Skelion使用手册_en_06_27_2012

User's guideV5.0.7Skelion- 2 - ÍndiceÍndice_______________________________________________________________________2 1Installation______________________________________________________________4 1.1Update___________________________________________________________________5 1.2Uninstall__________________________________________________________________5 1.3Write rights_______________________________________________________________61.3.1Write rights in Windows OS________________________________________________________61.3.2Write rights in MAC OS___________________________________________________________7 1.4Pro version and Free version_________________________________________________8 2Units____________________________________________________________________9 3Geolocating model_________________________________________________________9 4Drawing the building_____________________________________________________11 5Skelion's toolbar_________________________________________________________135.1 Azimuth convention___________________________________________________145.2 Rotate north and Restore north_____________________________________155.3 Surface azimuth and tilt________________________________________________165.4 Insert solar components________________________________________________165.4.1Insert following an edge. ___________________________________________165.4.2Multiple faces __________________________________________185.4.3Non planar surface _________________________________________________195.5 Sunny area___________________________________________________________22 5.6 Minimal Shading criterion_____________________________________________22 5.7 Report______________________________________________________________23 5.8 Face report dialog____________________________________________________23 5.9ARRAY MODE______________________________________________________23 5.10 JRC PVGYS EUROPE y JRC PVGYS AFRICA_______________________23 5.11 PVWATS report______________________________________________________24Índice 5.12 Project face to mesh____________________________________________________245.13 Surface report________________________________________________________24 5.14 Change UTM model origin______________________________________________25 5.15 Drop________________________________________________________________26 5.16 Sun Path Chart_______________________________________________________26 5.17 Help_________________________________________________________________265.18 About_______________________________________________________________26 6Differences between pro and free version_____________________________________27 7Links:_________________________________________________________________28- 3 -Skelion- 4 -1 InstallationSkelion is a plug-in of Sketchup. To install it you need SketchUp (free or pro) running on your computer.The installation process is the same of any plug-in of Sketchup.Plug-ins installation on Sketchup:/sketchup/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=38583/thoughts/2012/01/installing-plugins-for-google-sketchup/ User must have “write rights ” in Plugins folde r to use Skelion.There are 2 forms of install a plugin on Sket c hUp, manually or usingSketchUP/Preferences/Extension/Install Extension.We recommend the manual way because is easy to install and uninstall, and you can control the filesyou copy.Steps:∙ Change the extension of the file from .rbz to .zip. ∙ Unzip the file:∙ Store unzipped files in Plugins folder of Sketchup: Windows OS:C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Google SketchUp 8\PluginsMAC OSYour Hard disk name/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/PluginsNote that this path in MAC is under the root HD loc ation and not the user folder! It is also notinside the Sketc hUp applic ation pac kage. Both of these loc ations are something that OSX users often mistakenly pick first time they try to install a plugin.There is an error in MAC and some users can’t see the files of their hard disk. In this case they should fixthis error to will be able to install Skelion.Plugins folder with Sketchup default files plus Skelion files (MAC OS)Skelion- 5 -Plugins folder with skelion files (Windows OS)1.1 UpdateDelete old Skelion files and folders (View above image):∙ “2d_simplex_bool” folder ∙ “_skelion” folder∙ “2d_simplex_bool_ext.rb” ∙ “skelion_ext.rb”You must follow same pro c ess of installation. Remember if you have modified“dimension_modules.csv ”, manually or creating your solar panels from Skelion dialog, you must do a backup because this file will be overwritten.1.2 UninstallVersion 5.0.6 and lower:Go to Plugins folder and delete the 2 files and 2 folders of picture:Skelion- 6 -Version 5.0.7 or higher:Go to Plugins folder and delete “skelion” folder and “skelion.rb” file.1.3 Write rightsSkelion needs write rights in plugins folder to write in files like “dimension_modules.csv”. If you don’thave write rights you receive this message and Skelion won’t start.Message of error when Plugins don’t have write rights1.3.1Write rights in Windows OSSecurity tab of plugins folder.Go to “C:\Program Files (x86)\Sketc hUp” (Sketc hup 2013)" or “C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\GoogleSketchUp 8\” (SketchUP 8).Right click on the Plugins folder and selected "Properties".Selec t the sec urity tab, selec ted yourself as the "Group or user names:", and allow yourself “Fullcontrol”.Check in General tab that “read only” is unchecked for all files and folders inside Plugins.Skelion- 7 -General tab of Plugins folder.1.3.2 Write rights in MAC OSRight click over Plugins folder and select Get Info.Clic k the disc losure triangle next to Sharing & Permissions to display permissions for the selec tedfolder.Click the lock and authenticate with an administrator account.Use the menus next to users and groups to add Read & Write permissions to you.When you’re finished, close the Info window. Changes are effective immediately.Skelion1.4Pro version and Free versionSkelion runs 15 days in pro mode. After that, free version is activated.If you want to use Pro version, you must buy a license in and insert the serial in the web dialog you can watch pushing "About" button in Skelion toolbar.- 8 -Skelion- 9 -2 UnitsLength: You can change defualt length in SketchUp—model info – units. In SketchUp you can draw aline and set length like: 8 m, 8cm, 8mm, 8”, 8 (default unit is used in this case).Skelion dialogs works in same way of SketchUp.For other units different from length, used in Skelion dialogs, user must write only the number. Usedunit must be the unit specified in the left.You can write 220, but not 2.2kW.You can write 8cm or 8 m or 8”… any SketchUp valid unit.3 Geolocating modelFirst step in Sketchup is geolocate the model. Go to View - toolbars - Google.Google ToolbarPress this button . "Add Location", you have access to Google Earth and you can geolocate theplac e. You c an use "Google earth position" to c opy and paste latitude and longitude from Google Earth to Sketchup window./p/googleearth-autohotkey/ When you geolocate the model you achieve:∙ Satellite picture (Windows - Layers - Google Earth Snapshot) ∙ 3D mesh of surface. (Windows - Layers - Google Earth Terrain)∙ Real shadows of geographic position selected for any time of the year.(Window - Shadows)∙ You can measure distances using"tape measure" tool (View - toolbar - large tool set).Shadows windowGoogle Earth Terrain layerLayers widnowGoogle Earth Snapshot layerSkelion - 10 -4 Drawing the buildingIn Sketchup there are several forms to draw the building:∙ Downloading directly from Google Earth.∙ Drawing from satellite picture directly. Geo-modeling with SketchUP . /intl/en/training/videos/gsuge.html/sketchup/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=167458∙ Exporting 2d or 3d planes from other programs like AutoCAD.To download a building from Google Earth you must follow next steps:∙ Activate ·layer "3D Buildings" to find out if building is drawing in 3D.∙ Disable 3D imagery in Properties. Then legacy 3D building you can download will be showed onGoogle Earth. (3D imagery are 3d buildings from Google you can not download).∙ Clic k over building if you find. If building c an be exported to Sketc hup a window will be opened.∙ Click over building picture of window.∙If building is free to download, "3d warehouse" will be opened inside Google Earth and you willbe able to download the building in Sketchup format.Google Earth with layer "3d building" active.3d warehouse of Google5Skelion's toolbar To activate Skelion's toolbar go to View - toolbars - Skelion.Names of buttons:Surface azimuth and tiltInsert solar componentsSunnyareaMinimal Shading criterionRotatenorthRestorenorthToggle Array modeReportFace report dialogJRC PVGYS EUROPEJRC PVGYS AFRICAPVWATSreportProject face to meshSurfa c ereportChange UTM model originDropPVSYSTexporterSun Path ChartAzimuthc onventionHelpAboutAlso you can find them in commands toolbar, in Plugins/Skelion5.1 AzimuthconventionWeb dialog Azimuth conventionSelect the convention you want and close the web dialog.Any azimuth you use in Skelion from now will follow this convention. You can close Sketchup and next time convention will be the same.PVGYS and PVWATTS are external programs to Skelion, so when they are opened, azimuth is converted to the convention they use. PVWATTS use 360º convention and PVGYS use 180 conventions in north hemisphere but for the entire world.5.2 Rotate north and Restore northIn Sketchup true north can point in any direction. With Solar North toolbar you can change it.Solar North toolbarSkelion use Y+ axis default (green axis) like true north. So you must take into account Sketchup truenorth (orange axis) must have same direction of Y+axis (green). You can see Sketchup true north clicking .Skechup 8 M2 current version, import 3d mesh and satellite image slightly rotated when you geolocatea model. That is bec ause true north value c hanges to a value between 0º and 2º. In the pic ture you c an appreciate true north (orange axis) differ 1.74º from green axis.Button "Rotate north" let us rotate all model to give true north same direction of Y+. Then Skelion datawill be right."Restore north" button rotate model to original position, just in case you want to return.Midi d'ossau Latitude, Longitude: 42.84224 -0.4358915.3Surface azimuth and tiltPress the button and select faces to watch his azimuth and tilt in the opened window.5.4Insert solar componentsThis button give access to three different web dialogs, in function of the objects selected before pressthe button:∙ Selecting and edge and a face: INSERT FOLLOWING AN EDGE∙Selecting some faces MULTIPLEFACES∙ Selecting 3d mesh: NON PLANAR SURFACE5.4.1 Insert following an edge.To open the web dialog "Insert following an edge" user must select one edge and one face and pressthe button "insert solar components". Selected edge can be any edge of the face boundary or any edge in same plane of the face.Orientation:Components will follow edge. (You can reverse direction if you want to insert just in the opposite way ofdefault direction.)Component:Component selectionThere are three possibilities to insert a component:Choose one from the list.Load your own component.Draw your own component in Sketchup and click right button over it, and select “save as” componet. Before save, component must be oriented in an specific form, because Skelion needs to know how to insert it: ∙Z+ axis must be perpendicular to “capitation surface∙Origin will be the point of insertion over the face.∙If capitation surface is smaller than bounding box then you need to mark it with right button- Skelion- Mark capitation surface. Marking this, Skelion will be able to calculate right shadowdistances between rows. If capitation surface is equal to bounding box, then this step is notnecessary.Captation surface smaller than bounding box.You can learn more about components in:/intl/en/training/videos/new_to_gsu.html Create you own component adding length, width, depth.You can add more solar panels to default list writing in the file "dimension_modules.csv" or clicking thesave checkbox when you create one. This file is located in ".../Plugins/_skelion".Right axes situation in component.Right axes sitution in component.Components inserted by Skelion.Components inserted by Skelion.Other component parameters:Parameters to insert a component."Stack components" let us pile up components.With "Rows alignment" you can adjust all components to a grid or let rows to maximize the space.Pitch:Pitch.User can insert his own pitch or use any of the options proposed by Skelion.Pitch.Insert:You can insert all components at same time in the face with “Fill face” button or going row by row using “Fill in rows”. Using this last button, you can click in any point rear the last row inserted. Skelion will insert next row mataining the minimum pitch you selected, but if you click in a point with more pitch, then the next row will be inserted in that point.5.4.2 Multiple facesMultiple faces dialogYou can access to dialog "multiple faces" opening some faces and clicking the button "Insert solar components". (Skelion will use only faces. Other objects of selection will be discarded).Selection of some faces. "Multiple faces" r = 0 There are 3 options to insert solar components:∙and of component: Skelion will insert components in all selected faces. (In coplanar case, Skelion will try to follow the tilt of the roof.∙: Solar component will be inserted following roof tilt. If roof tilt is 0 then program will try to follow any edge of the roof.∙r: Solar component will be inserted following roof tilt If you want coplanar you must insert r = 0. If roof tilt is 0 then program will try to follow any edge of the roof.5.4.3 Non planar surface"Non planar surface" allows you to insert components in 3d mesh, like curved roofs or solar ground mount systems.To use "Non planar surface" you must follow next steps:Select mesh with main surface and inner surfaces in which no components will be inserted.Boundaries of each surface must be "NO SOFT" and the others must be "SOFT" to let Skelion detect surfaces of the mesh.Press button "Insert solar components"."Surface tool" will be activated. Pick with the mouse over a point in the mesh to insert first row. You must select other tool to deactivate "Surface tool".Then, when you click "Non planar surface" a dialog will be opened and we must insert azimuth, tilt, component and times to calculate the pitch. Pitch used between rows will be different and will be the worst of all the components for the times specified by the user. If you want only one hour you must insert the same time twice.If c omponent has "c onstruc tion points" you c an use "surfac e report" to make a report about position of construction points and and of selected edge. You can use any type of component, solar panel, solar ground structure...All inserted components will have same azimuth and same tilt and there aren't shadows between the times inserted in dialogIn c omplex surfac es sometimes you must exec ute twic e the program bec ause rows follow only one direction when are inserted.Components with 0ºe 30º (180ºconv).Components with 0ºe 30º (180ºconv).Rules to use "non planar surface":∙NO HOLES in mesh.Mesh with a hole.Right mesh.∙All faces must have right orientation. (Use reverse face to fix mesh)Mesh with reversed faces.Right mesh.∙Boundary of any surfaces must be "NO SOFT". Rest of edges must be "SOFT".Mesh with 3 surfaces and boundaries NO SOFT.∙Selec t all surfac es, the main surfac es and the others where solar c omponents won't be inserted..Mesh with all selected.∙Main surfaces can't share boundary with the others surfaces.Main surface share boundary with other surface. Right mesh.∙Check shadows. Sometimes last rows or components near the boundaries can be erroneous.area5.5 SunnySelecting a face you can find out the zone with no shadows at one time or between two times. (If you want only one time, repeat same time twice in dialog.)To improve speed of algorithm you can hide all elements not useful with normal methods of Sketchup: hide geometry, hide layers and cast shadows.Face before use "sunny area" Face after use "sunny area"5.6Minimal Shading criterionSelect a face and press the button to find out the area that accomplish this rule5.7 Report"Report" button returns the number of components inserted by Skelion, and their power. You cancopy the report to excel if you want.Data is arranged in 3 forms:∙ By face and solar component model.∙ By groups with same tilt and azimuthand solar component model. ∙ By arraysA new layers will be create with numbered faces.Layer TX:Face_names active.5.8 Face report dialogPress this button to open face report window. After this select any face. All the information of the facewill be showed in the window. Remember this information is static. If you delete components, you must update model clicking report analysis, PVGYS or PVWATTS.5.9ARRAY MODEClicking this button solar components turn to white. You can select each component and colour it with add material to mark the arrays.5.10JRC PVGYS EUROPE y JRC PVGYS AFRICAWith button "PVGYS" or "PVGYS" AFRICA you c an find out energy of solar c omponents.Skelion links with JRC web sending all the necessary data to the web. PVGYS web is valid only for one tilt and one azimuth, so Skelion repeat the process the number of times equal to the groups with same tilt and azimuth of the model.Skelion sends the following data:∙ Azimuth and tilt . Azimuth is transformed automatically to PVGYS convention. (180º northhemisphere convention for the entire world). ∙ Technology ∙ Group power. ∙ Location.You must follow an order closing windows and you can close white window. Location is added automatically but you must click search button.1. Click calculate2.Close main window.3.Repeat the process for each group.You can select and copy the result in Excel.5.11 PVWATS reportWith button "PVWATTS" you can find out the energy of Sketchup model in USA. Skelion links with NREL web, sending all necessary data. PVWATTS is valid for one azimuth and tilt, so Skelion repeat process a number of times equal to groups with same tilt and azimuth in the Sketchup model.Skelion sends the following data:∙Azimuth and tilt . Azimuth is transformed automatically to convention used by PVWATTS.360 convention.∙Group power.∙Location.You can copy and paste the report in excel.5.12Project face to meshWith button "project face to mesh", you can obtain the face more similar to the mesh below it. Select the face and press the button "project face to mesh". You can use it to make fast layouts of ground mount systems.Face ready to project. Result of face projected.5.13 Surface report"Surface report" gives information about position of solar components inserted.Component must have "Construc tion Points" inside. You c an insert "Construc tion Points" using the plugin "Projections" from Didier Bur. Download in:http://rhin.crai.archi.fr/rld/plugin_details.php?id=671You next to follow next steps to use "Surface report":∙Hide all elements over and below surface.∙Select one edge of component and press .The report generated inform about:∙Coordinates UTM of all "construction point" of each component.∙Coordinates UTM of projections of "constructions points" over surface, following direction of selected edge.∙Distance of each points to surface.∙Azimuth and tilt from selected edge in all components.5.14Change UTM model originSketchup origin point (0,0,0) in the real world is the same point that we use to geolocate the model:Window - model – geolocation .Knowing this correlation we can find out the coordinates of any point of the model in the real world.“Surface report” use this correlation to calculate the position of some points of the model in real world. If we are working over “Google Earth Terrain Layer” we must do nothing. But if we are working with amesh imported from AutoCad or a mesh from a topographer we must set the origin of Sketc hup in the right place.To achieve a good correlation between real world and model we must follow the next steps:1- Know the coordinates of one point of the model. (Latitud, longitude or UTM coordinates).2- Move all the model, setting this point in Sketchup origin (0,0,0)3- Geolocate the model with the real position of this point. In window-model-geolocation we must set latitude and longitude.If we know UTM coordinates instead of latitude and longitude we can use “Change UTM origin” to geolocate the model.Origin and reference point in different places. Equal origin and reference point5.15 DropThis tool let you to drop an instanc e vertic ally until find a fac e. It works selec ting a group of components inside, or selecting some components.You must hide all elements between the components you want to drop and the mesh. The components will drop until their origin touch the face.5.16 PVSYST EXPORTERUsing this feature you can save in your hard disk a file with Helios 3d format. In PVSYST you can go to Near Shadings – Consrtruction Perspective – File Import Helios 3d, and select the Helios3d file you saved with Skelion. (In current version of PVSYST shadows of objects imported in this way are not calculated)5.17 Sun Path ChartThis button let us plot sun path chart in cartesian or polar coordenades any day of the year. You can see very similar plots in:/AboutSunCharts.html5.18 HelpDialog to access this document.5.19 AboutClick to insert serial of pro version.6 Differences between pro and free versionFree versionSurface azimuth and tiltInsert in one faceInsert in multiple facesSun Path ChartAzimuth c onventionVersion ProSurface azimuth and tiltInsert in one face Insert in multiple facesInsert in non planar surfaces Fix north Sunny areaMinimal Shading criterion Toggle Arraymode Report Face report dialog JRC PVGYS EUROPEJRC PVGYS AFRICAPVWATS reportProject face to meshSurfa c e reportChange UTM model originDropPVSYST exporter Sun Path ChartAzimuth c onvention7Links: Learning Sketchup:/enSketchup video tutorials/learn/videos?playlist=58 Geo-modeling/en/article/167458 Google earth position:/p/googleearth-autohotkey/ Projections:http://rhin.crai.archi.fr/rld/plugin_details.php?id=671 3d warehouse:/products/3D-warehouse。