With Model Objects in an OpenStudio measure this is easy, but how do you go about doing this with Workspace Objects in an EnergyPlus measure?

I'm not able to find a way to establish this dependency without having to manually step through multiple objects.

1. Seed AirLoopHVAC of interest
2. Get 'Demand Side Inlet Node Names' of AirLoopHVAC
3. Get NodeList that has value of step 2 for 'Name' (field 0)
4. Get 'Node Name' of NodeList from step 3
5. Get AirLoopHVAC:ZoneSplitter that has value from step 4 for 'Inlet Node Name' (field 1)
6. Get 'Outlet Node Names' of AirLoopHVAC:ZoneSplitter from step 5 (fields 2 to XX)
7. Get AirTerminal:XXXXX that have one of the values from the vector created in step 6 for 'Inlet Node Name' (field varies)
8. Get 'Name' (field 0) of all objects from step 7
9. Get ZoneHVAC:AirDistributionUnit that have one of the values from the vector created in step 8 for 'Air Terminal Name' (field 3)
10. Get 'Name' (field 0) of all objects from step 9
11. Get ZoneHVAC:EquipmentList that have one of the values from the vector created in step 10 for 'Zone Equipment Name 1 to XX '
12. Get 'Name' (field 0) of all objects from step 11
13. Get ZoneHVAC:EquipmentConnections that have one of the values from the vector created in step 12 for 'Zone Conditioning Equipment List Name' (field 1)
14. Get 'Zone Name' (field 0) of all objects from step 13

I expect no one to actually read that, but point is, I see having to step through 7 objects to associate a zone with an air loop. I'm hoping there is a workspace method that can be used help establish this dependency directly, but I've yet to find it. Am I just completely overlooking something obvious?

Edit: As Eric suggested, loading the model is a possibility, but any changes performed in prior energy plus measures will not be captured.

With Model Objects in an OpenStudio measure this is easy, but how do you go about doing this with Workspace Objects in an EnergyPlus measure?

I'm not able to find a way to establish this dependency without having to manually step through multiple objects.

1. Seed AirLoopHVAC of interest
2. Get 'Demand Side Inlet Node Names' of AirLoopHVAC
3. Get NodeList that has value of step 2 for 'Name' (field 0)
4. Get 'Node Name' of NodeList from step 3
5. Get AirLoopHVAC:ZoneSplitter that has value from step 4 for 'Inlet Node Name' (field 1)
6. Get 'Outlet Node Names' of AirLoopHVAC:ZoneSplitter from step 5 (fields 2 to XX)
7. Get AirTerminal:XXXXX that have one of the values from the vector created in step 6 for 'Inlet Node Name' (field varies)
8. Get 'Name' (field 0) of all objects from step 7
9. Get ZoneHVAC:AirDistributionUnit that have one of the values from the vector created in step 8 for 'Air Terminal Name' (field 3)
10. Get 'Name' (field 0) of all objects from step 9
11. Get ZoneHVAC:EquipmentList that have one of the values from the vector created in step 10 for 'Zone Equipment Name 1 to XX '
12. Get 'Name' (field 0) of all objects from step 11
13. Get ZoneHVAC:EquipmentConnections that have one of the values from the vector created in step 12 for 'Zone Conditioning Equipment List Name' (field 1)
14. Get 'Zone Name' (field 0) of all objects from step 13

I expect no one to actually read that, but point is, I see having to step through 7 objects to associate a zone with an air loop. I'm hoping there is a workspace method that can be used help establish this dependency directly, but I've yet to find it. Am I just completely overlooking something obvious?