Direction of Turnouts not confirm with defines

[klausnahr]

Hi,

yesterday I made my first setup of DCC-EX to test the new turnout decoders from Proto Design Labs. I am using an Arduino Mega and the Arduino Motorshield, no WiFi. The setup process just went smooth without any troubles and quickly I was able to run loco with DCC++ EX Web Throttle. Perfect!

I then connected a Kato N Scale # 4 turnout with an integrated N4L decoder from Proto Design Labs who gets his power from the rails. For test purpose I also connected another Kato turnout with the Digitrax DS51K1 decoder powered from the Main Track too.

The DCC-EX command reference is saying a 1 1 should thrown the turnout. But instead 1 set both turnouts to straight.

a 1 0 => thrown
a 1 1 => closed / straight

And that's compliant to the DCC Norm where 0 = thrown and 1 = straight.

I then took a look at the code of DCCEXParser.cpp, line 317:

// Honour the configuration option (config.h) which allows the command to be reversed
#ifdef DCC_ACCESSORY_COMMAND_REVERSE
DCC::setAccessory(address, subaddress,p[activep]==0);
#else
DCC::setAccessory(address, subaddress,p[activep]==1);
#endif

But there is no DCC_ACCESSORY_COMMAND_REVERSE section / definition in config.h. However, there is:

//#define DCC_TURNOUTS_RCN_213
//#define DCC_ACCESSORY_RCN_213

I don't understand why there are two defines and what is the purpose of having two defines. A turnout decoder is mostly a simple accessory decoder, but could be an extended accessory decoder as well. There are no turnout decoders in the specification, only accessory decoders.

DCC_ACCESSORY_RCN_213 in't used at any place in the code.

DCC_TURNOUT_RCN_213 is used in Turnouts.cpp, line 325 to set a flag which is used in setClosedInternal() and it's doing what the comments say. Thrown = 1 when not compliant with RCN_213 and Straight = 1 when compliant with RCN-213.

setAccessory(address, number, activate) in DCC.cpp is sending 1 when activate = true. That is not compliant to NMRA / RCN-213. When activated a 0 has to be send.

I assume DCC_ACCESSORY_RCN_213 should be evaluated in setAccessory and DCC_TURNOUTS_RCN_213 and DCC_ACCESSORY_COMMAND_REVERSE is obsolet as otherwise they would be evaluated in a chain.

As I think DCC-EX should be follow the specifications there should be no define to follow the specification, there should be rather a define for not follow the specifications. So DCC_ACCESSORY_COMMAND_REVERSE is a good idea, but that should be placed where the DCC command is build in DCC::setAccessory() and not when parsing a command line string or throwing a turnout in setClosedInternal().

For "a 1 0" DCCEXParser::parseOne() will call DCC::setAccessory(1, 0, false) which will generate a package is command 0 = thrown. So when no defines are made that is complaint with RCN-213.

I am confused.

Best regards
Klaus