Utility Routines/Functions[LINK]

EnergyPlus supplies an extensive set of routines to help module developers get input, check values, get schedule values, get and check nodes. These are summarized in the following table and in more detail in the following sections. The table indicates the routine/function name, times of most likely use, and the module (if applicable) that you must USE in the code in order to make the routine available to you. Most of the items mentioned in this table are of particular use in “GetInput” processing. A few later tables will highlight similar functions/routines for simulation purposes.

Table of Utility Functions

Routine/Function Name	Use during	Module
GetNumObjectsFound	“GetInput” Processing	InputProcessor
GetObjectItem	“GetInput” Processing	InputProcessor
GetObjectDefMaxArgs	“GetInput” Processing	InputProcessor
GetObjectItemNum	“GetInput” Processing	InputProcessor
FindItemInList	“GetInput” Processing (best) though some are currently used in Simulation	InputProcessor
FindItem	“GetInput” Processing	InputProcessor
FindItemInSortedList	“Special processing” - list must be sorted.	InputProcessor
SameString	“GetInput” Processing	InputProcessor
VerifyName	“GetInput” Processing	InputProcessor
RangeCheck	“GetInput” Processing	InputProcessor
MakeUPPERCase	“GetInput” Processing	InputProcessor
GetOnlySingleNode	“GetInput” Processing	NodeInputManager
GetNodeNums	“GetInput” Processing	NodeInputManager
InitUniqueNodeCheck, CheckUniqueNodes, EndUniqueNodeCheck	“GetInput” Processing	NodeInputManager
SetupCompSets	“GetInput” Processing	NodeInputManager
TestCompSets	“GetInput” Processing	NodeInputManager
GetNewUnitNumber	(automatically retrieve an available unit number)	EXTERNAL integer function
FindUnitNumber	Find a unit number when you know the name of the file	EXTERNAL integer function
FindNumberinList	“GetInput” Processing/Init processing	EXTERNAL integer function
ValidateComponent	“GetInput” Processing	Subroutine CALL
CheckComponent	“GetInput” Processing - like ValidateComponent but doesn’t generate error message if failure	Subroutine CALL
CreateSysTimeIntervalString	Simulation - Error Messages	General
TrimSigDigits	Simulation - Error Messages	General
RoundSigDigits	Simulation - Error Messages	General
GetScheduleIndex	“GetInput” Processing	ScheduleManager
GetDayScheduleIndex	“GetInput” Processing	ScheduleManager
GetCurrentScheduleValue	Simulation	ScheduleManager
GetScheduleValuesForDay	Simulation	ScheduleManager
GetSingleDayScheduleValues	Simulation/“GetInput”	ScheduleManager
CheckScheduleValueMinMax	“GetInput” Processing	ScheduleManager
CheckScheduleValue	“GetInput” Processing	ScheduleManager
GetScheduleMinValue	“GetInput” Processing	ScheduleManager
GetScheduleMaxValue	“GetInput” Processing	ScheduleManager
LookUpScheduleValue	Simulation	ScheduleManager
CheckOutAirNodeNumber	“GetInput” Processing	OutAirNodeManager
GetCurveIndex	“GetInput” Processing	CurveManager
GetCurveCheck	“GetInput” Processing	CurveManager
GetCurveType	“GetInput” Processing	CurveManager
CurveValue	Simulation	CurveManager
SetupAndSort	Sorting lists of character values	SortAndStringUtilities
SetupZoneInternalGain	“GetInput” Processing	DataInterfaces

: Table of Utility Functions