Scripting allows you to automate both modelling and analysis commands using a simple interpreted scripting language. Any function that you would undertake "by hand" so to speak in ECOTECT, can be automated via a script. This provides a powerful method for generating geometry, interrogating and manipulating models and analysis results, set up animations and automate calculation procedures.

Scripting within ECOTECT v5.50 has been significantly improved with both the development of the Script Manager v2.0 and the incorporation of script handling functions directory in ECOTECT's core code. These same functions will soon be added to all Square One software.

Example Scripts

The following are a series of scripts that demonstrate a range of possible applications. Each script is explained and heavily commented to describe the logic being applied. Feel free to simply copy/paste these scripts into the Script Manager and use them as the basis of your own scripts.

1. AddMoveZone.scr
   A simple script demonstrating the creation of a zone, selecting its base, moving it and then changing it's height.
2. CompactnessReport.scr
   The generation of a table of volumes and floor areas for each thermal zone in the model and the calculation of an overall building compactness ratio.
3. FormatDataTable.scr
   The process of performing a thermal analysis and then extracting the data for a specific zone into a tab-delimited textual table.
4. CreateXMLDataFile.scr
   Demonstrates creating an output file, extracting some calculated data from ECOTECT and writing it in XML format to the file.
5. CheckZeroLengthSegments.scr
   Searches through all visible objects in the model and selects all those that contain zero-length line segments.
6. DrawOn3dView.scr
   A demonstration of how you can not only draw lines on the current 3D view, but also overlay textual infomation and use arrows to point out specific features.
7. GetGridCellData.scr
   Shows how you can access data directly from cells in the current analysis grid.
8. GetPointAttributes.scr
   This script illustrates how you can access object attribute data for only a specific type of object in the model.
9. ObjectOrientedRef.scr
   This script is an interesting use of table tags in LUA to allow direct access to ECOTECT model data in a way similar to object-oriented classes.
10. SetEmissivity.scr and SetReflectance.scr
    These two scripts will cycle through all materials in the current model's material library and set the emissivity or reflectance values.

More information

The Script Manager (free plugin that comes with ECOTECT) uses the LUA enbedded scripting language (lua.org) to format and send string-based commands. It also handles the inter-process communication with ECOTECT, so you only need to know how to structure a script and what commands ECOTECT wiil respond to.

You should refer to the Script Manager help file for full details on Square One software specific command sets and the following links if you are interested in LUA language features:

• lua.org/docs.html
  The main source of official documentation.
• http://lua.riscos.org.uk/Guide
  A tutorial intended for users of a particular application of LUA, but a very good general introduction.
• http://lua-users.org/wiki/TutorialDirectory
  More advanced tutorials, aimed more at developers but very useful.

The following link was a great, with emphasis on the "was". It's been down for a while. So, in the hope that it may one day re-appear...

• http://www.redloop.com/larsde/articles/lua.php
  A very simply but surprisingly comprehensive tutorial on many aspects of the LUA language.