Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue National Weather Service Data Showing Stale Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series N4 Enterprise Server I/A Series N4 Jace 8000 / 9000 Cause Due to recent changes with the National Weather Service, the current weather information displayed through Niagara is showing as “Stale” when using the NWS Weather Provider in the Niagara Weather Service. Resolution The Current Conditions “Last Update” time may be null or a current date, and the “Observed” time may be null or a date in the past. Current Weather View: Property Sheet:   This issue is being addressed in future releases. In the meantime to manually correct this behavior, make the below manual updates to the BNwsWeatherProvider components in the station: 1. Go to the Property Sheet view on the BNwsWeatherProvider component, click the ‘Slot Details’ button, then click the ‘Hidden Slots’ button to display the hidden slots. 2. Click the Flags for the “Conditions Server” slot which opens the “Configure slot flags” dialog.  Clear the checkbox for the Hidden slot flag, then click the OK button to clear the Hidden slot flag.  3. The “Conditions Server” slot should now display “(none)” in the Flags column.  4. Click the “Slot Details" button to toggle back to the default Property Sheet View.  The “Conditions Server” property is configured with the default value of “www.weather.gov”. 5. Update the “Conditions Server” property to “forecast.weather.gov” and save the change. 6. Invoke the “Update Weather Report” action on the Weather Report component and verify the Current data updates and no longer indicates a Stale status.              

Issue When trying to run webLauncher.exe, an unknown error occurs. An error popup with a red X appears, and the Application will fail afterwards.   Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series N4 Enterprise Server I/A Series N4 Jace 8000 / 9000 Cause With a recent migration to Web Launcher in 4.14 (launcher version 24.14.0.2), a bug has been reported in new installations. Any computer that is missing a folder named niagara storing the launcher's configuration info will encounter this issue. The folder is located, by default, in the following spot: C:\Users\<Windows username>\AppData\Local\niagara Resolution Go to the location of the launcher executable, and there will be a file named webLauncher_debug.exe. Running this once will create the necessary directory and the Web Launcher will be able to function normally. The default location of the executable is: C:\Program Files\Niagara Web Launcher This issue is known internally at Tridium as defect NCCB-68211, and it will be resolved with the release of Web Launcher 24.14.0.3 and later releases.

Issue What 10k Thermistor sensors are compatible with the I/A Series MNL and MNB families of controllers? Product Line TAC IA Series, Andover Continuum Environment I/A Series LON Controllers (MNL-xxxxx) I/A Series BACnet Controllers (MNB-xxxxx) Continuum 10K T3 Sensors Cause Specification information Job spec requires a specific family of sensors.  Need to know how to compare the TC curves. Resolution Compatible sensors that have a built-in 11k shunt resistor include the TS-5711-850, TS-57011-850, TS-57031-850, and TSMN-90110-850 Series.  NOTE: These sensors are no longer available for purchase. The TW2XAXK is the replacement Any sensor that matches resistance to temperature curve for a 10K Thermistor Type G (U.S.Sensor), Type 9 (Dale/Vishay) or Type III (ACI Series AH) can be used with the I/A Series MNL and I/A Series MNB series controllers, provided that a 11k ± 0.1% 1/8 watt resistor is wired in parallel with the sensor. The input has a range of -10 to 135 °F (-23.3 to 57.2 °C) with an accuracy of ±1% of span.   This includes the Continuum 10K T3 sensors.  The table below shows that the resistance in its normal operating range is within a few ohms of the TSMN non 11K shunted sensors.  The Continuum sensor can be used with a parallel 11K ohm resistor. The full temperature / resistance table for the US Sensor 10K Thermistor R-T Curve Type G sensor can be found here.  Please note that the controller may not be able to use the full temperature range shown in the table.    

Issue Define I/A Series AX/G3/N4 software compatible with a specific version of Windows Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series (Niagara) AX/G3/N4 software Windows 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems Cause Only specific releases of the I/A Series AX/G3/N4 software have been certified compliant with specific versions of the Microsoft Windows software.  Resolution The following chart details the version compatibility between the releases of the I/A Series G3/N4 software and various versions of the Microsoft Windows Operating System software.   Refer to Supported Operating Systems for Niagara 3.7 and earlier (June 2016) Refer to Supported Operating Systems for Niagara 3.8 (July 2020) Refer to Supported Operating Systems for Niagara 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 (September 2019) Refer to  Supported Operating Systems for Niagara 4.4 and higher (September 2024)   For the larger Schneider Electric BMS offering please refer to Software and Firmware compatibility matrix for older versions of I/NET, Vista, Andover Continuum, Satchwell Sigma, I/A Series, and StruxureWare Building Operation

Issue NiagaraNetwork point subscriptions get stuck constantly reporting 'Pending Subscribe' or are 'unsubscribed'. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series Jace (N4/AX) I/A Series Enterprise Server (Niagara Framework N4/AX) Cause Various configuration issues between the Jace and Enterprise sever. Resolution Troubleshooting 'Pending Subscribe' or 'Unsubscribed' (N4 or AX): Performing 'Manual Disconnect' on the Niagara Station 'Client connection' may clear this state. Perform 'Manual Disconnect' on each side of the Niagara Network connection between the two stations having issues. It is possible that one side of the Fox connection might show connected on the 'Client Connection' and the other side shows disconnected for the associated 'Server Connection'. The manual disconnect clears this state. Check for multiple FOX services. Typically there is only one service, though there are use cases for more than one. Sometimes the FOX service is mistakenly duplicated and both services then have the same ports, which is incorrect and causes problems. Use the ProgramService (Batch Editor) to look for 'custom object', 'fox', 'foxService'. Either delete the extra service(s) or edit the ports so to remove any conflicts. Duplicate station names can cause fox problems. Look at station 'Spy', 'fox', 'log index' to see all the fox connections. Look for duplicate station names that have different IP addresses. Duplicate station names can cause stations to keep getting disconnected as each station fights to be connected. Duplicate stations can be caused when an integrator connects their engineering laptop to a network and they have stations running on the laptop that were engineered for that job, thus resulting in more than one instance of a station running at once. In rare instances stations were installed multiple times at a site and not renamed before installation into the next platform. Fox connection getting dropped. Either network issues on the LAN or duplicate stations. Or denial of service attack on the Supervisor. Wireshark can help diagnose LAN problems or have the IT person on site look at your station IP addresses.  Try increasing the Request Timeout and the Socket Option Timeout in the Fox Service. Make Fox wait longer before timing out on messages. It is not typically needed to modify these defaults.  Regarding AX and N4 mix, make sure when an AX is connecting to an N4, the user in the N4 station, being used by the AX, must have the AXDigestScheme for the authentication scheme.  The Cipher Suite Group setting in the Fox Service must be set to 'Supported' when connecting any AX version prior to 3.8u3 (3.8.311) to an N4 station via NiagaraNetwork. Make sure Provisioning is correctly configured. If not being used, remove it. This might be an N4 only problem, but there have been instances encountered where a station that was converted from AX to N4 was having the 'Pending Subscribe' issue due to NiagaraProvisioning being only partially configured. Provisioning not correctly configured will cause the 'Pending Subscribe' problem  

Issue Configuring NTP and troubleshooting in the Niagara Frameworks Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series N4 Enterprise Server I/A Series N4 Jace Cause Guide to configure and test NTP server and Jace sync operations Resolution Please familiarize yourself with the official documentation of the NTP functionality. NTP and its configuration are comprehensively documented in the Niagara Platform Document. The official documentation is updated frequently and may contain information that supersedes the content of this article. Using the ntpq utility program The NTP Project maintains the NTP software that is compiled and included with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (and other most other Linux distributions). To get the software for Microsoft Windows, Meinberg ports the software and provides it. With this software, you not only get the ntpq utility program, you also can run the NTP client/server on your PC. In this way, you can use your PC as an NTP time server to your JACE. NOTE: The Client and Server (Time Only) options were added in 4.9. Using Server creates potential attack surface for 'Mode 6' queries. But to query with ntpq as described below, it must be set to Server, at least temporarily. Be advised that you should not have your JACE exposed to the Internet. Consult the Niagara Cyber Defense page for more details. Using the ntpq utility program, you can query a JACE that is configured for NTP, and get a list of the peers known to the JACE and a summary of their state. For this use the -p option, and provide the IP address to the JACE. The command will look like this: ntpq -p 192.168.1.140 The output of the command will look something like this: The ntpq man page at ntp.org fully documents the details of the table above. Only a few details will be covered here.  The row that begins with * (asterisk), has been declared the system peer. The second row begins with a space, indicating that it is an unreachable peer.  The third column is for the stratum. Stratum 0 is an actual time source, like an atomic clock, that provides time to a stratum 1 NTP server. A stratum 2 server gets its time from a stratum 1 server. A stratum 3 server gets its time from a stratum 2 server, and so on.  Reach is a circular log buffer containing a set of eight bit-flags, expressed as an octal number. Convert octal to binary to determine the reach for the last eight attempts. For example, 376 converts to 11111110, which means that we failed to reach the server the last time, but the other 7 were successful.    Using the NtpPlatformServiceQnx spy page Right-click the NtpPlatformServiceQnx and select Views > SpyRemote.         As you scroll down the first section of interest is the one that shows the NTP Configuration File. It reads what we've written to the file ntp.conf and displays it.                                          NTP Configuration File #/home/niagara/etc/ntp.conf: Niagara Network Time Protocol Configuration File #Use the NtpPlatformService UI to modify this file. #Created: 24-Sep-19 4:53 PM EDT # #Niagara NtpPlatformService variable, do not modify #ntpEnabled true #syncAtBoot true #server list server 192.168.1.2 burst prefer server 192.168.1.3 burst server 192.168.1.4 burst peer 192.168.1.5 peer 192.168.1.6 #ntp features enabled enable ntp stats #ntp panic value, if offset exceeds this, ntpd should exit (disabled if 0) tinker panic 0 #gather information about statistics statistics clockstats loopstats filegen clockstats file clockstats type none nolink enable filegen loopstats file loopstats type none nolink enable The next section of interest is for the NTP Daemon Log. You'll only see this section if Generate NTP Statistics is set to true. It's generally not necessary to consider these statistics.                                                       Generate NTP Statistics Jan 30 08:45:14 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: Unexpected origin timestamp 0xe1dd1553.126c40f0 does not match aorg 0000000000.00000000 from sym_active@172.16.10.197 xmt 0xe1dd161a.aa0c9b85 Jan 30 08:46:14 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: Unexpected origin timestamp 0xe1dd1552.126c471e does not match aorg 0000000000.00000000 from sym_active@172.16.10.99 xmt 0xe1dd1656.2b9be356 Jan 30 08:46:18 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: Unexpected origin timestamp 0xe1dd1553.126c40f0 does not match aorg 0000000000.00000000 from sym_active@172.16.10.197 xmt 0xe1dd165a.aa0c9453 Jan 30 08:47:18 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: Unexpected origin timestamp 0xe1dd1552.126c471e does not match aorg 0000000000.00000000 from sym_active@172.16.10.99 xmt 0xe1dd1696.2b9bca8b Jan 30 08:47:22 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: Unexpected origin timestamp 0xe1dd1553.126c40f0 does not match aorg 0000000000.00000000 from sym_active@172.16.10.197 xmt 0xe1dd169a.aa4e33f0 Jan 30 08:48:22 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: Unexpected origin timestamp 0xe1dd1552.126c471e does not match aorg 0000000000.00000000 from sym_active@172.16.10.99 xmt 0xe1dd16d6.2b9bd269 Jan 30 08:48:29 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: Unexpected origin timestamp 0xe1dd1553.126c40f0 does not match aorg 0000000000.00000000 from sym_active@172.16.10.197 xmt 0xe1dd16dd.aa8fa9b9 Jan 30 08:49:27 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: Unexpected origin timestamp 0xe1dd1552.126c471e does not match aorg 0000000000.00000000 from sym_active@172.16.10.99 xmt 0xe1dd1717.2b9bcbe9 Jan 30 08:49:34 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: Unexpected origin timestamp 0xe1dd1553.126c40f0 does not match aorg 0000000000.00000000 from sym_active@172.16.10.197 xmt 0xe1dd171e.aad12b7e Jan 30 08:51:18 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: Unexpected origin timestamp 0xe1dd1203.21caf133 does not match aorg 0xe1dd175e.153d05cf from sym_active@172.16.11.205 xmt 0xe1dd1786.c4cb59c2 Jan 30 08:51:33 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: Unexpected origin timestamp 0xe1dd11bb.218961dc does not match aorg 0xe1dd175c.153d0991 from sym_active@172.16.10.171 xmt 0xe1dd1795.1de9a94c Jan 30 08:51:40 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: KoD packet from 172.16.10.158 has a zero org or rec timestamp. Ignoring. Jan 30 08:52:44 nto ntpd[8740900-1]: receive: KoD packet from 172.16.10.158 has a zero org or rec timestamp. Ignoring. The next section is NTP Daemon Drift. After NTP has synchronized with reliable time servers for a significant amount of time, it will write the calculated drift (in PPM) to a file, such that it can initialize with this value on reboot. It will use this calculation of how far the clock drifts, to correct the clock in real-time, in increments too small for any application to detect.   NTP Daemon Drift 20.185   NTP Daemon Clock Stats is next. It reads what is in the clockstats file. In this example output, the file does not exist and the spy page tells us so.                                                     NTP Daemon Clock Stats Modified Julian Day | Secs. Past UTC Midnight | Clock Address | Last Time Code Error reading /var/run/ntpdstats/clockstats: /var/run/ntpdstats/clockstats (No such file or directory) The final section of interest is NTP Daemon Loop Stats. If you're not getting data here, then the configured servers/peers might not be reachable.    NTP Daemon Loop Stats Modified Julian Day | Secs. Past UTC Midnight | Time Offset Secs. | Drift Compensation | Estimated Error | Stability | Polling Interval 58860 29871.775 0.000000000 20.226 0.000976563 0.000000 6 58860 30081.780 0.000753215 20.226 0.000976563 0.000000 6 58860 30150.781 0.000753034 20.226 0.000976563 0.000000 6 58860 30688.793 0.000018819 20.227 0.000976563 0.000213 6 58860 31155.803 -0.000220479 20.220 0.000976563 0.002179 6 58860 31221.804 0.002128888 20.229 0.001234668 0.003595 6 58860 31233.872 -0.001539013 20.228 0.001736532 0.003385 6 58860 31385.925 -0.000336908 20.225 0.001679057 0.003345 6 58860 31498.941 0.000431773 20.228 0.001608116 0.003294 7 58860 31841.815 0.000467697 20.230 0.001543370 0.003195 7 58860 32276.675 0.000795988 20.235 0.001484403 0.003499 7 58860 32546.942 0.009518751 20.274 0.003382136 0.013979 7 58860 32666.611 0.000412569 20.274 0.004513791 0.013078 7  

Warning Potential for Data Loss: The steps detailed in the resolution of this article may result in a loss of critical data if not performed properly. Before beginning these steps, make sure all important data is backed up in the event of data loss. If you are unsure or unfamiliar with any complex steps detailed in this article, please contact Product Support for assistance. Issue Upgrading a JACE-8000 or Edge-10 from 4.10U7 to 4.11 or 4.12 will prevent Niagara Daemon from starting.  You will be unable to connect via Workbench or Browser. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series N4 Jace 8000 Tridium Edge 10 Cause The software in builds 4.10u7 and later LTS builds (4.10u8, 4.10u9, 4.10u10) was released after 4.11 and 4.12 reached EOL.   4.10u7 contains a newer signing key that is not recognized by 4.11 and 4.12. Resolution When upgrading JACE-8000 and/or Edge 10 running 4.10 LTS builds 4.10u7 and later, please skip over 4.11 and 4.12 and instead upgrade to 4.13u3 or newer. Alternatively, you may apply the dist that reverts JACE-8000 to clean 4.9u1 state, or for Edge-10, the dist that reverts it to clean 4.7 state. You can then install 4.11u2 or 4.12u2, if that's the version you have to use.  If you've already attempted the commissioning operation and bricked a device, and have backups, you can connect to the debug port and use the factory reset process per the documentation.  For Edge 10, consult the section titled Factory Default Recovery  in the Niagara Edge 10 Install and Startup Guide.  For JACE-8000, consult the section titled Restoring factory defaults  in the JACE-8000 Backup and Restore Guide. If you are lacking any backups for the host, then before performing the factory reset, you should enable SSH/SFTP via the debug port, and then copy out the Station files using Filezilla or WinSCP or equivalent.  Reach out to your support channel if you have difficulty finding the location of station files. Typically, the files will be in a subfolder of /home/niagara/stations. The config.bog file will be keyring encrypted, and you'll have to reset it using the Bog File Protection Tool. See Editing the .bog file passphrase offline in the Niagara Platform Guide  for details on using the Bog File Protection Tool.  For details on using the debug port on JACE-8000, see Debug port  in the JACE-8000 Install and Startup Guide.  For details on using the debug port on Edge-10, see Connecting to the debug system shell  in the Niagara Edge 10 Install and Startup Guide.

Issue The en1 network adapter is not an option for assignment when configuring an IP port Product Line TAC IA Series, EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment I/A Series N4 Jace 9000 Building Operation Multi-purpose Controller / VAV (MP-C / MP-V) Building Operation Room Controller / VAV (RP-C / RP-V) Building Operation IP-IO Cause With the switch to Linux for the Jace 9000's operating system, some functions such as sensing adapters work differently when configuring a controller station.     Resolution In N4.13, we have added a new action to find adapters when Jace's are being pre-configured offsite. Start by confirming in the TCP/IP Configuration page that the desired port is configured and enabled. Make sure that some communicating device is connected to the desired port, exhibited by the port's lights on the unit. Examples include a workbench connection, a BACnet IP device/router, or another Niagara Device. Right-click on the "Link" component under the port, and select the "Query For Adapters" option. You should now see the port in the dropdown. Note: With N4.14, using the en1 as a DHCP server is possible.  If using this with BACnet IP MP, RP or IP/IO in Space Logic controllers engineering with Niagara, this is an important consideration for network applications.

Issue Define what Network 8000 devices that can be integrated with EcoStruxure Building Operation. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation, TAC I/A Series Environment EcoStruxure Building Operation Automation Server version 1.2 until and including 3.2 Network 8000 Cause Need to know the supported devices for a Network 8000 to EcoStruxure Building Operation upgrade.  Resolution EcoStruxure Building Operation supports the following Network 8000 LCM devices: LCM EcoStruxure Building Operation supports the following Network 8000 ASD devices: Microzone II MicroFlo II LIM PEM  The following Micronet 2000 products are supported: MN-FLO MN-FLO3T MN-HPFC MN-ASDI  The following Network 8000 products are not supported in EcoStruxure Building Operation: CCL GCM LNC SIM GCM PLC Note: EcoStruxure Building Operation version 4.0 (EBO 2022) and higher are not supported

Issue WorkPlace Tech 5.8.x, 5.9.x, 5.10.x, and 5.11.x Operating System and Microsoft Visio Compatibility Product Line TAC IA Series Environment WorkPlace Tech Tool Software release 5.8.x, 5.9.x, 5.10x, and 5.11.x Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office Visio requirements, see the "Resolution" section, below. Visio 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021(.msi install)  Visio 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 (subscription "Click to Run", Plan 2) Office 2010, 2013, 2016 (.msi install) Office 2013, 2016, 365 (subscription "Click to Run", Plan 2) Support for Workplace Tech 5.10 / previous and Workplace Tech Editor Note: Visio 2019 and Visio 2021 are not supported in 5.9.4 or EBO versions before EBO 2022.  Visio 2019 and Visio 2021 are supported when using Workplace Tech 5.10.x and EBO 2022. Cause What Microsoft Windows operating systems and what versions of Microsoft Visio are compatible with the WorkPlace Tech Tool version 5.8.x, 5.9.x, 5.10.x, and 5.11.x? Resolution Microsoft Windows WorkPlace Tech Tool releases 5.8 through 5.8.6 are certified to run on the following versions of Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3 Microsoft Windows Vista 32-bit Business, Ultimate or Enterprise Microsoft Windows 7 32-bit Professional Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit Professional WorkPlace Tech Tool release 5.8.7 is certified to run on the following versions of Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows 7 32-bit Professional Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit Professional Microsoft Windows 8.1 32-bit Pro or Enterprise Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit Pro or Enterprise Microsoft Windows Server 2012 64-bit WorkPlace Tech Tool releases 5.9.1 to 5.9.4 are certified to run on the following versions of Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows 7   32-bit Professional Microsoft Windows 7   64-bit Professional Microsoft Windows 8.1   32-bit Pro or Enterprise Microsoft Windows 8.1   64-bit Pro or Enterprise Microsoft Windows 10    32-bit Professional Microsoft Windows 10    64-bit Professional Microsoft Windows Server 2012   64-bit WorkPlace Tech Tool release 5.10.0 to 5.10.x is certified to run on the same as WorkPlace Tech 5.9.x and the following versions of Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows Server 2016 64-bit Microsoft Windows Server 2019 64-bit Microsoft Windows Server 2022 64-bit Microsoft Windows 11 Professional (Workplace Tech 5.10.4 only) WorkPlace Tech Tool release 5.11.0 is certified to run on the following versions of Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows 10 64-bit Professional Microsoft Windows Server 2022 64-bit Microsoft Windows 11 Professional Microsoft Visio Microsoft Windows 7 32-bit Professional Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit Professional Microsoft Windows 8 32-bit Pro or Enterprise Microsoft Windows 8 64-bit Pro or Enterprise Microsoft Windows 8.1 32-bit Pro or Enterprise Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit Pro or Enterprise Microsoft Windows Server 2012 64-bit WorkPlace Tech Tool releases 5.8 through 5.8.6 require one of the following versions of Microsoft Visio (32-bit version ONLY) Microsoft Office Visio 2003 with Service Pack 3 (officially supported for WPT 5.8.0, WPT 5.8.1, no known issues with WPT 5.8.2 through 5.8.5) Microsoft Office Visio 2007 with Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2 Microsoft Office Visio 2010 with or without Service Pack 1 NOTE: Standard or Professional edition of Microsoft Visio may be used. WorkPlace Tech Tool release 5.8.7 requires one of the following versions of Microsoft Visio (32-bit version ONLY) Microsoft Office Visio 2007 with Service Pack 3 Microsoft Office Visio 2010 with Service Pack 2 NOTE: Standard or Professional edition of Microsoft Visio may be used. WorkPlace Tech Tool release 5.9.1 through 5.9.4 requires one of the following versions of Microsoft Visio (32-bit version ONLY) Microsoft Office Visio 2010 with Service Pack 2 Microsoft Office Visio 2013 with Service Pack 1 Microsoft Office Visio 2016 NOTE: Standard or Professional edition of Microsoft Visio may be used. WorkPlace Tech Tool releases 5.10.0 through 5.10.x requires one of the following versions of Microsoft Visio (32-bit version ONLY) Microsoft Office Visio 2016 Microsoft Office Visio 2019 Microsoft Office Visio 2021 Microsoft Office Visio Office 365 Subscription Plans 2 WorkPlace Tech Tool releases 5.11.x requires one of the following versions of Microsoft Visio (64-bit version ONLY) Microsoft Office Visio 2019 64-bit Microsoft Office Visio 2021 64-bit Microsoft Office Visio Office 365 Subscription 64-bit Plans 2 Warning: WorkPlace Tech 5.11 is not compatible with EBO WorkPlace Tech Editor. Do not install WP Tech 5.11 on a PC that has EBO WorkPlace Tech Editor installed. Continue to use WP Tech 5.10 on PCs where EBO WorkPlace Tech Editor is required.   Note: Workplace Tech Tool 5.10.0 and later releases require .NET Framework 4.8 to support Open LDV 5.1 which is included in the installer.  .NET Framework 3.5 Sp1 is no longer required.   Follow the instructions in the article link for the security updates required. Workplace Tech 5.10.x and previous / Workplace Tech Editor (EBO) Microsoft Security Updates required for Visio and Office For the Visio requirements for earlier versions of the WorkPlace Tech Tool software, see What versions of Visio are required for WorkPlace Tech?.

Issue What versions of Visio are required for WorkPlace Tech? Product Line TAC IA Series Environment WorkPlace Tech Microsoft Office Visio (32-bit version only on WPT versions 5.10 and earlier ) Microsoft Office Visio (64-bit version only on WPT versions 5.11 and later) Cause Software requirement - Microsoft Office Visio must be installed on the computer before beginning the installation of WorkPlace Tech. Resolution Below is a list of the WorkPlace Tech revisions and compatible Microsoft Visio versions.  The "Pro" versions are not required.  The "standard" versions of Microsoft Visio are typically recommended.  Only the 32-bit versions of Visio are supported in WPT 5.10 and earlier and only 64-bit versions are supported in WPT 5.11 and later. WPT Visio 3.1 Visio 5 Technical Plus 3.2 2000 SP1 4.0 2000 SP1, 2002 SP1 5.0 2002 SP1, 2003 SP1 5.1 2002 SP1, 2003 SP1 5.2 2002 SP2, 2003 SP1 or SP2 5.3 2002 SP2, 2003 SP1 or SP2 5.4 2002 SP2, 2003 SP1 or SP2 5.5 2002 SP2, 2003 SP1 or SP2 5.6 2002 SP2, 2003 SP1 or SP2 5.7 2003 SP3, 2007 SP1 5.8.0 to 5.8.5 ** 2003 SP3, 2007 SP1 or SP2, 2010 SP1 5.8.6 2007 SP1 or SP2, 2010 SP1 5.8.7 2007 SP3, 2010 SP2 5.9.1 to 5.9.4 2010 SP2, 2013 SP1, 2016 5.10.0 to 5.10.4 2016, 2019, 2021 Office (Visio) 365 Subscription Plans 5.11 2019 64-bit, 2021 64-bit, Office (Visio) 365 Subscription Plans 64-bit ** Microsoft Office Visio 2003 with Service Pack 3 (officially supported for WorkPlace Tech 5.8.0 and 5.8.1, no known issues with 5.8.2 through 5.8.5)

Issue How to decode BACnet errors when they are encountered in the following products. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation, Andover Continuum, TAC IA Series Environment EBO Error Log Tool Continuum bCX4040 (BACnet) Continuum b3s Building Operation Multi-purpose Controller (MPC/V) Building Operation Room Controller (RPC/V) Building Operation IP-IO EBO Trace and System logs Cause Documentation is unavailable for these errors when reviewing log files against any captures.  Resolution The error in log files is composed of two fields, BACnetErrorClass and BACnetErrorCode. The BACnet Error Class (BEC) field is made of the high 16 bits and the BACnet Error Code (BE) of the low 16 bits.  0x800 indicates the error class and error code are in Hexidecimal format. Error Class 0x8001, when remove 0x800, 1 decodes to Object Error Code 001f decodes to Unknown Object Therefore, the error code is Object_Unknown Object, where the device indicates it has no knowledge of the object, either it does not exist or the device does not have the expected program/database installed. For b3, it could be memory was wiped on power failure and needs to be reloaded. It could mean the expected application needs to be downloaded for other devices.   The following are a subset of BACnet errors defined in the specification. If you have questions or encounter ones not listed, please contact Product Support Services.   Error Class List High 16 bits of Error. See BACnet spec clause 18. May not include 0x8000. (Example: could be 0x5002B instead of 0x8005002B for COV subscription failed) Error Class Hex(0x800) Dec Notes device 0 0   object 1 1   property 2 2   resources 3 3   security 4 4   services 5 5   vt 6 6   proprietary     64 is the first available code for proprietary error classes client 7FFD   0x7FFD0000 Reject 7FFE   0x7FFE0000 (error code is BACnetReject) Abort 7FFF   0x7FFF0000 (error code is BACnetAbort)   Error Code List Low 16 bits of Error. See BACnet spec clause 18. Error Code Hex (0x) Dec other 0 0 authentication_failed 1 1 configuration_in_progress 2 2 device_busy 3 3 dynamic_creation_not_supported 4 4 file_access_denied 5 5 incompatible_security_levels 6 6 inconsistent_parameters 7 7 inconsistent_selection_criterion 8 8 invalid_data_type 9 9 invalid_file_access_method A 10 invalid_file_start_position B 11 invalid_operator_name C 12 invalid_parameter_data_type D 13 invalid_time_stamp E 14 key_generation_error F 15 missing_required_parameter 10 16 no_objects_of_specified_type 11 17 no_space_for_object 12 18 no_space_to_add_list_element 13 19 no_space_to_write_property 14 20 no_vt_sessions_available 15 21 property_is_not_a_list 16 22 object_deletion_not_permitted 17 23 object_identifier_already_exists 18 24 operational_problem 19 25 password_failure 1A 26 read_access_denied 1B 27 security_not_supported 1C 28 service_request_denied 1D 29 timeout 1E 30 unknown_object 1F 31 unknown_property 20 32 removed 21 33 unknown_vt_class 22 34 unknown_vt_session 23 35 unsupported_object_type 24 36 value_out_of_range 25 37 vt_session_already_closed 26 38 vt_session_termination_failure 27 39 write_access_denied 28 40 character_set_not_supported 29 41 invalid_array_index 2A 42 cov_subscription_failed 2B 43 not_cov_property 2C 44 optional_functionality_not_supported 2D 45 invalid_configuration_data 2E 46 datatype_not_supported 2F 47 duplicate_name 30 48 duplicate_object_id 31 49 property_is_not_an_array 32 50   Common BACnet errors you may see: Error Code Translation Notes 0x8000001e Device + timeout likely something is offline 0x8001001f Object + unknown object likely b3/AS memory was wiped in power fail 0x80020020 Property + unknown property   0x80020025 Property + value out of range likely writing 0 to a multistate object 0x80020028 Property + write access denied   0x8002002c Property + not cov property trying to subscribe to non COV property  0x8002002e Property + invalid configuration data likely configured a change-of-value alarm on non-analog 0x80030000 Resources + out of memory   0x80050007 Services + inconsistent parameters   0x80050019 Services + operational problem   0x8005001D Services + service request denied   0x8005002B Services + COV subscription failed (0x5002B may show, not including the 0x800)   In Wireshark, using the display filter bacapp.type == 5 one will see errors dissected in the APDU packets in Decimal format. In this example, the BACnet device returns an error for Device (0) and operational problem (25) when responding to a readPropertyMultiple.

Issue How the MAC address of an I/A Series R2 UNC, ENC, or a Jace 8000/9000 can be discovered Product Line TAC I/A Series Environment  I/A Series UNC (R2), ENC (AX), Jace 8000 and 9000 (N4) Cause Obtain the MAC address of the device for network configuration.  Resolution The UNC-410 / 5x0 MAC address can be obtained in two ways:  Calculate the MAC using the serial number or use a command window on the connecting computer. Units built by Schneider-Electric have a serial number that ends in the letter B. If the UNC was built by Tridium (JACE), the MAC has a different prefix and it would be best to use the command window method. Example calculation: A UNC-510 with a serial number of 18496B -> 18496 converted to a hexadecimal value is 4840 hex -> add a 100 hex offset to the value -> 4940 hex.  Append a fixed prefix of 00-20-96-05 for al UNCs.  The MAC address for this UNC would be 00-20-96-05-49-40. This same calculation process applies to the ENC-410 and ENC-520 controllers that have a serial number ending with the letter B. Example calculation: ENC-520 with a serial number of 584520B -> 584520 converted to a hexadecimal value is 08EB48 hex -> add a 100 hex offset to the value -> 08EC48 hex.  Append a fixed prefix of 00-20-96 and the MAC address for this ENC would be 00-20-96-08-EC-48. The other method is to connect the computer and the UNC / ENC with a network patch cable, open a command window, ping the IP address of the UNC, and then use arp -a to display the IP and physical MAC address (NOTE: the arp command will only work over the network if the PC and the UNC / ENC are on the same IP subnet). The JACE-8000 uses a Mac address assigned by Texas Instruments. The MAC address cannot be determined without powering up the device. Once the device is powered and a platform connection is made you can find the Mac address under Platform/TCP IP configuration/Expand Interface 1 and 2,  Calculate the MAC Address based on the serial number  *The first three bytes are 00:01:F0 which is Tridium's Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI) JACE-9000 - the next three bytes are hex 96:40:00 + 2 times [the serial number minus 90000000] (in hex). That will give you the MAC of the second NIC. The MAC of the first NIC is that plus one.    Note For OEM brand controllers the OUI may be different. You can search for an organization's registered OUI at IEEE.org

Issue How to identify what ports are being used on a PC. Product Line All product Lines. Environment Any Windows OS Cause Running multiple applications on the same PC without managing TCP/UDP port assignments can lead to conflicts. Resolution TCPView will help you identify all ports and services to each application. Download from Microsoft's website http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897437.aspx Detailed instructions are available at the site.

Issue BACnet/IP controllers are not configured in RSTP Mode by default, therefore must be configured during installation. Having RSTP Mode disabled by default allows one to connect BACnet/IP controllers to any switch, even with port security configured to detect BPDU packets and disable the port. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation, TAC IA Series Environment Multi-purpose Controller (MP-C) Multi-purpose VAV (MP-V) Room Controller IP-IO I/A Series N4 Jace8000 SmartX IP Driver for Niagara Cause RSTP protocol requires that controllers, switches, and network architecture are configured to ensure the protocol will operate as expected.  Resolution Setting RSTP Mode for BACnet/IP Controllers ALL devices in the RSTP loop MUST BE IN RSTP MODE to function properly. This is not a huge issue because during startup you can unplug 2nd side of the loop and it will function properly in a daisy chain. Ensure the SmartX Controllers are configured correctly Configuring BACnet/IP Controller Device Settings A factory or network reset returns the RSTP setting to Disabled. Important: Whenever you make changes to RSTP the controller MUST be WARM START. If you fail to perform this restart, the BACnet/IP controller will continue communicating using its previous RSTP settings. 'Activate IP Changes' does not affect RSTP mode. Ensure the switch is configured properly per Configuring RSTP on a Managed Switch for SmartX IP Controllers Bridge Priority = 4096 Hello Time = 2 sec Max Age = 40  (40 is the maximum value allowed by the protocol. Default is 20) Forward Delay = 21 sec Bridge Priority Considerations Change Bridge Priority by adding 4096 as switches get further away from AS. (8192, 12288, 16384, 20480, 24576, 28672) DO NOT set the priority as 32768 or higher because that is the built-in Bridge Priority of BACnet/IP Controllers. First, configure the Root Bridge Switch (closest to the Automation Server) settings. Then, configure the additional Switches in order of increasing Bridge Priority. Plug in 2nd side of the RSTP Loop If all devices stay online, then it is working properly. Now test line breaks or controllers that are powered off. If all devices go offline and/or the switch LED is flashing rapidly, then go to RSTP Troubleshooting. Managed Switch Troubleshooting Consult the documentation or contact the vendor or manufacturer to assist with configuration for the items below. Ensure the switch is IEEE 802.1D - 2004 capable. BACnet/IP Controller Networking Term Definitions RSTP Ring mentions the Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol is specified in IEEE 802.1D - 2004. Ensure the firmware is up-to-date by contacting the vendor or manufacturer or downloading it from its website. Ensure ports not participating in RSTP are configured as Edge Port, Admin port, or have STP disabled. Nomenclature for those settings on your specific managed switch may vary. Adding BACnet/IP controllers to site-managed switches, work with Local IT to add these devices to their network. They will need to work with their switch vendor/manufacturer/support group to ensure the configuration of those switches because it could be more complex than changing the minimum recommended four settings above. Also, since RSTP Protocol is limited to Max Age = 40 (hops including site switches and BACnet/IP controllers), each loop's size may be limited based on their site switch network configuration and architecture.  Determined the proper configuration (or disable) for the following features. DHCP snooping Dynamic ARP inspection Denial-of-service (DOS) mitigations BPDU Guard BPDU Filter RSTP Troubleshooting Check each BACnet/IP Controller -> Diagnostics -> Device Report to confirm in RSTP Mode MANUAL CHECKOUT Double-click MP - Diagnostics Files - Device Report It will open in the default text editor Review the Device Settings section near the bottom. In firmware 1.00.0x, the report should report RSTP Mode: Enable In firmware 2.00.0x or higher, RSTP: Enabled and RSTP Status: Operational If it reports disabled, then perform Setting RSTP Mode for BACnet IP Controllers Step 1 until RSTP is working properly. USE SEARCH & EVENTS EBO 2.x MP Device IP and Settings.xml for EBO 2.0 as it only includes MP controllers EBO 3.x SmartX Device IP and Settings.xml for EBO 3.x or higher Import attached search USE RSTP STATUS GRAPHIC IN WEBSTATION MUST BE EBO 3.1 or higher which includes ClientAPI support Frontline Fridays Episode 02 - Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) Date: 2022-11-11 Mike Botens posted the following in the thread: RSTP Status TGML dated 2022-11-09 PDF of the presentation Fusion Fridays - Session 07 ​​​​ Date: 2020-05-28 The start of the video shows the graphics page in use RSTP Status.zip is downloaded via the link below the video. Extract the TGML and drop it on the AS to import. The suggestion is to store TGML directly under the AS to help with navigation in Webstation. bind Network to the BACnet/IP network with the BACnet/IP Controllers. (You may need a second TGML page if BACnet/IP controllers are on Primary and Secondary IP) Run from web browser via WebStation because utilizes ClientAPI KNOWN ISSUES Offline controllers that are scattered are NOT an RSTP issue. Check to see if there is a possible DHCP issue by verifying controllers are still at their AUTO-IP address (IP 169.254.nnn.nnnn Subnet Mask 255.255.0.0). RSTP communications issues affect the entire RSTP loop or one contiguous group of controllers. Factory Reset or controller replacement should leave one ethernet cable unplugged until configured for RSTP per these articles: Replace a BACnet/IP Controller in an RSTP Ring Network Workflow and MP Controller Reset Modes If BACnet/IP Controller Device Report OR RSTP Graphic reports RSTP Status: Changes Pending instead of RSTP Status: Operational, disable RSTP Mode, Warm Start, re-enable RSTP Mode, Warm Start, and check again. If Firmware 3.02.01 is installed, please upgrade to 3.02.02. SmartX is now SpaceLogic.

Issue When using mstpcap.exe to capture, it automatically stops after 65535 packets. Similarly, when using Wireshark, it will stop capturing if the dissector encounters an issue. This article provides a solution to continuously capture BACnet MS/TP traffic in a ring buffer and store it as files. Product Line Andover Continuum, EcoStruxure Building Operation, TAC IA Series Environment Wireshark Any BACnet MSTP RS-485 network Cause Analyze BACnet traffic via capture files. Resolution Install Wireshark. Ensure TShark is checked when installing options.  Ensure Wireshark is installed with Npcap (default) or WinPCap has been installed by IA Series Workplace Tech. Install mstpcap.exe referencing BACnet MSTP Capture Application. Ensure that mstpcap.exe has been configured for the correct port and baud rate. Here is an example for Command Prompt and PowerShell: # Command Prompt cd "C:\Program Files\Wireshark\extcap" mstpcap.exe com3 38400 # PowerShell cd 'C:\Program Files\Wireshark\extcap' ./mstpcap.exe com3 38400 Run Tshark to determine the interface being used by mstpcap so that one can reference it by number. For this example, we are going to choose 9. COM3 (BACnet MS/TP on COM3). Please change the number below to the number of your interface.  Start Tshark capture by entering the following command, updating as needed. The commands below save Test01.pcap to the Username's desktop. Please store to a location that the user has access to write.  # Command Prompt cd "C:\Program Files\Wireshark" tshark.exe -i 9 -b duration:3600 -b files:72 -w "C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Desktop\Test01.pcap​"​ # PowerShell cd 'C:\Program Files\Wireshark' ./tshark.exe -i 9 -b duration:3600 -b files:72 -w 'C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Desktop\Test01.pcap​' Note: Change  -i 9  to the number of the interface on the capturing machine. Change  -b duration  to time in seconds (3600 is one hour). Change  -b files  to the number of files to cycle through (72 is 3 days of 1-hour captures, 3x24). Change  -w  to write to the location and filename you choose. Change  \Username\  to your Windows User, if you want to save to that user's Desktop Reference: tshark(1) Manual Page (wireshark.org)

Issue An error pop-up is encountered when trying to use WorkPlace Tech Editor (WPTE) ERROR: WorkPlace Tech Editor does not function using Visio 2000. A supported a supported version of Visio must be installed for WorkPlace Tech Editor or Monitor to function properly. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Workstation (WorkPlace Tech Editor) Microsoft Visio 2013, 2016, 2019 Cause The Visio installed is corrupted or not updated to the required version. Resolution Procedure for doing the repair required for the WPTE to function Ensure that the Visio installed is approved for the version of WPTE you are using by reading the EBO release notes. Confirm that Visio if licensed and activated, and not using a temporary license Install any required Security Upgrades  Perform an Online Repair, not the Quick Repair, as illustrated  The picture above shows doing this repair to the installed Office.  Perform this on the installed Visio as well. It is important to search the installed applications to make sure no 64-bit Office products are installed.  Smartware Studio 360/Design 360 installs a 64-bit Microsoft Access DB application by ignoring the 32-bit/64-bit version check.  This can cause the fluent ribbon for WorkPlace Tech to fail and if the Online Repair is done, it can force all Office applications to be removed from the PC. 

Issue The network card is not working on the PC.  Product Line Andover Continuum, EcoStruxure Access Expert, EcoStruxure Building Expert, EcoStruxure Building Operation, EcoStruxure Security Expert, Satchwell BAS & Sigma, Satchwell MicroNet, TAC IA Series TAC I/NET, TAC Vista Environment PC Network Interface Card Cause Require a method to test the network card. Resolution Assuming you have the correct protocols loaded:- Open up a command prompt and type ‘ipconfig’(1) then press enter to get a list of the available network cards. Find the specific network card by name (2) Record the IP Address (3) assigned to the card, e.g. 192.168.5.90 If the card is unplugged (4) connect a network cable and start back at step 1 If the network card does not appear in Device Manager check the drivers are correctly installed for the card and when installed correctly start back at step 1. If the network card still does not appear it could be disabled.  In Network Connections right click the adaptor and select Enable (5) and start back at step 1. After these steps if the network card still does not appear when running ipconfig it is most likely damaged. If/when an IP Address is successfully obtained open a Command Prompt and type ping followed by the IP Address of the card, for example ping 192.168.5.90 (1). A functioning card will respond with 4 successfully replies (2) and the associated statistics (3) As additional information a good first step would be to "ping 127.0.0.1". This will not test a network card but indicates that the TCP/IP protocol is installed and functioning on the host PC.

Issue When is an "additional 500 points" license required for an Enterprise Server? Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series R2 IA-ENT-1 Enterprise Server licensed with the IA-DRV-OSD Open Systems Device driver license Cause The basic Enterprise Server license does not include any external point driver capabilities.   Adding the IA-DRV-OSD allows the enterprise server to communicate with up to 25 points of each type, BACnet, OPC, SNMP and ModBus, all using IP communications. Resolution An Enterprise Server can be licensed to directly communicate with  BACnet, OPC, MODbus and SNMP points by adding the IA-DRV-OSD license and will support communication with up to 25 points of each specific type of points. For each additional block of 500 points of a specific type, you need to purchase an additional points license, IA-BAC-500, IA-OPC-500, IA-MOD-500 or IA-SNMP-500.  Here is an example of how these licenses are used.  The Enterprise Server needs to communicate directly with 1250 BACnet IP points and 60 SNMP points.  The following licenses will be required: IA-ENT-1 -- Enterprise server license IA-DRV-OSD -- Open System Driver for direct point communication, includes 25 points each of BACnet, SNMP, OPC and ModBus. IA-SNMP-500 -- allows ES to communicate with the 60 SNMP points, technically allowing communications with a total of 525 SNMP points (25 points included with IA-ENT-1 and 500 with IA-SNMP-500). IA-BAC-500 -- allows the ES to communicate with an additional 500 BACnet points bringing the total to 525 BACnet points IA-BAC-500 -- this second IA-BAC-500 license will allow the ES to communicate with the additional 500 BACnet points, bringing the total allowable BACnet point count to 1025 points IA-BAC-500 -- this third IA-BAC-500 license will allow the ES to communicate with the required additional 225 BACnet points, actually bringing the total allowable BACnet point count to 1525 points. NOTE: On most computers an IA-ENT-1 with the Open System Driver is capable of supporting a maximum of 4000 external points regardless of the number of points licensed in any one communication type.

Issue How to use a digital point card with a Network 8000 MicroZone II controller. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment Network 8000 MicroZone II controller Digital Point Card Cause To use the digital input cards (DPC-3-1 & DPC-3-2) with a MicroZone II controller, it requires a custom application file. Resolution The MicroZone II controller supports two digital input cards:  DPC-3-1 & DPC-3-2. A custom application file (1-DPC3.MZ2) is required to properly read the digital input card, review technical bulletin TB01-26 for more details. (Note: The DPC-5 series cards were designed for the MNL and MNB controllers.  They are compatible with the DUI Expander Object available for both controller lines.)