ptolemy.moml.unit

Interface UnitPresentation

All Known Implementing Classes:

Unit, UnitConstraints, UnitEquation, UnitExpr, UnitInEquality, UnitTerm

public interface UnitPresentation

The methods necessary to present Units, UnitConstraints, UnitExprs, etc. so that developers, and humans can understand the results generated by the system.

Since:

Ptolemy II 8.0

Version:

$Id$

Author:

Rowland R Johnson

Pt.AcceptedRating:

Red (cxh)

Pt.ProposedRating:

Red (cxh)

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
java.lang.String	descriptiveForm() This method generates the descriptive form.
java.lang.String	toString()

Method Detail

descriptiveForm

java.lang.String descriptiveForm()

This method generates the descriptive form. In addition to the internal form used by the system Units, UnitConstraints, UnitExprs, etc. have a descriptive form that is used by humans. This method generates that form so that humans can easily understand the results generated by the system. For example, an internal representation of a Unit could be 4.1868E7*<2, 1, 1, 0, 0> and its descriptive form would be "calorie".

The descriptive form is invariant across Unit Systems. That is, calorie is calorie regardless of the Unit System. But, the internal form may be 4.1868E7*<2, 1, 1, 0, 0> in one Unit System, and 1.0*<2, 1, 1, 0, 0> in another. Therefore the descriptive form is used as the external representation. This makes it possible to save a model under one Unit System, and then load it under a different Unit System.

Returns:

The descriptive form.

toString

java.lang.String toString()

Overrides:

toString in class java.lang.Object