Description

To use this version of Convert you must install a Ewe¹ VM (Virtual Machine) on your computer. Ewe is a version of Java which runs on a variety of desktop and handheld computers. It is very compact and efficient. It uses only about 2 Mbytes of memory.
To learn more about Ewe please read the introduction on the Bray Mobile Applications page.

Convert has 13 categories of units. Each of which has a number of possible conversions. These are:

• Area -- acre, cm², ft², ha, in², m², rod², yd²
• Length -- cm, ft, fathom, furlong, hand, in, km, league, m, mi, micron, mm, nmi, rod, yd
• Volume -- bbl, cm³, ft³, impGal, in³, l, m³, usGal, yd³
• Weight -- dram, g, grain, kg, lb, mg, oz, oz-troy, ton-long, ton-metric, ton-short
• Liquid -- bbl, cup, dram, impGal, in³, l, oz, pt, qt, tbsp, tsp, usGal, waterDrop
• Dry -- bushel, in³, l, pk, pt, qt
• Energy -- Btu, hph, kCal, kJ, kWh, erg
• Power -- Btu/hr, hp, kCal/hr, kJ/hr, kW
• Pressure -- atm, bar, inH2O, inHg, kPa, mH2O, mbar, mmHg, psi
• Velocity -- cm/s, ft/min, ft/s, km/h, knots, m/min, m/s, mi/min, mi/s, mph
• Temperature -- C, K, F, R
• Dates -- Date, Day, YearWeek, YearDay, WeekDay
• Degrees -- Degree, Hour, dd.ddd, dd:mm.mm, dd:mm:ss.ss, + both, - both

We hope you find Convert a useful adjunct to your Mobile and Desktop applications.

About This Documentation

Sections:
• Installation (Must Read)
• Using Convert
  • Menu Instructions
  • Using the Degrees and Dates Categories
• Accuracy Warning
• Changing Display Font
• Abbreviation List
• Contact Information
• Foot Notes

The first thing to do is to install the Ewe VM on your computer(s), if not already installed. Follow the instruction found on the Ewe Download and Installation Page for your computer. The Ewe installer will create directories on your computer and put the Ewe VM files in them. After Ewe is installed find the Ewe directory. For example, in a Windows Desktop it will be where you told the installer to install it, and in the Pocket PC it will (probably) be in /Windows/StartMenu/Programs/Ewe. Specifically, it is the directory in which you find 'ewe.ewe'. ewe.ewe is the Ewe Launcher. Use of Ewe Launcher is not mandatory for the Windows and Pocket PC operating system. However please read Changing Display Font below.

There is no installer for Convert.ewe, it can be put in any directory of your choice. However it is recommended that you put it in the directory with the Ewe VM as discussed above. If you put all of your applications in this directory, when you add additional applications from Bray Mobile Applications common files can be shared.

There is also no uninstaller for Convert. It does not use the operating system registry, so nothing is hidden. To remove Convert, simply delete: Convert.ewe, and Convert.ini.

Note: No matter what Regional settings are used on your computer(s), Convert always uses the '.' (period) as the decimal point, the ':' (colon) as the hour/minute/second separator, and the ',' (comma) as the data separator.

Convert should be ready to run now. Find Convert.ewe with your File Explorer, click on it to try it out!

Using Convert

• A row of two Menu Buttons: Decimals, Help
• Unit Category Selector: Area> category is selected at startup,
• Value Input/Answer line: which is blank,
• Unit Selector: acre unit selected,
• Value Input/Answer line: which is blank,
• Unit Selector: acre unit selected,
• The Convert button.

1. Press Unit Category selector (top most selector) down-arrow to select: Velocity,
2. enter a value, say 66.2, in the top Value Input/Answer line,
3. change the top Unit Selector to say km/h (kilometers per hour),
4. change the bottom Unit Selector to say mph (miles per hour),
5. press Convert.

In the Value Input/Answer line above mi 41.135 will appear. If the number of decimal places shown is not sufficient use the Decimals menu.

A value to be converted can be entered in either the top or bottom Value Input/Answer line, and the result will appear in the other value line above the selected unit name.
There are two exceptions: Dates and Degrees. These are discussed below.

In addition to converting a value, some tools are also provided. When a value is in either input/answer area, holding the pen (or pressing right mouse button) on it two or three possible actions can be done.

• Restore it to the previous value, or
• Perform a calculation using a simple +-*/ Calculator. Note: This calculator performs operations from left to right. It does not follow normal arithmetic +-, */ rules.
• In case the Unit Category is Dates a Calendar can be poped up. This calendar is set at the current date, but the month and year can be changed by pressing the top or bottom of the respective labels.

• Decimals This allows the selection of the number of decimal digits used to display decimal values, and to force scientific notation.
  For decimal values the choices are: 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.
  For scientific notation the choices are: "On" or "Off"

  Note: If a value is greater than 10,000 the value is automatically displayed in scientific notation with the number of decimal digit as specific by the Decimal menu.

• Help
  • Explain -- This is category sensitive help. It is in simple reminder form.

  • Use EweVM Font   This forces the display font to be that of the Ewe Launcher. A full explanation is given in Changing Display Font.

  • This at Startup   This saves the current Unit Category and two Unit items for startup next time you use Covert.

  • About -- This is the usual About information. It tells you the version of Convert you have installed. Be sure to check the Bld: number to see that your Convert is up-to-date.

  • Quit -- The obvious Quit selection. You can also quit using the upper right hand X. Startup information is saved upon exit.

Date

This unit category allows conversion on a date value in the input/answer area by:

• Subtracting another date,
• Adding days to that date,
• Computing its week of year,
• Computing its day of the year.
• Computing its day of the week.

Date values placed in either input/answer area may be in any of the following formats:

• month/day/year -- e.g. March 23, 1802 is 3/23/1802.
• day.month.year -- e.g. March 23, 2004 is 23.3.04. For the above two formats, when years values are 2000 or greater a 2 digit year may be used.
• year.month.day -- e.g. March 23, 2009 is 2009.3.23
• "today", -- today's date, or
• blank -- which also means "today".

  These three date formats will not make everyone happy because the notation will not be correct for many people, but at least the order will be correct for most.

  Note: At startup Convert will remember the last used date format.

Usage rules for the selected bottom unit:

• Date -- The result in the bottom area is the bottom date subtracted from the top date.
• Day -- The result in the bottom area is the bottom day added to the top date. (A day may be negative.)
• YearWeek -- The result in the bottom area is the week of the year for the top date. (If the first calendar week contains Thursday, that week is Week 1. Otherwise it is Week 0.)
• YearDay -- The result in the bottom area is the day of the year for the top date.
• WeekDay -- The result in the bottom area is the day of the week for the top date.

Degrees

This unit category allow conversion of degrees or hour values into alternate formats or allows the addition or subtraction of degrees or hours in the allowable formats.
The input value placed in either the top or bottom input area must be in any of the formats:

• dd.ddd -- decimal value, e.g. 107.765
• dd:mm.mm -- degree and minutes, e.g. 15:30.77 -- 15 hours, 30.77 minutes
• dd:mm:ss.ss -- degree, minute, seconds, e.g 198:32:15.2 -- 198 degrees, 32 minutes, 15.2 seconds

The answer value in the bottom area can be any of the above formats or a result as follows:

• + both -- the sum of the top input/answer value is added to the value entered in the bottom input/answer area.
• - both -- the difference of the top and the bottom values.
  If the result is not in the desired format simply change the bottom unit format selection and press Convert again. See the Usage Rules next.

Usage rules:

• If a value is in either the top or bottom value area, its format is converted to that specified in the bottom unit selection area.
• If values are placed in both the top and bottom input/answer areas they are added or subtracted as specified by the bottom unit selection.
  If the result is not in the desired format simply change the bottom unit format selection and press Convert again.

Do not use Convert for high accuracy conversion.
The conversion values used are taken from many different sources. Thus their accuracy cannot guaranteed.
Also, because of the general method used for the conversion, most conversion are done with two calculations. This adds computer number system and rounding inaccuracies.

If you need very accurate unit conversion. Find another computer program to do the conversions. Do not use Convert for high accuracy..

Changing Display Font

To solve this problem a menu item has been added: Use EweVM Font. When this is selected the font used is that of the Ewe Launcher. This is explained next.

In Convert Tap 'Help' then tap 'Use EweVM Font'. Nothing will happen. Exit Convert. Next time you restart Convert, the display will use the Ewe Vm font. If the font is not to your liking, run the Ewe Launcher: ewe.ewe. It is located in the directory in which you installed Ewe. That is discussed in: Installation above.

To change the Ewe VM font in the Ewe Launcher, click on the 'VM Options' tab. Select the font and size you want. Save it. Selecting a monospaced font will look the best. Once this is done restart Convert.

Ewe Launcher also allows you to change the style of the display buttons. You might want to check this out.

Abbreviation List

The Bray Mobile Applications Page can be found at: http://davidbray.org/mobile/

Registering

This archive may be freely redistributed, provided it is made available only in its complete, unmodified form with no additional files and for noncommercial purposes only.
Any other use must have prior written authorization from David W. Bray.

Unauthorized commercial use includes, but is not limited to:

• Convert itself as a product for sale.
• Accompanying a magazine, book or other publication for sale.
• Distribution with 'Media', 'Copying' or other incidental costs.
• Available for download with access or download fees.

Disclaimer

¹ Ewe is developed by Michael L. Brereton. We are indebted to him for his outstanding software product and making it freely available. Thank you Michael!

^*Changes in Version 1.0

1. New Date format added. (V1.0 Bld:632)
2. A popup calendar added to Date units tools. (V1.0 Bld:632)
3. Current Unit category and unit items saved for next startup. (V1.0 Bld:632)
4. Fixed bug in Convert startup routine. (V1.0 Bld:634)

To be sure that your version is up-to-date check the Bld: number in the current description of Convert at: http://davidbray.org/mobile/

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