[boost] Re: Dimensional Analysis Interest?

From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-10-15 14:12:05

Hugo Duncan wrote:

>One of the design criteria I would like to see is a clear distinction
>between dimensional analysis and units.

This is absolutly essential !!!!

Dimensions are one thing

units are a way of rendering them

Internally for arithmetic purposes, some canonical set of units
has to be selected.  But any time a result is rendered at
the user level it as to include a units property which might
or might not be the same as the canonical one.

As an illustration of this point I uploaded my own
attempt of at a dimension/units library to the file section.
At the time I had no knowledge of templates so its
not suitable as a submission - However it does
illustrate the fundamental requirement that the
concept of dimensions are units are separate
and only grief will result from intermixing them.

Robert Ramey