Wrote

Just for information: as you, maybe, know I have paused work on the program one week ago. It was important because I had to pass an exam (Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, ASP.NET Application Development) today. Now it's ok, exam is passed and I'm back to work.

Congratulations Andrey

Regards,
Radovan

Units quick search feature added to SMath Studio.



Also Units added:
Revolution, Kilogram Force, Metric Ton Force, Ton Force and Kip.

I've been lurking this forum for awhile and have been testing the beta version as it has the units function. I really must congratulate you as like others I've been looking for a cheaper alternative to MathCAD and this is really looking to be it.

However, in terms of units there are a couple notes I wish to make:

1) See this post for details of it, but I agree with wanting the ability to set the output units without having to override the metric ones. I realize how wonky the English/Imperial system can be, but it is what I must use.

It took me a couple tries, but I think I can override the dimensions like mentioned as possible in the post linked. However, I would definitely prefer an option to set the output units if possible.

2) There are some other types of units that I use as an engineer that I don't see in the units window. Is it possible to add outputs for things such as torque/moments (force*length) and force distributions (force/length)?

With the way the beta is currently constructed any moment calculation I make comes out in Joules [J] and the force distribution comes out in [length*pressure] or in my particular case meters*Pascal [mPa]. This could work, but I don't see a way to convert that to English/Imperial yet.

These are my main issues with units that I've come across so far. If these can be worked out than SMath Studio could DEFINITELY be an alternative to MathCAD for the office I work in.

All in all though, VERY good work so far!

~tWS

Just few minor observations.

Do not understand why "Gravitational acceleration ('g)" is under "Viscosity, dynamic" in the "Dimension" list.

There is also a small typo in the Insert Unit dialog box - There is "Dimention" - should be "Dimension"

Regards,
Radovan

Brilliant work, Andrey!

I have been playing with SMath Studio on and off for a while now, but the lack of units (and the fact that I have access to Mathcad at work, but not at home) has been a bit of an issue for me. However, I have now decided that SMath Studio will have permanent home on my PC (and my SmartPhone - so I can carry some simple steel beam checking worksheets etc around with me in the field), and I have finally taken the plunge and made a small financial contribution to the project. (I would urge other users to do likewise - work of this calibre deserves to be rewarded! )

Congratulations - and thanks again!

Hey there,

Haven't used this for a while, opened it up to play a little with maths.. And wham, update + units.
Pleasant surprise

Great work. Works fantastic
However, I stumbled across an inconvenient situation:


If I make a calculation that results in something squared (probably cubic etc. too), I can't *just* change the resulting unit. I have to enter a resulting unit... Squared...

Imagine using defined functions that return a result with an undefined power, having to go through each and setting the resulting unit to their respective powers :P... Imagine then changing the function

I think I made it clear ..

Regards,
Mike

PS.
Kudos. Showed it to some physics students I know, and they were baffled..

Sory Mike, I did not get it

I do not understand your point. If you multiply two values with the same dimension of, say, time (T) you will have the resulting value in dimension of T*T. If the units are diferent you wil have(U1*U2), if the units are the same then will be (U*U=U^2).

Regards,
Radovan

Wrote

Sory Mike, I did not get it

I do not understand your point. If you multiply two values with the same dimension of, say, time (T) you will have the resulting value in dimension of T*T. If the units are diferent you wil have(U1*U2), if the units are the same then will be (U*U=U^2).

Regards,
Radovan

If you f.ex. enter "hr" into the little field after a calculation, it is possible to change the resulting unit..
But in my picture, it results to the rather inconvenient unit "s * hr"... Even though it makes loads of sense, it's not practical..

What I'd rather see when entering "hr" would be "hr^2". Ie. SMath compensates for the conversion to squared (thus removing the "s*..".

Hello,

Where can I download the beta version to start playing with unit calculation??

Wrote

Hello,

Where can I download the beta version to start playing with unit calculation??

Here you go:

http://en.smath.info/forum/default.aspx?g=posts&t=425

Have fun!


Regards,
Vlad.

Hello all!

I need your help to create some example file(s) with Units usage. This example(s) I want to put into the Examples Dialog of all SMath Studio versions and to the Examples menu of SMath Studio Live (this menu is implemented for Russian version and will be in the English page soon as well).

Does anyone have a simple but sexy worksheet for these purposes? To see what I mean, please, check the Roman Numerals (Arabic to Roman numeral conversion) entry into the Examples dialog - it represents "using strings into math regions" functionality and I need similar one(s), but about Units.

Thanks in advance!
Regards, Andrey Ivashov.

Andrey,

Here is an example that I have simplified from a worksheet that I completed on the linear thermal expansion of steel pipes. You may use it (or not) as you want. It is a good, albeit quite simple, example of using units.

Linear Thermal Expansion

Also, in addition, it shows how to correctly work with temperature differences from relative temperature scales. (see these discussion threads for more info: Variable assignment bug, Unit Temperatures possible improvement )

Hope this is helpful,
Will

BTW: feel free to modify this example anyway you like.

Thank you, Will!

This is the useful one. I think I'll start working with examples a bit later, before the release, and will decide which ones should be in a package.

Best regards.

I will be approaching units cautiously.

I have forgotten the details of all unit systems and some of my reference books are ancient. But I know what I am designing and building and understand the energies that I am working with and that they can be described differently. I purchased a Unit Conversion program years ago that has cut through the morass the different systems. This is when I realized that the concepts are more important than the units but once you put exponents on a value, most people start to loose grasp of the concept.

So this is what I ask. Let me turn off the automatic unit conversion of answers.

Just let SMath carry them through the equation.

In this simple calculation, I get a correct but totally useless answer.

5*'btu*6*'hr=1.08*10^5*'btu*'s


MathCad gives me an even more obnoxious number in Meters squared * Kilograms per Second.

If I gave that number to a customer, they would turn around and walk out the door.

If I make up my own units, SMath carries the units through perfectly.

5*'johnBTU*6*'johnHRS=30*'johnBTU*'johnHRS

and I get an understandable number... except for the john part.:d


I understand your concern for standardization and interoperability of worksheets between different users.
PTC MathCad did not implement this well, please don't follow their path.

More fun with Units:
5*'apples*4*'oranges=20*'apples*'oranges
6*'btu*5*'apples=30*'btu*'apples

Hello John,

I think you need just a simple thing of converting the result into the desired units. If SMath (Mathcad as well) givs you the result in the units you do not like - just change it.

See please the placeholder at the of the expression. Click into it and insert the units you want, then exit from the region. The result will be in the units you inserted. If the units are not consistent - SMath will manage, do not worry

Regards,
Radovan

Hi Radovan

Thanks

I was able to finally force units in my answer. It takes some practice using the arrow keys, the unit drop down box and the TAB key to select the unit. Practice, practice, practice!

I was also fianlly able to force it in MC.

I would still like the option to have the output units to automatically correspond to the input units and not spend the extra time to force anything.

I would also like the option to control scientific notation in the answer in the following ways:

Scientific Notation on or off.
Force exponents in answers to correspond with unit prefixes ... 10^3, 10^6, 10^-3 etc.

I design and build biomass combustion devices for home heating. I don't know what system my units belong to but they are real world units and my design references are in both metric and US units (even bushels of corn per day). Heat transfer units get really arcane ... BTU per square ft per inch per hour. Throw in some data in Watts per square meter and I have my hands full. This is why having the output units correspond to input units is important to me.

I have dropped out of two of the finest Engineering Colleges in the US because I was too slow with Calculus and could not do the rote memorization of the transformations required to pass. I always loved Math but have come to hate the way it is taught. This is why I am so excited about SMath. Years ago, I finally just decided to do Engineering rather than study it and for much less than the price of a years tuition built a very capable machine and welding shop.

You are welcome John

Wrote

I would still like the option to have the output units to automatically correspond to the input units and not spend the extra time to force anything.

I do not know about this. I think it might be a bit tricky to achieve. Maybe Andrey will have the more complete answer about it.

Wrote

I would also like the option to control scientific notation in the answer in the following ways:

Scientific Notation on or off.
Force exponents in answers to correspond with unit prefixes ... 10^3, 10^6, 10^-3 etc.

I hope SMath will improve and extend the formats of number presentation sooner or later.

Just to remind you that SMath is a project mantained by a single person - Andrey Ivashov. Yes, I agree - we would like many things to have in SMath, but the fact is that we need patience. It depends on Andrey's spare time to work on it and on the good willing people (programmers) to extend it via plugins.

Regards,
Radovan

Somehow I think posting my experience here might be of interest. I don't mean to be rude or demanding. Andrey is just amazing for what he has accomplished!

I just spent the last hour trying to create a worksheet incorporating the units feature.
My blueprints are in Decimal inches because that is how the machines in my shop are set up. My Heat Exchange Tables are in BTU per square foot. I tried to set the worksheet up to convert heat exchanger dimensions in inches to square feet. I now see the impossible challenge Andrey has trying to make the units feature meet every possible situation.

The end result was that I did not use the units feature. I labeled the units using plain text.

But I am very satisfied because I still have been able to easily document my calculations and have an interactive worksheet.

I think I will step out of this discussion on the units feature as I work with such a mess of different unit systems. I won't even dare request that Bushels of corn per day be incorporated into the program (Farmers up here really do burn corn for heat).

I could not figure out how to post a screen capture of this problem.

John,

I work primarily in Imperial units, living in US. Although I have to convert every result from SI to Imperial its a small price to pay for the automatic mathimatical calculation with units.

I'm a civil engineer and I typically calculate stress. Moment is typically kip*ft and section modulus is in^3. Manual calculation you have to multiply moment by 12 and divide by section modulus to get stress ksi in consistent units. But not with SMath. The unit conversion is handled automatically. Avoids a lot of mistakes.

Post your equation and maybe someone can help. I caught a MathCad user inputting a value as
10.2 in^2 when what they really wanted was (10.2 in)^2. The end result had the right units but the math was wrong.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful but don't work with BTU.

Check out the Wiki for tips on posting images etc to the forum. Check out File Management for uploaded images and the bottom of the Wiki page for tips on how to.

Hello John,

Wrote

Somehow I think posting my experience here might be of interest. I don't mean to be rude or demanding. Andrey is just amazing for what he has accomplished!

Do not worry about it . Just do not hesitate to post whatever you want. I can convince you that Andrey incorporated many things that users requested. However, it takes some time.

Wrote

I just spent the last hour trying to create a worksheet incorporating the units feature.
My blueprints are in Decimal inches because that is how the machines in my shop are set up. My Heat Exchange Tables are in BTU per square foot. I tried to set the worksheet up to convert heat exchanger dimensions in inches to square feet. I now see the impossible challenge Andrey has trying to make the units feature meet every possible situation.

The end result was that I did not use the units feature. I labeled the units using plain text.

If you do not mind, I would suggest you to use units and do not give up. Just play with them and I am convinced that you will find the most convenient way for you. This is one of the greatest SMath feature.

Wrote

I could not figure out how to post a screen capture of this problem.

As Ed suggested, visit the Wiki and see how to upload pictures there and make links to them in the posts.

Regards,
Radovan