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- METRIC CONVERTER
-
- INTRODUCTION
- Metric Converter, Metcnvrt, handles fourteen popular
- conversions between customary and metric (SI) systems.
- Metcnvrt also converts customary to customary and
- metric to metric.
-
- USING METRIC CONVERTER
- Metcnvrt simplifies conversions by offering the user
- both a set of "From" units menus and a set of "To"
- units menus implemented as radio buttons.
- The user enters a value in Metcnvrt's "From" window
- using either the keyboard or the clipboard.
- To convert the value, the user simply selects one radio
- button from either of the "From" boxes and one radio
- button from either of the "To" boxes.
- The "From" window value can be entered in either
- floating point or scientific notation. Metcnvrt figures
- out the format from the value entered.
-
- The user triggers a conversion by any of the following:
- 1) typing the Enter key after typing the "From" value,
- 2) clicking on the Convert button,
- 3) selecting any radio button, or
- 4) typing a 'c', 'C', or '^C'.
-
- QUANTITIES MENU
- Metcnvrt's Quantities menu lists fourteen different
- quantities. By selecting a quantity, the user causes
- Metcnvrt to display radio button menus for both the
- customary and metric units of that quantity.
-
- OPTIONS MENU
- The Options menu allows the user to display the output
- conversion in any of three formats: floating point,
- scientific notation, or general. General format implies
- that the program will select the format which is more
- compact for the number of digits and precision.
-
- The Options menu also allows the user to select the
- "To" and "From" system(s) for the conversion.
- When a system is checked, that system's group of radio
- buttons is displayed on the main window.
-
- The "Save" menu entry under the "Options" menu writes
- to the WIN.INI file:
-
- 1) the quantity selected,
- 2) the system(s) selected,
- 3) the format type selected.
-
- CALCULATOR MENU ITEM
- The Calculator menu item spawns a windows calculator.
- The user may specify the calculator program by creating
- a [metcnvrt] section within the WIN.INI file and
- adding a string similar to CALC=CALC.EXE. The default
- calculator is, of course, CALC.EXE.
-
- ACCURACY
- When either Scientific or General format is selected,
- Metcnvrt displays converted values to nine significant
- digits. When Floating Point format is selected,
- Metcnvrt displays converted values to nine decimal
- places.
-
- Internally, most Metcnvrt conversion table factors are
- accurate to ten significant digits. Some notable
- exceptions are listed below.
-
- SPECIAL DEFINITIONS AND FACTORS
- Metcnvrt uses the following special conversion
- factors:
-
- petrol barrel = 42 U.S. gallons (not the std. barrel)
- year = 365.25 days (averaged to five places)
-
- KEYBOARD OPERATION
- The tab key may be used to skip among the "From" window,
- the units buttons area, and the Convert button. Once in
- the units buttons area, the arrow keys can be used to
- move among the buttons.
-
- CLIPBOARD
- The "Copy To Value" menu item copies the contents of the
- "To" window to the clipboard. The "Paste From Value"
- menu item copies the clipboard contents to the "From
- Window." The "Clear From Value" clears both the "From"
- window and the "To" window.
-
- When pasting a number in scientific notation, be sure
- that the calculator (or other destination) is in a mode
- which accepts scientific notation.
-
- WINDOWS RELEASES SUPPORTED
- Metric Converter runs under Windows 2.03, 2.1X,
- and 3.0 in real, standard, and 386 enhanced modes.
-
- LEGAL
- The author has taken pains to verify that Metcnvrt
- agrees with values shown in standard conversion
- tables. However, the author accepts no liability
- for lost profits, etc. due to use of Metcnvrt.
- Metcnvrt's users take all responsibility for its use.
-
- TRADEMARKS
- 386 -- Intel Corp.
- Windows -- Microsoft Corp.
-
- DISTRIBUTION
- Please don't hesitate to distribute Metcnvrt to
- anyone who can use it.
-
- THE PITCH
- If you find Metcnvrt useful, please send a
- contribution of $7.00 to:
-
- Robert Heath
- 157 Chartwell Rd.
- Columbia, SC 29210
-