Dimensions in Detail and V10 Units

Version 8 Punch! has introduced extended units formatting into Punch!. In this section we will review how this facility is like Dimensions in Detail and how it is not.

First of all, of course, Punch!'s units are available in Punch! itself, while Dimensions in Detail only displays extended units while in PlansPlus. PlansPlus, in the absence of Dimensions in Detail, will emulate the Punch! units. It does this with the following settings:

• Trailing zeros, trailing decimal, abbreviation dot are turned off;
• Abbreviation space is turned on;
• The decimal point is the period, thousands spacer is comma;
• If metric:
• set either meters format or millimeters (centimeters not supported);
• 4 place decimal precision;
• lower case abbreviation (m or mm);

• If English:
• set decimal/fractional as desired;
• set inches or feet-inches;
• set desired fractional precision;
• set decimal precision appropriately (see discussion following);
• set abbreviations to '/" format;

Precision of decimal format in Punch! is set with the same selections as fractional format. In decimal format, Punch! yields the exact decimal equivalents to the fractions. So, given a length, Punch! will select the nearest inch, 1/2 inch, 1/4 inch, 1/8 inch or 1/16 inch as the user specifies, and then if decimal is specified will convert the appropriate fraction to a decimal number. This implies that is you requested 1/16 inch (the finest resolution available), you will get any value rounded to the nearest 1/16th inch, even though four decimal places will be presented. The equivalent figure in PlansPlus would be accurate to the closest 1/1000th inch.

And a wonderment of despair: the rest of the known world uses standard plans dimensioned in millimeters, with no abbreviations and no decimal points. Punch! doesn't allow for this simple, workable way to use metric. For shame.

Dimensions in Detail and the contents of this help file are
Copyright©2006 by ThistleKeep Engineering; all rights are reserved.
Comments and suggestions, as well as support, are entertained at Lmc@ThistleKeep.com.
"Punch!" and other titles of Punch! operations are trademarks of Punch! Software L.L.C.