Can we please get Min and Max functions

[NateLiquidGravity]

I don't know if some way to override the usual assumption when typing could help, or if there is some clever way that a parser could ever know when a typed value should be assumed to have units and when not.

Perhaps a unitless/dimensionless "unit symbol" could be added? Perhaps the number sign #?
So then Alibre Design could correctly interpret this:
ANGLE_PARAMETER = (360 deg / COUNT) * (COUNT - 1#)
To mean that the 1# is a count or scalar value depending on if it has decimals.

 

[Stuart]

There's really no need for a count type symbol like #.

"Distance" is a distance type parameter. Count is a count type parameter.

"Distance + 3": the 3 can be assumed to be mm or in since it is being operated on a distance parameter.
"Count - 1": the 1 can be assumed to be a count since it is being operated on a count type parameter.
"3 - 1": It is type-less so it's just numbers equal to 2. If it's being used in a distance context, the it's 2mm, an angle context, then 2 degrees.

@Ex Machina In the mechanical engineer CAD world, when would you want to subtract 1 degree from something that is explicitly defined as a count type? Alibre has given each Parameter an explicit type. There isn't a just-a-number type-less parameter possible that can be assumed to be some other type.

@Ex Machina Can you give an example where following these rules will not work for both worlds?

 

[Ex Machina]

Yes, what I'm saying is that if you like typing Distance + 3 and having it work, which is not doable in other major CAD systems, then you need to deal with typing Count-1 and having it not work. It's the exact same principle.

Examples of this not working for both worlds? Pull up a chair, Sir! Would you like some coffee? Go to any engineering school were the students have to make any sort of calculation in Excel or Matlab or Python... I have seen distance being divided by an area and the student insisting his calculations are correct.

In my opinion, a good reason to stop and think about what you're writing is a positive thing, not a bad one.

P.S. And again, Alibre does give you the opportunity to work inside excel as an equation editor and is really easy and efficient.

 

[NateLiquidGravity]

There's really no need for a count type symbol like #.

Sure, for limited benefit - Alibre could reinvent the wheel entirely and potentially introduce bugs into thousands of existing files or maintain two systems for backwards compatibility. Or what I suggest added on to the existing system - which shouldn't effect any existing files, but would still give users more options in equations.

 

[Stuart]

Comparing the Alibre EE to Excel, etc. is a false equivalency. Only Alibre has types like distance and angles. Those other systems are just numbers and you can make as many mistakes as you like and it has no way of knowing. Alibre does catch some type errors, but not others.



Distance dimensions are treated different than angle dimensions (d/a vs a/d).
Distance literals are used as mm (from properties), but distance parameters are coerced as cm.
Angle literals are used as degrees (from properties), but angle parameters are coerced as radians.

Clearly this is a legacy mess that won't get fixed. Nate, I'd use the # to force the interpretation of a count or scale, but I still content it's not necessary if the types were honored.