Building Automation Knowledge Base

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 for assistance. Issue Unable to view PINs in the User screen if “Allow PIN Duplication” is checked   Product Line EcoStruxure Security Expert Environment Security Expert Server Cause This is viewed as a Site Security Enhancement feature Resolution Disable both the "Require Dual Credential for Keypad Access" and "Allow PIN Duplication" options

Issue A 4 Channel xP Module such as an xpBD4 appears to reserve 8 channels in Security Expert Product Line EcoStruxure Security Expert Environment xP Expansion Modules Cause xP Expansion Modules were originally created for the Continuum Access control system but through transitions are now being used with Security Expert as well. When used in Continuum, a 4 digital channel xP Module would reserve 4 channels only. However under Security Expert that same 4 digital channel xP Module will reserve 8 channels instead.   Continuum ACX5740 plus xPBD4 plus xPD18 ACX5740 Inputs 01 -12 First 12 channels xPBD4 Inputs 13 -16  Next 4 channels xPDI8 Inputs 16 - 24 Next 8 channels Security Expert SP-ACX plus xPBD4 plus xPD18  (Note all SP-ACXs have ACX 5740 I/O counts) SP-ACX Inputs 01 - 12 First 12 channels xPBD4  Inputs 13 - 20 Next 8 channels xPDI8  Inputs 21 - 28 Next 8 channels Resolution Some of the channel reservation under Security Expert has changed relative to how it used to be handled in Continuum, so now even for a 4 digital channel xP module such as an xPBD4, 8 Channels are automatically reserved by design even if only 4 of those channels are actually used. To check all Input, Output, Digital and Analogue xP Channel reservation scenarios under Security Expert please refer to AN 310 Security Expert - xP Module Configuration - Application Note  (for this digital input example, page 7 shows the relevant channel assignment).

Issue Samsung’s Knox security protection on your phone or tablet data is out of date. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation SmartX Advanced Display v2 Cause   One of the security features contained within the Android operating system is Samsung Knox which the Advanced Display uses. Samsung Knox needs to get security updates periodically and needs to be online to the Internet to receive these updates. As a security feature if Samsung Knox is out of date it can stop the operation of some of the apps. For further information, see the Samsung’s Knox website. If Samsung Knox security needs an update when the AD-Link is launched then one or both the following messages may appear on your display.   Resolution Firstly, if the Advanced Display v2 is not running SmartXKiosk v8.2 and SmartX AD-Link v8.0.apk, then the latest versions are not installed and a request can be made by raising a case with your local product support team for the latest releases. To resolve the Samsung Knox issue, carry out the following procedure: Connect the Advanced Display to a WiFi network that has Internet access. Re-start the device. Confirm the phone or tablet still has an internet connection. Launch AD-Link. (several license windows will appear on your display). The SmartX AD-Link app should now run.

  Issue Replacing a SHR humidity sensor when set as  4-20mA loop powered (2 wire). Product Line Field Device Environment SHR100-T* SpaceLogic SLA**** Cause When replacing a SHR100-T* sensor, there are only 2 wires and the sensor is set to loop powered for measuring humidity. Resolution The SLA sensor when used for measuring humidity and is only available as a 3 wire device when used with both 24Vac or 24Vdc (20-30Vdc) for measuring humidity, these are: power, ground and signal.   Either use a 3rd wire if available or use an alternative device.   Download the SpaceLogic Sensor Installation Sheet        

Issue The site has Alarm Action to email certain door alarm condition but only at a specific time of day and/or day of the week Product Line Access Expert Environment Access Expert Hosted Software Access Expert Premise Software Cause Alarm actions do not allow association with a regular schedule, instead, the filter query can be used to specify a time and/or the day the action should take place. Resolution The screenshot below shows the schedule that the site wanted to use to specify when the action should be carried out... Since we can not associate the schedule with the alarm action, we should instead specify the days/hours in the filter query using the following filter...   ((EventData["Status"].AsString == "Activated")&&(((OccurredOn.Date.Hour < 17 && OccurredOn.Date.Hour < 4)&&(OccurredOn.Date.DayOfWeek == "Tuesday"|| OccurredOn.Date.DayOfWeek == "Wednesday" || OccurredOn.Date.DayOfWeek == "Thursday" || OccurredOn.Date.DayOfWeek == "Friday")) || (OccurredOn.Date.DayOfWeek == "Saturday" && OccurredOn.Date.Hour > 4)|| (OccurredOn.Date.DayOfWeek == "Sunday")||(OccurredOn

Issue What is the limitation on the number of COV subscriptions an RP-C can handle? Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Room Controller (RPC) Cause When setting up a binding to an RP-C to read a value from another device or transfer a value in the RP-C to another device COV subscriptions are often used.  Resolution The number of subscriptions an RP-C can support is limited primarily by the available resources of the controller. An RP-C with a single point can support thousands of subscriptions but that’s not a realistic configuration on a live site. If resources were allocated to support a defined number of COV subscriptions, this would lock down those resources (primarily memory), making less room for other applications. Since the maximum number of subscriptions depends on how many available resources the controller has at the moment when a subscription is made, there is no guaranteed number on how many subscriptions an RP-C can support.

Issue Unable to open graphics that are on a shared network drive Product Line INet, Continuum, Access Expert, Security Expert Environment Windows 10 Chrome Windows IE Cause A registry setting is overridden or needs to be reset that was not previously not there. Resolution This is a Microsoft Issue. Here is a link that describes the resolution: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/networking/mapped-drives-not-available-from-elevated-command

Issue Attempting to start or stop a Programmable Function fails and one of the following errors is shown. The programmable function have reported connectivity issues and may not have started correctly. Please ensure all required controllers are online and try again. The programmable function have reported connectivity issues and may not have stopped correctly. Please ensure all required controllers are online and try again. Programmable Function error Product Line Security Expert Environment Security Expert Client Cause The Programmable Function is not enabled to support manual starting or stopping. Resolution On the Programmable Functions General tab, enable the Support Manual Commands option. Support Manual Commands This enables the operator to manually control the function from within the Security Expert software, for example, by right-clicking on the function and setting the value.

Issue WebReports returns only partial results for the Consumption Report when using the Meter Utility Type   Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation  Environment Building Operation Report Server Building Operation WebReports Cause This is a limitation of the Meter report, where the report returns approximately 50 Meter reports at a time regardless of how many meters are selected. Resolution It is recommended that 30 - 40 meters at most be selected at a time for this report.  Selecting more meters for the report may result in data overlap and unexpected output. For more information regarding Consumption Reports, see the following help topic Energy Monitoring Reports

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 Want to be able to import a list of individuals quickly without having to retype all the details from a spreadsheet or text file again into I/NET Product Line TAC INET Environment I/NET Seven Revision 2.xx and higher Microsoft Access 2003 Microsoft Access 2007 Cause Customers usually have a spreadsheet or database of employees and / or users which they want to quickly import into their I/NET Seven Access control database.  The process below describes how to do this along with its limitations. Resolution Process to import Individuals via the IDWorksView table using Microsoft Access 2003 / 2007 The import process will NOT update any existing data; it will only add new entries and leave existing entries as they were.  So this is typically a process used for a new installation.  If you are attempting to import into an existing Access control database with individuals then it is strongly recommended to backup your I/NET SQL database. It is also strongly recommended you test this in an ‘offline’ state, that is, it is not connected to any physical controllers until you are comfortable that the process provides the desired results. The same limitations that apply with ID Works (Refer to TCON 301 Chapter 5) apply to this import process. TAC I/NET Seven (not just I/O Server) must be running on the server specified in TAC I/NET Seven’s ODBC data source in order for records created or modified from ID Works to be downloaded to affected DPUs. ID Works does not allow you to add or modify multiple cards for a single individual. ID Works does not allow you to remove a card from an individual without deleting the individual record. You cannot disable an individual’s card without disabling the individual. You cannot create a new group or a new tenant.  All Tenant and Group information must already exist in I/NET You cannot make an individual’s record be DPU resident. You cannot assign a decimal card number to an individual. You cannot set an individual’s APB scheme (that is, hard, soft, or graced anti-pass back). You cannot assign a PIN to an individual. The steps to import are as follows: Download ZIP file containing necessary files here. If you are using Microsoft Access 2007 use the following files Format customer data into the Excel template (dbo_IdWorksView.xlt in the ZIP file) or provide this to the customer to complete the Employee details.  Pay attention to required data shown in the comments for each title cell. Open db1.mdb file in the ZIP file using Microsoft Access 2003 /  idworks.accdb if using Microsoft Access 2007. Double click (open) the table dbo_IdWorksView to establish the connection to I/NET on the respective machine.  You may be prompted for login details – you must use the ‘sa’ login and password installed on the PC. If successful you should see any individuals that already exist in the database (unless blank).  Close the table. If you are using Microsoft Access 2007 Click Here to view the changes for steps 6 though to 8. Right–click in any of the white space and select Import (or go to File>Get External Data>Import) Browse to the location of the Excel Spreadsheet, saved in step 2, containing the data to be imported.  Be sure to change the File Type to *.xls otherwise you will not find the file.  Select the file. Import wizard should appear, now select the following options within the import wizard: Select the Check box “First row contains column headings..” Select Next Select “In an Existing Table” and select the table from the drop down list – there should only be one there. dbo_IdWorksView. Select Next. Select Finish. Be patient – the process can take a few minutes based on the number of entries that you are trying to import.  Once imported you should receive a message indicating that the import was completed.  Select OK. If you have images referenced in your import file, be sure that the Images are in place before modifying ANY individual in I/NET.  Otherwise the image path will be deleted.  The next step is to get the imported data downloaded to the controllers. For each SLI perform a station SAV and station restore – it may take some time for all this information to be downloaded to the DPUs and may fail in some instances.  You may also notice the system slow up for some time (hours) until all of this information has been successfully downloaded to the controllers.  It may also be necessary to force the data into the DPU by performing staggered DPU Restores on specific doors that are experiencing incorrect functionality. There is also a way to realize this function using Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express instead of Microsoft Access. See How to Import a Large Number of Individuals from Excel to I/NET SQL Database at One Time for more information. 

Warning Hazard of Electric Shock: Remove all power from all devices before removing any covers or doors of the system. Disconnect power at the device and at the power source. Electrostatic Discharge Required: Always discharge static electricity from your person by touching metal prior to handling any hardware. Failure to do so may result in damage to devices. Issue Page 1031 of the hardware reference guide only states wire cross-sectional area: 0.34 to 2.5 mm 2 (22 to 14 AWG) and not the number of wires allowed to terminate. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Room Controller (RPC) 24V Building Operation Room Controller (RPC) 230V Cause Documentation clarification. Resolution It is OK to terminate up to 2 wires into each terminal as long as the total area of the wires does not exceed 2.5mm 2 .  

Warning This article describes a feature that is not standard functionality within the Product Line.  It has been provided to allow customers the option to use this requirement.  Pay particular attention to the Prerequisites of the required programming. Issue Customer requires the functionality for Individuals  to double badge (present their credentials twice) to gain access. Product Line TAC INET Environment Access Control Cause Customer application requirement Resolution Prerequisites: LIMITATIONS: As this is not a standard access control feature within I/NET, it uses custom programming, which therefore reduces/limits the standard features within I/NET The description provided below must be set for ALL individuals with access to the door that requires double badging.  It does NOT cater to custom individual use.  It may be possible to provide additional programming to achieve this, but this is not detailed in this article. Door Automatic Time Schedules (ATS), if applied, can be overridden if the door reader is badged during the scheduled operation.  The functionality of this feature uses event-driven programming, which in its nature is single-shot programming and therefore relies on the following:  Requires reliable communication between SLI/MCI (779x) and the SCU (Door Controller).  The door reads from the SCU must be received by the SLI/MCI to activate the badge/read occurrence. Requires SLI/MCI (779x) CPU loading below 65%. LAN Load of this controller should be below 2%; anything above this can cause the operation to fail/be inconsistent.  Removes the standalone capability of the Door controller (SCU) POINTS The points required for each door that requires this functionality are Door Reader (Internal DO door point as required in I/NET)  Door Strike (External DO Point) must be programmed within the controller Door Intermediate (Internal DO Point). :: Scan Rate 1 second Door Read Count (Internal AO Point). :: Scan Rate 1 second I/NET Controller Summary Note: The address order, as shown in the screenshot above, is important for the overall operation.   That is Read Count must be at a lower address than all other points.  Next the Intermediate point.  The Strike and Reader addresses are fixed by I/NET but must be at a HIGHER address than the Read count and Intermediate points.    DOOR Intercard Interval (sec) should be set as low as possible.  This allows the card to be present within this time setting (minimum is 1 second) Door strike: Configuration of the door/reader must have this set to either. None: When a valid read is received, no action is sent to the strike Exit: Only when an Exit read to Request to exit (REX) is received by the door does it activate the strike.  Strike duration (sec): Should be set 1 second above the scan rate of the Intermediate / Read Count points above.  In this case, it is set to 2 seconds.  Note: this does not have any bearing on how long the strike remains "unlocked" Door editor Programming DOOR No additional programming is required for the door apart from the details provided in the above prerequisites.  ACCESS INITIATED CONTROL (AIC) Add an AIC that will trigger the Intermediate point on a "valid" reader entry for the nominated door. Select the Target point (DR1 Intermediate) Select either Use all individuals in the range which will trigger this action for all individuals.  Note: If selected Individuals are needed to activate this feature, then additional programming is required and not detailed in this article.    Select Reader entry to START the target point  Select which Doors are to trigger this action Access Initiated Control editor POINTS From the screenshots below, it can be seen that: Point DR1 Read Count has two extensions: Calculation (C)  Operation: The result of this calculation is displayed on the DR1 Read Count point.  The calculation adds the value of itself (P0) DR1 Read Count and point (P1) DR1 Intermediate point (where 0=OFF 1=ON), the result of which is then multiplied by the NOT (~) the value of (P2) Door Strike (where sec = 0 Unlk = 1). Result: DR1 Read Count is incremented by one on each valid read.  The counter is reset (zeroed) when the Door Strike is energized.        Event Definition (EV)   Operation: When the point DR1 Read Count crosses the value 1 (the value of 2 represents the double (2) badge), Sequence/Action #1 is triggered.  From the above Event Definition (EV), this runs Sequence/Action Num 1, which is shown below:  Operation: When triggered by the (EV) above, the Door Strike is immediately "Stop"  (Unlocked); after a 5-second delay, the Door Strike is "Start" (secured). Note: The delay of 5 seconds on line #2 determines how long the strike remains in the unlocked state.  Modifying this value will shorten or extend the unlocked state.     Point DR1 Intermediate has only one extension: Calculation (C)  SUMMARY OPERATION A valid card read is presented to the reader; this triggers AIC to turn point DR1 Intermediate to ON. This increments DR1 Read Count by 1 to the value of 1 via its Calculation (C) extension The additional card read repeats Steps 1 and 2 above;  DR1 Read Count value increments to a value of 2. Event Defintin (EV) high-value crossing (>1) triggers Event Sequence #1 Event Sequence #1 unlocks Door Strike 1 and, after a 5-second delay, relocks (secures) Door Strike 1 point. This relock (secure) of Door Strike 1 zeros the DR1 Read Count value via its Calculation (C) extension.  ATTACHMENTS - for reference showing the above details  I/NET Controller SAV file (DCU0201.zip) Backup InetDb (SQL.bak).  (InetDb_DoubleBadge.zip)  

Issue When performing a backup of all Servers and All Data on an Enterprise Server the backup fails and generates an error in Software Administrator indicating the backup is corrupt although the backup is not corrupt. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment EcoStruxure Building Operation Workstation EcoStruxure Building Operation Enterprise Server Cause There is not enough free disk space on the Enterprise Server to save the backup file created.  The error generated in Software Administrator is a generic error. Resolution Check the Trace Log for Internal Server Error: Insufficient_Space_For_Backup If this is evident free up additional space on the Enterprise Server and re-try saving the backup.

Issue One or more inputs on the SP-ACX will randomly report as open for a brief moment (a second or less), This can result in unauthorized door access if for example the input is associated with a door Exit Request. Product Line EcoStruxure Security Expert Environment SP-ACX Cause Electrical noise in wiring Resolution Increase the Alarm input speed, issue has been seen with Alarm input speed set to 0, increasing the input speed to 1 second typically resolves the problem.

  Issue Extending a User/Cardholder Expiry Date Product Line EcoStruxure Access Expert Environment Access Expert Hosted V3 Cause Steps needed to Extend an Expiry date for a cardholder Resolution In Access Expert, there needs to be a way to extend cards that are about to expire after the default time has been entered initially. This can be done for single users or badge types depending on the circumstances. The following steps describe how this can be accomplished:   Open and log on to the Users instance Once opened, select Access Control and click on the List Tab then select View Expiring Cards A list will appear that shows all the cards that are about to expire based on the parameters entered When this list comes up, Select the Extend All button to bring up the Editor that will extend the time Enter the New Expiry Date that allows the card to function accordingly Click OK and the cards listed will then have the New Expiry Date listed    

Warning Hazard of Electric Shock: Remove all power from all devices before removing any covers or doors of the system. Disconnect power at the device and at the power source. Electrostatic Discharge Required: Always discharge static electricity from your person by touching metal prior to handling any hardware. Failure to do so may result in damage to devices. 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 for assistance. Issue Instructions needed to perform a Factory Reset for Upstream Mercury Controllers Product Line EcoStruxure Access Expert Environment Access Expert software Hosted V3 Cause Instruction steps are needed to reset Upstream Mercury controllers to Factory Default settings Resolution Bulk Erase Configuration Memory: The bulk erase function can be used for the following purposes: Erase all configuration and cardholder database (sanitize board) Update OEM default parameters after OEM code has been changed Recover from database corruption causing the board to continuously reboot   Bulk Erase Steps (Factory Reset): Do not remove power during steps 1-8   Set S1 DIP switches to: 1 & 2 "ON", 3 & 4 "OFF" (see DIP switch location and diagram below) Apply power to the board Watch for LEDs 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 to alternately flash at a 0.5 second rate Within 10 seconds of powering up, change switches 1 or 2 to "OFF". If these switches are not changed, the board will power up using the OEM default communication parameters LED 2 will flash indicating that the configuration memory is being erased Full memory erase takes up to 60 seconds When complete, only LEDs 1 & 4 will flash for 8 seconds The board will reboot 8 seconds after LEDs 1 & 4 stop flashing (no LEDs are on during this time)  All other switch settings are unassigned and reserved for future use. Factory Default Communication Parameters: Network: static IP address: 192.168.0.251 Subnet Mask: 255.255.0.0 Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1 DNS Server: 192.168.0.1 Host port: IP server, no encryption, port 3001, communication address: 0

Issue Information needed for Integrating Access Expert BACnet objects into Continuum and EBO Product Line EcoStruxure Access Expert Environment Access Expert V3 Hosted EcoStruxure Building Operation Andover Continuum BACNet Cause BACnet objects from Access Expert may show in Andover Continuum, but will not function. An integration using EcoStruxure Building Operation is needed. Resolution BACnet objects from Access Expert may show in Continuum when a BACnet discovery is done, but they will not function.  An integration using EBO with a SmartConnector is required to use Access Expert BACnet objects. Further details on the EcoStruxure Access Expert Smartconnector are available from the Exchange Marketplace.  

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 for assistance. Issue Access Expert SSC and Mercury controllers require firmware updates Product Line EcoStruxure Access Expert Environment Access Expert V3 Hosted Cause SSC and Mercury controller firmware needs to be updated for a fix or feature change Resolution Overview Mercury Controllers operate based on their firmware version and programmed configuration within Keep. It is necessary to update the Mercury firmware on occasion to ensure the most recent features, bug fixes and security upgrades are on the Mercury panel.    Updating Firmware Mercury controllers can be updated using the Keep by Feenics software. Before updating the controller, confirm the controller is powered on and connected to a Keep by Feenics instance. It is important to have a stable internet connection throughout the entire firmware update process. The duration of the firmware update will depend on the network bandwidth but typically will take between 5 to 10 minutes for a complete update. Users can issue multiple firmware updates to different intelligent controllers at the same time, but not downstream devices.   Updating the Firmware on a Controller To update the firmware on a controller: Open the controller page.  Beside the Version field, click on the "Update Firmware" button. Open the Live Monitoring window and set the priority to 0. In the Live Monitor, you will see the "Downloading Firmware Event". Once the controller has completed the firmware update, it will reboot.  After, close and re-open the controller page to see the updated firmware version. EP Controller Firmware The EP Series controller's current version is 1.29.1.633 and was released on 2020/01/31. Due to the controllers being End of Life, no new versions of firmware will be released for the EP series controllers.   On-Premise Deployments Note: On-Premise Deployments are no longer supported. All sites will convert to hosted. The previous process to upgrade firmware for On-premise deployments (servers managed on-site): They can have their firmware updated out of band by placing the latest Mercury CRC files in the appropriate directory. Once the files are in place users can proceed with the update steps outlined in this article. The default directory for firmware files can be found at C:\Program Files (x86)\Feenics\Mercury Service\MercuryFirmware. 

Issue How to configure two room sensors in ZBuilder. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment ZBuilder Cause It is possible to configure TAC Xenta 121 or TAC Xenta 122 to use two room sensors via the ZBuilder tool. Resolution In Zbuilder, under the tab Configuration, under Room unit, select the type of sensor you are going to use. Select the tab I/O Setup,  Right click on the sensor and select Duplicate. Move the sensors to the input you are going to use.   At the end of this session you will be able to: Configure TAC Xenta 121/122 to use two room sensors. Understand that the nvoSpaceTemp value is calculated as average value of the two sensors. Understand that it is not possible to see the actual value of a single sensor when using two sensors.    

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 for assistance. Issue When adding a new Domain an error shows “Object does not exist – The domain “your Domain Name” does not exist, and the Domain is not created.   Using control panel Or using System/Domains folder Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Automation Server Building Operation Enterprise Server Building Operation Enterprise Central Cause A Content Type rule could be incorrectly configured Resolution Navigate to /Your Server Name/System/Content Types/Rules/ If there is a “*” in the “Container Name Pattern” of any of the rules, correct this or delete the rule.     Once completed, new domains can be added.