Unable to use DWSIM.Automation.dll (Linux OS)

[Dmitry]

Hello!
I have installed Mono and DWSIM version 6.2.2-amd64 as deb-package on Ubuntu 20.04.
DWSIM works well if i run it as an application.
However, when I try to use the API, I get an error during the call method Automation().

For instance, my python code is:

import clr
import sys

sys.path.append('/usr/local/lib/dwsim')

clr.AddReference('/usr/local/lib/dwsim/DWSIM.Interfaces.dll')
clr.AddReference('/usr/local/lib/dwsim/DWSIM.Automation.dll')

from DWSIM import Interfaces, Automation

process = Automation.Automation()
process = process.LoadFlowsheet("Gas.dwxmz")

After executing this script, I get:

NullReferenceException Traceback (most recent call last)
<ipython-input-1-c13c6f6f6a76> in <module>
26 from DWSIM import Interfaces, Automation
27
---> 28 process = Automation.Automation()
29 process = process.LoadFlowsheet("home/raf/Gas.dwxmz")
30 flowsheet = Interfaces.IFlowsheet(process)</module></ipython-input-1-c13c6f6f6a76>

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
at Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices.AssemblyInfo.get_DirectoryPath () [0x00001] in <4240dd9f28434ace833cfdaa17202e70>:0

Using Automation2() instead Automation() causes the Python's kernel to crash.
The similar code works well for Windows 10.
What am I doing wrong?

[Daniel Medeiros]

Automation2() works on macOS, and it should also work on Linux. Do you have more info on the crash? Did you try calling the Automation2() from a C# code?

[Dmitry]

Thanks a lot for the quick response!

When i run my python script, i also get multiple files in my project directory kind of "mono_crash.mem.38580.1.blob". I found their content to be meaningless.

I called the method from C# code and got no errors.
However, I had to copy the executable file directly to dwsim directory where dll's are located.
Specifically, my elementary C# code:

using System;
using DWSIM.Automation;
using DWSIM.Interfaces;

namespace DWSIM_test { 
    class MainClass {
        public static void Main(string[] args) {

            var Automation = new DWSIM.Automation.Automation2();
            var A = Automation.LoadFlowsheet("Gas.dwxmz");
        }
    }
}

This compiles (with links to DWSIM.Automation.dll and DWSIM.Interfaces.dll), but if I run the executable from my home directory, I get an error:
$ mono DWSIM_test.exe
""" Unhandled Exception:
System.TypeLoadException: Could not load type of field 'DWSIM.Automation.Automation2:app' (0) due to: Could not load file or assembly 'Eto, Version=2.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' or one of its dependencies.
[ERROR] FATAL UNHANDLED EXCEPTION: System.TypeLoadException: Could not load type of field 'DWSIM.Automation.Automation2:app' (0) due to: Could not load file or assembly 'Eto, Version=2.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' or one of its dependencies. """

After copying my executable file to the directory with dll's (/usr/local/lib/dwsim/) and launched it from the dwsim directory - it's works well.
I suspect there is some problem with dependency resolution Mono on Linux.
Is it possible to somehow configure the project so that it can be loaded independently?
Well, I also probably using libraries incorrectly...

[Daniel Medeiros]

Try playing with System.IO.Directory.SetCurrentDirectory()

[Daniel Medeiros]

You can also setup an Assembly Resolver like I've did in here: https://github.com/DanWBR/DWSIM.Automation.Test.macOS/blob/master/DWSIM.Automation.Test.macOS/Program.cs

[Dmitry]

Hello!
It looks like this issue is pythonnet related. Similar crashes occur not only for me.

I am using .net to interact with DVSIM API now.
I would like to clarify the following.

When I run DWSIM using command in terminal:

:~$ mono /usr/local/lib/dwsim/DWSIM.exe

I get the "classic UI" and I cannot calculate anything even by running the sample.
At this point in the terminal, I see:

Could not set X locale modifiers
Gtk-Message: 20:03:48.402: Failed to load module "canberra-gtk-module"
Error checking latest version: System.Net.WebException: Error: ProtocolError
at System.Net.WebConnection.InitConnection (System.Net.WebOperation operation, System.Threading.CancellationToken cancellationToken) [0x00165] in <3d97dda773a54430b892e1d794e5d921>:0
at System.Net.WebOperation.Run () [0x0009a] in <3d97dda773a54430b892e1d794e5d921>:0
at System.Net.WebCompletionSource1[T].WaitForCompletion () [0x00094] in <3d97dda773a54430b892e1d794e5d921>:0 at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.RunWithTimeoutWorker[T] (System.Threading.Tasks.Task1[TResult] workerTask, System.Int32 timeout, System.Action abort, System.Func`1[TResult] aborted, System.Threading.CancellationTokenSource cts) [0x000f8] in <3d97dda773a54430b892e1d794e5d921>:0
at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.GetResponse () [0x00016] in <3d97dda773a54430b892e1d794e5d921>:0
at System.Net.WebClient.GetWebResponse (System.Net.WebRequest request) [0x00000] in <3d97dda773a54430b892e1d794e5d921>:0
at System.Net.WebClient.DownloadBits (System.Net.WebRequest request, System.IO.Stream writeStream) [0x000e6] in <3d97dda773a54430b892e1d794e5d921>:0
at System.Net.WebClient.DownloadDataInternal (System.Uri address, System.Net.WebRequest& request) [0x00061] in <3d97dda773a54430b892e1d794e5d921>:0
at System.Net.WebClient.DownloadString (System.Uri address) [0x00011] in <3d97dda773a54430b892e1d794e5d921>:0
at (wrapper remoting-invoke-with-check) System.Net.WebClient.DownloadString(System.Uri)
at DWSIM.SharedClasses.UpdateCheck.CheckForUpdates () [0x00048] in <b97a4310545f46448b1501cf25ada8e5>:0
[12/7/2020 8:04:06 PM] resource pool: create resource pool...
[12/7/2020 8:04:06 PM] resource pool: create resource pool...
[12/7/2020 8:04:08 PM] resource pool: font resource group added. font groups: 1</b97a4310545f46448b1501cf25ada8e5>

But when I run DWSIM using command in terminal just like:

:~$ dwsim

I get "Cross-Platform UI" and when i try to simulate something - it works well!

Also, when I use the saved .dwxmz file from the classic UI version in my .net application, using code like

using System;
using DWSIM.Automation;
using DWSIM.Interfaces;
namespace DWSIM_test
{ 
    class MainClass
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args) {
        DWSIM.Automation.Automation2 interf = new DWSIM.Automation.Automation2();
      DWSIM.Interfaces.IFlowsheet sim;
     sim = interf.LoadFlowsheet("home/Gas.dwxmz");
         }
     }
 }

I get in terminal:
"""Solving Flowsheet, please wait...
System.Exception: ABS-01: UnsupportedSolver ---> System.Exception: UnsupportedSolver
at DWSIM.UnitOperations.UnitOperations.Column.Calculate (System.Object args) [0x019ca] in <84d6452e36fa4cc494ef5f2714d7c7d0>:0 ...
System.Exception: ABS-01: UnsupportedSolver ---> System.Exception: UnsupportedSolver ...
etc..."""

However, when I use the saved .dwxmz file from the cross-platform UI version, it works fine!

Does the format .dwxmz contain information about the type of UI?
What is the fundamental difference between classic UI and cross-platform UI versions? Do both work well on Linux, or are there any features and preferences for Linux?
I will be glad to receive any information.
Thanks for your hard work.

[Daniel Medeiros]

Are you running the latest version (6.3.6)?

[Daniel Medeiros]

https://sourceforge.net/projects/dwsim/files/DWSIM/DWSIM%206.3/Update%206/dwsim_6.3.6-amd64.deb/download

[Dmitry]

I used an older version (5.x.x), the newest version is much more stable, thanks!
I access to spreadsheet cells from C# on Linux like this:

using System;
using DWSIM.Automation;
using DWSIM.Interfaces;
using DWSIM.CrossPlatform.UI.Controls.ReoGrid;

namespace DWSIM_test
{ 
    class MainClass
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args) {
            string path = "home/test3.6.dwxmz";
            Automation2 process = new Automation2();
            IFlowsheet flowsheet = (IFlowsheet)process.LoadFlowsheet(path);

            var output = flowsheet.GetObject("MSTR-42");
            var input_ = flowsheet.GetObject("MSTR-01");

            var SpreadObject = flowsheet.GetSpreadsheetObject();
            ReoGridControl SpreadsheetData = (ReoGridControl)SpreadObject;
            var SpreadSheet = SpreadsheetData.GetWorksheetByName("MAIN");
            SpreadSheet.SetCellData("A20", 20000000); //Set data to A20
            Console.WriteLine(SpreadSheet.ToString());
            Console.WriteLine("X = " + SpreadSheet.GetCellData(19,0));

and I get access to properties schematic elements like this:

            Console.WriteLine(output.GetPropertyValue("PROP_MS_0", null));
            Console.WriteLine(input_.GetPropertyValue("PROP_MS_0", null));

Is there a better way to getting and setting values?

About using ChemSep on Linux...
When I run sample "Natural Gas Processing Unit with Turbo-Expansion (Classic UI - Windows only).dwxmz" on Linux (cross-platform UI) and Windows (classic UI), the sample is calculated successfully for both OS, although on Linux there is no access to CAPE-OPEN interface.
- Can I set these variables via C # API on Linux?
If the schema is evaluated for both operating systems, is the calculation correct for both?
- Generally, does DWSIM С# API on Linux have fundamental restrictions to using ChemSep?
If i using only DWSIM C# API - Is it possible to do, using classic UI on Windows, fundamentally, what cannot be done on Linux using cross-platform UI?