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authorru <ru@FreeBSD.org>2004-07-02 22:22:35 +0000
committerru <ru@FreeBSD.org>2004-07-02 22:22:35 +0000
commitfb1d8b3724cde10863de04d2c0884fbc5035eeef (patch)
treeb3cdbab3d24866d3829616606f702cb5cb5d6c97 /usr.bin/units/units.1
parent2334c79a7573e958e33d5cc7301829244e5d216f (diff)
downloadFreeBSD-src-fb1d8b3724cde10863de04d2c0884fbc5035eeef.zip
FreeBSD-src-fb1d8b3724cde10863de04d2c0884fbc5035eeef.tar.gz
Mechanically kill hard sentence breaks.
Diffstat (limited to 'usr.bin/units/units.1')
-rw-r--r--usr.bin/units/units.159
1 files changed, 40 insertions, 19 deletions
diff --git a/usr.bin/units/units.1 b/usr.bin/units/units.1
index c811dac..13ed413 100644
--- a/usr.bin/units/units.1
+++ b/usr.bin/units/units.1
@@ -22,18 +22,23 @@ about the number of units loaded.
Print the version number.
.It Ar from-unit to-unit
Allow a single unit conversion to be done directly from the command
-line. The program will not print prompts. It will print out the
+line.
+The program will not print prompts.
+It will print out the
result of the single specified conversion.
.El
.Sh DESCRIPTION
The
.Nm
program converts quantities expressed in various scales to
-their equivalents in other scales. The
+their equivalents in other scales.
+The
.Nm
program can only
-handle multiplicative scale changes. It cannot convert Celsius
-to Fahrenheit, for example. It works interactively by prompting
+handle multiplicative scale changes.
+It cannot convert Celsius
+to Fahrenheit, for example.
+It works interactively by prompting
the user for input:
.Bd -literal
You have: meters
@@ -60,11 +65,15 @@ the user for input:
Powers of units can be specified using the '^' character as shown in
the example, or by simple concatenation: 'cm3' is equivalent to 'cm^3'.
Multiplication of units can be specified by using spaces, a dash or
-an asterisk. Division of units is indicated by the slash ('/').
+an asterisk.
+Division of units is indicated by the slash ('/').
Note that multiplication has a higher precedence than division,
-so 'm/s/s' is the same as 'm/s^2' or 'm/s s'. Division of numbers
-must be indicated using the vertical bar ('|'). To convert half a
-meter, you would write '1|2 meter'. If you write '1/2 meter' then the
+so 'm/s/s' is the same as 'm/s^2' or 'm/s s'.
+Division of numbers
+must be indicated using the vertical bar ('|').
+To convert half a
+meter, you would write '1|2 meter'.
+If you write '1/2 meter' then the
units program would interpret that as equivalent to '0.5/meter'.
If you enter incompatible unit types, the units program will
print a message indicating that the units are not conformable and
@@ -77,9 +86,11 @@ it will display the reduced form for each unit:
2.1166667e-05 kg^2 m / sec
.Ed
.Pp
-The conversion information is read from a units data file. The default
+The conversion information is read from a units data file.
+The default
file includes definitions for most familiar units, abbreviations and
-metric prefixes. Some constants of nature included are:
+metric prefixes.
+Some constants of nature included are:
.Pp
.Bl -column -offset indent -compact "mercury"
.It "pi ratio of circumference to diameter
@@ -93,11 +104,16 @@ metric prefixes. Some constants of nature included are:
.It "au astronomical unit
.El
.Pp
-The unit 'pound' is a unit of mass. Compound names are run together
-so 'pound force' is a unit of force. The unit 'ounce' is also a unit
-of mass. The fluid ounce is 'floz'. British units that differ from
+The unit 'pound' is a unit of mass.
+Compound names are run together
+so 'pound force' is a unit of force.
+The unit 'ounce' is also a unit
+of mass.
+The fluid ounce is 'floz'.
+British units that differ from
their US counterparts are prefixed with 'br', and currency is prefixed
-with its country name: 'belgiumfranc', 'britainpound'. When searching
+with its country name: 'belgiumfranc', 'britainpound'.
+When searching
for a unit, if the specified string does not appear exactly as a unit
name, then
.Nm
@@ -107,19 +123,23 @@ trailing 'es' and check again for a match.
To find out what units are available read the standard units file.
If you want to add your own units you can supply your own file.
A unit is specified on a single line by
-giving its name and an equivalence. Be careful to define
+giving its name and an equivalence.
+Be careful to define
new units in terms of old ones so that a reduction leads to the
primitive units which are marked with '!' characters.
The
.Nm
program will not detect infinite loops that could be caused
-by careless unit definitions. Comments in the unit definition file
+by careless unit definitions.
+Comments in the unit definition file
begin with a '/' character at the beginning of a line.
.Pp
Prefixes are defined in the same was as standard units, but with
-a trailing dash at the end of the prefix name. If a unit is not found
+a trailing dash at the end of the prefix name.
+If a unit is not found
even after removing trailing 's' or 'es', then it will be checked
-against the list of prefixes. Prefixes will be removed until a legal
+against the list of prefixes.
+Prefixes will be removed until a legal
base unit is identified.
.Pp
Here is an example of a short units file that defines some basic
@@ -142,7 +162,8 @@ Exponents entered by the user can be only one digit.
You can work around this by multiplying several terms.
.Pp
The user must use | to indicate division of numbers and / to
-indicate division of symbols. This distinction should not
+indicate division of symbols.
+This distinction should not
be necessary.
.Pp
The program contains various arbitrary limits on the length
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