SimConverter - my new unit conversion app

English Applications
#1

Hi,

I wrote a System International unit converter in MonoDevelop on openSUSE:

“This unit conversion program is based on the latest standard of International System of Units (SI) and NIST Special Publication 811 (1995 Edition) and provides many more conversions. Licensed under GPL3. Written in C# with Mono & MonoDevelop.”

It’s on the SourceForge: SIM Converter | Get SIM Converter at SourceForge.net

So far it only converts, but I also want to make a custom unit converter too, so that you can add/change/delete your own units.

Just wanted to share it and maybe get some comments which I will greatly appreciate. Thank you.

#2

Hello linuxoidoz,

It’s a handy little tool.:wink:

There’s just one thing that is pretty annoying.
When I choose Temperature a little window pops-up saying: “Division by zero”.
And when I change the Input the window pops-up again.
This only occurs when I use Temperature.

So far it only converts, but I also want to make a custom unit converter too, so that you can add/change/delete your own units.
When you add this the program is complete.
The only thing I would recommend is to make a button to change everything back to default.

Good luck!:wink:

#3

Nice little program, and sorry I may sound negative, but there’s no way I’d go install the whole mono thing (something like 200-400MB big or so) just to run a tiny program

Also, LOL @ dividing by zero :smiley:
This was how the universe got created. You trying to make another one? :stuck_out_tongue: :stuck_out_tongue:

#4

Thank you for your feedback, much appreciate it. You can imagine there’s thousands of units I couldn’t possible check every single one of them. That’s why I need your testing comments. I’ll have a look what’s wrong with the temperature.

This was how the universe got created. You trying to make another one?
Yeah, rotfl!

microchip8, I need all comments, negative too. But, unfortunately I can only program in C# which needs Mono to run on. I wish I knew C++, but I refuse to even learn its ridiculous syntax and manual garbage collection. I tried Java, I started 10 times and gave up 10 times - Java is just not for me. I tried Pascal with Lazarus, but the GUI is not as mature and good looking as Qt/GTK/Java. What else is there? Python? I read it’s really good and easy and popular. I may look at it closer when I’m fed up with C# (I hate it being not cross-platform no matter what M. de Icaza thinks). I want to port the converter to Qt with Qyoto, but again, it will need Mono. After that I think I’ll be ready for Python.

Edward_Iii,

The only thing I would recommend is to make a button to change everything back to default.

Sorry, did not understand, what did you mean by “back to default”?

And I have also written another multimedia codec app for myself in C# and Qt (with Qyoto and Mono) - sorry, it runs on Mono too at this stage. But please feel free to try it too and make comments (probably better place on the SourceForge rather than this forum). It’s called Cute Giraffe because it’s a Qt-based Graphical Interface Rapper for Ffmpeg and you can find it here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/qt-giraff/.

#5

Me neither. I think you’d stand a better chance of adoption if you didn’t require that baggage.

BTW you know about the CLI program units, which has a history dating back to Bell Labs Unix? (Although this is a GNU reimplementation.) You could make a GUI frontend to that et voila, a converter with little effort.

$ units
2411 units, 71 prefixes, 33 nonlinear units

You have: 10 lbs
You want: kg
        * 4.5359237
        / 0.22046226
#6

you know about the CLI program units, which has a history dating back to Bell Labs Unix

I can’t believe how much work he has done. But I prefer using XML rather than parsing text files.

you’d stand a better chance of adoption if you didn’t require that baggage

I know, I don’t like Mono either, but I love C#. If there was another language like C# but without .Net/Mono baggage, I’d love to hear about it. So far I can only see few alternatives:

  1. Python - don’t know it, will take time to learn, interpreted = slow
  2. Java - will only touch it as a last resort, slow, ugly GUI
  3. Delphi (Lazarus) - not nice GUI
  4. C++ - tempting but hate its syntax and no garbage collection

I know the language is a personal thing, there’s as many C++ lovers as haters, but I’m at cross roads, can’t really pick the best. My only requirement is I love Qt and want to write programs with Qt toolkit.

#7

For a human driven app like this it hardly matters that the implementation language is interpreted. Besides the graphical parts are in native code, with Python bindings.

You can get memory management libraries for C++. Can’t recommend you any though, haven’t used C++ in a while.

#8

Looks like it comes down to either

  1. C# - easiest for myself, uncertain future whatever that means (.net, patents, size, portability, support, microsoft…) + community resistance to use/install Mono
  2. C++ - bite the bullet and hope it’ll be stable (do the best with garbage collection)
  3. Python - steep learning curve, will have to rewrite everything but may be better in the long run

… I’ll go and have a beer… or two

#9

Hello linuxoidoz,

Sorry, did not understand, what did you mean by “back to default”?
Sorry, it was my fault.:shame: I was reading a bit to fast.

So far it only converts, but I also want to make a custom unit converter too, so that you can add/change/delete your own units.
I didn’t saw the word “own”. So I thought you could change any unit.
And when this is possible it would be nice if you could change it back to the standard values.

Good luck!:wink: