<![CDATA[Preventing Divide by Zero, problem with IF?]]>Hi All

I'm a comparative newbie to sketchup and complete newbie to this forum. I have searched this forum as best I can and have found a couple of other people who have a similar problem but no solution. I'm hoping someone out there has worked this out.

I have a simple component with a single custom attribute - angle.

I then use LenX/TAN(angle) to work out LenY

This works fine except when angle=90, because TAN(90) is undefined.

In this case I would like to set LenY=0

So I tried something like

LenY = IF(angle=90,0,LenX/TAN(angle))

and

LenY = IF(angle<90,LenX/TAN(angle),0)

In both cases sketchup evaluates the part of the IF statement not required and causes an error.

I have solved this problem by evaluating the other angle in the triangle

ie

LenY = LenX*TAN(90-angle)

but I wonder why the IF method didn't work and if anyone out there has any alternative methods to implement this sort of defensive programming to prevent divide by zero

IF(attrib1=0,0,attrib2/attrib1)

I know others have the same problem, surely this should be easy

anyway thanxs in advance, I love Sketchup and this site looks great!

]]>https://community.sketchucation.com/topic/134284/preventing-divide-by-zero-problem-with-ifRSS for NodeSun, 19 Apr 2026 05:36:21 GMTThu, 05 Apr 2012 16:12:58 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Preventing Divide by Zero, problem with IF? on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:06:40 GMT]]>daredevil

yeh I saw your bridge, very impressive work. My models are a lot more humble but I aspire to create complex dynamic components. That is the reason why I would like to find out how to do these things nicely and elegantly.

I presume the IF problem we both had is a problem with the way sketchup parses the IF function. I have a little experience with C++ from 20 years ago and would have expected it to work.

Anyway I am wondering if I should learn Ruby and if these sort of things can be done in that. I am frustrated with the way you enter formulas in the dynamic component attributes dialogue, it works fine for simple components but it is difficult to read complex nested functions in such a small text box. Sometimes I have resorted to copy/paste into notepad, and use indentation to help match parenthesis and make it clearer and then copy/paste back. It would also be nice to be able to add comments.

From seeing the bridge you've made you're obviously well ahead of me. I would like to produce fully configurable pieces of furniture and joinery for my business. Do you think I should persevere with Dynamic Components or will I discover that their limitations mean I should learn the Sketchup Ruby API?

Again very impressive work you do, it would give me a real kick to produce something half as good as that ☀

]]>https://community.sketchucation.com/post/1320296https://community.sketchucation.com/post/1320296Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:06:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Preventing Divide by Zero, problem with IF? on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:32:30 GMT]]>Hello,
I had the same problem with a A/sin(B) when B = 0.
I turned and turned to found a solution...
Look at this thread

]]>https://community.sketchucation.com/post/1320276https://community.sketchucation.com/post/1320276Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:32:30 GMT