Class to handle building zones. More...

Public Member Functions
Table	AddTable (string tableName, int fieldCount)
	Adds an empty table with specified name and number of fields to the Zone object.

Table	GetTable (string tableName)
	Returns a Zone table with the supplied name as a Table object.

void	RemoveTable (string tableName)
	Removes an existing Zone table with specified name.

void	RemoveAllTables ()
	Removes all Zone tables.

void	SetAttribute (string attributeName, string value)
	Sets an attribute with the supplied name to the supplied value.

string	GetAttribute (string attributeName)
	Returns the string value of the attribute with the supplied name.

int	GetAttributeAsInt (string attributeName)
	Returns the integer value of the attribute with the supplied name (same as GetIntegerAttribute). If the value of the attribute is not an integer value, the return value is undefined. To use this method, foreknowledge is required that the value of the attribute is in fact an integer value.

double	GetAttributeAsDouble (string attributeName)
	Returns the double value of the attribute with the supplied name. If the value of the attribute is not a double value, the return value is undefined. To use this method, foreknowledge is required that the value of the attribute is in fact an double value.

int	GetIntegerAttribute (string attributeName)
	Returns the integer value of the attribute with the supplied name (same as GetAttributeAsInt). If the value of the attribute is not an integer value, the return value is undefined. To use this method, foreknowledge is required that the value of the attribute is in fact an integer value.

DataObject	GetAttributeDataObject (string attributeName)
	Returns a DataObject object associated with the attribute of the supplied name.

bool	IsAttributeTrue (string attributeName)
	Returns boolean value (TRUE/FALSE) of the attribute with the supplied name.

IEnumerable< Zone >	GetChildZones (Building parentBuilding)
	Returns a collection of child zones for a zone to which other zones have been merged.

Point3d	GetDaylightSensorLocation (int idx)
	Zones can contain up to two daylight sensors. This method returns the location of the required sensor as a 3D point in space.

Collections.Polygons	GetOffsetFloorPolygons (double offset)
	Returns a collection of floor polygons offset from the actual floor Z coordinates by a specified offset. The polygon lists are automatically clipped to the zone geometry.

void	UpdateGeometry ()
	This method automatically recalculates the zone inner volume geometry to cater for changes in element construction, etc.

void	UpdateTileAttributes ()
	Updates adjacent zone attributes, default window layouts, etc. after changes are made to the zone attributes via the UI.

void	ResetDefaultOpenings ()
	This method will automatically remove all custom openings and reset the default zone opening layouts using current attribute settings.

bool	SelectSurface (int surfaceIdx)
	This method is used to select the required surface.

void	WriteBodyGeometryToFile (string filePath)
	Writes the zone polyhedron geometry to an ASCII file in GEM format.

void	Dispose ()

Properties
Collections.Surfaces	Surfaces `[get]`
	Instantiates a collection of zone surfaces (refer to Surface class).

Collections.Polygons	FloorPolygons `[get]`
	Instantiates a collection of polygons representing the geometry of all floors in the zone (refer to Polygon class).

Collections.HardAttributes	HardAttributes `[get]`
	Instantiate a collection of 'hard' attributes from the Sketch SketchDZone object. Hard attributes are attributes set at a specific model decomposition level (zone in this case) and don't inherit from level above.

string	Name `[get, set]`
	Used to set/retrieve the name of the zone.

string	IdfName `[get]`
	Returns the IDF name of the zone.

int	SbemCornerCount `[get]`
	Deprecated.

double	FloatingPartitionArea `[get]`
	Returns the area of all disconnected partitions that lie within the zone.

double	FloorArea `[get]`
	Returns the total floor area of the zone.

double	LumpedFloorArea `[get]`
	Returns the total floor area of the zone and all zones merged with this zone.

double	Volume `[get]`
	Returns the volume of the zone. The volume returned depends on the 'volume calculation method' specified through the UI at building level ('Geometry, Areas and Volumes'). If the 'volume calculation method' is set to 'Inner', the volume returned will be the volume of the zone inner volume whereas the zone outer volume will be returned If the 'volume calculation method' is set to 'Outer'. Zone inner volume geometry is automatically calculated for all zones to account for construction thicknesses.

double	LumpedVolume `[get]`
	Returns the volume of the zone plus all zones merged with this zone. The volume returned depends on the 'volume calculation method' specified through the UI at building level ('Geometry, Areas and Volumes'). If the 'volume calculation method' is set to 'Inner', the volume returned will be the volume of the zone inner volume whereas the zone outer volume will be returned If the 'volume calculation method' is set to 'Outer'. Zone inner volume geometry is automatically calculated for all zones to account for construction thicknesses.

double	FloorVoidVolume `[get]`
	Deprecated.

double	LumpedFloorVoidVolume `[get]`
	Deprecated.

double	CeilingVoidVolume `[get]`
	Deprecated.

double	LumpedCeilingVoidVolume `[get]`
	Deprecated.

double	LinkZoneVolume `[get]`
	Deprecated.

bool	IsLumpedOut `[get]`
	Returns a boolean value that determines whether or not the zone is merged with other zones. Groups of zones can be merged to form a single entity using a number of methods via the merge tool (merge by holes between zones, merge by selection, etc.).

bool	IsOpenManifold `[get]`
	Determines whether or not the geometry of the zone is open manifold or not. Closed manifold zone geometry consists of surfaces where each edge is shared with one and only one other surface edge. Open manifold zone objects can only arise when importing geometry from external files (gbXML). While open manifold zones can be included in EnergyPlus simulations, they cannot be included in CFD simulations which require closed manifold geometries.

int	Handle `[get]`
	Returns the handle of the zone.

int	LumpedHandle `[get]`
	Returns the handle of a merged zone entity.

int	InheritedHandle `[get]`
	After a building block has been re-zoned (due to new partition layouts, etc.), attributes of zones prior to re-zoning are automatically assigned to the new zones subsewquent to re-zoning using a geometry comparison algorithm. Where this assignment takes place, the handle of the old zone (prior to re-zoning) is assigned to the new zone via an 'inherited' handle. This method returns the inherited handle.

bool	IsSelected `[get]`
	Returns a boolean value indicating whether or not the zone is selected.

bool	IsConvex `[get]`
	Returns a boolean value indicating whether or not the polyhedron defining the geometry of the zone is convex.

bool	HasConstructionLines `[get]`
	Deprecated.

int	ParentBuildingBlockIndex `[get]`
	Returns the handle of the building block in which the zone resides.

bool	IsChildZone `[get]`
	Returns a boolean value indicating whether or not the zone is a child zone of a merged group of zones.

ZoneBridgingLengths	ThermalBridgingLengths `[get]`
	Returns a collection of thermal bridging lengths for all zone surface edges (refer to ZoneBridgingLengths class).

ZoneBridgingLengths	ExposedGroundFloorThermalBridgingLengths `[get]`
	Returns a collection of thermal bridging lengths for exposed ground floor zone surface edges (refer to ZoneBridgingLengths class).

BoundingBox3d	Bounds `[get]`
	Returns a bounding box for the zone, the dimensions of which are derived from the X, Y and Z maximum dimemsions of the zone.

BoundingBox3d	InnerVolumeBounds `[get]`
	Returns a bounding box for the inner volume of the zone, the dimensions of which are derived from the X, Y and Z maximum dimemsions of the zone inner volume geometry.

InnerSurfaceMode	InnerSurfaceMode `[get]`
	When a zone is created after a building block zoning process (or changes in zone surface construction, etc.), an inner volume polyhedron is automatically generated using the thickness of the various zone elements (partitions, external wall, ceilings, etc.). Correspondingly, the surfaces of the inner volume polyhedron represent the inner surfaces of the zone. The inner volume polyhedron can therefore be used for accurate determination of the zone air volume and inner surface areas. The creation of the inner volume uses a deflation algorithm that can fail if zone vertices have more than three adjacent surfaces. If the deflation fails, an approximate method is employed to derive the zone inner volume and internal surface areas. Additionally, a simpler geometry can be adopted whereby the inner volume polyhedron is coincident with the parent zone polyhedron. This method is used to obtain the mode used for the inner volume (1-coincident, 2-deflation, 2-approximate).

Detailed Description

Class to handle building zones.

Member Function Documentation

◆ AddTable()

Table DB.Api.Zone.AddTable	(	string	tableName,
		int	fieldCount
	)

Adds an empty table with specified name and number of fields to the Zone object.

Parameters

tableName	Name of table
fieldCount	Number of fields (columns) in table.

Returns: TRUE if table added successfully otherwise FALSE.

◆ GetAttribute()

string DB.Api.Zone.GetAttribute ( string attributeName )

Returns the string value of the attribute with the supplied name.

Parameters

attributeName Name of attribute from which value is to be retrieved.

Returns: TRUE if attribute is retrieved successfully otherwise FALSE.

◆ GetAttributeAsDouble()

double DB.Api.Zone.GetAttributeAsDouble ( string attributeName )

Returns the double value of the attribute with the supplied name. If the value of the attribute is not a double value, the return value is undefined. To use this method, foreknowledge is required that the value of the attribute is in fact an double value.

Parameters

attributeName Name of attribute from which double value is to be retrieved.

Returns: Double value of attribute.

◆ GetAttributeAsInt()

int DB.Api.Zone.GetAttributeAsInt ( string attributeName )

Returns the integer value of the attribute with the supplied name (same as GetIntegerAttribute). If the value of the attribute is not an integer value, the return value is undefined. To use this method, foreknowledge is required that the value of the attribute is in fact an integer value.

Parameters

attributeName Name of attribute from which integer value is to be retrieved.

Returns: Integer value of attribute.

◆ GetAttributeDataObject()

DataObject DB.Api.Zone.GetAttributeDataObject ( string attributeName )

Returns a DataObject object associated with the attribute of the supplied name.

Parameters

attributeName Name of attribute from which DataObject object is to be retrieved.

Returns: DataObject object.

◆ GetChildZones()

IEnumerable< Zone > DB.Api.Zone.GetChildZones ( Building parentBuilding )

Returns a collection of child zones for a zone to which other zones have been merged.

Parameters

parentBuilding Building object in which zone(s) reside.

Returns: TRUE if the zone has child zones otherwise FALSE.

◆ GetDaylightSensorLocation()

Point3d DB.Api.Zone.GetDaylightSensorLocation ( int idx )

Zones can contain up to two daylight sensors. This method returns the location of the required sensor as a 3D point in space.

Parameters

idx	The index of the sensor for which the location is required (may be 0 or 1).

Returns: Returns the location of the reqired sensor as a 3D point in space.

◆ GetIntegerAttribute()

int DB.Api.Zone.GetIntegerAttribute ( string attributeName )

Returns the integer value of the attribute with the supplied name (same as GetAttributeAsInt). If the value of the attribute is not an integer value, the return value is undefined. To use this method, foreknowledge is required that the value of the attribute is in fact an integer value.

Parameters

attributeName Name of attribute from which integer value is to be retrieved.

Returns: Integer value of attribute.

◆ GetOffsetFloorPolygons()

Collections.Polygons DB.Api.Zone.GetOffsetFloorPolygons ( double offset )

Returns a collection of floor polygons offset from the actual floor Z coordinates by a specified offset. The polygon lists are automatically clipped to the zone geometry.

Parameters

offset The distance by which the floor polygonas are to be offset from the actual floor Z coordinates.

Returns: Collection of offset floor polygons or NULL if the method should fail for any reason.

◆ GetTable()

Table DB.Api.Zone.GetTable ( string tableName )

Returns a Zone table with the supplied name as a Table object.

Parameters

tableName Name of table to be retrieved.

Returns: Building table as Table object.

◆ IsAttributeTrue()

bool DB.Api.Zone.IsAttributeTrue ( string attributeName )

Returns boolean value (TRUE/FALSE) of the attribute with the supplied name.

Parameters

attributeName Attribute name.

Returns: TRUE if boolean value of attribute is true otherwise FALSE.

◆ RemoveTable()

void DB.Api.Zone.RemoveTable ( string tableName )

Removes an existing Zone table with specified name.

Parameters

tableName Name of table to be removed.

◆ SelectSurface()

bool DB.Api.Zone.SelectSurface ( int surfaceIdx )

This method is used to select the required surface.

Parameters

surfaceIdx Index of the surface to be selected.

Returns: TRUE if the required surface is selected successfully otherwise FALSE.

◆ SetAttribute()

void DB.Api.Zone.SetAttribute	(	string	attributeName,
		string	value
	)

Sets an attribute with the supplied name to the supplied value.

Parameters

attributeName	Name of attribute to be set.
value	Value to which attribute is to be set.

Returns: TRUE if attribute is set successfully otherwise FALSE.

◆ WriteBodyGeometryToFile()

void DB.Api.Zone.WriteBodyGeometryToFile ( string filePath )

Writes the zone polyhedron geometry to an ASCII file in GEM format.

Parameters

filePath Full path of file to which geometry is to be written.

The documentation for this class was generated from the following file:

C:/DesignBuilder/Components Source/DB.Api/DB.Api/Zone.cs

Public Member Functions

Properties

Detailed Description

Member Function Documentation

◆ AddTable()

◆ GetAttribute()

◆ GetAttributeAsDouble()

◆ GetAttributeAsInt()

◆ GetAttributeDataObject()

◆ GetChildZones()

◆ GetDaylightSensorLocation()

◆ GetIntegerAttribute()

◆ GetOffsetFloorPolygons()

◆ GetTable()

◆ IsAttributeTrue()

◆ RemoveTable()

◆ SelectSurface()

◆ SetAttribute()

◆ WriteBodyGeometryToFile()