Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue What order of operation does the event sequence use? Environment I/NET site Cause What order of operation does the event sequence use? Resolution The event sequence runs in a linear manner. They must run from the first item in the sequence through to the last item in the sequence. Once started, the sequence must finish before it may be called again.

Issue Unable to read any public signals from TAC Xenta 300/400/280 in a TAC Xenta 511, but SNVTs from TAC Xenta 100 controllers are fine. Environment Xenta Programmables Xenta 511 Xenta 100 series ASCs Cause The TAC Xenta 511 is not a member of the TAC Vista group. Resolution Go to the System plug-in Choose LNS Network >Create group bindings.

Issue Problems accessing graphics that are stored on a MMC card in a TAC Xenta 511. Environment TAC Xenta 511 MMC memory card Cause Users must be granted read access to the MMC card. Resolution If you store you graphics on a MMC card, give the users read access to the MMC card as well as to the folder where the graphics pages are stored.

Issue Sub-LAN Connection in open loop operation: Environment I/NET site Cause Why is the Sub-LAN Connection in open loop operation suggested? Resolution Best Practice; It is recommended that if using the Sub-LAN in an open loop configuration that you jumper pin 1 to pin 4 and pin 2 to pin 5. This connects the primary and alternate ports. This is important because if the controller fails to receive a response from a Sub-LAN device on the first attempt it will try the secondary attempt on the alternate port. Connecting these ports allows you to have three attempts at communicating with the device rather then just two.

Issue Use controller addresses to assist in identification of wiring problems in an I/NET controller LAN. Environment I/NET site Cause How to use controller addresses to assist in identification of wiring problems in an I/NET controller LAN Resolution It is common to find installations where the controller addresses follow the physical layout of the wire. This allows the token to be passed between nodes which are closest to each other on the controller LAN. When the controllers on the opposite ends of your controller LAN have consecutive addresses this will require the token to pass the entire length of your controller LAN between those two controllers. (This includes when the token passes between the highest node address and the first if the network addresses are assigned sequentially.) The advantage of this setup is that many communication problems can be identified quickly while your installation technicians are still on site and thus avoiding a return trip when other (new) conditions have degraded the performance of the network.

Issue If alarm filters are used to redirect certain alarms based on their text to another Event Object, then it will take every alarm notification with it - alarm, normal, ack, etc. Environment TAC Vista Server Alarm Queue Cause TAC Vista Server allows you the ability to redirect alarms to different Event Objects based upon the criteria of the source of the alarm or the text contained in the alarm. This article is applicable when you want to filter based upon specific text in the alarm. Resolution An example of this behavior is described in the Engineering TAC Vista Server manual: send all "Offline" alarms to a different Event Object. The important thing to know about doing such a thing is that all return to normal messages associated with that alarm will also be sent to the same Event Object. In our "Offline" alarm example, all "Offline" alarms and "Online" messages will be redirected to the same object. There is no way to send the alarm state to one Event Object while sending the return to normal state to another Event Object.

Issue Using periodical reports with message objects. Environment TAC Vista Workstation Cause Periodic reports that need to run whenever an alarm is tripped should not monitor a Message Object. Resolution If you need to run a Periodical Report only when a Tripped alarm occurs or only when a Reset message occurs then you should not monitor a Message object. Instead you should monitor an Alarm object, Time Event object, or Time List object which each has the ability to differentiate between the Tripped and Reset states. If the specific messages you want to monitor are currently being sent to a Message object then you need to utilize the redirection of alarms functionality found in TAC Vista Server to send those alarms to an Event object of a different type.

Issue Using a large number of values in a Vista Report Environment Vista Reports with more than 100 individual values (not trends) Cause While Vista Reports are mainly used for reports on trend logs, it is possible to display values from your Vista database. If you elect to link to a large number of values in your report it is common to receive time out errors when it tries to validate the links or polls for the entire list of values.  Resolution The way to avoid these errors and speed this process up is to change the Watch Setting property to either WATCH or ALARM for each value in your report. This will instruct Vista to monitor the point values so that the validation of values or links can be accomplished much quicker when Excel and Vista Server interact. As a reference these types of errors were experienced with reports that included 100 point values.

Issue Recovery of an I.LON 1000 in the boot state. Environment i.LON 1000 Cause The router has become corrupt. Resolution If the system image on an I.LON 1000 has become corrupt and the device enters a boot state when powered up then the following steps should be taken to correct it: Download the system image found in the "C:\Lonworks\iLON\Images\iLON x.xx" directory using an FTP client. Connect to the device with the serial cable and issue the "format" command. After the command has completed retry step 1. If neither of the previous methods worked, connect to the device with the serial cable and issue the "factorydefault" command. This should restore the device to how it came out of the box.

Issue On always overrides Off in weekly schedules in TAC Xenta Environment TAC Xenta programmable controllers Xenta Time Schedules Menta Cause If you have defined Week schedule event to be on and then add another overlapping event to be off all day the schedule will stay on. This is confusing because the off schedule will be added on top of the on schedule in the editor so you can't see the on schedule anymore. Resolution If you want to turn the schedule off temporarily, use an alternative event (uncheck weekly in the editor). Alternative events override all weekly events for the period. If you want to permanently change the schedule to be off just delete/edit the existing event. Remember, if no events are defined for a day the schedule will be off all day.

Issue How do you change the default colors applied to the value of points placed on a graphics page? Environment I/NET Site Cause How does one change the default colors on a graphics page? Resolution Go into the graphic properties editor and choose one of the following: Text Pen - Use this option to choose a default foreground color for point text. When you select this option the system displays the color dialog. You can choose a standard system color or you can define a custom color. This setting will be ignored if you have activated the Use Object Pen option described below. Use Object Pen - When activated this option causes the default color for point values to be the color defined within the points font properties. Otherwise point values are displayed in the color you choose using the Text Pen option described above. The Use Object Pen settings do not affect the color of text objects or markers. It also has no affect on points that have already been placed on the graphic page.

Issue I/NET Seven does not support the 7791/7792 MCI platforms. Only the 7793 MCI platform is supported. Consequently, a conversion from the 7791/7792 MCI platforms to the 7793 MCI platform is necessary. The following steps should insure a correct conversion. Environment 7791/7792 MCI platforms Cause I/NET Seven does not support the 7791/7792 MCI platforms. Only the 7793 MCI platform is supported. Resolution A Hand Held Console (HHC) is required for this process. Turn EVERY sub-LAN device “Internal” using the MCU Configuration Editor under Edit > Controller > MCU Configuration. Save the current databases in the MCIs (7791/7792). Attach the Hand Held Console (HHC) to a MCI. Use the following keystrokes to clear the MCI memory: CTRL, MEM, ENTER, “0”, ENTER. Press the red RESET button on the MCI The indication on the HHC should be seconds counting up from zero. Using the HHC, enter CODE, 90, and press the ENTER key.  The display should show the current MCI configuration (i.e., 7791 or 7792 and TAP emulation of 01, 03 or 06).  Using the increment/decrement keys advance the display to show 779301 or 779306 (use the –06 if dialing into a MCI with the RS-232 Expansion board attached--otherwise use the -01) and press the ENTER key.  The display should indicate seconds counting up from zero.  Check the COMM port speed on the MCI using the HHC.  Enter in CODE, 91, and press the ENTER key.  The display will show the COMM port speed, typically 19,200 if directly connected to a PC.  Change the port speed using the INC key to 19200 if necessary. Move the I/NET 2000 saved databases (DCUXXXX.sav) to the SAV folder in I/NET Seven. In I/NET Seven connect to the Link address where the MCI is located.  Go to Edit > Host Computer > Software Restore, and check the MCI address to download the .BIN file only (do not load the .SAV file here).  After the .BIN file downloads to the 7793, connect to the MCI.  Go to Edit > Controller > Station Restore, and download the .SAV file to the controller.

Issue Upgrading a File Master I/NET Seven Software from revision 1.10 through Revision 1.xx. Environment I/NET site Cause Possible problems with upgrading from I/NET 1.10 to 1.16 Resolution There are some issues that users are running into when they upgrade their software over the Internet from earlier versions of I/NET Seven revision 1.10 through revision 1.16. Most commonly is that Equalization does not work and error messages are generated during the promotion of the Clients to the File Master. The following steps should be taken to avoid these problems: If Upgrading from I/NET 1.10 to 1.16, all the upgrades need to be done i.e. 1.10 to 1.12 to 1.14 to 1.15 and finally 1.16. On the File Master go to the DB Create Utility and force an upgrade on the database. A message comes up saying that you are set up as the File Master, do you want to drop Equalization. Select Yes, this will allow the user to drop all the clients that are connected to it. Start I/NET again and let the File Master re-promote itself. Once finished, open I/O Server, modify the active profile and uncheck the file master box. Once it becomes a Stand Alone Host again, close down I/O Server and shut down I/NET. Restart I/NET and follow step 3, this time check the box to promote Equalization again. This time you’ll get a box to enter a Password only, create a new Password. Upgrade the Clients Software and repeat step 3, removing the File Mater name from the box. Follow steps 4 and 5 and the user can put either the PC name or IP address of the File Master here. Once it receives the Snapshot from the File Master, verify that Equalization is taking place by comparing the databases, or make a change and verify that is was replicated. Now bring up all the remaining Clients by following steps 6 and 7.

Issue I/NET Seven DPU 7920 48K features list. Environment I/NET Cause What are the I/NET Seven DPU 7920 48K features Resolution Features: Secondary schedule. Shift management. Expanded elevator control to support up to 79 floors. Notes: To use any of these features requires that the DPU be a 7920 with a MIP board. 7910 and 7920 without a MIP board will work with the I/NET system but they cannot use these functions.  The host prevents the download of these features to any DPU revision prior to 3.10. Please check the compatibility matrix associated with your I/NET Seven software Bin file revision.

Issue NPRs - Solution information for IT professionals. Environment I/NET site with a network Cause Is there information for the site IT Professional concerning NPRs Resolution The I/NET control network, on which the NPR is a component, makes exclusive use of UDP/IP packets. All retry, the control network applications layer handles timeout, and other packet transfer reliability. The maximum packet data component size is 140 bytes. The maximum UDP/IP packet size, including MAC and IP headers, is 186 bytes. Most control network transactions occur in the following four sets of packets: Transmission packet, Acknowledge packet, Response packet, and Response-Acknowledge packet. This is true for all transaction types including manual operator control actions initiated from I/NET, controller software downloads, and trend data uploads. Three control network packet transaction types occur periodically and are formed as a set of two packets. These transactions are for node to node (on the control network) supervision, global data point distribution, and message (alarms, transactions) distribution. This two-packet set is constructed of a Transmission packet and a Response packet. Node-to-node supervision occurs every 15 seconds. Global data point and message distribution occur at random intervals depending on the operator settings for those events on the control network. Acknowledge and Response-Acknowledge packets are 64 bytes in length. Transmission and Response packets will vary in length from 64 bytes to 186 bytes. The data content of the UDP packets is proprietary to TAC control networks. Critical configuration packet transactions between TAC control network machines use private key encryption to protect the data content. All other packet data contents are not encrypted. The highest Ethernet network utilization will occur during an I/NET host PC to NPR software restore action. This is the only sustained network activity where transmission packet sizes are filled to the maximum of 186 bytes. It is also the only control network activity that will generate a continuous transmission data stream. Network utilization during activity will be between 2 and 3 percent. To validate this statement, the Triticom Landecoder32 Ethernet monitor was used to observe network activity during the software restore process. Broadcast UDP/IP packets are NOT utilized by the control network applications. The only Ethernet broadcasts that will be used are standard ARP broadcasts for normal MAC to IP address resolution. The NPR requires a static IP address assignment. The control network makes use of logical port number 50069 as the transmission packet destination. The NPR exposes an SNMP agent that will provide SNMP managers access to the standard MIB2 network variable set. The NPR exposes a limited Telnet service that provides connecting clients access to control network specific debug information such as the application layer routing table a well as the IP stack routing table and ARP cache. The NPR operates at 10 Mbs and communicates at half duplex.  

Issue Client Button Feature for Equalization Environment I/NET site Cause Is there a button available to users who are utilizing the Equalization Feature of I/NET? Resolution There is a new button available to users who are utilizing the Equalization Feature of I/NET. This button allows the user to see when the Clients were contacted last by the File Master and makes Trouble shooting easier. The following shows how it should be set up and used: In the I/O Configuration, open the active profile (the one being used for Equalization on the File Master). Click on the Equalization File Master check box. Once Equalization has been set up and the Clients are on line, follow step 1 again. Click on the Clients Button, which is now active, a list of the Clients will show up. The user can now see the last time a Client was polled and it can be dropped by selecting it and clicking Drop.

Issue Configuring Filters in AMT For I/NET Seven rev 1.15 and later. Environment I/NET Seven rev 1.15 and later AMT Cause I/Net Seven Revision 1.15 and later releases the default Windows for AMT can no longer be filtered and the Icon is grayed out. Instead, there are two buttons on the Task bar for Alarms and Events that can be used for filtering once selected. Resolution The following steps should be followed to set these up: For Alarms, Select the Alarms Button, this creates a new window and the user can set what types of options they want to be displayed. The Icon is now available and the user can filter accordingly. For Events, Select the Events Button, this creates a new window and the user can set what types of options they want to be displayed. The Icon is now available and the user can filter accordingly. Note: If the user is creating a window for Critical Alarms to filter on, they should not open the default window because it causes AMT to populate two sets of windows and in turn use up necessary resources.

Issue Display Window in AMT for all open Windows in I/NET Environment INET site Cause In AMT, how does one see all the open windows that I/NET has open? Resolution In AMT, there is a new Window in the Task Bar which allows the user to see all the open windows that I/NET has open. This includes Alarms, Messages, Transactions, Graphics and Tools. To use this, the following steps should be followed: Open AMT, on the task bar to the far right next to the "?" there is an Icon that looks like a window. Click on it and it opens an Editor that lists all the windows that I/NET currently has opened. The user can choose whether they want to close a window or leave it open based on the amount of information he wants to see on his screen. Note: Having multiple windows of the same information (AMT) may cause AMT to lock up and or shut down.

Issue Saving Customized Detail Windows in Vista Environment TAC Vista Workstation Cause Every time you close the Details window the customized settings of that window are lost. Resolution To save these customized settings: Set up Vista with the customized Details window as you wish. Use the File > Save My Program Settings command (Ctrl-S) which will save the settings Recover them at any time through the use of the File > Load My Program Settings command This method will work with multiple Details windows with individually customized settings as well.

Issue Vista 4.2.0 in Higher Resolution Monitors Environment TAC Vista Workstation 4.2.0 Cause Vista 4.2.0 recommends a screen resolution of 1024x768, but the program will work with higher resolutions.  Resolution The font size is not configurable in Vista. As the resolution of the monitor increases, the text will look smaller and smaller on the screen. While the size of the font is not selectable the font can be chosen from a predefined list of fonts which may contain a more visible option at higher resolutions compared to the default.