[Equest-users] dd wizard - invalid argument
Peter Hillermann
e190984026 at exchange.1and1.com
Tue Jun 15 08:51:12 PDT 2010
My two cents,
I think the 64-bit installation is a valid argument. I had to uninstall all
my programs from 64-bit because REVIT was giving me problems, MAX had some
issues, etc. They only seemed to show up every now and then. I think 64-bit
machines have a 32-bit emulator but that is still an emulator. I would make
a suggestion that no one uses 64-bit until it's been on the market a little
longer. Programmers still have to update all their code to allow for a
64-bit interface, IE:- lots of man hours and money. There are 64-bit patches
but I would still wait. Give it another year or 2, unless you are an IT
person and you're using it for networking or video games. The gaming
industry is always a step ahead because it is a large market and typically
drives the graphic interfaces. Also remember that the game and movie
developers have 64-bit machines that cost around $54,000 for their base
machine.
I had the permissions error with MAX.
REVIT had graphics card interface error.
I now run 32-bit and have no issues with my software.
Thanks,
PETER HILLERMANN
peterh at westallarchitects.com
westall
architects
3404 pierce drive
chamblee, georgia 30341
o 770.458.4113
f 770.458.5352
c 678.898.2936
westallarchitects.com
e-signatureUSGBC-Logo
From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org
[mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Wilson,
Luke
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 10:50 AM
To: Sami, Vikram; Pasha Korber-Gonzalez; Bruce Easterbrook
Cc: equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] dd wizard - invalid argument
I have also had the same error. I have never been able to get it fixed, but
based on previous posts I believe that it may have something to do with
running Equest on a 64-bit machine.
Luke
From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org
[mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Sami,
Vikram
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 10:47 AM
To: Pasha Korber-Gonzalez; Bruce Easterbrook
Cc: equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] dd wizard - invalid argument
Going back to the original point about the error. I have been getting the
error too at my new work computer. It only happens with the wizard. I'm not
sure, but I think it has to do with the way it was installed and the
permissions on the computer. I'm pretty sure it's not got anything to do
with the input values - it happens when I run through the wizard without
touching anything.
Pasha & Bruce - I don't think you will see the errors in the inp file if
it's a problem with the installation/ system that it's on.
I would be curious if anyone else has similar issues. And I would LOVE to
know what the fix is.
Vikram Sami, LEED AP
Sustainable Design Analyst
1382 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30309
t: 404-443-7462 f: 404.892.5823 e: vikram.sami at perkinswill.com
<http://www.perkinswill.com/> www.perkinswill.com
Perkins+Will. Ideas + buildings that honor the broader goals of society
From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org
[mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Pasha
Korber-Gonzalez
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 12:11 AM
To: Bruce Easterbrook
Cc: equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] dd wizard - invalid argument
Bruce-you've been comin' in pretty heavy yourself on this forum and I concur
with your explanations & comments/advice to Aaron and other new users of
eQuest. Put very well and sincere. Bruce stated the reality of the need
for accuracy & efficiency in setting up any energy model. After foolishly
having faith in my eQuest files' ability to run smoothly from start to
finish, I have adopted the "Save As" approach for all of my project files,
and like Bruce stated, "Never get 30 hours in without testing and running it
many times on the path...the simulation at this point is for confirmation
your model is running and [free of errors.]"
Aaron-you might want to send us your .pd2 & .inp files so we can see the
error(s) you are experiencing. I think Bruce is on the right track that it
might be an external surface. Do you have a pitched roof on your model?
Pasha
On Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 7:50 PM, Bruce Easterbrook <bruce5 at bellnet.ca>
wrote:
You did have an error in your electric rate but obviously if it is not
now involved it probably is not the main problem. That leaves the roof. If
you have several custom floors when you create them in the DD wizard they
will all have roofs. If they are stacked you will have embedded roofs if
you have not gone in and removed them which you can't do in the DD wizard.
They will only effect floor to floor heat transfer and maybe eQuest will
give them a solar load I don't know. eQuest will run with them if they are
technically (geometrically) correct. The problem is you can't see them in
the 3D view if they are covered by other floors and easy visual check to see
if they are geometrically correct is not possible. That will cause eQuest
to crash. You may be able to cheat a little. eQuest will show external
surfaces in a red outline in the 3D view. If this is may be your problem go
to the building shell tab to one of the floors and highlight the roof in
tree pane. Switch to your 3D view and hold your control key and with your
left mouse held down rotate the 3D model. It will switch to wire frame and
the roof surface will be highlighted in red. I can't remember how to turn
on the wire frame view but that is possible to do as well. Maybe someone
monitoring this will refresh my memory. I think you have a roof geometry
problem and geometry problems are a pain in the ass.
The other thing I have noticed and I'm not sure quite why but if there
was an error and you have corrected it, the program may have not actually
accommodated the change yet. My guess is, the program runs in a linear
fashion start to finish. A change will probably get added to the end of the
program as a addition or change. When the program is run again it is using
the original file and then the additions, but the error is still there and
the program hits it first and crashes. I have found when doing major
changes it is best just to save the file, close it and re-open it. eQuest
will then reorder the file and it probably won't crash if you did correct
the error. Run a simulation and you will get much better error messages as
to what the problem is. I have adjusted my trouble shooting technique to
this method in the last few weeks and have seen many errors disappear once
the file is reinitialized. It has saved many hours of banging my head on
the wall.
This is not specifically for you Aaron, just a general observation
(tangent). I have noticed a few guides in the last week or so to help new
comers but no one has mentioned reinitializing the project. It may be an
obscure point but I think it saved me about 30% of my hours on my latest
project. One of the biggest things with eQuest is to get it running and
keep it running as you build your model. Start simple, initially, heat
transfer surfaces are important, zones are important, windows are not,
schedules are not, utilities are not, constructions are not, layers are not,
HVAC systems and their zones are not. Geometry is CRITICAL. eQuest will
choke with a vertex error of .01, Carol(e) is "anal on this point", lol, but
she knows what she is talking about. She and Pasha both agree and no doubt
will add wisdom if they have any pointers to add. I should add a plug for
Nick as well, another heavy hauler on this site with major experience beyond
his years. Start simple, get the box(es), and surfaces correct. Zones
initially can be artificial with the future HVAC system in mind but also to
assist with the geometry. Specifically, in dealing with other floors and
roofs. An un-named eQuest instructor will attest to this, it is easier to
manipulate your zoning to assist in your geometry problems and put them
together later to accommodate your HVAC model than create the surfaces on
the fly in detailed edit. Especially with 40 students watching! eQuest can
be humbling even for experts. NEVER get 30 hours in without testing and
running it many times on the path. Lots of saves, build your files as well
as the model. The simulation at this point is for confirmation your model
is running and for error messages. A tiny error in geometry will crash the
file. There is no point doing anything but the bare minimum until the
geometry is correct. It will crash your project with minimal error
messages, maybe none, eQuest will just freeze. Once the geometry is correct
keep adding to the complexity one step at a time, test and confirm, fix
errors, save, then the next step. I know it sounds plodding, it is.
Methodical is a much classier word. Efficient is more to the point. I
contract so when everything blows up I don't get paid. I eat the hours for
my mistakes. In the end it is all similar, whether it is the boss pounding
on the door or the client, the deadline has arrived, eQuest is not
cooperating and you are ready to toss the computer out the window, your name
is mud. Plodding is smart.
Sorry for the digression Aaron, the Voodoo thread was interesting and I
didn't get to add my 2 cents worth. I was in a swamp with alligators at the
time. On the other hand I did learn a lesson about reinitialization. You
learn by doing and making mistakes.
Bruce
On 14/06/2010 06:43 PM, Dahlstrom, Aaron wrote:
Bruce -
The error shows up when I attempt to "finish" the DD wizard.
When I look through the PD2 file and the INP file in Notepad, neither have
any explicit errors in them.
The PD2 file does have -
1) RoofZoneErrorCode = 4
2) TOUPeriodErrSeas1 = " "
I can get into the wizard just fine, and all the data appears correct. The
problem is that when I "finish" the program crashes.
I just experimented with removing the TOU electric rate, and again, when I
hit "finish" it crashes eQUEST with the error noted below.
Thanks for trying!
Any other suggestions?
Aaron Dahlstrom , PE, LEEDR AP
In Posse - A subsidiary of AKF| 1500 Walnut Street, Suite 1414,
Philadelphia, PA 19102
d: 215-282-6753| m: 267-507-5470| In Posse: 215-282-6800| AKF: 215-735-7290
e: ADahlstrom at in-posse.com | in posse web: www.in-posse.com
<http://www.in-posse.com/> | akf web: www.akfgroup.com
<http://www.akfgroup.com/>
From: Bruce Easterbrook [mailto:bruce5 at bellnet.ca]
Sent: Monday, June 14, 2010 5:21 PM
To: Dahlstrom, Aaron
Cc: equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] dd wizard - invalid argument
It depends where you are in the process. If you are getting a detailed sim
report it should open to the errors part of the report. If you aren't that
far open the project BDL or INP files with notepad. They will list warnings
and errors as they are processed. The error will be at the end, there may
be contributing errors before. All it really does is tell you where it
kicked out, but it does provide clues. When you run your simulation make
sure the boxes are checked so it will run through errors and warnings. You
get better hints this way.
Bruce Easterbrook P.Eng.
Abode Engineering
On 14/06/2010 04:56 PM, Dahlstrom, Aaron wrote:
Folks:
I have gotten the following error several times on the same project.
I have rebuilt the file from scratch already once, and I'm wondering if
there is another way to fix this error.
Any idea if there are reports or INIs that I can view / modify to find out
where exactly this "invalid argument" is located?
Thanks!
Aaron Dahlstrom , PE, LEEDR AP
In Posse - A subsidiary of AKF| 1500 Walnut Street, Suite 1414,
Philadelphia, PA 19102
d: 215-282-6753| m: 267-507-5470| In Posse: 215-282-6800| AKF: 215-735-7290
e: ADahlstrom at in-posse.com | in posse web: www.in-posse.com
<http://www.in-posse.com/> | akf web: www.akfgroup.com
<http://www.akfgroup.com/>
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