Correct Error Message Level when Node Types are Undefined #11104

RKStrand · 2025-06-20T17:52:35Z

Pull request overview

Fixes issue with example file: ASHRAE901_OfficeSmall_STD2019_Denver.idf #11061

Description of the purpose of this PR

In an example file in our test suite, there exists a water heater that does not have any nodes defined in its own object but it is part of a branch where nodes for this object are defined. This conflict is noted with a warning message, but the simulation is allowed to continue with unknown consequences. With this correction, the error message has been bumped up to a severe/fatal so that the user has to fix the problem/inconsistency in the input file. In addition, the input file (ASHRAE901_OfficeSmall_STD2019_Denver.idf) has been corrected so that the branch and the water heater object both have the inlet and outlet node names. A unit test that verifies the error occurrence and messages is also included.

In general, any connection error where the parent (in this case the Branch) has registered node connections that are not matched by a child object (in this case the water heater) leaving the node types unefined will now result in a severe/fatal error.

Previous error:

** Warning ** Potential Node Connection Error for object WATERHEATER:MIXED, name=SHWSYS1 WATER HEATER
** ~~~ ** Node Types are still UNDEFINED -- See Branch/Node Details file for further information
** ~~~ ** Inlet Node : SHWSYS1 PUMP-SHWSYS1 WATER HEATERNODE
** ~~~ ** Outlet Node: SHWSYS1 SUPPLY EQUIPMENT OUTLET NODE

Revised error:

   ** Severe  ** Potential Node Connection Error for object WATERHEATER:MIXED, name=SHWSYS1 WATER HEATER
   **   ~~~   **   Node Types are still UNDEFINED -- See Branch/Node Details file for further information
   **   ~~~   **   Inlet Node : SHWSYS1 PUMP-SHWSYS1 WATER HEATERNODE
   **   ~~~   **   Outlet Node: SHWSYS1 SUPPLY EQUIPMENT OUTLET NODE
   ************* There was 1 node connection error noted.
   **  Fatal  ** Please correct either the branch nodes or the component nodes so that they match.

Pull Request Author

Reviewer

Just a little experiment with our test suite to see if there are any other failures of this kind...

This commit corrects the temporary text of the fatal error. It also corrects the input file that now causes a severe/fatal error. This input file will have different results than develop because the node issue has been fixed in this input file.

This unit test causes the error message that was changed and tests to make sure that it is being correctly reported at the correct level.

github-actions · 2025-06-20T18:55:29Z

⚠️ Regressions detected on macos-14 for commit `5552b65`

Regression Summary

Audit: 1
BND: 1
EIO: 1
ERR: 1
MTD: 1
MTR Big Diffs: 1
Table Big Diffs: 1
Table String Diffs: 1

RKStrand · 2025-06-20T20:56:45Z

I should have added that the changes will result in differences in the input files. The unrevised IDF will fatal out now rather than just have a warning message. Also when comparing the old input file run with develop to the new input file run in the revised code, there will be differences in the output. All other files should show no differences in the output.

mjwitte · 2025-07-03T20:03:15Z

src/EnergyPlus/SimulationManager.cc

                ShowContinueError(state, "  Node Types are still UNDEFINED -- See Branch/Node Details file for further information");
                ShowContinueError(state, format("  Inlet Node : {}", state.dataBranchNodeConnections->CompSets(Count).InletNodeName));
                ShowContinueError(state, format("  Outlet Node: {}", state.dataBranchNodeConnections->CompSets(Count).OutletNodeName));
+                ShowFatalError(state, "Please correct either the branch nodes or the component nodes so that they match.");


@RKStrand When I test the original file (with missing nodes) the new code crashes. I'm not sure why/how, but following this in the debugger, ShowFatalError is being called multiple times. Adding a local error flag and moving the ShowFata to the end of ReportLoopConnections seems to fix this.

Note that this change will require some changes to your unit test.

Weird. Not sure what happened there. I'll implement the recommended change and update the unit test. Look for the mods after the holiday weekend (hopefully). Thanks!

@mjwitte Latest commit fixes this problem. Avoids a hard crash as per your suggestion. Unit test also updated.

Corrected a problem where the original IDF that revealed the problem was crashing after the fix was made. This commit corrects the problem and updates the unit test to reflect this change.

github-actions · 2025-07-07T19:02:10Z

⚠️ Regressions detected on macos-14 for commit `a3f7f91`

Regression Summary

Audit: 1
BND: 1
EIO: 1
ERR: 1
MTD: 1
MTR Big Diffs: 1
Table Big Diffs: 1
Table String Diffs: 1

…ngNodesinWaterHeaterMixedErrorMessageLevel

mjwitte

Original defect file now produces this error:

   ** Severe  ** Potential Node Connection Error for object WATERHEATER:MIXED, name=SHWSYS1 WATER HEATER
   **   ~~~   **   Node Types are still UNDEFINED -- See Branch/Node Details file for further information
   **   ~~~   **   Inlet Node : SHWSYS1 PUMP-SHWSYS1 WATER HEATERNODE
   **   ~~~   **   Outlet Node: SHWSYS1 SUPPLY EQUIPMENT OUTLET NODE
   ************* There was 1 node connection error noted.
   **  Fatal  ** Please see severe error(s) and correct either the branch nodes or the component nodes so that they match.

I'll merge in develop and let CI run one more time, then merge.

github-actions · 2025-07-15T18:46:06Z

⚠️ Regressions detected on macos-14 for commit `8bcb374`

Regression Summary

Audit: 1
BND: 1
EIO: 1
ERR: 1
MTD: 1
MTR Big Diffs: 1
Table Big Diffs: 1
Table String Diffs: 1

mjwitte · 2025-07-16T14:48:26Z

CI is all green. Setting this to merge queue since @Myoldmopar is busy merging at the moment.

Myoldmopar

Looks good, will check locally now.

Myoldmopar · 2025-07-16T14:41:33Z

src/EnergyPlus/SimulationManager.cc

+
+        if (nodeConnectionErrorFlag) {
+            ShowFatalError(state, "Please see severe error(s) and correct either the branch nodes or the component nodes so that they match.");
+        }


This is a fine fix, bumping it to a severe makes sense. And adding the separate flag to provide extra error context is a good change.

Myoldmopar · 2025-07-16T14:52:04Z

testfiles/ASHRAE901_OfficeSmall_STD2019_Denver.idf

+    BLDG_SWH_SCH,            !- Use Flow Rate Fraction Schedule Name
+    ,                        !- Cold Water Supply Temperature Schedule Name
+    SHWSys1 Pump-SHWSys1 Water HeaterNode, !- Use Side Inlet Node Name
+    SHWSys1 Supply Equipment Outlet Node;  !- Use Side Outlet Node Name


And yeah, good stuff getting the test file fixed up.

Myoldmopar · 2025-07-16T14:54:27Z

tst/EnergyPlus/unit/SimulationManager.unit.cc

+        "   ..... Last severe error=Potential Node Connection Error for object WATERHEATER:MIXED, name=WaterHeaterMixed1",
+    });
+
+    EXPECT_TRUE(compare_err_stream(error_string, true));


As a quick aside, there is a separate unit test function that you can call that is a bit easier. In this case, we don't care what the exact error output looks like. We just really want to make sure it is reporting the node connection error. Instead of compare_err_stream(), try compare_err_stream_substring(). In that function you could call:

EXPECT_TRUE(compare_err_stream_substring("Potential Node Connection Error", true));

and that should be sufficient.

@Myoldmopar That is very interesting and not something that I realized was an option. I will definitely try to remember that the next time I need to do something like this in a unit test. Thanks!

Myoldmopar · 2025-07-16T15:00:00Z

Passing happily here, merging. Thanks @RKStrand

RKStrand added 3 commits June 12, 2025 15:59

Testing Out What Happens in the Test Suite

a102526

Just a little experiment with our test suite to see if there are any other failures of this kind...

Correction of message and IDF

aad8987

This commit corrects the temporary text of the fatal error. It also corrects the input file that now causes a severe/fatal error. This input file will have different results than develop because the node issue has been fixed in this input file.

Unit Test for Error Message

0999f49

This unit test causes the error message that was changed and tests to make sure that it is being correctly reported at the correct level.

RKStrand added this to the EnergyPlus 25.2 IO Freeze milestone Jun 20, 2025

RKStrand requested review from Myoldmopar and mjwitte June 20, 2025 17:52

RKStrand self-assigned this Jun 20, 2025

RKStrand added the Defect Includes code to repair a defect in EnergyPlus label Jun 20, 2025

mjwitte changed the title ~~Correct Error Message Level for WaterHeater:Mixed When Nodes are Missing~~ Correct Error Message Level when Node Types are Undefined Jul 3, 2025

mjwitte reviewed Jul 3, 2025

View reviewed changes

Correction based on Reviewer Comment

ee7138b

Corrected a problem where the original IDF that revealed the problem was crashing after the fix was made. This commit corrects the problem and updates the unit test to reflect this change.

Merge remote-tracking branch 'remotes/origin/develop' into 11061Missi…

51d6f61

…ngNodesinWaterHeaterMixedErrorMessageLevel

mjwitte approved these changes Jul 15, 2025

View reviewed changes

mjwitte assigned Myoldmopar and unassigned RKStrand Jul 16, 2025

Myoldmopar approved these changes Jul 16, 2025

View reviewed changes

Myoldmopar merged commit 75c69bb into develop Jul 16, 2025
9 checks passed

Myoldmopar deleted the 11061MissingNodesinWaterHeaterMixedErrorMessageLevel branch July 16, 2025 15:00

Correct Error Message Level when Node Types are Undefined #11104

Correct Error Message Level when Node Types are Undefined #11104

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Pull request overview

Description of the purpose of this PR

Pull Request Author

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github-actions bot commented Jun 20, 2025

⚠️ Regressions detected on macos-14 for commit 5552b65

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RKStrand commented Jun 20, 2025

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github-actions bot commented Jul 7, 2025

⚠️ Regressions detected on macos-14 for commit a3f7f91

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github-actions bot commented Jul 15, 2025

⚠️ Regressions detected on macos-14 for commit 8bcb374

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Myoldmopar commented Jul 16, 2025

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RKStrand commented Jun 20, 2025 •

edited by mjwitte

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⚠️ Regressions detected on macos-14 for commit `5552b65`

⚠️ Regressions detected on macos-14 for commit `a3f7f91`

⚠️ Regressions detected on macos-14 for commit `8bcb374`