Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Is there a way to bring an unresponsive/offline Security Expert module back online after a Firmware Upgrade has failed? Product Line EcoStruxure Security Expert Environment Security Expert Controller Security Expert Module Cause If there is an interruption/issue when upgrading firmware on a Security Expert module, the module itself can go offline and become unresponsive. Resolution There is a 'hidden menu' in the Security Expert controller's web interface on the Application Software tab that can be used to 'Force Upgrade' an unresponsive module to 'try' and bring it back online.   The following video will illustrate how to: Attempt to bring a Security Expert module back online after a failed firmware upgrade

Issue CSV file that has been edited with Excel does not import. There is no error given but the import has no effect. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment CyberStation Cause This problem can occur if the application used to edit the CSV file adds hidden characters. Resolution Make sure the file contains ONLY plain text. Use a simple text editor such as Notepad to avoid this issue

Issue Have the VZ22, VZ32, VZ42 valves been replaced by the VZ219, VZ319, VZ419 series? Product Line Field Devices Environment Vista Satchwell Continuum Micronet Sigma Cause VZ*19* zone valves now available with equal or better specification than the older VZ*2 valves Resolution As per PA-00911 the VZ22, VZ32, VZ42 series valves are no longer available for sale.  The alternative is the standard catalogue zone offer, either the VZ*08* with MZ140 for thermal (low cost, silent) solutions, or the VZ*19* with MZ20 for a Motoric actuator solution. The alternative range VZ*08E or VZ*19*, is lower in cost and would be a suitable replacement in most applications. For high pressure applications, the VP228E PIBCV would be a suitable alternative. There should be no technical concern with changing over a PIBCV from a zone valve if the system pressure is above 25 kPa. There will be slight dimensional differences in the zone valve body length but for most installations the existing pipework should be able to accommodate the difference. A cross reference from the discontinued offer to the new offer is detailed PA-00911.   Datasheets for all valves and actuators can be found here or here for MZ18A, MZ18B, MZ20A, MZ20B, VZ*19*

Issue What is Life Reporting? Product Line EcoStruxure Security Expert Environment Security Expert Schindler Elevator HLI Integration Cause What function does the Life Reporting feature in a Schindler Elevator HLI Integration perform Resolution Life Reporting is a feature in the Security Expert Schindler Elevator HLI Integration. The life reporting interface is how Access Events from the Schindler system are reported back to Security Expert via TCP port. When enabled, you can receive "floor unlocked" events. Multiple loggers can be configured for the life reporting interface using the same IP address. Up to 32 loggers can be configured for the life reporting interface. You can also use Schneider Electric card readers for elevator access control alongside the Schindler system. For more details including prerequisites and configuration, please read AN - 196 - Security Expert Schindler HLI Integration    NOTE: Security Expert Software v 4.1.180 or higher is required. SX Controller Firmware v 2.08.919 or higher is required. One Security Expert Schindler Elevator High Level Interface License (SX-ELV-HLI-SC) per controller is required.

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 Note: To enable Windows Authentication login in Security Expert, the following are required:   SX-AD-USR: Active Directory User Integration License. During Security Expert installation, "Enable Windows Authentication on Data Service / Client Communications" must be enabled. In Security Expert Client: enable "Use Windows Authentication" Found in Global | Operators| Configuration section. A site has the domain abc.xyz.com (Where ABC is the domain and XYZ is the sub-domain) When Windows Authentication is enabled, users on the sub-domain (i.e: XYZ\username) are not visible in AD Search (found in  Security ExpertX Client: Global | Operators| Username field| ellipsis [...]). Because of this, It is not possible to directly connect operators with AD sub-domain users. Product Line EcoStruxure Security Expert Environment Security Expert Server Cause This is an Active Directory design. The Search feature for Active Directory users will have the same visibility as the machine it's installed on. (In this case, the machine was joined to the ABC domain and this is the domain Security Expert is able to pull information from). XYZ Sub-domain users might have permission to access the ABC domain but they are not on the domain. Therefore, Security Expert can't search for them. Resolution Security Expert, the machines and the users must be on the same domain: Solution 1: Manually adjust the domain on the login page ex: "XYZ\username" The XYZ sub-domain users must have ABC privileges.   Solution 2: Create duplicate users on the ABC domain This is a temporary solution because you will be left with duplicate users   Solution 3:  Change the domain structure in Active Directory to match the users, workstations and Security Expert client/server on the same domain  

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 I/NET transitioned User ID Credentials that have non-numerical characters (like a dash "-") cannot be modified in the Security Expert Client Product Line EcoStruxure Security Expert,TAC INET Environment Security Expert Controller Cause Security Expert Client does not allow User ID Credentials with non-numerical characters with a dash (-) to be modified Resolution Method 1: Delete the dash from the User ID Credential the first time you need to make any other edit to that user in SX. Click Save.   Method 2: Make a backup of the existing SX database in case you want to restore what you had. Use the latest version of the INET Database Transition Tool to re-transition ONLY Users. Note: Any adjustments you've made to the User's Access Levels in SX since the original transition from INET will be lost. You will need to make those adjustments again.

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 Using DSS to import PhotoIDTemplate (Users | Photos | Card Templates in SX) requires that you use the Database ID for the object you wish to use. Product Line EcoStruxure Security Expert Environment Security Expert Server Cause This information is not readily visible in Security Expert, but it is found in the Card Template's Database ID (dbo.FloorPlanID | FloorPlanID) Resolution Use the template's name instead of the Card Template's Database ID   Modify the appropriate column in the CSV file to specify the name of the template rather than its ID In the Data Sync application, where you are mapping that CSV column (i.e. column 14), go to the Advanced Column and click the ellipsis button [...]. A dialogue window will pop up. Go to the Find ID section and enable the Target Field Record Type option. Next to this option, use the drop-down list to select "Floor Plans". Click "OK" button to close the dialogue window. Click Save. This will save the modified Settings.xml file. Sync the CSV file and confirm by checking the results.

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 Unable to Access Access Expert after converting from V2 to V3 Product Line EcoStruxure Access Expert Environment Access Expert Hosted software V3 Cause Used the same Password as V2 Resolution When a site is converted from V2 to V3, Feenics sends out an email with a new username and password that can only be used within AX Version 3.   *Note* These new credentials cannot be used in V2. Once the conversion to V3 occurs, the V2 instance will be retired and you will only be able to use the V3 AX client to access your instance.

Issue After a PIN Duress Event at a door, the Duress Trouble Input stays "ON" and is unable to reset or restore the trouble input until a Valid Access Event occurs at the door. Product Line EcoStruxure Security Expert Environment Security Expert Controller Cause Attempting to restore Duress Trouble Input remotely after an accidental PIN Duress Entry by Card Users Resolution This is the intended design and function of the PIN Duress Trouble Input. It is considered an extremely-high priority issue and must be restored by a specific physical action. Remotely restoring (via Keypad in another location) would defeat the purpose of the PIN Duress Trouble Input. This is intentional to prevent a real duress event from going unnoticed.

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 Configuring Schlage PID300 Product Line EcoStruxure Access Expert Environment Access Expert Hosted software  Cause Configuration information needed Resolution When configuring the Schalge PID300 that is used to communicate to a Schalge AD300 Lock, the communication to this device is hardwired to the downstream device. It is wired up as a reader on the MR 50 or MR 52. 

Issue I/NET Seven elevator control configuration and setup. (Traditional versus Extended elevator control) Product Line TAC INET Environment I/NET Seven Extended elevator control: DPU Firmware 3.20 or above. (DPU7920 with 48K MIP or SCU1284) Cause There are two types of elevator control that you can implement within TAC I/NET: Traditional Elevator Control – Tradition elevator control allows each elevator to support up to 62 floors. This type of control has been used for as long as elevators have been supported within TAC I/NET. Extended Elevator Control – Extended elevator control does away with floor mapping and allows you to assign floors directly to tenants. Using this type of elevator control, each elevator can support up to 79 floors. Resolution Elevators The Elevator control function will work with the access control parameters and personnel schedules to control access to banks of elevators. Activating () the elevator option in the Door Extension editor will cause the DPU to process each reader transaction as though it were an entry into an elevator cab. Note: An elevator DPU will support only one door reader. Changing a Door from elevator to non-elevator, or vice versa will cause the DPU to purge its database. In addition to supplying the above parameters at the door (DPU) level, it will also be necessary to supply the DPI/MCI with the information required to associate an elevator cab with the discrete output points that enable the floor relays, and the discrete input points that monitor the button selection. There will be an elevator extension on each door point in the DPI/MCI that is assigned as an elevator. After adding the extension to the point, you must define the Elevator parameters such as floor selection time, floor designation description, button enable point, and button selection point. Elevator Control Schemes There are two types of elevator control that you can implement within I/NET Seven: Traditional Elevator Control – Tradition elevator control allows each elevator to support up to 62 floors. This type of control has been used for as long as elevators have been supported within I/NET. Extended Elevator Control – Extended elevator control does away with floor mapping and allows you to assign floors directly to tenants. Using this type of elevator control, each elevator can support up to 79 floors. You can use either type of control, or a combination of both, to implement elevators within your system. By allowing you to mix both types of control, I/NET gives you the ability to begin using extended elevator control without reconfiguring your traditional elevator control system. The following sections describe each elevator control type. Traditional Elevator Control Traditional elevator control allows each elevator to support up to 62 floors. To implement this type of control, you assign the elevator door point to one or more tenants. You then create floor maps that associate floors with personnel schedules (see “Defining Floor Maps”, below). After performing these tasks, any individual (or group) assigned to the elevator can gain access to the floors that are associated with their personnel schedule Assigning the Elevator to Tenants Traditional elevator control requires you to assign the elevator to one or more tenants. Until you perform this task, the Floors button in the Elevator editor will not be available (i.e., it remains grey). Defining Floor Maps Floor maps are only necessary when configuring your I/NET system for traditional elevator control. Floor maps determine which floors are enabled during each schedule that a tenant defines for the elevator. For example: Tenant 1 has a personnel schedule named “24 Hour” defined for the elevator. This schedule provides 24-hour access, seven days a week. The elevator’s floor map associates the floor enable points for floors 1 and 2 with Tenant 1’s “24 Hour” schedule. This allows Tenant 1 individuals using the “24 Hour” schedule to select floor 1 or floor 2 at any time. Use the Floors button in the Elevator editor to create floor maps as follows: Choose a tenant. Select a schedule from up to 31 personnel schedules defined for the elevator. Select an entry from up to seven access intervals defined for the schedule. Assign floor enable points to the schedule’s access interval. Floor enable points cause the elevator buttons for those floors to be enabled for selection by the key/card holder. Up to 62 floor enable points can be assigned to each access interval. Any floor enable points beyond 62 are unavailable when using traditional elevator control. These higher floor enable points are only available for use with extended elevator control, as described below. Note: Extended elevator control is only available with the 7920 48k DPU. Repeat these steps as necessary to create floor maps for each of up to 31 personnel schedules assigned to the elevator by a tenant. Extended Elevator Control I/NET Seven now offers an alternative to the traditional elevator control just described. Enhancements to the I/NET system support up to 79 floors per elevator. Instead of assigning the elevator door point to the tenant, you can implement extended elevator control by assigning floors to the tenant. The DI/DO pairs that you add to an elevator from the Elevator editor are listed in the Tenant editor, much like normal door points. Select the floors that you wish to assign to the tenant. Implementing Elevator Control Note: Extended elevator control is only available with the 7920 48k DPU. Adding an elevator extension to the door point provides access to elevator-related features and editors within I/NET and allows floors to be assigned. Each floor assigned to an elevator must have an associated DO and DI point. The DO point enables the elevator button for the specific floor. The DI point provides feedback indicating whether the floor button has been selected. Preliminary Requirements Before defining an elevator, you must do the following: Define a door point as an elevator in the Door Extensions editor. Use the Resident I/O Points editor to define a floor enable point (DO) and a floor selection point (DI) for each floor that will be assigned to an elevator. Use the Personnel Schedules editor to define up to 31 schedules for the selected elevator door point. Adding an Elevator Extension Use the following procedure to add an elevator extension: Select Edit Controller Elevators from the main menu. The system displays the Resident I/O Points Editor. This screen lists the available door (elevator) points. Choose a point that does not have a Y in the EL column and select the Add button. The system displays the Elevators window. Enter a Floor selection time (sec) (1 to 255). This is the amount of time in seconds that the key/card user has to make a selection from the floor buttons in the elevator cab. The default is 5. Select Add. The system displays the Elevators - Floor Parameters window. This window allows you to define the floor index attached to this elevator extension. Enter the Floor index number (1 to 62). This is the line number in the list. Enter the Floor designation (up to two characters). This identifies the floor. For example, the first level of a basement could be represented as B1. For each elevator floor extension assigned to a point in the DPI/MCI, there must be an associated DO and DI point attached to the elevator extension. This association of DO and DI points produces closed-loop feedback allowing the controller to identify an elevator floor selection with each successful key/card reader access. In the Button enable field to choose a point from the drop-down list of all possible discrete output points in the controller  In the Button selection field, choose a point from the list of all possible discrete input points in the controller. Select OK. The system returns to the Elevators window. How you proceed from this point will depend upon the type of elevator control you are implementing. Use the appropriate steps below: Traditional Elevator Control: From the Elevators window, select Floors. The system displays the Tenant Selection window. Choose a tenant from the list and select the Select button. The system displays the Elevators - Floor Schedules window. Choose a schedule from the list and select the Select button. The system displays the Elevators - Access Intervals window. Choose an access interval from the list and select the Select button. The system displays the Elevators - Floor Map editor. Choose the DO points which enable the floor selection buttons for the appropriate floors. Points marked with "[X]" will enable their respective floor selection button in the elevator cab. When you have finished choosing the appropriate DO points, select OK. The system returns to the Elevators - Access Intervals window. You may continue assigning floors to access intervals, or you may back out of the elevator functions by selecting Close at each window. Extended Elevator Control (See also article Extended Elevator control (Step by step instructions) ) From the Tenant Editor, assign floors (i.e., door enable points) to the tenant. Assign floors to individuals and/or groups as necessary.

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 Not possible to get a Xenta Server / 911 online in TAC Vista. It is possible to ping it and connect to it via a Web browser using ports 443, 80, and Port 1068 is open, but it is not possible to get online in Vista. Product Line TAC Vista Server Environment TAC Vista TAC Xenta 911 TAC Xenta Server Cause The problem, in this case, was that another Vista server was connected to the Xenta Server / 911.  This could have been from a technician or the customer who started Vista with this database loaded and had the device online in their Database. The Xenta Server / 911 will only communicate with one Vista Server at a time and will close the connection if another Vista tries to communicate with it.    Using Wireshark it is possible to monitor this scenario as shown below:  Packet number 57439: Vista is trying to establish communication with the Xenta Server or 911( sending an SYN). Packet number 57440: The Xenta sends an acknowledgment on the SYN from Vista, but with the window size set to zero, this is because the Xenta can't buffer information as a computer does. Packet number 57441: Vista  sends an acknowledgment on the message from the Xenta Packet number 57448: The Xenta sets the correct window size. Packet number 57449: Vista starts to communicate Packet number 57452: The Xenta closes the communication to the Vista server  Resolution Ensure only one Vista server is started when the Xenta server / 911 is included in the database.