Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Can an alarm be created to notify an operator when the HOA switch on a controller is no longer in the Auto position? Is it possible to show on a graphic when a controller output is not in the Auto position? Environment Output Override Alarm Cause Controller HOA switch security. Resolution Each output has an Override attribute which is set to True when controllers corresponding HOA switch is not in the Auto position. The Override attribute can be used for alarming and for a visual indication on a Pinpoint graphic.

Issue What SNVT types are supported in the StruxureWare Building Operation ES and AS? Environment SNVT types ES AS Supported Cause Confirmation was required on what SNVT's are supported. Resolution The StruxureWare Building Operation ES and AS support the current published Echelon master SNVT list, to see the full list, please click HERE.

Issue Following a workstation crash and subsequent replacement of the workstation PC, cannot bring the existing CX9200 online with the new Continuum Installation. Environment Cyberstation 1.6 CX9200 Windows XP SP3 Cause Continuum 1.62 does not support Windows XP with Service Pack 3. Resolution Install Continuum 1.62 on a Windows XP SP2 platform.

Issue Add a receiver group to a Xenta server alarm in Xbuilder Environment TAC Xbuilder Cause Easiest way to add a alarm receiver group to an alarm. So that an e-mail is sent when the alarm is triggered Resolution Drag and drop the alarm receiver object on top of the alarm.

Issue Is there an I/A Series G3 object that calculates sunrise and sunset? Environment I/A Series G3 (versions 3.5.xx and higher) Cause Requires calculated sunrise and sunset times for automatic control of lighting, etc. Resolution The SunPosition object can be used to calculate a wide variety of sun metrics. Calculations are based upon a provided longitude, latitude, and date time.  The SunPosition object can be found in the I/A Series G3 weather module. Note:  The use of the SunPosition object does not require that the ENC, JACE, or Enterprise Server have Internet access, nor that it be located within the United States. The data provided is generated within the station using mathematical calculations based upon the current date, time, and a location provided in degrees longitude and latitude. The following data is available as output slots of the object: Day Length Sunrise time Sunset time Astronomical noon Astronomical midnight Current sun elevation Maximum sun elevation (at solar noon) Minimum sun elevation (at solar midnight) Current sun Declination Current sun Azimuth Current sun Right Ascension

Issue Can an Infinity Controller with a Modbus xdriver operate as a slave node to a third party Modbus device that is set up as the master node? Environment Modbus RTU Modbus TCP/IP xdriver Cause Third party modbus Master has to poll data from a CX or BCX controller that is set up as a slave node. Resolution The Modbus TCP/IP xdriver can be configured to operate as a slave node. The Modbus RTU xdriver must be the Master node whatever MODbus network it is attached to.

Issue The bacnet loop no longer works correctly after upgrading to 4.500064 firmware Environment BCX B3 Continuum Cause The action property of the loop object was reversed in prior versions. This has now been corrected in firmware version 4.500064. Direct is now Reverse and Reverse is now Direct.   Resolution If the loop was being used in prior versions you will need to correct your configuration to use this version. An accumulating error will now get cleared when the loop object is put "out of service"

Issue Microsoft Security Update KB2744842, issued on September 21, 2012, prevents Internet Explorer 9 from remotely executing possibly malicious executable code contained in web pages. This security update prevents the Java applets used to display the G3 graphics from being downloaded into the browser.  After this security update is installed the graphic page will be displayed as a blank white page with or without a boxed red X in the upper left corner of the graphic page. For more information on the vulnerability, refer to Microsoft Security Bulletin MS12-063, available from the Microsoft web site. Use of alternate web browsers such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are not affected by the installation of this update. Environment I/A Series G3 ENS or ENC with web access Internet Explorer 9 being used to display the graphics pages. Cause Microsoft security update prevents Internet Explorer 9 from executing potential malware infected modules. Resolution If the ENC or ENS station is running the I/A Series G3 software release 3.4 or earlier, there is no module upgrade available to correct the issue.  A new web.jar module is available that allows Internet Explorer 9 to download and execute the Java applets used when displaying I/A Series G3 graphics. If the site is running G3 release 3.5.34, you will need to upgrade to release 3.5.39 with the latest security patches before installing the 3.5.403 web.jar file. If the ENC or ENS station is running I/A Series G3 release 3.5.39, upgrade the web.jar to release 3.5.41.1.  If the ENC or ENS station is running I/A Series G3 release 3.6.x, upgrade the web.jar to release 3.6.48.1. The upgraded web jar files are available on The Exchange Download Center. After installing the new web.jar module, the following cache folders must be cleared on any computer that has been used to attempt to view the G3 graphics from an unpatched G3 station running on an ENC or on an ENS-1 system. Clear the IE9 "temporary internet files" cache using the following procedure: From within Internet Explorer 9, select Internet Options from the Tools menu. On the General tab, select Browsing History then click [Delete]. Uncheck all check boxes except "Temporary internet files" then click [Delete]. Close the Internet Options window. Delete the wbapplet cache folder.  The location of the folder is  //users//niagara where is the login name of the current Windows user.  This folder can be accessed by typing the location into the Windows search box on the Windows Start menu. Clear the Java browser cache using the following procedure: Open Java from the Windows control panel. Click the [About] button on the General tab to verify what version of Java is installed. If running Java 6, On the General tab, in the "Temporary Internet Files" section of the window, click [Settings] then in the "Delete Temporary Files" window, make sure that "Downloaded Applets" and "Downloaded Applications" checkboxes are checked then click [ok] to delete the files.  When the delete process is complete, click [ok] to exit.. If running Java 7, On the General tab, in the "Temporary Internet Files" section of the window, click [Delete Files...] then make sure that "Downloaded Applets" and "Downloaded Applications" checkboxes are checked then click [ok]. Close the Java Control Panel window.  Note: These three caches must be cleared regardless of the browser being used if the web.jar file is been updated on the ENS or ENC being accessed.  If accessing some systems with the old web.jar file and some systems with the new web.jar file, it may be necessary to clear these caches any time you switch from accessing a system with the old web.jar file to a system with the new web.jar file.    There are two ways to resolve the issue when running G3 release 3.4 or earlier: Upgrade the installation to a newer I/A Series G3 software release (3.5.x or 3.6.x or when available, 3.7.x).  This is the preferred option because these newer releases correct many known issues with the release 3.4 and earlier versions. Use a browser that is not affected by the Microsoft Security update.  The known unaffected browsers include Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Microsoft Internet Explorer version 7 or 8.

Issue Chinese Characters cannot be shown correctly in Seven Reports. Odd characters will be shown instead. Environment I/NET Seven Reports Chinese Operation System Cause The default font in Seven Reports cannot be shown correctly for Chinese characters. Resolution The default font in Seven Report is Tahoma. Change to any Chinese font, and it will work fine.

Issue Unable to associate TGML files with TGML editor after installing Vista. After right-clicking on the TGML file and selecting "Open With" it is not possible to browse in the graphics editor's .exe file. The file can be located but it doesn't appear in the dialogue. Environment Vista 5.1.X Windows 7 Cause The TGML editor application hasn't been correctly registered. Resolution Try the following steps. Check between each step to see if it's possible to associate the TGML editor with TGML files. Reinstall Vista using "Run as administrator" In regedit: Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\TAC\TAC Graphics Editor\5.1.8 ( HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TAC\TAC Graphics Editor\5.1.8 on 32bit PCs) Check that the path given is correct under "ExecutablePath" Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.tgml and delete .tgml Reinstall Vista as an administrator

Issue Getting error FiringOrder error when sending data to a controller "Unable to reload object Network\Controller\FiringOrder.           You do not have sufficient access to do the requested operation" Environment Continuum Cause Firing Order is a Group Object, so if Group Objects are not open to the user then they can not be sent to a controller. Resolution Firing Order is a Group Object thus when reloading a controller (send to controller) the user requires security rights for Groups.

Issue How can a deleted Pinpoint graphic be restored that was mistakenly deleted. Environment Pinpoint Graphic Cause A Pinpoint graphic was mistakenly deleted. Resolution In order to restore a deleted graphic and hope to have it restored with all the points from the database attached, in addition to the PIN file and background being in the correct drive and folder, you will need either a text export (.dmp) of the graphic file (which you would import) or you would need to restore the database from before the deletion. The PIN file has all the control objects but no link to the points that were attached on a certain graphic file. The database has the links to the points in the ObjectList of the Panel table. This is how you could have just one VAV.pin file and use it for hundreds of VAV boxes in a building. If you cannot restore a backup of the database and you do not have a text export of the graphic you will need to use the PIN file and background (if applicable) and manually attach the points to the control objects in the graphic.  To do this create a New >> Graphics in the location of your choice in ContinuumExplorer. Then using the menus go to File >> Import Panel File... and navigate to the PIN file and import it. This will bring in all the control objects in the locations they were before the deletion. Then add the background to the graphic by going to File >> Configuration and the Canvas tab. You then have to attach the points to the controls.

Issue On the webClient interface, it is not easy to find a way to create personnel. Environment Continuum webClient Cause No manuals describe how to create personnel via webClient user PC Resolution Log onto webClient Click "Search" on the top of the interface. From the left side of the interface click "All Objects" From the drop down list, select "Personnel" On the top of the new window, click "New Personnel", A personnel editor appears Following the same steps required for creating personnel objects in CyberStation, completing the necessary items. Click "Save " at the bottom of the editor Note: webClient does not support adding or editing photos for personnel objects. Go to CyberStation to do this.

Issue Periodic Report is not printed. Environment TAC Vista 5.1.7 Cause If the box "Automatically set printing area" is checked in the properties for the report, the report is not printed. If it is left unchecked, the report will print. Resolution Uncheck the box "Automatically set printing area" in the properties for the report .

Issue While rebuilding a database by bringing controllers online then initiating a Send to Database we find that the B4920 controllers do not offer a send to database option. Environment B4920 Send to Database Cause Send to database option was never added to the B4920. Resolution The controller will have to be rebuilt manually.

Issue Microsmart controllers not following commands from a Niagara R2 schedule Environment Niagara R2 (all versions) Microsmart controllers (all versions) Cause Power failure in building The UNC does a 'graceful' shutdown, using its backup battery, 60 seconds after main AC power is lost.  If the power failure in the building lasts less than 60 seconds, the Microsmart controllers come back online.  The UNC never shuts down and thinks the Microsmart controllers are online.  Meanwhile the Microsmart shadow objects in the station are no longer updating.  The link between them and the points in the Microsmart was lost (during the power failure) and does not automatically recover. Resolution Reboot the UNC

Issue Command Request / Command Response window not available in the Niagara G3 DMS driver Environment Niagara G3 Microsmart driver Cause Not carried over from the Niagara R2 driver Resolution Only option is to tunnel to the Microsmart controllers with OPRIF

Issue An unknown automation error occurred while upgrading the application [-1:-1] Environment WorkPlace Tech 3.2 service pack 1 Visio 2000 Cause File corrupt File opened with a different version of Visio (than the one used with WorkPlace Tech 3.2sp1 which is Visio 2000) Resolution Use a backup file or rebuild application from scratch. Copy paste anything that can be re-used.

Issue An unknown automation error occurred while upgrading the application [-1:-1] Environment WorkPlace Tech 3.2 service pack 1 Visio 2000 Cause Corrupt file (perhaps opened/saved with a different version than Visio 2000) Resolution Use a backup copy or build a new application file from scratch (copy/paste any programming from existing file -- if possible -- to save time)

Issue Need to generate a list of all alarms in the system. Environment Vista Cause Vista has a search function to find out what alarm objects exist in the system. Resolution To search for all the alarm object in the system: In Workstation, click on Search Go to Type of devices and objects and click on the button right of view Search for "Event"  and then "Message" mark "Alarm" and click ok All objects are now listed and can be copied and pasted to an Excel sheet.