How to use Java Model Railroad Interface in Bionicpup32?

[LarryP]

Greetings and salutations, new guy here with new guy questions.

The background: I want a computer for my train room to run Java Model Railroad Interface (JMRI). I was going to build one from a Raspberry Pi but they are currently made of unobtainium. I have obtained two HP Mini computers, one is a Mini 110-1030NR and the other is a Mini 210-2070NR.

The 210 had no hard drive when I got it, I have since installed a 512MB SSD and put BionicPup32 on it. I am pleased with the results but I have not been able to figure out how to get JRMI installed on it. The 110 came with Windows XP installed, which is so out of date that it is practically unusable.

So now here are the questions.

For the 210, does anyone have any suggestions, instructions, etc. for installing JMRI with BionicPup?

For the 110, is there a better distro than BionicPup32?

[rockedge]

Hello @LarryP Welcome to the Kennels.

I am not that familiar with JMRI but I can look into seeing what it takes to get it running. I find these projects very interesting. Have you ever seen the model train installation in Hamburg Germany? Mind blowing. You will need to add the Java components to Bionic32 most likely but as I have said, not really sure yet!

[LarryP]

I have not seen it, but I am familiar with it. Maybe one day.

I think i got the Java JRE installed correctly...I think...I hope...

One day I should learn to code. Then maybe I would know how to check.

If it were easy, everyone would do it.

[muggins]

Hello LarryP,

To check if java is installed OK, just open a terminal, and enter:

Code: Select all

java --version

I downloaded https://github.com/JMRI/JMRI/releases/d ... 8dfc32.tgz & just
extracted it, then ran DecoderPro and it seems ready to go...but that's as far as I went, as there
seems to be a lot if stuff to play with...good luck.

[LarryP]

Thanks for the assist, I did manage to figure out that I have the correct version of Java installed.

Apparently I now have JMRI installed as well. So new question...how do I run it? I can't even find the files now, but the system assures me it is there. I am sure there is a way to put the icons on the desktop but I have no idea how this is done.

[ndujoe2]

your new word is a good one to describe the supply chain world we live in at present :

unobtainium

[spiritwild]

did you extract the file or did it ask you to install it?

I messed with it but theres a lot going on with that program that's a bit over my head.

It installs to /JMRI

I ran the commandline /JMRI/InstallTest and it barked a bunch of things out of my realm but it did load a configuation app.
Seems easier to actually run a real loco than the interface
Last model railroad I ran was in the 80's and just realized they were run on phone apps now.

[muggins]

to locate where it installed, in a terminal, run:

Code: Select all

find / -name DecoderPro