BIM Server Troubleshooting Guide

Marton Kiss
Graphisoft
Graphisoft

BIM Server Module cannot be started

Issue

The BIM Server Module is stopped and cannot be started any more. The BIM Server Manager is still accessible from ARCHICAD and from a browser as well. From version 19: although, the BIM Server Control Icon shows that the Server Module is running, but the Manager's web-interface shows that it is stopped.

Cause

Most probably the BlobCache database is damaged. An unclean shutdown or if the hard drive is running out of free space can cause this issue. In version 19 Mailboxes database corruption can cause similar issue.

Solution

The BlobCache database must be deleted:
  1. Make sure to have enough free space in the hard drive where a BIM Server component is installed. If projects and attachments are stored on a different drive, make sure to have enough free space there as well.
  2. Stop the BIM Server Module's service.
  3. Go to the following folder:
    • C:Program FilesGRAPHISOFTBIM Server <version>BIMcloud Server <version> on Windows
    • /Applications/GRAPHISOFT/BIM Server <version>/BIMcloud Server <version>/ on OS X
  4. Delete the BlobCache folder.
  5. In version 19, delete the Mailboxes.db file:
    • C:Program FilesGRAPHISOFTBIM Server 19BIMcloud Server 19MailboxesMailboxes.db on Windows
    • /Applications/GRAPHISOFT/BIM Server 19/BIMcloud Server 19/Mailboxes/Mailboxes.db on OS X
  6. Start the BIM Server Module's service.
After the deletion the BIM Server will automatically create the new database files.

Cannot send messages in Teamwork

Issue

Users (some or all) cannot send messages to each other in Teamwork.

Cause

Most probably the database which is responsible for the messaging is damaged. This can happen because of an unclean computer shutdown or example if the hard drive is running out of free space.

Solution

The Mailboxes.db database file must be deleted:
  1. Open the BIM Server Manager web-interface and navigate to the Modules page.
  2. Stop the BIM Server Module.
  3. Go to the following folder:
    • C:Program FilesGRAPHISOFTBIM Server <version>BIMcloud Server <version>Mailboxes on Windows
    • /Applications/GRAPHISOFT/BIM Server <version>/BIMcloud Server <version>/Mailboxes/ on OS X
  4. Delete the Mailboxes.db file.
  5. Open the BIM Server Manager web-interface and start the BIM Server Module under the Modules page.
wp-content_uploads_archicadwiki_moniker-images_icon-info.png
 Note that after the deletion the BIM Server will create a new database file and all previously sent messages will be lost.

Joined Teamwork users are not listed in the Teamwork palette

Issue

Joined users (some or all) are not listed in the teamwork palette or they are shown as offline.

Cause

See the "Cannot send messages in Teamwork" section above.

Solution

See the "Cannot send messages in Teamwork" section above.

BIM Server Manager is offline

Issue

BIM Server Manager cannot be accessed through a browser and the BIM Server is indicated as offline in ARCHICAD.

Cause

BIM Server Manager is not running or is not accessible over the network.

Troubleshooting checklist

  • Verify that the computer is running where the BIM Server is installed.
  • Verify network connections:
    • Open the "Open/Join Teamwork Project" dialog in ARCHICAD.
    • Drop down the server list.
    • Select "Check Connections to..." function or the "Network Diagnostic" tool.
  • Verify that all required services are running on the server. For more info see the Start and stop BIM Server manually article.
  • Restart the services above.
  • Verify that the time and date is properly set on the computer(s).
  • If Windows Server 2008 R2 or older operating system is used on the server computer, install Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x64).
  • Restart the computer.

Host Server is offline, server is grayed out

Issue

Host server is indicated offline when opening or sharing a Teamwork project. Server is grayed out when selecting host server to upload BIM Server libraries.
wp-content_uploads_Host-Server-300x214.png

Cause

BIM Server Manager is running, but BIM Server Module is not accessible.

Troubleshooting checklist

Go through the checklist as above under the "BIM Server Manager is offline" section.

BIM Server Module is not accessible

Issue

BIM Server Module is there in BIM Server Manager's web-interface but is not accessible.

Possible causes

  • On computer with OS X 10.9 Mavericks or older that runs the BIM Server cannot resolve its own hostname.
  • The port of the BIM Server Module has been changed via the Reconfiguration Utility prior to Activating the Server.

Solutions

To address the hostname problem setup a DNS server in the office or manually add the hostname to /etc/hostconfig file (your local IT can help in that):
wp-content_uploads_hostname-150x150.png
  • open Terminal from Applications/Utilities
  • give the following command: sudo nano /etc/hostconfig
  • you will be prompted to enter your password - administrative privileges are required for this
  • at the end of the file create a new line containing: HOSTNAME=computername
  • where computername is the name of the computer, like in System Preferences/Sharing
  • use Ctrl O to save the file
  • you can exit the editor with Ctrl X
To address the second problem simply run again the Reconfiguration Utility of the BIM Server Module from BIM Server's installation folder: BIMcloud Server Configurator.

BIM Server Module is missing

Issue

In BIM Server Manager web-interface under the Modules page BIM Server Module (example: v18 - Module) is missing. Users, projects, roles are missing as well, only the masteradmin user can log in to the BIM Server Manager. From ARCHICAD it is not possible to connect to any projects.

Cause

The database where all of these settings are stored could not be generated or damaged.

Solution

BIM Server creates a backup of this database each time it is restarted or once every day. Revert one of these previous backups:
  • Stop the BIM Server Manager's service.
  • Go to the following folder:
    • C:Program FilesGRAPHISOFTBIM Server <version>BIMcloud ManagerData on Windwos
    • /Applications/GRAPHISOFT/BIM Server <version>/BIMcloud Manager/Data/ on OS X
  • Move the file named db out of this folder, but keep it.
  • Locate the latest db-<numbers>.gz file with a reasonable file size.
    • Decompress it with any file manager.
    • It contains an earlier version of the db file above.
  • Move this file out to the Data folder and rename the file to db
  • Restart the service of the BIM Server Manager.

Sharing a project fails - "server returns error code" or "create project content failed"

Issue

When sharing a project or loading a project: "server returns error code" or "project content failed" error message appears. Send & Receive succeeds, but when trying to Reload project from server the same error appears.

Cause

Most probably the problem is caused by an antivirus application or a firewall blocks the communication with BIM Server.

Solution

Place the BIM Server system components to exclusion list (exclusions allow you to control how a computer responds to and sends messages. Adding programs, system services, and ports to the exceptions list is the most commonly used way to control which traffic is allowed to pass through the monitoring software). Exclusion lists are managed differently in each and every software, so the user documentations should be queried for further instructions.

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