Issue
Vista Workstation Errors: 'No such entity' , sometimes accompanied with 'Could not parse blueprint' and 'Failed to parse application' error messages in alarm pane.
Error occurred: Failed to retrieve property from database. The property page will be disabled.
No such entity
Environment
- Vista Workstation
- Menta
- OP tree
Cause
- There is a mismatch between the .mta in the Xenta and the .mta in the Vista database. Vista asks for a value that does not exist in the device and errors.
- Unused constants in the Menta file
- Error in the OP tree
- Transfer of the .mta to the controller upon download was invalid or failed.
- Memory is low or has been totally consumed in the Xenta programmable controller.
- PVR blocks that have invalid values, eg. 2,0E-16 or similar. This can happen sometimes if you save in simulation mode in Menta
Resolution
Most common:
If all of the signals are showing "No Such Entity", this is a sign that the controller does not contain a Menta file. Though you may think it should, it does not.
The following are reasons why the controller did not download or is applicationless. Applicationless controllers require a "direct connect" and download to the controller.
Errors in OP
NOTE: if you've customized the OP menu, changes will be lost
- In Menta editor, Tools>OP Configuration, Tree>test. Test to see if there are errors in the OP tree.
- Tree>Build and select "Yes" to replace the current tree.
- Tree >Generate.
- Tree>Test. This will verify your errors have been fixed.
- Save the OP file.
- In simulation mode select Command>Generate, File>Save to Vista database or save the Menta file to your hard drive with the intention of manually browsing in the .mta to the device.
Incorrect .mta in the Vista Database
- Browse in a newly saved .mta,
- Download the controller.
Application Too Large
Downloading through Vista may appear to be successful though an error exists. Using a serial connection is the most reliable way to reveal memory errors. Use one or more of the following to free up memory in a Xenta which is "Out of Memory".
- Checked the free memory in Menta via Options>Memory Usage and make sure that the Application is not too big
- Reduce application size by limiting the amount of "public" values and "descriptions" by un-checking public in the Menta block properties and deleting the description.
- Delete unnecessary not connected outputs (TANVO's)
- Delete the OP Menu if it is not needed. Alternatively, build the OP Tree instead of Auto Generating one for a smaller file.
- Time schedules/charts consume significant amount of memory. Check all TSCH blocks and delete any unnecessary Week/Alt charts.
- Replace the Xenta controller with a larger capacity controller (from a X280 to X300 or from X300 to X400)
- Re-write your program to use all Menta blocks more efficiently.
- Split the task among controllers but keep in mind limitations with TAC network variables and network traffic.
Invalid Values
- In Menta, go to simulation mode
- Go to Preferences uncheck view diagram
- Now you get all the signals in a list that you can easily scroll through and find any value that are to small or large
- Change the value to the real value
- Hit F5 and F12 and save in edit more.
If only some of the signals are showing "No Such Entity" there is a mismatch of what signal values are trying to be retrieved from the controller, and the signals that are actually present in the controller. This is known as Unused Constants.
Unused Constants
- In Menta, go to Options>Constants Tables and choose "Delete Unused" to remove all orphan variables
- Download to the controller.
