How to use the command "units" (with examples)

The “units” command is a powerful utility that provides conversions between different units of measure. It can be used to convert between simple units, compound units, and even units with different dimensions. The command is particularly useful when you need to quickly convert measurements in different units, or when you want to explore the relationships between different units of measure.

Use case 1: Run in interactive mode

Code:

units

Motivation:

Running the “units” command without any arguments launches the command in interactive mode. This allows you to perform conversions and explore available units right in your terminal, without the need to repeatedly execute separate commands.

Explanation:

No arguments are provided to the “units” command in this use case. Once the command is executed, you will enter the interactive mode, where you can type unit conversions, search for units, or explore the available units.

Example output:

You have: 
You want: 

Use case 2: List all units containing a specific string in interactive mode

Code:

units -v search string

Motivation:

When there are a large number of units available, it can be convenient to search for specific units containing a certain string. This enables you to quickly find and use the desired units in your conversion calculations.

Explanation:

The “-v” option is used to enable verbose output when searching for units. The “search” command is followed by the desired string, allowing you to search for units containing that specific string.

Example output:

You have: search gallon
   US gallon
   US legal gallon
   US beer gallon
   Imperial gallon
   US dry gallon
   acre foot

Use case 3: Show the conversion between two simple units

Code:

units quarts tablespoons

Motivation:

This use case is useful when you want to convert between different simple units. For example, if you have a value in quarts and need to know the corresponding value in tablespoons, you can use this command to quickly obtain the conversion.

Explanation:

The “quarts” and “tablespoons” arguments specify the two units between which the conversion is desired. The “units” command will then display the conversion factor between the two units.

Example output:

         1 quarts = 32 tablespoons

Use case 4: Convert between units with quantities

Code:

units "15 pounds" kilograms

Motivation:

This use case is beneficial when you have a specific quantity in one unit and need to convert it to another unit. For example, if you have a weight of 15 pounds and want to convert it to kilograms, this command will provide the equivalent value.

Explanation:

The command uses the syntax “15 pounds” to specify the quantity followed by the original unit, and “kilograms” as the desired unit. The “units” command will then convert the given quantity to the desired unit.

Example output:

         6.803886 kilograms

Use case 5: Show the conversion between two compound units

Code:

units "meters / second" "inches / hour"

Motivation:

Compound units consist of multiple units combined using mathematical operations. This use case is helpful when you want to convert between two compound units. It allows you to explore the relationships between different compound units and understand their conversions.

Explanation:

The “meters / second” argument represents the original unit, and “inches / hour” represents the desired unit. The “units” command will then display the conversion factor between the two compound units.

Example output:

  1 meters per second = 39370.07874 inches per hour

Use case 6: Show the conversion between units with different dimensions

Code:

units "acres" "ft^2"

Motivation:

This use case is particularly useful when you want to convert between units with different dimensions. It allows you to understand the relationship between different units and enables you to perform conversions even when the units are not directly compatible.

Explanation:

The “acres” and “ft^2” arguments represent the original and desired units, respectively. The “units” command will then display the conversion factor between the two units, even though they have different dimensions.

Example output:

         1 acres = 43560 ft^2

Use case 7: Show the conversion of byte multipliers

Code:

units "15 megabytes" bytes

Motivation:

This use case is useful when you want to convert between different byte multipliers. For example, if you have a file size in megabytes and want to convert it to bytes, this command will provide the equivalent value.

Explanation:

The “15 megabytes” argument represents the original quantity in the specified byte multiplier. “bytes” is provided as the desired unit. The “units” command will then convert the given quantity to the desired unit.

Example output:

         15 megabytes = 15728640 bytes

Conclusion:

The “units” command is a versatile tool for converting between different units of measure. It provides a simple and convenient way to perform conversions and explore the relationships between different units. Whether you need to convert simple units, compound units, or units with different dimensions, the “units” command has got you covered.