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From Ecotect to Radiance

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Message 1 of 27
jy492330
6091 Views, 26 Replies

From Ecotect to Radiance

Hi PENNETIER,

 

I’ve been trying to run a clear sky illumination model in Ecotect by exporting it to Radiance, but somehow keep having a hard time to obtain results and output. Upon completing the installation for Radiance, I encountered an error at step 8 of 9 in the process of setting up the analysis options which says: “Error: Radiance install is missing vital files” coupled with two red-cross marks above. After completing step 9 of 9 with the setup by choosing “Interactive Render”, the rendering engine/image viewer just doesn’t appear and no files can be generated at that point. Alternatively, if I chose the “Final Render” option, I can get the image viewer and black DOS panel to show up. Nevertheless, rendering still wouldn’t appear inside the image box. As a result, the output files created in the Data folder defined by the system path cannot be opened. Please help me to sort this out. I have attached the screen shots in a word document to be examined.

 

Thank you,

Jessica

26 REPLIES 26
Message 2 of 27
Pennetier1
in reply to: jy492330

Hi Jessica, 

 

It sounds as if Ecotect does not know where your Radiance.exe is.

Try this:

 

1. In the step 8 of 9 of the wizard, click the little "Fix" button.

2. Look for your rad.exe file which should be in the Radiance folder (under your C: drive) and bin folder.

3. You should now get all green check marks and note that your installation looks fine.

 

I do not recommend you to use the "Interactive render" option.

If you want a rendering, use the "Final Render" option in step 2 of 9 and "Display image on completion".

 

After all the other settings are chosen and the DOS is done doing the calculations, the Image Viewer should come up automatically with your rendering.

 

Please note that Radiance is very sensitive to path name; so make sure it is installed under the C: drive by itself and never put any spaces in the rad file names or directory or it will not work.

 

Let me know if you have more questions on this and if Radiance works, otherwise please accept as a solution so that others can benefit from this information.

Cheers,

Olivier A. PENNETIER

SYMPHYSIS

www.symphysis.net

Message 3 of 27
jy492330
in reply to: Pennetier1

Hi Pennetier1,

Thanks for replying. I've followed your instructions to try to fix the
errors, but still unable to find my rad.exe file under "C:\Radiance" as the
directory path I chose to install my attached radiance application
(radiance-4.2.a.4-win32.exe) for windows 32 bit. However, my operating
system is Windows8 with 64 bit, which might have compatibility issues once
it's installed. I suspect if this is associated to the error that I was
getting in the radiance option setup, which is missing two vital files -
falsecolor.exe and rview.exe.

I've followed the instructions given by the youtube clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSw-DYrgS68 on how to install the Radiance
application which subsequently showed me how to copy and paste the new
falsecolor2.exe and evalglare.exe files in the Radiance bin folder to
replace the existing ones. After I've done all the steps, I'm still keep
getting the error which could not find the missing vital files for
falsecolor.exe and rview.exe.

For my own curiosity, I also downloaded the "rad4R2all.tar.gz" file from
radiance website http://radsite.lbl.gov/radiance/framed.html, but I have no
clue of what this file is for. It's also odd that I can't find the Radiance
icon on my desktop, but at least I can find the Radiance Control Panel
under the app directory.

*Sorry, somehow I can't attach the "radiance-4.2.a.4-win32.exe" in this
message due to security block. It is downloadable from
https://github.com/NREL/Radiance/releases/tag/4.2.a.4
. Please help me if
you have any clues, t**hank you.*

Jessica
Message 4 of 27
Pennetier1
in reply to: jy492330

Hi Jessica, 

 

Ok, I am pretty confident I know why you are having problem; we can fix that.

First off, I am running Windows 8.1 on a 64 bit machine and that does not cause any issues with Ecotect.

 

The reason you are having issues is because you are installing RADIANCE instead of DESKTOP RADIANCE, which is really what you should install to work with Ecotect.

 

Follow these steps and things should work out:

 

1. Un-install any RADIANCE component from your computer so you start with a clean system.

2. Download the Desktop Radiance Zip file from here.

3. Extract the file and click the setup.exe file. It will ask for a password.

4. The password is: saveenergy

5. Go through the installation following these tips:

6. Install under you C:\ directory.

7. Choose custom installation and click next, then next again.

8. When asked about AutoCAD, you can click next, then yes.

9. Install the Database under the C:\Radiance folder, click next.

10. When asked about Radiance for Windows, you can click next (it should say C:\Radiance).

11. When asked about Optics 5, you can click next, then Cancel to continue the installation without Optics 5.

12. Program folder, click next, then next again at the Setup status page.

13. At the Administrator Rights pop up, click OK - nn error message will pop up - click OK.

14. Click finish.  You are done installing Desktop Radiance.

 

Now we have to tell Ecotect where is Radiance located and where to save the created files.

Under the new Radiance folder, create a new folder called radfiles (or whatever, but no spaces in the name!).

 

1. Open Ecotect and open the Lighting analysis wizard, choose  Export to Radiance.

2. When you first use Radiance, Ecotect will ask you where to save the file - give a simple name like "test" and save it in the radfiles folder.3

3. Go through the wizard until step 8 of 9. Click the fix button and look for your rad.exe file under C:\Radiance\bin folder.

4. Click next and finish the wizard.

 

If you follow these steps, it should work.

Try going through this Ecotect-Radiance Tutorial to get you started.

Also, one of the best guide for Ecotect-Radiance-Daysim installation and use can be found here. Go through it.

 

Let me know if you have more questions on this topic and if the above steps worked for you, otherwise please accept as a solution so that others can benefit from this information.

Cheers,

Olivier A. PENNETIER

SYMPHYSIS

www.symphysis.net

Tags (1)
Message 5 of 27
jy492330
in reply to: Pennetier1

I finally got it work. No installation error showed up on this file. Thanks so much !

 

Jessica

Message 6 of 27
prerana_tuladhar
in reply to: jy492330

Hi,

           Does anyone know how to make circualar void in ecotect ??

 

Message 7 of 27

Hi prena_tuladhar, 

 

The trick to creating circular - or any shape - openings or windows in Ecotect, is to first create the geometric shape on the floor plane, using either the plane or the line tool.  For a circle, I would simply use the parametric object tool under the Script and Wizards control panel, and use the Circle/Cylinder/Cone object, setting the same radius for the top and base and setting the height to 0.  This will create a circle.

 

Next you can assign that circle object a Window or Void material.

 

Then all you need to do is to link the object with its parent wall.  Select the wall and the object and press Crtl + K. The circle will automatically be linked to the center of the wall.  That's it.

circular opening.jpg

I hope that makes sense.

Let me know if you have more questions on this topic, otherwise please accept as a solution so that others can benefit from this information.

Cheers,

Olivier A. PENNETIER

SYMPHYSIS

www.symphysis.net

Message 8 of 27

Hi Olivier A. PENNETIER,

 

Thanks a lot for the solution for which I have been sesarching for. I tried it..but I am a bit confused about how to assign the circular object as a void and how to link it with the parent plane? Do we need to assign the plane with which the circular void is to be made as a parent plane?

 

Regards,

Prerana Tuladhar

Message 9 of 27

Hi Prerana, 

 

You do not need to assign the plane as a parent per say, as it will be done automatically.

If you have your circular object created on the floor, you can make it a void or a window object.

 

Then, to link that object to your wall, select both the wall and the circular object, then on your keyboard press Crtl + K to link both objects.  You can also go to the Edit menu > link objects, or the button that looks like a chain (link).

What this will do is assign the circular object (a void or window) as a child and the wall as the parent.  By default, the child will be placed at the geometrical center of the parent wall.

 

I hope that makes sense.

Cheers,

Olivier A. PENNETIER

SYMPHYSIS

www.symphysis.net

Message 10 of 27

Hi Olivier A. PENNETIER,

 

Thanks a lot. It helped me. I have further more question about how to make the slope roof, hipped roof in a model. Also, I have installed radiance in my computer which is 32 bit  and i tried to install it in my laptop which is 64-bit. Is it not installing because of its 64 bit?

 

Thanks Regards,

Prerana Tuladhar

 

Message 11 of 27

Hi Olivier A. PENNETIER,

 

I downloaded this desktop radiance and worked in my computer (32-bit) but it didnot work in my laptop (64-bit).. It says no bin file. So what shall I do in that case.

 

Thanks Regards,

Prerana tuladhar

 

Message 12 of 27

Hi prerana, 

 

Desktop Radiance should install just fing on 64-bit machines; I have 64-bit and never had an issue.

Make sure you are installing Desktop Radiance, not Radiance.

After installing Desktop Radiance, do you navigate through the radiance analysis wizard to specify where the rad.exe file is? (It's in the bin folder under the Radiance folder of your C: drive directory.

 

For slopped roofs, you can manually create your indivisual planes and edit the nodes to make your roofs.  

Alternatively, you can also use the parametric objects in the Scripts & Wizards control panel; it has already pre-made roof objects such as Hip, gable or simple pitch roof.

 

   parametric roof.jpg

 

Let me know if you have more questions on this topic, otherwise please accept as a solution so that others can benefit from this information.

Cheers,

 

 

Olivier A. PENNETIER

SYMPHYSIS

www.symphysis.net

Message 13 of 27
prerana_tuladhar
in reply to: jy492330

Hi,

 

I am getting error like this though I got greeen ticksERROR.JPGerror 1.JPG

Message 14 of 27

Hi prerana_tuladhar, 

 

The reason you are getting this error message is because there is a space in your file directory - "program files".

Radiance will not work if any of the path names have spaces, that is why it is always best to save your radiance files under the C:/Radiance file folder.

Make sure that you do not include any spaces in your file name either, or use under scores "_".

 

Change your folder path name where there isn't any spaces and it should work fine.

 

Let me know if you have more questions on this topic, otherwise please accept as a solution so that others can benefit from this information.

Cheers,

Olivier A. PENNETIER

SYMPHYSIS

www.symphysis.net

Message 15 of 27
urtza.uriarte
in reply to: jy492330

Hello,

I am Daylighting PhD student. I am tryng to use Ecotect an Radiance. I install Radiance but, it does not work. I try to intall Desktop Radiance and I cound not do, because appeared an error installig. I have Windows 8, I do not know if there is any incompatibility.

Thank you in advance.

Urtza.

Message 16 of 27
urtza.uriarte
in reply to: jy492330

 

Hello,

 

I am Daylighting PhD student. I am tryng to use Ecotect an Radiance. I install Radiance but, it does not work. I try to intall Desktop Radiance and I cound not do, because appeared an error installig. I have Windows 8, I do not know if there is any incompatibility.

Thank you in advance.

 

Urtza.

Message 17 of 27
urtza.uriarte
in reply to: jy492330

Hello,

 

I am Daylighting PhD student. I am tryng to use Ecotect an Radiance. I install Radiance but, it does not work. I try to intall Desktop Radiance and I cound not do, because appeared an error installig. I have Windows 8, I do not know if there is any incompatibility.

Thank you in advance.

 

Urtza.

Message 18 of 27
Pennetier1
in reply to: urtza.uriarte

Hello urtza.uriarte,

 

Desktop Radiance is not all that straighforward to install and pair with Ecotect, and installation errors are common.

Not to worry, if you follow theses steps it should work out in the end; it will work just fine on Windows 8:

 

1. Un-install any RADIANCE component from your computer so you start with a clean system.

2. Download Desktop Radiance 2.0 from the Desktop Radiance download page.

3. Extract the file and click the setup.exe file. It will ask for a password.

4. The password is: saveenergy

5. Go through the installation following these tips:

6. Install under you C:\ directory.

7. Choose custom installation and click next, then next again.

8. When asked about AutoCAD, you can click next, then yes.

9. Install the Database under the C:\Radiance folder, click next.

10. When asked about Radiance for Windows, you can click next (it should say C:\Radiance).

11. When asked about Optics 5, you can click next, then Cancel to continue the installation without Optics 5.

12. Program folder, click next, then next again at the Setup status page.

13. At the Administrator Rights pop up, click OK - an error message will pop up - click OK.

14. Click finish.  You are done installing Desktop Radiance.

 

Now we have to tell Ecotect where is Radiance located and where to save the created files.

Under the new Radiance folder, create a new folder called radfiles (or whatever makes sense, but no spaces in the name!).

 

1. Open Ecotect and open the Lighting analysis wizard, choose  Export to Radiance.

2. When you first use Radiance, Ecotect will ask you where to save the file - give a simple name like "test" and save it in the radfiles folder.3

3. Go through the wizard until step 8 of 9. Click the fix button and look for your rad.exe file under C:\Radiance\bin folder.

4. Click next and finish the wizard.

 

You can then follow this Ecotect to Radiance tutorial to get started with the analyses.

You may also want to try the Daylighting Analysis tool for Revit, which is much more straightforward if you are already Revit.

 

Let me know if you have more questions on this topic, otherwise please accept as a solution so that others can benefit from this information.

Also, you may try to delete your duplicate posts above; not sure if you can.

Cheers,

Olivier A. PENNETIER

SYMPHYSIS

www.symphysis.net

Message 19 of 27
urtza.uriarte
in reply to: Pennetier1

Hello Olivier,

 

Thank you for your answer. I will try with that indications.

I hope I will get the renders.

 

Kind Regards,

Urtza.

Excuse me, but I will try to delete again the repeated posts. I have not able to do, so far.

Message 20 of 27

Hello Olivier,

Sorry for the inconvenience, but the error appeared again:

I attach the error.

Thank you,

Urtza

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