Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Reload fails during the programs portion with an error message similar to: Unable to reload attributes. OMS database is currently unavailable, backing up. Environment i2 bCX NC2 Cause A flash backup PE program is set to autostart. As soon as that program loads, it will start to perform a flash backup and any PE programs that have not loaded will not load and the reload will terminate. Resolution Make sure any programs set to automatically backup a controller cannot do so until after a reload is complete.

Issue R2 UNC station fails to start and displays the following error message in its standard output window: FATAL: cannot boot station from sns java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: tridiumx.vlon.VlonService   Environment Niagara R2, UNC-520-2, Cause The station being installed requires the vlon service, but the vlon module in not installed in the UNC. Resolution Install the vlon module into the UNC and restart the UNC. Install the vlon module into the UNC: Use Admin Tool to connect to the UNC.  Go to the 'Installation' tab and click on 'Installation Wizard'. In the Select Distribution Directory dialog, highlight 'emb' and click the 'Install' button.  In the Niagara Remote Installation dialog, select 'Configure Modules Only' and click 'Next'. In the Configure Modules dialog box, select the vlon module by selecting in the 'Upgrade/Add' column. Click 'Next when finished. On the Database Backup dialog box, leave the red check mark next to the station database name and click 'Next' to continue. Enter the station user name and password when prompted. In the Niagara License dialog box, click Finish.  

Issue When purging alarm in AMT, and the I/O server is configured as serial port communication, there will be "No Reply" window popping up and Retry is useless. Environment I/NET Cause This may be caused the network communication issue. Or it may be due to other issues. Resolution Disconnect the Server from network or disable the serial port in I/O configuration. After the alarms are purged, return to the original setting.

Issue When swiping card, the status of door point in Controller Summary doesn't change. Environment I/NET Cause This is so designed in I/NET Resolution In I/NET, the status door point doesn't change when swiping card. So if interaction with swiping card is needed, you need to use Access Initial Control or create another real External point for the door point. (00/01 Ext apart from 08/09 Int)

Issue Can not get the communication port in Vista online. Get error message: "Cannot open port:No 8250 present" Environment Vista 5.1.6 Windows 2008 server Cause This error message only say that Vista can not communicate with the chosen com port in the computer.   Resolution Try to verify that the chosen com port on the computer works. Use for example the device manager and check the status on the port.  If RSPD is used make sure the correct version of it is used, only the latest support 64 bit OS.

Issue There is a Graphic Page issue in I/NET Seven rev 2.15 and below. Anytime you try to connect to a point thru a graphic page it gives you an error of "You do not have the Proper Password to do this." Environment Windows XP Pro SP3  I/NET Seven rev 2.15 and below Cause There is a Graphic Page issue in I/NET Seven rev 2.15 and below. Resolution Upgrade the site to I/NET Seven rev 2.31 or above (up to I/NET Seven rev 2.4X). The Graphic Page issue was fixed in these versions.

Issue How to know if schedules did not download. Environment CyberStation Schedules Cause Is it possible to alarm if schedules do not download. Resolution The following idea assumes you use the standard Sunday 12AM download time. In each controller with a schedule create a schedule called MonitorDownload.sch and attached a numeric to it. Toggle that numeric, only on Sundays, to ON at 12:45am and OFF at 1:15am. Write a fallthru program that triggers on hour and execute a check of that numeric only on Sunday at 1am. If it is not ON then trip an alarm - figuring that none of the schedule updates made it to that controller. If you also use the SendEmail capability of the controller this could also act as a check that the workstation (on a standalone) is not communicating (off, network issue, crash, etc) to the controller.

Issue What is Xenta 28x, 30x, 401 web and Xenta 28x, 30x, 401 TCP/IP Is there any documentation for  28x, 30x, 401 web and Xenta 28x,30x, 401  TCP/IP Environment Xenta 281 Web Xenta 282 Web Xenta 301 Web Xenta 302 Web Xenta 401 Web Xenta 281 TCP/IP Xenta 282 TCP/IP Xenta 301 TCP/IP Xenta 302 TCP/IP Xenta 401 TCP/IP Cause These are not products they are packages. Resolution The Xenta 280, 30x, 401  web and TCP/IP are not a controller type. It is just a packaging. The 280, 30x, 401  TCP/IP is sold with a Xenta 911 and the Xenta 280,30x, 401  Web are sold with a Xenta 511. So the documentation for "normal" Xenta 280 and Xenta 911/511 is used. This can be found on the Exchange Extranet.  

Issue An issue has been identified where the holiday schedule dates do not fit in the display windows when using Windows 7. This was reported on Sigma Build 3.42.43. The latest release has been tested and the same issue is present. Environment Sigma Cause Windows 7 Screen setting Resolution This will be reported as a minor fault. There is a workaround for this. The screen needs to be set to windows classic which replicates the Windows XP display windows. To do this: Right-click on the desktop Select "Personalize" Scroll to the bottom windows and select "Windows Classic". This will then change the display and the holiday schedule will display correctly

Issue What does a DMS Loop Point send out when the setpoint and process variable are equal and only a Proportional constant is used? Environment DMS and Microsmart Cause Understanding how to apply a DMS Loop Point to a control application Resolution A proportional-only Loop Point assumes a 'midrange' output when the setpoint and process variable are equal. 'midrange' means midway between the loop output high range and low range (typically 100 and 0 respectively). For more information, see the DMS Operator Interface User's Guide (F-25467), chapter 13.  It is available for download from the Publication Zone.

Issue When starting the station, an error message is displayed in the Application Director window reporting a series of javax.baja.sys errors.  The errors are of the format: javax.baja.sys.ModuleException: Cannot resolve dependency xxxxx-Tridium-3.y.zz -> xxxxxx-Tridium-3.a.bb javax.baja.sys.ModuleIncompatibleException: yyyyy-Tridium-3.y.zz Environment I/A Series G3 installation, any versions Cause The modules reported in the first exception line are incompatible with each other. Resolution This issue is usually caused by installing an incompatible version of one of the modules used by the ENS station.  Delete the folder \niagara\niagara-3.x.xx\sw folder (where 3.x.xx is the G3 release number) Reinstall the required 3.x.xx version of the G3 software. Copy any additional required modules to the modules folder. Open the workbench and run the Software Manager to rebuild the "sw" folder. Restart the ENS station.

Issue Point Name Limitations in I/NET Environment I/NET Cause I/NET limits point name length in order to conserve memory usage on controllers Resolution All Resident I/O points in I/NET are limited to 16 characters Indirect Points are limited to 11 characters

Issue What specification should the Continuum Infinet bus cable meet? Environment Systems using Infinet comm's  with i2 & i1 Infinet controllers. Cause Often an incorrect cable type is used when wiring Infinet devices (Infinet Controllers), unless the correct cable specification is used it is unlikely you will get reliable communications. Resolution Infinet Cable Specifications : Cables used to form the Infinet should conform to the following specifications: Wire Size: 24 AWG Cable Type: Twisted-pair, copper wire, tinned Shield: Braid Nominal Impedance: 120 Ω Velocity of propagation: 78% Capacitance: <12.5 pF/ft between conductors and < 22 pF/ft between the conductor connected to ground and the next conductor.

Issue Cannot open a Niagara G3 station with via a web browser Environment Niagara G3 all versions, ENC-520, ENC-410, ENS Cause The station’s HTTP port number was changed from it default port number of 80. Resolution If the station’s HTTP port number was changed to something other than the default port number 80, then the HTTP port number must be included with the station IP address in the web browser URL  Example:  A station’s HTTP port was changed from its default 80 to 8080.  The following will need to be entered into the web browser’s URL in order to gain access to the station:  http://<station IP address>:8080  

Issue The following error is displayed when attempting to start ad R2 station: ---------- Station Starting:   WED JAN 04 18:07:15 2012 ---------- Tridium Niagara Station, r2.301.514.v1 [LBV_Bldg_300] ERROR: Reading Ecdis210 [1371] Ecdis210 Subnet = 1 Node = 2 state = config_online#link: 983 *************************************************************** FATAL: Cannot boot station from sns java.io.UTFDataFormatException    at java.io.DataInputStream.readUTF (bytecode 211)    at java.io.DataInputStream.readUTF (bytecode 1)    at tridium.foundation.node.Link.readExternal (bytecode 59)    at tridium.foundation.node.Node.readExternal (bytecode 295)    at tridium.foundation.node.NodeSet.readExternal (bytecode 132)    at tridium.foundation.node.NodeSet.read (bytecode 43)    at tridium.foundation.prism.LoaderModule.loadFromSns (bytecode 48)    at tridium.foundation.prism.Prism.loadFromSns (bytecode 4)    at tridium.foundation.Sys.bootLocalSns (bytecode 11)    at tridium.tools.StationMain.bootSns (bytecode 0)    at tridium.tools.StationMain.doIt (bytecode 352)    at tridium.tools.StationMain.main (bytecode 10)    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke (Native Method)    at tridium.nre.Nre.mainImpl (bytecode 271)    at tridium.nre.Nre.main (bytecode 1) Environment Niagara R2, UNC-410, UNC-520 Cause Station database is corrupt. Resolution First make sure the correct Distech module is installed. If the correct module is installed and the error persist, then the station's database is corrupted. Use a backup copy of the station database.  

Issue An application created using WorkPlace Tech was working properly when created.  As many additional changes have been made to the application, unchanged portions of the application that were working no longer work correctly. Some observed examples of this issue are as follows: MNB-1000 application that includes the ADI interface worked when the first few ADI points were linked but after moving the application to another computer and linking the remaining ADI points, the ADI interface no longer worked. Hardware I/O points are not being properly handled after editing, compiling and downloading the application to the target controller.  This application was originally created on a different computer but with the same version of the WPT software. When downloading an application to the controller, WorkPlace Tech reports "Unknown error" but no errors were reported when compiling the application. Connecting lines that are a valid connection but are displayed as a red line. Application not correctly using configuration as specified by Hardware Wizard even though Hardware Wizard has been run and appeared to properly configure the application. Some internal program objects do not appear to operate as documented. Environment WorkPlace Tech Tool version 5.x.x Cause If the application data stored in the WorkPlace Tech application drawing file (vsd file) becomes corrupted, the application continues to compile correctly but does not operate.  This corruption is not observed on the drawing itself.  The application data and drawing data are independent of each other within the Visio file.  In some cases, an application created in WPT 4.x may contain application database information that is not correctly recognized by WPT 5.x.x. Resolution After opening the application in the WorkPlace Tech Tool software, run the "Rebuild Application" function to rebuild the internal representation of the application database.  The location of the "Rebuild Application" function in the Visio menu varies depending on the version of Visio that is running the WorkPlace Tech Tool software.  When starting the Rebuild function, a Windows WARNING dialog box is displayed.  To accept the displayed conditions of the Application Rebuild function, click the [Yes] button.  Further information on the information displayed in the dialog box is shown in the NOTE and Warning paragraphs, below. If using a version of Visio prior to Visio-2010, i.e., no ribbon bar, and WorkPlace Tech Tool version 5.6 or 5.7.x, the "Rebuild Application" function is found under the "Application" menu. If using Visio-2010 with WorkPlace Tech Tool version 5.8, the "Rebuild" function is found under the Application menu of the WorkPlace Tech ribbon bar. Note: After rebuilding the application database, the object order of any or all of the control objects may change.  If an attempt is made to monitor the controller containing this application, without downloading the rebuilt application to the controller, the monitor tags may display incorrect information. Warning:  Before running the "Rebuild Application" function on an application for a MNL-800 controller, confirm that index numbers have been properly assigned to ALL LON network variables and constants used in the application.  Failure to confirm that all LON network variables and constants have been manually indexed could result in changes to the LON application profile (XIF file).  This will result in binding issues between the controller LON network variables and other devices on the LON network.

Issue Can a workstation communicate to a controller using Ethernet Network Address Translation (NAT) Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Cyberstation All Ethernet level CX and bCX controllers. Cause Some IT Departments may want to use Network Address Translation to connect between different sections of their network. Resolution Continuum does not support Network Address Translation (NAT) the IP address entered in the Cyberstation database must match the address entered locally in the controller.

Issue A Graphic panel or other object needs to be opened by a Plain English program on Cyberstation, what command can be used? Environment Cyberstation Plain English Programs Cause It is often not clear what Plain English keyword can be used to open a Graphic Panel, or other object. Resolution The "Show" command can be used to open a graphic from Plain English For example: Show AirHandler1 This will open a graphic called AirHandler1, enter Show in the online help search for further examples.  

Issue Schneider Electric part number equivalent to Belimo LMQU24-SR  Environment Belimo LMQU24-SR Cause Internal purchasing instead of external. Resolution No cross reference is available. The Belimo actuator in question is not represented in our portfolio and needs to be purchased from the manufacturer directly.

Issue Requesting material specifications used in gear box on actuators MD20 in its different versions. Environment Actuator MD20 Cause Possible exposure to heat (desert climate). Resolution The gear box has a mix of plastic and steel plate gears. 5 in total. Experience from manufacturer states that there should be no issues in using them in a desert climate like Dubai or similar.