Need help fixing an input format error

asked 2025-11-10 05:58:35 -0600

u_bela
1 ●1

updated 2025-11-10 11:13:33 -0600

Aaron Boranian

14460 ●92 ●25 http://bigladdersoftware.com/

Hey I am very new to energy modeling and tried to setup a simple 2 zone building with a vrf hvac system. I get the following errors when trying to run my model:

 Program Version,EnergyPlus, Version 25.1.0-68a4a7c774, YMD=2025.11.10 11:55,  
** Severe  ** <root>[BuildingSurface:Detailed][RoomA_Floor][number_of_vertices] - "0.000000" - Expected number greater than or equal to 3.000000.  
** Severe  ** <root>[BuildingSurface:Detailed][RoomA_Floor][number_of_vertices] - Failed to validate against child schema #0.  
** Severe  ** <root>[BuildingSurface:Detailed][RoomA_Floor][number_of_vertices] - "0.000000" - Failed to match against any enum values.  
** Severe  ** <root>[BuildingSurface:Detailed][RoomA_Floor][number_of_vertices] - Failed to validate against child schema #1.  
** Severe  ** <root>[BuildingSurface:Detailed][RoomA_Floor][number_of_vertices] - Failed to validate against any schemas allowed by anyOf constraint.  
** Severe  ** <root>[BuildingSurface:Detailed][RoomA_Floor][sun_exposure] - "NoWind" - Failed to match against any enum values.  
** Severe  ** <root>[BuildingSurface:Detailed][RoomA_Floor][vertices][3] - Missing required property 'vertex_z_coordinate'.  
**  Fatal  ** Errors occurred on processing input file. Preceding condition(s) cause termination.  
...Summary of Errors that led to program termination:  
..... Reference severe error count=7. 
..... Last severe error=<root>[BuildingSurface:Detailed][RoomA_Floor][vertices][3] - Missing required property 'vertex_z_coordinate'.  
************* Warning:  Node connection errors not checked - most system input has not been read (see previous warning).  
************* Fatal error -- final processing.  Program exited before simulations began.  See previous error messages.  
************* EnergyPlus Warmup Error Summary. During Warmup: 0 Warning; 0 Severe Errors.  
************* EnergyPlus Sizing Error Summary. During Sizing: 0 Warning; 0 Severe Errors.
************* EnergyPlus Terminated--Fatal Error Detected. 0 Warning; 7 Severe Errors; Elapsed Time=00hr 00min  0.03sec.

To me it seems like the formatting of my file is wrong but i tried to follow the documentation i found online.
Does anyone know where the issue might come from? I shared my idf and epw files in google drive here.

Thanks in advance

answered 2025-11-10 13:47:17 -0600

Denis Bourgeois
3838 ●144 ●8 https://www.rd2.ca

@u_bela : Indeed, you have formatting issues, e.g. mixing periods/dots (.) with commas (,) ...

RunPeriod:

RunPeriod,
  June2024,           !- Name
  6,1,2024,           !- Begin Month, Day, Year  ... COMMAS AS SEPARATORS (NOT DOTS)
  6,30,2024,          !- End Month, Day, Year    ... COMMAS AS SEPARATORS (NOT DOTS)
  Saturday,           !- Day of Week for Start Day
  Yes,                !- Use Weather File Holidays/Special Days
  Yes,                !- Use Weather File Daylight Saving Period
  No,                 !- Apply Weekend Holiday Rule
  Yes,                !- Use Weather File Rain Indicators
  Yes;                !- Use Weather File Snow Indicators

BuildingSurface:Detailed:

BuildingSurface:Detailed,
  RoomA_Floor,          !- Name
  Floor,                !- Surface Type
  SlabCons,             !- Construction Name
  RoomA,,               !- Zone Name     ... ADD 2ND COMMA FOR BLANK SPACE OBJECT
  Ground,               !- Outside Boundary Condition
  ,                     !- Outside Boundary Condition Object
  NoSun,                !- Sun Exposure
  NoWind,               !- Wind Exposure
  1.0,                  !- View Factor to Ground
  4,                    !- Number of Vertices
  0.0, 0.0, 0.0,        !- Vertex 1 X,Y,Z
  8.0, 0.0, 0.0,        !- Vertex 2 X,Y,Z
  8.0, 7.0, 0.0,        !- Vertex 3 X,Y,Z
  0.0, 7.0, 0.0;        !- Vertex 4 X,Y,Z

VRF Curves : too many dots, i.e. not enough commas to separate coefficients:

Curve:Biquadratic, VRFCoolCapFT,           1, 0, 0,  0, 0, 0, 10, 40, -5, 25; ... 10 NUMBERS 
Curve:Biquadratic, VRFCoolCapFTBoundary,   1, 0, 0,  0, 0, 0, 10, 40, -5, 25;
Curve:Biquadratic, VRFCoolCapFTHi,         1, 0, 0,  0, 0, 0, 10, 50, -5, 30;
Curve:Biquadratic, VRFCoolEIRFT,           1, 0, 0,  0, 0, 0, 10, 40, -5, 25;
Curve:Biquadratic, VRFCoolEIRFTBoundary,   1, 0, 0,  0, 0, 0, 10, 40, -5, 25;
Curve:Biquadratic, VRFCoolEIRFTHi,         1, 0, 0,  0, 0, 0, 10, 50, -5, 30;
Curve:Quadratic,   VRFCPLFFPLR,            0.85, 0.15, 0, 0, 1.0;
Curve:Biquadratic, VRFHeatCapFT,           1, 0, 0,  0, 0, 0, 10, 40, -20, 15;
Curve:Biquadratic, VRFHeatCapFTBoundary,   1, 0, 0,  0, 0, 0, 10, 40, -20, 15;
Curve:Biquadratic, VRFHeatCapFTHi,         1, 0, 0,  0, 0, 0, 10, 50, -20, 20;
Curve:Biquadratic, VRFHeatEIRFT,           1, 0, 0,  0, 0, 0, 10, 40, -20, 15;
Curve:Biquadratic, VRFHeatEIRFTBoundary,   1, 0, 0,  0, 0, 0, 10, 40, -20, 15;
Curve:Biquadratic, VRFHeatEIRFTHi,         1, 0, 0,  0, 0, 0, 10, 50, -20, 20;

Curve:Linear,      CoolingLengthCorrectionFactor, 1.0, 0.0, 0, 100;
Curve:Linear,      HeatingLengthCorrectionFactor, 1.0, 0.0, 0, 100;
Curve:Cubic,       VRFTUCoolCapFT, 1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0, 50, 0.5, 1.5;
Curve:Quadratic,   VRFACCoolCapFFF, 0.8, 0.2, 0.0, 0.5, 1.5;
Curve:Quadratic,   VRFACHtgCapFFF, 0.8, 0.2, 0.0, 0.5, 1.5;

That should get you started, I hope ...

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