Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue What's the best way to clear an existing database from a DMS3500 and DMS350A? Environment DMS DMS3500, DMS350A Cause Re-installing a database and want to ensure existing database is completely gone. Resolution In the DMS3500, connect OPRIF and use Command Mode to type in the following command:  DBCLR. Once complete, log back into the DMS3500 and begin a database installation. In the DMS350A, sign-on the keypad and type the following command:  DBCLR. Go to each connected DCM and set all 8 toggle switches to the ON position.  Cycle power to the DCM.  After 10 seconds, re-address the DCM and cycle power. Once complete, use OPRIF to begin a database installation. The DBCLR command and setting the toggle switches to ON are considered a 'hardware' clear of the database.

Issue A site has a UNC-520 with ibsMs Service and approximately 20 MicroSmart controllers.  A serial tunnel is successfully established to the UNC.  From the Operator Interface main page, MicroSmart is accessed.  After a few seconds, an error appears indicating that there are no controllers under the currently selected DCM. A DCM is a board that works with a DMS350A.  However, the site has no DMS installed, just a UNC and MicroSmart controllers. Environment Niagara R2 DMS MicroSmart controllers Cause Polling is not enabled in the UNC's MicroSmart Service.  Resolution Re-enable polling and reboot the UNC. 

Issue Site has InVue with embedded TreeTech version 1.1.  Now that a newer version of TreeTech is available (version 3.2), can version 1.1 be upgraded? Environment InVue Wonderware for Intelligent Buildings (WIB) TreeTech Cause Product upgrade question Resolution TreeTech version 3.2 is not compatible with InVue.  TreeTech version 1.1 is the only compatible version with InVue. TreeTech version 3.2 is designed to run 'stand-alone'.  It is not designed to run with any other software package. It is used to backup GCM databases.

Issue A cold start happens instead of a warm start when acc user has greater than 10 characters Environment Continuum Windows 7 Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2008 Cause greater than 10 characters for acc user causes an issue where the controller will cold start instead of warm start Resolution Reduce the number of characters to be less than 10 A future release will correct this issue

Issue Can MOVs (metal oxide varistors) be installed on the main AC power connector of a MNL controller? Site has dirty power issues. Environment MNL controllers Cause Site has dirty power issues which are causing damage to the MNL controllers Resolution Although it's not a supported configuration, the MOVs are electronically capable of being installed on the MNL controller's main AC power connector.

Issue preventDefault() Javascript function not working on Mouse Up Environment TGML Editor Cause Users want to override the default function showing the StruxureWare Building Operation properties editor by preventing the default action for the Up function. The Building Operation Properties editor is not launched on Mouse Up but on Mouse Click. Resolution Select The TGML Script Add the line "evt.preventDefault();" to the onClick function

Issue On a jobsite, an energy meter was converted from a pulse output to a voltage output.  Can the analog input be totalized in the associated MNL controller like the pulse input was previously? Environment MNL Cause Changes on-site Resolution Analog values cannot be totalized in the MNL controller.  The next best option is to send the real-time analog value to the area controller (i.e. Niagara UNC or ENC) via a nvo and use the features available at that level for totalization.

Issue Unable to Edit I/NET Trends, Schedules or DDC from StruxureWare Building Operation Workstation on certain computers. Environment StruxureWare Building Operation Workstation Cause I/NET functions are launched from StruxureWare Building Operation Workstation using both graphics and Right Click menu items. These functions are not part of Building Operation Workstation, but are simply portions of the I/NET workstation application being launched from Building Operation. Resolution I/NET workstation should be considered an Engineering Tool for I/NET controllers. Any User that needs to make programming changes must have I/NET installed.

Issue In order to meet the requirements of a graphic display, the command and status of a fan are to be plotted individually.  A MicroSmart SS point integrates both command and status into one point.  When it's mapped to an ENC, the command "element" is not available.  How can they be separated and represented individually on a graphic? Environment MicroSmart Niagara G3 Cause The 'command' element is CTCMD but the Niagara G3 MicroSmart driver does not map it at the station level.  So, it's not available. Resolution Since CTCMD is not available, the best option is to modify the programming in the MicroSmart controller.  Remove the status feedback from the start/stop point and put it into its own point.  In this case, create a ST point.  Now, the STATS element for the start/stop point can be used to represent the fan command and the STATS element for the ST point can used to represent the fan status.  In Niagara G3, they exist as separate points and can, therefore, be mapped individually on a graphic.

Issue Is there a modulating output available in the SC3000 relay pack?  Environment SC3000 Cause In some applications, a modulating output is requested. Resolution Unfortunately, no such output is currently available in the existing version of the SC3000.

Issue I/A Series G3 mail service error: 'java.net.UnknownHostException: smtp.mail.yahoo.com - Authoritative Answer Host not found.  This error Indicates that the mail service in the I/A Series G3 platform is unable to establish communications to the SMTP mail server. Environment I/A Series G3 - all platforms Cause This error is typically related to the DNS settings where the URL cannot be resolved to an IP address. Resolution Verify and correct the DNS settings for the I/A Series G3 platform.

Issue What is the USB port used for in the STD300? Environment STD300 Cause Internal hardware upgrade that does not affect the functionality.  Resolution The USB port is in place for internal/factory use only, and should not be used in the field.

Issue After initiating an upload of the GCM-86xxx database, the upload aborts and the following errors are displayed in the Notepad pop-up window: Finished Load of E:001.GCM_01 - ASDGCM5                 Request=Upload, Status = ABORTED. Load Time: 3 Min 53 Sec PANEL LOAD STATUS REPORT FOR: E:001.GCM_01.LCM_00: LOCAL                   Panel UpLoad Started at 03/04/2014 11:46:27 AM GETLIST:context=E:001.GCM_01.LCM_00 Build block list Create database records for blocks. DBCRBLK: error in fi_addrec of E:001.GCM_01.LCM_00.LABEL.^SSEP1;errnum1=-1,xffffffff;errnum2=167,xa7;[xe012005e]Object names must be all alpha-numeric or '_'.  DBCRBLK: error in fi_addrec of E:001.GCM_01.LCM_00.LABEL.^SSEP2;errnum1=-1,xffffffff;errnum2=167,xa7;[xe012005e]Object names must be all alpha-numeric or '_'.  DBCRBLK: error in fi_addrec of E:001.GCM_01.LCM_00.LABEL.^SSEP3;errnum1=-1,xffffffff;errnum2=167,xa7;[xe012005e]Object names must be all alpha-numeric or '_'.  Upload blocks from device. UPLDBLKS[9672]: error in locate of E:001.GCM_01.LCM_00.LABEL.^SSEP1;errnum1=-1,xffffffff;[xe012000d]Object not found  UPLDBLKS[9672]: error in locate of E:001.GCM_01.LCM_00.LABEL.^SSEP2;errnum1=-1,xffffffff;[xe012000d]Object not found  UPLDBLKS[9672]: error in locate of E:001.GCM_01.LCM_00.LABEL.^SSEP3;errnum1=-1,xffffffff;[xe012000d]Object not found  Panel UpLoad FAILED Time of Completion: 03/04/2014 11:50:17 AM UpLoad Time: 3 Min 50 Sec Environment TreeTech (all versions) Network 8000 Cause TreeTech only recognizes alpha-numeric characters and the underscore '_'. Resolution Rename the blocks listed.  In the example above, rename the three LABEL blocks from ^SSEP1, ^SSEP2, and ^SSEP3 to legal names.

Issue Identify part number EMSC-603 Environment SIGNAL software Cause Replacement Resolution Part # EMSC-603 is the hasp plug that's installed on a LPT1 port of a Windows XP or Windows 95/98 computer. It is no longer available for purchase.

Issue In a G3 MicroSmart station, does the station point name have to match the point name in the MicroSmart controller? Environment Niagara G3 MicroSmart driver Cause Replacing a MicroSmart controller database with a copy that has identical programming (including I/O assignments) but with different point names Resolution The MicroSmart driver does not use the point name as the link between the G3 station's point and the MicroSmart controller's point. If the I/O assignment is the same, then commands will work.

Issue Stroke length specification is different in older vs newer documentation. Environment MZ20A MZ20B Cause Different specifications depending on source. Resolution The stroke is 8.5mm but it is a floating actuator. Some of the range will be limited by the stroke of the valve, there may also be a small pre travel to ensure close off.

Issue When trying to install a NIC709-USB the computer will not recognize it. Environment Vista LonMaker NL220 Windows 7 64-bit Windows 2008 Server 64-bit Cause A NIC709-USB will not work with a 64-bit OS. Resolution If you have a 64-bit OS then you must use a NIC709-USB100 instead of a NIC709-USB.

Issue Use the trend calculation value in a program like FBP or script. Environment StruxureWare Building Operation 1.4.1 Cause Once a value has been calculated by a trend, it might be useful to pull it into a piece of programming. Resolution Unfortunately, this is not possible. The Value of a Calculated trend is only accessible from the viewer as a chart or list.

Issue When adding a filter, an error shows that Entry already exists. But this name is not listed in the Filters window. Sometimes the filter is defined, but it is not shown in Filters window, especially after a database restore in DBCreate. After defined a filter on the server, this filter can be chosen on the remote client or remote client with I/O. It works fine for the server, but after selecting it on the client, nothing shows up with a blank screen. Product Line TAC INET Environment I/NET Server/Remote Client or Remote Client with I/O Cause If your workstation type is configured as a Client or Client w/IO, a Global Filter option will be available. If you activate this option, this particular filter will be available to other workstations that use the same server. But if not, this filter will only show up on that specific client. So each filter will be bound with a hidden parameter called FilterHost. If the FilterHost is 0, then all the server and clients can see this filter, while if the FilterHost is a specific number, only the client with that Host Number can see this filter. But sometimes there is something wrong with the database that the setting of the filter setting doesn't match the record in the database. Resolution For issue 1, check the setting on all the clients to avoid name conflict with each other. The filter setting for all the clients are stored in the database of the server. For issue 2, change the Host Number of current client to match the original Host Number setting when the database is backup on this client. For issue 3, delete this filter, maybe defined in old version of I/NET, and re-add it again. If all the solutions don't work, please contact Product Support for help.

Issue Migration of DMS-3500 to SmartStruxure Solution Environment DMS-3500 SmartStruxure Cause Not all products have been selected for migration to the SmartStruxure platform. Resolution None of the DMS-3500 databases or controller databases can be converted directly to SmartStruxure.  This is an unsupported migration without the use of a Niagara device to act as a gateway.