Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue What user account type does Continuum require to run correctly What could be causing Continuum or parts of Continuum to stop working or crash Environment Continuum, XP keywords: Account, user, Power User, Administrator Poweruser, Pinpoint, Graphic Cause User log in account may be blocking access to programs or files, can stop Pinpoint graphics from being edited. Resolution XP Once Continuum is installed using a Windows "Administrator" account, a Windows "PowerUser" account will give sufficient access to allow Continuum to run. If a Windows "User" account is used, some parts of Continuum will not operate correctly or may crash. We publish no information on what needs to be enabled/allowed/unlocked to allow a windows "User" or other such account to operate correctly. It is possible to set up an account correctly to run, but this would need to be set up by an IT expert on site, and updates/upgrades to Continuum may require the account setting to be changed.

Issue After setting InfinityOutput to a pulse value the value prints as ON even when the relay is physically OFF Output print format is set to $### and output is NOT inverted or overridden. Environment All CXs All b3s All i2s Cause Function as designed Resolution When an output is commanded to a pulse value (i.e. 5) the relay energizes and then de-energize after 5 seconds, the value property retain the last value the output was commanded to, in this case 5. The display format $### displays values greater than zero as ON, zero values as OFF,  and values less than zero as -ON. The print format should be set without the '$' to display the pulse value (5) To make the system show the actual physical value of the output print the OverrideValue instead of the Value.

Issue Where is more information on Secure View? What is Secure View? Product Line Andover Continuum, Pelco Environment Continuum Secure View Pelco Cause What is SecureView Resolution The UK Buildings Business of Schneider Electric Limited has released Continuum SecureView, the add-on application offering seamless integration between Andover Continuum CyberStation and Pelco Endura CCTV system. This integrated solution provides the user with a powerful interface featuring live and recorded video streaming, PTZ (Pan / Tilt / Zoom) camera control from within the Continuum CyberStation Workstation itself, plus the ability to control external video monitors and layouts. For further details: Contact Technical Services paul.bates@schneider-electric.com PA-UK-11.00001 Continuum SecureView.pdf

Issue Digital Sentry Control Point  and Cyberstation have conflicts with both pieces of software on the same PC. Environment Cyberstation Digital Sentry Control Point Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2008 Cause The Cyberstation Video Integration and Digital Sentry Control Point use the same API to communicate and could cause issues. Resolution This configuration is not officially supported or tested, although we have reports that say people are doing it in the field. The reason it is not supported is because they both depend on the same DSConnex API. Installing both may introduce Windows registry issues. (causing issues with whichever application was first installed). From the field Without Control Point installed controllers were online. If only control point is installed they can view Video once Continuum is installed they can no longer view Video. Both program work independently of each other but not together, last one installed works. The configuration of having Digital Sentry Control Point and Cyberstation Video Integration installed on the same PC is not supported. The reason that it is not supported is because both products use the same API (Application Programming Interface) files in order to display video. There could also be Windows registry issues particularly if different versions of the API files are getting installed by each application.   An example from the field If only Control Point is installed the site could view video normally. Once Continuum was installed, video will no longer display in Control Point. Both programs work independently of each other, however, typically the last program that gets installed is the one that will work and the first program installed gets broken, so that video will not display.

Issue Need to obtain points InstanceIDs to provide to third party vendor for system integration. Environment bCX4040 b3s devices Cause Third party vendor system integration Resolution The instanceID of a BACnet object can be shown in a List View. In a list view configuration add a column to display InstanceId, the id will be shown as two numbers separated by a forward slash '/', the number after the '/' is the instance id. i.e. 73009/59 In the example above 59 is the instance id. Note that in BACnet the InstanceId of an object is a 32 bit number where the ten most significant bits contain the object class and the other 22 bits is the actual id. CyberStation strips the object class when showing an object's instance id. If the RoamIO BACnet service tool is used it can be configured to display the full instance id without stripping the object type from the value.

Issue At times it is necessary to get the Cyberstation product and database version without launching Cyberstation Environment Cyberstation Webclient Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 Window Server 2003 Windows Server 2008 Cause Need the ability to get the Cyberstation version without launching Cyberstation Resolution Using My Computer or Windows Explorer Navigate to c:\program files\Continuum Right Click on Continuum.exe Select Properties Select Version Select Product Version 1.74.0.20070914= 1.74 with No Service Pack Ex. 1.74.0.20070914 SP2 = 1.74 with Service Pack 2   To determine the database version in SQL: Use the SQL Server Studio Management Express and open the table "dbo.ACCDBVersion". This will show the database version as well as the Enhanced Alarm Logging and Enhanced Alarm Delivery status. 

Issue AccTrace shows error  "SQLSTATE ERROR CODE: 37000" and "ERROR MESSAGE: [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Failed to load msxmlsql.dll." every extendedlog interval.   The ExtendedLog does not work and no log data are found in the Database. Environment SQL Server Cyberstation NetController. Cause The "msxmlsql.dll" file has been deleted from SQL server by an anti-virus software or the security setting changes. Resolution Obtain the msxmlsql.dll and msxmlsql.rll files from the SQL Server installation kit.  

Issue Which products have been independently assessed by the BACnet International BTL labs? Environment BACnet approvals BACnet Building Controller (B-BC) BACnet Advanced Application Controller (B-AAC) BACnet Application Specific Controller (B-ASC) Other BACnet Device (B-Oth)  Cause The Continuum & I/A Datasheets define that the products are BTL approved, but where can more information be obtained? Resolution Go to the independent BACnet International BACnet Testing Laboratories web site and select Schneider Electric, This shows all of our BACnet approved products and will answer many typical BACnet related questions. See link:  http://www.bacnetinternational.net/btl/

Issue When closing Continuum 1.9x SU (SQL 2005 Express engine on a stand alone workstation),  it shows MFC error message of ACCDataServices and the Windows Event Log shows AlmUtil.dll error message. Environment Continuum SU 1.82 and higher version. Cause There are 3 Windows Schedule Tasks which are created during the DBInitialization->Creation of the Continuum SU workstation. Some possible causes are: If these Schedule Tasks are missing The Windows Schedule Tasks cannot be executed due to that fact that the current login userID is different than the one setup for the Schedule Tasks The password is not correct Resolution Manually create these 3 Schedule Tasks in the SU Cyberstation Alternatively: Uninstall SQL engine, Continuum Reboot the Workstation Reinstall Continuum SU, create a new DB from DB Initialization. Verify these 3 Schedule Tasks are created as below: CS_Distn CS_hrly CS_Minute

Issue The department names were created using all caps. When viewing the attribute after changing and saving to mixed case, it is still all caps.  Environment CyberStation (all versions) Cause Trying to change Department attribute from all caps to mixed case. The change will not save. Resolution When changing just the case of an attribute (like Department) and saving it, it will revert to what you had before the change because CyberStation does not regard a case change as a change. If you want to change the department, for example, from pss to PSS you need to change to something with different characters like pss1 and save it. Then change it to PSS and save it. Now it will be PSS.  

Issue At time it is necessary when troubleshooting to check specific communication settings on a comm port Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2008 Cause Specific commands needed to check communication parameters with precision and to edit them if necessary Resolution Examples of command line parameters needed for Xdriver modbus communication. Command Result p comm2 defaultbaud 9600 comm2 defaultbaud=baud19200 (To set) p comm2 defaultbaud 19200 p comm2 parity None comm2 parity=Odd (To set) p comm2 parity Odd p comm2 stopbits stopbits1 comm2 stopbits=stopbits2 (To set) p comm2 stopbits stopbits2 p comm2 datalength databits8 comm2 databits=databits7 (To set) p comm2 datalength databits7

Issue ACX5740 controllers are found to have lost configuration and programming after power loss.  Environment ACX5740 ACX5720 NCII BCX B4920 Cause Controller cannot restore data from flash memory due to the presence of corrupt or a flash backup that was saved before the controller was redeployed at another location or that has been upgraded to a different firmware version. Resolution From the controller configuration page select Clear Database Backup and commit changes to controller.  Reload the controller. Backup controller to flash to ensure that current information is backed up.

Issue Opening a pinpoint graphic from Continuum Explorer takes long time or cannot open with the error Timeout error.  Environment Continuum LAN with WSs' pointing the shared folder of the pinpoint files. Continuum SU with additional WSs' pointing the shared folder of the pinpoint files Cause It takes longer time for workstation to get connection to the shared folder on the network when the pinpoint is configured to use the ServerName\SharedFolderName (or IP_Address\SharedFolderName) instead of Mapped drive. Resolution Map the shared folder of the server to each workstation as a network drive and use the mapped drive name in the Options setting of the pinpoint editor. Also, check if the issue is related to a Windows profile. Create a new Windows Admin user and see if the slowness persists. If it doesn't then the issue is a corrupted Windows profile.

Issue The Continuum database is created with SQL Compatibility Level 80 (SQL 2000) instead of 100 (SQL 2008). Can this be changed? Environment CyberStation SQL Server Cause The Continuum database is created with a Compatibility Level of 80. This is the default level of SQL 2000. SQL 2008 has a default setting of 100 but Continuum database is still created with a Compatibility Level of 80 even using SQL 2008. Can this setting be changed?  Resolution Continuum SQL installations have always used SQL2000 Version 80 compatibility and are only tested using this configuration, SQL2005 Version 90 or SQL2008 Version 100 configurations are untested in releases up to V1.93.  Compatibility level 100 has been tested in version 1.94, and is supported.

Issue Public time sync Servers for the United States Product Line Andover Continuum, Satchwell MicroNet, Satchwell Sigma, TAC IA Series, TAC INET, TAC Vista Environment IP Level Devices USA Cause Time synchronization is required for accurate alarming and reporting Resolution Here is a web site referencing several US based Time Sync NTP Servers. http://tf.nist.gov/tf-cgi/servers.cgi

Issue Basic information about configuring Continuum for physical access control. Environment CyberStation CX9900 CX9702 CX9680 ACX5720 ACX5740 ACX781 AC1 AC1 Plus Cause Learn the basics and get started with Continuum access control hardware/software. Resolution See the Access Control Essential Guide PDF: Andover Continuum CyberStation v1.93 Access Control Essentials Guide Andover Continuum CyberStation v1.94 Access Control Essentials Guide Andover Continuum CyberStation v2.01 Access Control Essentials Guide

Issue Need to interface Continuum system with 3rd party BACnet Ethernet devices on the network. Environment Continuum BCX4040 Cause Continuum with bCX BACnet IP devices need to share data with BACnet Ethernet device on the network. Resolution Set one of the bCX on the network to be enabled for the BACnet Ethernet in bCX configuration webpage, and set the same value for the BACnet Network ID - Ethernet with the other Ethernet devices. Enabling this option on a BCX allows the BCX to communicate both Bacnet IP AND Bacnet Ethernet, it does not turn off Bacnet IP.

Issue Can the RoamIO service tool be used to view/edit physical access control objects (personnel, areas, doors) Environment RoamIO Cause RoamIO documentation Resolution The RoamIO service tool does not support working with physical access control objects. Door, personnel and area objects in the controller are not exposed to the service tool.

Issue Using a webcam a photo is captured. When attempting to save the captured image to a personnel record it comes in blurry. Environment CyberStation with Episuite Badging option Webcam Cause Captured photo quality in personnel editor is poor. Captured photo in webcam software is excellent.   Resolution The device driver in the image source properties dialog box was changed from the webcam driver to the Windows driver.

Issue Modbus values are not not working reliably and are not updating as expected. Product Line Andover Continuum, TAC INET, TAC Vista Environment Xenta controllers 511, 527, 701, 711, 721, 731 and 913 Cause The amount of Modbus points being polled is excessive for the controller. Resolution The product data sheets indicates no limit to the Modbus points but only 31 Modbus devices over RS-485. With a practical install, a limit of 300-400 Modbus points per Xenta server  would be applicable. If you exceed this level, communications become slower than acceptable. Network performance can be affected when a large number of connection objects are in use ( direct transfers between Modbus and other protocols). There is no documented limitation, but the recommendation is not to exceed 300 connection objects per Xenta Server. Connection polling period should also be considered with a large amount of connection objects.