Skip to content

Importing existing DSS files

If you already have OpenDSS models, you don't have to redraw them. Import reads .dss files and turns them into an editable one-line diagram.

How to import

  1. Click Import in the toolbar.
  2. Select your main .dss file plus any files it redirects to (linecode libraries, load definitions, bus coordinate files — select them all together in the file dialog).
  3. The circuit appears with a hierarchical auto-layout: source at the top, loads hanging beneath their buses. From there it's a normal project — edit, solve, save as .oneline.json, or re-export.

How it works

Rather than re-implementing a DSS parser, the importer hands your files to OpenDSS's own parser (via OpenDSSDirect.py), compiles the circuit, and reads the resulting model back out element by element. That means anything OpenDSS itself accepts — abbreviations, mixed case, line continuations — is understood, and the parameters you see are the values OpenDSS actually used.

Supported elements

Import currently maps Vsource, Line (with linecodes), Transformer, switches, Load, Capacitor, and Generator onto diagram elements.

Anything else in the file (e.g. reactors, regulators, monitors) is reported, not silently dropped: the import completes and lists the unsupported elements so you know exactly what was left out.

Note

Round-tripping is a design goal: export the imported circuit and you get a .dss file that solves to the same result. If you find a model that doesn't survive the round trip, please open an issue — ideally with the .dss files attached.