Sicyon Units File Editor
 

Purpose: Sicyon Units File Editor is a utility which allows you to add, delete or edit units or categories in user friendly manner.

Toolbar Buttons

• Open - open file (*.unt), change default filename* to the opened one.
• Save - save the edited units as file. By default, under the default filename*. (disabled during the trial period)
• Filter - enable or disable groups of units using keywords.
• Validate - validation of the changes you've made. It's highly recommendable to validate before you save or exit with save (Done).
• Done - save the last changes in a file with default filename*, switch that file to be the active units file and exit the editor.
• Cancel - cancel changes and exit the editor.
• Help - help.

* default filename -  filename from window caption, containing the units currently edited.

When you start the application in order to validate the units file you are about to use, place -vld in the command line of the application. Recommended, in case, you often change the units file.

NB The files used by the units converter must be in the directory of the executable (e.g. ../Sicyon Units Converter/).

Editor Tab

Once you enter the editor thru the Options, you will see the file structure on the left and details of the selected node or the right.

Node-tree of domains, categories and units

	Add new child node of the selected one
	Delete selected node
	Move selected node up
	Move selected node down
	Cut selected node into the node-clipboard*
	Copy selected node to the node-clipboard*
	Paste a node from the node-clipboard*
	Full expand of all the nodes
	Full collapse of all the nodes

* Node-clipboard is a buffer for nodes, which functions as clipboard.

Domain nodes organize category nodes only visually.

All the units are organized by category of units (or category). The term unit category is extended to include more complex dimensions as speed, acceleration etc.

Categories types are:

Root dimension - contain only single units (e.g. m, cm, km ...). The units in this category must have their own symbol and usually a name.

Supplemental dimension - supplemental to a root dimension, supplemental unit is respective root core units with exponent.
The units in this category must have their proper symbol (except for the core unit, which must be root/core unit with exponent).
e.g. Volume is supplemental to distance, core unit of distance is meter and core unit of volume is cubic meter (m^3).

Compound dimension - expression of root units (only multiplication, division and integer exponent are allowed).
The units in this category must be expressed by root units. All the units must have the same structure as the core unit of that category.
e.g. Mass density: core unit is kg/m^3, factor units are "pound per cubic inch" and "pound per cubic foot".

NB Unit symbols are case-sensitive, e.g. s is second; but S is siemens

PS The rules, which units must or mustn't have its own symbol, may be confusing in some cases (see Pressure), but allow maximum flexibility to convert unit-by-unit.
 

Units types are:

core-unit (SI) - single unit upon which all the conversions in this category are based. Core unit is always enabled. That is the unit to which you would switch when you click on SI button.
e.g. Distance - meter, Force - Newton, Speed - meter per second.

factor conversion - unit which converts to core unit by factor (coefficient). The value of the factor is: what part of core-unit is that unit - e.g. the factor of cm is 0.01

rule conversion - unit which converts to core unit using a math expression.
Rule type was established primary to include temperature in the system, but is used for other non-factor units.

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Filter allows you to enable or disable set of the units using their keywords. The filter will change only the Enable property of the target units, the disable units will be still in the file, but the converter will ignore them. The two principal operation are represented by two buttons (Enable / Disable). Check the domains in which operations will take place. Select if you want to connect the keywords in the set with logical OR or AND. Check keywords for the set you require.

XML Tab

XML tab allows you to see the output file which will be saved. The XML structure of the file is described here.

You can edit it, but please do it with caution and always validate (turn to editor first) after you edit.

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