Tool for removing extraneous schedules from input file

5 posts / 0 new
Last post

Does anyone know if such a tool exists?

I would like to be able to "clean up" a model by removing schedules (annual, week, day) and perhaps other inputs (utility rates, performance curves) that are not used in the model. Perhaps this would be an Excel macro that searches an input file and then asks for user confirmation before deleting the unused schedules/curves etc.

If this hasn't already been created, this would be an excellent way for some intrepid engineer/student/geek to earn some street cred.

~Bill

William Bishop, PE, BEMP, BEAP, LEED AP

Bill Bishop's picture
Offline
Joined: 2012-02-25
Reputation: 7

Bill,

The eQUEST "Quality Control Reporting" tool shows a list of schedules that are not assigned in the model. You would have to delete them manually if you didn't want them in the model. Yes, I agree that it would be handy to have a tool that deletes them automatically. Maybe someone will surprise you for your birthday. ;)

[cid:image002.jpg at 01CE6CDF.CE5951B0]

Regards,
Bill

Bill Bishop's picture
Offline
Joined: 2012-02-25
Reputation: 7

Remember to keep any schedules that your parametric runs may call.

Paul Riemer, PE, LEED AP BD+C
DUNHAM

Paul Riemer's picture
Offline
Joined: 2011-09-30
Reputation: 0

Hi Bill,

You have actually touched on a favorite subject of mine in the
wonderful-world-of-eQuest. Or the terrifying world, same thing really.
Right now, we typically strip-out a majority of the defined parameters in
an eQuest model as it pertains to internal loads and pretty much every
thermal-zone property. My tool of choice is actually Notepad ++ using
regular expressions (fun stuff if you dig into it).

We are finding that learning just a little bit of script-language in eQuest
can greatly simplify how inputs are specified, by using default look-up
equations and in essence give eQuest some template-like abilities for space
types and thermal zone definitions.

While cleaning-out unused schedules may seem nice, unless all objects no
longer reference those schedules, it is difficult to say which ones stay
and which go, especially difficult to write a program that automates this
step. My suggestion would be to get comfortable with simplifying the
first-level definitions of internal loads and thermal zones to use more
relational inputs (which allow a model to be quickly change or reference
other things) and then focus on ensuring un-used schedules or other objects
get removed.

*Neil Bulger, PE* | CEPE

Neil Bulger's picture
Offline
Joined: 2011-09-30
Reputation: 200

Not exactly what you're looking for, but before turning in a model to the
USGBC I used to bring up the delete annual schedule dialog box in eQUEST by
attempting to delete a schedule, then page down through the schedules in my
file making note of each schedule that was listed as having zero
references. I would then go into the inp file and be able to fairly
quickly remove all of the annual schedules that I was not using. This
doesn't clean up the weekly or daily schedules, but it makes your LV-G
report cleaner for the reviewer.

-Robby

Robby Oylear's picture
Offline
Joined: 2011-09-30
Reputation: 202