Issue
Cannot connect network variable point from a third party LON device to a graphic within an XBuilder project.
XBuilder will not allow the drag and drop of LON network variable between the network pain and the system pain when you attempt to create connections.
Product Line
EcoStruxure Building Operation, TAC Vista
Environment
- XBuilder
- Vista
- Lon Device
- .xif
Cause
XBuilder is very particular about the format of an .xif file and it will not allow certain characters in the function block name. Vista and LonMaker have far less limitations and these programs are able to parse these characters without causing problems. This explains why your values may show up in the LNS management tool and Vista Workstation. However, once you import the network into XBuilder you are unable to connect the SNVTs to your graphic.
Resolution
Replace the incorrect characters in the function block line of the .xif and reload the new .xif into your LonWorks Network. Please see LON device can communicate in Vista, but fails in a Xenta Server / XBuilder for more information about incorrect characters in an xif file.
INCORRECT FUNCTION BLOCK EXAMPLE:
File: MP580.XIF generated by NODEUTIL Revision 1.46, XIF Version 4.0 Copyright (c) 1997 by Echelon Corporation All Rights Reserved. Run on Fri Oct 31 16:30:28 2003 80:00:2A:52:00:03:04:03 2 15 1 618 0 8 8 4 4 11 11 0 0 0 0 3 0 16 0 0 1 65536 618 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10000000 1 7 1 0 4 4 4 15 200 0 78125 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 8 5 12 14 15 * "&3.4@0,20000-MP580,8500-SCC,8610-DAC
The problem is the three dashes between the object numbers and the object names in the self doc string. This is "allowed" in Vista and LonMaker in some sense. For example, Vista "replaces this "-" to a "/" but then XBuilder can't handle this situation properly.
CORRECTED EXAMPLE:
File: MP580.XIF generated by NODEUTIL Revision 1.46, XIF Version 4.0 Copyright (c) 1997 by Echelon Corporation All Rights Reserved. Run on Fri Oct 31 16:30:28 2003 80:00:2A:52:00:03:04:03 2 15 1 618 0 8 8 4 4 11 11 0 0 0 0 3 0 16 0 0 1 65536 618 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10000000 1 7 1 0 4 4 4 15 200 0 78125 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 8 5 12 14 15 * "&3.4@0,20000MP580,8500SCC,8610DAC;Tracer MP580
The dashes 3 x (-)s have been removed from the function block name
