Starting with version 1.40 GenetiCode can optimize master parameters of the underlying CODE configuration. Similar to the handling of thickness values, you have to specify a range of possible values [minimum … maximum] for each selected master parameter. During the evolution GenetiCode will then try to find the best solution.
Master parameters can be used to compute model parameters by the evaluation of user-defined expressions. You can use this mechanism to express restrictions of the design like one layer must have twice the thickness of another layer, or you can introduce temperature as a master parameter that governs optical constants and thickness values of a multilayer coating.
GenetiCode package 1.40 comes with an updated PDF that explains how the optimization of master parameters has to be defined.
SCOUT and CODE are more and more used for routine work, often being operated by users not familiar with these software packages. You can protect the configuration against unwanted modifications by setting a global password (main menu: File/Options/Password). This option is available for a long time already.
In complex methods using several views you can now define individual passwords for each view. This way you can avoid every user being able to access every view. A typical scenario would be a measurement system that shows a few control elements in a view for routine measurements, and more details and controls for expert users in an advanced view. If the ‘expert view’ is password protected it can be seen and used by selected users only.
Color computations were limited to illuminants A, D65 and C up to now. Additional illuminants could be imported and used for computations – however, this option was somewhat hidden and very likely overseen by many users.
With have now, starting with object generation 4.86, implemented 15 additional illuminants (D50, D55, D75, F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, F11, F12).
Doing a parameter fluctuation you were limited to a maximum of 250 realizations. Starting with object generation 4.86 this limit has been increased to 65000.
Since computations with many iterations take quite a long time the status bar at the bottom of the main window (if not visible, show it by hitting the key ‘s’ on your keyboard) shows the progress of the work.
Results of the parameter fluctuation are stored in the workbook. We recommend to store the workbook to a file and open this file with Excel in order to further process the data. The workbook component integrated in SCOUT or CODE is not very convenient to handle large amounts of data.
We have included a new fit option which helps to increase the speed of analysis in time critical applications: In methods which use pre-fit sets in the list of fit parameters you can now include the current fit parameter values in the pre-fit search. This eventually avoids many fit iterations if differences between consecutive measurements are small.
The new feature can be turned on or off in the dialog of fit options.
We have upgraded several CODE functions related to the technical performance of glazing products.
You can now compute solar pane absorption and pane temperatures for up to 6 glass panes.
The list of integral quantities in CODE features new menu items (in File/options):
set global climate parameters used for U-value, g-value and temperature computations
set the window tilt angle for all U-value, g-value and temperature computations
You can display climate values using labels in a view with the following names:
‘selected_climate’ (shows the name of the climate)
‘selected_climate_parameters’ (shows values of outside temperature, external heat exchange coefficient he, inside temperature, internal heat exchange coefficient, solar power
‘selected_climate_ISO52022’ (shows the name of the climate settings for ISO 52022-3 computations)
‘selected_climate_parameters_ISO52022’ (shows values of outside temperature, external heat exchange coefficient he, inside temperature, internal heat exchange coefficient, solar power, used for ISO 52022-3 computations)
You can display the value of the window tilt angle using a label called ‘window tilt angle’.
Finally, you can call the following new script commands to open user dialogs in the main view:
Starting with object generation 4.80, both SCOUT and CODE are able to load measured spectra from a Zeiss ThinProcess SQL database. The mechanism is described here.
The small slider windows that can float around on the desktop have been enhanced. You can now easily set the lower and upper slider limits based on the current parameter value: You can choose between +/- a percentage or +/- an absolute value by a single mouse click. There is an option to apply this setting to all sliders.
In addition, you can now easily group all sliders on the screen below a ‘master slider’.
Starting with object generation 4.77 you can generate low and high limits for fit parameters automatically when you generate them – at least for thickness values. In the fit options dialog (File/Options/Fit) you can set a percentage (lower right corner) which is used to compute the low and high limit of the available thickness range. The reference value is the thickness value at the time the new fit parameter is generated.
Note that the automatically generated range is also the range of parameter sliders that are based on fit parameters.
Note also that you can automatically generate thin film thickness values as fit parameters by drag&drop of a layer stack to the list of fit parameters in the treeview. If the list of fit parameters is shown in a view this is certainly the fastest way of generating thickness sliders.
Here is an example showing sliders with limits of +/-5% that have been generated automatically:
