Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue When setting up a Video Server the option for Pelco Type 2 (Endura) can not be selected. Environment Continuum V1.91 and above. See the Video Compatibility matrix for supported Pelco Endura products on the various Continuum versions, link: Video Matrix link Cause Continuum requires the security key to be enabled for Endura video to allow this option to be available. Resolution The Endura option cannot be purchased from the Factory.  In order to obtain the Endura option you must contact our Upgrades department. The upgrade part number is: UPG-ADD-ENDURA You can reach Upgrades by email at upgrades.continuum@schneider-electric.com Note: for testing purposes a Single User may be run in Demo mode for a few hours which will allow the Endura option to be selected.

Issue Re-executing user defined alarm PE functions that have failed to execute and have been pushed into a call stack (buffer) Environment CyberStation Cause System busy or out of resources on alarm delivery. i.e All video controls busy when a video alarm comes in. Resolution User defined alarm PE functions that have failed to execute and have been pushed into the buffer will not execute automatically, you need to invoke the PEPopAlarm function in order to re-execute the functions. You can invoke the PEPopAlarm from the command line, PE program or from a Graphic that uses a PE script control. You may need to increase the size of the buffer (PEMaxBufferedAlarms registry entry) if your alarm functions frequently end up in the buffer as a full buffer will cause alarms to be dropped.

Issue Cannot Open Graphics Error. "The operation was not performed" Environment Continuum 1.90 Windows XP Cause Continuum 1.90 Sp1 not installed. Resolution Install Continuum 1.90 Sp1 Install all hotfixes Save the old DLL files to another folder, then delete them in the Continuum folders after the system is updated

Issue How to reverse and/or complement the bits as read from a Wiegand access card in a custom card configuration Environment CyberStation CX9702 CX9900 CX9680 ACX5720 ACX5740 ACX701 ACX781 Cause Some Wiegand cards are encoded with the bits in one or more fields reversed and/or complemented. It is then necessary to operate on the fields when decoding the data in order to obtain the correct data. Resolution In the AccessFormat array a control field is provided to configure the system so that the bits in a field in the access card data can be reversed and/or complemented. The control mask is located at AccessFormat[2] Control Mask The bits of the control mask will be used by the parsing routine to reverse or complement selected fields. Setting the appropriate bit to a 1 will enable the special action:       Field Issue Code Card Number Site Code Manufacturers Code Feature Reverse Complement Reverse Complement Reverse Complement Reverse Complement Bit # 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Bit Value:           128                64                  32               16                   8                      4                    2                  1   Examples: To reverse the bits in the site code field set AccessFormat[2] = 8 To reverse the bits in both the card number and site code fields set AccessFormat[2] = 40   Reversing the bits makes the first bit in the field become the last. Complementing the bits flips the bit's value, 1 becomes 0 and vice versa.

Issue Access Events not being delivered to the database. Environment Continuum 1.9x CX 9680 Cause No access events reported to the database Resolution The workstation setup for primary access server had several processes that were running that appeared to be related to a virus on the workstation. This workstation was fully open to the internet and it is suspected that this is where the virus launched. After stopping several of the suspected executables through task manager the access events started coming in. Run antivirus.

Issue Can a b4920 send out alarm emails? Environment Continuum Controllers BCX 4040 BCX 9640 Netcontroller II (9680) ACX 57xx Cause Controllers that support sending of emails Resolution The B4-920 does not have the capability to send out emails. 2nd generation controllers do have the capabilities to send emails.

Issue When creating a CX controller receiving error "This object class requires an attached device" Environment Continuum Cyberstation CX controllers (9900, 9680, ACX 5740 ie..... ) Cause Trying to create the controller outside of a network folder (directory) Resolution Create a network folder and create the CX controller under the network folder.

Issue CyberStation program that prints to a file does not produce the expected results. Environment CyberStation. Cause Program configuration. Resolution In the program configuration properties, select the "Run on any WorkStation" option.

Issue When setting up a Continuum Workstation or a CX/ bCX controller some IT departments wish to use DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) allocation of IP addresses. Environment Cyberstation workstations and all Ethernet level controllers (CX9200, CX9400, CX9702, CX9900, bCX1, ACX5740, ACX5720, CX9680. Cause Continuum Workstations and Controllers do not support DHCP addressing. Resolution A fixed and unique IP address and subnet mask must be allocated in every controller and workstation, this value must also be entered in the database in offline editing for all controllers. For routed networks the correct address for the Default Router must also be entered in each controller and the database. When creating a new workstation, once the Workstation initialization has completed and the Workstation has started, verify that in Offline Editing that the IP address for the workstation matches the fixed IP address as defined in the Windows Network card settings.

Issue Cannot delete personnel profiles from personnel manager. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum 1.81 Cause Personnel profiles have become corrupted and can not be deleted. You can not rename areas without removing/replacing them in the profile. Resolution Procedure to remove corrupted personnel profiles: Start Continuum Run ACDEVApp.exe from the Continuum directory. Click Generate. Replace the 3 lines: <REQUESTOPERATIONS> </REQUESTOPERATIONS> </IACDEVREQUEST> ... with the following 6 lines, only replace the word ProfileName with the name of the profile being deleted: <REQUESTOPERATIONS> <DELETE> <OBJECT PATH="ProfileName"/> </DELETE> </REQUESTOPERATIONS> </IACDEVREQUEST> Press the "Process Request" button

Issue The New Search window shows a set of predefined attributes to search on, can additional attributes be added to this list? Environment Cyberstation Personnel manager, Versions 1.80 and above. Cause There is no option to add/ remove fields from the New Search window. Resolution 1) The New Search Window entries are fixed, there is no option to add / remove fields in this window. 2) To search on one of the other attributes not listed; use a List View of Personnel to show the required attributes and use a Qualifier on that attribute to prompt the user for the search criteria. 3) The * character can be used as a wildcard, so for example if searching on the Vehicle Info attribute entering Ford* would find all Ford vehicles if the field is used to hold the make & model of vehicles.  

Issue Cannot open Create/Edit Badge in Personnel Manager even though badging is enabled on Security Key Getting error message "Cannot init license" Environment Continuum Personnel Manager Cause Windows user does not have enough permissions to run EPI Designer (EPI the Print/Badge Program installed with Continuum) Resolution Change the Windows login to one that has sufficient permissions to run EPI Designer (the Print/Badge Program) The standard Windows User does not have permission to run EPI Designer (the Print/Badge Program) whereas a standard PowerUser or Administrator does have permission. NOTE This was an Windows XP issue, similar issues may still be present in newer Windows versions Continuum v1.92 was used for this document

Issue Can I change the display of an attribute using the old Personnel Editor or in the Personnel template editor Environment Continuum Cyberstation Cause Change the display of a personnel attribute. Resolution The old personnel editor or the personnel template editor there is no way to change the attribute name. In the new Personnel Manager you can change the display of an attribute name. Example:  Changing attribute Info1 to BuildingNumber Open up a personnel record Select configure and select customize attributes Select the display name for the attribute to be changed Change the display name and select Ok.

Issue Should managed switches be set to half duplex or full duplex? Prorduct Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum Cyberstation 2nd Generation Controllers BCX 4040, 4000, 9640 NC2 9680 ACX 5740, 5720 1st Generation Controllers CMX 9924 CX 9900, 9901, 9940 Cause Configuration for managed switches. Resolution Most sites will have managed switches set for Auto Sensing 10/100 For sites that must use a designated configuration, our 1st generation controllers communicate 10 half duplex while the 2nd generation controllers communicate 100 full duplex.

Issue Error "The selected path type is invalid" when configuring a path in a list view of access events. Environment CyberStation Cause Access events reside only at the root thus a device is not valid path for a list view of access events. Resolution Use a database qualifier to have the list view display access events by device id. Example: (DeviceId is LocalNetwork\ACX5740East id).

Issue Do we provide Unattended Installation files for Continuum Software Upgrades Environment Microsoft Xp, 2003 Server Continuum 1.9x Cause Continuum Upgrade Procedures Resolution We do not provide Unattended Installation files for Continuum Software Upgrades

Issue Unable to delete the default profiles (i.e. Employee) in the Personnel Manager Environment CyberStation Personnel Manager Cause By design the default profiles can be modified but can not be deleted Resolution This is FAD (Function as designed)

Issue 1. Performing a learn on the Infinet port finds only a fixed number of infinet devices (10,32,64). 2. Refreshing the Field Bus Controllers window in the Infinet commport shows the devices appearing online for a second and then disappearing. 3. Error "Duplicate name" is displayed. Environment CyberStation CX9640 CX9702 CX9900 CX9680 ACX5740 ACX5720 Cause Maximum Infinet controllers limit has been reached due to: 1. No key attached to CyberStation (demo mode). 2. CX controller option limit. Resolution 1. Attach a CyberStation key to get out of demo mode. 2. If the CX's Max Infinet Controllers have been reached, no additional Infinet controllers can be learned until Infinet controllers are deleted or controller's limit is expanded. The controller's max limits can be viewed from the controller's editor by going to the 'Options' tab.

Issue Need to install Continuum or webClient but do not currently have the security key. Environment Continuum webClient Cause Need to install Continuum or webClient without the security key connected to the PC. Resolution Yes, you will can install Continuum or webClient without the security key connected to the PC. You will however, require the key to be installed to actually run the Continuum Cyberstation or webClient server.

Issue Want to install Continuum or webClient remotely using Remote Desktop or VNC applications. Environment Continuum Cyberstation webClient Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Cause Doing this remotely using Remote Desktop or VNC type applications has been known to cause problems with the installation, especially with the configuration of IIS on the webClient server. Resolution Do not install Continuum or webClient remotely. Continuum Cyberstation and webClient should always be installed locally with Administrator privileges and firewalls / anti-virus disabled during the install.