Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Increase/decrease (floating) outputs on Xenta 121s resynch to 0 at least every 18 hours. Environment Xenta 121-HP Xenta 121-FC Cause Resynchronizing outputs ensures that the actuator is at the same position the programming thinks it is and allows for more accurate control. Resolution Consider forcing Xenta 121s to unoccupied at least every 12 to 16 hours, even in a 24-hour facility. This will allow time for the valve to resynch while the fan is stopped and all dampers are shut. If the valve is resynchronizing during a time when pulling in unconditioned air could take the space outside of the deadband, it's better to control when the resynch happens.

Issue Configure a Xenta 5/7/9xx for no timeout log out. Environment Xenta Servers Xenta 511, 527, 555, 701, 711, 721, 731, 913 Cause A Xenta 5/7/9xx controller is set up with certain predefined time out durations for logging out inactive users.  While you cannot disable this feature, you can set the duration sufficiently long to effectively eliminate the log out if desired. Resolution Generate a certificate.  To avoid the certificate error every time you connect to the Xenta 5/7/9xx, go to XBuilder, and generate a certificate that has the same name as the IP address of the Xenta. Edit the file viewuser.html.  Connect to the Xenta using FTP.  For example Internet Explorer ftp://:@ viewuser.html is located in the folder www/config.  Save the file on your hard drive.  Edit the file with Notepad, and add the following correction to viewuser.html Line 159:  Add another Option tag with a value of "259200000" and description of 3000 days following the form of the previous entries. Carry out the changes.  Connect to the Xenta using FTP.  Change the name of the file in the Xenta (Backup) Copy the file the you have on your hard drive to the Xenta. Activate "no logout."  Go to the configuration page in the Xenta.  Select "3000 days" for log out

Issue Add Xenta trend log is grayed out when right clicking on point in a programmable Xenta controller and selecting Create Trend Log. Environment Xenta Programmable Controller Menta Cause There are no available trend logs in the Menta application. There have to be empty trend logs in Menta for this to work. Resolution Edit the file In Menta Go to Options > Trend Logs Click on the 'up arrow' to increase the number of available trend logs. Save the application to the Vista Database Download to the controller.

Issue How can I change the colors for Vista alarms in Vista Webstation? Environment TAC Vista Webstation Alarm queue Cause Customize the color palette for a Webstation user. Resolution To change the colors used by alarms in Vista Webstation, log in to Vista Workstation as a user that belongs to the $Administrator group. Right click on an alarm and select customize. In the Text tab, you will be able to change the font color or background color for each of the alarm states. Once you have configured the colors to your liking use the File->Save My Program Settings command. The change will now be visible in Vista Webstation next time you log back in.  

Issue When trying to open graphic editor by right clicking on the graphic object and selecting edit, the editor won’t start. The login screen comes up but after logging in the program never starts. Environment OGC Graphic Editor Vista IV Cause The process must be stopped and started again with a proper login. Resolution Open Task Manager end all 'Tadraw.exe' processes. Open the graphic editor from 'Start-programs-TAC-TAC Tools 4.x.x' Log in and close the editor. Now you can open it from within the Vista Workstation again.

Issue Synchronizing time in Vista Server and a Xenta server when running on a Domain Environment Xenta Server Xenta 511, 527, 701, 711, 721, 731, 913 Vista Server Domain network Cause If your computer is running on a domain network then the computer cannot be manually configured to use a Xenta server or an external Time Server as its time source. Resolution To get your Xenta Server and Vista Server to use the same time you have the following options: Take the Vista Server off of the domain and configure the PC to use the Xenta Server as its time server. Set the Domain controller to use the same SNTP server that the Xenta Server is using. This requires that the network open the ports to communicate with the SNTP server. Install a hardware SNTP server or run a software SNTP server that gets its' time from the domain controller and set the Xenta server to communicate with this hardware/software SNTP server.

Issue "TAC DRF kit is not registered" error message when installing TAC software Environment LDRF.cat (LDRF) DRF Kit Cause The DRF kit may not have been installed properly, or it may have become corrupted through the process of uninstalling and reinstalling certain engineering software suites. Resolution Browse to C:\LonWorks\types\ and delete the LDRF.cat file. Start the Catalog Utility from Start > Programs > Echelon LNS Utilities > LNS Resource File Catalog Utility. Click OK. Browse to C:\LonWorks\types\ and click OK. Select "Add a New Directory". Browse to C:\LonWorks\types\User\TAC and click OK. If Echelon LonMaker is being used repeat steps 5 and 6 for the directory C:\LonWorks\types\User\Echelon. Click "Refresh Now", then "Exit" The DRF kit should now be repaired.

Issue Entering values less than 1 in Zbuilder results in red error indication. If you enter ".05" or ".2" into a field in Zbuilder it won't accept it. Environment Zbuilder Xenta 121 Cause A period cannot be the leading digit in a numerical input. Resolution The first digit must be a number,  so you must enter fractional values with a leading zero. Example: "0.05" or "0.2"

Issue Forced inputs in Xenta 121s return to default values Environment LonMaker NL220 Cause Every time you hit "Apply" or "OK" in Zbuilder, the Xenta 121 will get a reset command. When the controller receives the reset command, the inputs lose their forced status and return to default values. Resolution After the Xenta 121 controller has been rest, the overridden points must be forced again.

Issue Trying to filter alarms on Vista Workstation 4.5. Is there a way to permanently set the filter to only display alarms with a priority of 1-8? Environment Vista Workstation 4.5 Cause Permanently setting alarm filters allow for creation of custom alarm views. Resolution In Vista 4.5 you can create user profiles, and assign a custom alarm view to the profile. For more information on how to set up user profiles and alarm viewers see the "TAC Vista IV, Administrating TAC Vista Workstation" manual. If no profile is specified for a user it will use the global object $UserProfile which uses the global object $AlarmView. If you make changes to those objects it will affect all users that are not using their own profiles.

Issue Warning: Configuring HTTP and HTTPS on Xenta 511/527/913 Environment Xenta 511 Xenta 527 Xenta 913 Cause If the device reboots with both protocols set to the same port then it will become stuck in an endless reboot. The only way to correct this problem is to send the device back to the factory. Resolution When configuring the HTTP (80 by default) and HTTPS (443 by default) ports in the Xenta 511/527/913 do not try to set these two protocols to use the same ports.  

Issue Vista receives an I/NET transaction from a Xenta 527 as an alarm but not as a transaction Environment TAC Vista Workstation Alarm Queue Event Log I/NET Transactions Xenta 527 Cause If your time stamp is in the future, the events window (transactions window is really a filtered events window) will not display them but for some reason alarms come through. Resolution Open the Xenta 527 from Internet Explorer. Open the Events folder under I/NET. Look for the transactions. Note the date and time. Make sure the date and time in your 527 are set correctly and that the time zone is right in regional settings. Even though the SCU time stamps the transaction, the 527 shifts the stamp according to it's own settings.

Issue Time stamps of I/NET transactions are off in the Vista event and transaction windows. Environment Xenta 527 I/NET Events TAC Vista Workstation Cause Even though the SCU time stamps the transaction, the 527 will shift it according to it's time zone and date settings. Resolution Make sure the time is set correctly in the Xenta 527. 

Issue Dell Optiplex GX 620 and GX 520: When logging into Vista the PC reboots. Environment Dell Optiplex GX 520 Dell Optiplex GX 620 Cause On some Dell computers, there is a problem with the graphics hardware acceleration. Resolution Adjust these setting with the following instructions: Right click on the desktop Select Properties Click on the Settings Tab Click the Advanced Button Select the Troubleshoot Tab Adjust the slide bar of the Hardware Acceleration down from Full two or three bars Click OK Click OK Again Now you should be able to open Vista without the PC Rebooting. This problem is experienced on Dell Optiplex GX 620 (TPI C-88-1-F-97) and Dell Optiplex GX 520 (TPI C-88-1-F-95)

Issue If a widescreen monitor is used, graphics will display properly in Vista, but if you open them for editing in Graphics Editor, they appear stretched horizontally. Conversely, if you create a graphic in Graphics editor that looks proper, it will appear to be squished horizontally in Vista, and the alignment of any text will be off. Environment Vista IV OGC Graphics Editor Cause The computer being used has a widescreen primary display. Resolution Resize the primary widescreen display to a resolution with a 4:3 aspect ratio, 800x600, 1024x768, etc. or, if a secondary display with normal aspect ratio is also connected, it must be set as the primary display.

Issue Error message says "Can not initialize license" when logging in to TAC Vista Workstation. Environment Vista Workstation Cause The installation of the license server has been faulty in some way. Resolution Uninstall TAC Vista Server/Workstation Reinstall TAC Vista Server/Workstation

Issue Alarm not received by Vista Workstation with a Xenta 511/527 present Environment TAC Vista Workstation Xenta 511, 527 Alarm queue Cause Vista Workstation or the Xenta 511/527 can act a the alarm master. If the Xenta 511/527 is set as an alarm master then it will intercept the alarm before it gets to Vista Server. Resolution To check whether this is happening, trigger an alarm in a Xenta controller and check the properties of the alarm object. If the status tab shows the Xenta Alarm Status as "Alarm" and the this alarm is not present in Vista Workstation then you should check the setting in the Xbuilder project.  

Issue How can I set up a user/user group to always have the same graphic open when they log in to TAC Vista? Environment TAC Vista IV Workstation Cause Setting a home graphic allows the user to automatically see the same page every time they log in. Typically this is used to display the building's home page or summary page that is the first place the operator needs to go anyway. Resolution In vista 4.5 and above you can create user profiles, and assign a "Home Graphic" to the profile. If you assign a profile with a "Home Graphic" to a user/user group, the graphic will open every time a user from that group log in. For more information on how to set up user profiles and alarm viewers see 'TAC Vista IV, Administrating TAC Vista Workstation' manual. If no profile is specified for a user/user group it will use the global object $UserProfile that does not have a "Home Graphic" assigned. If you make changes to those objects it will affect all users that are not using their own profiles.

Issue LNS Network limitations in TAC Vista using Loytec NIC852 Environment NIC852 Orion Stack Cause Orion protocol alters the way in which the Vista Server and LNS Server interact and can often provide more efficient communication between the databases. Resolution Vista 5.1.1 and prior There is a limit of 8 LNS networks per NIC card. It is recommended to reserve 1 MNI connection for engineering purposes (through LonMaker or NL220), resulting in a recommended limit of 7 LNS networks per NIC card.  There is a limit of 1 NIC card per Vista network. Vista 5.1.2 and later There is a limit of 8 LNS networks per NIC card.  It is recommended to reserve 1 MNI connection for engineering purposes (through LonMaker or NL220), resulting in a recommended limit of 7 LNS networks per NIC card.  There is a limit of 4 NIC cards per Vista server.  That results in a recommended limitation of 28 LNS databases per Vista server.

Issue Right-click on a Xenta Server 5/7/9xx in Vista Workstation to edit, but the option for Edit is gray (not enabled) or is not there at all. Environment Vista Workstation Xenta Servers Xenta 511, 527, 701, 711, 721, 731, 913 Cause A mismatch between the installed version of XBuilder and the specified XBuilder version in the properties of the Xenta Server. A different implementation of a Xenta 5/7/9xx controller. Resolution Check that this is being utilized as a true Xenta Server Check that the Xenta Server is added in the database using the object type Xenta Server.  All other implementations are not truly Xenta Servers, and will not have the option to edit XBuilder directly from Vista.  It may be a: Xenta 911 Communication Port Xenta 5/7/9xx LON node in an LNS database.  Vista only recognizes the XIF of the device In both of these cases, XBuilder is edited and stored locally, not in the Vista database.  Check the associated XBuilder version of a Xenta Server Make sure the correct version of XBuilder is installed on the PC. Right-click on the Xenta Server and select Properties. The version of XBuilder the system is expecting to find is shown here. This is a write-able field. If needed, change it to the correct version of XBuilder that is installed on the PC. Refresh the network and then the Edit option should be available.