Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Some sites may want to have continuous recording at 1 fps (frame per second), motion at 10 fps and alarm conditions (live) at 30 fpx Environment Continuum Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2008 Cause An attempt is made to find a place in Continuum where the frame rate can be edited, but the location of the feature cannot be found. Resolution There is no place in Continuum to adjust the frame rate per second for different features for Digital Sentry or Endura. The only adjustment that can be made in Continuum is that on record video playback, the fast forward button can clicked several times in order to move faster. To go back to normal speed click the play button again. All other frame rate adjustments have to be made in DS admin for Digital Sentry or in Endura.

Issue S-Flex VFD with BACnet card will not come online with bCX Environment S-Flex, bCX, MSTP Cause BACnet communication card that comes with S-Flex VFD is not set up by default to communicate via BACnet  Resolution S-Flex VFD has Altivar 21 BACnet Card VW3A21315. The default communication protocol setting for this card is Modbus RTU/Lonworks. Change setting of the communication protocol parameter F829 to a value of 4 (BACnet). Note: Must power cycle the drive for any settings to take effect. Set F800 (comm speed) to value of 1 - this is the default ,19200 and make sure the MSTP is set the same. Set F891 to a value of 2 (bit rate of 19200 bit/s)  Also set F893, F894, F895, F896 - other BACnet settings. See Altivar 21 BACnet Card manual for more information.

Issue CyberStation changed from 1.8x XP machine to 1.94 Windows 7 machine After change OMS controllers do not show online yet BACnet controllers do Environment CyberStation Windows 7 CX99xx bCX9640 Cause Windows firewall blocking communication Resolution Turn OFF windows fire wall.

Issue Continuum crashes with ACCDataServices errors when alarms are dispatched for email delivery. Environment Windows 7 64-bit Outlook 2010 64-bit Cause Problem with Outlook 64-bit installation. Resolution Uninstall Outlook Reinstall Outlook Once Outlook is reinstalled the ACCDataServices crash stops occurring.

Issue Live Eventview not showing name after upgrade. Environment CyberStation Cause Unsure. Resolution The problem went away when the database was updated with enhanced alarm delivery turned on.  

Issue Customer with 1.81 system needs encryption.   Environment CyberStation, ACX57xx Cause Can ACX57xx network security be turned on in a version compatible with CyberStation v1.81. Resolution CyberStation v1.80 added the encryption feature. This is from the CyberStation v1.80 release notes: -------------- 192-bit IPSec/IKE Encryption Support. Encryption and authentication can be enabled for communication between Continuum workstations and controllers. The CyberStation uses IPSec (Internet Security Protocol) and IKE (Internet Exchange Protocol) for encryption. This feature is for use with Netcontroller II (CX968X) and ACX II (ACX57XX) --------------- When running CyberStation v1.80 or 1.81 the ACX2 must be at a v1.0x. When running CyberStation v1.82 or higher you must be at ACX2 v1.1x.  

Issue Need a way to automatically acknowledge alarms. Environment CyberStation Cause All alarms need to be logged in the Continuum database but there are certain alarms routed to another system for processing. It is preferred that these are automatically acknowledged in Continuum so as not to tie up the Continuum logged on user. Resolution Continuum can do this using the Plain English AckAlarm function. Scripts within a Pinpoint graphic can also be set up to do this. Refer to the Continuum online help system and search for 'Alarm' in the index. Select 'Alarm functions, Plain English' and review the four subtopics: AckAlarm, Overview, Pop Alarm and User-defined alarm functions.

Issue What is the difference between the TTS-SD-LCD and the TTS-SD-LCD-4 smart sensors? Environment Field device sensors Cause Documentation Resolution The difference is in the number of buttons, the TTS-SD-LCD has six buttons while the TTS-SD-LCD-4 has only four.

Issue UI-8-10 module is reporting no change of state on inputs when shorted. Environment UI-8-10 Cause Setting the voltage range switch to 10V when the Reference Resistor is in the on position is an invalid configuration. Resolution Change the voltage range settings to 5v on the input.

Issue Continuum controller with the lowest ACC Net Id is the time master of the network and has correct time but it is not updating the other controllers as expected. Environment CyberStation All CX and bCX master controllers. Cause Time master controller does not know about one or more controllers on its Network. Resolution Perform a global teach to ensure the time master knows about ALL the controllers on the network, then do a backup to flash (if applicable ) to make sure if the controller re-starts it still has accurate information about its peers on the network.

Issue How different are these controllers and can they be swapped out in the field? Environment CX9400 CX9410 Cause There are differences between the 2 controllers and there are considerations when swapping them out Resolution The CX9400 has 4 MG of memory The CX9410 has 8 MG of memory.  The co-processors of the controllers are also different, so it was never possible to just add memory in the field, they had to be shipped to repair to add the memory and change the co-processor. The units can be swapped out, but considerations are related to memory. If the functions that are being used are more memory intensive then swapping from the 9400 to the 9410 could cause latency issues or other performance problems.

Issue Where can I find Plain English Drivers and documentation for them. Environment Plain English Drivers Cause Schneider Electric Product Support Services does not supply Plain English Xdrivers, nor are they supported. Resolution Schneider Electric does not provide support for Plain English Drivers and no longer provides support for them There are, however, two xdriver manuals available on The Exchange Download Center. Carrier CCN Dataport Manual (32MP, 30GN, 30GB, 30HX, 30GT, 23XL, 19XR, 19EF) Mammoth DDC Manual

Issue HID iClass SmartCards can be ordered with 2K, 16K and 32K memory. Which memory amount is required when using BioScrypt iClass readers with the Continuum - BioScrypt integration software?   Environment CyberStation, BioScript IClass Smart Cards. Cause A project requires HID iClass SmartCards, BioScrypt iClass readers and the Continuum - BioScrypt integration software. HID 2K iClass SmartCards do not have enough on-board memory to store fingerprint templates.   Resolution If you are configuring the BioScrypt iClass readers for the standard 1:1 TEM fingerprint format, you need 16K memory HID iClass SmartCards. If you are configuring the BioScrypt iClass readers for high resolution 1:1 BUR fingerprint format, you need 32K memory HID iClass SmartCards.  

Issue When integrate with Pelco Endura system, after configure video serer in continuum correctly, there is only one camera can be found, the other cameras not come in. Environment Continuum 1.92~1.94 Endura 2.0 Cause The cameras in Endura not be assigned a sequence number. Resolution Ask Endura engineer to set a unique number to each camera Click "learn Camera" in Continuum video server editor After the above steps done, all the cameras will come in Continuum if the connection in Endura side is correct.

Issue When Continuum integrates with a Pelco Endura system, although the connection is correct, no camera comes in to Continuum. Environment Continuum 1.92~1.94 Endura 2.0   Cause The camera default name assigned by Endura is too long in length. HP software installed on the machine (such as HP protect tools) Resolution Ask the Endura engineer to modify the camera's name and assign a unique number for each one Uninstall the HP software from the machine Click "Learn Camera" in Continuum Video Server editor. If the problem still exists, rebuild the machine and do a fresh installation. Then try again

Issue How to read, and set, a Personnel objects current area. Environment Continuum Cause Want to change the Area a Personnel is currently located in. Resolution You can read the current Area of a Personnel object and use this in a Workstation Program (not a Controller InfinityProgram). The Value attribute of the Personnel object is the Area that Personnel is currently in. In the sample below, Steele_Adam is the name of the Personnel object and AdamsOffice is the name of an Area object. The below will wait on the current line until Steele_Adam returns to his office. Line WAIT1 If Root\CardHolders\Steele_Adam = Root\Areas\AdamsOffice then Goto MONITORING To change the Area of a Personnel object based on their current Area, you need to set the value of the Personnel object to the Area you now want them to be in. The relevant line is the one below where the Area is set. Set Root\CardHolders\Steele_Adam value to Root\Areas\CommonArea

Issue When a Bacnet alarm from BACnet controller (BCX and b3 controller) is acknowledged,  alarm recipient Continuum WS sends out Change-Of-Bitstring packet to the 3rd party BACnet Operator Workstation (BOWS) when the 3rd party BOWS is registered as one of the recipients in the EventNotification of the alarm. Environment Continuum WS. BCX. B4920. B3 controllers.. Cause This packet shows some proprietary behavior of Cyberstation we refer to as the "workstation to workstation ack", that happens in addition to the normal workstation to controller acknowledgement. Cyberstation uses the information in the Recipient List of the NotificationClass object of the original alarm to determine which other devices receive the original alarm, and therefore, should receive the proprietary alarm ack. Resolution As a workaround is as below: From the existing EventNotification, remove all the 3rd party devices from its recipient list. Create a new EventEnrollment & EventNofitication for the same alarming point, and add only the 3rd party devices to its recipient list.

Issue Upgraded to 1.94 SU on new Workstation PC.  Alarm events are no longer displayed in Active Alarm Viewer.  Environment Continuum Cyberstation Continuum Network Cause Continuum Network and an InfinityController shared the same name. Resolution Changed the name of the Continuum Network to a unique object name.

Issue Valid access events not showing up in Event Viewer, List Views or Door AccessEvents tab. No issues with other events such as Invalid Attempts, Momentary Unlock etc Environment CyberStation CX9900 CX9702 CX9680 ACX5720 ACX5740 Cause Department point associated with door has been deleted. As of CyberStation 1.94 the point must be removed from the department point field of all doors before it can be safely deleted.      2.   A department point has been configured at a door using a point that resides in a controller that is in a different Continuum network. Resolution 1. Assign a department point to the door, note that it does not have to be the original point that was deleted, any point will do. 2. Remove the department point from the door.

Issue One of many methods that can automatically backup SQL Express 2005 databases Product Line Andover Continuum Environment SQL Express Continuum Cyberstation Standalone Cause Some customers are looking for a way to automatically have a database backed up on a schedule. Since the free limited version of SQL express that comes built into Continuum for smaller site setups does not come with a front end, backups of the database must be performed via windows command line utility. There are commands available to run at the windows command line but this article will help with performing this operation automatically and on a schedule of your choice whether is be daily, weekly, monthly. This is accomplished by creating a  batch file and using the windows task scheduler. Help on using the task scheduler and also creation of batch files can be found on a simple Google search. In the resolution section below we give one example of how to set this up. Resolution Open up notepad and paste in the sample query below. Please note that you may need to change the query a bit to adjust to your sites needs. Here is the query. Please note the bold and underlined text. You will need to put your machine name and also your SA password in the bold and underlined sections. Also notice where the words backup database continuumdb is in the query. Your database might be named something else, but you can find that out by viewing the database tab of the Continuum database initializations workstation editor. Lastly notice that the location of the backup and the name. In this example there is a directory named DBbackup that you'll need to create for this example or create your own directory and change the path in the query. The name of the backup file is called MyBackup.bak. You will need to change this name to something that is meaningful to your site. The switches below are -S for the servername and in the case of type of command line query -S is your machine since it is the server locally. The switch -U is username and we are using the System Admin account for SQL that was created when the instance was created. The switch -P is password and in this example we are using the sa account so please put in the sa password that you created when first installing SQL express 2005. The switch -Q means command line query and notice that everything in double quotes will be the query. Also notice the single quotes for the path that the database backup will be created at.   sqlcmd -Sputyourmachinename\sqlexpress -Usa -PputyourSApassword  -Q "backup database continuumdb to disk='C:\DBbackup\MyBackup.bak' with init"   Once the query and been corrected and pasted into notepad, save the file as something meaningful like DBbackup.bat notice that the notepad file is not saved as text but as a *.bat file which is a batch file that can be double clicked on to execute. It is advised to test this batch file now to make sure it works. Go to your backup directory and check to make sure you have a backup file. Now the only thing left to do is create a windows scheduled task.  In order to accomplish this you will need to Select Start/All Programs/Accessories/system tools Click on Task Scheduler (this path may vary depending on which windows OS you are running). Under the Actions menu item select Create basic task. Follow the prompts giving your newly created task a name, date to run, time to run Select program and browse to the location you have saved your DBbackup.bat file to. Once created it will run on the time and dates you have selected. You can also select your task in the Task scheduler and right click to run now for a test. IMPORTANT NOTE: Please keep in mind that automatically backing up the database using this method will continue to replace the old backup and create a new backup. it is highly suggested to always verify the backups and maintain enough disk space to complete these tasks.