Offline Unit Conversion Workflow

[deanishe]

Updated to v3.1.

 

I've replaced the now-dead Yahoo! Finance API with openexchangerates.org. Unfortunately, this requires an API key, which you can get for free here.

 

Edited November 2, 2017 by deanishe
Point link to release

[deanishe]

Due to an excess of productivity, I've also released v3.2 today. This adds the ability to use Pint's contexts.

Edited November 2, 2017 by deanishe
Point link to release

[deanishe]

v3.3 also uses the decimal and thousands separators you've set to parse input.

 

Now, you exotic Euro-types can enter 12.000,56 or 32'783,30 etc. (depending on your settings), and the workflow won't throw up on your slippers.

Edited November 20, 2017 by deanishe

[deanishe]

Moar updates. v3.5.1 now handles negative numbers and is smarter about the number of decimal places.

There's a CURRENCY_DECIMAL_PLACES override to set a different number of decimal places for currency conversions (for you Bitcoin types), and DECIMAL_PLACES is now a minimum, not a hard limit (by default). If DYNAMIC_DECIMALS is on (the default), the workflow will show as many decimal places as necessary (up to 10) for the result to be non-zero.

[johseb]

Hi @deanishe, thanks for the great workflow.

I have a request related to the significant digits of the converted quantity.

The variable DECIMAL_PLACES controls not only the displayed format in Alfred bar but also the quantity copied to the clipboard on pressing Enter.

E.g. `conv 2.3456 m km` will show a converted quantity `0.0023 kilometer` and copy 0.0023 on the clipboard.

 

I would prefer to have the displayed result controlled by the mentioned variable but to retain all significant digits in the quantity copied to clipboard (in my previous example 0.0023456).

 

[deanishe]

On 2/14/2019 at 4:40 PM, johseb said:

I would prefer

 

Is there an objective reason why I should implement this change?

 

I don't really see the point myself. OTOH, I don't work seriously with numbers, so I'm always open to making justifiable changes.

[khaoskosmos]

On 2/22/2019 at 4:44 AM, deanishe said:

 

Is there an objective reason why I should implement this change?

 

I don't really see the point myself. OTOH, I don't work seriously with numbers, so I'm always open to making justifiable changes.

 

If you're doing calculation and need the correct number of significant figures, it's never a problem when a conversion has more than necessary. Otherwise, you can get rounding errors.

It would be useful it you could simply type the number without a keyword, and without a space on the unit ie.

 

4.1mm

 

Instead of stating that no destination or defaults set, it would be useful to list the most common conversions (ex.. in the US its very common to convert mm to inch, whereas mm to cm is rather easy for a person). Check out the default setup for Spotlight, I think it lists common conversions, with no keyword.

 

BTW, I only critique because the workflow is very cool and useful, thanks for it.

[deanishe]

8 hours ago, khaoskosmos said:

If you're doing calculation and need the correct number of significant figures

The workflow only rounds the result if you tell it to.

 

8 hours ago, khaoskosmos said:

It would be useful it you could simply type the number without a keyword

 

That isn't really how workflows work.

 

8 hours ago, khaoskosmos said:

without a space on the unit

 

You don't need a space.

 

8 hours ago, khaoskosmos said:

the most common conversions

 

If you have any universally-useful suggestions, I'll definitely consider it. However, I'm generally against adding any presets like inches that are of no interest to most users.

 

In a choice between requiring American users to manually add acres, pounds, Fahrenheit etc. and requiring everybody else to manually delete them, everybody else wins.

[khaoskosmos]

14 hours ago, deanishe said:

The workflow only rounds the result if you tell it to.

 

 

That isn't really how workflows work.

 

 

You don't need a space.

 

 

If you have any universally-useful suggestions, I'll definitely consider it. However, I'm generally against adding any presets like inches that are of no interest to most users.

 

In a choice between requiring American users to manually add acres, pounds, Fahrenheit etc. and requiring everybody else to manually delete them, everybody else wins.

 

Thanks. I will look into modifying it myself for my own needs. Is Alfred not aware of a user's location setting?

[deanishe]

4 hours ago, khaoskosmos said:

Is Alfred not aware of a user's location setting?

 

Alfred is (being a native application), but it doesn't share that information with workflows.

 

You can use the command defaults read -globalDomain AppleMetricUnits to ask whether the OS is set to use metric.

[sebastianK]

I am trying to add new units like described but i get the following error:
"maximum recursion depth exceeded while calling a Python object"

 

i added in the unit definitions.txt the following:

 

squarefoot = 0,092903 quadratmeter = sqft = ft2 = sqf
quadratmeter = 10.764 squarefoot = m2 = sqm

 

what am i doing wrong!?

 

[deanishe]

4 hours ago, sebastianK said:

squarefoot = 0,092903 quadratmeter = sqft = ft2 = sqf
quadratmeter = 10.764 squarefoot = m2 = sqm

 

what am i doing wrong!?

 

Your definition is recursive. You can’t define unit X in terms of unit Y and also unit Y in terms of unit X. You need to define at least one of them in terms of something the library already understands:

quadratmeter = 1 m**2 = m2 = sqm
squarefoot = 0.092903 quadratmeter = sqft = ft2 = sqf

 

[sebastianK]

On 5/25/2020 at 12:05 PM, deanishe said:

 

Your definition is recursive. You can’t define unit X in terms of unit Y and also unit Y in terms of unit X. You need to define at least one of them in terms of something the library already understands

 

Ah! thank you so much! this works!
If i understand correct you define quadratmeter with m (meter) which is already understood by the library!?
 

 

[deanishe]

41 minutes ago, sebastianK said:

If i understand correct you define quadratmeter with m (meter) which is already understood by the library!?

 

Yes. Pint already understands length and area.

 

You can define your own dimensions, too. But the relationship between unit definitions must be linear, not circular, like yours was.

[Александр]

Good afternoon, I still don't understand where to enter the openexchangerates.org API key and how to do it. Show by example please. I received the key after registering at openexchangerates.org. Thank you, I will wait for an answer.

[kenanmike]

D

On 1/17/2021 at 6:05 PM, Александр said:

Good afternoon, I still don't understand where to enter the openexchangerates.org API key and how to do it. Show by example please. I received the key after registering at openexchangerates.org. Thank you, I will wait for an answer.

Do you still need this?

[charms]

LOVE this workflow. Super useful converting measurements for me. Unfortunately, it's stopped responding and I was hoping to get some help with it.

 

Whenever I get past the "conv " and into the units, the workflow drops and I just get the "Search Google for conv XXunit unit"

 

I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling. I'm using 3.7.1. The ONLY thing I've changed is the icon.

[Vero]

@charms Take a look at the Debugger, which should give you more insight into what's not working:

https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/advanced/debugger/

 

If you're using macOS Monterey 12.3+ and haven't reinstalled Python 2, then your issue is the following: 

https://www.alfredapp.com/blog/guides-and-tutorials/python-2-workflows-on-macos-monterey-12-3/

 

In short, Apple have removed the built-in Python 2 programming language from macOS 12.3 onwards. Reading the link above should get you back up and running in no time

 

Cheers,
Vero

[charms]

@Vero Thank you for the suggestions and links. I think this is the problem, but after going through all of the steps, it's still not working. I think it's more of just me not knowing how to link Python and Alfred up. I copied and pasted all of those lines. Am I supposed to replace {HOME} with something specific?

[vitor]

Welcome @charms,

 

You’ll also need to install the fixed version of this Workflow from the table.

[charms]

@vitor Sweet fancy Moses! Thank you thank you thank you! And @Vero. Appreciate you both!

[iandol]

I just saw this has been forked and added to the Gallery, many many thanks to @giovanni and @vitor as this remains my favourite converter

[Orxion]

Finally, it works again, I really missed this one .. just have one question, when entering API, is it just the code or something extra? doesn't seem to be converting currency .. or am I doing something wrong?

 

 

[iandol]

Hi @giovanni — I am getting this error at present:

 

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/Users/ian/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox/Assorted/Alfred Settings/Alfred.alfredpreferences/workflows/user.workflow.FA895A69-DD0A-4EDF-AA0A-3934D0B00C79/convert.py", line 19, in <module>
    from pint import UnitRegistry, UndefinedUnitError, DimensionalityError
  File "/Users/ian/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox/Assorted/Alfred Settings/Alfred.alfredpreferences/workflows/user.workflow.FA895A69-DD0A-4EDF-AA0A-3934D0B00C79/pint/__init__.py", line 17, in <module>
    import pkg_resources
  File "/Users/ian/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox/Assorted/Alfred Settings/Alfred.alfredpreferences/workflows/user.workflow.FA895A69-DD0A-4EDF-AA0A-3934D0B00C79/pkg_resources/__init__.py", line 57, in <module>
    from pkg_resources.extern import six
ImportError: cannot import name 'six' from 'pkg_resources.extern' (/Users/ian/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox/Assorted/Alfred Settings/Alfred.alfredpreferences/workflows/user.workflow.FA895A69-DD0A-4EDF-AA0A-3934D0B00C79/pkg_resources/extern/__init__.py)

 

I have to admit I don't quite understand how the python dependencies are packaged in the workflow. My python is 3.12.1 (installed with pyenv)

[giovanni]

@iandol yes, not sure what has changed but other pythons can now take precedence over the system Python. You just need to add `/usr/bin/` before `python3` in the script filter (see also this issue). I will update this and other workflows with the same issue.