Getting a USB device to connect to a Vcom port

Lets start off with I am 3 days into my Linux adventure so I am new. I know my way around computer ok.

I am looking to get a USB interface device to work on a Vcom port. The device is this SoundFX USB Decoder Programmer. It talks to a Model train layout using this software https://www.jmri.org. Any help would be great if you need more info please let me know and I will Help the best I can.

Can you please clarify the issue?
Is JMRI installed: Ubuntu Linux Install Guide
and the USB device plugged in but not working?

Are you having trouble getting JMRI installed?

Are they both installed and working, but having other issues?

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in the terminal it looks like the USB is installed

T: Bus=02 Lev=02 Prnt=02 Port=04 Cnt=03 Dev#= 7 Spd=12 MxCh= 0
D: Ver= 2.00 Cls=02(commc) Sub=00 Prot=00 MxPS= 8 #Cfgs= 1
P: Vendor=04d8 ProdID=ff7e Rev=01.00
S: Manufacturer=Digitrax Inc.
S: Product=VC0M Port
C: #Ifs= 2 Cfg#= 1 Atr=c0 MxPwr=100mA
I: If#=0x0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=02(commc) Sub=02 Prot=01 Driver=cdc_acm
I: If#=0x1 Alt= 0 #EPs= 2 Cls=0a(data ) Sub=00 Prot=00 Driver=cdc_acm

i dont think i installed JMRI right as i can not fine the program anywhere to launch it. i see the JMRI DIR but no launch program. i used the install guide but i must of missed somthing. should i delete the DIR from the PC and try it again? dont know the best way to go about that

The Launcher is the script file named PanelPro in the JMRI directory.
Can you right click it, then move to permissions tab, and check mark the box on for allow executing file as program.
Once done, try double clicking the PanelPro file and selecting Run to test.

OK that is done. when i click on the Panel Pro to launch it the program starts to open but never does. it locks up and i can not close the program. the only way to close it is to restart the system.

Hmmm, I am not sure. I have never used that software and have no history with it. Does it require that USB device? If it does, I can not test it.
Looking at the Installation Instructions does not yield any Ubuntu versions.
The Screenshots look a lot like an older Ubuntu version to me.
The java version it requires is quite low... And perusing the site, the only date I can find on Ubuntu Products is for 2008. It is possible that Ubuntu 20.04 / 21.04 is too new for it... It's worth finding out sooner rather than later.

There is a FAQ page.
https://www.jmri.org/install/FAQLinux.shtml
It does link to another users site that describes how he installed it on Fedora - but this gives a 404 error.
The other guide it lists for OpenSuse references removing 32bit (i386)files.
While we are perfectly willing to try to help; it may be discussing this with users of that software in Current Times may be more fruitful.

I understand its not a very popular piece of software. I can still run it on my windows machine for now and maybe after i am more familiar with Linux i can try it again.

Thanks for trying

I am an HO Scale Steam era enthusiast, too... So for me this is a bit embarrassing; I never ran a set up that was computerized.
When your locos are all Rivarossi...:wink:

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True DCC in those old LOCO would be the death of me. I model N-scale modern. I have some 300 locos all programmed in JMRI. I have posted to the JMRI help board hope they can help.

thanks again

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MARKLIN was what I grew up with in the 60s... this is close

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