Roadmap

[matt-vdv]

I have started work on the wiki locally, and I was thinking it would be a good idea to publish a roadmap so people can see where we are going with the project. Here are my ideas:

• Unified settings page
• Turnout control

Please let me know if these are ok to be added to the roadmap. If they are good suggestions, I will open an issue for each one individually so we can work out more details and track progress.

[FrightRisk]

I think that is a great idea. Let's get Mani's input as well. I know he had some ideas and added a different throttle in his branch. I need to check that we are getting all the response messages from the CS. That would have helped debugging the CS the other day when some of the Fn buttons were not correct

[ManiAkasapu]

@matt-hu How are you imaging Unified settings ? I am thinking to have menu with (may be) 3 items:

1. Throttle
2. Function mappings (Manage function labels, buttons etc)
3. User preferences (default throttle, theme etc)

Roadmap:

1. Throttles speed controllers (Vertical, Circular, Knob, Lever etc @FrightRisk please add some standard list Max 5)
2. Themes (Simplistic, Metal, Dark) - for now these 3

Other roadmap Items in the preferred order.

1. Verify the code for scalability & modularity. So that different parts of the throttle(page) can be added and modified easily.
2. Store Train data in the throttle
3. Acquire multiple trains and seamless switching between them
4. Page to manage turnouts and accessories
5. Turnout& Accessory control.

[matt-vdv]

@ManiAkasapu, I was thinking of a unified settings page, should have made it clearer.

The reason I suggested this is we have toggles dotted around the interface such as vertical sliders, debug console and there are just going to be more added over time.

Themes sounds like a good idea by the way!

[matt-vdv]

Also @FrightRisk, could I suggest the inclusion of TrainLink. TrainLink is an API that I am maintaining, it is currently in early stages of development.

Basically, it allows multiple throttles to connect to one server and stay in sync, meaning of you change the speed on one device, it will update in realtime on another. Here is the repo

[ManiAkasapu]

@FrightRisk @matt-hu I completed Dark theme, multi speed controller support and merged. I have tested only on emulator. Please test it on serial mode.

[matt-vdv]

@ManiAkasapu I will test that later.

Are you going to start sorting what you said about scalability?

I am trying out a concept for the unified settings page, I will post a screenshot when I have made a bit more progress.

[ManiAkasapu]

@matt-hu I separated out the Speed controller code hence I am able to Add 3 different sliders for speed controlling. This is good for now.

[matt-vdv]

By the way, feel free to add to the roadmap page in the wiki, or comment here and I will add it.

[FrightRisk]

I approve all these additions. Things are moving in the right direction and quickly! I need to learn more about trainlink, that sounds very interesting. If you haven't already, add the roadmap to the Wiki. The only other kind of control I thought of for the throttle was a lever (a handle you throw from left to right). Do you have other ideas? I think with that in place and a couple of themes, we can focus on functionality and then come back to aesthetics when we get a suggestion or have time.

[FrightRisk]

Great work. The issue that seems complex and still fuzzy is turnout control, trainlink, etc. Can trainling work together with TPL or where we are going with accessory control? I realize it is more for throttle control, but does it have a tie in with how we want to come up with a universal way to interface to everything on the railroad?

[FrightRisk]

Can we add to the roadmap and put it in the top message? Confusing with so many ways to do things, but the issues section lets you create checkbox lists. Do we attach this to an issue or just in that first message put our features and then make issues for them and check them off that way?

[matt-vdv]

@FrightRisk I have been using milestones to organise issues, but I can add a checklist if you want?

[ManiAkasapu]

@FrightRisk I want your opinion on turnouts and how you are imagining to control them..

[ManiAkasapu]

@FrightRisk Do you think having a switch to toggle between Function buttons & turnout control panel? Or thinking about layout with properly placed turnout replicating the layout?

[FrightRisk]

I envisioned a toggle that would go right to left. On touch screens you would swipe. I need to play with engine driver more. If you look in Gregg Berman's github, you can see what he was doing with layouts. let me post in the new turnout issue.

[matt-vdv]

If it's ok with you guys, I'll close this issue now as we have a fairly sizeable backlog to be working on?