Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Error message "Exception from HRESULT: 0x80041038 Code: -2147217352" when logging into TAC Vista Webstation 5.0.0 Environment Webstation 5.0.0 Internet Explorer Cause This error results from an attempt to log in with an invalid user/password Resolution Check that the username and password are valid and try to log in again.

Issue Move TGML graphics from one Vista 5 database to another and keep the links/bindings intact. Environment Vista 5 TGML Graphics Cause Linking and binding information is not stored in the TGML source file, but in the Vista database. Therefore if only the TGML graphic is saved and transferred to the new database, all of the binding and linking information would be lost. To preserve this information, a Database Export must be performed for graphics transfers between databases. Resolution In Workstation, open the database you would like to export from and select File-Database-Export. Under the Site PC tab, use the default selection of "Get a customized copy of the database" and click OK. In the Database Export window, Right click on the root object and select Add. In the Select widow, navigate to the object(s) you would like to export and click Select. Use multiselect commands (hold ctrl or shift) to select multiple objects. When you are finished selecting objects, click on the green arrow of the Database Export window to name the export file and save. In the new database, select File-Database-Import. Browse to the Exported file and click OK. (You can also click View to see the contents of the selected File before importing if you have multiple Export files). Refresh the Folder pane of Workstation and the object should now be imported.

Issue Daylight saving (DST) settings when using external time controller. Environment Vista Server NTP External Time Controller Cause Sometimes customers prefer to use an external software and/or device to monitor and set the actual time in the computer, sometimes it also controls the daylight savings. Resolution When using TAC Vista servers in a network with an external time server (e.g. connected to the TAC Vista master server) it might be a good idea to switch of the daylight saving and only use standard time. The daylight saving/standardtime is controlled by the events, $Summer and $Winter. They can be changed in the property menu for the server object. First, make sure that all computers don’t have the checkbox “automatically adjust clock for daylight savings” checked in the date and time property dialog, with this box unchecked, TAC Vista controls the daylight savings on the computer. You also need to set TAC Vista in standard time status (if it isn't already).If it is, go to the properties menu on the server object, Time control. Make sure that “daylight saving difference” is changed from 60 min to 0 min. Then go to the daylight savings menu and uncheck the start and stoptime to make sure that the event doesn’t run next time. Do the same thing in the standard time menu. If you’re in daylight savings mode already, you have to run the standard time event. Do this by selecting weekday and month. e.g. third Wednesday in April. Change the start time to a couple of minutes later, press ok and open the properties dialog again to make sure that next event is happening soon. Check the state in the properties menu on the server object, Time control, it should be standard time now. Now do the settings mentioned in chapter 2. By doing this the external time server now can control time and daylight savings in the TAC Vista network.

Issue How can two controllers of different types be assigned the same program ID? Environment Xenta programmable controllers Xenta 280, 281, 282, 283, 300, 301, 302, 401, 401:B Menta Cause This is because of how the LonMark Standard program ID is generated. Resolution The LonMark standard for generating the Program IDs is based on what SNVTs are present in the application. Two .MTAs may have the same types and number of SNVTs included in the LonMark set, regardless of controller type, and therefore the program IDs can be generated the same. The other possibility is that two programs just happen to get the same IDs because there are only so many possible combinations of SNVTs that 255 combinations reduced the number of unique IDs. Using the check box option "XIF-Header generated according to LonMaker standard" will use only 255 (or FF in Hexadecimal) combinations of IDs. By un-checking the "Generate Program ID's according to LonMark Standards", 65535 (or FFFF in Hex) combinations can be assigned. This makes it much more likely that the IDs will not conflict. Adding a dummy SNVT to one application and regenerating the ID (leaving the LonMark option checked), is another option to resolve the conflict.

Issue Getting error 'Failed to access IIS' when starting webstation. Environment TAC Vista Webstation Cause This happens if IIS is installed before .NET Framework. Resolution It is necessary to register ASP.NET with IIS. From the Windows Start Menu>Run In the Run window type "cmd" to open the command prompt window To register ASP .NET 2.0, In the command prompt window, type  "%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\aspnet_regiis.exe -i" To register ASP .NET 4.0,  In the command prompt window, type "%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\aspnet_regiis.exe -i" This command will re-register ASP.NET as if it were installed after IIS.

Issue Restored backup of a TAC Vista Database is running really slow or is not responding at all. Environment TAC Vista Workstation Cause This will happen when the LNS database for this Vista database is not on the computer.  Vista is trying to communicate on that LNS port, but cannot find the LNS database. Resolution There are two options to fix this: The preferred solution is to restore a backup of the LNS database to the PC you are working on. If you do not have an LNS backup or are merely making some Vista-only change (like to graphics) it is possible to shut off that port. Right-click on the LNS port in Vista Workstation and select Properties Under General > Device address, delete the LNS path Click OK Vista will no longer attempt to communicate on this port.  ** You will not want to restore this version of the Vista database back to the original PC without restoring this value. **

Issue How to display the true position of a return air damper on a Vista OGC graphic when using a common outside air/return air damper signal. Product Line TAC Vista Environment TAC Vista IV OGC Graphics Editor Cause If an outside air damper is interlocked with the return air damper, then there will only be one 0-100% value in the Vista database. Some math is required to calculate the inverse position of the opposite damper. Resolution Entering the following formula in the Formula Section of the Attributes of a Digital Presentation: C-100.00+C-1.00* Note: the format for formulas in the OGC editor is Reverse Polish Notation.

Issue TAC Menta, using a dot in the application file name causes the MTA file to grow. Environment Menta Cause Using a dot, or period, in the application file name. Resolution Make sure to not have any dot in the application file name, except for the extension .MTA

Issue TAC Vista Remote Workstation 5.x won't start. Environment TAC Vista 5 Remote Workstation Cause .NET Framework is required. Resolution For TAC Vista Workstation to run you have to install .NET Frameworks Redistributable version 2.0 on the PC. You can download .Net frameworks 2.0 from Microsoft.

Issue Some SNVT_temp values are not showing the correct value in TAC Vista. They are always a couple of degrees off. The correct value is displaying in LonMaker. Environment SNVT_temp Vista Workstation Cause This can be caused by the gain not being set to the right value in the properties for the object. Resolution The gain should be 0.018. The problem is that with default Windows settings, the gain is only shown with 2 decimals, so it will be presented as 0.02. If you have changed the gain, you have to type in 0.018 even though it will be presented as 0.02. If you want to see all the decimals you have to change the ‘number of digits after decimal’ to 3 in Windows regional and Language settings.  

Issue LonMaker makes you wait in a 'transaction queue' before it will process any commands that require communications to the network. Environment Echelon LonMaker Cause This problem seems to arise when changes are made to the structure of a large network in which the majority of controllers have been commissioned, but not yet installed. LonMaker then tries to continuously update these controllers of the network changes that have been made, but it can't since they are not online. Thus, when any requests are made by the user, they must wait in line until LonMaker gets to their requests. Resolution The problem has two solutions: The first, and most simple, is to bring all of the commissioned controllers on the network online. This will allow LonMaker's updates to be propagated to them all, causing an end to the cycle. The second solution is to decommission any controllers on the entire Network that are not online, but have been commissioned prior to the network changes. This will eliminate LonMaker's desire to update these controllers. These solutions must be applied to the entire network, and not just the channels that have actually had the network changes performed on them.  

Issue XBuilder crashes when a LNS network is inserted Environment XBuilder LNS Network Cause XBuilder will crash when a LNS network is inserted that contains a XIF file which has multiple signals with the same name. Resolution If Vista 5.0.0 or higher is being used you can create a Vista database solely for the purpose of inserting it into XBuilder to avoid this problem. Otherwise the XIF file will need to be modified to remove the duplicate names and the template replaced with the new XIF file.  

Issue Windows XP is requiring you to log in and you do not know password after installing Vista 4.3.0 - 5.0.0. Environment Vista 4.3.0 - 5.0.0 Windows XP Cause Vista 4.3.0 - 5.0.0 creates local accounts on your computer when you install the software. These accounts are used by the SQL server portions of the software. However if the computer was still using the default Administrator account then the next time you boot up the computer it will ask you for the password on either the TACA_PCNAME or TACM_PCNAME accounts. The passwords are randomly generated and should not be used to log into Windows. Resolution To get back into your computer: Press the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys twice to get to the traditional Windows 2000 log in screen. This will allow you to use the Administrator account to log into the computer. Once logged in you should create an account that will be used for normal operation. To avoid this problem you can restrict your installations to Vista 5.0.1 which will not use local PC accounts for SQL administration, but SQL Server accounts instead which will not effect the normal computer login process.

Issue Visio will open but LonMaker menu is missing from the toolbar, the features are unavailable. Error: "unable to launch visio with file lonworks.vst". Product Line TAC Vista Environment Echelon LonMaker 3.0 Echelon LonMaker 3.1 Echelon LonMaker Turbo (Ver 3.2) Cause Configurations must be set to link LonMaker and Visio so they run together. Resolution Please consult Echelon's bulletin on this matter at Echelon's website. The bulletin states that only the following should be in the Add-ons field: C:\LonWorks\LonMaker;1033\Solutions; To fix the problem, you also need to add: C:\LonWorks\LonMaker\Visio It is also necessary for the following to be enabled (Macro Security). In the Tools > Options > Security menu, verify that all options below are selected: Enable Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Enable Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications project creation Load Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications projects from text Enable COM add-ins Enable Automation events

Issue This video details the steps required to install Vista 5. Product Line TAC Vista Environment Vista 5 Cause Installation can sometimes fail if things are done out of order or incorrectly. This video demonstrates the proper steps to take when installing Vista 5. Resolution

Issue Vista Workstation is crashing/shutting down when graphics begin to load. Environment Vista Workstation (observed on a HP blade server) Cause This can be caused by the Video Hardware Acceleration being set to the default value of "High". Resolution Open Control Panel Go to Display Properties > Settings Tab > Advanced Choose the Hardware tab Back the Hardware Acceleration level towards "none" by one notch.

Issue This video details some of the troubleshooting and diagnostics tools available in the Macrovision/Flexnet License Server LMTools. Product Line TAC Vista Environment LMTools Cause See below for a video tutorial of LMtools diagnostic utility overview.   Resolution

Issue In LonMaker drawing, the TAC device stencils have disappeared. Environment LonMaker Visio Cause Either the TAC ToolPack was not installed, or the stencil view has been closed. Resolution To open the TAC stencils, click on File menu, go to Shapes and select desired stencil group. If the stencil is not available from this menu, then the TAC ToolPack was not successfully installed.

Issue Vista Webstation 4/5 is installed but only displays HTTP error 500 Environment Vista Webstation IIS Cause If the local host page cannot be displayed then the problem lies within IIS more so than Vista Webstation. Resolution The first thing to do is check if the IIS will display any webpages (http://localhost/ for example). If it will not then follow these steps to correct the matter: From Administrative Tools, Open Component Services MMC and delete IIS related packages (IIS In-Process Applications, IIS Out-of-Process Applications, and IIS Utilities) if the Files cannot be deleted, Right click on the object, select properties, select Advanced Tab, uncheck "Disable deletion". Open a command prompt and navigate to the %windir%\system32\inetsrv folder and enter the following commands: rundll32 wamreg.dll,CreateIISPackage regsvr32 asptxn.dll Restart IIS via IISRESET entered at a command prompt.

Issue Clear the IP routing tables of a Xenta 913 Incorrect or non-existent online Links appear in I/NET which can not be connected too. Environment I/NET Xenta 913 Cause Incorrect or non-existent Links, Hosts, and IP addresses can occur if a laptop was used to connect to the system from a different network or from the outside. Once connected, its IP table is broadcast to the other devices like PCs and NPRs, thus populating the table with entries that does not belong or is non-existent for this location or system. The Xenta 913 does not have the same I/NET command line in the web interface like the Xenta 527, so the steps to clear the IP routing tables are different. Resolution Connect to the Xenta 913 with the HyperTerminal interface Log into the Xenta 913 as the root user. At the dsh/> line type "inet delall" to delete the entire IP routing table, or "inet ipdel" to delete single IP entries. Below is the entire I/NET functionality within the Xenta 913. (Typing "inet help" or "inet" gives every I/NET option within the controller) inet - I/NET Help ip - Display IP table list ls - Display Link/Station table list cp - Display Compressed table list gp - Display Global Point table list mm - Message masking all - Display all lists ipadd - Add an IP address to the tables ipdel - Delete a single ip record delall - Delete all ip records