Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] how to use ReadVarsESO to convert eso to csv file

On Fri, Jul 13, 2012 at 7:30 PM, YuanLu Li <yli006@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Please do not try to modify the EPlus batch file directly. You can copy how it rename the input and the output files, so that you can reuse the rvi file with the same .eso and .csv names inside for different .eso files and output .csv files.

The RunReadESO.bat in the postprocess directory shows you how to use a list or a single file.   The first
set rvpath=   [path]
is for you to fill in the directory path.   The last
set rvpath=
should be left blank to clear the path variable. This is required because the ReadVarsESO.exe is not in the user folder with the .rvi files.

Write a separate batch file that reads in a list of your desired RVI file, or hard code the names in the batch file, which is easier. Make a copy of the ReadVarsESO.exe to the same directory as the .eso fille and the .rvi files, this reduces the typing of those long directory names.

When you wanted to display a zone specific data without using the wild cat key "*", check the data name that is in the .eso file header section when the data does not show in the output.csv.

You can also save time, if you design the zone names systematically using Zoneprefix+function or systemPrefix + function as names The same macro that defines the object can be used to help writing the .rvi lines. The templates uses this method to generate the branch and node names.

Your test shows that the simple parallel processing algorithm works for one fore ground processing. The two core system normally runs one foreground in one core and all the other backgrouond services in the other. Some of the processing power is added to the fore ground load. The sharing is based on a comple service application.

When you run two fore ground programs at the same time, I have no idea how the programControl schedules the threads.

I do not think that RunEPlus.bat can run E+ simulation in parallel, although I have not check whether there are new markers introduced in the file. The markers may also be placed in each modules themselves.. I have not study any of the codes lately.

Dr. Li

To: EnergyPlus_Support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
From: hujia06@xxxxxxxxx

Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 17:31:34 -0400

Subject: Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] how to use ReadVarsESO to convert eso to csv file

Hi,

I just report my initial tests.

(1) using programControl, run two BCVTB simulations in a two core computer, the speed is about 4 day / min

(2) Without using programControl, run two BCVTB programs in the two core computer, the speed is about 3 days / min

(3) Using programControl, run one BCVBT simulation in the two core computer, the speed is about 2.5 day/min

(4) Without using programControl, run one BCVTB program in the two core computer, the speed is about 3 day/min

we can see in my test cases:

Parallel simulation takes longer time than sequential simulation if without using programControl.
Using programControl but without parallel simulation may increase runtime.
So RunEPlus.bat can run E+ simulation in parallel, but this actually increases the total runtime, at least for my test case??

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I just knew EPlus can output different csv file from the eso file. Currently, I use matlab to process the data extracted from the big csv file. But it is quite slow. I will take advantage of this capability of EPlus in future. If I know this earlier, I will do it in this way: modify the batch file and then let batch file automatically call different RVI and generate different csv files. I think Dr. Li offers this suggestion at the beginning of the discussion.

Thank you!

Jia

On Fri, Jul 13, 2012 at 4:51 PM, YuanLu Li <yli006@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

If you are running programs on a PC, I do not think the multi-threading can improve total speed very much.

I am not an PC expert and have not actually run threaded programs.

From what I know when dealing with so called super computers, you need special linking programs to speed up the parallel programming. When functions are sent randomly to different processors, they may not be synchronized in processing duration. The pragram ended up with many wait time.

This OpenMP algorithm is too simplistic. I do not have a multi-core PC, and do not have hands on experiense.

This is not the same as running the RVI file in the batch file mode. When you enter the input from the common line, there are lots of wait time between you and the PC. When it is executed in the batch file mode, there is no wait time between each call, although you may spend some time in building the batch file the first time. Once the RVI fle are defined, and if you do not change the building model drastically, most the files can be re used for different projects. That is where you save time.

For a small project, it is still faster simply to use copy and paste on different sheets of Excel, using the default large .csv..

All those "Apps" on iPad, I think, are the same as the DeskTop shortcuts. On a PC you have the control on these shortcuts. For iPad, the program is downladed with the "Apps". Unless you are careful, you do not really know what the "Apps" can do to your system. This is why you can use the DeskTop Icon as a simple batch file.

Dr. Li

To: EnergyPlus_Support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
From: hujia06@xxxxxxxxx

Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 14:13:45 -0400

Subject: Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] how to use ReadVarsESO to convert eso to csv file

Thank you, Dr.Li. You are always helpful. I will try your methods.

I have an off topic question here. I want to run EPlus in parallel. I find concurrent running can be achieved by using batch file "RunEPlus.bat" instead of EP-launch.exe (according to the explanation in the EPlus manual, the reason is that batch file copies key energyplus files such as ini. in.idf, in.epw..... to the single folder). I also use BCVTB. I create two folders each of which includes complete BCVTB, MATLAB and .idf files. and I run them concurrently in a two core computer.

The problem is that if I run concurrently, the CUP usage reaches100%. however, the runtime for a single simulation is greatly increased. The total runtime may exceed the time for sequential runs.

Thanks,

Jia

On Fri, Jul 13, 2012 at 1:19 PM, YuanLu Li <yli006@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi, Jia

Looked like you were using the Window "run" to execute the ReadVarsESO.exe.

If you only need to create one custom .csv for each simulatin, you can use a .rvi having the same name as the IDF file and place it in the same folder as the .IDF.

The EPlus batch file will look for it automatically, and rename it to in.rvi in the temp folder. After the simulation, it will for the in.rvi, if found, the custom .csi would be produced. If the in.rvi is not found, the full .csv would be produced.

The "eplusout" is the prefix for all the output files. It will be replaced by the input IDF filename and placing them in your user directory. "eplusout.eso" and "eplusout.csv" are the two file name in the temp directory during simulation..

The content of the .eso is controlled by the Report Variable entries in the IDF. Even if you supply a custom .rvi during simulation, full set of data values are in the .eso file. However, only 250 columns would be sent to the .csv. This number can ge increased.

When you want to create more customed .csv from one .eso file, remember that the .rvi passed on the command line should have the name of the .eso matches the one you wanted to use, and the second line is the custom .csv file should be different from any existing .csv file.

If you want to leave them as "eplusout.eso" and "eplusout.csv", simply creat a directory and open and save the .eso file with that name. Every time the data is extrated, change the .csv file before making another run of .rvi.

You can place C:\\EnergyPlusV7-1-0\\PostProcess\\ReadVarsESO.exe" project.rvi
in the desk top short-cut icon.   With "Start in" pointing to your directory where project.rvi and project.eso are in. Every time you click to excute that icon, it will go to the DOS screen and produce a project.csv file in the user directory..

If you use a batch file, then all the command can be in one text file with the full path of the directories. This will reduce typing mistakes, and build up a number of standard .rvi files for different purposes.

About two years ago, there were some examples in this forum by the experts to show how to use batch file to run .rvi file to split the data into groups of lloors, functions, etc.

Dr. Li

To: EnergyPlus_Support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
From: hujia06@xxxxxxxxx

Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:40:33 -0400
Subject: Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] how to use ReadVarsESO to convert eso to csv file

Hi Dr.Li,

In my case, I need to convert several eso files to csv files, so I would like to manually run the command instead of using batch file. The .rvi file simply has two lines as shown below. I use the command: "C:\\EnergyPlusV7-1-0\\PostProcess\\ReadVarsESO.exe" project.rvi

project.eso
project csv

Thanks,

Jia

On Thu, Jul 12, 2012 at 4:19 PM, Jia Hu <hujia06@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Thank you, Linda and Dr.Li. I will take a look and let you know.

On Thu, Jul 12, 2012 at 4:16 PM, YuanLu Li <yli006@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

If you cannot follow the DOS batch file syntax, send me the .rvi you have written, and I shall try to explain it to you.

Dr. Li

To: EnergyPlus_Support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
From: hujia06@xxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:18:57 -0400
Subject: [EnergyPlus_Support] how to use ReadVarsESO to convert eso to csv file

Hello:

In my simulation, sometime readvarseso.exe does not run automatically to convert .eso to .csv file. I can use command "ReadVarsESO.exe" to convert "eplusout.eso" to "eplusout.csv".

My question is that how I can use "ReadVarsESO.exe" to convert "project.eso" to "project.csv", using a name other than "eplusout"?

Thanks,