Re: \unit parser ignoring case, in some cases. - Gavin via ntg-context

From: Gavin via ntg-context <ntg-context@ntg.nl>
To: mailing list for ConTeXt users <ntg-context@ntg.nl>
Cc: Gavin <gavinpublic@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: \unit parser ignoring case, in some cases.
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2023 12:03:23 -0600	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <839FF8CC-EFC7-4A03-B717-1BBDFAC23BD0@comcast.net> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20230314100831.47b15277@boo.my.domain>

On Mar 14, 2023, at 10:08 AM, Alan Braslau via ntg-context <ntg-context@ntg.nl> wrote:
> Right now, \unit{1 mm-1} and \unit{1 m m-1} give the same result:
> inverse millimeters (whereas the second should be m•m^{-1}…)
> 
> Alan

Alan,

I’d like to better understand how the \unit{} command works and why those choices were made. Some of the choices seem to be “asking for troubles,” but perhaps they are essential for some users.

I’m happy to have the unit command accept a variety of different forms for the unit, but I’d really like one of the acceptable forms to be the form prescribed by Le Système international d'unités, so that “m s” is a meter second and “ms” is a millisecond. However, I’m not sure if this goal conflicts with other important goals.

Would you like to explore \unit{} this summer to see if we can find a consistent solution? Perhaps we can produce a plan for \unit{} that does not conflict with other \unit{} features, or perhaps we can make a module that lacks some of the features of \unit{} but conforms to the SI for input as well as output. I would be happy with either.

I’d also like to work on the luagraph module this summer. I’m getting a lot better at MetaPost programming!

I can’t approach either issue in a comprehensive way until the summer, because I have a lot of content to produce for our physics class. This year we kept on schedule – for the first time ever! – and that means we will be studying a couple of topics that I haven’t prepared yet. 

Obviously, anyone else interested in \unit{} or luagraph would be welcome to join us, either remotely or here in sunny Fort Collins, Colorado. (School ends here on May 26.)

Gavin
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