Distance (feet, inches) class or struct

Question

Does anyone know of any examples or code that shows a class or struct that can be used for distance like the DateTime struct? I need to be able to add, subtract, and display the data in feet and inches and using conversion methods just gets messy. A class or struct would be perfect, but I came across nothing in my searches.

Answer 1

Use a struct, but make it immutable (all properties are get-only).

Properties should include at least:

• TotalFeet
• TotalInches

Methods should include at least:

• FromFeet (static)
• FromInches (static)

Declare the private backing field as:

private readonly double _meters;

Edit: Maybe something like this.

public struct Distance : IEquatable<Distance>, IComparable<Distance>
{
    private static readonly double MetersPerKilometer = 1000.0;
    private static readonly double CentimetersPerMeter = 100.0;
    private static readonly double CentimetersPerInch = 2.54;
    private static readonly double InchesPerFoot = 12.0;
    private static readonly double FeetPerYard = 3.0;
    private static readonly double FeetPerMeter = CentimetersPerMeter / (CentimetersPerInch * InchesPerFoot);
    private static readonly double InchesPerMeter = CentimetersPerMeter / CentimetersPerInch;

    private readonly double _meters;

    public Distance(double meters)
    {
        this._meters = meters;
    }

    public double TotalKilometers
    {
        get
        {
            return _meters / MetersPerKilometer;
        }
    }

    public double TotalMeters
    {
        get
        {
            return _meters;
        }
    }

    public double TotalCentimeters
    {
        get
        {
            return _meters * CentimetersPerMeter;
        }
    }

    public double TotalYards
    {
        get
        {
            return _meters * FeetPerMeter / FeetPerYard;
        }
    }

    public double TotalFeet
    {
        get
        {
            return _meters * FeetPerMeter;
        }
    }

    public double TotalInches
    {
        get
        {
            return _meters * InchesPerMeter;
        }
    }

    public static Distance FromKilometers(double value)
    {
        return new Distance(value * MetersPerKilometer);
    }

    public static Distance FromMeters(double value)
    {
        return new Distance(value);
    }

    public static Distance FromCentimeters(double value)
    {
        return new Distance(value / CentimetersPerMeter);
    }

    public static Distance FromYards(double value)
    {
        return new Distance(value * FeetPerYard / FeetPerMeter);
    }

    public static Distance FromFeet(double value)
    {
        return new Distance(value / FeetPerMeter);
    }

    public static Distance FromInches(double value)
    {
        return new Distance(value / InchesPerMeter);
    }

    public static Distance operator +(Distance a, Distance b)
    {
        return new Distance(a._meters + b._meters);
    }

    public static Distance operator -(Distance a, Distance b)
    {
        return new Distance(a._meters - b._meters);
    }

    public static Distance operator -(Distance a)
    {
        return new Distance(-a._meters);
    }

    public override bool Equals(object obj)
    {
        if (!(obj is Distance))
            return false;

        return Equals((Distance)obj);
    }

    public bool Equals(Distance other)
    {
        return this._meters == other._meters;
    }

    public int CompareTo(Distance other)
    {
        return this._meters.CompareTo(other._meters);
    }

    public override int GetHashCode()
    {
        return _meters.GetHashCode();
    }

    public override string ToString()
    {
        return string.Format("{0}[m]", TotalMeters);
    }
}

Answer 2

I've written self-contained unit converter classes before, but I don't know of a good one for .NET that is public.

That being said, it's quite easy to write - Just make a struct that can be constructed from inches or feet, and convertable to both.

public struct Distance
{
     private Distance(int inches)
     {
         this.totalInches = inches;
     }

     private int totalInches;

     public int Inches { get { return this.totalInches % 12; }  }

     public int Feet { get { return this.totalInches / 12; } }

     public static Distance FromInches(int inches)
     {
          return new Distance(inches);
     }

     public static Distance FromFeet(int feet)
     {
          return new Distance(feet * 12);
     }

     public static Distance FromFeetAndInches(int feet, int inches)
     {
          return new Distance(feet * 12 + inches);
     }

}