topic Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue in Inventor Forum

"IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

BeKirra — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 12:21:43 GMT

Is it possible to insert "IF" statement in the equation cell (see below - it can be an IPT/IAM file)?

Here is an example.

If "d0" > 20, then "d1" = 10, otherwise "d1" = 5

I've tried but no success.

(BTW I am not trying to create an ipart.)

Thanks In advance.

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

kacper.suchomski — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 12:51:00 GMT

You can do this via iLogic.

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

BeKirra — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 02:33:25 GMT

So "IF" statement won't work in equation cell?

For a simple task I don't prefer using iLogic.

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

pcrawley — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 03:36:00 GMT

No, there is no "If" in the parameters dialogue box. I understand not wanting to use iLogic for "a simple task", but sometimes, it really is the "simplest" solution:

If d0 > 20 Then d1 = 10 Else d1 = 5 End If

Because the iLogic is code operates on parameters, you don't need any special triggers - it just works.

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

johnsonshiue — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:18:21 GMT

Hi! This is a very interesting request. Certainly, a simple iLogic rule as Peter mentioned above will work. There are other ways to solve it. Here is a solution by using parametric functions, which will lead to the logical result. Please note that when d0 = 20.00001mm, the result will be zero, which wrong. But I don't believe anybody would add have such dimension.

sign(( d0 - 20.00001 mm ) / 1 mm) * 10 mm + sign(( 20.00001 mm - d0 ) / 1 mm) * 5 mm

Many thanks!

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

pcrawley — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:28:06 GMT

Genius (as usual) @johnsonshiue !

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

NachoShaw — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 01:04:40 GMT

I'm going to chime in here, hi Johnson 🙂

IF in equations makes sense, I common topic among users. Why is iLogic not the preferred choice? While iLogic is ok, there are some company policies the do not permit code,especially when iLogic remains unprotected. ILogic makes it hard to share files with a function dependency so code share persists.

All that's needed if the inclusion of 'IF'

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

BeKirra — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 10:32:29 GMT

Thanks to @pcrawley and @johnsonshiue

Both your codes work.

But it is not what I am after.

Edit: @johnsonshiue

Sorry, I mentioned your method is not what I am after because your equation is a bit of complicate.

@NachoShaw Thanks for your input.

I agree with your comment.

👍

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

johnsonshiue — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 14:58:43 GMT

Hi Folks,

Certainly, having the ability to set logical statement in a parametric expression makes perfect sense. But it always comes down to the cost and the priority. Nothing is free. Please feel free to submit it to Inventor Ideas forum (https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/idb-p/v1232) so that the users can vote for it. The project teams will review and prioritize it accordingly.

Many thanks!

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

NachoShaw — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 16:15:18 GMT

We don't expect it to be free which is why we all pay a subscription 😎

It already exists in the ideas station

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

johnsonshiue — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 20:34:38 GMT

Hi Nacho,

The "free" I am talking about is the cost to implementing such workflow. Though it might seem "easy" to implement, it can lead to costly technical implications.

Many thanks!

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

BeKirra — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 08:00:47 GMT

@johnsonshiue wrote:
Hi Folks,

Certainly, having the ability to set logical statement in a parametric expression makes perfect sense. But it always comes down to the cost and the priority. Nothing is free.
...

Understand and agree.

When Inventor updates or new release come out for install, it obviously costed to Autodesk's implement.

But updating and upgrading Inventor is how Autodesk is to keep it's users.

As a user, I personally expect to get samll functions like this one added in or improved before next release.

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

johnsonshiue — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 20:13:19 GMT

Hi! Submitting these ideas to Inventor Ideas forum or participating in the Inventor Feedback Community is the best way to escalate the need.

Many thanks!

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

J-Camper — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 03:55:50 GMT

This is a bit more simplified version of @johnsonshiue , equation:

5 mm + 5 mm * sign(floor(d0 / 20 mm))

Or this if your step size will always be 5mm:

5 mm * ( 1 ul + sign(floor(d0 / 20 mm)) )

Then you can create sudo Else If statements like this:

5 mm * ( 1 ul + sign(floor(d0 / 20 mm)) + sign(floor(d0 / 40 mm)) + sign(floor(d0 / 60 mm)) )

The sign operator feels very much like an If operator in this case.

Edit:
I just realized you were asking for greater than 20 mm not greater than or equal to 20mm. The floored division above will do greater than or equal to. A simple subtraction will do greater than:

5 mm * ( 1 ul + sign(d0 - 20 mm) )

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

NachoShaw — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 03:53:28 GMT

Be sure to use ABS(Sign) as I've had negative value instances using Sign in the past

Re: "IF" Statement in "Equation" Cells in Parameter Dialogue

J-Camper — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 13:00:18 GMT

Interesting. The documentation for Sign that I have read seems like it should be a purely binary output [Functions, prefixes, and algebraic operators]. Do you have an example of any outcome that is not a 1 or 0?