Window Information System (WIS) version 3.0.1
TNO
October 2006
WIS - Release notes October 2006
Service Pack SP2 for WIS version 3.0.1.
Version: WIS 3.0.1 SP 2
Date: October, 2006
Installation instructions for SP2 for WIS 3.0.1
NOTES:
- This Service Pack includes all bug fixes from SP1 and can be used to update WIS 3.0.1 and WIS 3.0.1 SP1.
- This service pack cannot be used to update older versions of WIS, such as WIS 1.x and WIS 2.0.x. You should re-install WIS completely if you still have an older version.
- This Service Pack will NOT affect your data (wisdata.mdb will not be replaced)
- In order to make use of the latest data you should also update your wisdata.mdb database (if necessary). Please refer to the database update section.
Bug fixes in SP2
Service Pack 2 is a cumulative Service Pack and includes all bug fixes that were included in Service Pack 1.
- When new scattering layers were created without spectral data,
calculations could not be performed. This has been fixed.
- When updating the WIS database with new data, the Ra-value was not imported. This has been fixed.
- When updating the WIS database with new data which was reviewed
by WinDat, the groupname "Windatx.y" was reset by the user. This has
been fixed. WinDat-reviewed data now has groupname "Windatx.y".
- The option to import spacers from the update database with the database
management program has been added.
- The help file of the database management program has been greatly improved.
- Some minor esthetic changes were made to the database management program
to simplify the process of importing new data.
Known bugs
The following bugs are known bugs:
- Some pane data cannot be deleted (error message about related data in the
frame database)
- Removing the last pane in the database will automatically create a new
empty pane.
- When adding new panes or scattering layers, the groupname can be set to
Windat. This is an unwanted error.
WIS - Release notes 2004
Contents:
- New features
- New data
- Bug fixes
- Known bugs
New features
- Ray-tracing calculations are possible for both slatted type blinds (such as Venetian blinds and louvers) and for pleated blinds.
- Instead of one shading category (venetian blinds), WIS now included 4 different types of scattering layers:
- Slatted type blinds (venetian and louvers).
- Pleated blinds.
- Roller blinds and screens.
- Generic diffusing devices (such as diffusing panes and other scattering devices not belonging to one of the other categories).
In the WinDat project new formats have been defined for spectral pane data and spectral data for scattering devices. Spectral data should now be imported using a separate program that is included in the WIS set-up: The WIS database manager. This program has some other features (like importing data from older WIS databases and other databases) which are described in a separate document.
The properties of scattering devices are represented in a newly organized way. They are split in general information properties, geometric properties, optical properties and thermal and other properties.
A spacer database is included in WIS. This database can be used in conjunction with the two-box method.
The linear thermal transmittance for the combination of frame, spacer and glazing unit can now be determined in three different ways:
- By using the "characteristic" PSI value of a frame (valid for only one specific combination of frame, spacer and glazing unit. This PSI value must be determined according to ISO 10077-2.
- By using the standard table from ISO 10077-1 (valid for generic types of frames, glazings and spacers).
- By using regression data for the frame determined with the two-box method (see WINDAT website for more information about this method). This method allows calculation of the edge effects for every combination of glazing unit, frame and spacer.
The PSI value is allowed to be zero. This option can be used for curtain walling systems when the U-value of the joints is determined (including all edge effects). Two of such framejoints (example 1 and example 2) are included in the database and an example of the calculation of the total U-value of the curtain walling system is included on the WINDAT website.
External programs & Calculation settings are accessible through main window.
The menu has been extended to include new features.
All data of window components (panes, shadings and scattering layers) carry an extra parameter called groups. This is used to group data together that belongs together (e.g. measured data fro a specific project). The group filed can be used to look up data or filter data (see filter options).
All forms are extended to show extra information (groups, supplier, etc).
An extra option has ben added to print forms or data records.
Two extra windows are added caled Groups and Suppliers. Through these windows you can access all component data for a specific group or supplier.
Closing WIS must be confirmed.
Deleting data must be confirmed before it is actually deleted.
Changing data must be confirmed before it is actually changed.
Every form includes options to sort and filter data according to specific criteria, see the WIS help file for details.
About 170 new panes with spectral data are added to the database.
About 50 new frames and frame components are added to the database.
An extra database with a number of spacers has been added.
The linear thermal transmittance (PSI value) for windows can now be determined with 3 different methods.
The calculation settings menu now integrates all options related to the way calculations are done (CEN only mode vs. expert mode, which air mass to use, for shadings: use the view factor (radiosity) method or ray-tracing method).
A window called External Programs has been added. It contains al links to external programs that can be launched from WIS. A few extra links were added. The current links are:
- Kobra;
- Therm;
- Datafit;
- Autocad program;
- DBM (Wis Database Manager) for importing spectral data.
The WIS help file has been updated to reflect the recent changes.
Some obsolete menu items (giving useless remarks like "future option?") were removed.
Coating class information has been added to the pane data.
Spectral pane data that has passed the WinDat peer review is marked with an "E" in the acceptance field.
New data
- A lot of new spectral data has been added for specular glazings and scattering devices. A large number of frames has been added. Furthermore some data has been added for some selected spacers. This data can be used together with the two-box method to determine the U-value for any combination of glazing unit, frame and spacer (when the regression data for the frame is given).
Bug fixes
- In the special case of spectral ray-tracing calculations for (systems with) shadings the angle dependant properties of the (system with) shading were reported incorrectly. Calculated data for negative angles was reported at positive angles and calculated data for positive angles was reported at negative angles. This has been fixed.
- In the case of ray-tracing calculations for (systems with) shadings that have a slat angle of 90 degrees (completely closed blinds), WIS reported all zeros for the optical properties of the shading system. This has been fixed.
- Spectral data that was not in nanometers could sometimes not be imported. This has been fixed (data import now through separate program).
- Spectral data that had no leading zeros (.837 instead of 0.837) could not be imported. This has been fixed (data import now through separate program).
-
· The detailed environment button showed a form that could not be changed. This option has been removed.
- When a path to an external program was empty or incorrect an error was raised. This has been changed to a warning that the path is not correct.
- When a path to Therm was correct it was still not launched. This has been corrected.
- When a transparent system included non-spectral panes and spectral shadings, the shading properties were incorrectly calculated and thus the transparent system properties were calculated incorrectly. This has been fixed.
Known bugs
- Some pane data cannot be deleted (error message about related data in the frame database).
- Removing the last pane in the database will automatically create a new empty pane.
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