What is the best way to duplicate externals?
I have tried exporting the network to excel and duplicating an external but get an error when I try to upload the new network with the additional external. If the answer is to do that export/import process, would you provide step by step instructions to avoid re-import errors?
Relatedly, what is the best way to move externals from one node to another? So far, I have been doing that in the Table view and reassigning the nodes using NodeName.
Thanks!
Thanks for the excellent question! As a user of SAInt executing a variety of distribution system modeling studies, I often find myself copying and moving externals in the map on systems of many shapes and sizes. While there is no direct copy external functionality (yet), there are a few simple steps that can be taken that leverage other helpful functions to achieve this objective. I’ll describe the process I would follow in the GUI to create say, 50 new demands at 50 different nodes with the same properties as an EDEM.WALLACE that already exists. Note that creating externals can only be done if there is no scenario open.
Multi-Select - In the Map, select each node where you’d like to place a new demand. This can be done individually by holding [shift] as you [left-click] each node. Alternatively, by [checking] only the ‘Electric Node’ box in the Map Selection Filter (found on the top right border of the map), you can then hold [shift], [left click] in the map, and drag out a pink bordered box that will then automatically select every node within the box.
Add New External - With all nodes of interest selected (the top of the property editor will tell you how many are selected), [right click] and choose ‘Add New External - Electric Demand’. A new electric demand will be created at every node. In the model explorer, these will all be at the end of the Externals - Demands list. This is a good moment to place them all in a Group (EGRP), depending on your plan for these objects.
Multi-Edit - In the model explorer, select all of these new demands; the [shift] button is your friend here too. Just [left click] the top one, scroll down, hold [shift], and [left click] the bottom one. With all new demands selected, [right click] and choose ‘Multi-Edit’. A property editor will appear that will apply any change to all new demands. At this point, I would keep this multi-edit property window on the left of my screen, while selecting the demand EDEM.WALLACE so that the docked property window on the right shows the EDEM.WALLACE properties. Then, just populate the properties in the multi-edit window directly!
For moving externals that already exist from one node to another, you’re on the right track with the Table view and NodeName. In larger networks with a larger dropdown menu, I’ll sometimes use the NodeName property in the property editor, because this supports filtering of the the dropdown menu if part of the node name is typed in.
Thanks again for the great questions, keep 'em coming!