Module:Convert/doc

This is the documentation page for Module:Convert

Template:Transwiki guide This module converts a value from one unit of measurement to another. For example:

{{convert|123|lb|kg}} → 123 pounds (56 kg)

The module is called using a template—parameters passed to the template are used by this module to control how a conversion is performed. For example, units can be abbreviated (like kg), or displayed as names (like kilogram), and the output value can be rounded to a specified precision. For usage information, see Help:Convert.

The template that invokes this module is:

Template:Convert

The following modules are required:

Module:Convert – (this module) code to convert units
Module:Convert/data – unit definitions
Module:Convert/text – text messages, and parameter names and values

The following modules are optional and are used only if required and if the module exists:

Module:Convert/extra – extra (temporary) unit definitions; used if a unit is not found in Module:Convert/data
Module:ConvertNumeric – code to spell an input value in words (only English is supported)

The following help pages are available:

Help:Convert – overview
Help:Convert messages – describes error and warning messages; messages link to this page so it is required when the module is copied to another wiki
Help:Convert units – overview of units

A page containing a convert error is added to one of the following categories, providing the page is in a specified namespace (articles, by default):

Units are defined in the wikitext of the master list of units.

Module:Convert/documentation/conversion data/doc – master list of unit definitions
Module:Convert/makeunits – translates wikitext from the master list to Lua
Module talk:Convert/makeunits – makeunits results; copy the text to Module:Convert/data

Module:Convert/data is transcluded into every page using the convert module, so experimenting with a new unit in that module would involve a significant overhead. The Module:Convert/extra module is an alternative which is only transcluded on pages with a unit that is not defined in the main data module.

Sandbox

When making a change, copy the current modules to the sandbox pages, then edit the sandbox copies:

Use the following template to test the results (example {{convert/sandbox|123|lb|kg}}):

Template:Convert/sandbox

Template:Convert/sandbox invokes Module:Convert/sandbox with parameter |sandbox=on which causes convert to use the sandbox modules rather than the normal modules.

The following should be used to test the results of editing the convert modules.

Module:Convert/tester – module to run tests by comparing template output with fixed text
Module:Convert/sandbox/testcases – templates to be tested, with expected outputs (uses the tester module)
Module talk:Convert/sandbox/testcases – view test results

It is not necessary to save the testcases page before viewing test results. For example, Module:Convert/sandbox/testcases could be edited to change the tests. While still editing that page, paste "Module talk:Convert/sandbox/testcases" (without quotes) into the page title box under "Preview page with this template", then click "Show preview".

Configuration

The template that invokes this module can define options to configure the module. For example:

{{#invoke:convert|convert|numdot=,|numsep=.}}

Sets the decimal mark to be a comma, and the thousands separator to be a dot.

Other options, with default values, are:

|maxsigfig=14 – maximum number of significant figures
|nscat=0 – namespaces (comma separated) in which an error or warning adds a category to the page
|warnings=0 – 0 (zero) disables warnings; 1 shows important warnings; 2 shows all warnings

An option in the template can specify that the sandbox versions of the modules be used. If specified, the text on the right-hand side of the equals sign must be the name of the subpage for each sandbox module.

|sandbox=sandbox – omit for normal operation

All text used for input parameters and for output messages and categories can be customized. For example, at enwiki the option |lk=on can be used to link each displayed unit to its article. The "lk" and "on" can be replaced with any desired text. In addition, input and output numbers can be formatted and can use digits in the local language. See the translation guide for more information.