Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue If you take a DCUxxxx.sav file from an older version of I/NET Seven and open it up thru the "Work Offline" editor, in a newer version of I/NET Seven (Rev 2.xx) and modify that save file, you will have issues with this DCUxxxx.sav file.  For instance: If you return this modified DCUxxxx.sav file back in the older version of I/NET Seven, you will see changes in the Time Schedules and in other functions. In the "Door ATS" schedules, using a Mipped 7920 board, you will see two new schedule entries with “APB” (Anti-Passback) this could effect the way the door functions. Environment I/NET Site Cause hazards using the “Work Offline” function in I/NET Seven Resolution The Basic rule to follow - If the Sav file came from an I/NET Seven rev (1.xx) system, then use the “Work Offline” from the same I/NET Seven rev (1.xx). The same rule applies for the I/NET Seven rev (2.xx) – stay within the same system. Never try to use any I/NET Seven “Work Offline” function on any I/NET 2000 DCUxxxx.sav files. This will corrupt the I/NET 2000 DCUxxxx.sav file beyond repair.

Issue Upgrading to I/NET Rev 2.13 steps to follow if changing to Server/Remote Client configuration Environment I/NET site with release prior to 2.13 Cause Help with upgrade to 2.13 Resolution Rev 2.13 Introduces a Server/Client option for I/NET Seven. The following steps should be taken if the upgrade is to change from a Filemaster with Equalized Clients to the new Server/Remote Client Configuration. Otherwise the normal upgrade procedure should be used. Note there are new DCU binary files as well as new DPU48k and SCU1284 binary files in this release. The DCU files introduce the Reliable messaging capability and the DPU48k and SCU1284 binaries introduce the door code control option. Open I/NET Config on each Equalized Client Host and drop the equalization. Open Host Masking on each Equalized Client and Clear all masks on all Links. Open I/NET Config on the Filemaster and make sure all Clients have been dropped. Open Host Masking on the Filemaster and make sure masks have been set to receive messages and trends from all hosts and NPRs on the network. Open Network Configuration on the Filemaster and make the Filemaster the Restore Host for all Links. Stop I/NET on all hosts. Start DbCreate on the Filemaster and make a backup. Install I/NET Seven Rev 2.13 on all hosts. Configure one host (Filemaster most likely) to be the Standalone Host which will act as the Server. Configure the remaining hosts to be Remote Clients pointing to the Standalone host. If ID Works was installed on an Equalized Client pc, use Administrative Tools on that pc to configure the System DNS Seven ODBC to connect to the SQL Server on the I/NET Seven Server pc. If there were Seven Trend definitions only on an Equalized Client, they must be created on the Server after the upgrade since Trends are no longer saved on the Remote Clients. Make sure the message and trend archiving is configured as desired on the Server since archives are no longer saved on the Remote Clients. If there were any Network Functions specified only on an Equalized Client they must be created on the Server since the Remote Clients no longer perform Network Functions.

Issue In I/NET 2.13, cannot access NP Routers, when Link Type is equal to Netplus Router (NPR) Environment I/NET Site Cause I/NET 2.13 site and cannot access NP Routers Resolution As a workaround... Edit the configuration profile Choose None, or Direct Link, enable TCPIP, then close the window. Restart I/NET (close I/NET and I/O Server, re-open) Go back to I/NET Configuration. Click modify and then should be able to access the NP Routers button. (You need to do this every time you need to access the Netplus Router directly.)

Issue Need to deliver I/NET alarms and events to a third party SNMP client Environment I/NET site Cause Desire to deliver alarms/events to third party Resolution There are two mechanisms in the Xenta 527 related to SNMP: MIB - sends a block of data about the status of the I/NET system, LAN re-config, loading etc. SNMP traps - use filters to look at the incoming message stream from I/NET or any other connected system to capture specific messages and send them as alarms to an SNMP server. The default configuration for a Xenta 527 out of the box has alarms enabled but events disabled. There is a check box in the 527 Config Screen that turns this on/off. To change this: Go to your project Add Page/SNMP Trap Page Right click on SNMP Trap Page Select SNMP Trap Filter Select Status Check the Event check box.

Issue I2V graphic conversion has unpredictable results Environment I/NET Site Cause Sometimes the graphics being generated by the I2V conversion do not seem to match the original I/NET graphic pages or include additional graphic items or the size and position of the recognizable I/NET page is significantly different. These problems are typically caused by hidden items in the I/NET graphic page. Resolution To verify if this is the case open the I/NET graphic page in the I/NET editor and use the View-Page Properties option to change the page size. By increasing the page size to 4 times the current values you should be able to see if any of the unexpected items are present. If these object should not be in the graphic then you can delete them and then reconvert the graphic page after returning the page size to normal.  

Issue Controlling I/NET DO points from a Xenta 527 Environment I/NET Site with Xenta 527 Cause Need to control DO Points using Xenta 527 Resolution I/NET DO point states are modified with the "control" tag in Xbuilder. This tag issues a command based on the control descriptions order specified, not the actual command value. For example if you are trying to control a door point in I/NET and the Control Description table looks like the following: Command 00: STRT 1 01: stop 0 02: Secr 0 03: UnLk 0 04: Lock 0 The Discrete Output definition has 02: Secr defined as the control description. When you change the value of the control tag of the DO point on the Xenta 527 (connection object, on values/graphic page) the valid values will be the following since it is a 3 state point: 0: Secr 1: UnLk 2: Lock The order of the control descriptions matter, but the order of the commands used (whether zero is first) does not matter to the Xenta 527.  

Issue Trying to zoom or control a point on a graphic page and it fails to bring the dialog to the forefront when connected to a controller. Environment Point Editor I/NET Graphic Page Cause A Windows setting causes this problem. Resolution Open Control Panel on the PC. Regional and Language Options. Languages, uncheck the Install files for East Asian Languages. Click on Details, Advanced and check the box for System Configuration where you turn off advanced text services. Reboot the PC. Restart the I/NET application and try clicking on the points again; it should come up front now.

Issue A report has been copied from one PC to another and it is not working. Environment I/NET Seven Reports Cause This occurs because the linking for the report has been lost. Resolution Rename the report with the problem Copy the original report from the I/NET CD Paste it into I/NET Seven, Reports Right Click on the report and verify that it is not set for read only Run the report again  

Issue A door is configured to receive messages and Alarms in AMT but it is not coming in correctly. Environment AMT SCU Cause This occurs mainly because the Resident IO point is not matching the Messages and Alarms in the Door Editor. Resolution Modify the Resident IO and see what type the Messages/Alarm Details and Distribution Masks are set for. Make note of it Connect to the controller, select Access, Doors. Modify the door and set the Transaction and Alarm Distribution to match those of the Messages/Alarm Details. Verify that the AMT configuration have these boxes checked as well. Read a card or generate an Alarm for verification.

Issue Trying to connect to a Xenta 527 over the web and cannot see it in I/NET, but can access it over the Ethernet Environment Xenta 527 Cause This occurs mainly because the reference host of the Xenta 527 and the Host PC are not seeing each other. Resolution Verify that all applicable ports are open, especially #50069, all C-Lan terminations are correct, # 19 and 20 on the Xenta 527. Start I/NET on the Host PC, open I/O Server, verify that TCP/IP is enabled. In the reference host, put in the IP address of the Xenta 527then save the settings. Connect to the Xenta 527 over the Ethernet, select Configuration Profile and put the IP address of the Host in reference #1 then save the settings. Restart both the Host and Xenta 527. Open I/O Server again then click on NP Routers and verify that the Xenta 527 appears in the table. Close this, then go to Edit Host Computer, Network Configuration, penetrate the link, it should be the Xenta 527’s name, save it. Penetrate the controller and its sub-lan devices should be seen as well, save all at this point. Close out of these editors and then connect to the controller, go to Summary and verify that you can control the points.

Issue I/NET CCTV button not working after upgrade. Remoteview installed on same machine. Environment I/NET CCTV DVR Cause What seems to be happening is that the RVctl.dll doesn't get registered in a way that I/NET can understand. You will have to manually re-register the dll. Resolution Go to "Start" - "Run" Type: cmd Hit enter Go to the "ProgramFiles\INET Seven" folder Type: regsvr32 rvctl.dll Hit enter The CCTV button should now be working

Issue Transactions stopped working after an Upgrade. No Transactions or Controller Events in AMT after a Station restore. These are received though, when directly connected to the serial port of the controller. When using direct connect and communication is lost between the controller and I/Net PC, the access control system still functions correctly, but once the communication is restored back to normal none of the buffered messages are seen the I/Net AMT (database). Product Line TAC INET Environment I/NET Seven rev 2.13 and above Cause There is a feature called Reliable Tap that was introduced with I/NET Seven release 2.13 that sometimes needs to be reset on the controller in order for these events to be passed through from the controller to the Host PC.  It is also required to be set correctly when using a Direct Connect profile, in this instance the reliable Tap setting is used to ensure buffered messages are stored by the correct TAP (i.e. the onboard TAP which the Host PC is connected too).   Resolution Start I/Net and Connect to the controller that has the issue Select Edit, Controller, Configuration In the Distribution Parameters section (top right), change the selection for Reliable Tap from either “none” to the address of the tap, controller or NPR. Reset the controller by pressing the Red Reset Button or cycling the power. Check the Transactions Window and all the stored events should appear now. If the Reliable Tap feature is NOT required then change this back to 'None" and reset the controller again. Repeat this for any other controller having the same issue.

Issue SCU 1284 won’t communicate to the controller when you turn power on to the device Environment SCU 1284 Cause Product Support Services investigation of SCU12xx field failure returns has revealed that the significant majority of the returns are due to a failure of the RS-485 transceiver IC. Most of the failures are also being described as initial installation failures or "out of the box" failures. Close examination of the failed circuits and the conditions that will prompt failure of the RS-485 IC currently in use on the SCU indicates a significant probability that many, if not most, of the failures are the result of momentarily connecting the TB1 terminal block onto the SCU header with it shifted 1 position to the right. Connection of the TB1 block in a shifted manner will typically cause some relay buzzing noise prompting the installer to recognize the error and correct the position. Unfortunately the RS-485 transceiver will be damaged before you ever hear the relays buzz. Other than TB1 misconnection, the predominant other candidate would be induced transients on the LAN. However, the frequent description of the problem occurring during installation or out-of-the-box tends to point toward TB1 misconnection. Resolution Caution your installation personnel to pay extra close attention to the connection of the TB1 terminal block in order to reduce the SCU failures being precipitated by misconnection. TAC will also be investigating RS-485 transceiver selection and the use of more tolerant versions, and possible end caps on TB1 to inhibit misconnection.

Issue Downloading a 7793 save file to a 7798 Controller Running into a problem when trying to download a 7793 save file to a 7798 Controller Keep getting an error when it tries to download the I/O Configuration Product Line TAC INET Environment I/NET Seven 7793 7798 Cause The I/O Configuration for both of these controllers is different. The 7793 Controller is a dual station device while the 7798 Controller is a single station. Resolution In order to fix this, contact Product Support. We will provide you with the time required to convert these files and a Price Quote for the work involved. 

Issue Shutting Down I/O Server while running as a Client Environment I/NET Seven rev 2.X and above I/O Server Cause Running I/NET I/O Server as a service and need to shut it down in order to do a backup or to run DBCreate. Resolution Close I/NET, since I/O Server will still be running, it can’t be closed. Open I/O Configuration Editor, if you right click on I/O Server, the Exit button will be grayed out. Close I/O Configuration Editor, right click on I/O Server again and this time the Exit button will become available and it can be selected. Select Exit and I/O Server will now be closed. To restart I/O Server again, either restart the PC or launch it through Administrative Tools > Services > MSQL Agent  

Issue Issue with DPUs after an upgrade to the system. If you have upgraded and changed out the EPROMs on the board, but it does not seem to be getting any Transactions or Time Schedules to work properly. Environment I/NET site with Access Control Cause Upgrading DPU controllers Resolution Connect to the controller, select Edit/ Host Computer/Network Configuration Penetrate the Link Summary, Penetrate the Controller, penetrate the DPUs At this point the rev level will be different, do not modify it to put the correct rev level. Instead leave it blank and the software will fill it in automatically.

Issue Changes in I/NET Seven Rev 2.15 Video Product Line TAC INET Environment I/NET Seven Rev 2.15 Cause Video tutorial for Changes in I/NET Seven Rev 2.15 Resolution I/NET Seven Rev 2.15 has three changes: The number of individuals per tenant has been increased from 24,000 to 32,000 The maximum number of online records in AMT has been increased to 20 million A new editor has been added to host passwords that allows limiting operator permission based on groups These changes will be demonstrated and explained in this video.

Issue Registering RVCTL.DLL Video Product Line TAC INET Environment DVR Servers RVCTL.DLL CCTV Cause This video will illustrate how to install the RVCTL.DLL files on your PC. The RVCTL.DLL files are no longer installed automatically. Resolution The old and new RVCTL.DLL files are located in a folder within the support directory on the installation CD. To start, go to CD > Support > and select the RVCTL.DLL folder. Open the RVCTL.DLL text file and follow the instructions on it. This will install your files and allow your DVR to function properly with I/NET. Determine which rvctl.dll is required. Copy the files from the CD folder Support\RVCTL\"Your version folder" into the INET Seven root folder at X:\Program Files\INET Seven; where X = the windows os Open a cmd prompt. User Start > Run, type cmd and select OK Type the following: cd\ <cr> cd Program Files\INET Seven <cr> regsvr32 rvctl.dll <cr> You will see a message box with the message DllRegisterServer in rvctl.dll succeeded. The rvctl DLL is now registered and can be used for Integral DVR servers to INET.

Issue Does I/NET Seven allow the SubLAN to go wireless? Environment I/NET site Cause Wanting to know if I/NET Seven allows the SubLAN to go wireless? Resolution There are no investigated or suggested configurations of the Sub LAN using wireless interfaces. Approaching wireless at the sub-LAN layer encounters a number of interface obstacles; some of these issues would include the following: There are no control signals available on the Sub-LAN port that can be used for keying the radio. The Sub-LAN is a 2-Wire half duplex link with RS485 electrical interface. Some radio and fiber interfaces have used RS485 differential level to create a Request-To-Send signal for radio transmits activation. The 7790/98 injects a small bias (2.2K ohm pull up/down) on the 2-wire pair to force mark condition at the MicroRegulators. Bias creates a potential problem for the theoretical radio interface to detect transmit activity based on differential level. The radio would need to accommodate some flexibility regarding differential voltage level that activates the transmitter radio would need to supply bias at the remote ends. Small termination resistance could be applied to reduce differential voltage on inactive LAN, but radio would have to be flexible in that voltage threshold setting. The Protocol is Asynchronous The Radio transmission startup time would need to be almost instantaneous. There is only a fraction of a bit time between RS485 active levels and beginning of Asynchronous Start bit. The Radio transmitter turn-on must not distort leading edge of start bit. Receive to transmit turnaround time is about 1 bit time at the remote end RS485 Electrical Interface The Host Controller and multiplexed Sub LAN remote controllers each provide a 2-wire RS485 transceiver for communications. Our Sub LAN, as with many other systems, utilize a resistive bias on the LAN wire pair to ensure a marking data condition on the Sub LAN receivers with the Sub LAN is quiescent. This bias is achieved at the Host controller (7793 or 7798) with a 2.2K ohm pull-up to 5V on the positive leg (terminal 1) and 2.2K ohm pull-down to ground on the negative leg (terminal 2).  It is a common practice with multi-point systems using asynchronous protocol needing to ensure a quiescent marking condition on the LAN.  As mentioned below, the radio will need to accommodate a higher differential voltage level for considering the LAN active (higher than with 120 ohm terminated RS485 with no resistive bias).   This has been a point of contention in the past with fiber interfaces used with the Sub LAN. The use of a 620 ohm termination resistor has allowed reduction of the quiescent differential voltage to allow activity detection (on fiber interface). Who Controls Transmission The communications is taking place between a Host controller (7793 or 7798) and up to 32 Micro-Regulator (MR) or Door Processing Unit (DPU) controllers on the RS485 twisted pair. The Host controller initiates all communications on the Sub-LAN.   There are no card readers on the Sub-LAN. Message Size The messages vary between 1 byte and 132 bytes in both directions. The system is normally performing what is referred to as a Quick Poll operation. The Quick Poll consists of a single Byte Command and a single byte response (if nothing has changed in the controller’s I/O image). The messages are sent with a byte structure of 8 data bits, no parity and 1 stop bit. The messages have a 1 byte CRC at the end except the one byte command/reply formats.  If the one byte command results in a multi-byte response (i.e. with the newly changed data, it will have a CRC at the end). Frequency of Communications Commands from the host controller and replies from the MRs and DPUs are continuously being transmitted. The Quick-Poll commands are constantly interleaved with read-all point commands, control commands and others. Communication Cycle As mentioned above, all of the communications is comprised of commands from the Host Controller and responses from the MR and DPU controllers. There are some acknowledgement functions being performed, but they are imbedded within the command and reply sequence. How Many Sites The Host controller provides one (7798) or two (7793) Sub-LAN interfaces. Each Sub-LAN interface is intended to support up to 32 MR or DPU controllers on the RS485 bus.  It is assumes each Sub-LAN interface on a Host controller would be a separate radio interface (if more than one is necessary for a project). Summary/Caution I am told there are some radio manufacturers that have claimed suitability of their radio interface for RS485 communications.  Actual testing of a proposed radio interface by the system engineer & installer with an I/Net host controller and at least 5-6 Sub-LAN controllers including MRs and DPUs in the representative environment & distance is strongly suggested before any significant commitments. Try it and see!!   My exposure to radio interfaces in the past has typically been accompanied with an associated need for system revisions increasing their tolerance for communications anomalies (noise, retries, timing, error checking, etc.).  Such additional accommodations should not be anticipated here.  I am not aware of any radio interfaces providing accommodation for the Sub-LAN communications.

Issue What is the DPU memory allotment in a 7910A and a Non-mipped 7920? Product Line TAC INET Environment I/NET Site with DPU Cause What is the DPU memory allotment in a 7910A and a Non-mipped 7920? Resolution The red circle denotes shared memory slots for Messages and Cached Users. Messages take up 12 bytes of memory per message (Alarms & Transactions). Cached Users take up 16 bytes of memory per person. All of sums of the messages and Cached Users are deducted from the 56,700 Bytes of memory. Here is an example Tenant Editor: If the number of individuals is set to 24,000, but only ~1000 actual people are in the system this situation can occur: (From the Graphic on the first page “Resident User = 1 Byte”) 56,700 bytes of shared memory -24,000 (24,000 X 1 byte) __________ 32,700 bytes remain The 32,700 bytes remaining in the DPU are for the SHARED memory to be used for Messages or Cached Users (DPU Resident) people. Increase the amount of SHARED memory by reducing the amount of Individuals in the Tenant editor from 24,000 to a more realistic amount.