Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue When connecting MP-C controllers in a daisy chain, do they act as a repeater and boost the signal thus allowing total network distances of greater than 90 meters. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation. Environment Building Operation Multi-purpose Controller. Cause Each MP-C acts as a switch and decodes and generates a new fresh packet. Resolution Maximum 100 meters between each device when using daisy chain when connecting MP-C.

Issue After configuring SSL certificates manually, having an incompatible Host Certificate and Key file can cause the import to EBO to fail. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Enterprise Central Building Operation Enterprise Server Building Operation Automation Server Cause Host Certificate provides the public key for which the private key is paired. An unmatched Host Certificate and private key will cause the certificate import to fail. Resolution While managing certificates manually, it is recommended to check that the Host Certificate and Key files are a matching pair.   Using the provided Host Certificate (.pem) file and private key (.key or .prv) file Download OpenSSL v1.1.1 Light choosing the EXE file type and correct version (Win64 or Win32), as the latest version letter will be posted to Win32/Win64 OpenSSL Installer for Windows - Shining Light Productions (slproweb.com) or OpenSSL installed with EBO If using Shining Light installer, it is recommended to open command prompt from where certificates are stored on the desktop and substitute openssl with "C:\Program Files\OpenSSL-Win64\bin\openssl.exe". Working with certificate files on the Windows desktop ensures the user will have the correct permission to run the commands, unlike putting certificate files in the Program Files directory where openssl.exe resides. Open PowerShell or Command Prompt Obtain the host certificate md5 hash with this command: openssl x509 -noout -modulus -in filename.pem | openssl md5 Obtain the private key md5 hash using the command below. Use the correct command based on the key file file type openssl rsa -noout -modulus -in filename.prv | openssl md5 openssl rsa -noout -modulus -in filename.key | openssl md5   In this example, the Host Certificate is HostCert.pem and the private key is EcoStruxure.key. The private key was converted to EcoStructure.prv using Step 12 of Installing an SSL Certificate from an External CA - Communities (se.com) These commands make the hash more readable to human eye. We use openssl to inspect the x509 for Certificate and encryption type rsa for the key to produce the modulus (-modulus), which is a long string. You then use (-noout) to prevent the full modulus from printing to the screen. You then create a shorter md5 hash so the human eye can easily compare them. If the md5 hashes match, that indicates that the modulus is a match and proves that the certificate/key is a pair.

Warning Potential for Data Loss: The steps detailed in the resolution of this article may result in a loss of critical data if not performed properly. Before beginning these steps, make sure all important data is backed up in the event of data loss. If you are unsure or unfamiliar with any complex steps detailed in this article, please contact Product Support for assistance. Issue Cybersecurity vulnerability scans are flagging the Building Operation License Server because it is using HTTP rather than HTTPS Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Enterprise Server Building Operation Enterprise Central Building Operation License Server Cause The Building Operation License Server contains a web portal for diagnostics and administration. By default, the Building Operation License Server Administration web portal is configured to use HTTP Resolution It is possible from the Administration area of the Building Operation License Server Administration web portal to configure HTTPS communications. Note: this does not change how Ecostruxure Building Operation connects to the license server.   The following process configures the Building Operation License Server Administration web portal to use HTTPS   From a web browser open the Building Operation License Server Administration web portal by typing http://localhost:8888 Once the web portal opens, select Administration at the top right. You will be prompted to log on, use "admin" as the user name. If you have logged in before, use the password you have defined. If not, enter "admin" as the password, and you will then be prompted to create a password. Once signed in Select the Server Configuration tab. Under the Secure Web Server Configuration section, select Enable HTTPS Change HTTPS Port to a unique number e.g. 8443 Select Redirect Non-Secure Web Access to Secure Web Access At the bottom of the page click the Save button and close the web browser tab. Restart the Building Operation X.X License Server from the Windows Services app (services.msc) If the license server is opened using http://localhost:8888 it will now redirect to HTTPS using the port specified in step 4 above

Issue How can I find out whether the EBO 2022 multi-version support applies to AS Classic module?  Does it apply to all the AS, AS-P, and AS-B modules? Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Enterprise Server Building Operation Automation Server Cause The EBO 2022 Release Note describes that the EBO 2022 Device Administrator software is not supported on the original AS classic (part number SXWAUTSVR10001) but there is no description of the software backward compatibility of the EBO on AS classic. Resolution An AS classic can continue to exist in a multi-version system; the maximum version an AS classic can operate at is 3.1.2. It is nowhere implied that it is not supported under a multi-version setup. The statement “EBO 2022 does not support AS classic” in the EBO 2022 Release Note is misunderstood. It simply means that one cannot install EBO 2022 on an AS Classic, the same as the previous EBO 3.2 version. Note that the AS Classic will not inherit any features introduced in later EBO releases when operating in a multi-version system.

Issue When performing a backup of all Servers and All Data on an Enterprise Server the backup fails and generates an error in Software Administrator indicating the backup is corrupt although the backup is not corrupt. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment EcoStruxure Building Operation Workstation EcoStruxure Building Operation Enterprise Server Cause There is not enough free disk space on the Enterprise Server to save the backup file created.  The error generated in Software Administrator is a generic error. Resolution Check the Trace Log for Internal Server Error: Insufficient_Space_For_Backup If this is evident free up additional space on the Enterprise Server and re-try saving the backup.

Issue A system with multiple WebRequest calls appears to become erratic after upgrading the AS-P to EBO 2022 and above. After a reboot, multiple scripts execution are hanging.   In previous EBO versions, the script would be stopped and return an Unknown Exception error message.   Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Automation Server Premium Building Operation Automation Server Bundled Building Operation Enterprise Server Cause The Architectural Guidelines always recommended a maximum of 5 concurrent WebRequest calls. In EBO 2022, this limitation is enforced to limit the impact on the system resources and prevent scripts stopping due to Unknown Exception errors.   Architectural Guidelines    Web requests exceeding this number will be queued, and the scripts doing these calls will hang on that function as the queue is emptied. This will directly impact the execution of other scripts.   Resolution 1. Enforce a good scripting practice to prevent more than 5 concurrent Web Request calls. 2. Cascade the execution of scripts to make sure that after a reboot, the scripts are executed in a sequence to prevent simultaneous calls filling the queue and causing scripts to be stopped.  

Issue At times it is necessary to programmatically disable a program from another program Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment EcoStruxure Building Operation Workstation EcoStruxure Building Operation Server (ES/ASP/ASB) Cause A program will not just stop another program without some additional steps. In Continuum there was an ability to just name another program stop it. Resolution A program can stop itself,  however, here is a way for one program to stop another program. The user can declare an input variable in a program, check it and stop the program, based on the value of that variable. That input variable would be set from outside the program. Example: Prog1 stops Prog2 ======================== ‘Prog1 Numeric Output OutStopProg    ‘bound to the input variable InStopProg of prog2 ‘Stop program Prog2 OutStopProg = true        ‘this statement sets the input variable InStopProg  of Prog2 to true ======================== ‘Prog2 Numeric Input InStopProg     ‘bound to the OutStopProg variable of Prog1 If InStopProg = true then Stop   ‘this statement stops prog2 if InStopProg  is true  

Issue Building Operation WorkStation freezes and crashes. The stack trace shows: System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: Not enough quota is available to process this command Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation WorkStation Cause This is an error from Windows system: Not enough quota is available to process this command There are two potential causes for this error: Windows does not have enough virtual memory for all of the processes that are currently running on the machine or Windows is running out of other resources such as: disk space, handles, GDI resources, process message queue or something else. This error turns up on a lot of programs in Windows intermittently, such as Windows File Explorer. WorkStation freezes (usually because its waiting on the server) and the user tries to do a 'soft' shutdown (not a kill process) of WorkStation in the Task Manager. The Windows OS then sends instructions via the message queue (to simulate a user press on the "red cross" button on upper right in caption bar) which in turn leads to this quota error. Resolution If this error is seen, Microsoft recommends closing some applications and trying again. If you still get this message, increase the size of your paging file.   In the Taskbar Search, type “Advanced System“. You will see View Advanced System Settings. Click on it. Or you can navigate to it via Control Panel In System Properties, click the Advanced tab In the Performance section click the Settings button Performance Options will open. Click the Advanced tab Here, under Virtual memory, select Change Uncheck Automatically manage paging file size for all drives Highlight your Windows system drive Select Custom size Change the Initial size value and the Maximum size value to a higher value Click Set Finally, Click Apply/OK all the way  

Issue Cannot find documentation on how to use the new Graphic components release with EBO 2.0 Getting the following errors when previewing my graphic page: "Script error in function "onLoad" .... ReferenceError: "_firstRun" is not defined "Script error in function "onChange" ... ReferenceError: "_setVisuals" is not defined The component added to the graphic shows no binding label in the WorkStations edit bindings window Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation. Environment Building Operation Graphic Editor 2.0 and above GlobalScripts V2.0.0262 and above Cause With the release of EBO 2.0, a set of new components/snippets have been released, which are different from those issued in earlier releases, although there is very little change visually. The scripting, in most cases but not all, has been removed from the components themselves and put into single scripts. This means we can take advantage of the functionality of the global script. This requires the user to set the UseGlobalScripts attribute to True within the TGML graphic editor, which can be on a per-graphic basis and ensures that existing graphics will still function. Once turned to True, all components with scripts and requirements for other global scripts to function correctly can function as designed. For example, the setpoint box requires global scripts to ensure units and decimal places are displayed as designed/required due to the scripts. There are also two binds available on the box, one for reading and one for writing. Both need to be bound to enable the component to function correctly.  The components are designed this way to allow use in BACnet, where it may require reading the resultant Value but Writing at a specific Priority. Without the scripts added to the graphic, the component cannot function. For further details/questions, refer to the following Community Posts, which also include the current PDF documentation: Help-with-an-EBO-2-0-component EcoStruxure-Building-Operation/Graphic-Component-Library-Rev-AB1-002-pdf NAM Standards Team TGML Component Library - Communities (se.com) This article provides the necessary steps required to enable and get these new components working and does not provide in-depth functionality. Resolution Within Graphics Editor, enable UseGlobalScripts. To do this: Select the -Tgml object shown in the Objects pane In the Properties pane Change the UseGlobalScripts from False to True In the Global Graphic Snippets: Drag the GlobalScripts V2.0.xxxx onto the -Tgml object.  GlobalScripts then appends as shown below. Note: This must be done before adding any components and ONLY once on each Graphic page. Add a Component by dragging it into the Design window. Example showing the Component: Analogue Single Line Text, 100W Add Snippets to allow the relevant Bindings to be added to this component.  To do this: Select the Snippets tab, Select Select Global Bind Snippets Drag the appropriate snippet onto the Component. EcoStruxure Analog Value bind snippet is added to the Analogue Value component Save the graphic Preview - no errors should appear.  If there are errors: Ensure that the scripts/components have been added in the correct order Ensure the correct Snippet has been added to the correct Component.  Refer to the Graphic-Component-Library-Rev-AB1-002-pdf documentation for the tested snippets/component combinations. Open WorkStation and Edit Bindings on the saved graphic page Note: The default binding name displayed View the graphic page   Example: Showing forced value      

Issue Do the Xenta IO modules, when used under a programable Xenta device, need to have a Field Device license added? Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Licensing Cause No clear information is provided on if the Xenta IO model needs a Field Device license. Resolution No Field License is needed for IO modules if they are set up under a Xenta programable device like a Xenta 400 or 300 series device. Only the devices that communicate to a Building Operation server require a license (Enterprise or Automation Servers). The Xenta IO modules only communicate with the Xenta programable device using LACNET communication and not the Building Operation servers.

Issue After a find new BACnet devices in Continuum or EBO, 3rd party devices may come in and that we do not know the IP address of. Product Line Andover Continuum, EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Continuum Cyberstation BACnet Operator Workstation EcoStruxure Building Operation Cause BACnet devices IP addresses in Continuum explorer and EBO are encoded in HEX per BACnet Standard. BACnet IP addresses in BACnet are described as BACcnet MAC address. Resolution 3rd party IP level device is already in the BACnet side of Continuum, the IP address in HEX located as BACnet MAC address. Right-click and edit the third party device and use the BACnet MAC address to decipher. That is the IP address plus the port used to communicate For instance: The BACnet MAC address on the device editor is 0A9F1ACFBAC0 That would be 0A = 10, 9F=159, 1A=26, CF=207  The IP address would be 10.159.26.207 and BAC0 is 47808 on the port.   If you have exported to Excel and need a solution to covert, please reference IP address from BACnet MAC Address (SBO & Continuum)

Issue How to exchange EBO data via a SmartConnector enabled REST endpoint. Product Line EcoStruxure building Operation Environment Building Operation Enterprise Server Building Operation Enterprise Central Building Operation Automation Server Building Operation Automation Server Premium Building Operation Automation Server Bundled SmartConnector Cause Need to serve EBO data in a RESTful manner. Resolution The following video will illustrate how to: Create user account group and user with permissions required for web service client access. Enable the EcoStruxure Web Service server in the EBO server. Create and configure REST endpoint in SmartConnector framework. Use Swagger interface to review the API documentation. Test the Web service using a 3rd party testing tool. Things you need: Software EBO server with valid license (Enterprise Central, Enterprise Server or Automation server) EBO WorkStation. SmartConnector with valid license Tools SoapUI (to be used for testing)   For more information check "SmartConnector RESTful EWS Gateway" document at SmartConnector Server download center, and Troubleshooting Smart Connector SoapEwsRestProvider connection with EBO - Communities (se.com)

Issue A 3rd party system wants to poll data from EcoStruxure BMS server through Modbus, how to set it up? Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Automation Server Building Operation Automation Server Premium Building Operation Automation Server Bundled Building Operation Enterprise Server Cause If an EcoStruxure BMS server needs to share data with a 3rd party system through Modbus, the EcoStruxure BMS server can act in one of two roles: Modbus TCP server or Modbus RTU Server (Slave) EBO server acting as RTU slave EBO server acting as Modbus TCP server   Resolution  Create a Modbus interface under the EcoStruxure BMS server and define the Modbus device ID for the EcoStruxure BMS server. Create Modbus points under this Modbus interface and set the register numbers and register type for the points. Create a Modbus Slave network for serial connection, select the COM port and set relative communication parameter. Or create a Modbus TCP Server for TCP connection and can change the default Modbus TCP port if needed (Usually just leave it as default). Use standard Modbus test software like Modscan to scan the points through TCP or serial. Use Function Code 1 or 2 to read Digital Modbus points and Code 3 or 4 for Analog Modbus points. Be sure to match the data length setting in Modscan with the real points number in the EBO server. For instance, if there are only 3 values in EBO Modbus interface, the data length setting must be less than 3 in Modscan. Or it will show error in Modscan. The below video will demonstrate how to configure EcoStruxure BMS server to act as Modbus TCP server or Modbus RTU slave  

Issue Adjusting the setpoint from the SXWSC3XSELXX device. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation SmartX Living Space Sensor. Cause SXWSC3XSELXX has plus and minus buttons that could be used for changing setpoint. Resolution Navigate in the System Tree to the Display entry for the SmartX Sensor. Go to the Button and Scene Configuration tab under Properties. Scroll down to Front Menu Button Configuration, change Button 1 function to Change temperature setpoint. Select the tab Advanced, and scroll down to the Feature Control Settings. Set Allow setpoint changes to On. Set max and min limits for the setpoint under Setpoint high limit an Setpoint low limit.   When the plus or minus button is pressed, the Setpoint will change in steps. The size of the steps depends on the difference between the Setpoint high limit and low limit, divided by 10 (when using SI units). In the example above, the difference  between the Setpoint high limit and low limit is 28-18 = 10, so the Setpoint will be changed in step of 1 degree C.  

Issue Is there any limitation for the number of local program variables that can be declared in a script program located in ExoStruxure BMS servers or BACnet/IP controllers?   Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Enterprise Server Building Operation Automation Server Building Operation Automation Server Premium Building Operation Automation Server Bundled Building Operation Multi-purpose Controller Building Operation Multi-purpose VAV Building Operation Room Controller (RPC) 24 V Cause A script program has a lot of variables declared. Resolution There are no hard limits imposed by the script compiler. for the number of local program variables. The limits are performance and device resources. The bigger a program is, the more memory and processor bandwidth it will consume and the longer it will take to execute. 

Issue The sequence numbers for Alarm Events are changing daily for all active alarms in the system. This can be a problem for applications using sequence number as alarm identifier. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Enterprise Server. Building Operation Automation Server Premium Cause Every night there is a cleanup in the alarm table and alarms can then get new sequence numbers. Every night historic updates with old time stamps are removed in the alarm table.   When this cleanup takes place, there is a reorganization of sequence numbers of current alarms. They all get a new sequence number.   The new sequence numbers are always higher than the latest sequence number before the cleanup. Resolution Do not use alarm sequence number for alarm identifier, use triggered time stamp instead.

Issue There is no information on how to create and prepare signed certificates for import in Building Operation. PEM file format has to be used. If another format is used or the certificate files are not correct, you get a message like this when importing SAXParseException: Reference to invalid character number in line X column Y Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Certificates Cause There is no information on how to create signed certificates in Building Operation. Resolution Make sure that when preparing the pfx file that the full chain of trust is included in the pfx file. You have various options when preparing a pfx certificate export file, and the private keys and chain of trust are options that must be selected. Otherwise, you won't extract the intermediate certificate or the private key if not included. Complete a Certificate Request and then request a certificate in PEM format in a .pfx file "container".  Extract the CA certificate, Intermediate certificate, and private key using the following OpenSSL commands. After executing each command, enter the password if prompted. Make sure you reference the right pfx file. Below filename.pfx is used as an example Make sure you enter the commands manually and do not copy/paste from this article Download OpenSSL tool here or use OpenSSL installed with EBO  openssl pkcs12 -in filename.pfx -out host.pem -nodes -clcerts -nokeys openssl pkcs12 -in filename.pfx -out inter.pem -nodes -cacerts -nokeys openssl pkcs12 -in filename.pfx -out privkey.prv -nodes -nocerts The three files produced must then be parsed of any characters that aren't in the part of the certificate/key and in PEM format (or PRV if private key) - basically all the characters before "-----Begin Certificate-----" or after "-----End Certificate-----". Ensure each file ends with a blank line and that a blank line separates each section. This can be done in any text editor; however, this example uses Notepad++ with the "Show All Characters" button selected.  Import the files into SBO using the certificate manager in the Control panel. File type conversion If the host and intermediate certificate are in crt, cer or der format, you can convert them to pem format using the following method/command: openssl x509 -outform der -in certificate.cer -out certificate.der openssl x509 -inform der -in certificate.der -out certificate.pem Replace "certificate.cer" with the name of your file Determining certificate file type To determine which filetype a given certificate file has (PEM, DER, or pkcs12/pfx), you can use the following commands (replace "cert.crt" with the name of your file). A valid output will confirm the file type. PEM openssl x509 -in cert.crt -text DER openssl x509 -in cert.crt -inform DER -text pkcs12/pfx openssl pkcs12 -in cert.crt -info

Issue When using Project Configuration Tool (PCT) in Server mode and connecting from a remote PCT client, it is not possible to transfer backups or exports. The transfer gets stuck, and a complete reboot is required to start using the project again. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Project Configuration Tool (PCT) Cause In the "Settings for Project Configuration Tool" the Notification and Listening port defaults to 0. Port 0 means that PCT will ask the OS for an available port. But if network policies prevent PCT from communicating using that port, PCT cannot detect that.  Resolution In "Settings for Project Configuration Tool" Change the port number for the Notification port and Listening port to a port that is available to use.

Issue In TAC Vista, we had a function for the OGC graphics called standard graphic. Do we have something similar in Building Operation? Product Line EcoStuxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation 2.0 and above Graphics  Cause All graphics connected to the standard graphic in TAC Vista changed if the standard graphic was changed. This is a very useful function when having many similar graphics.    In Building Operation, a new object was implemented in version 1.8 labeled shared Graphics, Custom Types superseded this in version 2.0, and this function is similar to shared Graphics but not identical. Resolution There is no direct function like this in Building Operation.  Custom Types is the only similar feature available in the currently supported versions of Building Operation. Additional information can be viewed in the online help topic Custom Types Overview.  

Issue How to configure two room sensors in ZBuilder. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment ZBuilder Cause It is possible to configure TAC Xenta 121 or TAC Xenta 122 to use two room sensors via the ZBuilder tool. Resolution In Zbuilder, under the tab Configuration, under Room unit, select the type of sensor you are going to use. Select the tab I/O Setup,  Right click on the sensor and select Duplicate. Move the sensors to the input you are going to use.   At the end of this session you will be able to: Configure TAC Xenta 121/122 to use two room sensors. Understand that the nvoSpaceTemp value is calculated as average value of the two sensors. Understand that it is not possible to see the actual value of a single sensor when using two sensors.