Template talk:Convert/Archive February 2008

message: In the WWII article,  is presently coming up with "600 miles (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "�" km)".  I expect there are other places this is showing up.  Can somebody take a look please?    If there is a better attention getter than , please change.   --J Clear (talk) 22:47, 1 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: The error is in the template calls: for negative input numbers use a hyphen as the minus sign.--Patrick (talk) 00:57, 2 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Since I only noticed the error on WWII (since corrected by User:Bigbluefish), I'm curious as to what the offending character is and how it got in the article, visually I see no difference.  Since the obvious keys on the PC keyboard generates the correct character, at least on my US PC keyboard, it seems like someone went an extra step to get it wrong.  Not to mention not previewing their changes on a protected page.  After a bit of detective work, it looks like a "figure dash", UTF-8 E2 80 92.  I wonder what combination of keyboard or key bindings does that.  Maybe I'll track down the "offending" editor and let them know.  --J Clear (talk) 16:01, 2 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Rounding causing template error 

message: At Tyrone Wheatley something seems to be wrong with .  What might it be?--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTD)  21:34, 2 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: I didn't see a problem.  Could you provide more details?  —MJCdetroit (yak) 15:00, 3 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: It seems to be fixed now.  It had been converting 235 lbs to 107 kg, 233 lbs to 106 and 230 to 100, with the latter being out of whack.--TonyTheTiger (t/c/bio/WP:CHICAGO/WP:LOTD)  20:20, 3 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: It was fixed by PrimeHunter.  The template reads 230 as 230 ± 5 thus will round 230 lb to the nearest 10 kg.  This can be over-ridden by setting the precision and/or number of sig figs. Jɪmp 03:20, 4 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Conversion imprecision 

message: Just tried to do  on Solway Junction Railway, which doesn't work at present.  The yards were a multiple of 22, so I switched it to miles:chains for the moment.  —Sladen (talk) 21:25, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: No, miles & yards don't work as yet. Jɪmp 00:01, 12 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: miles+yards→km

message: There is another large set of templates that duplicate the functions of this one. Have a look at: Template:1ft3in and all the others in 'Category:Rail transport gauge templates'. Lightmouse (talk) 11:15, 14 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: With the exception of the few that use fractions, most of those are redundant and over specialized.  —MJCdetroit (yak) 17:17, 14 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: I agree. They predate this template so the intention is understandable. I see no reason why they should not be replaced by this one. The only issue is to ensure that the format is correct. For example, I believe that metric rail gauges are usually expressed in mm with no commas. It is easy enough to check the rail templates to see what formats they use and simply adjust the convert template as required. Lightmouse (talk) 11:35, 15 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Another set of templates that duplicate the functions of this one 

message: Could the smoot length unit be included in this template? - Denimadept (talk) 18:47, 14 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: You must be from Boston...  —MJCdetroit (yak) 18:57, 14 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: How'd you guess? - Denimadept (talk) 19:04, 14 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Of course. Jɪmp 03:42, 15 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Smoot? 

message: Can a template be provided for km/s? Lightmouse (talk) 14:39, 15 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Done.  I've added mi/s too. Jɪmp 18:24, 18 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Kilometres per second 

message: In the template output, input of "acre" is output only as the plural "acres." (No abbreviation is offered.) In some contexts (such as "1000-acre park") the output should be singular. The offer of the abbreviation "ac" would fix this -- can that be done? --Orlady (talk) 15:35, 17 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Use the adjective partameter e.g.  results in . TINYMARK 15:51, 17 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Thanks! That works. --Orlady (talk) 16:31, 17 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Acres

message: Is there a way to select if units are described as singular or plural? I'd like the first sentence of Las Vegas Strip to say "a 4 mile (6.4 km) road". However, if I use , I get "a 4 miles (6.4 km) road". Simishag (talk) 06:09, 19 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Use . Jɪmp 08:33, 19 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Use of singular/plural

message: Could the verst and square verst please be added as a unit of length/area conversion option?  The output should be both kilometers/square kilometers and miles/square miles.  Thanks!—Ëzhiki (Igels Hérissonovich Ïzhakoff-Amursky) • (yo?); 18:32, 21 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Done: codes are verst and sqverst (long-hand square verst also works). Jɪmp 03:31, 22 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Thanks, but could you make it convert to both kilometers and miles on the same call?   produces "", but "100 versts (110 km/66 mi) would be more helpful.  Is that doable?—Ëzhiki (Igels Hérissonovich Ïzhakoff-Amursky) • (yo?); 14:50, 22 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Use km mi & km2 mi2 e.g.  produces "" and  produces "" ... or, in this case, just leave it blank (it's the default for (sq)verst) i.e.  produces "" and  produces "". Jɪmp 16:53, 22 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: P.S. just added verst2 for square verst. Jɪmp 17:03, 22 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Ah, must have missed that feature.  Thanks again!—Ëzhiki (Igels Hérissonovich Ïzhakoff-Amursky) • (yo?); 18:06, 22 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Request

message: Judging by the code for this template, Mediawiki has created a language to rival Brainfuck for utter impenetrability.  Kudos to the authors of this template for managing to stay sane and get it working.  --Doradus (talk) 16:22, 22 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Are you kidding? 

message: What do people think about an option for square brackets for use in quotes? This appears to be a convention. Lightmouse (talk) 10:43, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: It wouldn't be hard to do ... laborious, but not hard.  What code will we use unlike disp=/ for slashes we can't use actual square brackects it won't work.  How about disp=sqbr? Jɪmp 23:57, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Square brackets for quotes? 

message: ::moved from Template talk:Convert/km/h mph
Of this template ?. About how to use it. --Mac (talk) 08:18, 5 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: It's but a small part of .  It's normally used like this  which gives . Jɪmp 17:14, 5 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  What about documentation