EX-RAIL Command Summary

Notes

  • AUTOMATION, ROUTE, and SEQUENCE use the same ID number space, so a FOLLOW(n) command can be used for any of them.

  • Sensors and outputs used by AT/AFTER/SET/RESET/LATCH/UNLATCH/SERVO/IF/IFNOT refer directly to Arduino pins, and those handled by I2C expansion.

  • Signals also refer directly to pins, and the signal ID (for RED/AMBER/GREEN) is always the same as the RED signal pin.

  • It’s OK to use sensor IDs that have no physical item in the layout. These can only be LATCHed, tested (IF/IFNOT), or UNLATCHed in the scripts. If a sensor is latched by the script, it can only be unlatched by the script… so AT(35) LATCH(35) for example, effectively latches sensor 35 on when detected once. Only sensors with ID’s 0 to 255 may be LATCHED/UNLATCHED in your script.

  • All IDs used in commands and functions will be numbers, or an ALIAS name if configured.

  • Most IDs simply need to be unique, however RESERVE/FREE and LATCH/UNLATCH must be in the range 0 - 255.

Note

There are four uses of ID numbers in EX-RAIL:

  • AUTOMATION, ROUTE, and SEQUENCE IDs

  • Turnout IDs

  • Pin IDs - Includes physical pins on the CommandStation, virtual pins (Vpins) on I/O extender modules, and virtual pins that have no physical presence

  • Virtual block IDs as used in RESERVE/FREE

Therefore, you can have an AUTOMATION, a turnout, a Vpin, and a virtual block all defined with the same ID without issue as these will not relate to each other. This is probably a great reason to consider aliases to avoid confusion.

Command Summary

Diagnostics & Control

There are some diagnostic and control commands added to the <tag> language normally used to control the Command Station over USB, WiFi or Ethernet. You can enter these Commands < > through both the Arduino IDE Serial Monitor and the JMRI Send DCC++ Command pane.

DCC++ EX Commands

Description

<D EXRAIL ON|OFF>

Turns on/off diagnostic traces for EX-RAIL events

</ PAUSE>

Pauses all automation - all locos E-STOP

</ RESUME>

Resumes all automation - all locos are restarted at the speed when paused

</ START [loco_addr] route_id>

Starts a new task to send a loco onto a Route, or activate a non-loco Animation or Sequence

</>

Displays EX-RAIL running task information

</ KILL task_id>

Kills a currently running script task by ID (use </> to list task IDs)

</ RESERVE block_id>

Manually reserves a virtual track Block

</ FREE block_id>

Manually frees a virtual track Block

</ LATCH sensor_id>

Lock sensor ON, preventing external influence

</ UNLATCH sensor_id>

Unlock sensor, returning to current external state

</ ROUTES>

*Under Construction* Returns the Routes & Automations control list in WiThrottle format. JMRI integration only!

</ RED signal_id>

Set the specified signal red

</ AMBER signal_id>

Set the specified signal amber

</ GREEN signal_id>

Set the specified signal green

Automations, Routes and Sequences

EXRAIL Functions

Description

— Script Definition Items —

AUTOMATION( id, “description” )

Start a Automation Sequence and creates a WiThrottles {Handoff} button to automatically send a train along.

ROUTE( id, “description” )

Start of a Route Sequence and creates a WiThrottles {Set} button to manual drive the train along

SEQUENCE( id )

A general purpose Sequence for scenic animations, etc.

ENDTASK or DONE

Completes a Animation/Routes/Sequence Event handler, etc.

— Object definitions —

ALIAS( name[, value ])

Assign names to values. Can go anywhere in the script

SIGNAL( red_pin, amber_pin, green_pin )

Define a signal (RED/AMBER/GREEN commands always use the first red_pin as the signal_id for All signal colors)

SIGNALH(redpin, amberpin, greenpin)

Same as signal but for active-HIGH LEDs

TURNOUT( id, addr, sub_addr [, “description”] )

Define DCC Accessory turnout

PIN_TURNOUT( id, pin [, “description”] )

Define pin operated turnout

SERVO_TURNOUT( id, pin, active_angle, inactive_angle, profile [, “description”] )

Define a servo turnout (profile is one of Instant, Fast, Medium, Slow, or Bounce - bounce is probably not ideal for turnouts!)

VIRTUAL_TURNOUT( id [, “description”] )

Define a virtual turnout that will be visible to throttles, but refer to an automation sequence rather than a physical turnout.

SERVO_SIGNAL(vpin, redpos, amberpos, greenpos)

Define a servo signal

— Flow control functions —

CALL( route )

Branch to a separate sequence expecting a RETURN

FOLLOW( route )

Branch or Follow a numbered sequence (think of “GOTO”)

RETURN

Return to caller (see CALL)

DELAY( delay )

Delay a number of milliseconds

DELAYMINS( delay )

Delay a number of minutes

DELAYRANDOM( min_delay, max_delay )

Delay a random time between min and max milliseconds

IF( sensor_id )

If sensor activated or latched, continue. Otherwise skip to ELSE or matching ENDIF

IFNOT( sensor_id )

If sensor NOT activated and NOT latched, continue. Otherwise skip to ELSE or matching ENDIF

IFCLOSED( turnout_id )

Check if turnout is closed

IFGTE( sensor_id, value )

Test if analog pin reading is greater than or equal to value (>=)

IFLT( sensor_id, value )

Test if analog pin reading is less than value (<)

IFRANDOM( percent )

Runs commands in IF block a random percentage of the time

IFTHROWN( turnout_id )

Test if turnout is thrown

IFRESERVE( block )

If block is NOT reserved, reserves it and run commands in IF block. Otherwise, skip to matching ENDIF

IFTIMEOUT

Tests if “timed out” flag has been set by an ATTIMEOUT sensor reading attempt

IFRED( signal_id )

Tests if signal is red

IFAMBER( signal_id )

Tests if signal is amber

IFGREEN( signal_id )

Tests if signal is green

ELSE

Provides alternative logic to any IF related command returning False

ENDIF

Required to end an IF/IFNOT/etc (Used in all IF.. functions)

— Command Station functions —

POWERON

Power on track, will UNJOIN programming from main (not implemented yet)

POWEROFF

Power off track

JOIN

Joins PROG and MAIN track outputs to send the same MAIN DCC signal on both tracks

UNJOIN

Disconnect Prog track from Main DCC signal

READ_LOCO

Read loco ID from Prog track

POM( cv, value )

Program CV value on main

LCD( row, msg )

Write message on a LCD/OLED screen if one is declared and used

BROADCAST ( msg )

Broadcasts the specified text to all connected throttles/JMRI, over both serial and WiFi

PRINT( msg )

Print diagnostic message to the IDE Serial Monitor and JMRI DCC++ Traffic Monitor

SERIAL( msg )

Writes direct to Serial (Serial0/USB)

SERIAL1( msg )

Writes direct to Serial1

SERIAL2( msg )

Writes direct to Serial2

SERIAL3( msg )

Writes direct to Serial3

— EX-RAIL functions —

PAUSE

E-STOP all locos and PAUSE all other EX-RAIL tasks until RESUMEd

RESUME

Resume all paused tasks, including loco movement

RESERVE( block_id )

Reserve a block (0-255). If already reserved, current loco will STOP and script waits for block to become free

FREE( block_id )

Free previously reserved block

START( sequence_id )

Start a new task to execute a route or sequence

SETLOCO( loco )

Set the loco address for this task

SENDLOCO( loco, route )

Start a new task send a given loco along given route/sequence

AUTOSTART

A task is automatically started at this point during startup

ROSTER( loco, name, func_map )

Provide Engine Roster and F-Key info from the Command Station directly to WiThrottle Apps, see Roster entries for examples

DRIVE( analog_pin )

*Under Construction* Not complete, DO NOT USE

— Loco DCC functions —

ESTOP

Emergency stop loco

FWD( speed )

Drive loco forward at DCC speed 0-127 (1=ESTOP)

REV( speed )

Drive logo in reverse at DCC speed 0-127 (1=ESTOP)

SPEED( speed )

Drive loco in current direction at DCC speed (0-127)

STOP

Set loco speed to 0 (same as SPEED(0) )

FON( func )

Turn on loco function

FOFF( func )

Turn off loco function

INVERT_DIRECTION

Switches FWD/REV meaning for this loco

— Sensor input & event handlers —

AT( sensor_id )

Wait until sensor is active/triggered

ATTIMEOUT( sensor_id, timeout_ms )

Wait until sensor is active/triggered, or if the timer runs out, then continue and set a testable “timed out” flag

ATGTE( analogpin, value)

waits for analog pin to reach value

ATLT (analogpin,value)

waits for analog pin to go below value

AFTER( sensor_id )

Waits for sensor to trigger and then go off for 0.5 seconds

LATCH( sensor_id )

Latches a sensor on (Sensors 0-255 only)

UNLATCH( sensor_id )

Remove LATCH on sensor

ONCLOSE( turnout_id )

Event handler for turnout close

ONTHROW( turnout_id )

Event handler for turnout thrown

ONACTIVATE( addr, sub_addr )

Event handler for 2 part DCC accessory packet value 1

ONACTIVATEL( linear )

Event handler for linear DCC accessory packet value 1

ONDEACTIVATE( addr, sub_addr )

Event handler for 2 part DCC accessory packet value 0

ONDEACTIVATEL( linear )

Event handler for linear DCC accessory packet value 0

WAITFOR( pin )

Wait for servo to complete movement

— Action output functions —

SET( pin )

Set an output pin (set to HIGH)

RESET( pin )

Reset output pin (set to LOW)

CLOSE( turnout_id )

Close a defined turnout

THROW( id )

Throw a defined turnout

GREEN( signal_id )

Set a defined signal to GREEN (see SIGNAL)

AMBER( signal_id )

Set a defined signal to Amber. (See SIGNAL)

RED( signal_id )

Set defined signal to Red (See SIGNAL)

FADE( pin, value, ms )

Fade an LED on a servo driver to given value and taking a given time

LCN( msg )

Send message to LCN Accessory Network

MOVETT( vpin, steps, activity )

Move a turntable the number of steps relative to home, and perform the activity (refer Turntable-EX documentation)

SERVO( id, position, profile )

Move an animation servo. Do NOT use for Turnouts. (profile is one of Instant, Fast, Medium, Slow or Bounce)

SERVO2( id, position, duration )

Move an animation servo taking duration in ms. Do NOT use for Turnouts

XFON( cab, func )

Send DCC function ON to specific cab (eg coach lights) Not for Loco use - use FON instead!

XFOFF( cab, func )

Send DCC function OFF to specific cab (eg coach lights) Not for Loco use - use FON instead!

ACTIVATE( addr, sub_addr )

Sends a DCC accessory packet with value 1

ACTIVATEL( linear )

Sends a DCC accessory packet with value 1 to a linear address

DEACTIVATE( addr, sub_addr )

Sends a DCC accessory packet with value 0

DEACTIVATEL( addr )

Sends a DCC accessory packet with value 0 to a linear address