BUG (maybe) - Error loading and verifying case

[blthayer]

Overview

When attempting to run pvrpm, I get the following error:

$ pvrpm run --case ./ ./richland.yaml
2022-02-05 11:22:12,974--ERROR: Error loading and verifying case: Couldn't find module for file richland.json!

System/Environment

• OS: Ubuntu 20.04.3
• Python: 3.10.2
• SAM: 2021.12.02
• pvrpm installed from master at c6cd62a

Reproducing

Unzip richland.zip into a directory. It contains:

• richland.sam
• richland.json (exported data from SAM via "Generate Code" -> "JSON for inputs")
• richland.yaml (pvrpm configuration file)

From within the directory with the files above, execute pvrpm run --case ./ ./richland.yaml

Misc Notes

The PVRPM docs seem to indicate that SAM should generate multiple JSON files, but this is not the case for me.

Also, when I use SAM to export to json, SAM crashes, but does successfully generate a single json file as well as the .h and .so files. Here's the output from SAM in my terminal:

...

(sam.bin:11945): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 11:17:53.945: IA__gtk_widget_set_size_request: assertion 'height >= -1' failed

(sam.bin:11945): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 11:17:53.951: IA__gtk_widget_set_size_request: assertion 'height >= -1' failed

(sam.bin:11945): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 11:17:53.956: IA__gtk_widget_set_size_request: assertion 'height >= -1' failed

(sam.bin:11945): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 11:17:53.957: IA__gtk_widget_set_size_request: assertion 'height >= -1' failed
free(): double free detected in tcache 2
Aborted (core dumped)

[brandons209]

It looks like you are using a PVWatts model. PyPVRPM only supports Detailed PV Models. If you switch your model to that it should resolve this issue.

[blthayer]

Oops, I missed that note in the documentation on my first read through! Thanks for setting me straight.

[blthayer]

I'm still getting the same error after updating to use Detailed PV Models and a financial model that supports lifetime costs (as far as I could tell). I've attached a .zip archive with the exported json file and yaml configuration file
richland_detailed.zip.

At any rate, I would consider updating the error message to give the user actionable information.

Looking at the code where I believe the error message originates from, it seems that the module name is being inferred from the name of the json file. However, as I mentioned in #39, SAM is only exporting a single json file for me (and I'm not sure if this is expected behavior or a problem with SAM. As mentioned above SAM does crash after creating the single json file plus the .h and .so files)

[brandons209]

I will take a look, this is most likely an error in SAM, there should be more then 1 file.

[brandons209]

I need you to send me your SAM case file to check it, also make sure you are not renaming the JSON files as well.

[brandons209]

Okay, I figured it out. I misread your initial bug report, you are selecting the wrong option when you click the "Generate Code" menu item. You need to do "Generate Code" -> "PySAM JSON" not "JSON for Inputs". I think the latter option puts all of the information for the modules into a single JSON, rather then properly separate them as PySAM requires.

[brandons209]

As an addition to this, I realize the Getting Started page did say select JSON for Inputs, I think this changed with the latest version of SAM. Sorry for the confusion as I didn't realize this, I will fix the docs now.

[blthayer]

I'm now able to get my case past this error thanks to the updated documentation.