Convert REAL to inches in Vectorscript

[htranbos]

I am writing a small script to create Shell Solid for a selected object. The current Document Settings units is in decimal inch. 

 

In the below script, I want to create a shell solid at 2" thickness. However, after running the script, the shell object thickness is at .079". Is there a way to convert REAL number to the correct unit in inches?

 

h = vs.FSActLayer()
vs.CreateShell(h, 2)

 

Thanks

[JBenghiat]

Just flagging that this is in the VectorScript forum, but your code is in Python. This is one of the few things that VS does more easily: you can just specify units, i.e. CreateShell(h, 2”). 
 

In Python you have to do unit conversions. vs.ValidNumStr is the most robust
https://developer.vectorworks.net/index.php?title=VS:ValidNumStr

 

Just to throw a wrench in things, I believe some functions always take millimeters, and this may be one of them. Best practice there is to retrieve the units per inch preference, and convert input numbers into millimeters. 

[htranbos]

@JBenghiat Thank you! I did not realize there is a separate forum for Python Scripting. I started to mess around with units per inch preference but haven't been able to make it to work. I will play around with it some more.

[htranbos]

@JBenghiat Finally I am able to make it to work. Below is what I did:

 

h = vs.FSActLayer()
upi = vs.GetPrefReal(152) #Calculate unit per inch preference
thickness = 25.4*upi*2 #Converting mm to in (1in = 25.4mm). This statement set thickness to 2"
vs.CreateShell(h, thickness)