NAME

Sim::OPTS manages parametric esplorations through the use of the ESP-r building performance simulation platform

SYNOPSIS

  use Sim::OPTS;
  opts;

DESCRIPTION

OPTS is written to manage parametric explorations through the use of the ESP-r building performance simulation platform. (All the necessary information about ESP-r is available at the web address http://www.esru.strath.ac.uk/Programs/ESP-r.htm.) OPTS may modify directories and files in your work directory. So it is necessary to examine how it works before attempting to use it.

For the non-habitual users of Perl: to install OPTS it is necessary to issue the following command in the shell as a superuser: "cpanm Sim::OPTS". This way Perl will take care to install all necessary dependencies. After loading the module, which is made possible by the commands "use Sim::OPTS", only two commands will be available to the user: "opts" and "optslaunch". "opts" will activate the opts functions as written in a previously prepared OPTS configuration file. "optslaunch" will open a text interface made to facilitate the preparation of OPTS configuration files. I have currently disabled the loading of the file supporting it ("opts_launch.pl"). However, "optslaunch" has not been updated to the last several versions of opts, so it is no more usable at the moment.

The command "opts" requires or even allows no parameter or other information excepted the name of an OPTS configuration file. OPTS will ask for the name of an OPTS configuration file as soon it is launched. On that OPTS configuration file the instructions for the program will have to be written before launching OPTS. All the activity of preparation to run opts will happen in an OPTS configuration file. An OPTS configuration file has to be applied to an existing ESP-r model.

Currently the OPTS configuration files can only be prepared by example. In the module distribution, there is a template file with explanations and an example of an OPTS configuration file. The template file constitutea an integrative part of the present documentation. The OPTS configuration file will make, if asked, OPTS give instruction to the ESP-r building performance simulation program in order to make it modify a model in several different copies; then, if asked, it will run some simulations; then, if asked, it will retrieve the results; then, if asked, it will extract some results and order them in the required manner; then, if asked, will format the so obtained results. Those functions are performed by the subroutines written in the following files: "opts_morph.pl", "opts_sim.pl", "opts_report.pl", "opts_format.pl". It should be noted that some functions in "opts_report.pl" and especially in "opts_format.pl" have been used only once and have not been maintained since then. My attention has imdeed been mostly directed to the "OPTS.pm" and "opts_morph.pl" files.

To run OPTS, you may open Perl in a repl. As a repl, you may use the Devel::Repl module. To launch it, the command "re.pl" has to be given to the shell. Then you may load the Sim:OPTS module from there ("use Sim:OPTS"). Then issue the command "Sim::OPTS::opts" from there as well. When launched, OPTS will ask you to write the name and path of the OPTS configuration file to be considered. After that, the activity of OPTS will start and will not stop until completion.

OPTS will make ESP-r perform actions on a certain ESP-r model by copying it several times and morphing each copy. A target ESP-r model must also therefore be prepared in advance and specified in the OPTS configuration file. The OPTS configuration file will also contain information about your work directory. I usually make OPTS work in a "optsworks" folder in my home folder. Beside OPTS configuration files, also configuration files for propagation of constraints may be specified. I usually put them into a directory in the model folder named "opts".

The model folders and the result files that will be created through ESP-r will be named as your root model, followed by a “_” character, followed by a variable number referred to the first morphing phase, followed by a “-” character, followed by an iteration number for the variable in question, and so on for all morphing phases. For example, the model instance produced in the first iteration for a model named “model” in a search constituted by 3 morphing phases and 5 iteration steps each may be named “model_1-1_2-1_3-1”; and the last one may be named “model_1-5_2-5_3-5”.

The propagation of constraints on which some OPTS operations on models may be based may regard the geometry of the model, solar shadings, mass/flow network, and/or controls, and how they affect each other and daylighting (as calculated throuch the Radiance lighting simulation program). To study what propagation on constraint can do for the program, the template file included in the OPTS Perl module distribution should be studied.

OPTS presently only works for UNIX and UNIX-like systems. With just a few variations, it could work for Windows as well. There still would be lots of things to add to it and bugs to correct in it. OPTS is a program I have written as a side project since 2008, where I was beginning to learn to program. I wrote it in my spare time. The only parte of it I wrote for work is that in the file "opts_launch.pl", which was needed for the inclusion of the use of OPTS in an institutional research I was carrying on in 2011-2012.

Because I began to write OPTS when I was learning to program, the most fundamental parts of it are the ones that are written in the strangest manner. As you may realize by looking at the code, I am not a professional programmer and I don't do most things in a standard way.

EXPORT

"opts" and "optslaunch".

SEE ALSO

All the available documentation is collected in the readme.txt file. An example of ESP-r model inclusive an "opts" folder contanining files of instruction for propagation of constraints in OPTS are uploaded in my personal page at the Politecnico di Milano (www.polimi.it). Its web address may vary, so I don't list it here. For inquiries: gianluca.brunetti@polimi.it.

AUTHOR

Gian Luca Brunetti, <gianluca.brunetti@polimi.it>

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

Copyright (C) 2008-2014 by Gian Luca Brunetti and Politecnico di Milano This is free software. You can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, version 2.