Importing and Exporting Date/Time Samples
Importing and Exporting user-defined studies
Using the Import function, you can import a set of date/time samples to make setting up the daylight study easier. This may be a set that came with AGi32, such as those required by IES document LM-83-12 for annual daylight analysis, or samples that you have previously created and saved. Using the Export capability, you can create and save your own Date/Time Sample (DTS) files containing exactly the dates and times of interest. (Only date and time samples are saved; no sky conditions or location information is saved.) You may elect to save a generic DTS file that considers the Equinox and Solstice dates, or perhaps a project-specific study with dates and times relative to the task at hand. Either way,with a little time spent creating the DTS files initially, they will be available for later retrieval when required, via the Import command.
Importing a set of date/time samples - Select the Import button at the bottom of the Daylight Study dialog. In the Import Date/Time Sample File(s) dialog, select the file and click Open. The date/time samples will be listed in chronological order. When importing multiple Date/Time Sample Files, the samples are appended to the current list (i.e. existing samples are not overwritten).
Exporting a set of Date/Time Samples - Select the Export button at the bottom of the Daylight Study dialog. When the Export to File dialog opens, assign a file name for this set of date/time samples. By default, DTS files are named <StudyName>(##Sample).dts, where ## is the number of Date/Time Samples. Example: Noon Every Week (52 Samples).dts. Click on the Save button to save the date/time samples for later use.
By default, DTS files are located in the [ProgramData]\Lighting Analysts\Shared\DateTimeSamples folder. However, they can be located anywhere.
Saved DTS files can also be shared with other users.
NOTES:
- All date/time samples are rounded back to the previous hour, per IES document LM-83-12. For example, if the time entered is 09:15, the time used for the calculation will be 09:00. If the time is 15:49, the time used for the calculation will be 15:00.
- If the LM-83-12 date/time sample set is imported, the time samples are taken on the half-hour between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM, resulting in 10 time samples per date.