Issues in Installing EPIC

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear all,

 I am trying to install EPIC v.0810, EPIC v.0509 and EPIC v.1102. But I am unable to install it any of the OP (Windows XP, Windows 11 and LINUX). It shows an error that some data file is missing.

EPIC0509 - It is executing all the years, but installation is not being completed.

EPIC1102 - EPICERR.DAT is missing

EPIC0810 - TX8910.DLY is missing

Could you please help on this. 

Thanks in advance

[Luca]

If you are running any version of EPIC without the Graphical User Interface, there is no need to install the program. You only have to run it with a double click on the executable.

EPIC 0509 is no longer supported.

The error you are having with EPIC0810 means that you are actually running the model (and not installing it) and that the daily weather file (TX8910.DLY) is missing. You can find attached to this message.

The error you are having with EPIC1102 means that you are running the model and not installing it. For some reasons, I cannot share it here. Inside the folder with the EPIC input files, try to create an empty text file and rename it EPICERR.DAT

Let me know if this helps.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Sir,

Thank you for the input. 

I have done as you have mentioned but still I am facing issue in running both EPIC model (EPIC0810 and EPIC1102). 

Is there any other tutorial available other than the one from the website on how to give input and generate output?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

Unfortunately, at the moment we (Blackland Research Center) have not a tutorial available. You can find some guidance in the EPIC user manual here, or in the WinEPIC user manual here.

Depending on the version you have downloaded, a set of input files that you can use as a template should come with the download, and that set should work without problem.

If you can provide more information on the error, I can try to help you with running the model.

Best,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I run the model with the input files in the software and got output. But I am not getting complete set of output. Here, I have attached the output I got. Could you please look into this and tell me whether it is correct or not?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I have another query as well. Could I run EPIC0810 alone or do I need WinEPIC interface to run the model?

Thank You

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

The model did not complete the simulation so, something is not right in the input files.

You don't need WinEPIC to run the model. WinEPIC is just an interface of the EPIC model. You can run EPIC editing the text files with any text editor (such as Notepad available with Windows, or using the model advanced Notepad++), and starting the simulation using the executable (with a simple double click or from the command prompt.

Best,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank you for your input. I run the simulation with the default input data downloaded along with the software. So I am unable to find where it had gone wrong.

Could you please look into the file tell me which input file detail is missing?

Thank You.

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Please, share the files you are using for your simulation.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Would you like me to share all the input files used for simulation? 

Is EPIC1102 and EPIC 0810 version are same? If it is different, could you please share me the manual for EPIC1102? (Because I could not find in Texas A&M Agrilife website)

Thank You.

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

EPIC1102 and 0810 are similar but not the same, and some input files are not compatibles between the two versions.

Unfortunately, we do not have a user manual ready for EPIC1102, I am working on it but it cannot be my main project. You can use the EPIC0810 and the APEX user manual as a guide and ask for help on this forum if you need more information.

Bet,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank You so much for your help and guidance. I will prepare input files for EPIC1102 accordingly.

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I am working with EPIC 1102. Is soil water in the output describes soil moisture? If not, does the output file has soil moisture parameter? 

Could you please clarify this query?

Thank You

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Yes, the soil water reported in the output file is the soil moisture. The soil water content or soil moisture is usually reported as RZSW and SW. Please, see the EPIC or APEX user manual for more information.

Let me know if you still need help with this.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank you so much for the clarification!

Regards,

Janani Kandsamy

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca, 

I was preparing soil file for EPIC1102 which requires lot of input which I am unable to find for sandy loam soil at the study area (Example: FBM, FHP, WOC, ROK, WLS, WLM). What should I do about that?

And there is no sample operation scheduling file in both EPIC 1102 and EPIC0810 version. Could you please share me a sample file for that?

Thank You

Regards

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

Not all the sol variables are mandatory and you can leave some of them blank. You will find more information in the EPIC0810 and APEX1501 user manual where for variables that are not mandatory you will find BIU (Blank if unknown) or 0 if unknown. For the variables you mentioned in your message,

• if FBM is left blank or set to zero, the model will assign the value of 0.04
• if FHP is left blank or set to zero, the model will estimate its value using the number of years of cultivation (variable RTN0)
• if WOC is left blank or set to zero, the model will estimate its value. I suggest running the model with your best estimate of the soil organic carbon et least for the top soil layers
• ROK is not mandatory
• WLS can be left blank or set to zero if unknown
• WLM can be left blank or set to zero if unknown

If you have downloaded EPIC1102 from the Blackland Research Center website, a management file should be included in the set of input files provided with the model. I am including a simple example file here.

Best,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thanks for the information. But EPIC 1102 downloaded from Blackland Research Center website does not have operation scheduling or management file in it. It does have database file OPSCCOM.DAT file but not a sample file for it (filename.ops). And I did not receive the sample example file which you have send. Could you please send it again?

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

I have just downloaded the example files available at the Blackland website and the management file is included.

You can file the files from this webpage: https://epicapex.tamu.edu/software/

See the image for more information.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I am having problem in finding the files from OPSCCOM.DAT, named as umstead.ops file. This is an example file for operation scheduling which I am not finding. Could you please help me in this one?

Thank you for your time. 

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

From the webpage I provided you, have you downloaded the compressed archive with all the input files? If yes, are you able to see the file extensions in Windows?

Anyway, I am including the file here in this conversation. I changed the extension from OPC to txt because sometimes antivirus software recognized it as a dangerous file. Just change the extension back to OPC (or OPS) and make sure that the same extension is used in the OPSCCOM.DAT file.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank you for the file. I am able to generate output file now. But the soil temperature is pretty high (around 46 degree C to 50 degree C) in Summer for Fresno, CA(study area). Could you please suggest what might be the reason for it?

Thank You 

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Check if the soil cover is good or not. According to the version you are using, two new methods are available for soil temperature estimation. If you have downloaded EPIC1102 after January 13, 2022, these new approaches should be available. In the OUT file, you can search for "SOIL TEMP--". If this voice is available in the OUT file, you have the latest version with the new approaches to estimate soil temperature. In the included release note, you will find information about these new approaches and the parameters that affects the soil temperature estimation.

Let me know.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank you for the information. I have fixed soil temperature issue. But I am getting almost zero yield and I have checked CO2 and Number of plantation as well. What could be other issues apart from them?

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

Many reasons can give almost zero yield. Here are some I can think of:

Is the plant germinating? You can get this information from the ACY output file, column IGMD.

Is there any severe stress? You can get this information from the ACY file looking at the columns WS, NS, PS, KS, TS, AS, SS.

Is the plant accumulating biomass or not? You can get this information from the ACY file, column BIOM.

As there any tillage operation before the harvest operation that is reducing the biomass available?

Check these and let me know what you find out.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I am having zero biomass accumulation in the output. Could you please tell me which input parameter is leading to that?

And I have another query also, does EPIC have an initial soil condition?

Thank You

Regards

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

As I wrote in my previous message, there are many reasons that can lead to zero yield, and it is impossible to know without looking at the output files.

Have you looked at the output files to see if the plant is germinating? Is there any stress?

Soil initial conditions are provided with the soil file required as input.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I have checked the input and the plant is germinating but there is some stress. I am sending you the Annual Crop Yield file. Could you please check it for me?

Thank You

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

As you can see, the column YLP is value NaN that means Not a Number. This makes me think that something related to Phosphorus is wrong. I would check the values of BP1, BP2, BP3 getting them from another plant.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I have checked the values of BP1, BP2, BP3 (which are default values set for crops by EPIC) and everything seems to be good. Even I have tried to changed the values as well but still I am getting zero yield only (in spite of the crop type).

Thank You

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Please, share with me the entire set of input files and the executable you are using for your simulation.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I am attaching soil, site, wind, weather and operation scheduling file. Could you please check it and let me know why I have zero yield?

Thank You

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

I cannot help you in this way. I need all the input files.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank for your time and help. I have sorted out the yield issue.

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I am trying to work with weather import analyzer . After selecting '' Download Weather from Web" option from the main page, it is directed to the website - http://cnrit.tamu.edu/usweather/epic.cgi. But it is displaying a message "Navigation to the webpage was canceled" and the page is not loaded. Could you please help me how to download weather from web.

Thank You

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

I think that function is no longer available. My suggestion is to download the weather data from the source of your choice without using the weather import. Just create a text or Excel file and then use the weather import to create the weather station.

Best,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank you. I have downloaded weather data directly through the website. 

I am unable to find APEX output analyzer tool in the software download page. Could you please help me on this?

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

I think the APEX output analyzer is no longer available.

Best,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank you for your time and information.

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

There is an issue I am encountering in the DCN output file in EPIC1102 version.  I generated results for 30 years (1990 - 2019). For the leap years in between those years, February month is not having simulations for 28 and 29. It stops at Feb 27. Please let me know the reason behind this issue. 

Thank You

Regards,

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

I have never encountered such problem. Are you providing daily weather data considering the leap year? Have you selected the right option in the control table (EPICCONT.DAT) file?

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thanks for the input. Daily weather data is prepared considering the leap year. I have selected the right option to consider leap year in EPICCONT.DAT file as well. But I run the simulation changing the option without considering leap year also and faced the same problem (leap year does not have data for Feb 28 and 29).

Regards

Janani Kandasamy

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

If you can share the entire EPIC project with me (all the input text files excluding the executable) I will be happy to run it on my computer and see why the model is not completing the simulation.

Best,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Please find the attached EPIC input files. 

Thank You.

Regards,

Janani

[Luca]

Dear Jenani,

Several input files are missing.

Please, before sharing the folder, copy the executable file in the folder and run the model. If the model before the beginning of the simulation, it means that some input file is missing.

Thanks,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

  Dear Luca,

I am sorry, I created a separate folder with input files to send it to you and hence missed some of the input files while selecting. Please find the attached complete epic file for Fresno, California (study area).

Thank You

Regards,

Janani

[Luca]

Dear Jenani,

As I said in my answer posted on July 10, the data in the DLY file and the setting of LPYR in the EPICCONT.DAT file must be consistent. In your setting, they are not. In the DLY file, you have data for the leap years (February 29) but LPYR is set to "ignore leap year".

Please, set LPYR to zero to solve the problem.

I don't know if you are using the EPIC editor included in the folder you shared with me but, if you are using it, keep in mind that, as reported in the first tab, it works with EPIC0810 while you are using EPIC1102.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I checked the EPICCONT.DAT file after your reply and it has 0 for LPYR. But I still got the same issue. And I am not sure how the input changed for LPYR in the EPICCONT.DAT file which I have send it.

[Luca]

Please, in the OUT output file search for the keyword "LEAP YEAR" and see if it says considered or ignored.

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I have checked the OUT file . It has LEAP YEAR IGNORED. But in EPICCONT.DAT file in 1st line 33-36 column for LPYR, I have given as 0 only (leap year is considered).

Thank You

Regards,

Janani

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

The interval you mentioned in your previous message (line 1, columns 33-36) comes from the EPIC0810 user manual, right?

The input files you sent me are for EPIC1102, right?

If you look at the release note of EPIC1102 (available here) you will find that starting with the version released on January 13, 2022, the EPICCONT file is space delimited and is no longer compatible with previous versions of EPIC1102 and does not follow the same format as EPIC0810.

Attached is an image where I have highlighted what you have to modify. Also, what is the value of 1.2 you have on the first line? Keep in mind that the model reads it as 1 and not 1.2 (it reads an integer).

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank you so much for the clarification. I was working in EPIC1102 with EPIC0810 manual. So I did not realize this mistake. Thanks again.

Regards,

Janani

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I have a query in preparing EPIC1102 input files. I am simulating soil temperature from the year 1990 - 2020 (30 year time series) for Modesto, California. I have prepared daily weather file (.dly) for 30 years. But EPIC input database does not have wp1 file for this station. If I need to prepare one for this station, should I consider only one year (if yes, which year it should be) or 30 year to prepare wp1 file. 

And also I am facing an issue in EPIC1102. I had given irrigation water volume details in EPICCONT.dat file. But there was not any change in the output with/without irrigation water provided.

Could you please clarify on this problems.

Thank You

Regards,

Janani 

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

To create the WP1 file you want to use the longest daily time series possible. The WP1 file can be created using the WXPM program available on the BREC website.

About the irrigation, is the model actually applying the irrigation water? What output is not changing? If you are considering the crop yield, it can happen that you do not have any difference if the plant is not suffering any water stress even without the irrigation. Please, check the ACY file to see if the irrigation water is applied or not.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank you for the clarification on WP1 file. I created it using WXPM program. 

Regarding the irrigation, I have applied irrigation water as volume of water in EPICCONT file. But in ACY file, the value for IRGA I am getting is zero. 

And in DCN file, the soil temperature is coming as Nan(not a number). Could you please explain what might be the reason for the issue?

Regards,

Janani

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

Unless you are using the automatic irrigation, the amount of water set in the EPICCONT file does not affect the simulation. Which variable did you use to set the amount of irrigation in the EPICCONT file?

There are too many reasons for a NAN in the output files and it is impossible to guess. As first step, you can use the OUT file to see if everything looks fine or if you see NAN in any parts of the OUT output file.

Let me know.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I have used the following variables in EPICCONT file to set irrigation table: EFI, VIMX, ARMN and ARMX. 

By changing the ISLT variable in EPICCONT, I am having 3 results with drastic difference in soil temperature. And the enhanced cosine approach is inverse of Pseudo heat transfer approach.

Is it possible to get results like this? Please clarify on this issue.

Thank You

Regards,

Janani

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

By changing EFI, VIMX, ARMX, and ARMN you are not activating the automatic irrigation. Automatic irrigation is activated with BIR.

Changing the ISLT should not produce drastic differences in the results. In the OUT file, check if the soil temperature method actually change when you input a different value for ISLT.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank you for the clarification on irrigation.

I have checked the output file, soil temperature method does change in OUT file for different ISLT. But there is still a huge difference in soil temperature for different ISLT methods.

And I have checked the output for default input files from BREC website, even they have huge difference in soil temperature for different ISLT.

Regards,

Janani

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

I can confirm what you have describing and I am working on to understand what is creating the problem.

I will let you know when the problem will be solved.

Thank you for reporting this issue.

Best,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank You!

Regards,

Janani

[Luca]

Dear Janani,

I worked on EPIC1102 and corrected the problem that was creating the large difference in the soil temperature simulated with the different approaches.

A new version of the model along with a new set of input files will be available for download from the BREC website in a few days.

Thank you for reporting this issue. Let me know if you have any other question.

Best,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca, 

Thank you so much for working on it and solving the issue!

Regards,

Janani

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Could you please clarify the following:

1) EPIC run for my research is 30 years. For operation scheduling file, do I need to give operation details for each year.

2) In EPIC control file, it asks for volume irrigation water applied (EFI). Is it for one season/year/ entire duration of study?

3) Could you please let me know why there is no difference in soil temperature despite of irrigation on/off.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Janani

[Luca Doro]

Dear Janani,

1) there is no need to create a 30-year management file. The model will repeat the mangement to cover the entire simulated period. For instance, a one-year management for corn will be repeated 30 times for a 30-year simulation.

2) from the EPIC user manual, EFI is defined as "Runoff volume / volume irrigation water applied". A value of 0.1 means that 10% of the water applied (in each irrigation event) is lost by surface runoff.

3) It is hard to tell since many factors affect the soil. My first question is: is the irrigation water actually applied in the simulation?

Best,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank you for the clarification!

Regarding the irrigation application, I have applied irrigation water. If I have provided value for BIR, then will the model does not consider manual/user irrigation application. Please clarify on this.

Regards,

Janani

[Luca Doro]

Dear Janani,

If you set BIR different from zero while providing also some manual irrigation, the model should use a combination of automatic and manual irrigation.

Best,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank you so much!

Regards,

Janani

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Could you please clarify on the following:

1. Does EPIC run without irrigation. If yes, how to perform run without irrigation.

2. The irrigation water applied is accepted by EPIC (IRGA has a value in ACY output file). But still the soil temperature is not varying even after irrigation water application. Hence, does EPIC show variation in soil temperature with/without irrigation water application.

Thank You

Regards,

Janani

[Luca Doro]

Yes, EPIC can run without irrigation. Just remove any manual irrigation from the management file (if any irrigation event is already included in it), and turn off the automatic irrigation.

Depending on the approach you are using to estimate the soil temperature, the soil water content is considered by the model, but only to calculate the damping depth. Not knowing the temperature of the irrigation water, the model cannot simulate a direct impact of the water on the soil temperature.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank you!

Could you please clarify which solar radiation is used in the weather file. Net solar radiation or surface solar radiation downward?

Regards,

Janani

[Luca Doro]

From the APEX user manual, page 91:

Solar radiation must be in MJ/m2 but is NOT REQUIRED data. Solar radiation, in this case, refers to the total solar radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface. If data is not available, leave a blank field.

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Thank You so much!

Could you please clarify the spin up options available in EPIC.

Regards,

Janani

[Luca Doro]

Dear Jenani,

The spin-up period (or warm-up or initialization) is a technique where the model simulates a number of years before the period that is investigated. This allows the soil organic pool to reach equilibrium before the period of interest is reached, avoiding abrupt changes in characteristics of the organic fractions simulated by the model.

You should be able to find more information on the initialization process with a simple web research.

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

I hope this email finds you well. I am interested in projecting/forecasting crop yield for grapes using the EPIC model version 1102 from the year 2005 to 2099. I would like to inquire if it is feasible to simulate crop yield for this extended timeframe.
If the EPIC model supports this scenario, could you kindly provide guidance on how to input data for the operation scheduling file for the entire span of 92 years, given that it pertains to a perennial crop? Please assist me on this.
Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Janani

[Luca Doro]

Please, open a new topic to ask this question.

The forum was designed to help users that can find answers to questions they have. The title/topic of this conversation is "issues installing EPIC" and now we are talking about climate change and how to simulate it with EPIC.

The conversation drifted way too much from the original topic.

Thanks for your understanding,

Luca

[Janani Kandasamy]

Dear Luca,

Yes, I will do that. Thank you for the response.

Regards,

Janani