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#3: CellML Specification: Give CellML processing software less flexibility with units conversions

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issuedata

Classification: Bug

Topic: UI

Importance: Medium

Status: Pending
Assigned to:
Created by: miller
Created at: 2006-11-14

progress

Deadline: 2006-11-28 11:31

Hours estimated: 0

Hours needed: 0

Percent done: 0

contact

Name: Andrew Miller

Description:

The CellML Specification is currently very flexible about what units conversion CellML processing
software can do. However, differences in units conversion will result in different results from the
model, so this flexibility is not a good thing.
The consensus so far seems to be:
  * CellML processing software should be required to perform units conversion when dimensionally
consistent variables with different units are connected (it currently is not required to do this).
  * CellML processing software should not be allowed to silently insert conversion factors into
mathematical equations. It is, however, okay to prompt the user to change the model in this case.
The specification is currently unclear, as it says (after an example of invalid units):
    "Although it would be technically possible (and useful) to find and correct such errors, CellML
processing software is not required to be able to do so."
   This could be construed as allowing CellML processing software to automatically insert conversion
factors.

Transcript

#1: 2006-11-14 11:38 (miller)

topic: "" -> "UI"

title: "" -> "CellML Specification: Give CellML processing software less flexibility with units conversions"

description: "" -> "The CellML Specification is currently very flexible about what units conversion CellML processing software can do. However, differences in units conversion will result in different results from the model, so this flexibility is not a good thing. The consensus so far seems to be: * CellML processing software should be required to perform units conversion when dimensionally consistent variables with different units are connected (it currently is not required to do this). * CellML processing software should not be allowed to silently insert conversion factors into mathematical equations. It is, however, okay to prompt the user to change the model in this case. The specification is currently unclear, as it says (after an example of invalid units): "Although it would be technically possible (and useful) to find and correct such errors, CellML processing software is not required to be able to do so." This could be construed as allowing CellML processing software to automatically insert conversion factors. "