VII.2.3.4 Spreadsheet “DbUnitsEdit”

The spreadsheet allows to manipulate the units in which The CLA database and its entities are expressed:

• Seven ComboBox buttons allow to select the units for length, mass, force...
• The “SetDbUnits” button sets the units system associated to the composite database but does not change anything to entities stored in the DB.
• The “SetUnitsAllEntities” button sets the system of units of the CLA database and of all its entities (materials, laminates and loads).
• The “SetUnitsAllMaterials” button sets the units of all material entities stored in the database.
• The “SetUnitsAllLaminates” button sets the units of all laminate entities stored in the database.
• The “SetUnitsAllLoads” button sets the units of all load entities stored in the database.
• The “ChangeUnitsAllEntities” button changes the system of units of the CLA database and of all its entities (materials, laminates and loads).
• The “ChangeUnitsAllMaterials” button changes the units of all material entities stored in the database.
• The “ChangeUnitsAllLaminates” button changes the units of all laminate entities stored in the database.
• The “ChangeUnitsAllLoads” button changes the units of all load entities stored in the database.

Remember that the difference between the “SetUnits*” and “ChangeUnits*” methods is that the second group of methods perform units conversions between old and new units. The “SetUnits*” methods modifies the units associated to entities without modifying the values of the different quantities.

Presently, the workbook does not allow to modify the system of units of CLA entities individually. This could be done by the addition of a few buttons in the corresponding “MatEdit”, “LamEdit” and “LoadEdit” worksheets. We think however that it is a bad idea to try to define CLA entities with different units in a same database. Actually, the number of buttons defined in “DbUnitsEdit” spreadsheet is probably already too large.