Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Since both products -- Xenta programmables and the UNC 520 -- speak LON protocol, there is some assumption that integration should be seamless.  In the case of ASCs, this is true, but Xenta programmable controllers use some forms of proprietary communication that can complicate the integration. Product Line TAC IA Series, TAC Vista Environment Xenta programmables Xenta 280, 281, 282, 283, 300, 301, 302, 401, 401:B UNC-520 Niagara Tridium Cause Xenta programmables use proprietary communications for three main purposes: To communicate their online status between group members and group masters To communicate between a base unit and associated I/O modules To pass proprietary TAC Network Variables between two programmable controllers In a UNC-520, the first function would be taken over by the new network manager (Local Lon Device).  However, the second two must use Group Bindings set through a Vista compatible network management tool like LonMaker or NL220.  If the controllers are commissioned into the UNC-520, that communication will be broken and I/O modules will go offline and no network variables will pass. Resolution  It is possible to engineer a TAC Vista network as usual, using an LNS management tool to create group bindings to facilitate proprietary communications.  A UNC-520, set to non-network management mode could then be implemented on top. However, any attempt to commission the devices into the UNC-520 network will break that proprietary communication.  To prevent this scenario from occurring, the simplest method is: Do not use proprietary TAC Network Variables to pass data between controllers. Use only SNVTs which will be available to a third party LON network manager like the UNC-520 Make no SNVT bindings in a temporary LonMaker or NL220 database.  Let the UNC-520 handle all network management duties. Do not define Xenta I/O modules in the Menta Device Specification. Use only Xenta 421A, 422A, 451A and 452A I/O modules.  These have the capability to act as stand-alone LON nodes. Define the modules as LON nodes, configure them using Configuring inputs on Xenta 421A or 451A when using the controller as a stand alone Lonworks node. Bind to the inputs and outputs of the I/O modules in the UNC-520.

Issue Receiving the following error when attempting to navigate to the Xenta web interface. "TAC C503Boot/x.x.x.x not configured". Product Line Satchwell MicroNet, TAC INET, TAC Vista Environment Xenta Server 511, 527, 555 Xenta Server 701, 721, 731 Cause Device web interface has stopped working or flash drive / hard disk has been corrupted on the Xenta Server. Resolution Attempt the following steps to resolve this problem: Try restarting the device and see if the unit comes back online, remember to wait 1-2 minutes for the unit to restart.  Check the RUN LED on the panel, if the LED is a solid green this indicates the device is running normally, and your access should be restored. If the LED is RED, solid or flashing this would indicate a problem with the device. Attempt to restore or upgrade the device to the latest firmware.    You can download the latest firmware version from the Schneider Electric Exchange. If this fails then then reference Xenta Server "Run" light is solid red with no communication via Ethernet.

Issue Problems receiving emails from Xenta 511/527 Product Line TAC INET, TAC Vista Environment Xenta Server Xenta 511, 527, 701, 711, 721, 731, 913 Cause Some email servers have been found to filter UTF-7 character encoding as spam. The Xenta products require this encoding to support Swedish characters, but this can be configured by manually editing some files. Resolution Use an FTP program (Internet Explorer) to connect to the Xenta you are trying to change and download the \sys\langstring.cfg file. Edit the file and modify the following lines to replace all instances of 7 with an 8: ALARM_CODE_1= =?utf-7?Q? ALARM_CODE_3=charset=UNICODE-1-1-UTF-7 Upload the edited file back to the Xenta device Cycle power The device will now use UTF-8 character encoding which is more commonly used in the United States. For more troubleshooting tips, see Troubleshooting sending emails from a Xenta Server.

Issue Where are the reports of fixed issues/bugs for the various product lines located? Product Line TAC Vista, TAC INET, Andover Continuum, Satchwell MicroNet, Satchwell Sigma, TAC IA Series, EcoStruxure Building Operation, EcoStruxure Building Expert, Access Expert, Security Expert Environment Technical Product Announcements Cause TPAs contain information of changes made per version of the different product lines. A TPA may report enhancements and/or broken functionality. Resolution Navigate to Exchange Extranet to view all TAC Vista documents tagged as TPA. The documents will be listed in reverse chronological order. Log in to view these documents. See Register for The Exchange Download Center for more information on registration.

Issue Error Messages: Windows - Delayed Write Failed Windows was unable to save all the data for the file D:\VISTA DB _23032011\$queues\insertevents. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network connection. Please try to save this file elsewhere. Windows - Corrupt File The file or directory \VISTA DB _23032011\$queues\insertevents is corrupt and unreadable. Please run the Chkdsk utility. Product Line TAC Vista Environment TAC Vista Cause Problem with Operating System (or) Hard Disk Fault (or) Link between $queues with Vista Database. Resolution As there may be several issues that are causing this, there are three options to look at: OPTION 1: Restore the OLD TAC Vista Data Base Backup. Refer to TAC Vista Technical Manual chapter 26 for re-storing database procedure.   OPTION 2: There might be a linking problem with this folder and Vista.  Here are the steps to check if this is the problem: If the problem still exists, Check for hard disk errors. Find the $queues - folder in existing database folder ( \DB\$queues) Copy the files to an other location and delete current folder (Refer to An efficient method for deleting all queued files in the $queues folder) Recreate it with same folder names and copy back the files into $queues-folder. If the problem still exists, Check for hard disk errors.   OPTION 3: Check for hard disk errors, follow the below procedure: Go to "My Computer", Right click on Hard Disk Drive – typically - C, and Click on Properties. Go to Option "Tools" and Click on "Check Now" under "Error-Checking"

Issue Set extra DCOM Settings when TAC Vista Server and Remote Work Station in Workgroup. Environment TAC Vista Server Remote Workstation Cause Cannot access TAC Vista Server from Remote Workstation, even though DCOM's set properly (in Workgroup). Resolution When using Remote Workstation and TAC Vista Server in same Workgroup and completing the DCOM settings based on the TAC Vista Installation Manual (04-00001-xx) and you still cannot access the TAC Vista Server PC, try the settings in the attached the document. Click here to download. Also refer these articles for more information: Helpful Vista Utilities - Configure DCOM instantly, Register ASP.NET Error: The RPC server is unavailable. Connecting from a TAC Vista Remote Workstation says "Ensure that TAC Vista Server is started" error, even though DCOM is set correctly Necessary Accounts for DCOM and Firewall Security Settings

Issue Need to use a Xenta I/O module on another channel from the base device Product Line TAC Vista Environment Xenta I/O Modules Xenta Programmable Controllers LON Channels Cause Using traditional I/O modules you are not allowed to span channels when placing your base unit and I/O modules. Resolution Use the 421A/422A or 451A/452A models. You can span channels by using SNVT based communication rather then Xenta group communication. You will be required to bind the values to the base unit. See Configuring inputs on Xenta 421A or 451A when using the controller as a stand alone Lonworks node for more information on configuring the Xenta I/O modules for stand alone operation.  

Issue When accessing Webstation through Internet Explorer, receive the error “8000401A. Code:-2147467238” Product Line TAC Vista Environment Vista Server 5.x and Webstation. Internet Explorer Windows 7 Cause Improper DCOM settings. ASP.NET not installed Incorrect Remote work station License used Resolution Set DCOM settings as per Vista Installation Manual (04-00001-04) Section 3.6. ASP.NET Start - Controlpanel- Programs - Turn windows feature on or off Navigate to Internet Information Services - Word Wide Web Services - Application Development Feature Make sure ASP.Net are checked, if not install it.Try webstation again. Helpful Vista Utilities - Configure DCOM instantly, Register ASP.NET is a link to a tool that can assist with setting DCOM and ASP.NET   Ensure correct Webstation licenses are installed.  Below are the options available.   0-008-8270-1      "Vista 5.1 Web station 1 CAL - One concurrent user license for Web station 5" 0-008-8271-1      "Vista 5.1 Web station 3 CAL - Three concurrent user licenses for Web station 5" 0-008-8272-1      "Vista 5.1 Web station 6 CAL- Six concurrent user licenses for Web station 5" 0-008-8273-1      "Vista 5.1 Web station 12 CAL- Twelve concurrent user licenses for Web station 5" 0-008-8274-1      "Vista 5.1 Web station Unlimited- License for unlimited users for Web station 5"

Issue LonWorks Device is Offline in Vista, but Online in LonMaker. For Xenta Programmable devices refer to Xenta Programmable Device is Offline in Vista but Online in LonMaker. Product Line TAC Vista Environment LonMaker, NL220 Vista Workstation LonWorks Device Cause If the Vista database has some LonWorks devices that are not communicating, one cause could be due to changes in the system such as moving controllers to a new channel for example. Updating the Vista database with the system plug-in might not fully overwrite all the node properties causing the device not to communicate in Vista Workstation even though it is communicating in the LNS database. Resolution Delete the LonWorks device from the TAC Network in the System plug-in. "Update Vista Database" in the System plug-in to remove the device or devices from Vista Workstation. "Update TAC Network" to add the devices back to the TAC Network. "Update Vista Database" again to add the devices back to the Vista database.

Issue When starting Vista software (other than Vista Server) an error appears stating that the license has expired. lc_checkout failed: Feature has expired. Feature: Menta.View Expire date: 31-May-2011 License path: C:\Program Files\Schneider Electric\License Files\Demo_5_1_31_may_2011.lic FLEXnet Licensing error:-10,32 For further information, refer to the FLEXnet Licensing documentation, available at "acresso.com". Product Line TAC Vista Environment Vista Workstation Menta TGML Editor Vista Webstation Cause The temporary trial license for Vista has an expiration. If Vista returns an error stating that the license is expired this may be due to one or more of the following reasons: The temporary license file being used has indeed expired Vista was pointed to a temporary license file that has now expired rather than being pointed to the license files folder The computer date is set incorrectly Resolution Start by checking to see that the computer date is set correctly. If it is set to a future date beyond the expiration date of the temporary license file this will prevent Vista from starting up. Check to verify that the temporary license file being used has not expired by opening Windows Explorer and browsing to the following folder: C:\Program Files\Schneider Electric\License Files or C:\Program Files\TAC\License Files if this is an older installation. The expiration date of the file is part of name of the file. For example, Demo_5_1_31_aug_2011 expires on the 31st of August, 2011. The terminal services licenses need to be updated every two weeks and the expiration date can also be found in the file name in a week-of-the-year format. The easiest way to find the exact date is to open the license file in a text editor  and the expiration date can be found in the first line. For example, the first line of the license file Demo+TS_OK_5_1_valid_through_week32_2011 is: "FEATURE Vista.Workstation taclic 5.1 14-aug-2011 uncounted \" therefore this license expires on the 14th of August 2011. If the exact license file rather than the license location was specified during installation, Vista may not be able to find a new temporary license file once the old one expires. The location where Vista looks for the license should be cleared out by following the steps in the resolution of Switching from the Demo license to the site License in Vista 5.1.7 or older. Once the registry value has been cleared Vista will ask where the license is found the next time it is started up.

Issue Error message in Vista System Plug-in: LNS System access failure, (Subsystem: NS,#147) lcaErrNsLicenseViolation 147 LNS license access failure. Product Line TAC Vista Environment LonMaker, NL220 LNS Network Cause Feedback from Echelon on this error message. A variety of conditions may cause this error. Some relate directly to internal licensing components. For example, the license DLLs may not have installed properly, the files that identifies the license (nsseng.exe for the LNS Server, lonmaker.DSL for LonMaker) do not exist, or the Crypkey licensing components (crypserv.exe and ckldrv.sys) are not running properly. You can resolve these problems by deleting the files that may be causing problems, and re-installing LNS. The license DLLs, as well as the crypserv.exe and ckldrv.sys files, can be found in the Windows 'LNS Licenses' folder, and the Crypkey files can be found in the Windows 'system32' folder. Note that you must stop the 'CrypkeyLicense' service and 'NetworkX' driver before deleting the Crypkey files. Certain conditions on the PC operating the license may also cause this error. For example, if the PCs file system is corrupted or low on space, or if the license files have been manually deleted, tampered with in any way, or moved by some disk-defragmentation utilities, this error will occur. You can resolve these situations by ordering a replacement license key. If the PC clock is set back to a time before the creation of the license or before the last time credits were purchased, this error will occur. In some cases, this can be resolved by rebooting the PC. Otherwise, it may be necessary to order a replacement key. The error may occur if the license has been transferred out of the PC, manually terminated, or if there are zero maximum credits. In this case, you need to purchase additional credits for the license. For more information on licensing, see Chapter 13 of the LNS Programmers Guide. Resolution It is very likely that you have corrupted LNS Credits. To determine if this is the case and how to solve it please reference Corrupted LNS Credits.  

Issue Problems installing Vista Webstation 5.1.5 or newer Product Line TAC Vista Environment Vista Webapps (Webstation) 5.1.5 Windows 2008 Server 32-bit or 64-bit. Cause In order to install TAC Vista Webstation successfully on Windows Server 2008, there are a number of steps and prerequisites to be checked. Resolution In order to install TAC Vista Webstation successfully on Windows Server 2008 it has to be done in the following order: PC Preparation – Only if you can not access the Run as administrator context-menu! Log in as an administrator and create a new administrator group (eg. VistaAdmin) and add a user to this group. By doing this you will be able to access the Run as administrator context menu later on (users added to the Windows administrator group do not always receive full administrator rights). Install IIS 7 and ASP.net Start the Server Manager (Right-click on Computer in the start-menu or the Computer desktop icon if running classic start-menu and select Manage). Right-click Roles and click Add roles. In the dialogue that opens up click Next and then select Web Server (IIS). In the dialogue that follows click Add Required Features. Click Next (twice). On the select Role services page select ASP.net. In the dialogue window that appears click Add Required Role Services. Click Next and then click Install. NOTE FOR WINDOWS 7 USERS! Whilst Windows 7 is not officially supported for running Webstation it may be used in a test environment. It's important to note that the IIS and ASP.net installation is slightly different - the user is not asked to add roles, the user is asked to add windows features (see screenshot below). Ensure .net framework 4.0 is installed Open Server Manager and select Features. Scroll down and ensure .net framework 4.0 is installed. If not: Open Internet Explorer. From the menu select Tools\Windows Update (Safety\Windows Update in IE8) Run windows update and install .net framework 4.0 Install TAC Vista Server and any hotfixes Install TAC Vista Webstation and any hotfixes As administrator, register ASP.Net version 4.0 Click on start and then All programs\Accessories. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Runs as administrator. If using 32-bit: Open explorer and locate the %SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\aspnet_regiis. If using 64-bit: Open explorer and locate the %SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\aspnet_regiis. Ensuring that the directory is set to C:\ copy the file path into command prompt and the add the following text : aspnet_regiis.exe -i -enable Press Enter Confirm the installation was successful Click on start and then type inetmgr in the search box. This will open IIS manager. Expand the hierarchical menu on the left and then expand the Sites folder. Expand Default Web Sites and select Webstation Right-click on webstation and select manage application > Advanced Settings. In the Application Pool field it should say SE ASP.NET v4.0 Classic All that is left now is ISAPI, CGI (see "HTTP Error 404.2 - Not found. The page you are requesting cannot be served because of the ISAPI and CGI Restriction List settings on the web server") and DCOM settings (see TAC Vista Installation Manual or Helpful Vista Utilities - Configure DCOM instantly, Register ASP.NET). License problem: Webstation - No license Available

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 Services for assistance. Issue There is no clear guidance on how to handle the SNMP settings for TAC Xenta Servers Product Line TAC Vista Environment TAC Xenta Server TAC XBuilder SNMP Cause Previously the SNMP feature has not been widely used and has not been a security concern. There are two types or flavors of SNMP. One is for browsing a device to get information about it (SNMP Agent), and the other is to automatically send alarms from a given device to a central alarm system (SNMP Alarm Trap). Now according to reports from the field, IT departments are starting to get concerned about the SNMP feature in Xenta Servers. A general overview of how SNMP can be used maliciously for intrusion can be studied here. Normally the IT department requests that: The default community string is changed SNMP is disabled Here is an example of what you see when you browse a Xenta Server (having the correct Xenta Server mib file) using a SNMP browser such as "MIB Browser" from iReasoning Here is an example of alarms received from a Xenta Server via SNMP Resolution All (or most) SNMP settings are changed through TAC XBuilder First step is to change the default community name. If the community name is either "private" or "public" (the latter is default), it can be browsed without knowing the name. You simply change the name in "Community Name" and "Trap Community Name". Download all project files to the Xenta Server afterwards. Now when you try to browse the Xenta Server from the SNMP agent without first defining the community name, you will not be able to retrieve data. Next, we can disable the SNMP Alarm Trap. Download all project files to the Xenta Server afterwards. After that, alarms will not be sent to the IP address configured. Following here are advanced steps to change the ports used for SNMP (161 and 162) If the settings described above are not enough, we can change the port number used for SNMP. This is however a little more complicated. You need to connect to the Xenta Server using FTP (Note that the FTP access may be disabled, refer to Disable FTP in the Xenta 5/7/9xx Controllers if unsure how to enable this), and fetch the following file: /sys/system/snmp.cfg Open the file in Notepad Change the two port number as below - you can choose other port numbers, but it is crucial that they are not the same as any other ports used by the Xenta Server. Upload the changed file to the same location on the Xenta Server Download the project from TAC XBuilder, choosing to download all files You now get this message Here you must click "Target system" or the changed settings are overwritten Note that the port numbers defined in XBuilder have not changed yet Save the project and close XBuilder Open the project again You will now see that the port numbers have the value you defined in the file earlier Now when you try browsing the Xenta Server with a SNMP tool, you can no longer connect on the default port 161

Issue If the PC is shut down or rebooted, Vista Server can be configured to run automatically on startup of the PC. This is not the same as running Vista Server as a service (for information on that, please see Registering/Unregistering TAC Vista Server as a Windows service). The server still runs as an application, but starts once at Windows Startup. Product Line TAC Vista Environment Microsoft Windows Vista Server Cause In the event of a power loss or reboot, the Vista Server will start automatically for the user, which enables trending and event logging, without requiring a manual start of the application. Resolution These instructions are tailored to the Windows 7 environment, but the process is very similar in all Windows versions (add a shortcut to the application to the Windows Startup folder): Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Program Files\Schneider Electric\TAC Vista 5.1.X In that folder, locate Tacos.exe Right-click on Tacos.exe and select Send to > Desktop (create shortcut) This will place a shortcut on the desktop to be used in a later step. Click on Start > All Programs Locate the folder called Startup Right-click on Startup and select Open all users This will open a Windows Explorer window to the appropriate folder Drag and drop the Tacos.exe shortcut from the Desktop to this folder

Issue When Vista Server is running as a service how do you restore backup files? Product Line TAC Vista Environment Vista 4.x.x Vista 5.x.x Cause The Vista Server program will not allow you to restore a backup when running as a service. Depending on the nature of the backup it might have to be deregistered as a service to do the restore. Resolution Vista backup is a zip file of the database directory Open Services from the Windows Control Panel. Stop the Vista Server service (TACOS.exe) Unzip the database backup into an empty directory of your choice. Start Vista Server Setup and browse to the directory the database was restored to in the Database folder path of the Vista Database tab. Click Ok. Start the Vista Server service (TACOS.exe) Vista backup is a full Vista backup (FVB) file Unregister Vista Server as a service, see Registering/Unregistering TAC Vista Server as a Windows service. Start Vista Server as a program. Login to the Vista Server program. Use the File\Restore Database option. Browse to the FVB file. Browse to a new folder. Click Ok. Close Vista Server. Start Vista Server Setup and browse to the directory the database was restored to in the Database folder path of the Vista Database tab. Click OK. Start Vista Server as a program. Ensure the database was upgraded. Stop Vista Server. Register Vista Server as a service, see Registering/Unregistering TAC Vista Server as a Windows service.

Issue TAC Vista to SmartStruxure Interface does not connect in non-English Operation System Environment TAC Vista SmartStruxure Solution TAC Vista SmartStruxure Interface 1.0 TAC Vista 5.1.8 non-English Operation System Cause The Format setting to non-English will cause this issue. Resolution In the Windows Control Panel, select Region and Language. On the formats tab change the format to English. Click Apply. Vista 5.1.9 will fix this. For how to create Vista interface in SmartStruxure, refer to How to Create TAC Vista Interface to SmartStruxure.

Issue Sporadic values in Vista or Vista Graphics show up as red X or "Invalid Value" Product Line TAC Vista Environment Vista Workstation Classic Environment Cause Vista is designed to only have one instance of Vista Server running per system.  If two Vista Servers are polling the same equipment, data will not be read correctly. Resolution Configure all machines as a Remote Workstation with the instructions below. The remote Workstation will be networked to the Vista Server you would like to remotely view. To allow for correct communication DCOM setting will also need to be set. See Helpful Vista Utilities - Configure DCOM instantly, Register ASP.NET for the utility to complete this process. Shut down all Vista programs, including Vista Server Start Vista Workstation You will see this log in screen: Click on "Options" to display this screen Change "[Local Server]" to the IP address of the machine with Vista Server running Enter your username and password and select OK 

Issue Downgrade SQL 2008 to SQL 2005 Restore from SQL 2008 to prior version. Product Line Andover Continuum, TAC INET, TAC Vista Environment SQL 2008 used by Building Management Software Cause Have database loaded on one machine using SQL 2008 and would like to move or change to SQL 2005 Resolution Golden Rule: A SQL 2008 database cannot be downgraded or restored to a SQL 2005 version. It is not possible to downgrade a database or a database backup. The SQL schema will not allow it.  For your current version of SQL: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server \80, \90, \100 Folders are the client tools. 80 = SQL Server 2000 90 = SQL Server 2005 100 = SQL Server 2008 How ever, it is not a rule. Since 2008 creates both 80, 90. The only way to find what versions are installed (besides regedit) is by the Sql Server Configuration manager.    For other SQL options related to I/NET, please visit SQL and version compatibility for Filemaster, Equalized Client, Remote Client, Limitations of SQL.

Issue How to find a Vista 5 dongle ID if it has rubbed off of the dongle. Product Line TAC Vista Environment Vista 5 Windows Command Window Cause The Dongle ID is required for locking TAC Vista licenses to a site dongle. Normally, the dongle ID can be found on the side of a Vista 5 licensing dongle. However, on older dongles, this number can rub off.  It is still possible to extract the dongle ID using the GetTACHLInfo.exe dongle utility software. Resolution On the Start menu, click Run. In the Run dialog box, type cmd Click OK. In the dialog box, go to the folder C:\Program Files\Schneider Electric\License Server (as default) NOTE: for TAC Vista 5.1.3 and prior, go to the folder C:\Program Files\TAC\License Server. Use command "cd.." for going to the parent directory and command "cd folderPath" for going to a child directory. Can also view items in the current directory by typing "dir". In the dialog box, type GetTACHLInfo (or GetTACHLInfo.exe) and press Return. The dongle ID is listed after "TAC_HL_ID=". Read Find a Vista IV dongle ID (PSU ID) for how to find Vista IV dongle ID.

Issue Using a 4-20 mA sensor on a Xenta 451A or 452A Product Line TAC Vista Environment Xenta 451A Xenta 452A Cause There is only enough power onboard a Xenta 451A or 452A for one 4-20mA.  Resolution Wire each sensor, using an external power supply for cases where there is more than 1 4-20mA sensor. Create an AI in the Menta file Bind the object to the 451A Select the correct Terminal Ref Choose the 4..20mA sensor If using this device as a stand alone LON module chose the 4-20 mA option for the nci NOTE: only Xenta devices ending in "A" have truly Universal Inputs.  For complete details on input configuration, see Configuring inputs on Xenta 421A or Xenta 451A when using the controller as a stand alone Lonworks node.