Comments on: Breaking lines in siunitx version 2

By: Stefan Pinnow

Stefan Pinnow — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 12:08:39 +0000

I also think, that the only “good” point to break the value-unit-combo (if there is one) is between these two and not in between a value or unit.
I also think that that normally is not needed. One possibility where this could be needed, is in articles where small columns are printed. There a long value with a long unit could lead to weird looking lines.

By: Joseph Wright

Joseph Wright — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:35:40 +0000

Hello Will,

I’ve basically come down as you suggest: breaks between numbers and units yes, but not within units.

I didn’t actually say I prefer non-literal units (although I always use the macro versions: logical input). I was taking about how they are handled as a package author. If the input is given in macro form, then there are no possible surprises and siunitx can handle them any way I can think of/code. On the other hand, if the input contains literals then my preference is to limit processing to converting “.” and “~” to spaces or symbols (as in sistyle). I’m very reluctant to do anything else, which includes adding line breaks. (I was asked if I could arrange for “N/m.s” to convert into \frac{N}{m.s}, for example: I’ve said “probably not”.)

By: Will

Will — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:17:04 +0000

I don’t mind the *option* to break between numbers and units (although I’d never use it myself), but line-breaking between separate units in a dimensioned number seems like a bad idea to me.

Would you like to elaborate why you prefer non-literal units? I actually much prefer writing “\SI{2.3}{N.m}”.