Convert the ReadVars Fortran program into Python

[jasondegraw]

Pull request overview

There have periodically been requests to translate the Fortran utilities to Python or C++, there's an issue here:

#6566

We haven't managed to get many of those converted for one reason or another. A few days ago, I needed to convert some ESOs into CSVs and I didn't have an installed copy of EnergyPlus or a Fortran compiler, but I did have the EnergyPlus source and the Codex agent pointed at it, so I asked Codex to write me a Python version of ReadVars so I could do the conversion. It's come up a few times before and I thought it'd be useful to have a Python version to stash someplace and use when I needed it.

Well, I guess the prompt I wrote was too open-ended: it nuked the Fortran and replaced it with the Python version that it wrote. @mbadams5 points out that Codex just did what I should have asked for. The -r switch now should invoke the Python version instead of "real" executable.

I'm going to put it in draft mode for now to see how it fairs in CI, and I want to do some testing of the performance beyond the basic Windows use that I have done already.

Pull Request Author

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  • Update ..\scripts\Epl-run.bat
  • Update ..\scripts\RunEPlus.bat
  • Update ..\src\EPLaunch\ MainModule.bas, epl-ui.frm, and epl.vbp (VersionComments)
  • Update ...github\workflows\energyplus.py

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[nrel-bot-2c]

@jasondegraw it has been 28 days since this pull request was last updated.

[nrel-bot-2c]

@jasondegraw it has been 28 days since this pull request was last updated.

[github-actions]

⚠️ Regressions detected on macos-14 for commit afa12e9

Regression Summary

• ESO Big Diffs: 127
• MTR Big Diffs: 86

• View Results
• Download Regressions

[github-actions]

⚠️ Regressions detected on ubuntu-24.04 for commit afa12e9

Regression Summary

• ESO Big Diffs: 127
• MTR Big Diffs: 88

• View Results
• Download Regressions

[mitchute]

Before getting into a deep review of this specifically, I have to ask if it we should make python-readvars a standalone project we distribute through regular python distribution channels, instead of having it be embedded here? That's what we do with python EP-launch.

[jasondegraw]

@mitchute That's a good question, I don't have a strong opinion either way. For development purposes, it might be easier as it is, but longer term it probably makes more sense for it to look like the other Python tools.

But I'd suggest that we table that for now and just review the NFP. It probably makes sense to break the NFP out into a separate PR so that it can be merged, just let me know if you'd like me to do that.

[nrel-bot-2c]

@jasondegraw it has been 28 days since this pull request was last updated.