@DATABASE Convert! @MASTER Convert!.doc @NODE MAIN Convert! CONVERT! Version 2.0 May 1995 By Sean J. Miller CONTENTS @{"INTRODUCTION " LINK INTRODUCTION} @{"INSTALLATION " LINK INSTALLATION} @{"USAGE " LINK USAGE} @{"HOW IT WORKS (kind of)" LINK KIND} @{"HOW IT REALLY WORKS " LINK WORKS} @{"SUMMARY " LINK SUMMARY} @{"ADDING CONVERSIONS " LINK CONVERT} @{"FINAL WORDS " LINK FINALWORDS} @{"SPECIAL NOTE " LINK NOTE} @{"MY ADDRESS " LINK ADDRESS} @ENDNODE MAIN @NODE NOTE **** NOTE: This program is currently only capable of single precision calculations and therefore may not always give exact results!!!! This WILL be fixed in the future. @ENDNODE NOTE @NODE "INTRODUCTION" "INTRODUCTION" 1. INTRODUCTION Convert! is a mathematical tool for converting @{"units" link kind 14} of measurement. It will be most useful to chemistry, physics, engineering, or just about any science related students and professionals. However, for those who can never figure out how may quarts are in a gallon, it could come in pretty handy there, too. The entire package is freely distributable. I don't really care what you do with it as long as you don't put your name on it. If you would like to make any suggestions or additions, refer to my EMail @{"address" link address} at the end of this document. @ENDNODE INTRODUCTION @NODE INSTALLATION INSTALLATION 2. INSTALLATION From the Convert! directory in the CLI, type "execute install" to run the install script or double click its icon. This will copy the required fonts to your FONTS: directory. You may delete the fonts directory if they copied fine. The "Convert!" fonts directory, that is. @ENDNODE INSTALLATION @NODE USAGE USAGE 3. USAGE CLI: type "Convert!" Workbench: Double click its icon @ENDNODE USAGE @NODE KIND "HOW IT WORKS (kind of)" 4. HOW IT WORKS (kind of) Since @{"I" link address} wrote the program, I have absolutely no problem using it. However, this probably isn't the case for anyone else. To truly understand how the program works, you would have to purchase the following: a posterboard paper - to cut up and write units on them. (kg, miles, days, quarts, etc.) a marker With these items, you would then be able to piece together a coefficient and some units such as 15 miles/hr. First, you should arrange your units. These would be the following: Mass Length Time Volume Force Pressure Energy Power From these categories you would select your desired units and place them in the appropriate place on the posterboard. You could then make the top portion of the posterboard the "From:" units and the bottom the "To:" units. The "From:" units would be the units you already have and the "To:" units would be the ones you would like the coefficient to be converted to. So now you have something like the following example: ________________________________________________________ | From: | | | | 15 miles | | ----- | | hour | | | | To: | | | | km | | ---- | | day | |________________________________________________________| Notice there is no coefficient at the "To:" section of the posterboard. There shouldn't be because you don't know how many km/day equals 15 miles/hour. So you should realize that buying posterboard and going through the trouble of cutting up paper and writing on it was useless. Wouldn't it have been nice to just press a spot on the bottom of the posterboard and it just @{"magically write" link works 22} in the "To:" spot for you? Well, I tried that...it didn't work...so I made @{"Convert!" link introduction} Here's @{"how it really works:" link works} @ENDNODE KIND @NODE WORKS "HOW IT REALLY WORKS" 5. HOW IT REALLY WORKS First, you run the program and check out the help by selecting it from the menu. You can either read this or get a hint. It probably is the most useful (-less?). Here's a play-by-play for doing what you did in the @{"previous section" link kind} (but with Convert!): a. Click on the string gadget under @{"From:" link kind 25} and type in 15. b. Select "miles" from the length menu. c. Click on a spot in the imaginary numerator region shown by selecting "Help->Hint." - "miles" should now be placed on the window. d. Select "hr" (hour) under the time menu. e. Click below "miles" to place it in the numerator of the fraction. Is this looking familiar, yet? f. Similarly, select "km" and place it in the @{"To:" link kind 31} imaginary numerator region. g. Last, select "days" and place it in the denominator. You now have simulated your @{"posterboard!!" link kind 24} h. Press the "@{"magic button" link kind 44}", "@{"Calculate" link SUMMARY 3}," and Woohoo, the answer magically appears. Well...sort of. @ENDNODE WORKS @NODE SUMMARY SUMMARY 6. SUMMARY Project Menu: @{"Calculate" link works 21} - converts the number. Clear Spot - clears the next clicked on previously placed unit. Clear All - clears everything just as if you began the program. About - shows my @{"name" link address}. Quit - quits the program upon verification. Error Messages: If your units aren't similar in the basic elements of mass, length, and time, it will let you know and you should evaluate your choice of units for conversion. Exponents: example- 9.8 m ---- sē To add an exponent to a unit such as the seconds unit above simply click on the unit in which you desire to add an exponent. @ENDNODE SUMMARY @NODE CONVERT 7. ADDING CONVERSIONS To add your own unit conversion factors, you can edit the file Units.data. To do so just add a line with the following syntax: quantity value_one unit = value_two unit quantity= mass, length, time, volume, pressure, energy, force, or power unit= the names of the units your defining. (kg, m, etc.) Examples: length 1 m = 1 base length 1 km = 1000 m time 1 s = 1 base time 1 min = 60 s time 1 hr = 60 min Notice the keyword "base." It lets the program know that this is the most basic unit of a quantity. Since force, pressure, and other quantities are derived from mass, length, and time, one's base specifications for pressure and others should be made with this in mind. Otherwise, poor results will occur. For example, length 1 m = 1 base mass 1 kg = 1 base time 1 s = 1 base force 1 N = 1 base force .22481 lbf = 1 N A Newton (N) is equal to 1 kg m/sē, it may be the base unit for force since the kg, m, and s making up a Newton have already been defined as the bases for mass, length, and time. Now, to save you time, you can just look at a conversion table from a text book and reference your new units to a N. BUT, be sure not to reference in circles or your really screwed. At least one conversion in your file has to be a "base." Last, even though you are showing what a unit equals in the right hand of the equation, the computer only recognizes the left hand sided unit when searching for conversion factors. Thus, you must have every unit defined in some way on the left hand side of the equation. For example, length 1 m = 1 base length 1 ft = 12 in This will not define inches, but this would: length 1 m = 1 base length 1 ft = 12 in length 39.37 in = 1 m This is horribly confusing, so I made as many units as I knew. If you have trouble with this, @{"write me" link address} and I'll explain or update the original file for you. Understanding this feature, however, leaves you the option of even making up your own units. @endnode conversions @NODE FINALWORDS "FINAL WORDS" 8. FINAL WORDS Well, that's all I can think of at the moment. I hope it is useful. I've been wanting something like this for a while and plan to @{"enhance" link NOTE} it after finishing some other programming projects. Please let me know of any suggestions. Once again, I would like to thank David Benn for creating ACE and ReqEd. Both were used to program and design this quick project. You can get these at the following FTP site and directory: ftp.appcomp.utas.edu.au /pub/ACE Also, thanks to Brenda and her patience. See ya', Sean @ENDNODE FINAL WORDS @node address sjmill01@ukcc.uky.edu or Sean J. Miller 4701 Lafayette Road Hopkinsville, KY 42240 @endnode