Add unit example

.gitignore

@@ -24,3 +24,5 @@ index.html
 tests/coverage.xml
 tests/htmlcov
 wheelhouse
+profile_output*
+*.egg-info/

docs/source/index.rst

@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
    auto/line_profiler.explicit_profiler
    auto/kernprof
 
+   manual/examples/index
+
 
 Indices and tables
 ==================

docs/source/manual/examples/example_units.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+Timing Units
+------------
+
+This example demonstrates how you can change the units in which the time is
+reported.
+
+Write the following demo script to disk
+
+.. code:: bash
+
+   echo "if 1:
+        from line_profiler import profile
+
+        @profile
+        def is_prime(n):
+            max_val = n ** 0.5
+            stop = int(max_val + 1)
+            for i in range(2, stop):
+                if n % i == 0:
+                    return False
+            return True
+
+
+        def find_primes(size):
+            primes = []
+            for n in range(size):
+                flag = is_prime(n)
+                if flag:
+                    primes.append(n)
+            return primes
+
+
+        def main():
+            print('start calculating')
+            primes = find_primes(10)
+            primes = find_primes(1000)
+            primes = find_primes(100000)
+            print(f'done calculating. Found {len(primes)} primes.')
+
+
+        if __name__ == '__main__':
+            main()
+   " > script.py
+
+
+Run the script with line profiling on. To change the unit in which time is
+reported use the ``--unit`` command line argument. The following example shows
+4 variants:
+
+.. code:: bash
+   LINE_PROFILE=1 python script.py
+
+   # Use different values for the unit report
+   python -m line_profiler -rtmz --unit 1 profile_output.lprof
+   python -m line_profiler -rtmz --unit 1e-3 profile_output.lprof
+   python -m line_profiler -rtmz --unit 1e-6 profile_output.lprof
+   python -m line_profiler -rtmz --unit 1e-9 profile_output.lprof
+
+
+You will notice the relevant difference in the output lines:
+
+
+.. code::
+
+
+    ==============
+    unit 1 variant
+    ==============
+
+    Timer unit: 1 s
+
+         ...
+
+         6    101010          0.0      0.0      3.6              max_val = n ** 0.5
+         7    101010          0.1      0.0      4.0              stop = int(max_val + 1)
+
+         ...
+
+    =================
+    unit 1e-3 variant
+    =================
+
+    Timer unit: 0.001 s
+
+         ...
+
+         6    101010         46.6      0.0      3.6              max_val = n ** 0.5
+         7    101010         51.5      0.0      4.0              stop = int(max_val + 1)
+
+         ...
+
+    =================
+    unit 1e-6 variant
+    =================
+
+    Timer unit: 1e-06 s
+
+         ...
+
+         6    101010      46558.2      0.5      3.6              max_val = n ** 0.5
+         7    101010      51491.7      0.5      4.0              stop = int(max_val + 1)
+
+         ...
+
+    =================
+    unit 1e-9 variant
+    =================
+
+    Timer unit: 1e-09 s
+
+         ...
+
+         6    101010   46558246.0    460.9      3.6              max_val = n ** 0.5
+         7    101010   51491716.0    509.8      4.0              stop = int(max_val + 1)
+
+         ...

docs/source/manual/examples/index.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+Examples
+--------
+
+Examples of line profiler usage:
+
++ `Basic Usage <../../index.html#line-profiler-basic-usage>`_
+
++ `Auto Profiling <../../auto/line_profiler.autoprofile.html#auto-profiling>`_
+
++ `Explicit Profiler <../../auto/line_profiler.explicit_profiler.html#module-line_profiler.explicit_profiler>`_
+
++ `Timing Units <example_units.rst>`_

line_profiler/__init__.py

@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ def main():
 * `torch.profiler <https://pytorch.org/docs/stable/profiler.html>`_ tools for profiling torch code.
 
 
-.... todo: give more details on exact limitations.
+.. .. todo: give more details on exact limitations.
 
 """
 # Note: there are better ways to generate primes