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Debugging EnergyPlus crash

asked 2015-02-02 10:37:14 -0600

LSurf's avatar

EnergyPlus keeps crashing on me, before writing output to the .err-file. It does so as soon as it reaches HVAC calculations.

I've tried to leave out parts of my IDF-file, however it crashes as soon as a certain plant loop is fully defined. This makes it extremely hard to pinpoint the error.

Is there any way to debug a crashing EnergyPlus?

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answered 2015-02-02 13:21:10 -0600

@LSurf, of course there is: EnergyPlus is open-source! You can download the source from GitHub (https://github.com/NREL/EnergyPlus/re...), compile it yourself (in DEBUG mode), and then run it within a development/debugging environment like MS VisualStudio. Are you game? If not, you can send someone who has a debugging setup (e.g., me) your file and we can tell you what is going on.

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Thanks, it would be great if you could look into why it keeps on crashing. I've shared my .idf file here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6c182nt7v3t...

I'll try to see if I can get VisualStudio up and running as well.

LSurf's avatar LSurf  ( 2015-02-03 02:17:01 -0600 )edit

So good news, it crashes on my machine too ;) Using "pause during simulation", I get this:

C:\Users\...\Downloads\Temp\EPTEMP-00000001>IF NOT EXIST eplusmtr.inp "C:\Energy PlusV8-2-0\postprocess\ReadVarsESO.exe" test.mvi unlimited ReadVarsESO program starting. EOF encountered during read of ESO header records probable EnergyPlus error condition -- check eplusout.err ReadVarsESO program terminated. ReadVars Run Time=00hr 00min 0.02sec

Julien Marrec's avatar Julien Marrec  ( 2015-02-03 03:37:07 -0600 )edit

Unfortunately that didn't help me much further. I do get an output.audit, where the last line says: " Getting object=SCHEDULE:COMPACT". I'll check into the schedules and see if something is wrong there.

In the meantime I'll keep trying to get VisualStudio running. :)

LSurf's avatar LSurf  ( 2015-02-04 08:10:48 -0600 )edit

I finally managed to compile E+ with VS2013. For other ppl having trouble getting the interface setup, make sure you have have VS2013 for Windows Desktop, not VS2013 for Windows, they are different.

Unfortunately I've never user VS2013 before, and finding the error isn't that obvious to me.

The stack is: EnergyPlus::SolarCollectors::CollectorData -> CalcPassiveExteriorBaffleGap -> CalcExteriorVentedCavity -> CalcHeatBalanceOutsideSurf -> .... -> main

It seems that the Collector data is empty (looking at the 'this' variable in FArray1).

Any insights are welcome...

LSurf's avatar LSurf  ( 2015-02-05 10:21:16 -0600 )edit
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answered 2015-02-13 07:03:17 -0600

LSurf's avatar

updated 2015-02-13 07:03:33 -0600

I got an answer from the EnergyPlus staff, who were helpful enough to pinpoint the exact problem. Zone sizing in combination with the OtherSideConditionsModel made it crash.

Response from EP:

The problem is with the combination of zone sizing plus the OtherSideConditionsModel for the ICS model. This should be fine, but the zone sizing changes the order of input processing the collector is undefined when the surfaces are modeled during zone sizing. I have posted a new issue #4723 to get this fixed. For this particular file, you can get it running by deleting the sizing:zone object. I will post an issue to get this fixed.

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How did you fix the problem of sizing:zone? I have the same issue when I deleted it the software did not crash.

maria123098's avatar maria123098  ( 2020-12-01 01:42:00 -0600 )edit

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Asked: 2015-02-02 10:37:14 -0600

Seen: 1,952 times

Last updated: Feb 13 '15