Phillip Trelford's blog... evidently
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Units of measure auto-conversion

June 14, 2010 12:36 by phil

In a recent article I described some prototype F# code for defining runtime units of measure with similar functionality to F#’s compile time units of measure feature. The following code extends this prototype to provide auto-conversion when adding or multiplying unit values. Note that as unit conversion is done at runtime this implementation is also usable from C#. This allows for example the following calculations to succeed:

1km + 200m = 1200m

(1m/s) / 500milliseconds = 2m

To achieve this a new Measure type introduces Base Unit types and Measure multiples.

    Base Unit type examples 
  • length
  • mass
  • time
    Measure multiple examples 
  • Kilometres (1000)
  • Metres (1)
  • Millimetres (0.001)

Defining measure types:

let length = "length"
let time = "time"
let m = Measure("m", BaseUnit(length))
let km = Measure.Kilo(m)
let s = Measure("s", BaseUnit(time))
let milliseconds = Measure.Milli(s)

Measure type definition:

type MeasureType = 
    | BaseUnit of string
    | Multiple of Measure * ValueType
    with
    member this.BaseUnitName =
        let rec traverse = function
            | BaseUnit s -> s
            | Multiple(Measure(_,m),_) -> traverse m
        traverse this
and Measure = Measure of string * MeasureType with  
    member this.Name = match this with Measure(s,_) -> s
    member this.Type = match this with Measure(_,t) -> t   
    static member Kilo (m:Measure) = 
        Measure("k"+m.Name,Multiple(m,1000.0))  
    static member Milli (m:Measure) = 
        Measure("m"+m.Name,Multiple(m,0.001))
    static member ( * ) (v:ValueType,m:Measure) = UnitValue(v,Unit(m,1))

The add and multiply operations on a UnitValue now convert to the base unit if a dimensional unit mismatch exits (see Units conversion by factor-label):

and UnitValue = UnitValue of ValueType * UnitType with
    member this.Value = match this with UnitValue(v,_) -> v
    member this.Unit = match this with UnitValue(_,u) -> u
    override this.ToString() = sprintf "%O %O" this.Value this.Unit
    static member ToBaseUnit x =
        let rec toBaseUnit = function
            | UnitValue(v,(Unit(Measure(_,BaseUnit(_)),_))) as x -> 
                x
            | UnitValue(v,Unit(Measure(_,Multiple(quantity,coefficient)),p)) -> 
                toBaseUnit (UnitValue(v*coefficient, Unit(quantity,p)))            
            | UnitValue(v,(CompositeUnit(xs))) ->
                let v, ys =
                    (v,[]) |> List.foldBack (fun x (v,ys) -> 
                        let x = toBaseUnit (UnitValue(v,x))
                        x.Value, x.Unit::ys
                    ) xs
                UnitValue(v, CompositeUnit(ys)) 
        toBaseUnit x
    static member private DoesDimensionalUnitMismatchExist lhs rhs =
        let rec measures = function
            | Unit(m,_) -> Set.singleton (m)
            | CompositeUnit(us) ->
                us |> List.map measures |> Set.unionMany                          
        measures lhs |> Set.exists (fun x ->
            measures rhs |> Set.exists (fun y ->
                y.Type.BaseUnitName = x.Type.BaseUnitName 
                && not (x = y)  
            )
        )
    static member (+) (lhs:UnitValue,rhs:UnitValue) =                         
        if lhs.Unit = rhs.Unit then       
            UnitValue(lhs.Value+rhs.Value, lhs.Unit+rhs.Unit)             
        else             
            let x1 = UnitValue.ToBaseUnit lhs
            let x2 = UnitValue.ToBaseUnit rhs
            if x1.Unit = x2.Unit then
                UnitValue(x1.Value+x2.Value,x1.Unit+x2.Unit)
            else                                                      
                raise (new System.InvalidOperationException())                 
    static member (*) (lhs:UnitValue,rhs:UnitValue) =            
        if UnitValue.DoesDimensionalUnitMismatchExist lhs.Unit rhs.Unit then            
            let lhs = UnitValue.ToBaseUnit lhs
            let rhs = UnitValue.ToBaseUnit rhs
            UnitValue(lhs.Value*rhs.Value,lhs.Unit*rhs.Unit)
        else
            UnitValue(lhs.Value*rhs.Value,lhs.Unit*rhs.Unit)   
    static member (*) (lhs:UnitValue,rhs:ValueType) =                        
        UnitValue(lhs.Value*rhs,lhs.Unit)      
    static member (/) (lhs:UnitValue,rhs:UnitValue) =
        if UnitValue.DoesDimensionalUnitMismatchExist lhs.Unit rhs.Unit then            
            let lhs = UnitValue.ToBaseUnit lhs
            let rhs = UnitValue.ToBaseUnit rhs
            UnitValue(lhs.Value/rhs.Value,lhs.Unit/rhs.Unit)
        else                 
            UnitValue(lhs.Value/rhs.Value,lhs.Unit/rhs.Unit)   
    static member (/) (lhs:UnitValue,rhs:ValueType) =
        UnitValue(lhs.Value/rhs,lhs.Unit) 

The only change to the Unit type is that it references a Measure type instead of a literal string signifying the measure:

and UnitType =
    | Unit of Measure * int
    | CompositeUnit of UnitType list
    static member Create(m) = Unit(m,1)
    override this.ToString() =
        let exponent = function
            | Unit(_,n) -> n
            | CompositeUnit(_) ->                
                raise (new System.InvalidOperationException())
        let rec toString = function        
            | Unit(s,n) when n=0 -> ""
            | Unit(Measure(s,_),n) when n=1 -> s
            | Unit(Measure(s,_),n)          -> s + " ^ " + n.ToString()            
            | CompositeUnit(us) ->               
                let ps, ns = 
                    us |> List.partition (fun u -> exponent u >= 0)
                let join xs = 
                    let s = xs |> List.map toString |> List.toArray             
                    System.String.Join(" ",s)
                match ps,ns with 
                | ps, [] -> join ps
                | ps, ns ->
                    let ns = ns |> List.map UnitType.Reciprocal
                    join ps + " / " + join ns
        match this with
        | Unit(_,n) when n < 0 -> " / " + toString this
        | _ -> toString this        
    static member ( * ) (v:ValueType,u:UnitType) = UnitValue(v,u)    
    static member ( * ) (lhs:UnitType,rhs:UnitType) =
        let text = function
            | Unit(Measure(s,_),_) -> s
            | CompositeUnit(us) -> us.ToString()       
        let normalize us u =
            let t = text u
            match us |> List.tryFind (fun x -> text x = t), u with
            | Some(Unit(s,n) as v), Unit(_,n') ->
                us |> List.map (fun x -> if x = v then Unit(s,n+n') else x)                 
            | Some(_), _ -> raise (new System.NotImplementedException())
            | None, _ -> us@[u]
        let normalize' us us' =
            us' |> List.fold (fun (acc) x -> normalize acc x) us        
        match lhs,rhs with
        | Unit(u1,p1), Unit(u2,p2) when u1 = u2 ->
            Unit(u1,p1+p2)
        | Unit(u1,p1), Unit(u2,p2) ->            
            CompositeUnit([lhs;rhs])
        | CompositeUnit(us), Unit(_,_) ->
            CompositeUnit(normalize us rhs)
        | Unit(_,_), CompositeUnit(us) ->
            CompositeUnit(normalize' [lhs]  us)
        | CompositeUnit(us), CompositeUnit(us') ->
            CompositeUnit(normalize' us us')
        | _,_ -> raise (new System.NotImplementedException())
    static member Reciprocal x =
        let rec reciprocal = function
            | Unit(s,n) -> Unit(s,-n)
            | CompositeUnit(us) -> CompositeUnit(us |> List.map reciprocal)
        reciprocal x
    static member ( / ) (lhs:UnitType,rhs:UnitType) =        
        lhs * (UnitType.Reciprocal rhs)
    static member ( + ) (lhs:UnitType,rhs:UnitType) =       
        if lhs = rhs then lhs                
        else raise (new System.InvalidOperationException())
and ValueType = float

    Known issues
  • Operator precedence means 10 * m / 2 * s = 5 m s instead of 5 m /s
    - As a workaround use brackets, i.e. (10 * m) / (2 * s)
  • Conversions requiring constant difference like degrees to kelvins are not supported

UnitType.fs (7.17 kb)


Tags:
Categories: .Net | C# | F#
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Silverlight 4 Calculator Sample in F#

June 7, 2010 14:07 by Phil

If you have Silverlight 4 installed you should see a calculator sample below coded in F#. The sample originally targeted WPF, only a few modifications were required to run in Silverlight:

  • the view is hosted in a UserControl instead of a Window
  • a C# project is used to launch the UserControl and generate the Silverlight XAP file

The sample demonstrates creating a View in WPF or Silverlight without XAML. The idea is to make things a little easier from F# by implementing a (+) operator overload to attach dependency properties.

The following snippet shows the keypad being constructed by transforming tuples describing the key character and action to buttons:

let keys =
    let grid = new Grid()
    for i = 1 to 4 do
        ColumnDefinition() |> grid.ColumnDefinitions.Add 
        RowDefinition() |> grid.RowDefinitions.Add
    [ 
    ['7',Digit(7);'8',Digit(8);'9',Digit(9);'/',Operator(Divide)]
    ['4',Digit(4);'5',Digit(5);'6',Digit(6);'*',Operator(Multiply)]
    ['1',Digit(1);'2',Digit(2);'3',Digit(3);'-',Operator(Minus)]
    ['0',Digit(0);'.',Dot;'=',Evaluate;'+',Operator(Plus)]
    ]    
    |> List.mapi (fun y ys ->
        ys |> List.mapi (fun x (c,key) ->
            let color =
                match key with
                | Operator(_) | Evaluate -> Colors.Yellow
                | Digit(_) | Dot -> Colors.LightGray                        
            let effect =
                Binding("Operator",
                        Converter=operationEffectConverter,
                        ConverterParameter=key)    
            Button(Content=c,CommandParameter=key,
                Width=40.0,Height=40.0,Margin=Thickness(4.0),
                Background=SolidColorBrush(color)) +                
                Button.CommandBinding(Binding("KeyCommand")) +
                Button.EffectBinding(effect) +
                Grid.Column(x) + Grid.Row(y)                         
        )
    )
    |> List.concat
    |> List.iter (grid.Children.Add >> ignore)
    grid

 

Note: This article is more a thought experiment in trying F# code instead of XAML to describe a View. In many cases XAML with a C#/F# View Model may be the pragmatic choice.

PS There is a very concise WebSharper F# Calculator sample, that generates JavaScript.

SilverlightCalculator.zip (10.09 kb)


Tags:
Categories: .Net | Architecture | F# | Silverlight
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Runtime Units of Measure for F#

May 29, 2010 15:13 by phil

The F# compiler includes a Units of Measure feature which infers a measure type at compile time, which means you get measure type safety with uncompromised runtime performance.

Example of F#’s built-in Units of Measure feature (hover over shows inferred type):

metres per second

Sometimes you might also want to actually infer units of measure at runtime, say to display the inferred unit type at the UI. The following F# code prototype provides such inference.

Lets start by defining some metres and seconds unit types:

let m = UnitType.Create("m")
let s = UnitType.Create("s")

Now with the source below we can explore types in F# Interactive:

> 10.0 * m;;
val it : UnitValue = 10 m {Unit = Unit ("m",1);
                           Value = 10.0;}
> 10.0 * m / 5.0 * s;;
val it : UnitValue = 2 m s {Unit = CompositeUnit [Unit("m",1); Unit("s",1)];
                            Value = 2.0;}

Source code to F# runtime units of measure:

type UnitType =
    | Unit of string * int 
    | CompositeUnit of UnitType list     
    static member Create(s) = Unit(s,1)
    override this.ToString() =
        let exponent = function
            | Unit(_,n) -> n
            | CompositeUnit(_) ->                
                raise (new System.InvalidOperationException())
        let rec toString = function        
            | Unit(s,n) when n=0 -> ""
            | Unit(s,n) when n=1 -> s
            | Unit(s,n)          -> s + " ^ " + n.ToString()            
            | CompositeUnit(us) ->               
                let ps, ns = 
                    us |> List.partition (fun u -> exponent u >= 0)
                let join xs = 
                    let s = xs |> List.map toString |> List.toArray             
                    System.String.Join(" ",s)
                match ps,ns with 
                | ps, [] -> join ps
                | ps, ns ->
                    let ns = ns |> List.map UnitType.Reciprocal
                    join ps + " / " + join ns
        match this with
        | Unit(_,n) when n < 0 -> " / " + toString this
        | _ -> toString this    
    static member ( * ) (v:ValueType,u:UnitType) = UnitValue(v,u)    
    static member ( * ) (lhs:UnitType,rhs:UnitType) =
        let text = function
            | Unit(s,n) -> s
            | CompositeUnit(us) -> us.ToString()
        let normalize us u =
            let t = text u
            match us |> List.tryFind (fun x -> text x = t), u with
            | Some(Unit(s,n) as v), Unit(_,n') ->
                us |> List.map (fun x -> if x = v then Unit(s,n+n') else x)                 
            | Some(_), _ -> raise (new System.NotImplementedException())
            | None, _ -> us@[u]
        let normalize' us us' =
            us' |> List.fold (fun (acc) x -> normalize acc x) us
        match lhs,rhs with
        | Unit(u1,p1), Unit(u2,p2) when u1 = u2 ->
            Unit(u1,p1+p2)        
        | Unit(u1,p1), Unit(u2,p2) ->            
            CompositeUnit([lhs;rhs])
        | CompositeUnit(us), Unit(_,_) ->
            CompositeUnit(normalize us rhs)
        | Unit(_,_), CompositeUnit(us) ->
            CompositeUnit(normalize' [lhs]  us)
        | CompositeUnit(us), CompositeUnit(us') ->
            CompositeUnit(normalize' us us')
        | _,_ -> raise (new System.NotImplementedException())
    static member Reciprocal x =
        let rec reciprocal = function
            | Unit(s,n) -> Unit(s,-n)
            | CompositeUnit(us) -> CompositeUnit(us |> List.map reciprocal)
        reciprocal x
    static member ( / ) (lhs:UnitType,rhs:UnitType) =        
        lhs * (UnitType.Reciprocal rhs)
    static member ( + ) (lhs:UnitType,rhs:UnitType) =       
        if lhs = rhs then lhs                
        else raise (new System.InvalidOperationException())
and ValueType = float
and UnitValue(v:ValueType,u:UnitType) = 
    member this.Value = v 
    member this.Unit = u
    override this.ToString() = sprintf "%O %O" v u
    static member (+) (lhs:UnitValue,rhs:UnitValue) =
        UnitValue(lhs.Value+rhs.Value, lhs.Unit+rhs.Unit)         
    static member (*) (lhs:UnitValue,rhs:UnitValue) =                    
        UnitValue(lhs.Value*rhs.Value,lhs.Unit*rhs.Unit)                
    static member (*) (lhs:UnitValue,rhs:ValueType) =        
        UnitValue(lhs.Value*rhs,lhs.Unit)      
    static member (*) (v:UnitValue,u:UnitType) = 
        UnitValue(v.Value,v.Unit*u)  
    static member (/) (lhs:UnitValue,rhs:UnitValue) =                    
        UnitValue(lhs.Value/rhs.Value,lhs.Unit/rhs.Unit)
    static member (/) (lhs:UnitValue,rhs:ValueType) =
        UnitValue(lhs.Value/rhs,lhs.Unit)  
    static member (/) (v:UnitValue,u:UnitType) = 
        UnitValue(v.Value,v.Unit/u)


Implementation details:

Unit (UnitType) computations are separate from value (UnitValue) computations. A single unit types (say metres) just has a name and a power (default of 1):

let metres = Unit(name = “metres”, power = 1)

To multiply by the same unit type, simply add the powers:

(2.0 * metres) * (3.0 metres) = 6.0 metres ^ 2

To handle composite unit types, when multiplying 2 unit values, first try to find a matching unit type in the existing list, if successful add the powers, otherwise add the new type:

2.0 * metres * seconds = 2 .0 metres (per) second

To divide simply multiply by the reciprocal:

(2.0 * metres * seconds) / (1.0 * seconds) = 2.0 metres per second * 1.0 seconds ^ -1

Resources:


Tags:
Categories: F# | .Net
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Exposing F# Dynamic Lookup to C#, WPF & Silverlight

May 23, 2010 15:20 by phil

Like C#, F# is primarily a statically typed programming language. That said both languages provide support for dynamic typing.

Sometimes dynamic typing can be a pragmatic way of solving a specific problem. For example say you’re a solutions provider with a core product and have a number of clients with bespoke requirements. One client asks for a product rating feature. This can be relatively easily achieved using dynamic properties:

  • a bunch of client specific properties are read from the database, including the rating value, which is then set as a dynamic property on the product object
  • zero changes are required to the core code
  • at the UI, on WPF, the dynamic property can simply be bound through XAML like any other object property
  • on Silverlight 4,0 direct binding is not currently possible, however there is a simple workaround - specifying the dynamic property as a parameter for a value converter (example later)

C# and F# use slightly different approaches for dynamic properties:

  • C# 4.0 provides a dynamic type, which tells the compiler that member lookup on the object should be deferred to run time
  • F# employs a dynamic lookup operator, which when overloaded defines the behaviour at runtime. This means that in F# dynamic lookup is explicit (the ? operator), and can be mixed with static lookup on the same object (the . operator)

Is it is still possible to implement dynamic properties in F# that can be consumed by other .Net languages like C#, VB.Net, IronRuby or IronPython; plus WPF and Silverlight. The trick is to inherit from .Net 4.0’s System.Dynamic.DynamicObject type and implement the System.ComponentModel.INotifyPropertyChanged interface:

open System.Dynamic

/// Dynamic Lookup type
type DynamicLookup () =
    inherit DynamicObject ()
    /// Synchronization object
    let sync = obj()
    /// Property Changed event
    let propertyChanged = Event<_,_>()    
    /// Properties
    let mutable properties = Map.empty
    /// Gets property value
    member private this.GetValue name = 
        Map.tryFind name properties
    /// Sets property value, creating a new property if none exists
    member private this.SetValue (name,value) =
        /// Atomically writes new properties reference
        let Write () = 
            properties <-
                properties 
                |> Map.remove name 
                |> Map.add name value
        // Synchronize property writes
        lock sync Write
        // Trigger property changed event
        (this,System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs(name))
        |> propertyChanged.Trigger    
    override this.TryGetMember(binder:GetMemberBinder,result:obj byref ) =     
        match this.GetValue binder.Name with
        | Some value -> result <- value; true
        | None -> false
    override this.TrySetMember(binder:SetMemberBinder, value:obj) =        
        this.SetValue(binder.Name,value)
        true
    override this.GetDynamicMemberNames() =
        properties |> Seq.map (fun pair -> pair.Key)
    [<CLIEvent>]
    member this.PropertyChanged = propertyChanged.Publish
    interface System.ComponentModel.INotifyPropertyChanged with
        [<CLIEvent>]
        member this.PropertyChanged = propertyChanged.Publish     
    static member (?) (lookup:#DynamicLookup,name:string) =
        match lookup.GetValue name with
        | Some(value) -> value
        | None -> raise (new System.MemberAccessException())        
    static member (?<-) (lookup:#DynamicLookup,name:string,value:'v) =
        lookup.SetValue (name,value)
    static member GetValue (lookup:DynamicLookup,name) =
        lookup.GetValue(name).Value

F# usage:

/// Product type inherits dynamic lookup
type Product (name,price) =
    inherit DynamicLookup ()
    member this.Name = name
    member this.Price = price
 
// Initiate product object with dynamic rating value
let p = Product("F# for Scientists",49.95M)
do p?Stars <- 5
// Access product's properties
let stars = System.Convert.ToInt32(p?Stars)
do printf "%s...%M %s" p.Name p.Price (System.String('*',stars))

C# usage:

// Create Product type with dynamic stars value
Product product = new Product("Expert F#",54.99M);
((dynamic)product).Stars = 5;       
// Read product properties
dynamic p = product;
string s = 
    string.Format("{0}...{1} {2}",
        p.Name, p.Price, new String('*', (int) p.Stars));

Use from Silverlight 4.0

<t:PropertyLookup x:Key="DynamicConverter"/>

 

<TextBox Text="{Binding Converter={StaticResource DynamicConverter},
                ConverterParameter=Stars}"/>

 

dynamic product = new Product("Real World FP", 35.99);
product.Stars = 5;
DataContext = product;

 

public class PropertyLookup : IValueConverter
{
    public object Convert(
        object value, 
        Type targetType, 
        object parameter, 
        CultureInfo culture)
    {        
        return DynamicLookup.GetValue(
            (DynamicLookup) value,
            (string) parameter);            
    }

    public object ConvertBack(object value, 
        Type targetType, 
        object parameter, 
        CultureInfo culture)
    {
        throw new NotImplementedException();
    }
}

Note: Silverlight 4.0 requires Microsoft.CSharp.dll to use dynamic types.


Tags:
Categories: F# | WPF | Silverlight | Architecture | .Net | C#
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MVMMC – MVVM grows a Controller

May 19, 2010 15:27 by phil

Ray Booysen does it again! The first time I saw Ray do a talk was at NxtGen in Cambridge, when he gave me a timely introduction to MVVM just as I was starting to play with WPF. MVVM (Model-View-View Model) is an architectural pattern, that improves on code behind, making it possible to unit test your UI code (View Model), a good thing. Over a year later and I’m just starting to play with Silverlight, Ray delivers another timely talk on Silverlight gotchas at the Edge UG in London, based on his real-world development experience (developing Financial applications). This time he introduces among other good things MVVMC (MVVM plus Controller). Here the controller takes responsibility for communication between the Model and View Model, leaving the View Model with the single responsibility of providing data to the View.

Somewhat shell shocked I was left with a few questions on implementation details, again Ray to the rescue via Twitter:

ptrelford Excellent @raybooysen Silverlight gotchas talk - MVVMC (C for controller), Network is on UI thread, browser connection limits #edgeug

ptrelford @raybooysen really liked Fat Controller slide, of Thomas the Tank Engine; controller takes responsiblity for marshalling threads etc #edgeug

raybooysen @ptrelford fat controller should be in all slide decks. :)

raybooysen Talk finished at @edge_ug. Think it went ok. Feel like I rambled a little.

ptrelford So with MVVMC the Model is observed by a Controller, which constructs & updates a View Model, which the (XAML) View binds to

raybooysen @ptrelford thanks for coming tonight. :)

ptrelford @raybooysen using MVVMC the Controller observes the Model & updates View Model, which observes user input and passes messages to the Model?

raybooysen @ptrelford viewmodel observes and notifies the the controller.

ptrelford @raybooysen thanks! So View Model takes a reference to the parent controller?

raybooysen @ptrelford no. Can surface the ui interaction via events. Or use rx if you're in for some fun.

ptrelford @raybooysen Cool thanks again! That makes sense, View Model exposes IObservable<T> properties. BTW your talk blew me away (hence questions)!

raybooysen @ptrelford no worries. Iobservable feels quite right in these scenarios. Since controller essentially owns the viewmodel

Finally, this was the same talk that Ray delivered at DDD Scotland, so the slides are already available here

image

image

image

 

image


Tags:
Categories: C# | .Net | Architecture | WPF | Silverlight
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