Hello Everyone. And thank you Peter for your post. I understand that you need more specific information here I try to explain more:
First: I mean data transfer like transferring an functional backup from CS2 to CS3 and get all information of, layouts, magnetic articles, memory etc. to CS3 and see them in CS3-way there.
You asked: "The tone of certain discussions seem to expect that there will be a way to transfer configuration data from a secondary(auxilary) device TO the master(CS3) and I am at a loss to understand where this expectation comes from."
Well Look the picture of CS3 manual page 6:
The manual says:"Then you can
import your valuable locomotive, magnetic items, and track data from there in a few steps.
All you need is a USB stick with the backup of your CS2 data. Important: As the first step,
insert the USB stick into either of the two USB ports on the back of the CS3."
I understand this so that you should have possibilities to transfer all necessary data from CS2 so that your environmet will be in CS3 as it is in CS2.
Then about connecting CS2 and CS3 to network:
As you know you can put Ethernet cable to CSx and reboot the device, they connect automatically into your network if you use DHCP in both devices. I have done this and both devices were connected but they don't see each other in any ways. PC in contrast see both devices fine.( device's webserver can be seen in PC and all webserver functions did function OK) actually CS3's webserver do not have many functions yet.)
If you connect CS2 and CS3 together with Cable 60123 and put devices on. ( you should always make connection like this without electricity). After boot CS2 turns itself to auxiliary device mode and CS3 is Master device. When you look in CS2 in this situation, you can not see anything old information there( All locos are invisible and you cannot get them to action. Same situation is considering layouts, magnetic articles and memory.)
You cannot see information which is inside CS2 from CS3.( I didn't find any kind of manner to get data from CS2 to CS3 using cable connection)
BUT . . . I did manage to get locos from CS3 to CS2 using cable ( 60123) connection). I cannot tell you exact step by step how i Did it yet, I try to rearrange the situation later and tell you after new study how you could do it.
When I used 60123 connection CS2 ( in auxiliary mode) was like booster, but you cannot see it just like real booster: Look at the picture
You see it but only so little information about it.
I know that slave cannot update master device but somehow there must be a way to transfer in some cases high amount of data from CS2 to CS3 using fast network instead of using tumble USB.
And finally:
I have examined backup-data from both devices: CS2 and CS3 Plus. Simply backup files are ZIPped files and can be opened with WinZip. I am sure after looking at those files that all graphical pictures like turnouts, signals, etc. are in the CS3's memory, therefore all that kind of graphical items can be used when device is "translating" CS2 data to CS3 data.
Of course I expect that new device which is meant to replace old device, can use all old device's data automatically ( or there should be tools for manually translate).
The new device has a lot of shortcomings, and possibly even incorrect functions, but I believe that within few months Märklin will correct incorrect functions and fulfill expectations.
If anyone of you have idea(s) how to test and what to test with new CS3 Plus, I am willing to do tests for you.
I hope that Peter you got some questions, please ask more, I try to answer.
Regards
Jukka
