Hi,
I can't get the SunCast calculations for Apache done.
I get this error:
Unable to re-allocate 355930260 bytes in augmnt(): tpb(2) pointer
after that the software closes.
The procedure is the following:
I imported a gbXML from Revit, i cleaned the errors from model check. Cleaned the extras openings too. Then I did a re-build to the model and wrote on the console ClipOpenings... After that I modified the constructions for each room in Apache and assigned ASHRAE templates to the rooms conditions, internal gains, systems...
Then to make the Dynamic Simulation in Apache i need the SunCast solar simulation. I runned it from January till December. Design day: 15. I tried with and without diffuse shading factors (same result). I used a defined Shading file.
At 6:00 am January 15th, it stops and in about 3 hours it crashes and throws that error.
I tried the same procedure with another building, but i got the same error. I tried reinstalling the software, but still no luck... Hope you can help me, this work is for my master thesis, and I need to finish it very soon... Thanks!!
(Sorry for my bad English)
SunCast ERROR
Re: SunCast ERROR
Hi,
We've only seen this error a few times and believe it's either down to the machine not having enough memory available to run the shading calculation on a complicated/large model or it coudl be problems in the geometry that are causing issues in SunCast.
It sounds like you have worked through the geometry problems already but just to be sure in ModelIT generate a Model Check Report (Settings menu) then fix any non-planar surfaces and be aware of intersections.
If there are no geometry problems then I'd look at memory on the machine, make sure no other intensive programs are running and try to run the Suncast shading calculation.
If the problem persists let me know here and I'll contact you for a copy of the model so I can look at it myself
Phil
We've only seen this error a few times and believe it's either down to the machine not having enough memory available to run the shading calculation on a complicated/large model or it coudl be problems in the geometry that are causing issues in SunCast.
It sounds like you have worked through the geometry problems already but just to be sure in ModelIT generate a Model Check Report (Settings menu) then fix any non-planar surfaces and be aware of intersections.
If there are no geometry problems then I'd look at memory on the machine, make sure no other intensive programs are running and try to run the Suncast shading calculation.
If the problem persists let me know here and I'll contact you for a copy of the model so I can look at it myself
Phil
IES Worldwide Technical Support
Re: SunCast ERROR
Thanks a lot Phil.
I tried to do the solar simulation before I changed the values for the constructions and the rooms conditions and it worked... I just made the model check and it seems to be ok... no intersections and non-planar surfaces... at least on the report says:
"Scanning Model for intersections
Scanning Model for intersections complete
Scanning Model for Non-Planar surfaces
Scanning Model for Non-Planar surfaces complete"
and nothing in there... only information on the list of other scannings (slivers, openings...)
Now if the problem is the memory... I know this software runs in 32bits, so it uses 2gb ram and one cpu? if that is the case, it would be the memory that is running out low... why did the simulation worked before? what is the relationship between the constructions and the rooms conditions, and the solar calculations on the ecuations on this software?
If the problem is the memory... what would you recommend? should i do the analysis just for a few months and then the dynamic simulation in apache just for those months? or is there any other way?
Thanks for your time!!
By the way... i have an intel i7 with 4 cpu's and 4 threads, 1TB hard drive and 12gb ram...
I tried to do the solar simulation before I changed the values for the constructions and the rooms conditions and it worked... I just made the model check and it seems to be ok... no intersections and non-planar surfaces... at least on the report says:
"Scanning Model for intersections
Scanning Model for intersections complete
Scanning Model for Non-Planar surfaces
Scanning Model for Non-Planar surfaces complete"
and nothing in there... only information on the list of other scannings (slivers, openings...)
Now if the problem is the memory... I know this software runs in 32bits, so it uses 2gb ram and one cpu? if that is the case, it would be the memory that is running out low... why did the simulation worked before? what is the relationship between the constructions and the rooms conditions, and the solar calculations on the ecuations on this software?
If the problem is the memory... what would you recommend? should i do the analysis just for a few months and then the dynamic simulation in apache just for those months? or is there any other way?
Thanks for your time!!
By the way... i have an intel i7 with 4 cpu's and 4 threads, 1TB hard drive and 12gb ram...
Re: SunCast ERROR
Hi,
The machine you are running on sounds more than capable to me but it could still be the case that for a very complicated model with a lot of rooms/openings/shading surfaces errors of this nature may be encountered.
If possible simplify the model a bit (reduce number of rooms or delete some shading surfaces), even just as a test to see if the SunCast can be completed?
Assigning new Constructions or thermal templates should have no impact on the SunCast calculations at all as far as I am aware so it is more likely there were changes to the geometry that may have caused this.
Phil
The machine you are running on sounds more than capable to me but it could still be the case that for a very complicated model with a lot of rooms/openings/shading surfaces errors of this nature may be encountered.
If possible simplify the model a bit (reduce number of rooms or delete some shading surfaces), even just as a test to see if the SunCast can be completed?
Assigning new Constructions or thermal templates should have no impact on the SunCast calculations at all as far as I am aware so it is more likely there were changes to the geometry that may have caused this.
Phil
IES Worldwide Technical Support
Re: SunCast ERROR
I had a similar problem, but this time it was a little different... I tried another model, that is part of the whole model (the project is really big), and it started the calculations until may at 10:00 am... then it crashed... so i made an analysis till april and it went perfectly fine. Then i runned the analysis from may till august and it crashed at may 10:00 am... It's kind of weird. I really doubt it has something to do with the shading surfaces, because it runs perfectly before i change the constructions. But when i change constructions in Apache and then try to run the dynamic analysis, it ask me to run the solar calculations again... and also the Apache Dynamic Analysis tells me on the options windows that appears, that the solar calculations haven't been perfomed... I'm getting frustrated... 
Re: SunCast ERROR
I'll send you a PM to request a version of the model before the changes are made.
If you can provide a version of the model for which SunCast runs, details of what Constructions are changed (I am to assume now that's all that is changed) and then I can run again and see it crash then I can get the development team to look into it and provide either an explanation or a fix in the software to stop it happening (both if we're really lucky)
Phil
If you can provide a version of the model for which SunCast runs, details of what Constructions are changed (I am to assume now that's all that is changed) and then I can run again and see it crash then I can get the development team to look into it and provide either an explanation or a fix in the software to stop it happening (both if we're really lucky)
Phil
IES Worldwide Technical Support
Re: SunCast ERROR
Before that, i will run once again the calculations for the first model... How many rooms is reasonable for the calculations to run smoothly and without errors? And to connect and merge zones helps to make them one? because i don't want to have exteriors on my interiors... I just check the model and it has a lot of rooms, but that shouldn't matter for this test, because it runs before the changes, but maybe there are to many changes and that makes it crash.
Re: SunCast ERROR
I did find the problem... and it was that when i runned the calculations reducing the number of shading surfaces, it wasn't enough. I erased a lot of new surfaces and it worked... sorry for taking your time...
However, when i want to run the apache simulation, on the appearing window, right under Model Links, it says that SunCast calculations have not been performed... how do i make it recognize the calculation?
Thanks for your patience...
However, when i want to run the apache simulation, on the appearing window, right under Model Links, it says that SunCast calculations have not been performed... how do i make it recognize the calculation?
Thanks for your patience...
Re: SunCast ERROR
glad you got that resolved, Model complexity can be a real problem for SunCast especially models imported from the likes of SketchUp or Revit that have lots of small shading surface details (usually not vitally important to your overall results anyway).
The apachesim SunCast link should be available as long as you have a shading file for the project (check project SunCast folder for a file with same name as project and extension .shd).
Maybe your SunCast licence is locked by another calc you are doing? close down any VE you have running and then try again.
Phil
The apachesim SunCast link should be available as long as you have a shading file for the project (check project SunCast folder for a file with same name as project and extension .shd).
Maybe your SunCast licence is locked by another calc you are doing? close down any VE you have running and then try again.
Phil
IES Worldwide Technical Support