Thank you for new version of LB tools, which are so good to work with.
Recently, I am tried to translate HB model into DF model and simulate it with URBANopt.
However, I observed that AFN object strings that I supplied to HB model became inactive when translated to DF model. Going through the documentation of DF, I found that only AFN Crack object is available.
Is there anyway I can supply the relevant EnergyPlus strings to DF model to activate them for simulation?
Hi @Naga ,
Very good question. I didn’t really build in a pathway for the AFN with the URBANopt component but it’s something that I can add if you badly need it. It just might take some time for it to become a priority since, as far as I know, you are the first person to ask for this.
In the meantime, if you’re just looking to run a bunch of EnergyPlus simulations for your Dragonfly urban model, you can set all of these E+ simulations to use the AFN by translating the Dragonfly Model to Honeybee using the DF Model To Honeybee component. Then, you can trigger all of those Honeybee Models to use the AFN with the HB Airflow Network and simulate the models with the HB Model To OSM component.
Or you could use that component to just translate the Honeybee Models to OSM and simulate them in parallel using the HB Run OSM component.
This sample Grasshopper file can give you a sense of this alternative E+ simulation workflow with Dragonfly Models that does not need the URBANopt component. It’s a bit more roundabout way to run the simulation than the URBANopt component and it does not support all of the other URBANopt features like DES simulation. But it gives you a lot of control over the Honeybee Models and the E+ simulation process.
Hi @chris ,
Thank you for your response.
I already performed the translation approach and simulated buildings with WPCs generated using EDDY3D.
I used LB tools SDK and developed components to generate EP strings of AFN that I supply into HB energy model through HB model to OSM component.
Can we have something similar in DF components such that I can supply EP strings of AFN?
As you have already mentioned, we are unable to simulate district systems using HB.
Thanks, @Naga.
After your clarification, it sounds like this is probably a very different type of question from what the topic title says. Am I correct that you are basically just asking “how can you apply additional IDF strings to each building IDF that is exported with the URBANopt component?”
So your question isn’t necessarily specific to the AFN. The AFN just happens to be what you have IDF strings for, which you want to inject before simulation.
If my understanding is correct, then you can just use the Inject IDF measure to inject your IDF strings into the files exported and simulated with the URBANopt component. You can see an example of this here in this post:
Note that, if you need to inject different IDF strings for each Building IDF file exported by the URBANopt component, you should use the DF Load Mapper Measure component to load the “Inject IDF” measure instead of the HB Load Measure component. Loading the measure as a “Mapper” allows you to pass lists of input arguments into the component such that each dragonfly Building gets different inputs when it is exported to IDF for simulation.
Hope that helps.
Thank you soo much @chris.
This is what I was looking for.
As I am new to URBANOpt backend engineering, I expected that the approach of incorporating IDF strings would be different.
I will try it and disturb you again if there are any issues. 
Thank you once again. 
