used of 180 being for the northern hemisphere and 0 for the southern hemisphere.For the optimal tilt, to my knowledge, they are mostly based on correcting location's latitude through a single formula.TOF component is more sophisticated. It essentially replicates the Solmetric's Annual Insolation Lookup tool.What it does is that it creates a grid of points. Each point represents the calculated annual insolation on the surface (PV module, SWH collector, facade, any kind of surface) for a single tilt and azimuth angle.Each point is then elevated according to the annual insolation values. The mesh is created from that grid of points. The portion of the mesh which is the highest, represents the optimal tilt and azimuth angles. So the higher your "precision_" input is, the more points in a mesh you'll have - thus the more precise final optimal tilt and azimuth will be.For the diffuse component of the annual incident solar radiation for each point the Perez 1990 modified model is used. Direct is from classical cosine law, and Ground reflected component from Liu and Jordan (1963).So TOF component calculates the optimal tilt and azimuth based on annual incident solar radiation, not AC energy....…
ram.com/Helicoid.html.
To be more precise, I'm not quite clear how to apply this equation to the helicoid and integrate it into my code:
where corresponds to a helicoid and to a catenoid.
I've made some attempts not worth to be shown here. Maybe somebody can help me with a pseudocode or a simple description how to start solving this classic geometric transformation.
Thanks, Sebastian
…
Added by Sebastian at 11:19am on December 27, 2012
ns. but first allow me to explain what i'm trying to do: i have a serial device i want to talk to, but i have to do it using some sort of handshaking. for instance, when i send a command/data, i need to wait for an appropriate response before sending another. i have used andy payne's general serial components from firefly, but i don't think they'll work for what i want to do, and in general, i want to know how to do this from scratch. i'm using the pyserial library to do the comm, and i can get it to work within one script. here's an example of a working (mostly) port open/close script (x=input param for baud, y=input param for port name, z=boolean input param for open/close):
import serialmyPort=serial.Serial()myPort.baudrate = xmyPort.port = yif z == True: try: myPort.open() except: print "Something went wrong. Cannot open port." if myPort.isOpen() == True: print myPort.name + " is open" if z != True: try: myPort.close() except: print "Something went wrong. Cannot close port." if myPort.isOpen != True: print myPort.name + " is closed"
this all works well and good. here are my questions:
1) I can open the port and then close it. however, if i try to re-open it, i get an access denied error. it seems rhino is holding the port open, as i have to re-start rhino to get it working again. i read through the discussions and didn't see any definitive answers to this problem. any advice?
2) I'd like to share this port with other components (or at least break up the functions of opening/closing the port and read/write, not unlike how the firefly components are organized), but i have no idea how to share an object instance between components. i did see that there is a sticky dict and tried to add myPort to it, but i kept getting errors in the other component when i try to use the object's methods. for instance:
Component 1 Script:
import serial
import scriptcontext
myPort=serial.Serial("COM4", 9600)
scriptcontext.sticky['myPort']=myPort
Component 2 Script:
import serial
import scriptcontext
myPort=scriptcontext.sticky['myPort']
print myPort.read()
but i get messages like:
Runtime error (MissingMemberException): 'Serial' object has no attribute '_port_handle'
any assistance would be greatly appreciated!!
best,
~BB~…
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DP ($$$ aside), GC, and Grasshopper. Arthur’s original question is very important
and the exact question (and hopefully answer) I was hoping to find on a
forum.
“How to take intelligent 3D parametric generative design models (scripting, etc.) into 2D documents?" Or, deliver the 3D design for evaluation, bid, construction, etc.
I am intrigued by Jon’s comments in the same thread and would like to know how I can learn more about the process (and
pitfalls) of turning over a 3D digital generative models to a contractor/fabricator.
Are there any industry guidelines established I could use as a reference to guide our firm through this type of uncharted territory?
Arthur’s question is very reminiscent of 10 years ago when I was frustrated with the amount of time spent on the development of a 3D model design (physical and/or virtual) only to have to wipe the table clean and start the process all over again in 2D in order to document the project for delivery. From this I jumped head first into BIM and Revit, vowing never to go back to unintelligent 2D line work. I am now working on Bentley software (v8i: Microstation and Bentley Architecture) with the access and desire to venture into Generative Components. I am very intrigued by Rhino/Grasshopper primarily with the apparent ease of use and available resources assisting in the learning process – something not really available with Bentley.
In hindsight, as I am doing my software research I think the current use of Revit and BA (Bentley Architecture) are more of a “bridge”
between the past (decades of digital 2D work, i.e. AutoCAD) and where hopefully
we all will be someday in the near future (100% 3D modeling, i.e. Digital
Project??). Without having the experience
it would appear that DP/CATIA (PLM software) are closer to this than any other
type of software. As complicated as the
industry standards are for the automobile and airline industry, I feel we
(architectural industry and others) are heading in a similar direction with
total understanding (PLM/ Evidence Based Design) of a design (a whole other topic). If anything I think the market will begin to
demand it sooner or later.
Gehry (DP) article NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/business/11gehry.html
I know these type of broad discussions (software vs. software) can be blown out of proportion on forums, but I am would like to read
the pulse of those who are already in the trenches (using Grasshopper, CATIA, Digital Project, Generative Components, others??) and hear your thoughts. Just as valuable would be other threads,
industry articles/reviews of 3D parametric generative design software.
Thanks,
Boyd…
you working on a PV system which will power a domestic hot water boiler?
To answer your questions:1) Each grasshopper component (ghpython being one of those too) is using grasshopper's data matching algorithm. This algorithm takes care of complex issues which may arise from combining lists with single items, data trees with different number of items per branch and so on.I think there is a way of introducing a call to other processor's threads per each inputted surface, but this will be a very difficult job, as it will require writing a custom data matching algorithm. I do not think I am up to that task.Instead I tried to introduce the multithread only to the final part of the PVsurface component and one of its time consuming parts: calculation of sun angles, solar radiation and ac/dc power output.I attached the test file below, but sadly it didn't go well: the multithreaded version mostly runs at the same time as the regular version.I do not think I am qualified enough to answer why is that so, but I think that it may have something to do with the type of the function that the multithreading is applied to: the code is suppose to run few separate functions a couple of thousand times, and work with a couple of lists. From my experience, the multithreading works the best when a single list or two are supplied to a single function. I may be wrong on this.I am very sorry to say that I can not implement this feature.2) I am not familiar if open source PV modules database has been released.But one can always download the data for specific modules from producers websites. It can then easily be transferred to a .csv file or other text file.Ladybug Photovoltaics are based on NREL's PVWatts model.In comparison with other commercial software applications, PVWatts offers a more generalized system model, with some of the values and characteristics being assumed or embedded.The Fuentes empirical thermal model we are currently using follows the same logic: it generalizes the Module characteristics. The following characteristics are only editable: module efficiency, temperature coefficient and module mount type.It may be possible to replace Fuentes with some other, less generalized 5 parameter thermal model. But as an architect, I would definitively need help on this.
Sorry if my reply did not fulfill your expectations, and thank you for the kind words!…
r graphics get saved as 24x24 pixel images before they are put into the grasshopper application, which means the icons look like crap when you zoom in. This is the aforementioned problem that needs to be addressed in GH2. There have historically been two approaches to this issue:
Provide pixel images with several sizes.
Render vector graphics directly.
Option 1 is common for apps that do not have variable levels of zoom, such as Windows Explorer. When explorer shows file icons it either shows them in 16x16, 32x32, 48x48, 96x96, or these days, various HUGE sizes. As a result *.ico files allow you put in different images for all these target sizes. Since Grasshopper has variable zoom levels, this is not an ideal solution. Also, it requires a lot more work per icon.
Option 2 is becoming more and more popular as increased graphics speed now allows for the real-time rendering of vector graphics. Yet, you still need a renderer that knows how to draw vector geometry crisply at low sizes. All vector renderers I know just interpolate the geometry linearly and if a line happens to end up 'between pixels' it's just fuzzy.
I don't have hard and fast rules for the icons, but I try to adhere to at least these:
Keep a border of 2 pixels free around the icon content. So basically only use the inner 20x20 pixels rather than the 24x24 you're allowed. This is needed because the drop shadow needs to go there.
Only draw silhouette edges around shapes, not inner creases. Typically a 1-pixel line will do. I prefer to use a dark version of the fill colour rather than black for edges.
Loose curves can be drawn in 1 or 2 pixel thicknesses, depending on how important the curve is.
Try to avoid text in your icons (not always possible).
Stick to 1 colour family per icon, preferably per icon family. You can add highlights with another colour if you must, but too many hues make an icon hard to read (for the example the [Voronoi] icon, it has red, green and blue and it's a bit of a mess, on the other hand [Colour Wheel] has the full spectrum and seems to work quite well...).
Very roughly speaking, if there's both black and red geometry in an icon, it means the red is component input and the black is component output.
Drop shadows are pixel effects, applied to the 24x24 image. They have a blurring radius of 2 pixels, a horizontal offset of 1 pixel to the right, a vertical offset of 1 pixel to the bottom and they are 65% black.
When you use high contrast shapes (for example black edges on a light background) the anti-aliasing provided by vector renderers such as Xara or Illustrator won't be enough to make it look smooth. I'd recommend avoiding high contrast if at all possible, but if not possible then draw a 1-pixel line around the dark bits in 95% transparent black. This effectively extends the anti-aliasing range from 1.5 to 2.5 pixels and it helps make things looks smoother.
--
David Rutten
david@mcneel.com…
well, very similar input data must result in wildly different hashes. For example, imagine we have an algorithm which computes hashes of text, and the hashes it computes are all numbers between 0 and 999. We then apply this algorithm to a piece of text:
"When Spring comes back with rustling shade" = 385
So far so good. Now imagine we change the text slightly, for example by removing a single "l":
"When Spring comes back with rusting shade" = 973
Minor change -> very different hash. There are of course way more unique texts than there are numbers between 0 and 999. This must therefore mean that a lot of text will result in the same hash. For example "When Spring brings back blue days and fair." may also result in a hash of 385. Because of the pigeonhole principle, there is nothing to be done about this.
Now for the tricky bit. Hashes are often used to validate executable code. Say your friend James at MI6 sends you a small program that will allow you to eavesdrop on Angela Merkel, and -over the phone- he tells you the hashcode for that application. You can then hash the application yourself, verify that it indeed results in the same hashcode and then you know you can trust the executable.
But now Jack from the FBI intercepts the email and adds a few sneaky lines of code to the original application allowing him to determine from your internet search history with up to 95% accuracy whether you like extra cheese on your pizza. The application has now been tampered with, it can no longer be trusted and you should be able to figure this out as it will no longer result in the same hash code.
But wait! Some hashing algorithms are more secure than others. MD5 is now officially considered to be 'hacked' and it is no longer recommended for doing naughty spying. Specifically, Jack will be able to inject his own code in such a way that it does not result in a different hash. Instead, the SHA family of hashers are to be used, as it is not yet known how to trick these hashers.
This is where the problem comes in, because apparently the US government has forcefully disabled the use of MD5 for all purposes. This is a shame because I use it to quickly compare bitmap icons for identicalness so I only have to store an icon in memory once. There is no security hole due to this, because I'm not hashing secure data. MD5 is somewhat faster than SHA, and since I have to hash several hundred icons on Grasshopper start, I opted for the faster one.
(Very) long story short; you're hosed. Grasshopper uses MD5; USgov does not like; Grasshopper does not run on USgov computers.
I'll do some testing to see if I can switch to SHA and then we can see whether or not that solves the problem. This however will take a while as I'm going on a business trip next week and have yet to prepare my presentations.
--
David Rutten
david@mcneel.com…
Added by David Rutten at 12:06pm on March 31, 2014