Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Not getting the pop-ups or the sound when alarms are generated in the Vykon 2.50 Alarm Service (VAS).  However, alarms are being logged to the VAS. Environment  R2, Niagara version 529, 532, 535 Cause No cause stated. Resolution The new vas-2.301.536.v1.jar and vasClient jar files were created to correct the pop-up issue. This resolution applies to the VAS 2.50 Client and the vas-2.301.532.v2.jar. VAS 2.301.536.v1 JAR Files and Client can be downloaded from The Exchange Download Center. Installation of the new vas-2.301.536.v1.jar file Stop the Enterprise Server running the VykonAlarmService Open Windows browser and go to C:\niagara\nre\modules Rename the current vas-2.301.532.v2.jar with the “.old’ extension Copy the new vas-2.301.536.v1.jar file to C:\niagara\nre\modules Restart the Enterprise Server.   Installation of the new vasClient.jar file Stop the VAS 2.50 client. Open Windows browser and go to C:\Program Files\Tridium\Vykon Alarm Service Client 2.50\lib Rename the current vasClient.jar with the “.old” extension. Copy the new vasClient.jar file to C:\Program Files\Tridium\Vykon Alarm Service Client 2.50\lib Restart the vasClient. The vasClient alarm pop-up, along with its sound, should now be displayed when an alarm is generated.

Issue A SIM block in an LNC-100 has a diagnostic ERROR output = 159. Environment Network 8000 LNC-100 Cause See the I/A Series MicroNet LON Network Controller manual, F-26566, Table 3.4, "SIM Block Error Codes", page 18: "Could not read the NV information from the node. NV index does not exist in the specified node. See Appendix A for NV index values. OR The node is possibly offline." Resolution Over the years, we have documented a few different cases of the ERROR = 159, and have found some different causes and resolutions. 1. On new installations, an incorrect data string in a SYS:SIM block could prevent the LNC-100 from communicating with any of the LON controllers, and every SIM block in the database would display ERROR = 159. For example, in one case, the data string in the SYS:SIM block was "DOMAIN0=010000, SUBNET0=1,NODE0=127,ENGLISH,HEARTBEAT=120".  Because the Domain address established by the network management tool used a one-byte address = 01, rather than the 3-byte address entered in the data string, the LNC-100 was not able to communicate with any LON devices. When the data string in the SYS:SIM block was edited to include the correct 1-byte Domain address, "DOMAIN0=01, SUBNET0=1,NODE0=127,ENGLISH,HEARTBEAT=120", the LNC-100 was able to communicate, and the diagnostic error in the SIM blocks was cleared. In another case, setting the NODE0=15, saving the change, then setting it back to NODE0=127 in the data string of the SYS:SIM block enabled LON communications. 2. On existing installations that have been working OK for years, some of the SIM blocks show ERROR = 159, while other SIM blocks continue to communicate normally. Because the LNC-100 continues to communicate normally with some of the LON controllers, you can rule out hardware failure of the LNC-100.       a. The LON nodes (controllers) associated with the SIM blocks displaying the ERROR = 159 might be offline. Use NodeUtil to check the status of the node, and to set it online if possible.       b. The LON controller may have been replaced, and the replacement controller not assigned to the same Domain, Subnet, or Node as the original. The SIM block will not be able to identify the replacement, will display ERROR = 159. Use NodeUtil to identify the LON address of the replacement node(s), and a LON network management tool to assign its Domain, Subnet, and Node to be compatible with the information in the data string of the SYS:SIM block.      c.  The LON controller may have been replaced by a newer model with a different profile, Program ID, and XIF file, so the points mapped in the SIM block no longer correspond exactly to the NVs in the newer profile. Use NodeUtil to extract the XIF file from the new controller, and check the NVs to determine if the NV index or SNVT type are different than those in the original controller. Edit the DATA field(s) in the SIM block to correspond to the new profile in the new controller.

Issue Both the BACnet Comm and the BACnet IP Port are enabled in an ENC-520, but BACnet devices are not being discovered. The Discover button it grayed out. Environment Niagara G3 all version, ENC-520-2, ENC-410 Cause No network adaptor was selected. The ENC's Adapter setting under the station’s BacnetNetwork/Bacnet Comm/Network/IpPort/Link was set to "none". Resolution A network adapter must be selected for the station. - Open the BACnetNetwork of the station and go to Bacnet Comm/Network/IpPort/Link - Click on the arrow next to the Adapter property and select the correct Ethernet adapter - save change - Make sure that the Object Id of the BACnet Local device is set to a unique value other than -1 - A reboot is required after the change. You should now be able to Discover the BACnet devices.  

Issue We are unable to connect to a Niagara G3 ENC-520 whose IP address was incorrectly set. How can the IP address be determined and changed if there's no access via its Ethernet port? Environment Niagar Workbench, ENC-520, ENC-410 Cause Incorrect entry of the IP Address or subnet mask can cause the ENC to appear unresponsive to WorkBench software. Resolution There are two methods available to determine the IP address and subnet mask entered for the ENC. The first method requires having access to the computer used to change the IP address of the ENC. Your Workbench PC records the “before and after” TCP/IP settings made from Niagara platform connections in a a file called "ipchanges.bog". You can review changes from Workbench using the following procedure. Do the following in Workbench: 1. In the Nav tree, expand “My Host” and then “My File System.” 2. Expand “Sys Home” and then “users.” 3. Expand your user folder, then expand “ipchanges.bog.” Child folders are “date-named” using the following convention: d for example, “d20041220171000” for 2004 Dec 20 5:10pm 4. Expand any folder of interest. Underneath each folder are two objects:    • priorValue — TCP/IP settings that existed before this change.    • newValue — TCP/IP settings that existed after this change. 5. Double-click a priorValue or newValue to see settings in the “Tcp Ip Host Editor” (see Figure). The second method requires the use of a terminal program, an UNCC-405 to adapt RS232 to RJ45, and a CBL-RJ45 cable (a standard Ethernet cable no longer than seven feet will do). The HyperTerminal program is used to directly connect to a ENC-520 to verify and to make changes to its IP address in order to make it accessible. HyperTerminal makes it possible to view the ENC's configuration and execute limited commands. Reference the section “Using serial system shell”, located in Chapter 1 of the Niagara AX Install & Startup Guide, on how to directly connect to ENC using HyperTerminal. After connecting to the ENC, use the procedure "Updating Network Settings", which is located in the same Chapter of the guide, to display and/or change the IP address or subnet mask. Failure to enter the subnet mask properly can prevent the UNC from being seen by WorkPlace Pro.          

Issue Explain the difference between the I/A Series R2 timezone settings like CST vs CST6CDT, or PST vs PST8PDT and the Americas/City time zones. Each of the following examples shows the three different ways that the four American time zones can be specified: America/New York or EST or EST5EDT America/Chicago or CST or CST6CDT America/Denver or MST or MST7MDT America/Los_Angeles or PST or PST8PDT   Environment I/A Series R2 UNCs and Enterprise Servers Cause Various ways to specify the location in terms of the time zone and the daylight savings start/end dates. Resolution Each of the following three entries specify the same part of the United States and the usual daylight savings time dates (2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March through 2:00 AM on the first Sunday of November) America/New York or EST or EST5EDT America/Chicago or CST or CST6CDT America/Denver or MST or MST7MDT America/Los_Angeles or PST or PST8PDT For parts of the Unites States that do not observe daylight savings time or have different daylight savings time rules, specify the appropriate "America/City" selection, for example: America/Indianapolis for those parts of the state of Indiana that are in the Eastern Time Zone. America/Phoenix is used for the entire state of Arizona, which does not observe any daylight savings time. To specify a time zone where no daylight savings time is observed, you would select the appropriate entry from the entries that begin with Etc/GMT+xx or Etc/GMT-xx where xx specifies the hours from GMT or UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).

Issue Does the part number for Modbus RS-485 (IA-DRV-MOD) have to be purchased four times in order to support all four available RS-485 ports? Environment Niagara R2 all versions Cause Job site will integrate to four different vendor products using Modbus to one UNC-520. Resolution A UNC-520 supports up to four separate Modbus Async Networks each using a separate ModbusAsyncService. Only one part number has to be ordered for the UNC (part # IA-DRV-MOD).

Issue Can I run multiple connections with Remote Desktop Services or Microsoft Terminal Server Services to allow more simultaneous sessions of I/A Series G3 Workbench on a computer? Environment I/A Series G3 Enterprise Network Server, ENS, Workbench Cause This occurs when a computer with a single Enterprise Server is configured with Remote Desktop or Terminal Server Services to allow multiple users to have concurrent sessions of the Workbench running simultaneously. Resolution The Tridium EULA (End User License Agreement) does not permit Workbench concurrent sessions. Per the EULA, each session should originate from a separately purchased and licensed version of Workbench.

Issue Do the I/ A Series (MNL- or MNB-) controllers support more than one S-Link sensor? Environment I/A Series controllers: MNL-50, MNL-100, MNL-200, MNL-V1, MNL-V2, MNL-V3, MNL-800, MNB-V2, MNB-300, MNB-1000 S-Link sensors; MN-S1, MN-S1HT, MN-S2, MN-S2HT, MN-S3, MN-S3HT, MN-S4, MN-S4HT, MN-S5, MN-S5HT Cause Want to connect 2 S-LINK sensors to an I/A series controller Resolution No, only one S-Link sensor per controller is supported. Currently, there are no plans to add the capability of supporting a second sensor.

Issue A Niagara R2 UNC will not keep time accurately.  The time doesn't just drift a few seconds.  It is jumping around by hours.  Trying to change the time in the Admin Tool does not work.  The following error appears in the standard output window on startup of the UNC:  ERROR: Cannot load /tffs/rel//nre/lib/timezones.txt ---------- Station Starting:   THU FEB 28 14:41:44 2013 ---------- ERROR: Cannot load /tffs/rel//nre/lib/timezones.txt   java.lang.NumberFormatException Tridium Niagara Station, r2.301.532.v1 [B_Floor_1] MESSAGE: ErrorLogService installed [/B_Floor_1/services/ErrorLogService] GcmCommService Revision 2.304.532.v1 Start service: ControlEngineService [19] ControlEngineService Start service: UiEngineService [20] UiEngineService Start service: NotificationService [2] NotificationService Start service: LogService [21] LogService Start service: AuditLogService [22] AuditLogService Start service: ErrorLogService [23] ErrorLogService Start service: TimeSyncService [26] TimeSyncService Start service: LonWorksService [28] LonWorksService Opened lon / LON1 >>> Lon Driver opened! Start service: GcmCommService [24] GcmCommService Comm Ports:   COM1 (serial)   COM2 (serial)   COM3 (serial)   COM4 (serial)   COM5 (serial)   COM6 (serial) Start service: VserialService [25] VserialService MESSAGE: Station started successfully. (HTTP port=80) [/B_Floor_1] Environment Niagara R2 Cause Corrupt timezones.txt file Resolution The timezones.txt file is corrupt.  Copy and paste the contents of this file from a functional UNC and paste it into the problem UNC. The timezones file can be accessed via the Admin Tool dropdown menu.

Issue Can a UNC-600 or UNC-610 be replaced with a UNC-410?  The installed UNC is in disrepair and it only does a LON integration of approximately 25 controllers. Environment Niagara R2 Cause UNC onsite no longer working as well as being obsolete and un-repairable Resolution As long as the station being transferred from the UNC-6x0 is not large, then the UNC-410 will perform well as a replacement unit. The UNC-410 only has 300,000 resources and is limited to 27 LON controllers. If more LON controllers must be integrated, then a special request to open the license to a higher node count must be submitted to the Marketing Manager and approved by him.

Issue Unable to assign a foreign address to the I/A Series R2 Configurable Analog Input object to expose for BACnet use. Environment I/A Series R2, Analog Input, Configurable Analog Input Cause The native I/A Series R2 Analog Input object is designed to not pass an NaN from input to output. The output will hold the last valid value when the input is NaN.  The Configurable Analog Input object, available from the programLib, can be configured to pass the NaN. Attempting to assign a foreign address to the I/A Series R2 Configurable Analog Input object to expose for BACnet use generates the following warning example. WARNING: Unable to export object: no BACnet equivalent object type for SpaceTemp [/B12B4_5/services/BACnetService] Resolution Only native I/A Series R2 objects (AI, AO, BI, BO, MSI, MSO calendar and schedule) can be exposed as Bacnet points using the foreign address inside the properties of the Niagara object.  Even though the ConfigurableAnalogInput is derived from the base AnalogInput class, the associated BACnet module is not designed to process as native object. The only workaround is to replace the ConfigurableAnalogInput object with a native AnalogInput object and adjust the application accordingly.

Issue I/A Series G3 Security Alert Security Patch Released for 3.5 and 3.6 to remove a directory traversal vulnerability allowing a user with a valid user account or guest privileges to escalate his or her privileges on a Niagara AX based system. Product Line TAC IA Series Environment IA Series G3 - Versions 3.5.xx and 3.6.xx Cause The patch addresses a new vulnerability that was publicly disclosed in January 2013 at a security analyst conference by two security researchers – Billy Rios and Terry McCorkle. The patch removes a directory traversal vulnerability allowing a user with a valid user account or guest privileges to escalate his or her privileges on a Niagara AX based system. Resolution Schneider Electric strongly recommends all customers apply the security patch to any existing 3.5 or 3.6 systems to correct this vulnerability. Customers with systems running a version of I/A Series G3 released prior to 3.5 should purchase an upgrade to the latest version of the Niagara Framework software in order to take advantage of the latest security improvements. Download and review TPA-IA-13-0003.00 Technical Product Advisory that details the vulnerabilities and security patch installation instructions. Security patches are available for download from The EcoBuilding Download Center: Security Patches. Note: The patch does not affect any standard Niagara configuration or functionality. The only impact of the change is to remove the vulnerability.

Issue WorkPlace Tech is connection to the site via VPN. An ENC-520 on site is setup as a BBMD device. The ENC and MNB-1000 are on the same subnet. The ENC’s address is entered in the “Access a remote internetwork” in WPT Commissioning Tool. WorkPlace Tech initially discovers the MNB-1000 device. The MNB-1000 is displayed in the Commissioning Tool, but grayed out. The MNB-1000 controller eventually displays the Lost Communication Icon. Environment WorkPlace Tech Commissioning Tool - all versions Cause The default gateway is incorrectly set in the MNB-1000. Resolution MNB-1000 controllers must have a valid IP address, Subnet Mask address and Default Gateway address for the communication ports to function properly.   Use WorkPlace Tech Commissioning Tool to set the correct default gateway IP address in the MNB-1000.

Issue Serially connected to a GCM-84000 with a pc running OS/2 and UltiVist.  There is no existing database in UltiVist.  The GCM database will be uploaded to create a new one.  The COM port in the GCM was configured correctly.  The serial cable is also correct and tested with Hyperterminal.  The E: EQUIPMENT SEGMENT in UltiVist is configured correctly and a serial COM port has been added to the W: WORKSTATION & USERS segment.  The UltiVist Background Apps are all running and configured. When trying to access the GCM's Time and Date, an error appears in place of the time and date and reads:  PTP no running. Environment UltiVist GCM-84000 Cause The default settings of the COM port must be modified to suite connectivity to a GCM-84000 which are different than the settings required for a GCM-86000. Resolution Right-click the COM port in the W: WORKSTATION & USERS segment and go to Settings. On the Port Setup tab, ensure the following settings are changed as indicated: IDSR = OFF ODSR = OFF OCTS = OFF DTR = OFF RTS = ON Shut down UltiVist including the UltiVist Background Apps and re-start.  This will re-initialize the serial COM port with the new settings listed above.

Issue The I/A Series Enterprise Server, ENC-410, or ENC-520 does not recognize its own Onboard Ethernet/IP Adapter under BACnet Comm: Network: Ip port: Link.  The binding should be automatic to the IP address and the selected Ethernet adapter of the host Niagara platform, but no Ethernet adapter is listed in the “Adapter” property. Environment I/A Series G3, Enterprise Network Server, ENC-SW, ENC-520, ENC-410 Cause On startup, the station was loading the "Drivers" before the "Services". The Services must come first to prepare the ports before the Drivers are loaded. The station’s Services must be listed before (above) Drivers in the Nav tree.   Resolution - Open the running station in Workbench and then right click on Config and select "Reorder". - Select “Drivers” from the list and click the “Move Down” button to move Drivers under Services in the list. Click the okay button - Save and reboot station.  

Issue What are the standard features of a Jace-6 and Jace-7? Environment Niagara G3 Cause Ordering them for a new job Resolution Each jace comes with Web Browser Support, Enterprise Connectivity Pack, and oBix Client/Server. For more details, review the License Form located on The Exchange Download Center.

Issue Logs in the UNC are not archiving to the Enterprise Server Environment I/A Series R2 Universal Network Controller (UNC) and Enterprise Server Cause The UNC station and the Enterprise Server station have their LogService 'archiveMode' property set to 'archive_disabled'.  Resolution Change the LogService 'archiveMode' in both the UNC station and the Enterprise Server station.  1. Set the UNC station's LogService 'archiveMode' to 'archive_remote'. The 'archiveAddress' property should have 'Supervisor' checked.  2. Set the Enterprise Server station's LogService 'archiveMode' to 'archive_local'. (The “archive_local” selection is valid only if the station is running the DatabaseService) The following have to be also correct in order for log archiving to happen: AddressBook entries should be properly setup in the Enterprise Server and UNC stations. Refer to Page 1-15 and 1-16 of the Niagara Standard Programming Reference for further information.  Supervisor checkbox in the UNC's LogService 'archiveAddress' property should be checked. In the Niagara Log Object properties, the 'archiveSetup' property should have 'nearFull' or 'daily' checked. It is recommended that both of these be checked. 

Issue How can a TreeTech database be moved from one computer to another? Environment TreeTech - all versions Cause New pc purchase Resolution The project backups are stored in a "Jobs" folder.  The folder location in Windows 7 is:  C:\ProgramData\Schneider Electric\TreeTech\JOBS The folder location in Windows XP is:  C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Schneider Electric\Jobs Use any compression utility to create a .zip or .rar of this folder.  Unzip the file in the destination computer in the same folder path.

Issue Does the Enterprise Server license have a 'node count' like the server license in Niagara R2? Environment SmartStruxure Niagara R2 Cause Comparing the order processes between I/A Niagara R2 and SmartStruxure Resolution The Enterprise Server has an open license.  There is no 'node count' built into it as is the case with Niagara R2. Keep in mind that version 1.3 of SmartStruxure supports a maximum of 32 AS controllers (for optimum system performance).

Issue An R2 station is unable to communicate with any BACnet -MSTP controllers. Error in Standard Output Window: "ERROR: Cannot open BACnet MSTP Driver tridium.nre.DriverException: Cannot open Com5 [mstp]       at tridium.nre.vxworks.mstp.VxWorksMstpDriver.doOpen (bytecode 46)       at tridiumx.bacnet.services.link.mstp.MstpLinkService.start (bytecode 63)" Environment R2 station with BACnet/ MSTP trunk Cause The port specification is case-sensitive, and Com5  incorrectly includes lower-case characters. Resolution The MSTP port specification should be changed to COM5.