SFPE Example 2

[Annie]

Hi,

I am trying to do example 2 in the PathFinder Example Guide. I have imported the fds file into Pathfinder, but cannot extract the floors according to the instructions mentioned. Any advice on how to extract the floors from the FDS geometry?

Thank you,

Annie

[Charlie Thornton]

Hmmm, that example problem got a bit out of date on us.  The FDS geometry was contrived to work with the old floor finding tool.  In the last release of Pathfinder, we changed the tool so that you click on the floor instead of typing in the numbers (its icon is the "Ext" at the left of the 3D view in the current version, our development release now has a proper icon).  Unfortunately, that means that our FDS starter file isn't much good any more.

I put together an FDS file that you can import and use the floor extractor on:

(attached as: sfpe_2_modified.txt)

1. Import the new file
2. Use the extractor tool (Ext) and import the floor areas by clicking on the target floors (you can make the tool sticky by double-clicking the Ext icon)
3. Proceed we the remaining portion of the example

You may want to hide the imported geometry to minimize flicker after you've imported the floors.

Thanks for letting us know about this, we'll get the example updated before the final release.  It also led to the discovery of a bug in the extractor tool.  On my first attempt to create the alternate geometry I just added some floors to the FDS model, but the extractor was pulling out the wrong geometry.  We've got a guy on that now - good testing!

- Charlie

PS: You might want to rename the file to have an FDS extension rather than TXT - the forum wouldn't let me upload FDS files.  I think I'll look in to that right now...

[Annie]

Thanks Charlie!

Annie
RJA

[Annie]

Hi Charlie,

I have a simple one floor with a stair going down to a landing with an exit door. When I start the simulation in SFPE Behavior Mode, the simulation automatically pauses after a few seconds and freezes. However, when I try the same model in Steering Behavior Mode, the simulation runs fine. Is there something I have to do to run it in SFPE Behavior Mode?

Thank you for your help.

Annie
RJA

[Charlie Thornton]

Freezing is bad.  Any model that runs in one mode should be able to run in any other mode.  Could you either attach the PTH file or send it to thornton@thunderheadeng.com?

- Charlie

[Annie]

Hi Charlie,

It seems that somehow the pathfinder file gets corrupted and will not run properly. I opened a new file and created a new simulation. As it turns out, that file works fine in all the different modes.


Annie
RJA

[Charlie Thornton]

(solved via email)

It turns out the problem was our debugging visualization.  It automatically pauses the simulation at the beginning.  Since the window for the debugging view doesn't pop to the front when it's opened, you don't necessarily see why the simulation has been paused.  We'll probably remove the debugging visualization for the commercial release, or at the very least pop it to the front.  That should help fix this problem in the future.

We've also fixed that floor extractor tool bug I mentioned.  Lots of good changes for the next version.

- Charlie