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mp-units/docs/framework/basic_concepts.rst
2022-03-18 16:12:21 +01:00

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.. namespace:: units
Basic Concepts
==============
The most important concepts in the library are `Unit`, `Dimension`,
`Quantity`, `QuantityPoint`, `QuantityKind`, and `QuantityPointKind`:
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<object data="../_images/concepts.svg" type="image/svg+xml" class="align-center" style="max-width: 100%;"></object>
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@startuml
skinparam monochrome true
skinparam shadowing false
skinparam backgroundColor #fcfcfc
hide circle
hide members
show class methods
package Unit <<Frame>> [[../../framework/units.html]] {
}
package Dimension <<Frame>> [[../../framework/dimensions.html]] {
}
package Kind <<Frame>> [[../../framework/quantity_kinds.html#kind-creation]] {
abstract kind<Dimension> [[../../framework/quantity_kinds.html#kind-creation]]
}
package PointKind <<Frame>> [[../../framework/quantity_kinds.html#quantity-point-kinds]] {
abstract point_kind<Kind, PointOrigin> [[../../framework/quantity_kinds.html#quantity-point-kinds]]
}
package PointOrigin <<Frame>> [[../../framework/quantity_points.html#point-origins]] {
abstract point_origin<Dimension> [[../../framework/quantity_points.html#point-origins]]
}
package Quantity <<Frame>> [[../../framework/quantities.html]] {
class quantity<Dimension, Unit, Rep> [[../../framework/quantities.html#construction]] {
rep number()
}
}
package QuantityPoint <<Frame>> [[../../framework/quantity_points.html]] {
class quantity_point<PointOrigin, Unit, Rep> [[../../framework/quantity_points.html#construction]] {
quantity relative()
}
}
package QuantityKind <<Frame>> [[../../framework/quantity_kinds.html]] {
class quantity_kind<Kind, Unit, Rep> [[../../framework/quantity_kinds.html#construction]] {
quantity common()
}
}
package QuantityPointKind <<Frame>> [[../../framework/quantity_kinds.html#quantity-point-kinds]] {
class quantity_point_kind<PointKind, Unit, Rep> [[../../framework/quantity_kinds.html#quantity-point-kinds]] {
quantity_kind relative()
}
}
Unit <.. Dimension
Dimension <... Quantity
Unit <... Quantity
Dimension <... Kind
Dimension <... PointOrigin
PointOrigin <... PointKind
Kind <... PointKind
Unit <... QuantityPoint
PointOrigin <... QuantityPoint
quantity --* quantity_point
Unit <... QuantityKind
Kind <... QuantityKind
quantity --* quantity_kind
Unit <... QuantityPointKind
PointKind <... QuantityPointKind
quantity_kind --* quantity_point_kind
@enduml
`Unit` is a basic building block of the library. Every dimension works with
a concrete hierarchy of units. Such hierarchy defines a reference unit and
often a few scaled versions of it. Examples: ``second``, ``metre``, ``kilometre_per_hour``.
`Dimension` concept matches a dimension of either a base or derived quantity.
`base_dimension` is instantiated with a unique symbol identifier and a base
unit. `derived_dimension` is a list of exponents of either base or other
derived dimensions. Examples: ``si::dim_time``, ``si::dim_length``, ``si::dim_speed``.
`Quantity` is a concrete amount of a unit for a specified dimension with a
specific representation. Examples: ``quantity<si::dim_time, si::second, int>``,
``si::length<si::metre, int>``, ``si::speed<si::kilometre_per_hour>``.
`QuantityPoint` is an absolute `Quantity` with respect to an origin.
Examples: timestamp (as opposed to duration), absolute temperature
(as opposed to temperature difference).
`QuantityKind` is a `Quantity` with more specific usage. Examples:
distance (``horizonal_kind``) and height (``vertical_kind``) are different kinds
of a length quantity.
`QuantityPointKind` is an absolute `QuantityKind` with respect to an origin.
Examples: altitude is a quantity point of ``vertical_kind`` (as opposed to
height).