In TrainController™ 8 Gold the predefined types of switchboard symbols (e.g. for turnouts, signals, switches, buttons, etc.) can be extended by self-created symbol types. These so-called extended accessories can be used to control the following items: • Accessories having more than two digital addresses.
• Accessories (e.g. signals) with more than four states.
• Accessories, which are equipped with locomotive decoders and which are operated with speed, direction or function commands.
• Accessories, which are controlled with different decoders and commands (turnout and locomotive commands).
• Selectrix accessories, which are controlled by several bus addresses or in which more than a bit of a bus address must be changed simultaneously.
The above features can occur in any combination. This allows control of arbitrary equipment (e.g. cranes, machines, working models, lighting, etc.) with unlimited possi- bilities via the switchboard.
All accessories can also be integrated into automated processes. Use of extended Accessories
Extended accessories always consist of two components. The appearance and function- ality of the equipment, e.g. how the device responds on which turnout command, is stored as separate data. This data is called description of the extended accessory. This description can be created by each user himself, but it can also be created by the manu- facturer of the equipment or by experienced users and universally provided. Therefore it is possible to store the information in separate files, and distribute it over the internet. The user of the device then only needs to load the appropriate extended accessory into his project. He can then place one or more symbols for the extended accessory in the switchboard and has only to specify the corresponding digital addresses. This is suffi- cient to control his equipment. For the end user the use of an extended accessory is practically as easy as using one of the standard types (signals, switches, buttons, etc.). The separate authoring of the functionality of the equipment allows, that this process must be done only once – e.g. by an expert, while novice users can then very easily use the equipment in their projects in any number.
The end user specifies one or more digital addresses for each instance of the article in his project. Depending on the configuration of the accessory these are a turnout address, a locomotive address and/or the address of a feedback sensor. If the accessory requires multiple addresses of the same type, e.g. several turnout addresses, then the different addresses are formed by adding an offset to the specified base address. The value of the offset is stored by the expert in the data for each accessory. Users of accessories which do not create such data, do not have to worry about this.
Creation of extended Accessories
The look & feel and the functionality of extended accessories, e.g. how the item re- sponds to which turnout command, is stored as separate data and can also be distributed
Extended accessories are always composed of basic building blocks (controls). For the- se compositions, there are no restrictions so that any combination may be created. Following controls are available:
• Switches for switching of states with the mouse. Such switches have at least two po- sitions (e.g. on/off, or left/right, or red/green, etc.). Switches can also have more than two states. This can be used, for example, to control signals with an arbitrary number of aspects.
• Push Buttons for temporarily activating a state with the mouse. • Contact Indicators, which are associated with feedback sensors.
• Speed Sliders, with which speed steps on a locomotive decoder can be set by drag- ging a slider with the mouse.
• Indicator Controls for displaying states. These have at least two states, but may also have more states like switches. But unlike switches they are used for display pur- poses only and cannot be operated with the mouse.
Arranging the look of an extended Accessory
The authors of extended accessories are provided with many features to arrange the look of the accessory.
First, the size of the accessory can be freely selected. The size is used to define how many columns and lines the symbols, which represent these accessories, occupy in the switchboard.
Furthermore, for each available grid size 12x12, 16x16, 20x20, 24x24 and 28x28 a background image in the overall size of the accessory can be created with the built-in image editor. If the accessory serves for control of a crane, for example, then a stylized image of a crane cab can be selected as background image.
For each control of the accessory and each state of the control individual symbols can be assigned. These symbols can be either selected from the reservoir of built-in symbols or be created with the built-in image editor.
If the author of the accessory does not provide a background or symbol image for a specific grid size, then the image for the next best matching grid size is being used and scaled accordingly.
Finally, it is also possible to hide individual controls of an accessory. This is useful if these controls are only needed for the internal logic of the accessory, but are not re- quired for operation or supervision by the end user. Such hidden controls are not visible for the end user. Also note that hidden controls are not taken into account, when calcu- lating the actual column width and row height of the accessories. So it is quite possible to create a complex accessory with several controls, which occupies only one single switchboard cell.
Operations
The controls of an extended accessories can perform the following operations: • Control of other controls of the same accessory.
• Control flow operations (see page 43). • Special operations for extended accessories.
In particular the latter operations for extended accessories are essential, because these operations specify which turnout or locomotive commands the respective control sends to the connected decoder.
The following operations for extended accessories are available:
• Switch command to switch between the two states of a turnout decoder (e.g. from position red to green, from plus to minus, from closed to thrown, etc).
• Command for turning on or off of the switching current at a single contact of a turn- out decoder (e.g. turn on the switching current for position red).
• Speed command to set speed step on a locomotive decoder. • Direction command (forward / reverse) for locomotive decoders.
• Function command (e.g. light/F0 on, F3 off, etc.) for locomotive decoders.
• Simultaneous changing of one or more bits of a Selectrix bus address (only for Selectrix compatible systems).
These commands can be combined with each other and with the other commands listed above in arbitrary sequences.
Theoretically, it is possible, e.g. to send several turnout and locomotive commands with a single switch.
For each digital command an address offset is to be specified. This value describes what number is added to the base address specified by the end user to determine the actual
four successive turnout addresses. The end user can program the decoder to a base ad- dress (for example 31). The decoder is then automatically associated with the addresses 31 to 34. In the operations, which control the address 33 (base address plus 2), the ad- dress plus 2 is specified by the author of the extended accessory. If the end user of the accessory specifies 31 as the base turnout address, then all operations with address plus 2 will be applied automatically to address 33.
For push button and feedback controls separate sets of operations can be assigned to the two states (on and off) of the control. For switches and indicator controls an individual set of operations can be assigned to each state of the control.
Speed slider controls cannot perform operations. They are only used to send a speed command to a locomotive decoder according to the position of the slider.
With the above operations, the internal logic of an extended accessory is described (in- ternal operations). Additionally, the end user of the accessories can add operations, with which other objects in his individual project can be controlled (external operations). In- ternal operations are always specified by the author of an extended accessory. External operations are always specified by the end user. Assume an extended accessory for a signal with more than four aspects. With the internal operations the author of the acces- sory specifies, how the signal works internally, e.g. which switch commands are sent to the decoder for which signal aspect. In addition, the end user can specify with an exter- nal operation , that the exit of a certain block is locked, when a particular signal symbol of this type shows red. In this way, extended accessories can be integrated into automat- ic processes.
Triggers
For switch and indicator controls it is possible to specify triggers, with which the states of other controls of the same extended accessory can be evaluated. This is in particular essential for indicator controls, because this is the only way to use them effectively. For each state of a switch or indicator control an individual set of triggers can be speci- fied. One trigger, however, should be left blank. It describes the default state of the con- trol, which is set if none of the other triggers apply.
With the above triggers, the internal logic of an extended accessory can be described (internal trigger). Additionally, the end user can also add individual triggers to a switch or indicator controls, with which the states of objects in his individual project can be evaluated (external trigger). Assume an extended accessory for a signal with more than four aspects. With internal triggers the author of the accessory can specify, how signals
ger , that the signal shows red, when a particular block cannot be left. This is a further way to integrate extended accessories into automatic.
Internal and external triggers are linked by Or, i.e. the associated state of the control is set if either the internal or the external or both triggers are met.
Conditions
With the exception of feedback contact controls conditions can be specified for all con- trols of an extended accessory. In these conditions, the states of other controls of the same accessory are evaluated.
For each state of a switch or a indicator control an own condition can be set. For push button and speed slider controls the condition describes, whether the button may be turned on or whether the position of the slider may be changed.
With the above conditions, the internal logic of an extended accessory can be affected (internal conditions). It is for example possible to prescribe, that a signal may be switched from green to yellow only if it is turned to red in the meantime. The end user can also specify additional conditions, with which the states of other objects in his own project can be evaluated (external conditions). He can, for example, prescribe that the permission to pass a signal may only be shown, when a specific block may be left. Internal and external conditions are combined by And, i.e. the condition is fulfilled when both the internal and the external condition is fulfilled.
Use in Operations, Triggers and Conditions
The controls of an extended accessory can not only be used internally, i.e. in the opera- tions, triggers and conditions of other controls of the same accessory.
For the end user, it is also possible, to use the controls of an instance of this accessory in the switchboard in the operations, triggers and conditions of other objects of his own project. This bidirectional linking of extended accessories with the other objects of his own project allows a virtually unlimited integration of functional models, complex sig- nals and other advanced equipment in automatic processes.