Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue While attempting to import files to through WorkStation or libraries from the Script Editor, the program crashes with the error message below. It can even happen when doing mass create or mass change, or when adding columns to a list view. "StruxureWare Building Operation has stopped working" Environment Building Operation WorkStation Building Operation Script Editor Cause It has been identified that a program called "F-Secure Key" interferes with other installed programs, and can ultimately leed to other programs crashing. "F-Secure Key" hooks into the Microsoft dll "UIAutomationCore.dll" which is used to idenitfy and manipulate elements in the user interface. If "F-Secure Key" is installed, it can easily be identified, as you will see a blue circle with a key when logging in through WorkStation Resolution Uninstall all "F-Secure Key" related program from "Programs and Features" in the Control Panel on the PC

Issue When generating a XBuilder project, the following error is shown in the "Output" window "Error: Could not open x7parser.exe." Environment TAC XBuilder TAC Menta Cause For some reason TAC Menta has not been properly registered during installation. The file x7parser.exe is part of the TAC Menta installation, if TAC XBuilder can not located the TAC Menta executable, x7parser.exe (which generated the Menta objects in the XBuilder project) can not be launched. Resolution The solution is to manually register TAC Menta 1. Open a command prompt (Start - Run - cmd) 2. Navigate to the TAC Menta installation directory (Typically "C:\Program Files (x86)\Schneider Electric\TAC Menta 5.1.9" but this depends on OS and Menta version) 3. Enter the following command: tam32.exe /regserver 4. Press enter 5. Reopen XBuilder and generate

Issue When attempting to get the trace or system logs through WorkStation, you get the following error "Application not found" Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation WorkStation Detected in version 1.6.1 Windows 7 or below Cause The program or editor associated with the file type *.log can not be found on the PC. Resolution Associate a valid program with the filetype *.log 1. Create a new text file e.g. on the desktop 2. Change the file extension on the file from .txt to .log - refer to the following instructions if the file extension is not visible 3. Double click the file, and select a new default editor 4. Get the trace log from WorkStation

Issue If creating a new "Utility" in Workstation it is possible to create a object called " Object Creator". This object is not documented. Environment WorkStation version 1.7.1 and earlier Cause There is no documentation for this object, as it is an internal test object that should not be used in the field. visible and if you use it wrong it will crash. In 1.8 it is removedIt’sIt’sIt’s actually a internal test object used to quickly  create a folder structure. It shouldn’t be used as it isn’t supposed to be  visible and if you use it wrong it will crash. In 1.8 it is removed actually a internal test object used to quickly  create a folder structure. It shouldn’t be used as it isn’t supposed to be  visible and if you use it wrong it will crash. In 1.8 it is removedactually a internal test object used to quickly  create a folder structure. It shouldn’t be used as it isn’t supposed to be  visible and if you use it wrong it will crash. In 1.8 it is removedIt’s actually a internal test object used to quickly  create a folder structure. It shouldn’t be used as it isn’t supposed to be  visible and if you use it wrong it will crash. In 1.8 it is removed Resolution The object is removed in version 1.8

Issue Unable to update LiveEvent View Window. Environment Continuum  version 1.91 and above Windows XP Windows 7 Cause Although MSMQ is enabled the MSMQ HTTP Port in the details must be enabled as well. Resolution To following steps should resolve this issue: Open Control Panel. Click Add Remove Programs and then click Add Windows Components. Select Message Queuing and click Details. ... Ensure that the option MSMQ HTTP Support is selected on the details page Restart the Live Event Viewer Window again and messages should be coming now Windows XP Location: Windows 7 Location:

Issue When logging on to the Report Manager or Report Builder to manage, create or install custom report packs, the following error is shown: User does not have required permissions. Verify that sufficient permissions have been granted and Windows User Account Control (UAC) restrictions have been addressed Environment WebReports Cause This is a known issue with Microsoft Reporting Services when User Account Control (UAC) is enabled on the server. By default the local administrators are only given the role of "Content Manager", which does not allow for all operations. The easy solution is to disable UAC, but below is the solution for how to solve it without disabling UAC. For further reference, refer to the following discussion. Resolution 1. Launch Internet Explorer as administrator (right click the shortcut and click "Run as administrator"). 2. Open the Report Manager on the local server using "localhost" in the URL. E.g. if the URL is normally http://server_name/Reports_SQLEXPRESS you need to enter http://localhost/Reports_SQLEXPRESS 3. Click "Folder Settings" 4. Click "Edit" next to the "BUILTIN\Administrators" 5. Check all the options and click "Apply"

Issue PowerFail System Variable for b3 controllers does not show correct value in Script Editor Binding Variables Window Environment Schneider Electric b3 controllers Cause The script program editor for b3 controllers does not recognize the PowerFail system variable as a system-defined value. The value of the variable can still be used in a b3 Script program by creating a Numeric Input in the program header, and then binding the SystemVariable to the program.     Once the value is bound however, the value of the PowerFail System variable is not displayed correctly in the program editor Binding Variables display window. The value of the PowerFail system variable should be shown as a binary value – either 0/1, ON/OFF or True/False.  Instead, the Normal (OFF) value displays as the integer value “1536”. Resolution Although its value is not displayed correctly Binding Variables display window, when the object is bound to the program the value of the object is correctly interpreted when the program is compiled and executed. For coding purposes, the numeric should be treated as a binary value with the expected values of ON and OFF.  Do not use the integer value shown in the Binding Variables window. Example would be : If PowerFail = On then Goto DelayStart Note : The PowerFail system variable in a b3 controller is only active for ONE scan FOLLOWING the restoration of power following a power loss to that controller.

Issue When viewing a graphic using WebStation, the zoom controls are not visible in the toolbar. Only "Reset zoom" is shown. Environment WebStation Graphics Zoom Cause The method of zooming a graphic in and out has changed at StruxureWare Building Operation 1.7.1. Prior to this a toolbar was available, but this has now been removed. Resolution To zoom the graphic in and out, the mouse wheel (scroll) is used. The graphic can be positioned by dragging the graphic. On a touchscreen, zooming is achieved using the pinched fingers method. To reset the Graphic to a 1:1 ratio click "Reset zoom".

Issue When an Automation Server backup is restored, the programs or IO's linked to a time schedule does not show their correct states Environment Automation Server Backplane Function Block Time Schedule Cause More than one AS has been fitted onto the same backplane and this e.g. causes the Function Block program to malfunction. The result of this is that the FB program does not reflect the correct state of the time schedule binding, when a backup is restored.               Resolution The installation of multiple AS's onto the same backplane is not allowed.  Do not install more than one AS on a backplane. If you do, they will both try to drive the IO bus and will collide in doing so. This causes the Task Scheduler to lock up in the AS. Results will be unpredictable! To overcome this issue, make sure only one AS is fitted on the same backplane, and "warm-start" the AS.

Issue When proportional 0-10Vdc type valve actuators are used with a SE8000 room controller, the actuators behavior is inconsistent. Environment SE8300 SE8350 SE8600 SE8600 Cause Some valve actuators e.g. wax filled (thermic type) have a high input impedance e.g. 100 Kohms. When connected to a SE8000 room controller, the actuators operation may be sluggish or may never operate. The SE8000 has a maximum output of 5mA when set to proportional control, using actuators with high impedance, the SE8000 room controller fails to recognise there is an actuator and does not drive it. Resolution A burden resistor can be fitted to draw some current from the SE8000 room controller because the actuator's impedance is too large. The burden resistor needs to be large enough not to affect normal use, but small enough to draw a current from the SE8000 room controller. Using ohms law: Valve actuator @ 100 Kohm SE8000 UO output is 5 mA, maximum Vdc output is 10 Vdc. Minimum size of burden resistor: 10 Vdc/5 mA = 2 Kohm. It may be necessary to increase the size of the burden resistor e.g. 10Kohm. The burden resistor is then installed between the signal ground and the signal, either at the controller or the actuator end. Test the actuators for correct operation.

Issue For maintenance of the site we would like the possibillity to turn a "User Group - Alarm" on or off Environment TAC Vista 5.1.9 Cause "User Group - Alarm" is used when you want specific users to be able to see specific alarms.  For example an alarm control bound to a specific "User Group - Alarm" will only send its alarm to users added to User Group Alarm. When doing maintenance on a site there is often many alarms which the users are not interested in, and this is why the users need to be able to disable a certain alarm user group. Resolution It is possible to connect the alarm user group to a timechart. The alarm user group will only be active as long as the time chart is on. 1. Define a "Time Chart - Local" in TAC Vista 2. Select and open the appropriate "User Group - Alarm" object 3. On "Time chart" select a timechart object created in step 1 and click OK   Now none of the users in the alarm group will receive alarms, as the time schedule linked to the alarm user group is inactive. To return to normal alarm handling, remove the time schedule reference created in step 3, and delete the time chart created in step 1.

Issue When opening a graphic or function block live view, you get the following error: Could not create TGML Invalid data Can not open file Environment Detected in versions: 1.6.1, 1.7.1 Runtime Compatibility Graphics Function Block Cause This happens during upgrade, and only in a multi server environment. The ES will be at one version, and the AS one version below. As SmartStruxure has runtime compatibility, this works. There is however currently an issue with how the files from the AS are cached. As a result, when trying to open a graphic located in an AS just after upgrading the AS, you get this error. Resolution Restart WorkStation after upgrading an AS

Issue BACnet Broadcast Device Table (BDT) on a BACnet Broadcast Management Device (BBMD) becomes corrupted after a server version upgrade, only if the BACnet BDT was taught from another BBMD The following upgrades have this issue v1.5 to v1.6, v1.6 to v1.7, v1.7 to v1.8 Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment BACnet Broadcast Device Table BBDT BDT Management BBMD Cause When a BDT is manually built (or BBMD first created), BDTE00001 is always set to the Server IP address. In the example this is 192.168.1.15 When the BDT is taught from another BBMD, the BDT is changed and BDTE00001 is modified. When a Server (Enterprise or Automation) is upgraded (V1.5-1.6, 1.6-1.7, 1.7-1.8), then BDT entry BDTE00001 is changed to it's own IP address. Thus the Servers BBMD BDT can be corrupted with the Server IP address appearing twice in the BDT Resolution The taught BDT can either be set manually, before the upgrade, so it does not get corrupted by the upgrade process or be corrected following the upgrade. Option 1: Change the BDT before the upgrade The BDT Entry BDTE00001 should be set to the IP address the Server that contains it. The BDT Entry (BDTE00002 in the simple example above) that held the IP address of the Server should be set to the value that was in BDTE00001. Option 2: Correct the BDT after the upgrade For the first Server being upgraded Upgrade the Server Log into the Server and view the BDT from WorkStation Multi-select and delete all entries, Then manually reenter in all the BDT entries. For all remaining servers being upgraded Upgrade the Server Log into the Server and view the BDT from WorkStation Multi-select and delete all entries From the First Server BBMD do a teach Verify the BDT table is in the Server Below would be the first upgraded Server as option 2 or a corrected as option 1   NOTES Versions 1.8 and beyond include a fix so that the "BDT Teach" Mechanism does not allow the BDTE00001 to be changed. A hotfix will be available in V1.7 Upgrading to a fixed version will not correct the issue, one of the two resolutions above will still need to be completed.

Issue The StruxureWare Building Operation BACnet digital value is seen as being in alarm Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment BACnet Digital Value Alarm Cause Having created a BACnet Digital Value under the BACnet Interface / Application. When the digital value is "Enabled" (Active Text), the IN ALARM status flag is set. This causes the third party device to show it as being in alarm. Resolution From v3.0, EcoStruxure Building Operation is BACnet standard at protocol revision 14 so this is not an issue. The text below was written for earlier versions and is valid for v2.0 and earlier. It is not possible to disable the evaluation of intrinsic alarming on BACnet points (which updates the status flags and event state properties). Not updating status flags and event state (according to the alarm-value) was identified by the BACnet Test Lab as a compliance issue with the BACnet standard at protocol revision 6 – the revision SBO implements. The essence of the issue is that we are not allowed to have the intrinsic alarming properties, but not use them – updating the object state according to its configuration. The feature to disable intrinsic alarming (an alarm disable property) was introduced at a more advanced protocol revision (13), which is not currently not available for SmartStruxure. A possible workaround for the issue, if the value periodically changes between active and inactive: set the time-delay (which is measured in seconds) to a large value. If the delay is longer than the amount of time the value spends in what would be the alarm state, then evaluation is avoided. A value of 32,000,000 for example delays evaluation for a little more than a year. NOTE - make sure to set the time delay while status flag in-alarm is false, and event-state is normal, otherwise it would take a year to get out of the alarm state.

Issue After upgrading to version 1.7.1 or later, a performance issue is seen when reading BACnet values from BACnet/IP devices. The CPU usage on an Automation Server is continuously high. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Detected in version 1.7.1 Automation Server Enterprise Server BACnet/IP Cause A new "BACnet ReadPropertyMultiple Service" has been included from version 1.7.1. Data retrieval from devices that support ReadPropertyMultiple service and do not support the COV (Change of Value) service has been optimized. The resulting improved polling behaviour will particularly benefit graphics performance for ReadPropertyMultiple. If a site is upgraded to version 1.7.1 where this improved communication service gets used automatically, it is possible that the server CPU usage increases. This issue will only be seen if the third party device does not support COV subscriptions, does support ReadPropertyMultiple and a large number of values are being requested from the same device e.g. using bindings. This is a result of much more data being requested by the Server in the same time period.  From Release Notes version 1.7.1 3.4.4 Improved polling performance Data retrieval from devices that support ReadPropertyMultiple service and do not support the COV (Change of Value) service has been optimized. The resulting improved polling behavior will particularly benefit graphics performance for ReadPropertyMultiple.” Resolution Select the BACnet interface where the performance issue is seen Select the advanced properties for the interface Change the “Minimum polling interval for local IP networks (ms) to “3000” In case the BACnet interface is configured in an Automation Server, test other values in step 3 until the CPU usage is stabilized You can check the AS CPU usage, by dragging the CPU usage property to the watch window in WorkStation NOTE It is also worth setting the MSTP polling to 3000mS, to ensure third party BACnet Devices that do not support COV subscriptions, are not overloaded. Without this value set, it has occasionally been seen that Bacnet devices go offline or value readings stop updating the values.

Issue When connecting the RoamIO-2 service tool directly to a standalone BACnet b3 controller which is not connected to the MSTP network yet, the RoamIO-2 does not show the b3 controller on the screen. Environment RoamIO-2 Continuum SmartStruxure BACnet b3 controller Cause By default, the View option of the ROAMIO2 Bacnet Service Tool is set to view "By Network".  Resolution Connect the RoamIO2 service tool directly to the b3's service port. Launch the BACnet Service Tool and in the 'View' menu de-select 'By Networks' and 'BACnet Only' menu entries. Click the green icon to connect. Now, it will show the b3 controller in the service tool.

Issue When SigmaSvr is started for the first time after a Sigma 4.08 install, a Windows error 1067 error appears Product Line Satchwell Sigma Environment Satchwell Sigma Software (Sigma 4.08) Cause If SigmaSvr is started for the first time after a Sigma 4.08 install without the USB dongle plugged in the Sigma Server may fail to start. As a result, a dump file will be created in the Sigma directory after each start attempt. Resolution Before starting SigmaSvr, plug the Sigma USB dongle in. Let the driver install. Start the Sigma Server Delete the .dmp files in the Sigma directory.

Issue R&D may need better dump files than those automatically created by the Windows operating system, in the event of TAC Vista crashing or hanging. Environment Troubleshooting TAC Vista server TAC Vista Workstation TAC Vista OPC Server Cause When TAC Vista crashes or hangs PSS will often ask for dump files to enable R&D to gain insight into what was happening when the system stopped working. Sometimes these dump files are created automatically and it is also possible to capture a dump from a hanged process (Win 7 and 2008 Server and newer) by right-clicking on the process in task manager and selecting "Create Dump File". However the dumps created are "User Mini Dump Files with Full Memory". This is often not enough for R&D to get to the root of the problem. There are better tools available for this and one of those is ProcDump which is part of the Windows SysInternals Software Suite (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procdump). On the ProcDump site the tool is described as: "ProcDump is a command-line utility whose primary purpose is monitoring an application for CPU spikes and generating crash dumps during a spike that an administrator or developer can use to determine the cause of the spike. ProcDump also includes hung window monitoring (using the same definition of a window hang that Windows and Task Manager use), unhandled exception monitoring and can generate dumps based on the values of system performance counters. It also can serve as a general process dump utility that you can embed in other scripts." Resolution 1. Install ProcDump from the Windows Sysinternals suite. 2. With the Vista server running, start a command prompt. Drag and drop procdump.exe onto the command prompt. Here are a couple of examples to get started. A full list of the commands and types of dumps available is available by clicking on the link above. Example 1 - take a full memory dump immediately if the server is hanged or in the process of crashing,  After completing step 2, type:  [space]-ma tacos.exe    Example 2 - monitor the tacos.exe process so that a crash dump is created when tacos crashes. After completing step 2, type:  [space]–e -ma tacos.exe Note! Don’t close the command prompt as this will exit the process monitoring and no dump will be created! Tip: If you want to change the directory first, you can, for example, type cd C:\Dumps at the command line. Then drag and drop procdump on to the DOS prompt do the steps detailed above.

Issue Get "Error 530, Could not connect to server" when trying to connect to Xenta Server with FTP (File Transfer Protocol) The user name and password are correct but the FTP client can't connect. Screenshot from FileZilla FTP Client Environment TAC Xenta Server 500 TAC Xenta Server 700 TAC Xenta Server 900 Issue detected in version 5.1.9 Cause FTP has not been enabled for the user that is attempting to connect via FTP. To confirm the issue check the following: That the issue is not FTP client - try various FTP clients That the password entered for the root user is correct - Log on to the Xenta Server's web interface using the root user That port 21 (used for FTP) is not blocked by the firewall or at the network level - Check with telnet or make a similar test with a network tool. That FTP is in fact enabled in the TAC Xenta Server - When logged in to the Xenta Server, navigate to "Configuration-Servers-FTP Server" and check that the setting is as below Resolution Log on to the device and navigate to the "Configuration-User Administration-User Administration" web page. Click on the user that has unsuccessfully attempted to connect via FTP Locate the "FTP" setting under "User settings" and change the setting to "Enabled"

Issue Infinity schedules (as opposed to BACnet schedules) may not work correctly if downloaded to the controller before or after the current week of events ends. Consider the scenario above, CX1 is located in LA (Pacific Time Zone) and CX2 is located in Boston (Eastern Time Zone), the Cyberstation performing schedule downloads is located in Dallas (Central Time Zone). If the schedules are configured with default download time of Sunday at midnight, CYBER1 will download the schedules to both CX1 and CX2 at (or shortly after) Sunday @ 12:00:00 Central time. Meanwhile, where CX1 is located in LA, the time is Saturday @ 10:00 PM and CX2, located in Boston, has a time of Sunday 1:00 AM The controllers can only hold one week worth of events. How a schedule download 2 hours ahead of time would affect the schedules in CX1?  Any events in CX1 between 10:00 PM and midnight would be over written with events for the same period of the following week. How a schedule download 1 hour late would affect the schedules in CX2? On Saturday @ 11:59:59 PM Eastern time CX2 runs out of events for the past week. Since it has not yet received the events for the next week, it starts repeating the events in the schedule for the week that just ended.  If the schedule events for the week that has just started but not yet been downloaded to the controller happens to be the same as the previous week, in terms of events, then this does not present any problem. But if the two weeks differ in the events they have between Sunday midnight and 1:00:00 AM, the schedule will not function correctly. IMPORTANT NOTE It is important to note that the scenarios described in this article are only applicable if a schedule contains exceptions or happens to differ from week to week in terms of the events entered in the schedule. If the schedule happens to be the same week after week, then it should not make a difference whether the controller receives a schedule download or not, from week to week. In fact, even if no download takes place at all, the schedule will function correctly as the controller will just repeat the same events week after week. Also, BACnet schedules do not have this problem, when a BACnet schedule is created Continuum sends ALL of the events in the schedule to the controller instead of just one week worth of events as is the case with Infinity schedules. Environment Cyberstation All Continuum controllers Cause Continuum Infinity Schedule download functionality does not automatically take into account time zone differences between Cyberstation and controllers. Resolution When configuring Infinity Schedules download day and time, it is very important to take into account the locale of the Cyberstation performing the download, as well as the locale of the controller receiving the downloaded schedules. Configure the schedules' download time so that the download takes place on Sunday @ 12:00:00 AM IN THE TIME ZONE WHERE THE CONTROLLER IS LOCATED. The schedules residing in CX1 in Los Angeles should be configured to download on Sunday @ 2:00:00 AM Central time which corresponds to Sunday @Anonymous user:00:00 AM Pacific time. The schedules residing in CX2 in Boston should be configured to download on Saturday @ 11:00:00 PM Central time which corresponds to Sunday @Anonymous user:00:00 AM Eastern time. Note that the schedule download engine always downloads one week worth of events starting at the configured download time. In this case all events from Saturday @11:00:00 PM to the next Saturday @11:00:00 PM will be downloaded, which will ensure that CX2 never has to repeat any events from the previously downloaded week.