Building Automation Knowledge Base

Issue How can a modem be configured to receive calls on a Windows XP PC? Environment PC running on Windows XP Modem (dial-up connection) Niagara systems Cause Using PC to directly dial into the Niagara systems. Resolution Open Network Connections Under Network Tasks, click Create a new connection, and then click Next. Click Set up an advanced connection, and then click Next. Click Accept incoming connections, click Next, and then follow the instructions in the New Connection Wizard.

Issue How can the version of the Cloudscape database that is running on a Niagara R2 Enterprise Server be determined? Environment Niagara R2 Enterprise Server Cloudscape database Cause The Cloudscape version can be found in Database Service properties. Resolution In Workplace Pro, Right-click the Database Service in the station, click Go then Properties In the General > Status tab, the databaseProductVersion field will have the Cloudscape version.

Issue Daylight saving (DST) settings when using external time controller. Environment Vista Server NTP External Time Controller Cause Sometimes customers prefer to use an external software and/or device to monitor and set the actual time in the computer, sometimes it also controls the daylight savings. Resolution When using TAC Vista servers in a network with an external time server (e.g. connected to the TAC Vista master server) it might be a good idea to switch of the daylight saving and only use standard time. The daylight saving/standardtime is controlled by the events, $Summer and $Winter. They can be changed in the property menu for the server object. First, make sure that all computers don’t have the checkbox “automatically adjust clock for daylight savings” checked in the date and time property dialog, with this box unchecked, TAC Vista controls the daylight savings on the computer. You also need to set TAC Vista in standard time status (if it isn't already).If it is, go to the properties menu on the server object, Time control. Make sure that “daylight saving difference” is changed from 60 min to 0 min. Then go to the daylight savings menu and uncheck the start and stoptime to make sure that the event doesn’t run next time. Do the same thing in the standard time menu. If you’re in daylight savings mode already, you have to run the standard time event. Do this by selecting weekday and month. e.g. third Wednesday in April. Change the start time to a couple of minutes later, press ok and open the properties dialog again to make sure that next event is happening soon. Check the state in the properties menu on the server object, Time control, it should be standard time now. Now do the settings mentioned in chapter 2. By doing this the external time server now can control time and daylight savings in the TAC Vista network.

Issue Why is the BACnet/MSTP controller MAC address displaying an incorrect value in Workplace Pro? Environment BACnet/MSTP Controller Workplace Pro Cause MAC address on MSTP used number from 1 to 253 Resolution In the Niagara BACnet Integration guide (page 3-8), the MSTP MAC address is expressed as a number from 1-253. Upon entering a number larger than 99, this field will cut off the hundreds digit and keep the remaining two digits. The remaining value will also be expressed in hexadecimal. A decimal 253 would display as hexadecimal 53. To correctly populate this field enter the MSTP MAC address in hexadecimal.

Issue Is there a limit to the number of BACnet objects programmed into a MNB controller? Environment MNB Cause There are two limits to keep in mind.   Resolution The first limit is the memory range of the controller.  Each object type has a specific memory size that it consumes when it is loaded in a controller. The WorkPlace Tech Tool 5.x Engineering Guide Supplement provides memory ranges for each BACnet object. The second thing to consider is the BACnet Instance Number ranges available to each type of object. MNB controllers have a fixed number of available Instance Numbers for each object type.   Refer to the Workplace Tech Tool 5.x Engineering Guide Supplement for each of these ranges.

Issue A BACnet Binary Input object cannot be added to a Niagara R2 container. Environment Workplace Pro Cause In Workplace Pro, BACnet objects must be placed under BACnet devices. Resolution Copy a BACnet Device from the Local Library (/tridiumx/BACnet/objects/BACnetDevice) into the container Add the BACnet object under the device. For more information, refer to the BACnet Integration Reference.

Issue How to configure a PinPoint Graphic to show both the Personnel Object Picture and the Video of the person entering the area. Environment PinPoint Graphic Cause A dual view of the person's credentials as well as a live feed of them entering the area is a good view for security personnel. Resolution Assuming the personnel and door objects and the pinpoint Graphic were created, also create: Create A Video Server From the root click new Video server, add the ip address of the Video Server and account info. Create A Video Layout From the root click on new Video layout. Edit the door in the selected area and open the alarm tab. Add Root\Door access and click enable. In the graphic box add the assigned graphic. In the Video Box add the Video Layout object. Edit the Door access Notification Actions. Add desired actions. Display Video, Display Graphic. Open Pinpoint Graphic.Insert Active component Personnel Picture Assign attribute LastPersonentrd

Issue When logging into a Niagara R2 Enterprise Server station, the default web page displays the following error: ERROR: Invalid template: db/Bacnet522/BACnetTemp/Josh_Plant/JoshIndex. The file does not exist on the server. Environment Niagara R2 Enterprise Server Cause There must be a background HTML page specified in the WebUIservice default template URL field in order for the web pages to display correctly. Resolution Right click the WebUIservice > Properties > Config tab The default template that comes with a new station is /tridium/services/defaultTemplate.html Verify that this is correct For further information, refer to the Niagara Web Solutions Guide.

Issue When attempting to open a Niagara R2 UNC station in Workplace Pro, a pop-up error explains that the station was "Not Found (404)". Environment Niagara R2 UNC Workplace Pro Cause Generally, this error indicates that TCP port 80 is blocked on the PC accessing the UNC. Resolution Most frequently, it is the Windows Firewall blocking the port, although there are other applications that can block the port (e.g. remote access software, antivirus software, Microsoft's IIS). The best way to resolve the issue is to disable the offending application while accessing the UNC. If this is not feasible, then create an exception policy in the application that will allow port 80 communications for the IP address of the UNC. Specific procedures vary from application to application.

Issue When should the MSTP bias resistors be enabled on a MNB-1000? Product Line TAC IA Series Environment BACnet /MSTP trunk under an MNB-1000 Cause RS-485 biasing rules apply to BACnet / MSTP Resolution An MSTP network requires at least one set of bias resistors but no more than two sets. If a UNC device exists on the network it will provide one set of resistors.  No others are needed. If one or more MNB-1000s are on the network, enable only one set of bias resistors.

Issue A BACnet/MSTP network will run longer than 4000 feet. Can the ASD or MicroSmart repeater be used? Environment ASD repeater MicroSmart repeater BACnet/MSTP network Cause ASD or MicroSmart repeater won't extend communication distances on a BACnet/MSTP. Resolution Both repeaters were tested and neither worked on a MSTP network.

Issue A Niagara R2 station listed under localhost won't open.  In the fui.exe console window, this message appears: Requestclient.handshake [serverSessionId=3] Station=josh [0] Station The station never opens. Environment Niagara R2 station Cause This behavior is caused by McAfee Security Centers Proxy Service. Resolution Disable the proxy service and reboot the computer. Follow the steps below to disable this service: Open the Windows services - (Click on Start - Run - then type service.msc) Scroll down to the McAfee Proxy service. Disable this service by right-clicking on the service - select properties - change the startup type to disabled. Reboot the computer. This should allow the station to run correctly on the localhost.

Issue The Vykon Alarm Client will not connect to the Niagara R2 Enterprise Server station. Environment Vykon Alarm Client Niagara R2 Enterprise Server station Cause The Vykon Alarm Client uses TCP port 4321 to communicate with the Enterprise Server. Many firewall, antivirus, and Internet security applications (e.g. Windows Firewall, antivirus & remote access software) block TCP port 4321 by default. Resolution Either disable the offending application, or create an exception policy in the application to open TCP port 4321. To view active TCP connections, open a DOS window, and type: netstat -ano. The output will look something like this: Active Connections Proto Local Address Foreign Address State PID TCP 0.0.0.0:13 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 956 TCP 0.0.0.0:37 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 956 TCP 0.0.0.0:135 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 1368 TCP 0.0.0.0:445 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 4 TCP 0.0.0.0:3011 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 756 TCP 0.0.0.0:6523 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 3752 TCP 0.0.0.0:27700 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 748 TCP 10.1.146.152:139 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 4 TCP 10.1.146.152:2531 72.247.127.34:80 CLOSE_WAIT 3616 TCP 10.1.146.152:2532 72.5.124.55:80 CLOSE_WAIT 3560 TCP 10.1.146.152:2533 72.247.127.11:80 CLOSE_WAIT 3560 TCP 10.1.146.152:4245 10.1.146.32:4321 ESTABLISHED 216 A successful connection to the Enterprise Server will have an entry similar to the last line, where the Foreign Address (e.g. 10.1.146.32:4321) will have a state of ESTABLISHED.

Issue When using Workplace Tech, links won't create between two objects.  No matter what type of objects, the link line remains red and the application will not link the two objects. Environment Workplace Tech Cause In Microsoft Visio, the Snap & Glue feature is disabled. Resolution  To enable Snap and Glue go to Tools > Snap & Glue, then check the Snap box and the Glue box.

Issue Can Signal XP run with a limited user account in Windows XP? Environment Signal XP Limited local user account Cause The application will not run properly with limited local user account. Resolution In order to run Signal XP, the Windows user account must have local administrative privileges.

Issue Will Niagara R2 and G3 applications (ie: Workplace Pro, Workbench) run on a dual-processor/dual core/duo laptop? Environment Niagara R2 Niagara G3 Workplace Pro Workbench Dual core processor PC Cause As per Tridium sales and technical support, both applications will run on dual processor computers, though they have not been specifically tested. For more information on Workplace Pro review document F-26999 and for more information on Workbench review document F-27426. Resolution Minimum hardware requirements for Niagara applications are as follows: R2 - Workplace Pro: Intel Pentium IV 1GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, 1GB hard disk space G3 - Workbench: Intel Pentium IV 2GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, 1GB hard disk space

Issue After manually changing all the COV increments in a Niagara R2 station, the COV increment values never update. Environment Niagara R2 Cause The COV increment property is not fetched during a poll. To receive an update on this property use the Upload All command on the device object. Resolution Follow the steps below in WorkPlace Pro to perform an Upload All on the device object: Navigate to the workspace of the container where the BACnet device object exists. Right click the device object and select upload all. For further information on COV increment refer to the Niagara R2 BACnet Integration Reference manual 

Issue Is an additional license feature required for BACnet/MSTP in a Niagara R2 UNC or Niagara G3 ENC? Environment Niagara R2 UNC Niagara G3 ENC BACnet/MSTP Cause Each COM port require a license to enable BACnet/MSTP Resolution Although the BACnet driver is included with all Niagara R2 and G3 controllers, only the UNC-510-2, UNC-520, and ENC-520 controllers support BACnet/MSTP communications. For the UNC-510-2 and UNC-520, BACnet/MSTP is a license feature that must be purchased separately per COM port desired for MSTP communications (part number: IA-DRV-MST-P). For the ENC-520, BACnet/MSTP is licensed for all COM ports by default.  No additional license purchase is necessary.

Issue When opening an application file in Workplace Tech 5.x, the following error message appears:  "AppXMLAddon error code: -##########" "unknown error."  (where # = random numbers) Environment Workplace Tech 5.X Cause This error is caused by an illegal character in the application's nciLocation snvt. The character looks like a bold vertical line. WorkPlace Tech 4.0 did not have an issue with this character but WorkPlace Tech 5.x generates the above error. Resolution To eliminate the error: Open the application with WorkPlace Tech 5.x and continue to click OK until the drawing opens.  Locate the nciLocation snvt and check its initial value. Delete the unknown character from that entry field, and re-compile the application. 

Issue How can the Niagarad service for Niagara G3 be started? Environment Niagarad service Niagara G3 Cause There are three different ways to start the Niagarad service manually. Resolution From the Windows Start menu: click Programs > Vykon AX Supervisor 3.x.x > Install Platform Daemon Open a DOS window and type - cd\Niagara\Niagara-3.x.x\bin then type plat.exe installdaemon Create a desktop shortcut with the following: C:\niagara\niagara-3.x.x\bin\plat.exe installdaemon