Database Concept

Overview

VICUS Buildings manages all reusable planning data of the building simulation - materials, constructions, glazings, windows, shading, schedules and usage submodels - in databases with three levels: the built-in (read-only) program database, the persistent user database, and project-local elements stored in the project file. All database dialogs follow the same operating scheme: a table with a filter on the left, an editing area on the right, and a toolbar for creating, copying and moving elements between the levels.

Access

• Menu Databases - all database dialogs for direct editing
• from assignment dialogs and property pages (e.g. when selecting a schedule or material): the same dialog opens in selection mode with the buttons Select and Cancel; a double-click on a row applies the element directly

Three levels

Above the table, a color legend shows which level an element belongs to:

Level	Legend in the dialog	Storage location	Editable
Built-in database	Included elements	installation directory	no (read-only)
User database	User DB elements	XML files (db_*.xml) in the user directory, independent of the project	yes
Project elements	Elements of the project	embedded in the project file (.vicus)	yes

Built-in elements are highlighted in color; their input fields in the editing area are locked. To use a built-in element as a template, create an editable copy with the copy function. Elements shown in bold are referenced in the currently open project.

The user database is written to the user directory when the program is closed. In the program settings, a dedicated directory can be defined for this purpose (e.g. a network drive for the team), see Settings.

Operating the database dialogs

All dialogs have the same toolbar below the table:

Button	Function
Add	Creates a new element with default values. With a project open, a project element is created first; without an open project, a user DB element is created directly.
Copy	Duplicates the selected element - built-in elements can also be used as a template this way.
Remove	Deletes the selected user or project element (disabled for built-in elements).
Store in user DB	Moves a project element into the user database (“Stores the local project DB element in the user database.”). Only visible with a project open.
Remove from user DB	Moves the element out of the user database back into the local project. Only visible with a project open.
Reload user database	Reloads the user database from the directory. Confirmation prompt: “Reloading the user database from a file will undo all changes made in this dialog since the program was started. Continue?”
Remove unused local elements	Deletes all project-local elements that are not referenced anywhere in the project (only active with a project open).

Including dependent elements

If, when transferring to the user database, an element references further project-local elements (e.g. a construction referencing its materials), the dialog Add elements to user database appears: it lists “The following local elements are referenced by the database element:” and asks “Do you also want to add these elements to the user database?”. With OK, all dependent elements are transferred to the user database as well.

Filter

On the right of the toolbar you filter the table: select a column in the selection field (default: Name) and enter the search text into the Filter field. The filter works with wildcards and is not case-sensitive.

Multilingual names

Element names are multilingual strings: the name field shows the name in the current program language; the … button next to it opens a dialog with three input lines - English, the current language, and a third, selectable language (default: French). If a translation is missing, the English name is used as a fallback.

Exchanging elements between projects

There is no dedicated export/import format for individual elements: when saving, VICUS Buildings embeds all database elements referenced in the project into the .vicus project file. If the project is opened on another computer, these elements appear there as Elements of the project and can be permanently adopted via Store in user DB.

Removing duplicates

Menu Databases > Remove duplicates… searches all databases for duplicate entries. The dialog lists found pairs per database type in three columns (Database element, Duplicate #1, Duplicate #2); fully identical pairs are highlighted in color, built-in elements shown in bold. In the Differences area, a side-by-side comparison shows the differing properties of both elements.

Before opening, VICUS Buildings points out: if duplicates that are used in the currently open project are removed, this change cannot be undone - the undo history is cleared.

Building databases at a glance

Menu entry under Databases	Content	Manual page
Materials…	building material properties	Materials & Constructions
Constructions…	layered assemblies with U-value	Materials & Constructions
Window glazings…	glazing systems (U-value, SHGC)	Windows, Glazing & Shading
Windows…	windows from glazing + frame	Windows, Glazing & Shading
Shading…	shading elements (τ, ρ, g_tot)	Windows, Glazing & Shading
Boundary conditions…	heat transfer and radiation boundary conditions	Boundary Conditions
Schedules…	daily, weekly and annual schedules	Schedules
Internal loads, Ventilation/Infiltration, Zone-specific controls, Ideal room heating/cooling…	submodels for usage profiles	Usage Submodels
Usage profile…	usage profiles (bundle the submodels)	Structure of Usage Profiles
Surface heatings…, Supply systems…, Heating curves…	surface heating/cooling systems and their supply	Usage Submodels

The remaining entries of the menu (pipes, pipe fittings, media/fluids, networks, heat exchange of pipes) concern heat-network planning and are documented in the VICUS Districts manual.

Related topics

• Materials & Constructions
• Schedules
• Usage Submodels