Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue After restoring a backup set to an AS, MSTP communication is lost and no BACnet folder appears under the System Hardware folder. Environment AS System Time Backup Restore Cause System time was not set in the AS prior to restoring the backup. Resolution Set system time prior to restoring the backup. The BACnet folder may be restored if the AS system time is set subsequent to restoring the backup and the AS is warmstarted.

Issue At times it is necessary to monitor an external variable to trigger action in SmartStuxure Lite Environment Smart Struxure Lite Smart Struxure Continuum AS MPM Windows 7 Windows Server 2008 Cause Need the ability to trigger actions from an external variable to run a lua script Resolution Use a lua script in your MPM that copies the value of ME.PG#_ENABLE.value to an Analog/binary value. This value can then be seen from the AS or BCX through bacnet and you can have the AS or BCX do different functions depending on that value

Issue @TriggeredTimeStamp does not always report the last time an object transitioned to an off-normal state. Environment Alarms Substitution Codes Event Notifications. Cause Both the Normal and the Reset alarm states represent conditions where the alarmed object has assumed an acceptable value and is not in alarm Reset = The object has returned to a normal state but the return to normal notification has not been acknowledged. Normal = The object has returned to a normal state and the return to normal notification has been acknowledged. The TriggeredTimeStamp value is updated only when the object transitions from a Reset Alarm State to an Alarm Alarm state. The TriggeredTimeStamp value is not updated when the object transitions from an Alarm Alarm State to a Reset Alarm state. If an object goes into alarm and that alarm event is never again acknowleged, the Triggered Time Stamp will continue to reflect that initial alarm transition time regardless of how many times the object goes into and out of an alarm state. Resolution In order to get the Triggered Time Stamp to update, the notification must be acknowleged so that the alarm can return to a Normal state (rather than Alarm State = Reset) before it transitions to Alarm. 

Issue An offline edit in PCS deploys successfully. When viewed in Workstation, the Automation Server is online, but all b3s are offline. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment SmartStruxure 1.50 PCS AS 1.5 BACnet interface Cause The b3s have a BACnet Device ID which is different from that assigned to b3s in PCS. The BACnet device ID can not be modified in PCS after it has been assigned. Resolution It is best to modify the BACnet Device ID in Continuum: Use a BCX4040. Connect with b3 devices one by one or together Bring b3s online in Continuum Workstation Modify the BACnet Device ID for each b3 to the BACnet Device ID assigned in PCS Go back to SBO Workstation. b3s should be online.

Issue After about 30 minutes of communicating fine they will go off line in the AS. Environment BACnet, AS v1.41 Cause Time sync service running on the Lynxspring JACEs Resolution Restarting the Lynxspring controllers temporarily resolves the offline problem. Turning OFF the time sync service running on the Lynxspring JACEs permanently resolved the offline problem. 

Issue Issues with port 80 after  WebReport installed on same machine as ES Environment ES WebReport Cause Port 80 conflict Resolution If you installed everything on the same machine and you didn't change the port on the ES you need to make some changes to avoid port 80 contention First change the ES port from 80 to something else like 8080    Open StruxureWare Building Operation Software Administrator    Change the default port from 80 to 8080    Stop and Restart the Service    Open StruxureWare Building Operation Workstation    Be sure to log in using @localhost:8080 instead of @localhost:80 Then you need to reconfigure WebReport to let I know the ES is using port 8080, this is normally specified during installation, there is an utility that lets you change it very easily which can be downloaded from the community.  

Issue A PCS deploy fails and an error message comes up with the text "Xif nnn could not be found" Environment Project Configuration Server (PCS) StruxureWare Building Operation 1.5 and newer Cause An import originating from a live system that has LON network containing network variables on the local node becomes a potential risk in PCS, but will import correctly as long as no local node variables are deleted. There is not currently support for dynamic update of changes on the local node in PCS. Resolution Leave an import containing Local Node variables unchanged, if importing to PCS

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 Services for assistance. Issue When viewing a meter consumption report, the values shown in the report does not match the values in the extended trendlog in SmartStruxure Environment SmartStruxure 1.5 and below Web Reports Cause Generally this will happen if the meter is reset and that time the last value of that meter will set a BaseValue. To calculate the total consumption of the meter we are adding the BaseValue to the offset. This means that the value shown will be the logged value + the offset. In some cases however you would want to completely reset the log and just show the same values that are represented in the extended trendlog. It has been identified, that a defect causing a trend logging a 0 after each restart triggers this reset. Request the latest hotfix for 1.5 from Product Support in order to avoid this happening in the future.   Note: This issue (Defect #26360) has been fixed in 1.6.1 release. Resolution 1. Open "SQL Management Studio" and connect to the database "StruxureWareReportsDB" 2. Locate the log you want to reset using this query: SELECT * FROM tbLoggedEntities 3. Note the ID of the log you want to reset 4. Reset the log using the following query, replacing xxxx with the ID of the log DECLARE @id INT SET @id = xxxx UPDATE tbLoggedEntities SET BaseValue = 0 WHERE ID = @id UPDATE tbLogTimeValues SET FloatValue = OdometerValue WHERE ParentID = @id ##WARNING## The above script will reset BaseValue to 0 this may impact on any previous Meter Readings.  Please contact Product Support to discuss this if you have concerns before applying this script.

Issue How to relinquish a priority on multiple BACnet objects from a list view or search. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Workstation Automation Server Enterprise Server Cause Need to relinquish a value in the priority stack for multiple points at once. Resolution In the list view or search select all of the objects in question (IMPORTANT: Only objects of the same class type should be selected) Open the property grid by clicking the red check mark. Go to the Command tab and remove the value from the priority that is to be relinquished then save the change NOTE: As of 1.5 the above steps work ONLY for objects of analog type. In the screen shot above: Use back space to remove the 1, leaving the field blank Save the change SBO will relinquish priority 16 on all the objects selected in the list view or search. 

Issue Which versions of SIGNAL can be migrated to SBO? Environment SIGNAL Cause The migration manual does not identify which versions are accepted. Resolution Two versions of SIGNAL can be backed up and migrated to SBO:  Version 4.4.1 (for Windows 95/98) and Version 5.0.0 (for Windows XP).

Issue i2887/ b3887 Cool starts on Power failure Environment i2887, b3887 i2887-L-230, b3887-L-230 i2887-L-115, b3887-L-115 Cause The i2887 and b3887 do not have a RAM battery backup. Resolution The i2/b3887 is one of the range of low cost i2/b3 controllers that does not have a RAM backup battery. It has no concept of a Warm start that would save working values in the RAM. It does however have Flash Memory that allows the controller to save all of its points and programs. After a power outage these points / programs will be copied into RAM and start running from their first line (if they are Autostart) in what is called a Cool Start. Its ACCRestartMode mode will be ACCCoolStartOnly.   Other i2/b3 controllers that do have a RAM backup battery will allow the ACCRestartMode to be changed as required.

Issue The Extended Trend Logs stop updating in Enterprise Server.  When the ES is rebooted the trend logs resume. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Enterprise Server Cause The Extended Logs Maximum transfer interval is set too low causing it to trigger again before it has managed to finish the last read. Resolution Increase the Maximum transfer interval setting of the Extended Log.

Issue When editing a Script program, the Automation Server or Enterprise Server crashes when clicking "Save." After that, the connection is never restored to the server. The server needs to be formatted, software reloaded, and a backup restored to it. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment SmartStruxure 1.0.0 to 1.5.0 Cause In SmartStruxure 1.5.0 and earlier, publics were not supported in Script functions although they could be used. If used, the server will crash in some cases and render the database unusable. Resolution The workaround is to not use publics in Script functions in the affected versions. The issue is solved from version 1.6 RC.

Issue Manually add individual components to a Component Library Environment TGML Graphics Editor Cause Components are sometimes stored as a file type TGMLCOMPONENT File with the extension .tgmlcomponent file. Resolution Open the Graphics Editor and Select a Component Category you wish to add components to Open Windows Explorer and browse to the .tgmlcomponent files. Drag the file(s) from Windows Explorer to the the TGML Graphics Editor Component Category window. Click OK or press enter to acknowledge each file as it is added.

Issue The Modbus communication stops from time to time, and never gets back until the COM port is reconfigured. The device is still online; it is only the values that will not update. This is usually only an issue if Modbus groups are used. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment SmartStruxure 1.5 Automation Server Cause If a trendlog with a very long sample time (e.g. 1 hour) is set to log a point and nothing else is bound to the Modbus device, all values from the device will be updated at the same interval as the trendlog. This is solved in newer versions. Resolution Add a single Modbus point to a new Modbus group. Set the group poll rate to the same as the Device poll rate. To enable polling of the Modbus point, add an alarm that will not activate. This will result in polling of the device at the group poll rate.

Issue How many Function block can i add under a Local node Environment Struxureware Server (1.6) Cause Struxureware was built around that 50 function block should be supported under a local node Resolution Struxureware was built around that 50 function block should be supported under a local node however we never added a limit so you can add more, this is however not supported.

Issue The historical reads will fail from time to time due to process data failure Environment Report Server 1.6.0 and below Cause This is due to the ValueAfter and ValueBefore column in the tbEvents table of Reports db. ValueAfter and ValueBefore Columns were designed as float datatype, When the Reporting Agent tries to convert the NeuronId of a LonWorks device (which is one of the data for ValueAfter and Valuebefore Columns) as a float then this issue occurs. Due to this Reporting Agent will trigger the ES Read again. Resolution With the change of ValueAfter and ValueBefore to nVarChar datatype, the issue gets solved. These changes are included in Web reports 1.6.1. 

Issue 'TotalHistoricalRecords read so far' counter in the reporting agent log does not match the number of records read. Below is an example taken from a Reporting agent log: INFO 2014-12-09 10:41:18 - TotalHistoricalRecords read so far = 59 INFO 2014-12-09 10:41:18 - The log has IncludeInReports = true INFO 2014-12-09 10:41:18 - Trend LoggArray.FirstRecordInSource= 1 INFO 2014-12-09 10:41:18 - Trend LoggArray.LastRecordInSource= 9797 INFO 2014-12-09 10:41:18 - Last record stored in reports database = 9780 INFO 2014-12-09 10:41:18 - Getting records from server: start sequence = 9781, Number of recordsrequested = 17 INFO 2014-12-09 10:41:18 - TotalHistoricalRecords read so far = 75 In this case 17 records are requested: 9797-9780 = 17. Counter for 'TotalHistoricalRecords read so far' = 59 before getting logs. After getting logs, 'TotalHistoricalRecords read so far' = 75. 75-69 = 16.  Environment SmartStruxure WebReports Enterprise Server  Cause This is caused by 'null' values in the extended trend log being read. Any value that equals 'null' in the extended trend log will not be added to the WebReports SQL database. Resolution None. The product is working correctly.

Issue All Script programs in the AS have status unloaded. How do I get them working again? Environment Struxureware Building Operation 1.5. Cause A script program had an output binding that was linked to a PVR block in a Function block program. It looks like on the server boot up, the script engine tries to start up before the function block engine does and when an output of a script sees that the binding is null, it throws an exception and shuts down the script engine. This only seems to be a problem when binding a script programs output to any PV type in a function block program. Resolution  Bind to a Numeric output instead of a PVR block in the function block program.

Issue After changing the sa password in SQL Server Management Studio, subsequent logon attempts fail. Environment SQL Server 2008 Cause It appears that SSMS retains the last saved password in its cache when the Remember Password checkbox is selected, even when the new password is entered into the password field. Resolution Deselect the Remember Password checkbox and login to SSMS.