Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Using PS-OPRIF version 11.6 and it is configured for COM1.  After a few seconds, the error "C350 PORT is NOT FOUND" appears and OPRIF fails to reach the Connection screen. Environment PS-OPRIF 11.6 Cause The background program - ntvdm.exe - was prevented from starting up properly.  It is likely missing from Task Manager. Resolution Determine what is preventing ntvdm.exe from starting.  Possibilities include: Anti-virus software Firewall or other security settings Lack of adequate RAM Conflict with another program accessing the same COM port Uninstall any recent Windows updates (June 2012)

Issue Who edited an individual? Can I see in AMT who edited an individual? Environment I/NET AMT Cause When you want to know who last edited a individual you can track down this information in AMT. Resolution See the picture below. The first record, as an example, tells the following: Device name: 001-00003 - 001 stands for "Tenant 1" 00003 stands for "Individual 3" Event Type: Edit -Indiv. TAC - Tells that an individual was edited by user TAC   The editing user is recorded as the Initials assigned for the user; see image below.

Issue Modbus integration to Data Industrial Series 3050 BTU monitor Environment I/A Series G3 ENC-520 Modbus Asynchronous (Async) driver Cause Required to read the values in the BTU monitor via Modbus Async. Resolution The below Modbus registers table is provided by the BTU monitor manufacturer. Here are the basic procedures and settings in an ENC for this integration. Add a ModbusAsyncNetwork to the station database.   In the ModbusAsyncNetwork properties, configure the Serial Port Config. Port Name: COMX (where X is the COM port number of the ENC used for this integration). Baud Rate: As per baud rate setting in the Modbus device. We recommend the baud rate of 9600 as this appears to work best with this device. Data Bits: 8 Stop Bits: 1 Parity: None Flow Control Mode: No   Other properties of the ModbusAsyncNetwork to be left at its default values.   Add a new Modbus Async Device to the ModbusAsyncNetwork. The device address is as per address set in the BTU monitor device.   Leave all properties in the Modbus Async Device object as their default values.   Go to the Points folder of the Modbus Async Device and add the required Modbus objects. Configure the properties of each object as per the following. Address Format: Decimal Address: Refer to the table above. If reading register 30002, use 2 as the address. Reg Type: Input Data Type: Long   Set the Facets for the object  

Issue Is there a way to see what someone has done on a particular Xenta controller and what they have changed Environment Vista Cause Yes you can select the controller and retrieve the events for that controller. Resolution First locate the controller in the network. The right click on the controller and select View events The event viewer will then display all the events from that controller. this will include the old vale and new value is a value has been changed. The user that made these changes is also logged in the event viewer. You can use the filter option     then to narrow down on the date range if required.

Issue What happens to an alarm message when the clocks go back during the BST/GMT changeover? Environment RAM Remote Alarm Manager Time Changeover BST GMT Cause This is an issue relating to RAM and how it handles BST/GMT changeover. If an alarm occurs, is it handled correctly by the Remote Alarm Manager? What will happen if the PC  time goes back, and the alarm is then cleared before the time passes the original alarm time. Will this cause any issues when viewing the alarm on the Remote Alarm Manager?   Resolution  Tests confirmed that there were no issues with this scenario; An alarm was generated at 15:46 and a text message was received. The PC time was put back an hour, and the alarm cleared at 14;52. . The alarm and the alarm cleared messages are shown in the RAM log below as 15:46 and 14:52 respectively.     The screen shot below shows the alarm status after the alarm was cleared.     The screen shot below shows the alarm properties, and here there is an error, the cleared state shows 15:52 which is incorrect.     When the time catches up everything returns to normal.

Issue Time Zone and DST when syncing time to an NTP server Time differs from NTP server with x hours. DST is not following NTP server time. Environment TAC Xenta 701, TAC Xenta 711, TAC Xenta 731,TAC Xenta721, TAC Xenta 511, TAC Xenta 527 NTP server Cause NTP provides UTC, no information about time zones or daylight savings ( DST)  is sent. So if you don't set the correct time Zone and DT settings the time will be set to UTC time in the device. Resolution Log in to Xenta server Go to  Configuration- Time- Regional Settings Set correct information

Issue Linking a M700 to a Spirax Sarco valve Environment Spirax Sarco Linkage KE KL Forta Cause Is a linkage available? Resolution Information on the forta linkages available are shown in the Valves and Actuator Catalogue, the following linkages are available. The linkage required to join the M700 to a KE, flanged DN15 valve is shown below is the 880-0129-000.

Issue Override time remaining for Niagara Binary Override object Environment I/A Series R2 WorkPlace Pro Cause There is a need to know the override time remaining for an overridden Niagara R2 Binary Override object Resolution A RemainingOverrideTime object is available which can be connected to a Binary Override object to extract the override time remaining. The RemainingOverrideTime object can be found in 'tridiumx > lib > programObjects > hvac'. Binary Override object's overrideTime linked to the RemainingOverrideTime object's overrideTime input Binary Override object's statusInOverride linked to the RemainingOverrideTime object's statusInOverride input

Issue The following error has been generated. An attempt was made to register or add a device without a channel handle specified, but the system was not able to automatically determine the channel on which the device resides. (Subsystem: NS, #79) Environment LonMaker NL220 Vista Cause An attempt was made to register or add a device without a channel handle specified, but the system was not able to automatically determine the channel on which the device resides. Resolution This error will occur if the channel the device resides on is connected to any other channel by repeaters or permanent bridges. Also, this error will occur if the channel is not currently configured in the system. The first thing to try is to perform a cold reboot on the controller.

Issue Vista only supports EXCEL reports. Environment Vista 4 and 5 Cause Vista reports only supports EXCEL format as a standard installation. Resolution A PDF printer can be installed and set to auto save as a PDF file. Vista can then print the report to the PDF printer which will save the file as a PDF. To set this up you need to first install the PDF printer. PDFCreator is one printer option that can be set to auto save functionality. Here is a link to download this software. http://www.pdfforge.org/ Once installed you configure the auto save option Then in Vista setup the report to print to the PDFCreator The setup the Report Periodical to print the report This will then save the report as a PDF in the folder defined in the PDFCreator setup.

Issue Is there a way to determine the total number of BACnet points in an I/A Series G3 station? Environment I/A Series G3 Enterprise Network Server or ENC station Cause Engineer wants to know how many BACnet points are used in the I/A Series G3 station. The I/A Series R2 system provided a way of observing the number of points in the station.  Similar BACnet Driver status screen does not exist in the I/A Series G3 station. Resolution Use the Spy Remote function of WorkBench to look at the number of BACnet device objects and number of BACnet point objects that are in the current station database. The following is the step by step procedure to display these counts. Open WorkBench and connect to the Platform. Log into the Station. Navigate through the Nav tree to Drivers, expanding that section of the tree. Right-click on the "BacnetNetwork" and select "Spy Remote" from the Views menu. The displayed "License Limits" table shows the number of defined objects (Used) and the licensed limit (Limit) for each of those object types. 

Issue Unused Members The following SNVT members are not used: nviSNVTinput is a structured SNVT and contains the unused member state! nviSNVTinput is a structured SNVT and contains the unused member value! Environment Menta SNVT inputs and outputs Any structured SNVT type. Some examples are: switch hvac_status hvac_overid muldiv obj_request obj_status Cause The pop up is a warning only informing you that the structured SNVT has unused members. If those members are not being used by the program, then it is not necessary to define them in the Menta application. Resolution There are two options to remove this warning: At the bottom left-hand corner of the warning is an option for "Don't show this dialog again." If that is checked, then it will not show warnings for any more unused members each simulation. Add SNVT inputs or outputs for the additional unused members. To do this: Add and AI or AO to the program Double click it and go to the Bind dialog Choose the same SNVT type as the other members and make the name of the SNVT the same as the other members From the Member drop-down list, define one input or output for each member of the structured SNVT.

Issue Can Continuum Engineering Units be changed and/or added to? Environment Continuum Cyberstation Continuum Infinity Controllers Continuum BACnet Controllers Cause Want to change or add an Engineering Unit as the unit I require is not present. Resolution Engineering Units are handled differently depending on the type of controller being used. Infinity Controllers are able to have there units defined to be whatever you want (defined as up to 12 digits of text) in the Units field of the Input or Output object.   BACnet Controllers Input and Output Units are predefined by the BACnet specification and are chosen from a set list of Engineering Units. These cannot be changed or added to.  

Issue When you look at I/NET points in a 527 though the web browser the points do not update and remain at a value of 0. This occurs if viewed from a graphic page or with a values page Environment Xenta 527 Cause The access level for the new user is set too low to enable the I/NET points to be displayed correctly. The root user will be able to see the points as the root access level is set correctly to allow the read function of the I/NET points. Resolution Under the Access rights part of the Web browser on the 527 navigate to the root level of the controller using the UP button When at the root level select the required user and check the R and R/W if write access is required.

Issue When scrolling down an Index, the same index entry repeats itself. Environment Sigma SigmaX Cause When scrolling down an Index, the same index entry repeats itself. When creating software, the same index entry is constantly repeated. Resolution The index entry has been referenced to itself. This generally only happens during software creation and no pages are created at a lower level than the index entry in question. 1. In Sigmax goto Doctor Utility > Index Edit 2. Find the Index Entry in question 3. Either Delete the page, only if there are no index entries after this. or determine where the page it is suppose to goto and change the page no. e.g.  BLD_HTP_        Heating Plant           0    0   22    0    0    0    0 The password to edit the index is ie

Issue In an R2 Niagara station, trying to write a setpoint to a  holding register in a Modbus controller, received an error "Illegal Data Address". Environment R2 Niagara integration to a Modbus controller. Cause Not known.  The procedure in the Resolution has been used successfully with a Siemens PLC and with a Thermax chiller controller. Resolution Go to the Properties of the Modbus Asynch Service Go to the General, Config tab Set the value of the usePresetMultipleRegister = True "Apply" to save changes.

Issue When browsing for an object to attach to a control in the Graphics the object is seen in the Browse window yet when the object is selected the system generates the error 'Object Not Found' Environment CyberStation PinPoint Cause There is a 'space' or other non alpha numeric character in the name of one of the objects that form the full path to the object being selected. The offending character can be in the Network name, Main Controller name, Field controller name or the name of the object itself. Resolution The exact root cause of this problem is under investigation as the space character is valid in Continuum object names. In databases that have exhibited this problem the solution has been to remove the space (or other offending character) from the name. It has also been noticed that once the problem is fixed the original name can be restored to the object and the problem does not come back.

Issue In some projects, there is demand for consuming application with the existing access control system. I/NET can realize simple consuming function through existing controller and specific card reader for consuming application. In this simple consuming system, one card has only one consuming chance in a specific period of time. For example, this application can be used in the canteen of the plant or company for lunch or supper. Environment Consuming system I/NET Cause In some cases this application is needed. Resolution We can use Anti-passback/Anti-tailgate features of I/NET. The following steps should be followed: Select a separate card reader specific for consuming use. Open the Door parameter in I/NET. Check the Anti-passback and Anti-tailgate options in the Door setting. Set one zone number for the "Entry zone" and "Exit zone". Open the ATS window to set the automatic time schedule. Add an APB Reset time schedule for this door. This step is to set the reset time for the consuming accumulation time period. For example, if just for lunch, one APB reset schedule can be added after the lunch time. And if for additional supper, one more APB reset schedule can be added after supper time. Connect a LED indicator to the DO point of the current door. It is used to indicate that whether this card swiping is valid for the current consuming period. Then the simple consuming application is finished. During each consuming accumulation time period, one card can only have one chance for consuming, which is indicated by the LED. More tries will receive deny information and the LED will not light up.

Issue While downloading the certificate from the XBuilder to Xenta Server the following error occurs "Failed to generate the file prvkey".   Environment XBuilder Xenta 500 and 700 series Servers Cause XBuilder might not be installed correctly. Resolution The following items can be attempted to correct this issue: Check computer's security settings in the Internet options of Internet explorer. The recommended setting would be low or medium. Try to reinstall XBuilder. (Uninstall first then reinstall) If that does not help download the certificate from another PC which has XBuilder installed. Just make sure the PC and the Xenta Server are in the same IP range.  

Issue Comm4 on the NC2 is RS-422, will this operate as RS-485 if the TX & RX lines are linked? Environment CX9680 NCII with Modbus RTU X Driver XDriver Cause Linking the TX & RX lines can cause the transmitted data to be fed back into the transmitting controller. Resolution Yes, you can use comm 4 as a Modbus RTU X Driver to talk to 3rd party RS-485 devices. The Netcontroller II Comm 4 is defined as an RS-485/ RS-422 port and the X Driver will close off the RX port using the RTS line while it is transmitting. The loopback required for a 2 core screened cable is: Connect TX+ to RX+ Connect TX- to RX- Use shield connection Note: If communications are still not able to be established, confirm that the Comm4 configuration in the Netcontroller II's web configuration page has been changed from the default RS-422 to RS-485.