The format file defines all characteristics governing the custom source file reading (Meteo or Measured data files).
The format of the source-file may be very varied; however it has to fulfil the following minimal criteria:
| - | Include the values of one time step (hourly or sub-hourly) per text line. Each line ends with the characters CR,LF, or only LF.
Sub-hourly records are gathered in order to give PVsyst hourly internal records. |
| - | Comment lines at the beginning of the file, or of each day or month, can be skipped. |
| - | Data are organized in columns, with a chosen separator (semi-colon, comma, TAB, blank, etc. ) or fixed widths. PVsyst accepts a great variety of date formats, and adjusts the source data physical units. |
| - | The available parameters should include the minimal data which allow the calculation of the horizontal global and the ambient temperature.
Since simulation also requires the horizontal diffuse irradiation, this is calculated, for example, horizontal global and beam data. If not available, the diffuse irradiation is reconstituted using the Erbs correlation. |
| - | With measured data, if only the irradiation in the collector plane is available, the program calculates the corresponding horizontal global and diffuse (inverse of the transposition).
Nevertheless, due to edge effects, these data will only be valid within the original collector plane. |
| - | Usually the values are consecutive; but if values are missing on the source file (for example night values), the date should be explicitly mentioned on each line of data.
Given that the internal file must hold complete days, the data for any missing hour will be completed with zero irradiation values, and with stable temperatures after the last available reading. |
| - | Gaps of more than one day may be acceptable with the option of writing the date for each reading on the internal file. |
| - | It is also possible to automatically chain data monthly or daily files, provided that their name include exploitable identification code (date). |
