path: root/README.md

# Numericx

A console program that converts a number (or text) from one numerical system into another different numerical system

## Compiling

This program create an executable (or many) that will convert a number from one numerical system into another one.

For example, you may want to convert a hexadecimal number into a ternary number. You may use this program.

You first need to define the proprieties of the numerical systems. These proprieties are defined in the compilation process (as compilation flags).

For example, let's make the hexdecimal numerical system with numerals from 0-f, with a infinite 0 and it start counting on 1. So, our hexadecimal system will need the following compilation flags:
```
-DFROM_NUMERICALS=\"0123456789abcdef\" -DFROM_FIRST_NUMBER_VOID -DFROM_INFINITE_BASE
```

if you want the units place of this numerical system to be on the right side, add `-DFROM_UNITS_ON_THE_END`.

Now, for the ternary system let's make with numerals from 1-3, 1 is not infinte and it start counting on 1. Use this flags:
```
-DTO_NUMERICALS=\"123\"
```

if you want the units place of this numerical system to be on the right side, use `-DTO_UNITS_ON_THE_END`.

Now, to create the executable to translate a number for these two numerical system, join all of this together and compile using this:
```
c99 -DFROM_NUMERICALS=\"0123456789abcdef\" -DFROM_FIRST_NUMBER_VOID -DFROM_INFINITE_BASE -DFROM_UNITS_ON_THE_END -DTO_NUMERICALS=\"123\" -DTO_UNITS_ON_THE_END numericx.c -o hex-to-ternary
```

This creates the `hex-to-ternary` executable with can be used to convert numbers from hexadecimal to ternary.

## Pre-defined executable compilation

There are many pre-defined compilation of executables on the Makefile. That a look at the Makefile to know them.
Or you can run `make` to get all of the pre-defined executables. `make clean` to delete them.

## Compilation flags meanings

There are two categories for the compilation flags: the FROM category and the TO category.

FROM flags are the numerical system definitions of the argument number.

TO flags are the numerical system definitions of the number result.

Below, are the meanings of the FROM flags. To use the TO flags, just switch `FROM_` to `TO_`.

|Flag|Meaning|
|---|---|
|FROM_NUMERALS|Define the numerical system numerals of the 'from'|
|FROM_UNITS_ON_THE_END|Defines the units case to be on the end (on the right) for the 'from'|
|FROM_FIRST_NUMBER_VOID|Defines the first number as a "not counting" for the 'from'|
|FROM_INFINITE_BASE|Defines the first number to be infinite, for the 'from' (for example, if the first numeral is 0, then 0 == 00 == 000 == 0000 ... . Or if the first numeral is 1, then 1 == 11 == 111 ...)|

There is also the `DEBUG` flag, which will show all the steps that you number walked through. Remember: you use `-DDEBUG` as an compiler argument.

## License

MIT

## Author

Daniel A. C. Santos