Changing units and decimal precision in Properties, Flextables, graphs and other places

Product(s): WaterGEMS, WaterCAD, CivilStorm, StormCAD, SewerGEMS,  PondPack, SewerCAD, HAMMER, FlowMaster
Version(s): CONNECT Edition, V8i
Area:  Layout and Data Input

Problem

How can I change the units, in the properties, flextable, profile, graph, annotations or elsewhere?

How can I change how many decimal places are shown?

Video

Solution

Units in the OpenFlows products are flexible and can be changed in a number of different places. When changes, the value will automatically be converted to the new unit. 

Change the units globally from the 'Units' tab from the 'Options' window

  1. Go to File Options or Tools > Tools > Options > Select the Units tab. In the CONNECT edition of the software go to the Tools tab and in the lower right corner of the ribbon click the small arrow icon (see the red box in screen shot below).

  2. Click on Reset Defaults button to set the defaults for your units to either Systems International or US Customary. See the red box in the picture below.

  3. Below that you also have the option to set the default unit system for how new projects will be displayed. See the blue box in the picture below. 

Change the units individually in the 'Units' tab from the 'Options' window

  1. Click the cell for unit you want to change

  2. Click the drop down arrow and select the appropriate unit

  3. You also have the option change the decimal display precision in the column to the right of the unit column

Change the units individually from the properties grid

  1. Open the properties of one of the elements you want to change the units for

  2. Right click anywhere on one of the cells that have the label of the property. See the red box in the picture below.

  3. Click on the "Units and Formatting..." button that pops up

This will open a new dialog where you can change the units and precision.

Note: FlowMaster does not have a Properties grid, but the units can be changed by right-clicking on the unit in the FlowMaster worksheet and choosing Units and Formatting.

Change the units individually from the FlexTables

  1. Open the appropriate FlexTable

  2. Right-click anywhere on the column header for the property. See the red box in the picture below

  3. Click on the "Units and Formatting..." from the list

The same dialog from the Properties workflow will then open.

Note: Nearly anyplace you see units listed next to a number you can right-click and select Units and Formatting to change the units.


For Profiles

Engineering Profiles

In the engineering profile click on the drop down arrow next to the first icon and choose "Options"

This will open the Profile Options manager and from there you can right click on any location abbreviation and click on the "Units and Formatting" button that should pop up.  

Standard Profile

In the default profile click on the drop down arrow next to the first icon and choose "Axis Options..."

Right click on one of the unit abbreviations and click the "Units and Formatting" button when it pops up



Graphs

In a graph, right click on the blank line for the X or Y axis and choose the "... Properties" option.

        

A Note on Feet vs. US Survey Feet

The units "Feet" and "US Survey Feet" can be similar but also may account for differences in element scale and reported pipe lengths. It is imported to make sure that you are using the correct units in the model to assure that results and scaling are accurate. Otherwise, the lengths or coordinates may appear to be off by a small factor.

If you need to change the coordinates of a model from Feet to US Survey Feet, right-click on the X or Y coordinate in the element properties, select "Units and Formatting", and choose the correct units. Be sure to select the appropriate unit before importing the model, as a subsequent change to the unit will convert (meaning, it will not keep the value but rather it will convert the value to the newly selected unit)

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