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[EnergyPlus_Support] Re: EnergyPlus How To
Hi, Linda
This is in response to your e-mail on feedback of learning and using
EnergyPlus.
I have started using EnergyPlus recently, learning myself, while
helping another user (OoiKoonBeng2004) to debug his problem.
I am probably the only person runnig the EnergyPlus using a WindowsME
platform (800x600 pixel display).
I think, your example files, the .pdf documentations are very good.
Because of the size of the manuals, I am actually using two PC's to
view and edit the .idf file.
While I am displaying one section of the .idf file, I can scroll and
search the PDF file manual on the other PC running Windows'98SE.
When the required section is found, I can copy and paste the examples
over to the idf file.
Of course, for user with a large screen, the pages can be displayed
on the same screen. Because of the small display screen, I need to
view the .svg file in nine separate pages.
I think, it is more important for a user to know how a real system
work, before trying to use a simulation. I am an electrical engineer
trained in UK, Imperial College of Science and Technology. I had
some HVAC design experience, while I was lecturing at the University
of Malaya. I can understand the need for the nodes and the component
parts of the equipment used in the simulation.
I also have computer hardware interface exprience, programming in
DOS and machine languages. I have written programs in FORTRAN and
BASIC, PASCAL, C++ and OWL as well.
In a short period of a few months, I could read the output files from
the EnergyPlus simulation and make some sense of them.
Therefore, I think, the present sets of documentation is quite
adequate.
To help the user in not making common mistakes, it may be useful to
introduce more rules in assigning names to the objects. For example,
the first unique name given by the user can be any names. The names
that follow at different levels of the object tree should have some
indication, whether they are type, or number, or other data type
specifications.
For example, in Compact Schedule, Always, Always20, Always15,
Always4. At first I did not realize that Always4 specifis the type
of Dual Heating Cooling Setpoint. So I suggested that we should use,
say, Always20D, Always15D, and Always4T, using D to indicate
degrees in temperure and T for type. This may help if one use text
editor to debug the file.
Some commonly used types should be defined by the system and store
them in a separate file, like a header or include file in C
programming. In this way, there will be less errors. I am
thinking of writing a simple program to separate the .idf files into
sections, and then combining them, and also let the PC to do compare
the original file and the file after using the EditIdf.
At present I fine it difficult to try different segments of a .idf
file, befause I cannot readily separate them.
When a new object is introduced, I have noticed that the EDITidf
changes and/or delete the input file which I was editing. After a
while, it become rather trouble some to find out which part of the
file has been changed.
On the whole, I find the EnergyPlus not difficult to learn and use.
The present sets of manuals are probably good enough. More
comprehensive error checking and the use of standard objects with
default values may help.
Regards,
Dr. Li, Yuan-Lu.
--- In EnergyPlus_Support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Linda Lawrie <linda@...>
wrote:
>
> At 03:07 PM 3/16/2007, jon_pls wrote:
> >What's the best way to understand how everything works in
EnergyPlus,
> >or, re-stated, is there any other "how to" documentation outside of
> >the official EnergyPlus site?
>
> Not really. I am on the hook for writing a "basics" manual this
year
> (due for the October release) but quite sure how to tackle it --
any
> suggestions are appreciated.
>
> >How did everyone else learn how to edit IDF files?
>
> I'm not a good person to ask. Personally, I would probably use
some
> tool like DesignBuilder to do the building geometry, which is
always
> a pain to do. Then, I would look to the Compact HVAC systems which
> will help you build up a system. (and it creates an IDF so you can
> pick that up and hopefully learn from it).
>
>
>
> Linda
>
> EnergyPlus WebSite: http://www.energyplus.gov
> Owner: EnergyPlus_Support list
> Member: EnergyPlus Development Team
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
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