Is there a script available from the command line which can take an IDF created by EPMacro (or by hand, Python, etc.) and sort it into the "normal" order as produced by the IDF Editor when choosing the "sorted" order when saving the file?
This is not the ideal solution, but it's what has worked for me at the moment. I'm using Python to automate the process of launching the IDF Editor, opening an IDF file, changing the version number, saving the file (thus achieving the desired sorting), changing the version number back, saving again[, repeating if required until all files are sorted], and closing the IDF Editor.
When run from a folder it loops through all the IDF files in the folder and sorts them before closing the IDF Editor. This might mean you run into memory problems when sorting hundreds of files - I haven't tried it yet so don't know what the limits are - but it would be easy enough to adapt to take batches of say ten or twenty at a time.
I also had a look at pywinauto but ran into problems finding the right place to enter values in the IDF Editor GUI. If anyone has any tips on that please let me know.
Hope this helps someone out.
"""
idf_editor.sorter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A simple script which controls the IDF Editor application, taking advantage of
the fact that it tidies up the file when saving.
It would be better if this could happen in the background but the simplest way
to control IDF Editor from Python is using SendKeys which requires the window
to be in the foreground.
This script should be run from the folder containing the IDF files to be sorted.
Filenames will be unaffected.
"""
import os
import time
import win32com.client
EPLUS_VERSION = '8.1' # The EnergyPlus version number of the IDFs to be sorted
IDF_EDITOR_PATH = "C:\EnergyPlusV8-1-0\PreProcess\IDFEditor\IDFEditor.exe"
shell = win32com.client.DispatchEx("WScript.Shell")
shell.Run(IDF_EDITOR_PATH)
shell.AppActivate("IDF Editor")
time.sleep(1) # Wait for the IDF Editor to open - you may need to increase this
def sort_idf(idf_name):
shell.SendKeys("^o")
time.sleep(1) # Wait for dialog to open - you may be able to reduce this
shell.SendKeys(idf_name + "{ENTER}")
shell.SendKeys("{TAB}" * 8)
shell.SendKeys("{F2}XX{ENTER}^s") # This is where the sorting occurs
shell.SendKeys("{F2}%s{ENTER}^s" % EPLUS_VERSION) # Write the correct value
idfs = (f for f in os.listdir('.') if os.path.splitext(f)[1] == '.idf')
for idf in idfs:
sort_idf(idf)
shell.SendKeys("%{F4}")
Nice, I suggest you add python to your tags for this question.
Jamie, I can't figure out why it won't run on my machine. It's sending the keys to the cmd prompt before the IDF editor is opened I guess. Does it work with time.sleep(1) for you?
It does, but I'm running it on a very fast server. Try changing it to a longer wait, as that probably is the problem.
Simply save the IDF using eppy, it sorts automatically
idf = IDF(idfpath) idf.saveas(idfpath)
Here's an entire script to sort all the IDF files that are in the same folder as the python file:
from eppy import modeleditor from eppy.modeleditor import IDF import os iddfile = "C:/EnergyPlusV9-0-1/Energy+.idd" IDF.setiddname(iddfile) dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)) for path, subdirs, files in os.walk(dir): for name in files: ext = os.path.splitext(name)[-1].lower() if ext == ".idf": idfpath = os.path.join(path, name) idf = IDF(idfpath) idf.saveas(idfpath)
Similar to the above comment, when we add to our EnergyPlus files outside the idf, all we do is open the idf, add a new object, delete it, make sure the idf editor is on ordered save, save it and everything is nicely ordered again. Not the neatest solution but easy enough.
I think that's supposed to be a comment and not an answer
Certainly not easy when you have several hundred IDFs to sort, which is why I'm really hoping to avoid having to do it.
You could do this with OpenStudio Idf classes. Specifically OpenStudio::Workspace. Something like...
require 'openstudio'
ws = OpenStudio::Workspace::load('/path/to/input.idf').get
ws.order.setOrderByIddEnum
ws.save '/path/to/output.idf'
I modified the script a bit so that the IDF Editor is opened and closed for every file being sorted. This prevents crashing on my machine.
WARNING!!!
This script is dangerous. One of the steps in this script is opening a new IDF file from inside the IDF Editor. I almost messed up a bunch of IDF files because the Open File window defaults to the last directory that an IDF was opened in. You need to make sure the default directory is the correct directory.
If you don't understand what I'm talking about, then don't run this script. If you're paranoid, run it in a virtual machine.
"""
idf_editor_sorter.py
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A simple script which controls the IDF Editor application, taking advantage of
the fact that it tidies up the file when saving.
It would be better if this could happen in the background but the simplest way
to control IDF Editor from Python is using SendKeys which requires the window
to be in the foreground.
This script should be run from the folder containing the IDF files to be sorted.
Filenames will be unaffected.
"""
############################ WARNING ###################################
#The Open File window defaults to the directory of the last opened file.
#Be cautious of where the files that are being modified are.
#If you're not sure what that means, then DON'T RUN this script!!!
#https://unmethours.com/question/535/sorting-a-macro-generated-idf/
import os
import time
import win32com.client
EPLUS_VERSION = '9.2' # The EnergyPlus version number of the IDFs to be sorted
IDF_EDITOR_PATH = "C:\EnergyPlusV9-2-0\PreProcess\IDFEditor\IDFEditor.exe"
def sort_idf(idf_name):
wait_time = 2
shell = win32com.client.DispatchEx("WScript.Shell")
time.sleep(wait_time)
shell.Run(IDF_EDITOR_PATH)
time.sleep(wait_time)
shell.AppActivate("IDF Editor")
time.sleep(wait_time) # Wait for the IDF Editor to open - you may need to increase this
shell.SendKeys("^o")
time.sleep(wait_time) # Wait for dialog to open - you may be able to reduce this
shell.SendKeys(idf_name + "{ENTER}")
time.sleep(wait_time)
shell.SendKeys("{TAB}" * 8)
time.sleep(wait_time)
shell.SendKeys("{F2}XX{ENTER}^s") # This is where the sorting occurs
time.sleep(wait_time)
shell.SendKeys("{F2}%s{ENTER}^s" % EPLUS_VERSION) # Write the correct value
time.sleep(wait_time)
shell.SendKeys("%{F4}")
time.sleep(wait_time)
idfs = (f for f in os.listdir('.') if os.path.splitext(f)[1] == '.idf')
for idf in idfs:
sort_idf(idf)
WARNING!!!
This script is dangerous. One of the steps in this script is opening a new IDF file from inside the IDF Editor. I almost messed up a bunch of IDF files because the Open File window defaults to the last directory that an IDF was opened in. You need to make sure the default directory is the correct directory.
If you don't understand what I'm talking about, then don't run this script. If you're paranoid, run it in a virtual machine.
Two cents: track your IDF files with version control (as you should) using Git for eg. That way you can always revert changes if you don't like them.
Also, try to pass an absolute path instead of just idf_name. sort_idf(os.path.abspath(idf))
Comments
A good question indeed. So far I've always opened it in the IDF Editor, changed to version to something else, changed it back to what it was, and used "save" (you can't save it if you didn't change something). It would be a plus to write an extra line of code in my script in order to have it done automatically so I get it sorted, and to re-add the descriptive comments for each line item (you don't have it with Eppy)
If no other solutions come forward
todaysoon then I'll write something for my current project then port it into Eppy. Looks like I can use the format exported by Help > Create objectList.txt as a template.I agree with Annie and Julien. IDF editor change, change back and save is the method I have used to to get a sorted IDF file.
This is an untested guess but I believe the code being used to do the sort is this file available on Github: https://github.com/NREL/EnergyPlus/bl...
If you are looking for the IDF format and order I think that would be in the IDD file for each respective version. I do think an IDF "cleaner" could be valuable. Jamie let us know if you make it. Or NREL guys, if you know of a quicker path that could be used chime in.