Difficulty running EnergyPlus 8.4. bundled with OpenStudio 1.10.

asked 2016-01-11 05:37:45 -0500

After an OpenStudio simulation model has been created, I usually continue working with EP_Launch and IDF-Editor, for dealing with features not covered in OpenStudio, e.g. setting up EMS controls.

However, when starting EP_Launch - as installed by OpenStudio 1.10. installer - the following error message occurs:

image description

(observed with MS Windows operating system, 32bit)

How can it be ensured that users are enabled also to work with EnergyPlus 8.4. programs independently of OpenStudio ?

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answered 2016-01-11 07:28:28 -0500

MarkAdams
1845 ●2 ●9 https://github.com/mbadams5

The error message is pretty straightforward and explains the issue well in my opinion. Since OpenStudio is installed in Program Files, which is write protected, you need to run EP-Launch as Administrator for it to work.

Another, probably better option is to change the permissions of the EnergyPlusV8-4-0 folder installed by OpenStudio. With this option, you can keep the OpenStudio installed EnergyPlus but EP-Launch and the other utilities should work when called directly.

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Just install EnergyPlus again in the normal location. The install of EnergyPlus with OpenStudio is going to start being paired down to the bare minimum that OpenStudio needs, it will not stay a full featured install of EnergyPlus forever.

macumber ( 2016-01-11 10:43:25 -0500 )edit

As a normal user, I would object to run EP-Launch as Administrator, and I also would dislike to bother about changing any standard directory permissions after a software installation.

Hence, this does not seem to be a convincing solution.

OS-user-AT ( 2016-01-11 14:18:24 -0500 )edit

Well if you want to avoid all of that AND don't want to install separate installation of EnergyPlus then the only other option is to install OpenStudio to a different location than "Program Files".

MarkAdams ( 2016-01-11 14:37:32 -0500 )edit

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answered 2016-01-11 10:42:12 -0500

macumber

11908 ●22 ●21 http://automaticmagic.com/

The EnergyPlus installed by OpenStudio is not intended for parallel use from the command line. You should install EnergyPlus separately if you want to run it from the command line, use EP-Launch, or any other utilities. There is no reason to have to remove EnergyPlus from the OpenStudio installation, that will result in a broken installation.

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Does that mean, I will typically need 2 installations of EnergyPlus ? Are you sure this will not create any interference problems ? As pointed out, the normal workflow is first to create an OpenStudio model and then to continue with EnergyPlus utilities outside OpenStudio.

OS-user-AT ( 2016-01-11 14:21:38 -0500 )edit

Yeah, this is totally fine.

macumber ( 2016-01-11 15:03:28 -0500 )edit

But what about writing an installer that will put EnergyPlus into a directory X:EnergyPlusVx-x-x in the first place? Wouldn't this be the simplest and best solution, since OpenStudio models often only can serve as initial models which require modifications and extensions ?

OS-user-AT ( 2016-01-12 02:00:40 -0500 )edit

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answered 2016-01-11 05:47:33 -0500

OS-user-AT

2274 ●3 ●14 https://mak-analytics.com

My solution has been, as with previous OpenStudio versions (cf. OS 1.8. unable to run EP 8.3 ), to delete the EnergyPlus 8.4. subdirectory which is used for the bundled distribution of EnergyPlus, and to install the appropriate version of EnergyPlus in a separate directory, as expected by EnergyPlus programs such as EP_Launch.

After a renewed search for tools in OpenStudio simulations run smoothly.

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One caution, there's been discussion about removing "search for tools" based on the assumption that OpenStudio will know where it installed EnergyPlus and Radiance. That hasn't happened yet, but it might in the future.

ljbrackney ( 2016-01-11 09:17:09 -0500 )edit

In view of the described problems, I think it would be problematic to remove "search for tools". After all, can we expect OpenStudio to become self-sufficient, i.e. covering all features of EnergyPlus, in the near future ? I can't believe it.

OS-user-AT ( 2016-01-11 14:25:58 -0500 )edit

OpenStudio will depend on the particular version of EnergyPlus that it installs, you can install EnergyPlus separately if you want to use it outside of OpenStudio. There is no reason that OpenStudio needs to share the same installation of EnergyPlus that you use for other purposes.

macumber ( 2016-01-11 15:02:57 -0500 )edit

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Difficulty running EnergyPlus 8.4. bundled with OpenStudio 1.10.

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Difficulty running EnergyPlus 8.4. bundled with OpenStudio 1.10.