Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue Issues communicating with a Continuum controller after controller hardware replaced. The replacement controller has been assigned identical IP address and ACCNet ID as the controller it replaced. Environment CyberStation CX controller Cause Cached ARP table at gateway device (Router, Switch) contains old MAC address for the controller. Each controller has a unique MAC id that can not be changed. Network gateway devices use special tables to map IP addresses to physical MAC addresses and use the ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) to keep such tables up to date. When a device is replaced, the cache ARP table in a router may for a while contain the physical (MAC) address of the old controller associated with the IP address, this will cause communication problems until the table is updated via ARP (Routers periodically update their ARP tables) or is manually flushed to force an update. Resolution Wait for the gateway's ARP table to update or manually flush the table.

Issue Displaying live or recorded video associated with a door. Environment Video Integration Cyberstation Cause Advice on linking video to access control. Resolution Create your Video Server for your Pelco DVR and find all the cameras. If you have created an Active Event view and added the doors you wish to monitor in that view, you should start to see the events appear as required.   Now to link this to Video Layouts, create a Video Layout by right clicking on the root and select New Video Layout. Select the layout view required, probably a single camera view would be best for 1 door. Right click on the black camera screen, select the Video Server you have previously created with the camera you require for that door. Select the live button and this should show up the image from that camera. Now Edit the Door object, go to the Alarms tab. Click on the ... button next to the Video: field. Select the new Video Layout you have created for that door. Open the Active Event viewer; swipe some cards to get some events in the window. Select one of the events from the door you have setup and then click on the Video icon above, the Video layout for that door will show. You can link each door to a different Video Layout to show the correct camera view. Note: The Active Event View is a view of live information as it happens, once the window is closed the view will be lost. Historical/ logged access data can be viewed from the Event logs and video via the Pelco video system.

Issue Site has many Infinity schedule objects that must be individually edited every year to enter the company's holiday schedule. Environment CyberStation Cause System design Resolution Unfortunately there is no way to share a master holiday schedule, each Infinity schedule object must be configured with the holidays.

Issue Second Continuum SU workstation that had been online now cannot connect to the Continuum database.  Environment Firewall Cyberstation ODBC Cause Firewall was turned enabled on the ContinuumDB workstation. Resolution Turn off firewall on Continuum Server workstation.

Issue Plain English reports programs generate "Object cannot be located in database" when referencing objects in controllers that other workstation can reference. Version number in Controller editor Details page shows 0. The Supported Services field on the Controller editor Details page is empty. Environment Device Node ID Cause In this case the a problem occurred during creation of the workstation.  This may have been due to the fact that a device node ID of 7001 was used in the Workstation configuration.  Resolution From another workstation in offline mode, delete the problem workstation from the Continuum Explorer network view.  Create a new workstation using Continuum DB Initializations Workstation initialization.  Make the Device Node ID equal to the ACCID. If there are any BACnet systems that read or write points to this workstation, the points will have to be remapped once the new node has been created.

Issue Can't find my controller firmware version on the Exchange Online. Controller firmware version has a very high number (1.2009921 instead of 1.2000021) Environment All CX controllers All b3 devices All i2 Infinet controllers Cause Beta version R&D produces special beta versions of the firmware to address specific issues found in the field, these beta versions are identified by the insertion of a high digit in the drop part of the version number (typically a 5, 7 or 9). Typical beta version of NC2 might look like 2.009044 or 2.107033 Resolution Beta versions are sent out on a per case basis and are not posted to the Extranet. Any fix or fixes addressed in a beta version is then included in the next release of the firmware following rigorous regression testing by the SQA department.

Issue Site has many IP level BACnet devices from different vendors and want to separate them into different folders. Environment CyberStation Cause Documentation Resolution Unfortunately there is no way to segregate the IP level BACnet devices in CyberStation. The 'BACnet Devices' container is managed by the system and the user is not allowed to create or move  folders under it.

Issue Alarm generated before the specified alarm delay time. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment CyberStation All master CXs All field devices. Cause If at the end of the alarm delay time the point is still in alarm, Continuum will generate the alarm notification regardless of how many times the point has been in the "return to normal" (RTN) state during the delay period. Resolution Example: Alarm configured with a 60 second delay, point goes in to alarm and the delay timer starts. 45 seconds later the point goes to RTN and then 5 seconds later goes back into alarm. 10 seconds later when the alarm delay ends, the firmware checks the alarm status of the point and finds that it is in alarm. It then sends out an alarm notification to the CyberStation. On the contrary, if the point is not in alarm at the end of the delay period, then a new 60 second delay will be started next time the point goes in to alarm.

Issue What XML tags can be used with the Email and Paging format files to customize the Alarm Email messages? Environment Continuum Cause Not sure what attributes of the alarm can be used and displayed in the Alarm Email message being sent out. Resolution This can also be found in the Online Help file under the help Index topic "Preferences for Device Attributes". This shows the preference options to select the email format files and the XML tags that can be used in those files. The list of tags is below. XML Tag Description <\date> The date of the alarm. For example: Friday, October 9, 2009. <\time> The time of the alarm. For example: 4:37:59 pm. <\name> The name of the object that generated the alarm. <\value> The current value of the alarm. For example: 190.00 <\state> The state of the alarm. Values can be : Alarm, Return to Normal, Acknowledged, or Fault. <\priority> The current priority of the alarm. <\type> The type of alarm that was triggered. <\message> The text message of the alarm. This is the message that is entered in the Text Message field on the Feedback tab of the AlarmEnrollment Editor. <\eventnotification> The name of the event notification for this alarm. <\operatortext> The operator text for this alarm (set by those who acknowledged this event). <\useractions> The user actions for this event. <\acknowledgedby> The user name of the person who acknowledged this event. <\acknowledgeddatetime> The date and time of this acknowledgement. <\silencedby> The user name of the person who silenced this event. <\silenceddatetime> The date and time of this silence event.

Issue Two Carel BACnet gateways, when connected to the MSTP one at a time then doing 'Find BACnet devices' they show up under the BACnet folder but if connected together they do not. Environment CyberStation bCX4040 Cause Continuum enhanced MSTP mode is interfering. Resolution Disable Continuum enhanced MSTP mode.

Issue A CyberStation is getting Infinity alarms but not BACnet alarms. Environment CyberStation bCX4040 b3s Cause BACnet routing information not available due to missing or incorrect BBMD configuration Resolution Configure a BBMD in the sub-net where the workstation is located.

Issue When importing custom format card records, Continuum fails to create personnel objects for records where the card number has seven or more digits. Environment CSV Import Personnel records Custom Format Cause Continuum defaults to Infinity_37 When the card format is not specified in the import file.  While custom formats can accommodate larger card numbers, Infinity 37 cards only support card numbers up to 524287. Resolution Add a attribute column for cardtype. Under the card format column for each card, add Customwiegand.

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 Error 'Operation was not performed' when trying to run a Graphic object. Environment CyberStation Cause Corrupted Continuum installation Resolution Uninstall Continuum Delete Continuum folder  (make sure to save any needed files such as pin, menu etc) Delete Continuum entries in the registry (Make sure to backup registry as a precaution) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Andover Controls\Continuum HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Andover Controls\Continuum Re-install Continuum

Issue Have a device that requires a 4-20 mA current signal to drive it but only have a 0-10Vdc output available. Can this be accomplished with a resistor bridge on the 0-10Vdc output?  Environment xpBA4 Cause The xPBA4 does not support driving a current output by default. Resolution It does not look like those outputs will be able to support a 20mA signal. The datasheet does not specify this but looking at another controller with a similar output, the i2867, we can see that the output rating for the 0-10Vdc output is 5mA maximum, 2Kohm minimum impedance. This would not be enough to drive a 4-20mA device. It may be possible to get a third party voltage to current convertor but then again it may just be easier to use one of the xPAO4's that already supports a 4-20mA output. I suggest using an xPAO4. The xPAO4 module can output current as well as voltage. The module has three pins on each output terminal; current (I), voltage (V), and ground (GND). It can output both 0-10VDC as well as 4-20mA. Connect your device that needs 4-20mA to the I and GND terminal and create your output with an ElecType set to Current. See datasheet Andover Continuum xP Expansion I/O Family for details on each available module.

Issue The PowerUptime value is later than the current time. This issue may cause some program cannot run if the PowerUptime value is checked in that program. Environment TAC Continuum BCX-1 BACnet Controllers, for example B3851 B3867 B3887 and so on. Infinity Controllers, for example I2851 I2867 I2887 and so on. Cause Maybe there are two reasons. The first reason may be that the computer installed Continuum Workstation don’t synchronize time with the Domain server. The second reason may be that the controller has been learned in another Continuum Workstation, and that Workstation time is error. Resolution Firstly, interrupt the controller’s power. After approximately half a minute, reconnect the controller’s power.

Issue Modbus XDriver value may have to be converted to obtain correct value. Example: Temperature point read from slave device as 7985.00 must be divided by 100 to obtain its correct value of 79.85 Environment CyberStation All CX master controllers Modbus XDriver Cause For various reasons slave devices may store values in a different format such as storing the floating point value 79.85 as an integer 7985, in such cases the read value has to be converted on the Continuum side. Typically these conversions involve dividing or multiplying the read value by a multiple of 10 Resolution Consult the documentation of the slave Modbus device, typically the listing specifies the required conversion EXAMPLE: Here is an example from the C-TRAC3 HVAC controller Modbus documentation. Ambient Temperature Sensor - Description: Outdoor ambient sensor generally located in the outside air inlet. - Read only - Modbus® register: 30709 - Return value: The floating point variable inside the C-TRAC3 has been multiplied by 10 then converted into a Signed Integer which is sent out on the Modbus® port. To reconstruct a single precision number, divide the returned integer value by 10. - Sensor range: -46 to 160 °F In the example above the read value must be converted by dividing it by 10, this can be done directly upon referencing the value or a second numeric point can be created to hold the converted value, a PE program reads the raw value, makes the conversion and stores the results in the secondary numeric point. 

Issue Continuum Reports Suite runs under Administrator level user, but will not run under a user group to which the Administrator privileges have been copied. Environment Continuum Reports Suite Cause User group properties were incorrectly copied from the administrator user group to the user group used in this case. Resolution Enable all permissions for the user group attached to the user name that cannot run the reports.  Once reports have run successfully start locking down the necessary privileges in groups testing Continuum Reports between each phase.

Issue Forward and Log should not be selected under Recipient Configuration when Enhanced Alarm Logging and Enhanced Alarm Delivery is in effect. Environment Event Notification Duplicate alarms Cause When Enhanced Alarm Logging and Enhanced Alarm Delivery is in effect, the Forward and Log checkboxes should not be selected under Recipient Configuration . Resolution When Enhanced Alarm Logging and Enhanced Alarm Delivery is in place, the Log and Forward checkboxes under the event notifications Recipient Configuration should be unchecked.

Issue What can cause RAW alarms seen in alarm log? Environment Continuum error alarm log List View Cause The two most common reasons for seeing Raw Alarm Errors are... Alarms have been updated or deleted offline Continuum DB server is being overloaded. When this occurs, the alarm event coming off the wire gets dropped in the Raw alarm table to get its name and all other information rendered out into a readable format.  If the server is too backlogged the alarm could fall off the raw alarm table before the rendering is complete which in turn would generate the Raw Alarm error. Resolution If the alarm has been updated or deleted offline, reloading the controllers should remove these RAW alarm errors.  This will ensure the database is fully synchronized with the controllers. If there are indications that SQL is overburdened steps should be taken to address this issue.

Issue Cyberstation Online Help for Workstation editor Time Tab contains incorrect information. Environment Cyberstation online help Cause The highlighted text in the Workstation Time Tab online help is inaccurate.    Note: When entering this number, use the opposite sign (negative or positive) from what you actually want the system to write. For example, if you are 300 minutes (5 hours) ahead of GMT, enter: -300 For example, if you are -240 minutes (4 hours) behind GMT, enter: 240 Resolution Under UTC Offset, the Note should read as follows: Note: When entering this number, use an negative integer to specify time zones to the West (earlier than) Greenwich Mean time and a positive integer to specify time zones that are to the east of GMT. For example, if you are 300 minutes (5 hours) ahead of GMT, enter: -300 For example, if you are 240 minutes behind (later than) GMT, enter: 240