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**FATAL:Errors getting Zone Control input data. How can I solve it?

asked 2021-07-06 09:42:03 -0500

Miguel's avatar

updated 2021-07-09 17:45:09 -0500

Hi! I'm trying to create training points in order to use neural networks for energy consumption prediction. For that, I use matlab to run energyplus. In matlab the steps are: read the .idf file and write it to a matrix, read in the created matrix which lines to replace the variables in the future (variables chosen by me), and then replace those variables in .idf file. These steps are repeated for the number of training points pretended, and the output results are different for each set of variables. With that I obtain the training points.

When I run a simulation in EP-launch with the idf file and weather file there is no problem, the simulation is completed. But when I run it in matlab to obtain the training points, it gives me this fatal error: "**FATAL:Errors getting Zone Control input data. Preceding condition(s) cause termination.", after Initializing HVAC. So this error appears only when I run in matlab, and it happens after the command "system('C:\EnergyPlusV8-3-0\EnergyPlus.exe -w weatherfile.epw -x idffile.idf');" (I confirmed it by putting a break point). Initially I had an error in ExpandObjects, but I put -x in: "system('C:\EnergyPlusV8-3-0\EnergyPlus.exe -w weatherfile.epw -x idffile.idf');", and now this new error appeared, but I'm not being able to solve it. Can someone help me please?

I looked in the .err file and I found this: image description

And I still don't understand the error since the value is always 4:

image description

image description

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I'm sorry that my answer is not related to your question. But, please can you help me with the code you used for this merging between energyplus and matlap?

Amr_'s avatar Amr_  ( 2021-07-07 05:03:09 -0500 )edit

Look in the .err file for more information.

shorowit's avatar shorowit  ( 2021-07-07 08:22:53 -0500 )edit

Hi! About the .err file I already updated it, thanks for the advice. About the merging. It depends on what you want to do, but for the merge itself you have to do something like this:

cd('C:\EnergyPlusV8-3-0');

fid=fopen('idffilename.idf','wt');

if fid == -1

fprintf('error opening the file\n')

else

for i = 1:length(IDF)

fprintf(fid,'%s\n',IDF{i});

end

end

fclose(fid);

%%run%%

system('C:\EnergyPlusV8-3-0\EnergyPlus.exe -w weatherfilename.epw -x idffilename.idf');

%%work again on the initial script, change the directory to the previous one%%

cd('m-files directory')

Miguel's avatar Miguel  ( 2021-07-07 09:54:07 -0500 )edit

In this part basically I changed the directory to the one of energyplus.exe and IDF file (EnergyPlus 8-3-0), changed the original IDF file, ran energyplus and went back to my m-files directory

Miguel's avatar Miguel  ( 2021-07-07 10:07:22 -0500 )edit

Can you provide the IDF using a link from Google Drive, Dropbox, or a similar service?

shorowit's avatar shorowit  ( 2021-07-08 09:01:31 -0500 )edit

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answered 2021-07-12 10:10:00 -0500

Miguel's avatar

Answer provided by EnergyPlus Support:

"I am not sure why the -x command is not working without seeing some examples of your setup, especially this is based on a very old version of EnergyPlus. However, it seems that for your purpose, you can also try the version of expidf file after the expanded object finished running in EP-Launch.

To do that, first run your very original .idf file as usual in EP-Launch. After a successfully run, you should then you find a .expidf file with the same name as your original .idf file. Now just rename the .expidf file to an .idf—you probably want to do that in a different folder, or change the file with a different name in the same folder. After that, you should use the renamed .idf file to run in command line mode as a new start—and this time without using the “-x” option.

You probably just need to this once. After you completed the procedure, just use the regular option (no -x) to run the renamed .idf file it should be ok."

It worked perfectly, the problem is solved.

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Asked: 2021-07-06 09:42:03 -0500

Seen: 192 times

Last updated: Jul 12 '21