Cant rename PS-2 engine

Replace  the battery with a BCR.

@Freight Train Jim posted:

Replace  the battery with a BCR.

The engine is showing none of the usual signs of an old / faulty battery. As I said, all other functions seem totally fine.

Besides, would a battery be the cause of such a specific issue? Perhaps it would, I'm not sure, but it seems unlikely to me.

test the battery to see how it holds up

kill the power and see how long sounds play

it is from 2005

@VonFrank posted:

The engine is showing none of the usual signs of an old / faulty battery. As I said, all other functions seem totally fine.

Besides, would a battery be the cause of such a specific issue? Perhaps it would, I'm not sure, but it seems unlikely to me.

This is how I understand the rename process.

The remote or instance of the app has a database with the ID slots. The displayed name is a value in one of the tables or locations. When you edit name, you are making an overlay name- in other words, that edit is in the remote database and just displaying a new name for that ID slot. Again the data and especially that display name is stored in the remote.

That said- only with an MTH upgrade kit chain files PS3 (or firmware PS2 upgrade kit) boards had a firmware with a BLANK name. This firmware also would get sent the updated name as part of the renaming process at the end and could store that name in the engines memory. I must warn- this is NOT permanent. This is stored in the engine- however, if you did a reset to factory defaults- this name reverts back to totally blank. Again this is specific to MTH upgrade kit boards- and if you happen to flash new chain files- this function goes away. As such it does not apply to all stacker boards- only those that again- came as an upgrade kit and flashed with upgrade kit chain files.

So- as a guess- this is a normal engine (meaning non  upgrade kit) situation, you as a consumer are not able to change anything in the engine serial number file because you do not have access and yes- displayed name is part of that file. Only Authorized MTH service techs with Dealer loader can change that value.

But again, what I think is- this is 99.999999999999% in the remote, You edit the name and at the last step are doing the "D" for done which saves and updates the remote- and yes in theory sends a command to the engine- and that command would not execute to save in the engine side- for anything but an upgrade kit board based engine- which yours is not.

Again, what I am saying is- this failure is possibly all in the remote firmware. Something in your engine list database in the remote, or firmware, or some other glitch is preventing you from saving IN THE REMOTE- it's got NOTHING to do with the engine- I mean yes, it sends the command but even in failure- the remote should still be saving and yet is not.

This makes me ask?

What version of firmware is on the remote and your TIU? Ideally 6.1

I realize it is a pain, but have you deleted and then re-added the engine, and THEN tried to rename?

Last resort- have you tried restoring a remote to factorty defaults thus clearing your entire database (probably back it up before doing this to PC) and then attempting to add and change the name of this engine?

@Vernon Barry posted:

This is how I understand the rename process.

The remote or instance of the app has a database with the ID slots. The displayed name is a value in one of the tables or locations. When you edit name, you are making an overlay name- in other words, that edit is in the remote database and just displaying a new name for that ID slot. Again the data and especially that display name is stored in the remote.

That said- only with an MTH upgrade kit chain files PS3 (or firmware PS2 upgrade kit) boards had a firmware with a BLANK name. This firmware also would get sent the updated name as part of the renaming process at the end and could store that name in the engines memory. I must warn- this is NOT permanent. This is stored in the engine- however, if you did a reset to factory defaults- this name reverts back to totally blank. Again this is specific to MTH upgrade kit boards- and if you happen to flash new chain files- this function goes away. As such it does not apply to all stacker boards- only those that again- came as an upgrade kit and flashed with upgrade kit chain files.

So- as a guess- this is a normal engine (meaning non  upgrade kit) situation, you as a consumer are not able to change anything in the engine serial number file because you do not have access and yes- displayed name is part of that file. Only Authorized MTH service techs with Dealer loader can change that value.

But again, what I think is- this is 99.999999999999% in the remote, You edit the name and at the last step are doing the "D" for done which saves and updates the remote- and yes in theory sends a command to the engine- and that command would not execute to save in the engine side- for anything but an upgrade kit board based engine- which yours is not.

Again, what I am saying is- this failure is possibly all in the remote firmware. Something in your engine list database in the remote, or firmware, or some other glitch is preventing you from saving IN THE REMOTE- it's got NOTHING to do with the engine- I mean yes, it sends the command but even in failure- the remote should still be saving and yet is not.

This makes me ask?

What version of firmware is on the remote and your TIU? Ideally 6.1

I realize it is a pain, but have you deleted and then re-added the engine, and THEN tried to rename?

Last resort- have you tried restoring a remote to factorty defaults thus clearing your entire database (probably back it up before doing this to PC) and then attempting to add and change the name of this engine?

Thanks for the detailed response.

This does make sense in some ways, but not in others. The main reason being: I've successfully renamed every other engine on my layout with no issues. 4 of them are PS-3, and one other PS-2. Would there be reason that this particular PS-2 engine has an issue and not the other? The firmware on my TIU and remote is also the latest version (6.1 I believe?).

I swear I have transplanted boards in the past and renamed them. If reset, they lose their changed name.

I have not done it recently. I know that it takes the MTH dealer loader to change it permanently. I thought the remote could change any engine to any name.

I believe your correct about the remote storing the name. I just wonder if the board stores it too (temporarily).

I could not follow vernon's post.  But the name change would be stored in the engine I believe.  I think the issue maybe memory size for an engine with trolley Flash and sound file.  Old memory here so I will not swear by it, but I don't think you can do this with a PCC unless you use the dealer loader program and change serial data name.  G

@VonFrank posted:

Thanks for the detailed response.

This does make sense in some ways, but not in others. The main reason being: I've successfully renamed every other engine on my layout with no issues. 4 of them are PS-3, and one other PS-2. Would there be reason that this particular PS-2 engine has an issue and not the other? The firmware on my TIU and remote is also the latest version (6.1 I believe?).

When you add an engine- this is a rather complicated 2 way process where the engine replies back with some data like the name and road number and the remote is storing and saving that info into the remote database. Again, DCS is a bidirectional communications protocol all the way to the remote. There are dozens of ways that data could be corrupted. It could be the communications on the track between TIU and engine, or it could be over the RF link between the remote and the TIU- in either direction.

So- that entry in your DCS remote database could be corrupted. This could be why it fails when trying to rename.

Tests that you could do:

Add the engine to yet another ID location in the remote. This could be accomplished by deleting the current ID, then ensuring yet another ID slot in the remote database is also cleared, then adding the engine again hoping it then takes this new ID slot- then try the rename.

Or using a second DCS remote, add the engine so it increments to a different ID slot

Or reset the entire remote and try just this engine.

I asked this question at least a dozen years ago.

I swapped shells on a PCC car and wanted to re-name it, but could never do it (no problem with any other type of PS-2 engine).  I could never re-name any of the others I have either.

I was told, here on the forum (I think maybe by Barry, but it has been so long that I cannot remember) that because of the way the streetcars are set up/programmed from the factory, they could not be re-named.  Something to do with specific streetcar features.