[Equest-users] Editing eQuest Weather Files

[Jonathan Chew]

Hi Varkie, all

I have found a work around to the PKAFT issue. Varkie, as previously mentioned, I have been referring to Jeff Hirsch's eQuest weather guide, and more importantly, the elusive excel sheet that supposedly prepared the data in a much more user friendly method than all previously discussed methods.

Anyways, after turning a 'template' .bin file to a .ft file, I suggest it is opened with a word processing program called 'UltraEdit', instead of either notepad or Excel. In this program, you can edit columns effectively, while preserving the format of the original .bin file, unlike Excel. I have confirmed that the edited .ft file can be converted back to a (.bin) file using PKAFT, and used in eQuest without a 'End of Weather file' error.

As I am currently working through this myself, I can provide an edit to the current guide on your website Varkie, if you like. We can discuss further if you are interested.

Thank you again for all the help everyone. I'm glad this can finally move forward.



Jonathan Chew
Mechanical Engineering Services
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________________________________
From: Varkie C Thomas [mailto:thomasv at iit.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 2:31 PM
To: Jonathan Chew
Cc: R B; eQUEST Users List
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] Editing eQuest Weather Files


Someone (like Joe Huang, Jeff Hirsch) should write a program to read the Excel file and write it into a text file using the NCDC 80-column format and then convert it back to "weather.bin".  It would be very useful.

You can order NCDC weather file (they will send you any 10 consecutive years) for about $200 and use PKAFT to convert to "weather.bin".  The webpage http://bepan.info/weather shows how to convert NCDC packed 80-column TEXT DATA to "weather.bin" and back to TEXT TABLE which can then read into EXCEL  See  9 - Weather _NCDC.tpe to DOE2.bin to Tables-Charts<http://bepan.info/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/9_-_Weather___NCDCtpe_to_DOE2bin_to_Tables-Charts.34093358.pdf>

The excel file can be saved as text file but I don't think PKAFT can convert it back to "weather.bin".  The NCDC format has been changed.  Example: the DP column in NCDC is now missing and other calculated results have been added and all the columns have been rearranged.

I have just added a zipped file CONVERT EDITED EXCEL FILE "Weather.xls" BACK TO "Weather.bin"<http://bepan.info/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Jeddah08.87105445.zip> to the website http://bepan.info/weather showing my crazy attempt at converting the Excel file back to "weather.bin".  It is 9 MB. Double click on it.  It produced a "weather.bin" that was 145 KB instead of 146 KB and I get a "end of file" message.  I decided not to figure out what was missing and gave up.  It would be quicker and easier to write a program that does the conversion.

Under http://bepan.info/engg-calcs you will find Excel psychrometric programs.

Varkie


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