Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue New MNET-CI and MNET- Air Balance software for MicroNet 2000 controllers is compatible with Windows XP and Vista. Environment MicroNet 2000 software;  MNET-CI and MNET- Air Balance, Version 4.0 Cause Release of software  MicroNet 2000 software;  MNET-CI and MNET- Air Balance, Version 4.0 Resolution New versions of MNET-CI and MNET- Air Balance software for MicroNet 2000 controllers are compatible with Windows XP and Vista. The software is bundled with the 6 PSI tools in a zip file, PSIv4.1.zip.  The zip file includes an installer and a READ.ME file that includes Release Notes and Installation Instructions. The same converter, MN-CIM, that works with existing version of MNET-CI and MNET-Air Balance, will also work with the new version. (NOTE: MN-CIM is obsolete as of December, 2011. See Product Announcement PA-000164. There is no functional replacement available)

Issue A new BACnet jar file is available for Niagara R2 UNCs - bacnet-2.305.527i.v1.jar is available on The Exchange Download Center Environment Niagara R2 UNC bacnet-2.305.527i.v1.jar Cause Information about the new BACnet jar file     Resolution A new BACnet jar file is available for Niagara R2 UNCs - bacnet-2.305.527i.v1.jar can be downloaded from The Exchange Download Center. The zip file contains a READ_ME_FIRST document that provides installation instructions, as well as a BACnet.Properties file to be installed in the UNC. The new jar file will improve the reliability of polling for BACnet data.

Issue When interfacing Veris pressure transmitters (PXP-xx-02S-T1) with a 0 to 5 vdc output signal to a universal input of a MNL controller instead of seeing 0 vdc with 0 pressure the UI is seeing .5 vdc. Environment Veris pressure transmitters (PXP-xx-02S-T1) MNL Controller Cause This is a compatibility issue with the Veris transmitters. Resolution Veris Technical Support suggests putting a 2.2k ohm resister across the OUT and COM of the transmitter. This has been confirmed to resolve the issue by field personnel.

Issue A Niagara R2 Enterprise Server with a large number of alarms and archived data is no longer needed.  How can all this data be removed quickly? Environment Niagara R2 Enterprise Server Cause Delete unused alarms and archived data on Enterprise Server station. Resolution This data is stored in the "app" folder on the Enterprise Server station. Using Windows Explorer go to Niagara > r2.301.522 > stations > "Station name". Rename or delete the "app" folder and restart the Enterprise Server. When Niagara discovers there is no "app" folder it will create a new, empty one.

Issue A Niagara R2 UNC-520 time clock cannot maintain proper system time.  It is losing approximately 1 hour daily. Environment Niagara R2 UNC-520 Cause Inadvertently calibrated with an incorrect time clock. Resolution This issue can be corrected in the field.  For details, read TPA-RKFD-08-0003.00 "Slow Time Clock on UNC-520-2 and UNC-520-2-N" on The Exchange Download Center.

Issue TAC has discovered an anomaly where R2 BACnet networks operating with the BACnet jar version 523b or earlier may stop updating object values after a period of time, typically over a 24 hour period. In certain large BACnet networks, the polling mechanism in the BACnet service can get into a "deadlock" condition, causing polling to cease. The only way presently to recover from this condition, with version 523b, is to restart the Universal Network Controller (UNC). Environment I/A Series R2 (Niagara) station with the BACnet service, version 523b or earlier Cause Operating with the BACnet jar version 523b or earlier may stop updating object values after a period of time. Resolution Refer to TPA-RKFD-08-0010.00, "Issues with I/A Series R2 BACnet Integrations" for Solution and Action. BACnet jar 527i (along with the revised bacnet.properties file) was recently released to help prevent the "deadlock" condition from occurring, thus ensuring consistent polling and updating. In addition, the new jar allows for composite math precision limitation in rewrite determination. Composite math results in values being sent to BACnet controllers from the UNC being slightly different than those being written to and read from the controller itself. For example, if the UNC writes "50.0," the controller will be "49.99999." Since these two values are not the same, the UNC will attempt to re-send the value. With the implementation of the "MinimumFloatDifference" property in the bacnet.properties file, this difference will now be ignored. In past releases, this has caused extra writes, and more importantly, unnecessarily increased the amount of traffic on the network, resulting on slower polling of other BACnet objects. Our recommendation is to upgrade any UNC with BACnet integrations to the 527i BACnet jar. The files are contained in a .ZIP file - bacnet-2.305.527i.zip. The .ZIP file contains the jar files, the bacnet.properties file, and a READ_ME_FIRST file that has detailed instructions for installing the files.

Issue Can Niagara R2 / G3 operate on Windows XP Service Pack 3? Environment Niagara R2 / G3 Cause Windows XP SP3 is not an approved platform for the IA Series. Resolution The recommendation at this time is to remain with Windows XP Service Pack 2. For more details, read TPA-RKFD-08-0008.01 "Windows XP SP3" on the ExchangeOnline web site.

Issue Where can Microsoft Vista-compliant legacy tools be obtained for use with DMS and NETWORK 8000 products? Environment DMS NETWORK 8000 Cause Microsoft Vista legacy tools for NETWORK 8000 Resolution Microsoft Vista-compliant versions of PSI, XPSI, MN-CI, and OPRIF have been provided for download on The Exchange Download Center site.  The following files have been posted. OPRIF 11.6 for Vista and XP (use with DMS products) PSI 4.1 for Vista and XP (use with NETWORK 8000 products) The PSIv4.1.zip contains XPSI, PSI, MF2 AirBalance, MicroNet-CI and MicroNet AirBalance. Review the readme_psi.doc provided in the zip file for changes and supported RS-485 converters. Direct ASD connection is now supported when utilizing the suggested RS232 to RS485 converter.  

Issue A Niagara R2 Enterprise Server station will only display 5 to 10 web pages before appearing to lock up. This problem may also occur when displaying web pages directly from a UNC too. Environment Niagara R2 Enterprise Server station Cause The Microsoft Internet Explorer Active-X Activation issue was included in Build 522.v1. It has been determined that this solution has caused graphic page display problems on some job sites, especially on web pages containing a frameset. Resolution Upgrade the Enterprise Server and/or UNC system software to Build 522.v2. Download r2.301.522_PatchFiles.zip. Open the zip file and follow the procedure in the file "r2.301.522_PatchReadme.pdf"

Issue What is indicated by the Status LEDs on the MicroNet 2000 ASD Integrator (MN-ASDI)? Environment MicroNet 2000 Integrator Cause Information on the Status LEDs Resolution The MicroNet 2000 Integrator for the ASD bus (MN-ASDI) has three Status LEDs: Yellow RX, Green TX, and Red ON. The LEDs indicate the following activities: Yellow RX LED blinks when it detects receive activity on the ASD bus. Green TX LED blinks when it transmits to devices on the ASD bus. The Red LED indicates processor activity AND communication activity on the U-bus interface. The frequency of blinking is dependent on the amount of activity.

Issue When upgrading a Niagara G3 ENC-410 / ENC-520 from 3.0.xxx to 3.3.xx, does the license file need to be upgraded too? Environment I/A Series G3 hardware I/A Series G3 software Cause License compatibility question. Resolution View the ENC license file. The first line indicates the version. If the license version="3.3", then the ENC upgrade can proceed without the need for upgrading the license. If the license version is lower than 3.3, the license file must be upgraded. A license file change can only be done by the factory. Use part number IA-LIC-CHG to order it. After upgrading the license, the licensed version and any previous version of the I/A Series G3 software can be installed and run in the ENC.

Issue Are all four RS-485 ports licensed for use with BACnet/MSTP on a Niagara G3 ENC-520? Environment Niagara G3 ENC-520 Cause Licensing information about the Niagara G3 will help during installation. Resolution Yes.  At any time, any of the four RS-485 ports can be used without the need for re-licensing.

Issue Sending a Service Pin message (Neuron id) thru a Micronet S-Link sensor. Environment MN-S2xx, S3xx, S4xx and S5xx MN-S4-FCS sensors MN-S4HT-FCS sensors Cause The Service PIN message is used to identify the device. There is not a visible service pin button located on the device. Resolution A service pin message (Neuron id) can be sent by pressing the override key (button) for more than 8 seconds (on models MN-S2xx, S3xx, S4xx and S5xx). For the MN-S4-FCS and MN-S4HT-FCS sensors, press the fan on/off key for more than 8 seconds(to send a service pin message). The system override/on-off LED will flash one time indicating the message was sent. Additional information is in the WorkPlace Tech Tool 4.0 User's Guide (F-27255) under the compiling and downloading application (and the uploading) section.

Issue What are the Linking Rules within the Niagara R2 platform? Environment Niagara R2 platform Cause Additional information on linking rules to correctly linked objects. Resolution In most cases, in order for two properties to be linked, they must use the same data species. In a link, one object's output supplies the value (or trigger) used by the other object with the receiving input. The Link Editor in the JDE enforces this rule when selecting a property on one side of the window to link.  An exception to the need for matching data species occurs when linking Gx objects, which have only inputs. For example, the "binding" input of a GxText object can be linked to any internal (configuration property) of another object, in addition to most output properties.  When linked to an internal property, a GxText object displays text showing the value of that property.  Unlike "normal" links, Gx object links are considered user-interface ("ui") links, not part of "control logic." Instead, they provide the building blocks of a user interface. The Link Editor also enforces additional link rules. Many inputs can be linked to a single output as needed ("one-to-many").  For any input property that is already linked, no further link to it is permitted unless the property is a priorityArray type or trigger type (or certain types of Lon properties). Only then is a "many-to-one" link allowed. External links (between stations) have further restrictions. The following types of external links are not permitted (nor are they shown in the Link Editor): Links between prioritizedOutputs and priorityArray input properties. Links between properties using triggerType data species. Links from a GxText object to an internal property of another object (only inputs or outputs are available).

Issue What is the difference between the XIF and NXE files in any LON controller? Environment LNS LON Controllers NL220 LonMaker Cause There are different files related to a LON device. The XIF and NXE files have completely different purposes. Resolution The XIF is a text-based file that defines the device’s network image to a network management tool (e.g. Niagara, LonMaker, etc.). The XIF along with files termed device resource files (DRFs) are used by the management tools to work with the LON device. Device resource files provide definitions especially when the manufacturer has not used standard SNVT types. When requesting a shadow object from Tridium, the XIF file must be provided as a minimum. If the manufacturer has defined their own variable types, the associated set of device resource files must also be provided. The only other alternative would be to use a dynamic device and hope that the device’s manufacturer implemented the files within the device correctly. When a dynamic device is commissioned, Niagara will upload the XIF from the device and attempt to create an object from the file’s definitions. The NXE is an abbreviation for (Neuron Executable file). Some devices allow the user to download an NXE or new application image file that changes the operation and / or network interface of the target device. New or different application firmware can be downloaded to the Neuron. This is the way some manufacturers upgrade their devices and / or the network interface portion of the device. If the LON device can support an NXE, this would have to be provided by the device’s manufacturer.

Issue What if any voltage can be measured on a Micronet 2000 U-Bus? Environment MicroNet 2000 U-Bus communication Cause Information about voltage helps implement multiple MicroNet 2000 controllers in U-Bus communications interface. Resolution The U-Bus is a Wired-OR open collector communication bus talking at 2400 baud. The MN-ASDI has the U-Bus current source.  It supplies the current for the U-Bus communications. It should supply about 45 ma. with short circuit protection. Under normal communications, the U-Bus voltage will be around 15 volts +/- 2 volts when measured with a voltmeter.

Issue The Niagara R2 version 522 Workplace Pro 'new station' wizard lists four vlon services. Environment Niagara R2 Cause The four vlon services is part of the new station wizard; Schneider Electric currently using vlon0. Resolution The new station wizard now lists services vlon0, vlon1, vlon2, and vlon3. Previous builds only listed a vlon service. These new vlons relate to the lonworks multiple services that have not been used by Schneider-Electric.   For tunneling to operate, select the vlon0 service for use with the lonworks service.

Issue How can it be determined what LonWorks Program IDs are supported by the Niagara R2 system? Environment Niagara R2 system LonWorks Cause To determine the LonWorks Program IDs, run the command "Command of Reports and Sub-command of programids" in Lon Utilities Manager. Resolution Create and install a test station on the localhost that includes the Lonworks service, Lonworks Network container, and the LocalLonDevice. Open the test station in WorkPlace Pro then right click on the Lonworks Service and open the Lon Utilities Manager. Select the LocalLonDevice then choose the Command of Reports and Sub-command of programids. Execute the command and a listing of all programIDs for the shadow objects found in the local tridiumx library (lonDevices container) will appear. Save this report to a text file and import into Excel where searches can be performed. Re-run the report anytime a new lon jar file is added or an existing lon jar file is replaced with a newer version.

Issue In Niagara R2, can WebUI be set to auto-logoff web users? Environment Niagara R2 Cause Unfortunately, the browser sessions use "HTTP Basic Authentication" a protocol that has no provisions for de-authentication or automatic logoff. Resolution The only logoff feature applies to JDE sessions in WorkPlace Pro. Tridium does not plan to add this mechanism to Niagara R2.   Niagara G3 software provides a web profile (cookie authentication) for each user that includes a feature for automatic logoff via the browser.

Issue When using a Niagara R2 Master Enterprise Server, do the projects require the same Project ID? Environment Niagara R2 Master Enterprise Server Cause Project ID is required for license information. Resolution Example: Two projects will eventually have a Master Enterprise Server (MES) over both of them.  One of the projects is in progress and the second phase will follow.   In order to use a MES and allow both projects to communicate with it, do both projects need to have the same Project ID? Or can each separate Enterprise Server maintain its own Project ID?   Requirement: The MES is licensed to support multiple Enterprise Servers (with different project IDs). Purchase the IA-MES-1 which supports an Enterprise Server for one site.  Additionally, each IA-MES-N would add another Enterprise Server (additional site). The project IDs for each Enterprise Server site would have to be provided in the license request form. The license will then list multiple project IDs and add the multisite feature.