Return information on the current unit system.
[ustr,ufact,unum]=getunits('in')
[ustr,ufact,unum]=getunits('silent')
[ustr,ufact,unum]=getunits('in','silent')
[ustr,ufact,unum,ulab]=getunits
GETUNITS has two uses: to find out the current unit system, and to obtain information on any predefined unit system. The input argument is a two- or three-character unit string. If the input argument is omitted, the current working units are returned.
The meaning of the output arguments are as follows:
ustr - a vector of conversion factors :
ufact - the two-character unit system name
ufact(1) = 1 meter/1 model length unit
ufact(2) = 1 Newton/1 model force unit
ufact(3) = 1 deg K/1 model temperature unit (relative temperature)
ufact(4) = temperature offset from absolute zero
ufact(5) = 1 meter/sec^2/1 model acceleration unit
unum - the numeric value of the unit system
ulab - the units label strings
ulab{1,:} - length units label strings
ulab{2,:} - force units label strings
ulab{3,:} - mass units label strings
ulab{4,:} - temperature units label strings
ulab{5,:} - time units label strings
ulab{6,:} - acceleration units label strings
All of the output arguments are optional. If no output arguments are requested, then GETUNITS prints a summary of the specified unit system.
The following unit systems are recognized:
| unum | ustr | Name | Length | Time | Mass | Force | Temp |
| 1 | SI | Metric_Abs_(SI) | meter | sec | kilogram(kgm) | Newton (N) | deg_c:K |
| 2 | BG | British_Grav | foot | sec | lbf-sec^2/ft | pound (lbf) | deg_F:R |
| 3 | MG | Metric_Grav | meter | sec | kgf-sec^2/m | kilogram (kgf) | deg_C:K |
| 4 | BA | British_Abs | foot | sec | pound(lbm) | poundal (pdl) | deg_F:R |
| 5 | MM | Modified_SI | mm | sec | kilogram(kgm) | milli-Newton | deg_C:K |
| 6 | CM | Modified_SI | cm | sec | kilogram(kgm) | centi-Newton | deg_C:K |
| 7 | IN | British_Grav_(mod) | inch | sec | lbf-sec^2/in | pound (lbf) | deg_F:R |
| 8 | GM | Metric_Grav_(mod) | mm | sec | kgf-sec^2/mm | kilogram (kgf) | deg_C:K |
| 9 | US | User_defined | - | sec | - | - | - |
| 10 | MN | Milli Meter (Newton) | mm | sec | tonne (t) | Newton (N) | deg_C:K |
If the 3rd character of USTR is 'g', this indicates that IMAT is treating acceleration units as G's and not engineering units.
The unit system affects all input and output operations to ADF and universal files. On input from an ADF or universal file, data is converted into the selected unit system. On output to an ADF, data is converted back to SI units as required by I-deas. On output to a universal file, a units dataset (164) is written at the beginning of the file to indicate the units of the subsequent datasets. Angular units are in radians.
Passing in the optional string 'silent' suppresses output.
Note: unlike I-deas, changing the unit system does not automatically convert units for existing functions. You should call SETUNITS before any import/output operations, and maintain consistency throughout a session. If you never call SETUNITS, then SI units will be assumed. If GETUNITS is called before SETUNITS, then the user will prompted for a unit system.
>> getunits('in');
Summary of IN unit system (current default)
Length
..... 39.3701 model units = 1 meter
1 model unit = 0.0254 meters
Force
..... 0.224809 model units = 1 Newton
1 model unit = 4.44822 Newtons
Mass
..... 0.00571015 model units = 1 kilogram
1 model unit = 175.127 kilograms
Temperature
..... 1.8 model units = 1 degree Kelvin
1 model unit = 0.555556
degrees Kelvin
Temperature scale
..... 1.8 model units - 459.67 = 1 degree Kelvin
1 model unit - 459.67 = 0.555556
degree Kelvin
Acceleration
..... 39.3701 model units = 1 m/s^2
1 m/s^2 = 0.0254 model units
>> getunits('ing');
Summary of IN unit system (current default)
Length
..... 39.3701 model units = 1 meter
1 model unit = 0.0254 meters
Force
..... 0.224809 model units = 1 Newton
1 model unit = 4.44822 Newtons
Mass
..... 0.00571015 model units = 1 kilogram
1 model unit = 175.127 kilograms
Temperature
..... 1.8 model units = 1 degree Kelvin
1 model unit = 0.555556 degrees Kelvin
Temperature scale
..... 1.8 model units - 459.67 = 1 degree Kelvin
1 model unit - 459.67 = 0.555556 degree Kelvin
Acceleration
..... 386.089 model units = 1 G
1 G = 0.00259008 model units
>>