Autodesk Ecotect Analysis - Desktop Tools

[#1]

Good afternooon,

I'm having trouble adding my own custom parameters whilst exporting daylight factor calculations to Radiance. Radiance/Ecotect ignores the custom parameters you've specified in the "Radiance analysis" wizard.

According to this post (http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Autodesk-Ecotect-Analysis/Ecotect-does-not-keep-my-Radiance-parameters... ) the workaround would be to go through the Radiance Control Panel and save the "render="-parameters to the RIF file manually, which I've done. The problem tho is that when I now try to make a new export thro the wizard, it just overwrites my modified RIF file with the standard file and the radiance command prompt just shows the standard parameters. 

Is there any way to export to Radiance without writing over the RIF file?

I know I can use Radiance Control Panel and make a calculation from there but, as far as I know, you can only render a image from RCP and not import any grid/point values back to Ecotect, or have I missed something?

I'm running Ecotect Analysis 2011 with Desktop Radiance v.2.00 Beta or MinGW Radiance 2008-08-14 (tried both versions).

Please get back to me, it would be appreciated.

Regards

Mikael

[#2]

I've done some more investigating and found out that it seems like the actual parameters that Radiance are using is inside the BAT file and not the RIF file. The BAT file includes the rtrace command with all parameters, and it looks like the standard -ab is set to 8 bounces. Is that correct? Doesn't radiance take the parameters set in the RIF file into consideration? 

I do get different results if I, for example, set the "Indirect Reflections" to different values in the Radiance Analysis wizard so the RIF file must be of some importance but it's quite unclear for me how right now.

Please share me your thoughts on the subject

Regards

Mikael

[#3 · Accepted solution]

Nevermind, I figured it out eventually.

Solution:

Change the .RIF file to your liking (the render= parameter) and then manually run the .BAT file Ecotect created for the project. When done calculating import the results in the newly created .OK file to Ecotect thru Grid Management -> Manage Grid Data -> Import Data. 

Voilá

[#4]

I am trying to import data that I have generated using the rediance control panel into an ecotect analysis grid without success.  You seem to have solved the problem but I could not replicate your solution.  I would appreciate if you can explain your steps a bit further.  Thanks in advance!