Displaying actual figures rather than exponentials

MinusZero · October 29th, 2012, 07:55 PM

Hi,

I am customising the converter in lesson 11, exercise 6 and have a question.

Layout

I have a text box to enter the number to convert (tbxLengthToConvert)
Radio button to select centimetres unit (rbCm)
text boxes for the converted types mm, cm, metres, kilometres, inches and feet.
Convert button (btnLengthConvert)

Functionality
When i enter an amount in the conversion text box (tbxLengthToConvert), click the centimetres radio button (rbCm) and click the Convert button (btnLengthConvert) it converts the amount entered using the details in the code. Thats all good.

The Problem
The problem i have is in the way it displays.
In my code for converting cm to km, i am multiplying tbxLengthToConvert by 0.00001. For the feet conversion, it multiplies by 0.032808399.

When i test by typing 1 in the tbxLengthToConvert text box, the feet conversion is displayed as 0.032808399 but kilometres is displayed as 1E-05.

I understand that this is probably due to the answer in centimetres being 0.00001 but is it possible to make it display 0.00001 instead of 1E-05 which is difficult to understand?

Code:

private void btnLengthConvert_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            //CENTIMETRES
            if (rbCM.Checked == true)
            {
                double length = double.Parse(tbxLengthToConvert.Text);
                double mm = length * 10;
                double cm = length * 1;
                double mt = length * 0.01;
                double km = length * 0.00001;
                double inches = length * 2.54;
                double feet = length * 0.032808399;

                tbxLenMm.Text = mm.ToString();
                tbxLenCm.Text = cm.ToString();
                tbxLenMetres.Text = mt.ToString();
                tbxLenKm.Text = km.ToString();
                tbxLenIn.Text = inches.ToString();
                tbxLenFt.Text = feet.ToString();

            }

        }

Rod Stephens · October 30th, 2012, 10:22 AM

No problem.

The program can display values in many formats. The E (or e) format gives you an exponent as in 1E-05. The F (or f) format gives you fixed point as in 0.000001. My guess is that by default it's using the G (or g) format, which gives you E or F, whichever produces a smaller result.

To pick one, just add the format specifier you want as a string parameter to the ToString method. In this case, you want:

Code:

tbxLenKm.Text = km.ToString("F");

That should do it. For more information on formatting strings, see:

MinusZero · October 30th, 2012, 06:57 PM

I tried all different combos and can get the desired result when converting 1cm to km 0.00001.

I used

Code:

tbxLenKm.Text = km.ToString("F5");

The calculator shows the answer correctly. However, when i convert 1000cm for instance, the answer is 0.01000 or converting 1,000,000cm, the answer is 10.00000.

I dont really want the extra zeros after, i just want to be able to show preceeding zeros for very small answers (like in 0.00001 not 1.00000)

-----Edit-----
I have done further testing not using a format and had some strange results.

converting inches to kilometres. Using the code below: i get the answer 2.54E-05 when i run the program and convert the number 1.

Code:

double km = length * 0.0000254;
tbxLenKm.Text = km.ToString();

converting inches to feet. Using the code below: i get the answer 0.083333333333 when i run the program and convert the number 1.

Code:

double feet = length * 0.083333333333;
tbxLenFt.Text = feet.ToString();

Why is one giving an exponent and the other doesnt? I also changed the km conversion rate to have the same length number (0.000025400000) and it still gave an exponent.

Weird.

Rod Stephens · October 30th, 2012, 09:33 PM

Code:

tbxLenKm.Text = km.ToString("F5");

I think that should produce fixed format (no exponent) with 5 digits of precision. Try:

Code:

tbxLenKm.Text = km.ToString("F");

Quote:

Why is one giving an exponent and the other doesnt?

My guess is that it thinks it cannot use an exponent for 0.083333333333 without losing precision. Again I think it's using the G format and going with what's shorter. In this case I think it would try to display with an exponent as 0.83333333333E-002.

Quote:

I also changed the km conversion rate to have the same length number (0.000025400000) and it still gave an exponent.

I think adding the 0s at the end doesn't fool it. Try something like 0.000025400001 and see what it does.

In general, though, it sounds like you might just want to use the F format as in:

Code:

tbxLenKm.Text = km.ToString("F");

MinusZero · October 31st, 2012, 11:46 PM

Using F gives the answer 0.00. I guess i might just have to leave it and hope i dont need to convert 1 cm to kilometres hehe

Rod Stephens · November 1st, 2012, 11:01 AM

Hmm... I suppose it's sort of like it's saying the value is 0 within reasonable limits of precision. In a way that's true.

I think if you're of a scientific bent and might want to express 1 cm in kilometers, you'd probably use scientific notation anyway.