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I have the premium MTH DCS app on my iPad.   My devices are linked (iPad & Phone).  Does that mean the DCS app on my phone is also premium?    No problem running trains with my iPad but my phone does not show any active or inactive trains.     My iPhone does respond and connects to the MTH wifi but when I try to use it, it gives message:  NO DCS Explores Found, Make sure your DCS Explorer is on.   What do I need to do?  Help!

Thanks, Dave

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First, the app has to be loaded on each device. You'd need to upgrade the app in your phone, for free once purchased for IOS or android ( to the premium or "pro" version). Once loaded, then you could copy the info and transfer it to the other device, or you have to load it manually into each.

 I'm not sure what you refer to as linked?

Which device is your friends?

Last edited by Engineer-Joe

iCloud Linked:  When I add an app to my iPad, the app also shows up on my iPhone.   (Apples cloud service, which stores your music, photos, apps, contacts, calendars, and more, and wirelessly pushes them to all your devices set up with iCloud. iCloud is seamlessly integrated with your apps, so everything happens automatically)

I purchased the premium upgrade using my iPad several months ago.     I am assuming the same app is premium on my phone because of the iCloud link.   How would I manually copy the info and transfer it to other devices, or load it manually into each?   Shouldn't iCloud do this for me?   

If a friend has the app on their phone, shouldn't they be able to operate my trains on my layout if  they connect to my MTH DCS wifi?   What do they need to do to make it work on their phones?

Thanks, Dave 

I only run Android devices so I really don't know.

maybe this will help?

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...os11-x-using-airdrop

"

There are a variety of ways to move files between devices.  In iOS 11, Apple decided to replace air drop from in-app environments in lieu of using the file system.  So now, you just export the DCS app file into the file manager and then move it from there using air drop, if you like.  Yes it's a couple more taps but, you'll have to take that up with Apple.  It's nothing we did at MTH.  

Enjoy!

Last edited by Engineer-Joe
Engineer-Joe posted:

I only run Android devices so I really don't know.

maybe this will help?

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...os11-x-using-airdrop

"

There are a variety of ways to move files between devices.  In iOS 11, Apple decided to replace air drop from in-app environments in lieu of using the file system.  So now, you just export the DCS app file into the file manager and then move it from there using air drop, if you like.  Yes it's a couple more taps but, you'll have to take that up with Apple.  It's nothing we did at MTH.  

Enjoy!

Thanks Joe for the link and the help!  I guess I have some work to do.  Much appreciated.

Cheers, Dave

I believe your iphone and ipad both need to be using the exact same Apple IDs or they are considered to be separate accounts by the app store. If that's the case your premium app won't transfer between them. You have to set both devices to use the same Apple ID. I recall seeing a thread here on the forum somewhere about this a few months ago.

Edit: The thread Joe linked to above is also a good one.

Last edited by rtr12
rtr12 posted:

I believe your iphone and ipad both need to be using the exact same Apple IDs or they are considered to be separate accounts by the app store. If that's the case your premium app won't transfer between them. You have to set both devices to use the same Apple ID. I recall seeing a thread here on the forum somewhere about this a few months ago.

Edit: The thread Joe linked to above is also a good one.

I believe they both have the same Apple ID.   I will check it out.  Thanks!

Cheers, Dave

My question exactly.  I had the APP on iPhone and iPad and then the iPad APP stopped functioning, so I reloaded it and I get nothing.  iPhone still works.

I reload APP on iPad, but nothing functions!

I used to have a contact at MTH, but no more.  Anyone have luck getting ahold of tech support there?

Thanks for any help.

Mr. Bill

@zipper69 posted:

My question exactly.  I had the APP on iPhone and iPad and then the iPad APP stopped functioning, so I reloaded it and I get nothing.  iPhone still works.

I reload APP on iPad, but nothing functions!

I used to have a contact at MTH, but no more.  Anyone have luck getting ahold of tech support there?

Thanks for any help.

Mr. Bill

Ok, but when you say nothing function- we need info if you want help.

Example- do you mean you cannot add or control an engine, or that the app doesn't even run at all?

Basic troubleshooting 101- are you sure that tablet is NOW connected to the network of the WIU or DCS explorer? I'm saying that, because your tablet or phone likes to connect to the internet- and if your device (WIU or Explorer) is in standalone mode (stands up it's own MTH WIFI network) well you have to be connected to that first, before using the app.

Wow, just as I was playing with my wifi, I received a call from MTH.  This is not a new problem.  They have received several calls recently about this.  Apple may not allow it on a 2nd device even tho you have already paid for it is one thought.  The other is that the new  APP whenever it is available will solve all of this, but it is a few months off.

In the meantime, it was suggested I reset the WIU when powered up and then delete the APP from my iPad and re-install it.  I did both and it did not help.

On the iPad the APP opens.  I connect with MTH DCS internet.  The little arrow upper right is blinking, I go to it and NONE of my engines are listed.  I go back to the home page of the APP and hit the refresh bottom, upper left, let it refresh and then go back to the upper right arrow to see if any engines show up.  It is "reading"  after 15 secs. it says "timed out"  or can't connect with WIU.

So, that is where I am at.  After all of that I tried my iPhone again.  All my engines come up, but are inactive and I can not get them active.

MTH will call me back once the conversation with the APP guy produces an answer.

Any of this sound familiar?

Mr. Bill

@zipper69 posted:

Wow, just as I was playing with my wifi, I received a call from MTH.  This is not a new problem.  They have received several calls recently about this.  Apple may not allow it on a 2nd device even tho you have already paid for it is one thought.  The other is that the new  APP whenever it is available will solve all of this, but it is a few months off.

In the meantime, it was suggested I reset the WIU when powered up and then delete the APP from my iPad and re-install it.  I did both and it did not help.

On the iPad the APP opens.  I connect with MTH DCS internet.  The little arrow upper right is blinking, I go to it and NONE of my engines are listed.  I go back to the home page of the APP and hit the refresh bottom, upper left, let it refresh and then go back to the upper right arrow to see if any engines show up.  It is "reading"  after 15 secs. it says "timed out"  or can't connect with WIU.

So, that is where I am at.  After all of that I tried my iPhone again.  All my engines come up, but are inactive and I can not get them active.

MTH will call me back once the conversation with the APP guy produces an answer.

Any of this sound familiar?

Mr. Bill

Ok, so problem here is expectations, and by that, I mean if you don't know how it works, and what to expect, then you cannot troubleshoot if something is wrong.

On the iPad the APP opens.  I connect with MTH DCS internet.  The little arrow upper right is blinking, I go to it and NONE of my engines are listed.

Right there is the expectations I'm talking about. If you removed and reloaded the app- you BLEW AWAY AKA ERASED your database of engines in that process. The app is what stores the database of all engines you add- not the TIU or DCS explorer boxes. Again, when you deleted the app without first doing a backup to file- when you do that, your all previous added engines database is gone.

I go back to the home page of the APP and hit the refresh bottom, upper left, let it refresh and then go back to the upper right arrow to see if any engines show up.  It is "reading"  after 15 secs. it says "timed out"  or can't connect with WIU.

That action of refresh or read does read the track- but massive failure again- it's comparing any returned data of engines that might be on the track to the now blank database of engines you have in the app. Heck yes it's going to error out- that's not how you add engines to a blank database.

Edit- so testing of this instance of the app on this device:

#1 can you go through settings and read the TIU firmware version? This indicates if the app is getting to the TIU through the WIU over wireless.

#2 Have to tried to add an engine, ensuring the track is powered, and this is the ONLY engine on the track?

Last edited by Vernon Barry
@zipper69 posted:


So, that is where I am at.  After all of that I tried my iPhone again.  All my engines come up, but are inactive and I can not get them active.

MTH will call me back once the conversation with the APP guy produces an answer.



Again, here is a different situation and different set of troubleshooting and expectations.

Here we have a version of the app with a valid database. Your engines are in fact listed- because you haven't blown away the database with resets and deleting the app. They are inactive because status because you keep doing the read function and with no valid reply- they move to inactive.

Again, the question on this phone device-is it connected to the correct wireless network for the WIU?

Have you tried using "airplane mode" of this Iphone to force all data and apps to communicate over the WIFI connection rather than also trying cellular data?  Again, airplane mode might seem counterintuitive and/or wrong, but it forces data and apps over the WIFI connection and has helped many folks with communications problems.

Does your WIU show the purple indicator LED showing connected to a TIU?

Have to tried using the add engine command instead of trying read or refresh?

Can you go to settings and read the firmware version of the connected TIU? This would show the app talking to the TIU, but then not to the track and engines.

@darlander posted:

I have the premium MTH DCS app on my iPad.   My devices are linked (iPad & Phone).  Does that mean the DCS app on my phone is also premium?    No problem running trains with my iPad but my phone does not show any active or inactive trains.     My iPhone does respond and connects to the MTH wifi but when I try to use it, it gives message:  NO DCS Explores Found, Make sure your DCS Explorer is on.   What do I need to do?  Help!

Thanks, Dave

Again, reading this topic from the beginning there are some serious problems and understandings going on here.

#1 each instance of the application, or if using a DCS hardware remote, stores it's own database of all of the engines you add to that instance. Again, huge red flag here- each device has it's own database that starts off totally blank.  If you added engines to one instance of the app- none of the other app instances have a clue of this change.

#2 you can perform backup of the app to file and export it, and then transfer that to another instance of the app- but that is a manual process and transfer- so that both would contain the same database of engines.

#3 the upgrade or premium license of the app is a completely separate thing- tied either to the apple app store account or google play account (for android) and the app gets a token authorizing that upgrade and it can expire and need refreshed so that instance of the app allows that upgrade version license. Again this is different and separate from the engine database, and is shared and tied between devices because they both use the same app store where the app license was purchased.

#4 Setting up the app before using it- you have to ensure you have the correct type of device selected- DCS explorer vs WIU+TIU



EDIT:

So basically, the scenario of you have an existing setup and device with multiple trains on one DCS app instance. Your friend comes over, downloads a copy of the app from the app store for their device what do they need to do to run trains. Again the problem is, this is a loaded question. It's your existing trains, already added to a device instance of the app you already have. You may not want them adding engines to their phone or tablet, that could disrupt your existing engine database. So beyond just loading the app and beyond ensuring it is connected to the right network- you have to do a backup of your database to a file, and then transfer that file to their device (possibly email or other method) and then they have to import that database into the app following the instructions. Now you have 2 instances of the app that match and have a database that matches.

Now you have to get to getting that app on top of the 3rd party device, to go through the network over wifi and talk to the WIU which then translates and talks to the TIU, and ultimately the engine.

And where this topic left off with the last reply from the OP- neither device seemed to be communicating with the TIU and engines- which is likely a wifi and/or 3rd party OS problem- that might be resolved with Airplane mode or correcting network settings. Again, it was not good but 2 different states- one device has a blank databse with no engines, the other has a database of engines- but just cannot communicate with them.

Last edited by Vernon Barry
@zipper69 posted:

So, if you delete the APP from one device, can you reload it and start over without exporting a file?

?????? Starting over is starting over. You can do that anytime - it's adding each engine.

I am worried you still do not understand. The app stores the engine list as you add them. There is a chance the process of adding an engine to one instance of the app, changes the ID number of the engine to a different one so that it no longer matches the one in another previously setup instance of the app. This is why if you already added all your engines to an app instance, then you have a second device with the app, you want to clone your good working engine database. So that both apps match and no conflicts.

Last edited by Vernon Barry

Let's try to clarify.   The only way to keep the DCS app in sync with all the same settings is to export the file from one that has all the info and import the same file into the app on the next device (iPhone to iPad for example).   There is no sync in iCloud like other things on your devices.   

For example, for all my engines I rename all the sound keys to know what they are.   When I update one device, I export the config file and import into my other devices and that way I don't have to rename them on all the other devices.

If you just download the app from the app store, it's a blank app and you need to do the setup all over to connect to your WIU, reload engines, etc. 

So, if you have friends over who have the app, you simply send them your file and they import it on their device and instantly have all your engines!

OK, let's try this.  I want to put the purchased APP back on my iPad.  I removed it and then I downloaded it again.

1. Turned on transformer, TIU and WIU.  Power lite on the WIU came on, the TIU lite came on and the wifi lites began blinking.

2. WiFi established - MTH DCS on iPad

3. I open the APP.  Run Trains.  Choose add trains.  Select MTH train and up comes. "Timed out" and above it states no new trains.

I've unplugged and replugged the TIU.  It has power and all the proper lights are on on the WIU.

I did go to advanced features, system settings, TIU settings.  It brought up the TIU name.  I took a photo of the settings under that TIU & attached it.

If I get "timed out" or no connection notices...what is the problem?  Bad TIU?

Photo shows what the TIU settings are set at.  Are they OK?

Thanks for any help.

Mr. Bill

Attachments

Images (1)
  • TIU SYSTEM SETTINGS

So, back at it.  Turned on power, TIU, WIU, WiFi connected to MTH DCS, went to APP on phone and there are 3 engines, which I then added to the APP.  Later tried other engines and no go.  "Timed Out" or Can't find WIU or TIU.  So, this seems to be intermittent as opposed to working all the time like it used to.  Off to try it agin.

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