FAQ

If it is a new configuration you want to test, the error is because the OPC server was not turned off when you started the monitor function. In the lower right corner there is an indication that shows whether the server is on (solid green) or off (solid red). You must wait until the OPC server is turned off before testing a change.

When there are two or more instances of the process MBusOPC.exe this is because the OPC clients run with different users and each user starts their own instance of MBusOPC.exe. Therefore, Windows has not been able to synchronize so that each OPC client uses the same process of the M-Bus OPC server.

When there are several instances of MBusOPC.exe, there is a risk that the OPC server will not get in touch with the M-Bus converters and the M-Bus meters. As a result, OPC clients will not receive the desired data from the M-bus meters.

To control Windows to use only one instance of MBusOPC.exe, you must control in the DCOM settings which users should own the process.

• Start DCOM settings (dcomcnfg.exe).
• Browse to Console Root -> Component Services -> Computers -> My Computer -> DCOM Configuration.
  
  

• Find MBus.
• Right-click and select Properties.
• Select the tab Identity.
• Select This user.
• Enter the fields for the user who will own the process.

• Press the OK.

Citect is set up for DA 1.0 OPC Servers. PiiGAB M-Bus OPC Server supports version 2.00, 2.05 and 3.0. This means that you need to add a setting in Citect.ini. Under the [OPC] group, enter UseOPC2=1.

We have found that the WinZip Selfextractor that we used for the installation tool is not stable in the 64 bit environment. From version 2.02.01.001 the WinZip Selfextractor is no longer used and therefore the installation in a 64 bit environment should work as expected.

After a change in the project in PiiGAB Explorer, both the file must be saved and the Server process must be restarted. If this is not done, the meters affected by the change will not receive communication.

Save the project

 

 

Stop the server via the button Stop Monitor

 

The status of the server should turn red. Only then is the server switched off.
After this, the connection can be started again.

In this case, one or more OPC clients are still connected to the OPC server. If you want to stop the OPC server, for example to test a new configuration, all OPC clients must release their connection to the OPC server.

Please be aware that the (LAN) Timeout has been omitted in Citect V7.

When using slow protocols the (LAN) Timeout often has time to exceed the original setting of 8000ms. When this occur the #COM appears sporadically on the screen, the hardware error “Request Timeout from I/O Server” will appear, and at the same time the total number of Timeouts will be counted in the Probe Kernel window. This is normally corrected by changing the (LAN) Timeout to 20000 or higher.

If it is a new configuration you want to test, the error is because the OPC server was not turned off when you started the monitor function. In the lower right corner there is an indication that shows whether the server is on (solid green) or off (solid red). You must wait until the OPC server is turned off before testing a change.

If you have QuickOPC installed on Windows Vista or Windows 7, you may need to run the Licence Manager as administrator.

If you are using .NET Framework 4.6, the EasyDAClient class will crash on instantiation. The following solution in the Windows registry solves the problem:

• Open the registry (regedit.exe)
• Scroll down to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\.NETFramework
• Create a new 32-bit value (DWORD)
• Enter name: useLegacyJIT
• Set value: 1
• Close the register

NOTE: You may need administrator rights to access the register.

Make sure that a licence is installed on the computer where QuickOPC is used. If there is no licence, QuickOPC will only work for 30 minutes.

This problem occurs when you instantiate the EasyDAClient class very often and do not clean up the instances correctly.
When an instance should not be used anymore call EasyDAClient.Dispose() to flag to the .NET GC (Garbage Collector) that the instance should be deleted. Alternatively, try to use one or few instances of EasyDAClient instead of several. But call EasyDAClient.Dispose() when the instances should be deleted.

When there are two or more instances of the process MBusOPC.exe this is because the OPC clients run with different users and each user starts their own instance of MBusOPC.exe. Therefore, Windows has not been able to synchronize so that each OPC client uses the same process of the M-Bus OPC server.

When there are several instances of MBusOPC.exe, there is a risk that the OPC server will not get in touch with the M-Bus converters and the M-Bus meters. As a result, OPC clients will not receive the desired data from the M-bus meters.

To control Windows to use only one instance of MBusOPC.exe, you must control in the DCOM settings which users should own the process.

• Start DCOM settings (dcomcnfg.exe).
• Browse to Console Root -> Component Services -> Computers -> My Computer -> DCOM Configuration.
  
  

• Find MBus.
• Right-click and select Properties.
• Select the tab Identity.
• Select This user.
• Enter the fields for the user who will own the process.

• Press the OK.

The problem is probably that only the Designo Insight license key is installed on the computer, however the Citect key also has to be installed. It is enough to have a so called zero license, which can be delivered from Siemens.

Citect is set up for DA 1.0 OPC Servers. PiiGAB M-Bus OPC Server supports version 2.00, 2.05 and 3.0. This means that you need to add a setting in Citect.ini. Under the [OPC] group, enter UseOPC2=1.

From version 2.02.03.001 the M-Bus driver is compiled in VS2010. If the driver can not be registered, you probably did not run any program written in VS2010 unmanaged on the current computer. You need to run the redistributable package from microsoft to install the latest libraries on your computer. See the link below.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/confirmation.aspx?id=5555

We have found that the WinZip Selfextractor that we used for the installation tool is not stable in the 64 bit environment. From version 2.02.01.001 the WinZip Selfextractor is no longer used and therefore the installation in a 64 bit environment should work as expected.

This box will appear unless the driver is OS signed and approved for your current operating system. Version 2.02.02.001 of the M-Bus driver is OS signed for the following operating systems: Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 , Windows Server 2012 R2.
If you are running an unapproved version, you can prevent the dialogue box from appearing by using the OverrideOSProtection parameter in your driver group in Citect.ini
[MBUSCIT]
OverrideOSProtection=1

Many new parameters have been implemented in version 2 of the M-Bus driver. The InitTimeOut is only used for the starting question and can be set as low as 500ms, and there is also a MainTimeOut to be used for normal questions. This can be used individually by port for 300baud or 2400 baud and can be handled individually or optimally. During the session it is possible to prevent the starting question completely by using the parameter IgnoreDeviceStartup. For more information see the driver manual.

The Citect driver supports multitelegram, and if you have a multi telegram meter like the Armatec or F4 from Metrima connected they will read all the telegrams from the meters. The everyday information is normally to be found in telegram 1, and if that is the only information needed set the parameter NrOfTelegrams=1, which means that only telegram number 1 will be read. By doing this the stress on the M-Bus loop will be noticeably reduced.

After a change in the project in PiiGAB Explorer, both the file must be saved and the Server process must be restarted. If this is not done, the meters affected by the change will not receive communication.

Save the project

 

 

Stop the server via the button Stop Monitor

 

The status of the server should turn red. Only then is the server switched off.
After this, the connection can be started again.

First off you have to set the initial questioning so that it can be logged in syslog.dat, which is easily done by writing DebugStr=*ALL for your driver in Citect.ini. ‘*’ can be replaced by the port name and that way that specific port will be logged.
For example M-Bus can look like the following:
[MBUSCIT]
DebugStr=Port1_Board1 ALL
Now you can see if a question is asked or if you get answers from your equipment.

In this case, one or more OPC clients are still connected to the OPC server. If you want to stop the OPC server, for example to test a new configuration, all OPC clients must release their connection to the OPC server.

The different formats are listed on the PiiGAB QuickPost configuration page in File Format field. You can read more about the different formats in the manual.