How to open NCM database?

[ControlY0urMind]

I have been asked to take a database from an NCM and basically recreate it in FX.

I have all the JCI tools needed, but unfortuately I don't know my way around enough to figure out how to open the .MPB so I can decipher that data.

Can anyone chime in and point me in the right direction?

I did a fresh install of M-Tool and have slowly gotten myself familiar with it. This project is not something I can plug into the controllers ad upload files from. All of the databases will be sent to me for me to open up.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[controlgeek]

need to decompile it using the PMI software. If you don't have that there is no way to look at it. It decompiles using unddl and creates a text file with all of the NC points etc.

If the system has an archive workstation have someone upload the NC and unddl it for you and send the text file from the unddl.

[justjohnson]

If it is a .mpb file then you have N30s and can open it using Project Builder. If it is an NCM you need to unddl the database and use Notepad like controlgeek said.

[chewlak]

You will also need to check for any GPL programming in the NCM

[ControlY0urMind]

Is Project Builder a totally different tool? I have Metasys open and the only thing I see even close to that is Program Manager....

[controlgeek]

"Metasys" can mean many different things, PMI, MSEA, M-Tool etc all have Metasys labels.

Project Builder came out for the N30 era controllers not NCM's.

[ControlY0urMind]

Sorry for the confusion, but I will be having N30 and NCM's on this project. The N30 database is just the first one that has been sent to me.

Thus far, what I have installed is Metasys FMS? Seems pretty useless so far

[controlgeek]

FMS is the PMI software and can be used to upload and decompile NCM's if it is configured properly and can get the uploaded files or you can do a restore of them.

PMI won't do anything with the N30, you'll need project builder.

[ControlY0urMind]

Thanks alot guys. I was able to find project builder and open up one of the older N30 database.

What file extension type is a an NCM database? I think if I knew these uncommon file extension types, I could make better sense out of things. I will be getting random databases via email, so I would like to be able to know what is what.

Thanks again....

[billcontrols]

N30: Metasys Project Builder is the program to upload and view the database with. The saved file extension is MPB. The Project Builder install is from the M-tools disk.

NCM: Any text editor/viewer will open the database file after it has been decompiled on the archive workstation onsite. At the operator workstation onsite the NCM should be uploaded from the "Blue Screen". Then the database needs to be decompiled. That is done from a command prompt with the command "unddl fms". The unddl screen will tell you where the files are. They will have the UND extension. Like i said they can be opened with any text editor. You may need some knowledge of the metasys DDL database format to make sense of what you get. All the program functions should be on the archive database operator workstation computer with out having to install special software.

If all this is gibberish to you, get someone who knows Metasys to help you.

Bill

Ps the NCM data base has the point objects and hardware objects. It will not reveal anything other than the names of the JCB program objects. You need to use JC basic or GPL for that.

[simux]

Hopefully you even have the JC Basic or Graphic Programming files. They use these files or code if you must to perform processes at the main controller level (NCM). Some of these processes may be as simple as sharing outside air or calculating the percentage of outside air. Although some of the processes may involve fire and or smoke control, building alarms, system resets, etc... You can see without these files you could be bluing up the job.

[BrunoRoad]

One of the things that JCI did well in the early years was to put the technical documents out for everyone to use. The DDL programming manual can be found at http://cgproducts.johnsoncontrols.co...PDF/630010.pdf. The NC ddl file will contain some of the point information, type of point, controller IO location. The GPL directory of the database will have the logic that resided in the NCM. You need GPL installed to open this logic. Alot of the JCI logic resided out in the N2 field controllers. UNT and DX9100 controllers. You can use HVACPRO to open the UNT class logic. Use GX9100 to open the DX9100 logic. You may not have point name when you open these files this is where the NC.ddl file comes in. Look here to determine unknown point. JCI also has an N2 integration manual that will allow you to match up names and controller points.

[simux]

Oh I forgot to mention CS objects for PMI systems. These type points are quirky and can be intertwined pretty deep into a control strategy. I can remember having to get all the files and spending a lot of time reverse engineering a database. Not for the feint of heart. LOL