Skip to main content

iPool Suite 1.0.0

iPool Suite 1.0.0 replaces the separate iPool and Apollo programs with one Windows desktop application. One program, iPoolSuite.exe, holds every tab you used in Apollo, and one installer contains the iPool engine, the license validator and the Bid Manager and Event Hub engines. These notes summarize what is new and what works differently.

If you are moving from iPool or Apollo 26.x or earlier, read Upgrading from iPool / Apollo 26.x before you install.

Highlights​

  • One program instead of two. Apollo is now part of iPool Suite. The main tabs are Dashboard, Scenario Studio, Files Downloader, Bid Manager, Event Hub and Database Editor.
  • One installer. iPool-Installer.exe contains everything. You no longer need a second "update" installer. You can install Only for me (no administrator rights) or for Anyone who uses this computer. An MSI package is available for IT-managed deployment.
  • Portable version. iPool-Portable.zip runs from any writable folder, including a USB drive, and keeps its settings inside that folder.
  • New file formats. Databases are SQLite .db files (Microsoft Access .mdb is no longer used), bid files are .bidx, and dynamic bid rules are .ibdx (or a CSV rules file). Built-in converters handle each one.
  • Batch file converter. Scenario Studio converts your old .bat files to the new program names, folders and file types, and can convert the databases and bid files they use in the same step.
  • Results in the scenario's .isdb file. The Dashboard reads results straight from it, so long runs open without loading every CSV file. The main CSV files are still written, and the full CSV set is one setting away.
  • Redesigned Dashboard. Dockable panels, two charts side by side, a redesigned export with preview, saved and shareable chart views, and new analysis tools.
  • Scenario Studio run tools. Check data before a run, run status and Stop run… in the CLI Output panel, comparison sets, run history and undo / redo.
  • Event Hub. A new tab for outage work: Event Builder, outage Gantt chart and Reserve Margin Chart.
  • Find anything. Press Ctrl+P to search objects, scenarios, viewers and actions from one box.

Home​

  • What's New on the Home page summarizes the changes in your version. Click View details for the full list.
  • Recent work lists the scenarios you opened recently. Pin a scenario to the top, remove one from the list, and see when each was last run.
  • Open Scenario opens results from your scenarios folder. The scenario folder field offers your recently used folders.
  • Learn iPool cards open the matching iEnergy knowledge base pages, and Take a tour starts the guided tours.
  • The app opens on Home. After an unexpected close, it reopens where you were.

Dashboard​

Layout and charts​

  • Dockable panels. Drag, stack, resize, maximize or close the Chart, Statistics, Tooltip and other panels. Panels ▾ › Reset layout restores the default.
  • Two charts side by side. Open a second chart next to the main chart. Right-click a viewer in the viewer bar to show it in Chart 2. Built-in layouts place the two charts side by side or stacked, and the crosshair is shared between them.
  • Pop-out windows. Move a panel into its own window and put it back when you are done.
  • Scenario tabs. Each scenario opens in its own tab. Right-click a tab to close it, close others, or open its folder. Drag tabs to reorder them. Each tab remembers its object, viewer, period and date.
  • Back / Forward. Alt+← / Alt+→, or the mouse side buttons, step back through what you looked at.
  • Viewer names. "BidStack" is now Bid Stack and "Fuel Summary" is now Fuel Stack. Views ▾ › Reorder viewers… sets your own viewer order.

Chart styling and export​

  • Series options. Right-click a legend item to change a series' type, color, line width, dash style, markers, opacity and layer order.
  • Chart settings. Add reference lines, show values on the chart, switch stacking between Normal and 100 %, rename axis titles, shade above or below a value, and set the chart text size.
  • Export with preview. Before you save an image, a preview shows the result. Set the size, DPI and title. Export settings are remembered, and Reset to defaults is always available.
  • Copy chart. Copy the chart to the clipboard as an image with one click.
  • Data exports ask where to save, instead of always going to the Downloads folder.
  • Report pack. Collect charts, saved views and tables into one PDF with a cover page, contents and page numbers.
  • Export for every region. Export the current chart once per region, as PNG files or as report pack pages.
  • Saved views. Save a chart configuration by name, copy a short view code, and reopen the same view from that code on any computer.
  • Presentation mode. Ctrl+Shift+P shows the chart full screen and steps through your saved views.

Analysis​

  • Comparison. Compare scenarios, including 5-minute against hourly runs (the 5-minute data is averaged into hours and marked Aggregated). New tabs show the Distribution, the Difference between runs with a heat map, and a Sweep chart for a series of runs that change one setting. A written What changed summary opens the Summary tab.
  • Pinned comparisons. Views ▾ › Pin current comparison… saves a comparison so you can reopen it later.
  • What set this price? Right-click a price on the Price or DGP chart to see what the run recorded about that interval.
  • Statistics. The Statistics panel has Statistics, Percentiles and Peak times tabs.
  • New panels. Heat map, Overlay days, Daily totals and Events (price cap, reserve shortfall and link-limit events, plus a day-at-a-glance summary).
  • Scenario information and Scenario Check. Right-click a scenario for its engine version, run date, data window and settings. The Scenario Check button appears when there is something to report, and each warning says what to do.
  • Backcast scorecard. Right-click a backcast scenario to compare it with the history run of the same days.
  • Your own groups and favorites. Add units or sites to your own groups (shown under MY GROUPS) and star favorite objects.
  • Chart notes. Right-click a chart time and choose Add note… to pin a note to that time.
  • Copy any table to Excel with the Copy button.
  • Open bids in Bid Manager. Right-click a unit to open the bid file that scenario used for that day.
  • Reserve and Map viewers are available as experimental viewers. Turn them on in Settings › Dashboard › Experimental.

Scenarios tree​

  • Drag scenarios and folders to reorganize the tree, with undo. Tree folders are virtual: scenario files never move on disk.
  • Deleted scenarios are sent to the Windows Recycle Bin and can be restored from there.
  • The Historical Store panel in the Scenarios pane shows your historical data store.

Scenario Studio​

  • Load ▾ opens a batch file (Load file), several batch files at once (Load several batch files) or pasted text (Paste batch text). The Batch file preview lists each scenario and every line that was skipped or not imported, with the reason. Unknown flags block Import until you fix them.
  • Convert old batch file (under Load ▾) converts an old .bat file and saves a new _converted.bat file and a _converted_report.txt next to it. Your original file is never changed.
  • Directory Initializer sets your folders and writes them to C:\IENERGY\Defaults.csv. Next: Database Initializer → chooses the System, Time Periods, Bid, Flow and Scenario databases.
  • Output format. Set a scenario's Output format to All CSV + .isdb when your own scripts or Excel links need the full set of CSV files.
  • Check data lists every bid file, WESM file, input file and database a run needs, plus free disk space, before you run.
  • Run status appears in the CLI Output panel: the line running, elapsed time, time left, live engine output and Stop run…. A Windows notification tells you when a run finishes, and Open results opens the scenario in the Dashboard.
  • Comparison sets. Right-click a line › New comparison set… to build a history run, a base run and one run per value of a setting. Run set runs them in turn and opens the comparison in the Dashboard.
  • Run history records every run started from Scenario Studio, with its duration and result. An estimated run time is shown per line once you have run history.
  • Compare settings with… shows every setting of two lines side by side. Duplicate with a change… copies a line with one setting changed, or makes a series.
  • Change setting on selected lines… changes one setting on several lines at once.
  • Undo / redo with Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+Y.
  • Scenario notes, template sharing (export and import), a template gallery with descriptions, and quick dates next to Start date.
  • Save as .bat with comments adds a header and a comment above each line. The engine lines are unchanged.
  • Scenario outputs lists scenario folders by size and age, and moves the ones you choose to the Recycle Bin.
  • Scenario IDs are checked as you type. An ID cannot contain spaces or the characters \ / : * ? " < > |, and must be unique.

Files Downloader​

  • Matches the Light, Dark and Terminal themes of the rest of iPool Suite.
  • Historical Store data is viewed in the Dashboard. Choose the Historical Store folder in Settings → Historical Store → Change….

Bid Manager​

  • Bid Manager replaces iBidAgg, iYBidWESM and iBidEzy. The aggregator and generator are bidmanager-aggregator.exe and bidmanager-generator.exe, with the same options as before.
  • Convert Legacy .bid converts old binary .bid files to .bidx, one file or a whole folder.
  • Convert Legacy .ibd converts old dynamic bid rule files to .ibdx.
  • Bid Manager writes the bid files it makes to the bid submission folder, DirSub, in Defaults.csv.

Event Hub​

Event Hub is a new tab for outage and adequacy work.

  • Event Builder. Enter outage events in a table with a searchable Object ID picker, automatic event IDs and 5-minute time entry. Events are read from and written to iPool event (Ev) CSV files.
  • Outage Gantt chart. Outages appear as labeled bars on a timeline, grouped by region, fuel type or file order. Export the chart as PDF pages or PNG images.
  • Reserve Margin Chart. Daily supply adequacy from installed capacity, a demand file and an outage file, with days below the safety threshold flagged At risk.
  • Maintenance Scheduler. Places planned maintenance in low-demand periods.

Database Editor​

  • Convert Database converts Microsoft Access .mdb databases to SQLite .db, one file or a whole folder at once.
  • Follows the Light, Dark and Terminal themes.

Suite-wide​

  • Find anything. Ctrl+P searches objects, scenarios, viewers and actions.
  • Themes. Light, Dark, high-contrast Terminal, and System, which follows the Windows light / dark setting.
  • Settings has a search box, and changes apply immediately without closing and reopening the dialog.
  • Your own keyboard shortcuts in Settings › Keyboard shortcuts. Shift+F1 (or ?) shows the shortcut list; F1 opens the knowledge base.
  • Guided tours for first-time users: First look, Charts and panels, Comparing runs and Studio basics.
  • One number format (1,234.56) everywhere, and a Date order setting (Automatic, Day first or Month first).
  • Back up settings. Settings › Maintenance › Export settings… / Import settings… saves your settings, layouts, saved views and favorites to one file.
  • License status and module expiry dates are in Settings → License. A banner warns you when the license or a module has 30 days or less remaining.
  • Plain-language messages explain what went wrong, with Copy details for support.
  • One close warning protects unsaved work and running simulations.
  • The main window reopens at its last size and position.
  • Vantage Forecast appears in the top bar when your license includes the Vantage module.

Upgrading from iPool / Apollo 26.x​

iPool Suite installs as a new program in its own folder. It does not replace or change Apollo or older iPool versions, and they can stay installed on the same computer. Before you run your existing work in iPool Suite:

  • Add a DirSub line to C:\IENERGY\Defaults.csv before you run the Directory Initializer over it.
  • Convert your .mdb databases to .db, your .bid files to .bidx and your .ibd files to .ibdx.
  • Convert your batch files. DefInit.bat is no longer used.
  • Old .emp scenario files are obsolete and cannot be converted. To get results for an old scenario, run it again in iPool Suite.
  • Apollo's own settings (theme, layouts, recent folders) are not imported. Your license and the folder settings in Defaults.csv carry over.

For the step-by-step procedure, see Migrating to iPool Suite. For installation and licensing, see System Installation and Licensing.