Math & Science ⇒ Using SI units

[latexforever]

Here is the reason why I used dollars.

When I write

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\SI{1,60218\cdot 10^{-19}}{J}

, I receive an error: Package siunitx Error: Invalid character[...]\si@out@minus 19}}} in numerical input.

I suppose I must have forgotten an option to load the package. If so, I shall look in the package's documentation. But if it is not the case, can somebody tell me what is my mistake? Thanks!

[localghost]

I think phi already pointed out how to typeset this number format.

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\SI{1,60218e-19}{C}

So, a closer look at the documentation would be good.

[latexforever]

I think phi already pointed out how to typeset this number format.

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\SI{1,60218e-19}{C}

So, a closer look at the documentation would be good.

Ok. I thought we were not obliged to use this notation. There is no problem. Thanks.

[josephwright]

I'll think about it, but I doubt I can (automatically) accommodate both "literal" and parsed input for \num (and \SI{<here>}). The parser to convert "1e10" to "1 \times 10^{10}" has to do expansion so that people can use macro-based input. Perhaps I'll add a manual option. I'll see!
--
Joseph Wright

[latexforever]

Thanks. It was not a suggestion. Just an user's mistake!
Effectively, I think it is a little bit more complicated to implement.

Good night.

[josephwright]

Just like to see what users are doing: sometimes good or important ideas pop up unexpected.
--
Joseph Wright

[latexforever]

Just another question: why does the package automatically writes dB when we use

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\deci\bel

, and writes dB, when we use

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\si{dB}

?

Thanks

[phi]

This is not the case with version 1.1j, at least not in the following document:

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\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{siunitx}


\begin{document}

\si{\deci\bel}

\si{dB}

\deci\bel

\end{document}

Please provide an MWE, as usual.
Note that the recommended way for writing units is to use the \si command, like in the first or second line. Free-standing units don't work reliably in all cases. So the preferred way for expressing decibels is given by the first line.

@Joseph Wright: I think that it would be nice to have a mode where free-standing units are completely disabled, and unit macros are only allowed inside \SI or \si. This would reduce the possibility of overwriting other macros, and more abbreviated unit names would be possible. This is similar to the TikZ/PGF bundle, whose macros are only allowed inside certain environments, and thus can have very concise names without namespace pollution.

[localghost]

The older version 1.0i also gives a correct output. Perhaps a matter of an outdated version on your system.

[latexforever]

Thanks for these answers.