Model Data Grid View (MDGV)

Accessed from Tools menu

The Model Data Grid View (MDGV) tools allow the model data for the current building to be viewed and/or edited using a grid. It is possible to select from a range of "layouts" which define which data is to be displayed.

Viewing the building model data in a grid provides a global view of the data across the whole model and makes comparisons between settings for different parts of the model much easier than when using the usual model data input screen.

See also the Model Data Grid View & QA checking tutorial

Management Dialog

The MDGV tools are all accessed from the main Model Data Grid View Management dialog which is launched from the toolbar icon or from the Tools menu and is active for the current building in the model. The Model Data Grid View tools can be accessed from building level and below, but are not available from site level.

The title of the dialog identifies the currently selected analysis type. The dialog presents a list of layouts which are:

Filtered to those that are compatible with the current model’s currently selected Analysis type.
Grouped by the level for at which they display data e.g. Building, Zone, Surface, Opening.
Indicated as "System" or "User" under the Layout Type column.

The management dialog provides tools to access 2 different areas of functionality:

Model Data – with View / Edit / Import buttons which can be used to access the model data itself.
Layout Management – with New / Edit / Copy / Delete buttons which can be used to manage and modify the layouts, i.e. the definitions of which model data is to be shown.

You can use the Model Data Grid View tools to view and edit model data for the following objects:

Buildings
Building blocks
Component and assembly blocks (at building and block levels)
Zones
Surfaces
Openings
All HVAC loops and components

The "building" model data is accessed by clicking on the Building tab. This lists all of the above layouts apart from the HVAC components as shown in the screenshot below.

For example, to edit window model data in the grid, click on the "External Glazing" layout and then click on the Edit button under the blue Model Data header in the top right.

The text in the Layout Type column (see above screenshot) flags whether the layout was provided by DesignBuilder with the program ("System"), or whether it is a custom layout created by the user ("User").

The HVAC data is accessed by first clicking on the HVAC tab to list available layouts.

You can choose to list only the HVAC components present in the model by checking the checkbox above the list. It is checked by default. Otherwise all available layouts are listed even if the corresponding components are not in the model.

For example, to edit the air loops in the grid, click on the "Air Loop" layout and then click on the Edit button under the blue Model Data header in the top right.

For more details on Model Data Grid View see: