COM vs dss_matlab speed comparison for setting loads and getting currents; handle classes are slow

[Hell3000]

here is the speed comparison I promised in DSS Disussion Forum https://sourceforge.net/p/electricdss/discussion/861976/thread/a096cdeed4/?limit=100#a3e1/261b

Summary

setting loads and getting currents is currently (November 2024) much slower (about 7 times) using altDSS compared to COM-Interface.

The main reason is: Matlab handle classes still have huge overhead.

Workaround: calling libs directly. Then altDSS is only about 1.5 times slower than COM-Interface.

Also: 2021b and 2024 b are faster than old 2019b (maybe something like 20 %). But handle classes are still too slow!

Conclusion: handle classes are not a good option. There might be a better way to emulate COM-Interface.

speed comparision of altDSS and COM and 2019b vs 2024b

this is on windows 10 VM with newest DSS (100_2, temporary trick to install Regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\OpenDSS\x64\OpenDSSEngine.DLL")

Code used for comparison

I attached a grid file with lines and loads and a .m Matlab file. It should be executable.

To execute:

1. rename .txt of Matlab file to .m
2. install DSS (https://sourceforge.net/p/electricdss/discussion/861977/thread/d97878c8f4/?limit=25 workaround might be needed)
3. Download dss_matlab
4. modifiy Base.m of dss_matlab as described in the attached Matlab file
5. add necessary to MATLAB path
6. Check code for safety
7. Run

speed_of_altDSS_vs_COM_m_file.txt
LV_grid.txt

Suggestion for getAllLineCurrents makro in the code as Matlab Code

of course this must be implemented in C++ to have a speed benefit.