Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Workplace Tech or Workplace Tech Editor is crashing when accessing a specific Visio file. Product Line TAC IA Series, EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment I/A Series WorkPlace Tech Building Operation Workstation (Workplace Tech Editor) Cause There are a number of possible issues with the Visio 2013 and Visio 2016 files when running in Compatibility Mode.  Compatibility Mode is required for Workplace Tech and Workplace Tech Editor since they are both designed to use the older .vsd file format.  The mentioned Visio versions both use .vsdx as a native file format. Resolution

Issue When attempting to start the Enterprise Server, the user receives the following error message: "Windows could not start the Building Operation Enterprise Server service on Local Computer: Error 216: 0xd8" Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Microsoft Windows Building Operation Enterprise Server Building Operation Enterprise Central Cause Windows error 216: 0xd8 means "The version of %1 is not compatible with the version you're running. Check your computer's system information to see whether you need an x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version of the program, and then contact the software publisher." It is likely that this error is being received due to the EBO Enterprise Server/Central being installed on a 32-bit Windows Operating System. Resolution Beginning in EBO 2.0 it is no longer supported for the Enterprise Server to run on a 32-bit Operating System. Reference the Enterprise Server Specification Sheet for the appropriate product version you are using to find the list of supported Operating Systems. The Enterprise Server/Central should then be installed on one of the supported 64-bit Operating Systems.

Issue Need to perform a damper calibration using eCT Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation eCommissioning Tool (eCT) Cause There is no documentation on how to perform this via eCT. Resolution Ensure your MP-V is not in a hosted state within EBO. Connect to your MP-V device using Windows 10, iOS, or Android via Bluetooth, WiFi, or ethernet connection Expand the menu in the top left corner and select "Browse Objects"  Scroll down until you find the DamperCommand object, select it and tap/click OK  In the Initiate damper calibration Property ID, select False and type in True then click Save

Issue While trying to login to either WorkStation or WebStation, or during the startup of the Enterprise Server, an error "Error -25: License server system does not support this version of this feature." appears. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Workstation version 2.0.x or later Building Operation Webstation version 2.0.x or later Building Operation Software Administrator version 2.0.x or later Cause The activated license is not at an appropriate version for the corresponding software. The licenses activated in the EBO License Administrator need to be at a version greater than or equal to the version of the Building Operation software being used.  Resolution 1. Workstation - If the Workstation license activated in License Administrator is at Version 1, this license will need to be upgraded to be compatible for any system EBO 2.0 and beyond. To do this, simply notate the Entitlement ID and then return the Workstation License. Once returned, reactivate the license from the previously recorded Entitlement ID. This will upgrade the 1.X License to be used with newer systems. 2. Enterprise Server - If the error is received on an ES, verify that all ES licenses are in place. If the system was upgraded, it is necessary for all previous versions of ES/AS licenses to remain activated in the License Administrator. 

Warning Potential for Data Loss: The steps detailed in the resolution of this article may result in a loss of critical data if not performed properly. Before beginning these steps, make sure all important data is backed up in the event of data loss. If you are unsure or unfamiliar with any complex steps detailed in this article, please contact Product Support for assistance. Issue Integrating MNL-VAV controllers into the EBO system successfully Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operations, TAC IA Series Environment Building Operation Automation Server Building Operation Automation Server Premium I/A Series MNL VAV Cause Lost flow balancing values during integration Lost S-link offset calibrations Resolution Use the following steps to bring a controller into the Automation Server with all data intact. Using WorkStation connected to the AS/AS-P; right click on the LonWorks Network and select New then Device. Choose the appropriate device object type from the list for the MNL-VAV controller being added, give it a name and click Next. Type in the Neuron ID or use the Service pin method to identify the controller. Check the box next to “Commission” and the radio button next to “Keep current configuration in the device” and click “Create” then click “Close” when complete. Right-click on the new device object in the tree and select MNL and then “Backup flow balance information”. When this is complete notice the blue circle with a white checkmark next to the nciHighFlowCal and nciLowFlowCal SNVT’s indicating the AS-P DB contains the balance data from the controller. If special S-link offset values exist in the controller right click on the device object in the tree and select MNL and then “Backup S-link offsets”. Right-click on the controller device object and select MNL and “Assign application” and click on the appropriate application file for this controller and click on “Assign”. Right-click on the controller and select MNL and “Download application”. Click on “Close” when complete. Right-click on the controller and select MNL and “Restore the flow balance information” Right-click on the controller and select MNL the “Restore S-link offsets”. Verify all data is correct and the controller is functioning properly.

Issue When importing Lon variables from Excel, all variables are created as Inputs, even though the "Direction" column in the Excel file says "Output".   Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Workstation Cause A defect creates all Lon variables as inputs even if the variable is assigned direction as output. Resolution  Create Lon variables with output direction manually.

Issue When using Advanced Display and logging in to Webstation, it startups in kiosk mode with limited functionality. Example:   Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Advanced Display Cause When running Webstation in Advanced Display it is by default started in kiosk mode Resolution Open SmartX HMI Kiosk in Advanced Display In "Webstation setup" delete the part ?kiosk# Example: https://192.168.42.116/?kiosk#  Webstation be started in kiosk mode https://192.168.42.116/  Webstation will start normally

Issue An error message is displayed when trying to save changes to a Programmable Xenta in Menta Editor. The error message is: Tam32 Save Error Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection. Parameter name: index (E) Error message trying to save changes in Menta Editor Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Workstation 3.0.2 or earlier Xenta 281 Xenta 301 Xenta 401 Cause A defect in Menta Editor causes this error to be displayed when a SNVT name in the Menta application is identical to the programmable Xenta device name.  An example of this is shown below: Resolution This problem has been fixed in Hotfix 3.0.2.2500 and the fix is included in version 3.1. For earlier versions there are two ways to resolve this problem; Either a) rename the Xenta device, or b) rename the SNVT. a) Renaming the Xenta device In Workstation right click the Xenta device and choose Rename Click OK Now you can edit the Xenta in Menta Editor without getting the error message b) Renaming the SNVT Right click the Xenta device and choose Edit In Menta Editor double click the block with the SNVT binding to edit the block Click the Bind... button to edit the binding Change the name, click OK to close the dialogs and Save the changes

Issue Configuring a SetPoint in EcoStruxure Building Operation so that the set value of the SetPoint is retained after a Warm or a Cold Start rather than defaulting to zero. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Enterprise Server Building Operation Automation Server Premium Cause The value retention configuration is not held in the initial properties page of the Analogue Value when used as a SetPoint. Resolution Navigate to the actual value within the properties page of the Analogue Value. On the right hand side of the GUI there is a Configure button. Pressing on this button then takes the user to a sub menu where the Retain level option can be enabled. Once enabled it is then possible to decide whether the SetPoint needs to retain its value under a Warm Start or a Cold Start condition.

Issue Vista webstation - Error message in FIPS-compliant systems first time the logging screen is entered and red X instead of values in TGML pictures Error message in FIPS-compliant systems when Windows Communication Foundation is used to serialize generic types: “This implementation is not part of the Windows Platform FIPS validated cryptographic algorithms” Red X instead of values EcoStruxure Building Operation registration WorkStation Error Product Line TAC Vista, EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Vista Webstation Cause System cryptography: Use FIPS compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing and signing This security setting determines if the Transport Layer Security/Secure Sockets Layer (TL/SS) Security Provider supports only the TLS_RSA_WITH_3DES_EDE_CBC_SHA cipher suite. In effect, this means that the provider only supports the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol as a client and as a server (if applicable). It uses only the Triple DES encryption algorithm for the TLS traffic encryption, only the Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman (RSA) public key algorithm for the TLS key exchange and authentication, and only the Secure Hashing Algorithm 1 (SHA-1) for the TLS hashing requirements. For Encrypting File System Service (EFS), it supports only the Triple Data Encryption Standard (DES) encryption algorithm for encrypting file data supported by the NTFS file system. By default, EFS uses the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm with a 256-bit key in the Windows Server 2003 family and DESX algorithm in Windows XP for encrypting file data. For information about EFS, see Encrypting File System. NOTE - The same errors can occur in EcoStruxure Building Operation when registering. Resolution Go to Local Security Settings Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options System cryptography: Use FIPS compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing and signing = Make sure its disabled to get to local security you can go to 1. go to start 2. Go to run 3. enter secpol.msc 4. press enter NOTE - The same errors can occur in EcoStruxure Building Operation when registering. The Resolution is the same

Issue Alarms about BACnet devices with duplicate names These are not required on the site Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Third Party BACnet Devices Building Operation Enterprise Server Cause In EBO, BACnet device name uniqueness enforcement has been removed but an alarm is sent regardless to alert of the problem. Resolution Disable the alarm if it is not require in the alarm view. This is achieved by right clicking on the alarm in the Alarm Pane and 'Disable Alarm'

Issue  Where do I find our BACnet controllers BACnet PICS? (Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement) Product Line Andover Continuum, EcoStruxure Building Operation, TAC IA Series Environment All BACnet controllers Cause Alternative locations to find BACnet PICS for our controllers. Resolution PICS documentation can be found on The Exchange Download Center and BACnet International website.

Issue LON Network - Cable Transient Suppression Product Line EcoStruxure Building OperationTAC IA Series, TAC Vista Environment LON networks that extend beyond the walls of a single building Cause Surge arrestors dissipate transient energy before the cable can provide a low resistance path to the building ground, preventing potential electrical damage. Resolution Click here to download the white paper on this topic: Cable Transient Suppression It is recommended that a Transient Suppression protection device be installed on the LON communications cable at any point where the cable enters or exits the building. The LON is frequently used to connect a collection of controllers in one building with a collection of controllers in one or more other buildings in a campus. The LON may also extend outside the protection of an office building when servicing communications to roof-top equipment and/or outside monitoring equipment. At any location where the LON cable penetrates and extends outside the building compartment, it is recommended that a gas discharge type lightning arrestor be installed across the LON conductor pair and earth ground as shown below. This should be positioned as close as possible to the wall penetration location. The objective is to keep the cable distance as short as possible before the cable suppression is provided. It is important that a heavy gauge earth ground connection be provided to the gas discharge protector with as short a length as possible. Here we want to dissipate the transient energy as soon as possible before the cable extends on into the facility and provide a low resistance path to the building ground. SA2-U8 Surge Arrestor TAC provides a Model SA2-U8 Surge Arrestor which can be used for this purpose. This SA2-U8 device is a gas discharge arrestor packaged in a small DIN rail mountable enclosure. The SA2-U8 is UL864 listed and is the only device that can be used on TAC UL864 listed system. It must be installed on the LON cable at any entry/exit locations. Other Gas Discharge Suppressors On non-UL864 systems, the SA2-U8 may also be used, or the installer may use any one of a number of available 90V gas discharge tube devices. These are typically tubular shaped components and since you need two tubes (one for each of the two LON conductors) a dual element three lead discharge tube is recommended. The device’s leads may be attached to a standard screw terminal block and mounted in most any size electrical box. A collection of some of the suitable gas discharge devices that could be used is as follows: Manufacturer Part Number Bourns 2026-09-C Epcos B88069X8440B202 Citel BTS-90 SRC Devices PMT-090-14   There are other acceptable part numbers available from each of these manufacturers with variations provided in the lead configuration and lengths while maintaining the same 90V protection rating. Devices To Avoid It is not recommended that you use any semiconductor type (Transzorb / TVS / Diode) protection devices. Their higher speed and lower clamping voltage characteristics is not necessary with the inherent protection offered by the FTT-10 and FT-X1 LON transceivers. Such semiconductor based transient suppression devices frequently add some undesirable capacitance to the network which impedes communication performance and most inject signal clamping at voltage levels much lower than necessary or desirable for the Free Topology FTT-10 and FT-X1 based LON networks. The common mode noise immunity of the FTT LON should be much better than that provided by the typical RS485 network. This should provide more tolerance for electrically noisy environments. However, it has been observed that some semiconductor based network protection units have been used that can drastically degrade communications performance. One such device is the Model 91287 from Atlantic Scientific Corp. which was identified by the manufacturer as a LON System protector. This device clamps the signal at one diode drop below ground level which virtually destroys the LON’s common mode noise tolerance. The presence of one of these devices has been found to be the cause of communications problems in a system operating is an electrically noisy environment. This type of communications impairment may be encountered immediately. In other instances, LON retries may cover the problem and the system may operate for extended period of time before environmental or equipment changes raise noise levels above the tolerable threshold. This threshold is now much worse than RS485 networks. This device, and any similar, should be avoided on any LON systems.

Issue Workstation Pro License fails to allow running of v2.0 or v3.x EcoStruxure WorkStation following an upgrade Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment WorkStation Licensing Cause Workstation Pro License SXWSWWORK00002 (SW-STATION-PRO-0) is the same for v1.x and v2.x, so that WorkStation Pro should continue to operate after an upgrade. However, there was a License upgrade/change at v1.7 (from v1 to v2) and if the License was registered before this the version remains at v1 and this will not run v2.x WorkStation Resolution The WorkStation Pro License needs to be returned, then re-installed using the online Licensing system.   Before License is returned   After license is returned  The process to return a license can be found in Webhelp.

Issue Advanced Display Version 2.0 Tablets are loosing connectivity to their associated AS-P (connected via USB) when the AS-P is power cycled or the USB is briefly disconnected, even after the connection/power has been restored. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Advanced Display V2 Cause There are a number of internet browsers available to the user of an AD V2 once the SmartX Kiosk App has been entered. Chrome has been included in the standard view of the Kiosk for some time. and using the 'show/hide system apps' button within the Kiosk the other apps can be accessed on the tablet such as Samsung's own Samsung Internet App (as long as as the Kiosk pin is used). However since the release of Kiosk 8.1 only the Webstation App, which is built into the Kiosk is supported for connection to the AS-P and to use Kiosk 8.1 or greater the Android 8.0 build firmware of the AD V2 must also be brought up to T580XXU4CSA1 as a minimum.  (as detailed by TPA-EBO-19-0002.00) Using the Chrome or Samsung internet apps or having an older build of Android 8 OS firmware may appear to work fine on first impressions, but connectivity issues may then arise such as those detailed above Resolution As long as AD V2 build is T580XXU4CSA1 or greater and the inbuilt Webstation App is being used for all AS-P connection, then users should not encounter any connectivity dropout at all and any new issues which arise can be raised with Product Support Services.

Issue While moving a SmartX Controller from one AS-P to another, there is an error stating "The following devices appear to be hosted by another server. In order to host them, you must first right click the device and select 'Clear host information' ".   Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Automation Server Building Operation Multi-purpose Controller Building Operation Multi-purpose VAV Building Operation IP-IO Building Operation Room Controller Cause SmartX controllers can only be hosted by one automation server at a time. Resolution Use the Device Discovery tab in the AS-P Once the MP is found, right-click on the device Select clear host information    

Issue Right after you start the Device Administrator, the program crashes. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment SmartStruxure Device Administrator Cause In rare cases, the XML file containing information regarding the default login and device list for the Device Administrator is empty or corrupted. That causes the Device Administrator to crash when launched, as the information in the file doesn't have the correct content format. Resolution Delete the settings.xml file which is automatically generated. Depending on the installed version it may be located in one of the following paths: Version 1.9 and lower "C:\ProgramData\Schneider Electric StruxureWare\Building Operation 1.X\Device Administrator" Version 2.0 onwards "C:\ProgramData\Schneider Electric EcoStruxure\Building Operation X.X\Device Administrator" Start the Device Administrator

Issue When attempting to add an object or connection to a WorkPlaceTech Tool application drawing, a WPObEvt error box is displayed indicating the following error condition: Unhandled Exception during event     Class:   Document     Object:  (drawing file name)     Event:   "ConnectionsAdded", "ConnectionsDeleted", "ShapeAdded" (depends on action)     Error:   (blank) Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation, TAC IA Series Environment Building Operation Enterprise Server (WorkplaceTech Editor) Building Operation Automation Server (WorkplaceTech Editor) I/A Series WorkPlace Tech Microsoft Visio Cause The comma is the default decimal symbol on international versions of Windows. Visio does not understand the use of the comma as the decimal separator character when used in Workplace Tech or Workplace Tech Editor.  Resolution Depending on the machines operating system, i.e. Windows 7, or Windows 10, and page configuration, the appearance will be slightly different. Open "Control Panel" Select "Region" Click "Additional Settings...." button near bottom right Select the period instead of the comma for the "Decimal symbol"

Issue Third Party MSTP controllers are not able to be discovered. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment StruxureWare Building Operation Automation Server (AS) 3rd party controllers Cause MAC address of the Automation Server's MSTP Network was not configured properly. Under the AS > BACnet Interface > MSTP Network the MAC address is changed from the default value of 0.  Resolution Change the MSTP Network MAC address from the erroneous value back to 0 and third party controllers will be discovered properly.

Issue Is it possible to 'hot swap' IO modules? Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment StruxureWare Building Operation I/O Modules Cause Some critical applications require 24-hour operation. Resolution The I/O modules allow hot-connection of terminal bases and hot-swapping of the modules to their bases. This design ensures continuous power and communication during service operations.