Checklist: Workspace/Project cannot be created, loaded or backed up

Checklist: Workspace/Project cannot be created, loaded or backed up

Time estimate: 30 minutes

Please go through all the points in the following checklist. If necessary, confirm with IT Department any information you cannot verify before contacting your local COPA-DATA Representative.
Checklist usage: #. [Quick hints] (point refers specific module/product) Point description.
  1. Screenshot and followed instructions of error/warning messages shown.
  2. Engineering Studio ran and was closed correctly before.
  3. Engineering Studio Output Window does not display errors. Conversely, instructions have been followed if any.
  4. [SIC-Reduced] There are no errors displayed in the SQL section in the root page of SIC. SIC reports that the SQL connection is successful.
  5. [SIC-Reduced] zenon database user (default: zenOnSrv) does not exist. -> In this case, database user must be re-created using for instance Microsoft SQL Management Studio.
  6. [SIC-Reduced] [Command Prompt: netstat -a -o | findstr :1103] zenDBSrv.exe (Database Service) is running and listening on TCP port 1103 (default).
    7. Windows Resource Monitor shows live CPU, Memory, Disk and Network information about running processes in an user friendly interface.
    Processes with network activity are listed and can be filtered for best visualization.
    Some of the most relevant information displayed in Network is the active TCP connections (remote/local port and address) and Firewall status.
    COPA-DATA Services listening ports configuration can be found in zenon Startup Tool:
    Application > Options > Listening ports (DB Service).
  7. Searched and followed error instructions in COPA-DATA LOGs related with Engineering Studio (zenone32.exe) and zenDBSrv.exe.
    8. All zenon components write in the background messages to joint log file(s) saved in '%programdata%\COPA-DATA\LOG' folder.
    These files can be read and configured with Diagnosis Viewer.

    You can modify the logging level of a component by clicking 'Client Configuration' in 'Settings' menu and after select the respective process name.
    Attention: Set the logging parameters wisely as the time-frame of the LOGs decrease when increasing the detail of the logs written.

    You can also find LOG files in SIC in 'Platform > Versions > Version XXXX > Directories > LogDirectory' folder.
  8. [SIC-Reduced] [Task Manager > Services] ‘SQL Server’ instance service (sqlservr.exe) is running.
  9. [SIC-Reduced] zenon database user (default: zenOnSrv) and password configured in the SQL Server project-database match zenon database configuration file settings.
    10. zenon Database Configuration file (zenDB.ini) can be found in %CD_SYSTEM% folder.
    This file contains the database instance path and respective login credentials required to connect to the SQL Server project-database.
    The password is shown in encrypted format. Use zenon Startup Tool to enter a new password.
    You can create an UDL (Universal Data Link) file to check the following:
    -Database instance is running and accepting connections:  Server name '.\[DB_NAME]' &  'Use Windows NT Integrated security' (a).
    - Validate login credentials: 'Use a specific user name and password' (b). Note: Use zenon credentials (depends of zenon version).
    - Project-database GUID can be found: 'Select the database on the server' (you can use (a) or (b)).
  10. Workspace/Project database files/folders were not deleted or modified externally, manually or automatically, by other application, e.g. cyber-security, file-share service, etc..
  11. Project is not locked in the SQL Server project-database.
    12. You can unlock projects using the zenDBAdmin (SQL Server Communication test tool for zenDBSv) that can be started from zenon Startup Tool (Tools).
    In zenDBAdmin, click in 'Admin...' and in Project database manager window search for the name of the project to be unlocked.
    Right-click on the project and select the option 'Unlock' in the context menu.
  12. Increased timeout for SQL project-database access.
    13. In zenDB.ini file add  the following lines:
    [CONFIG]
    COMMANDTIMEOUT=300000
    BACKUPRESTORETIMEOUT=240000

    Remarks:
    - COMMANDTIMEOUT -> Timeout for creating project backups in milliseconds.
    - BACKUPRESTORETIMEOUT -> Timeout for restoring a project backup in milliseconds.
    - For large projects consider to increase  COMMANDTIMEOUT= 500000 and  BACKUPRESTORETIMEOUT= 600000.
    - Engineering Studio needs to be restarted after making adaptions to zenDB.ini file.
  13. In Engineering Studio, it is possible to:
    1. Create a new Workspace and a new Project.
    2. Restore Workspace/Project as new.
    3. Restore Workspace/Project in other computer(s).
    If it is possible to create a new workspace or project, it is likely the problem relies to be Workspace/Project specific.
  14. Disabled zenon API, re-registered zenon and restarted Engineering Studio.
    15. zenon Programming Interfaces (API) can be switched off by editing the respective sections in zenon configuration file (zenon6.ini) located in %CD_SYSTEM% folder:
    [VBA]
    [VSTA]
    [ADDINS]
    EIN=0
    ON=0
    ON=0
  15. Searched in Knowledge Base for previous issues that have been addressed.

If the problem persists after completing this checklist and followed corrective actions, please contact your local COPA-DATA Representative providing a SIC-Reduced Report from the target computer(s) and the result of this checklist – please include any additional information or comments related with the points addressed you find relevant.

System Information Collector is a standalone COPA-DATA application that collects relevant data about the Operating System and zenon Software Platform for troubleshooting purposes. SIC is installed with zenon and can be started from zenon Startup Tool (Tools). The latest version released can be found in www.copadata.com/sic.