.\"    This file is part of the FElt finite element analysis package.
.\"    Copyright (C) 1993-2000 Jason I. Gobat and Darren C. Atkinson
.\"
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.TH YARDSTICK 1fe "07/03/94" "Version 2.21" "Finite Element Package"
.SH NAME
yardstick \- unit conversion and problem scaling application
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B yardstick
[\-il \fIlength unit\fR]
[\-if \fIforce unit\fR]
[\-ol \fIlength unit\fR]
[\-of \fIforce unit\fR]
[\-ls \fIlength scale factor\fR]
[\-fs \fIforce scale factor\fR]
[\fIfilename\fR]
.SH DESCRIPTION
\fIyardstick\fR is a program to scale the numerical quantities in a FElt input
file; converting FElt files from one set of units to another
(e.g., Newtons and meters to pounds and inches) is a special case of this
operation and as such is given special treatment.  For unit conversion you
must specify input and output unit names for force and length quantities;
\fIyardstick\fR will figure out the appropriate scale factors. Mass units are
converted based on the length and force units that you specify.
Time units are always assumed to be seconds so no conversion options 
are provided.  For simple scaling you simply specify multiplicative
scale factors for both force quantities and length quantities.  Mass and time
quantities are treated as in the special case of unit conversion.
.SH OPTIONS
\fIyardstick\fR accepts the following options.  Note that for unit conversion
all four of \fI-il\fR, \fI-if\fR, \fI-ol\fR, \fI-of\fR must be specified and
that unit conversion and simple scaling (\fI-fs\fR and \fI-ls\fR) are exclusive
options.
.TP 5
.B \-help
Write a message describing valid command line options to standard error
and exit.
.TP
.B -il (--input-length) \fIlength units\fR
The symbolic name of the length units used in the input file.  Valid names
are m (meters), mm (millimeters), cm (centimeters), ft (feet), in (inches).
.TP
.B -if (--input-force) \fIforce units\fR
The symbolic name of the force units used in the input file.  Valid names
are N (Newtons), MN (mega-Newtons), GN (giga-Newtons), lbs (pounds),  
kips (kilopounds).
.TP
.B -ol (--output-length) \fIlength units\fR
The symbolic name of the length units for the output (i.e., what the input
units will be converted to).  Available types are the same as for input
length units.
.TP
.B -of (--output-force) \fIforce units\fR
The symbolic name of the force units for the output (i.e., what the input
units will be converted to).  Available types are the same as for input
length units.
.TP
.B -ls (--length-scale) \fIlength quantity scale factor\fR
The multiplicative factor by which length quantities within the input file
will be scaled.
.TP
.B -fs (--force-scale) \fIforce quantity scale factor\fR
The multiplicative factor by which force quantities within the input file
will be scaled.
.TP
.B \-nocpp
Do not use a preprocessor on the input file.
.TP
.BI \-cpp " filename"
Use \fIfilename\fR as a preprocessor on the input file.  The default
preprocessor is "/lib/cpp".  Any preprocssor which understands the -D, -U,
and -I options can be used as these options are passed to the preprocessor.
.SH AUTHOR
\fIyardstick\fR was developed by Jason I. Gobat (jgobat@mit.edu) and Darren
C. Atkinson (atkinson@ucsd.edu).
.SH SEE ALSO
felt(4fe).