Guide for Module Developers — EnergyPlus 8.4

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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 2. 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