Dave

[MetroRedLine]

JMRI runs just fine on my machine (10.14.4 (18E226))...  did you upgrade JMRI before or after macOS?

What serial adapter/Locobuffer are you using?

-Dave

Hmm. I transferred my files from a Time Machine backup and it loaded whatever JMRI version I was using before. That didn't work, so I upgraded to 4.14.

I use a Digitrax PR3 USB adaptor with my Zephyr Xtra. I checked the corresponding USB port in the System settings and the PR3 is definitely recognized.
The program opens, but I can't turn the command station "On" via Decoder Pro. The status only reads "Unknown." I can turn on my Zephyr Xtra from its front panel of course, but I can't open any throttles in Decoder Pro.

After closing Decoder Pro, the window closes, but the app still hangs in the background (it still shows up in the program bar). I have to Force Quit to close the program entirely.

[samusi01]

 Have you tried looking at the JMRI users group at the groups.io site? They should be able to offer some good help... a brief glance over there did yield mention of some sort of security settings: https://groups.io/g/jmriusers/message/159415

Don’t know if it’s applicable (not a Mac user aside from iOS) but perhaps a starting point.

Sam

[railnerd]

Sounds like serial driver problems.  Ugh.  Let me check around with my Digitrax friends (I'm using an NCE PowerCab with no issues on Mohave 10.14.4).

You aren't being bitten by the "internal" port bug by chance?

-Dave

[railnerd]

Could also be this:

“If you are currently using JMRI 4.9.6 or earlier, we strongly recommend that you update to JMRI 4.12 <http://jmri.org/releasenotes/jmri4.12.shtml> and make sure that's running OK before updating to this release release. There have been a number of changes in serial port support, panel file format and configuration options since those earlier releases, and moving to the stable JMRI 4.12 <http://jmri.org/releasenotes/jmri4.12.shtml> release is a good way to work through any possible problems.
If you are currently using JMRI 4.7.3 or earlier on Linux or macOS (Windows doesn't need this), you must update to JMRI 4.12 <http://jmri.org/releasenotes/jmri4.12.shtml> and carrying out the migration process described in the JMRI 4.12 release note <http://jmri.org/releasenotes/jmri4.12.shtml#migration> before updating to this release.”

It sounds like any upgrade from older JMRI should upgrade THROUGH 4.12 to fix some problems— they changed some file formats.

[MetroRedLine]

Could also be this:

“If you are currently using JMRI 4.9.6 or earlier, we strongly recommend that you update to JMRI 4.12 <http://jmri.org/releasenotes/jmri4.12.shtml> and make sure that's running OK before updating to this release release. There have been a number of changes in serial port support, panel file format and configuration options since those earlier releases, and moving to the stable JMRI 4.12 <http://jmri.org/releasenotes/jmri4.12.shtml> release is a good way to work through any possible problems.
If you are currently using JMRI 4.7.3 or earlier on Linux or macOS (Windows doesn't need this), you must update to JMRI 4.12 <http://jmri.org/releasenotes/jmri4.12.shtml> and carrying out the migration process described in the JMRI 4.12 release note <http://jmri.org/releasenotes/jmri4.12.shtml#migration> before updating to this release.”

It sounds like any upgrade from older JMRI should upgrade THROUGH 4.12 to fix some problems— they changed some file formats.

I don't think it's that. I last upgraded my JMRI (under my previous MacOS version) earlier this year - February I think? Forgot which version but I know for certain that it's more recent than 4.9.6.

[Onizukachan]

No issue with JMRI on Mojave here, but I’m DCC++

[MetroRedLine]

I finally solved my problem -- I gave up on trying to use my Mac laptop and instead re-purposed my dad's old PC (from 2003) running a fresh install of Windows XP...and JMRI just works

At least going forward I have a dedicated layout computer for running JMRI. Modern computers running the latest OSes are overkill for DCC purposes anyway.

[rapidomike]

I finally solved my problem -- I gave up on trying to use my Mac laptop and instead re-purposed my dad's old PC (from 2003) running a fresh install of Windows XP...and JMRI just works

At least going forward I have a dedicated layout computer for running JMRI. Modern computers running the latest OSes are overkill for DCC purposes anyway.

Best case scenario here. I have some old junker running Vista and JMRI

Now I just need a layout to plug it in to 

[peteski]

Best case scenario here. I have some old junker running Vista and JMRI

Now I just need a layout to plug it in to 

Vista . . . probably the worst Microsoft Operating system ever made (Windows Me comes close second). Nobody really liked it. Even XP seems better. I now find Windows 7 very stable OS.