[TRNSYS-users] Trnsys 17 - GenOpt

Georgios Kyriakarakos gk at aua.gr
Mon Sep 1 00:20:00 PDT 2014


Dear all,

I have been using TRNSYS with GenOpt for a long time and as other users said the most common error is produced when you are not using absolute paths for the external files present in your simulation deck file. Always use absolute paths.
The second error I have faced is that I cannot run parallel optimization when a building is simulated at the same time. In this situation I get an error and at first the only workaround was to stop using parallel computing and use only 1 core for Genopt. This way the optimization process runs flawlessly. 
In my case I used the building simulation only in order to calculate the space heating or cooling needs. Since no part of the building gets optimized in my code, I run a simulation of the building, got the output file and used a data reader routine for reading this file in the actual deck of the optimization. This way parallel optimization can take place and also the time needed is considerably reduced since no building simulation is run.
I have to mention, though, that when using 4 instances of TRNSYS in parallel from time to time I get from Genopt errors accessing the files. It gives me the option to retry which I do and the procedure is continuing after that. This means though, that I have to be observing the procedure. If I leave an optimization to run overnight an error like that might occur even just a few minutes after initiation and so I would have no results in the morning. Because of this I have coe to the conclusion that if I am around the computer performing the optimization, I use mparallel computing, but when I am away I use a single processing string, which never freezes.
Regards,

George
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. George Kyriakarakos, Agricultural Engineer
MSc Energy Systems & Renewable Energy Sources, PhD.
Agricultural University of Athens,
Dept. of Natural Resources and Agricultural Engineering
Iera odos street, 75, Athens 11855, Greece
Tel. +30.210.5294046 (direct), Fax: +30.210.5294023
Mobile +30.6942.046895
e-mail: <gk at aua.gr>
--------------------------------------------------------------------

----- Original Message -----
Από: Amr Alaaeldin Elesawy <amr.alaaeldin at polimi.it>
Ημερομηνία: Saturday, August 30, 2014 4:34 pm
Θέμα: Re: [TRNSYS-users] Trnsys 17 - GenOpt
Προς: "TRNSYS users mailing list at OneBuilding.org" <trnsys-users at lists.onebuilding.org>


> Dear Ines,
> 
> I agree with Jeff. It seems that you have a problem with the path
> definition of the external files in your .dck file... I had a similar
> example with finding the weather file I'm using... I'm writing the code
> here below (only the part related to type 109, copied from the .dck file):
> 
> *CODE*
> *---------*
> 
> * Model "Type109-TMY2" (Type 109)
> *
> 
> UNIT 4 TYPE 109  Type109-TMY2
> *$UNIT_NAME Type109-TMY2
> *$MODEL .\Weather Data Reading and Processing\Standard
> Format\TMY2\Type109-TMY2.tmf
> *$POSITION 201 274
> *$LAYER Weather - Data Files #
> PARAMETERS 4
> 2 ! 1 Data Reader Mode
> 302 ! 2 Logical unit
> 4 ! 3 Sky model for diffuse radiation
> 1 ! 4 Tracking mode
> INPUTS 9
> 0,0 ! [unconnected] Ground reflectance
> 0,0 ! [unconnected] Slope of surface-1
> 0,0 ! [unconnected] Azimuth of surface-1
> 0,0 ! [unconnected] Slope of surface-2
> 0,0 ! [unconnected] Azimuth of surface-2
> 0,0 ! [unconnected] Slope of surface-3
> 0,0 ! [unconnected] Azimuth of surface-3
> 0,0 ! [unconnected] Slope of surface-4
> 0,0 ! [unconnected] Azimuth of surface-4
> *** INITIAL INPUT VALUES
> 0.2 90 180 90 0 90 -90 90 90
> *** External files
> ASSIGN* "IT-Palermo-Point-Raisi-164050.tm2" 302*
> *|? Weather data file |1000
> 
> *The problem was in the red highlighted part... The corrected path I used
> afterwards is here below:*
> 
> ASSIGN* "C:\Program
> Files\Trnsys16\Examples\TRIAL02\IT-Palermo-Point-Raisi-164050.tm2" 302*
> 
> Also, I would recommend you check out the master thesis attached... It
> helped a lot with initiating my first GenOpt Trials.
> 
> I hope this helps, please let me know if it works... I'm currently working
> on a case sensitivity analysis and I'm trying to get the results in terms
> of the MRT, PMV and PPD... I'm a bit stuck in how to show/post-process 
> the
> huge number of results, so I'm trying to see as many cases as possible 
> to
> get inspired.
> 
> Best of Luck,
> Amr
> 
> 
> On Fri, Aug 29, 2014 at 4:31 PM, Jeff Thornton <thornton at tess-inc.com>
> wrote:
> 
> > Check the paths to all of your external files.  The GenOpt program moves
> > the decks to a temporary directory and if you have relative paths in 
> your
> > project, and not the full path location, the program will not be 
> able to
> > find the files.
> >
> > Jeff Thornton
> > TESS
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > On Aug 29, 2014, at 8:07 AM, Ines Khalifa <khalifa_ines at hotmail.fr> 
> wrote:
> >
> > Amr,
> >
> > Thank you for your quick answer.
> > When running GenOpt, four folders are created named 
> "tmp-genopt-run-1 / 2
> > / 3 / 4", into each one, there is a log file (here below).
> > As you can see, there is no error message in the log file, what i have
> > attached at first time was the pop message of the error.
> >
> > Ines.
> >
> >
> >             TRNSYS - the TRaNsient SYstem Simulation program
> >
> >    The Solar Energy Lab at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, USA
> > Le Centre Scientifique et Technique du Batiment, Sophia Antipolis, France
> >            Transsolar Energietechnik GmBH, Stuttgart, Germany
> >         Thermal Energy System Specialists, LLC, Madison Wisconsin, USA
> >
> >                            Release 17.00.0019
> >
> > Simulation log for:
> > "C:\Trnsys17\Examples\genopt-type56--3\tmp-genopt-run-2\GenOptRun.dck"
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Message               : The TRNSYS Executable (TRNExe.exe) and main
> > DLL (TRNDll.dll) are located in "C:\Trnsys17\Exe"
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     :   208
> >     TRNSYS Message     75 : The Type referenced below requires descriptors
> > instead of initial values.
> >     Reported information  : Type 208
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     :   535
> >     TRNSYS Message     75 : The Type referenced below requires descriptors
> > instead of initial values.
> >     Reported information  : Type 535
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     :   580
> >     TRNSYS Message     76 : The following Type has been identified as
> > allowing the unit specifications (kg/h for example) after the input
> > specifications and intial values for the inputs.  The critical parameter
> > number, and the value of this critical parameter that indicates that 
> the
> > units will be supplied is also listed.  This information was 
> retrieved from
> > the VarUnits.dat file loacted in the \Exe directory of your TRNSYS 16
> > installation.
> >     Reported information  : Type 580, Critical Parameter 11, Parameter
> > Value 1
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     :   580
> >     TRNSYS Message     88 : The following Type has been identified as
> > allowing FORMAT statements.  This information was retrieved from the
> > Formats.dat file loacted in the \Exe directory of your TRNSYS 16
> > installation.
> >     Reported information  : Type 580
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     : Not applicable or not available
> >     TRNSYS Message     90 : TRNDll.dll is compiled in release mode.
> > External DLLs will be loaded from the .\UserLib\ReleaseDLLs\ directory.
> >     Reported information  : Not available
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Message               : The following Types were loaded from
> > TRNDll.dll: Type34, Type28, Type65, Type56, Type69, Type109, Type33
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Message               : "FileReader.dll" was found but did not contain
> > any components from the input file.
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Message               : "type127.dll" was found but did not contain
> > any components from the input file.
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Message               : "Type157_demo_release.dll" was found but 
> did
> > not contain any components from the input file.
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Message               : "Type76Lib.dll" was found but did not contain
> > any components from the input file.
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Message               : "type79-W.dll" was found but did not contain
> > any components from the input file.
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Message               : "Type79Lib.dll" was found but did not contain
> > any components from the input file.
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Message               : "Type82Lib.dll" was found but did not contain
> > any components from the input file.
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Message               : "Type98Lib.dll" was found but did not contain
> > any components from the input file.
> >
> > *** Notice at time        :         0.000000
> >     Generated by Unit     : Not applicable or not available
> >     Generated by Type     : Not applicable or not available
> >     TRNSYS Message    199 : TRNSYS found at least one user DLL in the
> > UserLib directory. (Note: Only DLL's including Types that are used 
> in the
> > simulation are loaded)
> >     Reported information  : 0 user DLLs were loaded after searching 
> in
> > "C:\Trnsys17\UserLib\ReleaseDLLs"
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> > Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 14:45:07 +0200
> > From: amr.alaaeldin at polimi.it
> > To: trnsys-users at lists.onebuilding.org
> > CC: trnsys-users at cae.wisc.edu
> > Subject: Re: [TRNSYS-users] Trnsys 17 - GenOpt
> >
> > Dear Ines,
> > I have only worked with GenOpt + Trnsys 16... I heard that the steps 
> are
> > the same, but I'm not sure...
> >
> > Where did you get this error message from? I don't think I ever saw 
> such
> > an error message...
> >
> > What I know is that you see the errors in a file called "Genopt.log"...
> > Actually it might have a different name, but the extension is ".log".
> > If you open this file you can see the error...
> >
> > Can you please check for that file and let me know if you found it 
> and if
> > the error is more clear?
> >
> > Best of luck,
> > Amr
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Aug 29, 2014 at 2:16 PM, Ines Khalifa <khalifa_ines at hotmail.fr>
> > wrote:
> >
> >  Dear all,
> >
> > I am trying to reproduce the example of the document "Using GenOpt with
> > Trnsys 16 and Type56" using Trnsys 17. I set the geometry mode at Manual
> > since the window height have to be modified by GenOpt. I get the Error
> > messages below.
> > Any idea about what can be the source of the error ?
> >
> > Ines
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TRNSYS-users mailing list
> > TRNSYS-users at lists.onebuilding.org
> > http://lists.onebuilding.org/listinfo.cgi/trnsys-users-onebuilding.org
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > --
> > Amr Alaaeldin Elesawy
> >
> > *PhD Student | Building Engineering*
> > *Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction
> > Engineering (A.B.C.)*
> > Politecnico di Milano, Italy
> > +39 327 056 0018
> >
> > _______________________________________________ TRNSYS-users mailing 
> list
> > TRNSYS-users at lists.onebuilding.org
> > http://lists.onebuilding.org/listinfo.cgi/trnsys-users-onebuilding.org
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > http://lists.onebuilding.org/listinfo.cgi/trnsys-users-onebuilding.org
> >
> >
> 
> 
> -- 
> --
> Amr Alaaeldin Elesawy
> 
> *PhD Student | Building Engineering*
> *Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering
> (A.B.C.)*
> Politecnico di Milano, Italy
> +39 327 056 0018
> _______________________________________________
> TRNSYS-users mailing list
> TRNSYS-users at lists.onebuilding.org
> http://lists.onebuilding.org/listinfo.cgi/trnsys-users-onebuilding.org



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