Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue When open the OpenLNS Plugin in SmartStruxure, an error will pop up: The procedure entry point ?OnFinalRelease@xRefCountObject@@MBEXXZ could not be located in the dynamic link library LdvxShared.dll. Environment SmartStruxure OpenLNS LonMaker 3.1 Windows 7 Cause LonMaker 3.1 is not supported in Windows 7, even though sometimes it will work. But when it works with OpenLNS plugin, it will fail. Resolution 1. Upgrade LonMaker from version 3.1 to 3.2. Or remove LonMaker and other Echelon program in the computer. Also uninstall the OpenLNS program. 2. Try to install the OpenLNS program again. It should work now.

Issue A GCM has been removed in the field and replaced with a newer product (i.e. a Niagara Jace or a SmartStruxure AS).  How can the GCM be disabled from communicating in TreeTech without actually deleting it?  Environment TreeTech (all revisions) Cause The GCM's programming logic will be used for a short period of time as a reference.  Then, the entire GCM will be deleted from TreeTech. Resolution Right-click on the GCM and go to Properties. Click the Offline Status tab. Select Offline from the drop-down menu. Close the window. Offline mode disconnects the GCM database in TreeTech from the field.  

Issue WebReports not functional after upgrade to 1.5 Environment Occurs in Environments where Reports Server was installed on the same PC as the Enterprise Server and the Enterprise Server was given the HTTP port of 8080 Cause The default port of the Project Configuration Server is 8080 which was used for the Enterprise Server on many installations of Reports Server. Each Server needs a unique port number. Resolution Stop the Enterprise Server Stop the Project Configuration Server Verify that this is the issue, by identifying that both the ES and the PCS are using the same port for http communication Change the Port number used by the Project Configuration Server to something other than 8080 Restart the Project Configuration Server Restart the Enterprise Server Open the Windows Server Manager and restart the StruxureWare Reporting Agent Service.

Issue When troubleshooting SMTP email issues it is oftentimes handy to send a test email directly from Windows in order to narrow down the part of the system with the problem. Product Line Andover Continuum, EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Windows Continuum SmartStruxure Cause Troubleshooting technique. Resolution Simple way to test SMTP email for testing purposes. Make sure telnet is turned ON in Windows. (If not, go to Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows Features On or Off > turn ON the Telnet Client.) Open a command prompt and type telnet domain name (or IP address) and port. telnet 10.169.9.10 25​ Type HELO and identify the sending system helo MyPCName​ Type mail from: followed by an email address mail from: user@tac.com​ Type rcpt to: followed by destination address. (NOTE: must be an email account in the mail server) rcpt to: user@3indq.com​ Type data then ENTER key Type a message Type . (period) then ENTER to end NOTE: Type slowly and if you mistype something hit enter and after the error re-type the line. Using backup space appears to work but it doesn't. NOTE: Make sure Telnet server is installed on the SMTP server. Make sure Telnet service is enabled/running on the SMTP server

Issue I/A Series R2 OPC integration to Gallagher OPC Data 3.0 Server: R2 is unable to discover the OPC objects. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment I/A Series R2 version r2.301.529 and higher Cause I/A Series R2 OPC client supports integration to OPC data access server versions 1.x and 2.x. It has not been tested for DA server 3.x.  Resolution I/A Series R2 OPC Client does not support integration to OPC DA Server version 3.x. However, in this particular case, the OPC objects can be added manually and the integration works.  The OPC Server and group have been successfully discovered and added to the R2 station. However, the OPC Items are not shown when we run the ItemListManager. In the example below, the OpcClientStringInput objects have been manually added. To manually add the OPC Items: Go to the Group's WorkPlace Editor. In WorkPlace Pro, in the local library, go to 'tridiumx' > 'opcClient' > 'objects' Select the objects you need, copy and paste it to the OPC Group folder WorkPlaceEditor. Go to the properties of the OPC objects and configure the OPCItemFullName.

Issue Need to edit StruxureWare Building Operation Reports Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment SmartStruxure Report Server Report Builder 3.0 Cause Users wish to directly edit or create customized versions of existing reports. Resolution Open Microsoft Report Builder In the Menu, Select Options Change the database path to "http://localhost/reportserver_SQLEXPRESS' Where localhost is changed to the PC name or IP address and SQLEXPRESS is changed to the installed instance of SQL Click OK You can now open existing files on the server and save new files directly to the Reports Server. You must Synchronize the StruxureWare Reports Interface for newly published reports to be available from the StruxureWare Interface.

Issue Need to have a Multical 602 that communicates with a Lonworks network and also have two analog outputs (0-20mA or 0-10Vdc). Product Line Field Devices Environment Heat Meters Cause Require both analogue outputs and network communications at the same time from a single meter. Resolution An external communications box is required in conjunction with a serial data output top module to make the solution. This will allow you to use both the LonWorks communication and also the 4-20mA output base modules together. How this solution goes together: It is assumed a standard meter without any communications has been purchased. In this example the MHCHCBFFBM000 has been selected, which is a Heat Meter, 6m³/h, DN25, Flow, None Shopping List Item Part Number Description Qty 1 MHCHCBFFBM000 HM qp6 260xDN25 F 1 2 MAEXTCOMBOX HM External Comms Box MC60X 1 3 MALONBASE HM Replacement LON Base Module 1 4 MA4-20BASE HM An Output mod 4-20mA 1 5 MASERIALTOP-5 HM Serial output top module 1   Item 1 provides you the MULTICAL 602 and ULTRAFLOW 54 complete with 2 x 2-wire Pt500 (1.5m) temperature sensors with pockets, 24 VAC power supply, nipples, gaskets, couplings and mounting bracket. This meter is also supplied with a 2.5m cable between the calculator (MC602) and the flow meter (UF54). This provides you the base meter and nothing more in terms of communications to the outside world. Item 2, the external communications box comes with its own 24 VAC power supply and wall bracket. Items 3 to 5 will provide the rest of the functionality you require. Connect the external communication box (item 2) to the main calculator using the serial top module (item 5) and a standard 3-wire comms type cable, the LON module (item 3) will go inside here and the 4-20mA module (item 4) will go inside the MC602 itself. As always, please respect the laying of cables. If these will be placed close to others such as power cables, electrical disturbances can occur that might influence the reading and operation of the meter.

Issue What are the three serial tunnel clients included with the latest release of Niagara G3? Environment 3.6.47 and higher Cause How to choose which serial tunnel client is required. Resolution For Windows XP SP3 32-bit, use Install_Serial_Tunnel.exe   For Windows 7 32-bit, use InstallVserialAx2.exe   For Windows 7 64-bit, use InstallVserialAx2_64bit.exe  

Issue Continuum CX/BCX controller provides up to 12 SNMP NMS notification devices (2 devices IP addresses in controller's non-volatile memory and 10 devices' IP addresses in volatile memory), but its SNMP Alarming configuration page shows only two edit boxes for the IP address of the NMS devices (destination IP of the notification) to be set in non-volatile memory. Where should the rest of the 10 devices' IP addresses be set? Product Line Andover Continuum Environment CX controllers BCX controllers NC2 controllers ACX57xx controllers Cause Continuum CX/BCX controller's SNMP Alarming configuration page shows only two edit boxes for the IP address of the NMS devices (IP address of the destination devices of the notification) to be set. Resolution The first two(2) NMS Devices IP addresses are saved in non-volatile memory of the controller by entering them on the SNMP configuration page of either the Command Terminal Interface (hyper terminal for the 1st Gen controllers) or the Configuration WebPage interface (web browser for the 2nd Gen controller). The 10 rest NMS devices' IP addresses are saved in volatile memory of the controller by entering them on accNotifyTable using the NMS software's MIB Browser. Please refer to the attached "SNMP Configuration.pdf" file page 21 for an example of the MG_Soft MIB Browser in that regard.

Issue When attempting to log on to an Automation Server with Workstation receive error: Can not continue because server is offline or temporarily unavailable. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Automation Server  StruxureWare Building Operation Workstation Cause This error message indicates that the Automation Server can not communicate with the Enterprise Server that it was associated too.  The Automation Server has been associated to an Enterprise Server where a new default (StruxureWare) domain has been added / created. The image below shows a second domain that has been created and been set as the default, this can be seen by the tick box on the second domain entry. When attempting to use the default admin account (by leaving the Domain blank) the Automation Server attempts to contact the Enterprise Server to authenticate the user.  If the Enterprise Server is offline or you are working with a database away from the Enterprise Server then you will receive this message. Resolution Two possible resolutions exist for this: Re-establish the communication for the Automation Server with the Enterprise Server to allow authentication for the user attempting to log in to be verified. Log on with a known "Local" domain or admin account.    Note: The domain name is case sensitive, even the Local domain. Make sure to type the name of the domain with appropriate capitalization. In this example, when trying to login to the Local domain, typing "local" fails to login, where typing "Local" logs into the AS correctly.

Issue Unable to import and install an ENC/JACE license using I/A Series G3 Workbench 3.8.37 by requesting through the license server. The result is a dialog box with information on where to email host ID information to obtain a license. Environment I/A Series G3 Workbench 3.8.37 only Cause A parameter within the brand.properties file has been inadvertently set to bypass the online request. Resolution Modify the parameter within the brand.properties file as follows: Use the Windows Explorer and navigate the \niagara-3.8.37\lib directory Open and edit the brand.properties file with a text editor Modify the following line: license.onlineRequest=false to license.onlineRequest=true Save and close the file Close and open Workbench

Issue 'Failed to connect to SQL Server (local\TACVISTA). "[18470] Login failed for user 'xxx\xxxxx'. Reason: The account is disabled." message appears when trying to install Vista using another account than the account that is logged on to the server. Product Line TAC Vista Environment TAC Vista 5.1.X SQL installation/connection Cause The TAC Vista installer SQL configuration settings page states 'Select authentication and specify SQL Login or Windows account and password to set how TAC Vista Server will access the SQL server.' This means how TAC Vista will access the SQL server when Vista is running, not during installation. Resolution Ensure that the user running the TAC Vista installer has the correct permissions to install an SQL server (if this is a new database) and configure it. The specified user will be used during runtime, but the launching user during installation. The installing user can then be removed from the SQL server security settings after installation is complete.

Issue Tam32 error message appears when Editing a Function Block program. When editing the program, this error appears and elements are removed from the program. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Function Block/Menta Editor Found when files created in an older version are used in a newer version of StruxureWare Building Operation. Cause This error message is literal. The line indicated as an error is a corrupted part of the function block program. You can determine this line by editing the file in a text editor such as Notepad++ and viewing the indicated line. NOTE: These programs will continue to work as originally programmed. Resolution To identify the part of the program causing the error: Edit the Program that is in error When the message appears, note the line number and file before you press ok. Do not edit or attempt to save the program. Locate the file specified in the error message. In this case tempaut1 The AppData folder is usually hidden, so you will need to manually type the file path into Windows Explorer Edit the file with notepad++ or another text editor Find the indicated line and determine what type of object is in error. In this example, the line indicated in the error was 116. It is a comment. Method 1: Compare the error line to another other line of the same type in the document and correct any abnormalities. In this case, I removed an extra comma. If it is a Comment, note that @ = carriage return and should be left in, but remove any other symbols or uncommon characters from the comment. You may just want to replace all of the comment text between the : and } with filler text. DO NOT delete the line of code. Save the edited file to the desktop, be sure not to save it as a .txt If needed, right click>edit the program from the system tree and click OK when the error appears. Select File>Import Import the edited file saved on the desktop. Check to see if the changes you made have corrected the application and Save. Method 2: May be used if the build the file was created in is significantly different than the current build. Edit the program Copy the indicated tempaut file to the desktop Install the version of SmartStruxure which the function block was created on or locate a PC at an older revision Import the files to an AS or ES at the original build Edit the program Remove the objects in error. Export the edited files and re-import in the current build Add back any removed elements that are required for the program to function.

Issue Need to know how many network variables have been created underneath the Local Node. Environment Workstation LonWorks Network Cause Currently as of SmartStruxure version 1.4.1, the Local Node can only have 400 network variables. The number of network variables that have been created may need to be known for engineering purposes. Resolution To find the number of network variables under a Local Node: Select the Local Node in the system tree. In List View, double click on the DeviceTables object. Click on the Selector Table tab. Navigate to the bottom of the table and take note of the last number in the Index column. Subtract one from this last number to get a total of network variables under the Local Node.

Issue Alarm view is not shown in Webstation instead this or similar is shown: The following errors have occurred. Please correct these errors and/or contact the system administrator. An unexpected exception has occurred: Index was outside the bounds of the array. System.IndexOutOfRangeException at TAC.WebStation.Modules.Alarms.AlarmViewTable.GetColumnData(Object[] rowData, Int32 columnIndex) at TAC.WebStation.Modules.ViewTableBase.AddColumnsToQueryString(QueryString queryString, Object[] rowData, Int32[] columns) at TAC.WebStation.Modules.Alarms.AlarmViewTable.CreatePropertiesCell(Object[] rowData) at TAC.WebStation.Modules.Alarms.AlarmViewTable.CreateAlarmRow(Object[] rowData, Int32 rowIndex, Boolean isDisabledView) at TAC.WebStation.Modules.Alarms.AlarmViewTable.CreateTable(Table table) at TAC.WebStation.Modules.ViewTableBase.FillTable(Table otherTable) at TAC.WebStation.Modules.Alarms.AlarmListPage.DataBind() at TAC.WebStation.Modules.Alarms.AlarmListPage.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) at System.Web.UI.Control.OnLoad(EventArgs e) at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) Product Line TAC Vista Environment TAC Vista Webstation TAC Vista Server Cause If "site" is checked in the $alarmcolumns object this happens. This is a known defect. Resolution Find $Alarmcolums in the root folder In workstation Go to Properties and uncheck the site option

Issue The following time change errors are appearing in the trend data from b3 controller.     Environment Trend logs Cause b3 firmware was at 4.500029.  Current release is 4.500076 Resolution The issue was corrected by upgrading all b3 controllers to 4.500076.

Issue How to see who is making what changes Environment I/NET Seven Site Cause A sites which is editing the system or controllers and need to see who or when these changes were made. Is it possible to make a change in I/Net to log this event ?   Resolution TAC I/NET Seven supports an access control audit scheme for tracking database edits associated with all pertinent access control editors. Audit trail messages provide information about configuration changes made to the access control system. These messages contain the date and time an edit was performed, the site number, and the key/card number and initials of the person who performed the edit. This provides a high-level audit trail for updates. Separate audit trail messages are generated for the following items: - Individual edits - Group edits - Personnel schedule edits - Door edits - Tenant edits - Translation table edits - Elevator edits - Access initiated control (AIC) edits - Host password edits - DCU password edits Audit trail messages can be marked with a SevenTrends cell number for later evaluation and report generation purposes. Audit trail message distribution information (group, mask, cell) is defined from the access control Options editor.

Issue BACnet Alarm User Actions, Attachment and Presentation Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Alarm handling and Presentation Server BACnet User Action, Attachment and Presentation Cause If the BACnet Alarm User Actions appear to be working incorrectly, the "Alarm handling and presentation" setting may be incorrect Resolution BACnet Alarm Enrollments only If the User Action, Attachment and Presentation from the Alarm itself are required then Alarm handling and presentation should be set to "Intrinsic" as below If the User Action, Attachment and Presentation from the BACnet Notification are required then Alarm handling and presentation should be set to "BACnet Notification object" as below NOTES When a b3 is created or a 3rd party device uploaded within Building Operation, the Alarm Enrollments and Alarm Notification Objects include Alarm handling and presentation properties (Presentation, User Action(Cause note, Action Notes, Comments, and Checklist) and Attachments tabs). These properties are stored only in the Building Operation Server (AS or ES) database. To use these properties, the "Alarm handling and Presentation" (in "Properties" tab “Basic”) should be set to "Intrinsic", as above, top example. The settings are saved only in the Building Operation database - as part of the notification class proxy, or the event-enrollment (or point object in the case of intrinsic alarms) proxy. Cause notes, action notes, comments, and checklist are Building Operation specific data, not part of the BACnet protocol. So there is no way for it to be sent to the device (b3, 3rd party or otherwise).

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 When clicking the menu point "Utilities"->"ProjectTree" the project tree doesn't open as expected in the window. Environment TAC Xenta Server Cause There is a problem with the file "applets.html" in the Xenta Server. Resolution You need FTP connection to the Xenta Server in order to carry out the following steps 1. Make sure that FTP access is enabled for the root user - this menu is available from Configuration->User administration->User administration                           2. Make sure that the number of concurrent FTP users is higher than 0 Correcting the html file 1. Connect to the Xenta Server with a FTP client 2. Browse to the location "/www/japplets" in the Xenta Server 3. Copy the file "applets.html" to your desktop 4. Make a backup of the file on your PC 5. Edit the file "applets.html" on your PC, e.g. with Notepad++ or another editor 6. Scroll down to line 376 - it should say "function writeXBMenuAppletTag" - if not you need to locate this line 7. Change the text "cyrrDoc" to "currDoc" 8. Save the file 9. In the FTP client, copy the edited "applets.html" file from your desktop to "/www/japplets" in the Xenta Server 10. Restart your browser Check if the project tree is opened now when the menu is clicked     The project tree will also open if you use "Tree2" as the menu type rather than "Menu" and Tree"

Issue Deleting a point from an MNB controller in StruxureWare Building Operation results in the following error Environment StruxureWare Building Operation: All versions up to and including 1.5.x I/A Series Micronet BACnet Controller Cause StruxureWare Building Operation does not support the deletion of points in the Application Folder of a MNB device.  Resolution To delete a point, disconnect the MNB controller from the network. Once StruxureWare Building Operation server is unable to communicate with the MNB device, it will allow the deletion of the point in the Application folder. Take note that even though the point has been deleted from the AS Application folder, the point still exist in the MNB controller.