RE: [boost] Re: Eric Ford's Unit package

From: David Bergman (davidb_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-03-06 14:22:27

Hugo wrote:

[snip]
> I have found in the past that there is a need to
> distinguish between dimension handling and unit handling.
> 
> In the case of a physical calculation, I usually ensure that 
> the code works with a self consistent set of units, and thus 
> only need dimensionality, compile time, code.
> 
> Units then become important only in the user interface, and
> I have a list of the units used in the physical calculation
> for each dimension.
> 
> This is obviously only one way of using dimensions and units, 
> but I think an important one. The usual exception to the 
> above is for money where you are working with multiple currencies.

One could actually regard the different currencies as realizing
different dimensions. After all, a dollar bill is quite different from a
British pound bill, although one can apply a certain process
(exchange...) to convert between these dimensions.

For some ideas about how one can implement the dimension/unit framework,
look at the Java-based system Frink
(http://futureboy.homeip.net/frinkdocs/) implemented by Alan Eliasen.

/David