@GregR posted:

I was excited to see that a new version of the MTH DCS app (3.2.2) was released yesterday after a 5-year period of dormancy. The release notes state there are bug fixes and performance enhancements. I believe that previous comments from MTH mentioned that this release would also contain adjustments to work with the new WTIU.

Unfortunately, the Export command no longer functions in version 3.2.2. If you generate an export of your data under "Advanced Features", the app will no longer generate an attachment which can be emailed to other devices as required to sync your data.  I upgraded three of my devices to version 3.2.2 and export has become disabled on all three. The export command still works on the device that I did not upgrade and left at version 3.2.1.

What improvements or new bugs have you noticed with the release of version 3.2.2?

@MTH RD do you have any comments to share. Can the export issue be addressed? Thank you!

Thats not good.  I use it all the time to sync up my 2 systems.  I always edit all the soft key commands and don't want to have to do that over.  It also then gives you no way to just backup.   Did you report it?

I think I'll wait for the next release.

So what are the improvements that you noticed?  Any?

Thanks,

John

I installed on one of my devices and can confirm that the Export feature is broken...thank goodness I did not update the app on my main device!   

Reported the problem to MTH through the link in the app.

@MTH RD - EXPORT function no longer works. Tried to export using email, messages, Evernote, Dropbox and saving to iCloud Drive. No export data file is generated when clicking EXPORT, only a text file that says "Click the attachment to import to the MTH WiFi DCS application installed on this device" is created and sent/saved...NO DATA FILE.

Everything else functioned normally/OK on the iPhone app, honestly, I did not see any difference in functionality.  I'm going to go test a export from iPad on previous version and see if new version on iPhone is able to import.

I finally got around to testing export (from my iPad running v3.2.1 app) and import (to my iPhone running 3.2.2 app) and have mixed results...see below.

Unable to import to the new v3.2.2 app (on iPhone) from an export file created on v3.2.1 app (on iPad) when using iCloud Drive as the storage medium between the two devices. I typically export/import using iCloud Drive as the storage medium and have been doing it this way for a long time between my iPad and iPhone. After updating the iPhone to v3.2.2, the error I get during import is “There was a problem during initial processing of the import file.”

While the export/import does not work (from 3.2.1 to 3.2.2) using iCloud Drive as the storage medium, I am able to export (from v3.2.1) and import (to v3.3.2) transferring the file via email, Apple Notes, and Evernote.

@Kevin MacDowell posted:

I finally got around to testing export (from my iPad running v3.2.1 app) and import (to my iPhone running 3.2.2 app) and have mixed results...see below.

Unable to import to the new v3.2.2 app (on iPhone) from an export file created on v3.2.1 app (on iPad) when using iCloud Drive as the storage medium between the two devices. I typically export/import using iCloud Drive as the storage medium and have been doing it this way for a long time between my iPad and iPhone. After updating the iPhone to v3.2.2, the error I get during import is “There was a problem during initial processing of the import file.”

While the export/import does not work (from 3.2.1 to 3.2.2) using iCloud Drive as the storage medium, I am able to export (from v3.2.1) and import (to v3.3.2) transferring the file via email, Apple Notes, and Evernote.

That's interesting.  Are you able to export /import when both devices are on 3.2.2?  Even if I had to send through e-mail to get the file it would be worth it if it works.

I have been able to import into 3.2.2 from files created using 3.2.1, using the email attachment method.

I have an Ipad Mini 4, iPhone 8 and iPhone 11 which upgraded to 3.2.2. They can no longer export.  My older iPhone 6 can still export because it could not upgrade to 3.2.2 and stayed at 3.2.1.

Therefore, until these issues are corrected, I will need to be sure to update information only on the old iPhone 6, and then export to the other, newer devices.

I am still eager to know if anyone is aware of any bugs which were fixed or other app enhancements?

@GregR posted:

I am still eager to know if anyone is aware of any bugs which were fixed or other app enhancements?

I wonder if they just added compatibility for newer devices that did not support the previous version.

I ran trains last night.  No issues to report from my end.  To be honest, I didn't notice any changes.  I hadn't tried the export import as I primarily run this from one iPad.  I do back up the iPad from time to time, but hadn't attempted that last night.

John

@Sean's Train Depot posted:

That's interesting.  Are you able to export /import when both devices are on 3.2.2?  Even if I had to send through e-mail to get the file it would be worth it if it works.

Sean...I doubt that it would work since the only data that v3.2.2 exports (for me) is a small text file that says "Click the attachment to import to the MTH WiFi DCS application installed on this device."   I'm not willing to corrupt my main train control device (ancient iPad) so I'm going to leave it where it is on v3.2.1 which works just fine.

I think I will install v3.2.2 on my wife's "newer" model iPad and see if there is any difference...heck, she might start running trains with me now if she has the app!!!

I didn’t even realize I had the update on my regular iPhone - an Apple 12 - until after seeing this thread and checking my phone. I was in the basement right before running trains using this phone and did not notice any difference. In fact, I was also using my old Apple 6 which still has version 3.2.1 and there was zero difference between it and the 12 insofar as simply operating a train. I had no need to use the lashup option so I’ll yield to earlier posters who identified an issue with that function.

Curt

Another bug?  I attempted to set up a “route” this evening and when I went to designate switches for the route, no switches appeared on screen.  And like you, I couldn’t do the export either.  I hadn’t tried to set up a lash up, but suspect I’d encounter the same situation as posted here.  Let me know if any of you had my routing problem.  Thanks!

Bob

I just ran trains using the updated app tonight.    I have one of the newer iPhones where it uses the screen with the Dynamic Island.  The earlier app ran into the top of the screen.  The drop down get to add or read the engines on the upper right screen was overlapping with the battery / wifi display.  Most of the time I could not get that function to work and read the trails.   I usually did not use it on a phone.   The new fixes this issue and the edit / drop down is below the battery and where the Dynamic Island feature.   I also liked how the accessory activated.   Not sure if this changed, but it has been a while since I used this feature vs. on the remote.  

I am using an iPhone 15 with the Dynamic Island. Version 3.2.1 was almost unusable with my phone. So I was using my old iPhone 8 but it would not hold a charge for more than an hour. With the updated app everything lines up on my iPhone 15.

I have run into another bug. I cannot add new TMCC/Legacy engines. I can modify the existing TMCC/Legacy engines but I never get the “Done” button when adding new engines.

-Ryan

@Ryan Mc posted:

I am using an iPhone 15 with the Dynamic Island. Version 3.2.1 was almost unusable with my phone. So I was using my old iPhone 8 but it would not hold a charge for more than an hour. With the updated app everything lines up on my iPhone 15.

I have run into another bug. I cannot add new TMCC/Legacy engines. I can modify the existing TMCC/Legacy engines but I never get the “Done” button when adding new engines.

-Ryan

My Problem as well....I cannot add new TMCC/Legacy engines.  No "Done" button.  It's there but not lit up and won't function.

Five years gestation and we're the beta testers. UNACCEPTABLE. I'm glad I have my TIU, handheld and WIU.

Gerry

@Jim Teeple posted:

I wish mth would reconsider using their own wireless remote with the new WTIU, something they would have complete controll over. I understand the Remote can be used in tether mode with the WTIU , that is a step backward in my mind.

Welcome to the new world.  Like I said elsewhere, get used to this kind of issue with the phone apps.  When you relinquish control of the whole product to a trillion dollar phone company, they could care less if your app works with their new update.

They are aware of the problem, here is a e-mail reply from Dave at MTH.

"We made some last minute tweaks and didn’t think they would touch anything else.  Well, they did and we didn’t redo 100% full revalidation testing.  Bit me in the ....."

They will get these things taken care of.

Scott Smith

@Jim Teeple posted:

i think MTH failures have for the last time ruined my Christmas , first the TIU failed and I decided to tun some of them in conventional mode and bought a MTH DCS explorer to add some features to one loop and now this.   Time to unload this stuff and go to lionel.

The bugs reported in the latest release cannot be used with the Explorer. That loop will run just fine.

well then there is a problem with the new explorer unit

it finds the engine, powers up, runs forward and when i hit the minus the spedometer goes to 110 and the train tales off , have3 to unplug to stop runaway train then reset everything to have it start ove with same results, tried several engines and even tried ot on a 3 ft track isolated from everything else. in the basement floor.

@Jim Teeple posted:

well then there is a problem with the new explorer unit

it finds the engine, powers up, runs forward and when i hit the minus the spedometer goes to 110 and the train tales off , have3 to unplug to stop runaway train then reset everything to have it start ove with same results, tried several engines and even tried ot on a 3 ft track isolated from everything else. in the basement floor.

No, there is nothing wrong with the explorer unit. The explorer is nothing more than an off the shelf wifi module, and then the mainboard has power circuitry and regulation. Since the track has constant power and we are in DCS command mode- the only way with can happen is if a command is sent by the tablet and app. The Explorer and the TIU are just the path for the command to get there from the app to the train.

Now can it be your tablet and screen and touch interface acting as input to the app? Yes, 100%

Could it be the case or a cracked screen or other action that causes the input of the screen to be read into the app to go full speed? Yes, 100%

But no, no it's most definitely not the explorer (or if we were talking TIU_WIU- same thing). It's just a way of repeating the command, it's not doing any thinking or reaction.

I recently bought a WIU as a back-up in case my remote dies.  When I read these posts about wifi/phone connections not working properly, I'm beginning to think my remote is the true back up.  Good thing I have a back-up remote, too, so that if the back-up fails, I have a back-up because my new back-up is no longer a back-up. 

Thank you Vernon , as usual Operator error , I used my wife's phone and all is well, then I examined my screen and found several fine cracks being held together by the screen protector, and another thing i believe was happening,  my fat fingers were not just hitting the  + button , they were also hitting the 100 on the spedometer,  to stop that i set the maxium speed to 60 MPH now there is nothing near the + button to accidently hit.

Thanks again for taking time out of your day to get me thru this so grand Children and great grandchildren can once again enjoy PaPa's layout.

Merry Christmas.

Has anyone run across this issue? I upgraded my Premium app today on my iPad with iOS 17, to Version 3.2.2 . Well, I lost all my advanced features. (operating switches, running Legacy, and TMCC trains, etc ). The app is telling me I have to pay for an upgrade to Premium again to get those features back. The good news is my old remotes work fine.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Welcome to the new world.  Like I said elsewhere, get used to this kind of issue with the phone apps.  When you relinquish control of the whole product to a trillion dollar phone company, they could care less if your app works with their new update.

Or you could just have good developers that know how to deliver software and keep it up to date.  It’s not hard - but it does cost money or a willingness to embrace open source.  I would bet if MTH or Lionel opened up their specs within a week there would be much better free apps and probably some homebrew wifi remote controls with buttons and screens.

@ChrisFromCle posted:

Or you could just have good developers that know how to deliver software and keep it up to date.  It’s not hard - but it does cost money or a willingness to embrace open source.  I would bet if MTH or Lionel opened up their specs within a week there would be much better free apps and probably some homebrew wifi remote controls with buttons and screens.

I'll bet you're right, but I don't see that happening.

@ChrisFromCle posted:

Or you could just have good developers that know how to deliver software and keep it up to date.  It’s not hard - but it does cost money or a willingness to embrace open source.  I would bet if MTH or Lionel opened up their specs within a week there would be much better free apps and probably some homebrew wifi remote controls with buttons and screens.

The communications between the app and the WIU are not encrypted, they can be easily deciphered with free utilities by anyone with the willingness to develop their independent app. I'm sure the lawyers would agree that you would have to offer it for free though.

Mark DiVecchio did this exact thing with the DCS remote protocols transmitted wirelessly to the TIU so that one could build their own 900MHz transceiver to control their trains using a program developed for the PC.

@jimcap posted:

Has anyone run across this issue? I upgraded my Premium app today on my iPad with iOS 17, to Version 3.2.2 . Well, I lost all my advanced features. (operating switches, running Legacy, and TMCC trains, etc ). The app is telling me I have to pay for an upgrade to Premium again to get those features back.

Should not require buying the upgrade again.

@Vernon Barry posted:

I had to log into the app store- just to make sure I was still logged in, open the DCS app, at the top right under the upgrade there is a "Restore" I hit that, and then my License showed up.

@Vernon Barry posted:

Should not require buying the upgrade again.

The restore did the trick. Thank you, my friend!

Did MTH send out the reason for the upgrade? If not they need someone to manage this process.

@ChiTown Steve posted:

Did MTH send out the reason for the upgrade? If not they need someone to manage this process.

They previously had not updated the app for about 5 years. This was supposed to resolve some bugs and compatibility  issues.

I agree, the result with not just one function broken (import/export), but also lashups, and then further, the response of the developer is out of town we cannot do anything, just makes this that much worse. The app store system, lack of any previous version rollback option, is just that much more of a problem specially on what is one of the most prominent train usage times (days before Christmas) with no chance of resolution other than workarounds or living with the limitations (again, lack of rollback to previous version, or another emergency version release).

Edit- I'll also add, now that Atlas is also using DCS and PS3, it's one thing for MTH R&D to have one parent company mad, but 2?

Merry Christmas.

Maybe 2024 will be a better year.

Exactly right Vernon.

Peace to All.

This fiasco just inspires tons of confidence in the move to only having a smart device interface and no physical remote.   STRIKE ONE!

I was just rebuilding the library in my new phone.  Just got it done to block me from transferring it to my iPads.😠

it seems to me the system is talking to one wiu or the other but not both. Having to read and search for the engines all the time.

Yeah, I retract my earlier comments above about “no difference”. The app worked fine on my iPhone 12 till I changed trains today.

Once an engine has been selected and started up, all goes well for 3-5 minutes then the phone seems to “lose” the engine. If I hit refresh then the phone can’t find the WIU. After thirty minutes of frustration I gave up and deleted the app from my iPhone 12. Running trains with either my old iPhone 6 (still on 3.2.1) or the DCS remote seems the best way to go till MTH gets this straightened out.

I guess one big question I would toss out to the MTH folks is just how robust the testing of this upgrade was.

Curt

@juniata guy posted:

Yeah, I retract my earlier comments above about “no difference”. The app worked fine on my iPhone 12 till I changed trains today.

Once an engine has been selected and started up, all goes well for 3-5 minutes then the phone seems to “lose” the engine. If I hit refresh then the phone can’t find the WIU. After thirty minutes of frustration I gave up and deleted the app from my iPhone 12. Running trains with either my old iPhone 6 (still on 3.2.1) or the DCS remote seems the best way to go till MTH gets this straightened out.

I guess one big question I would toss out to the MTH folks is just how robust the testing of this upgrade was.

Curt

I think that the Apple folks might have thrown them a curveball when they did their latest IOS update.   It ain't the first time this has happened, and it sure won't be the last!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I think that the Apple folks might have thrown them a curveball when they did their latest IOS update.   It ain't the first time this has happened, and it sure won't be the last!

John

These things are not Apple and Androids fault, the put the beta software and the developer notes out there. It's up to the developers to keep there apps alive.  I am surprised the apps made it 5 years.

Software support by the manufacturers is not a new issue. Heck years ago I went to a DCS meeting st York. MTH was there talking about the new developer the hired and how he's was documenting the current software as they were telling us.  Then nothing but crickets.

Not sure who the MTH R&D guy is who is posting, but I think he's told us more things in the past few months than anyone at MTH software ever has.

@cbojanower posted:

These things are not Apple and Androids fault, the put the beta software and the developer notes out there. It's up to the developers to keep there apps alive.  I am surprised the apps made it 5 years..

No argument from me, if you commit to using a phone for your remote, you also have to commit to providing the support required to keep it running.

FWIW, the Lionel App doesn't run on older phones, another issue.  The fallacy that you'd keep your older phone for use as a remote fell apart here, my Android Note 8 won't run the Lionel Lionchief App, so much for that idea.