Sorry if the question isn't clear. I want to trigger IDF parsing (which I've written already) just once to pull out variables, before the actual E+ simulation starts.

I can parse out the Timestep object and the RunPeriod object to calculate the timestep and endTime used by the SDF. I'm wondering how I can trigger this before. That way if I suddenly use a timestep of 6 per hour in the IDF, I don't have to manually edit the timeStep variable to be = 10*60.

(this is an example, I do want to do more to pull variables from the IDF that I then use in my control algorithm within ptolemy).

Do you want to do all that within the BCVTB or do you want to do the parsing from a script which once done will invoke the BCVTB?

I was planning on staying inside the BCVTB.

I think I need to look into sockets and/or FMUImport or something, right now all of what I'm doing in the BCVTB is hacky at best (using Jython to check if update needed, and calling my system Python if so to generate an array for the next day, reuse the same array if not, etc). Wish I had more time to explore :)

If you want to manipulate the BCVTB input file, then my guess will be to do all your parsing from an external script. Once that script is done and the output is written, call the BCVTB with the appropriates start, end time and time step.