[VXA] "Can't divide by zero" error because of variable getting rounded up.

[ZachyTemp]

Hello,

I'm developing a game like Typeracer and I've been having some trouble when calculating CPM (Characters per Minute). Here's the code I made:

distance = $game_variables[2]     # Define distance (all typed letters)
minutes = $game_variables[4] / 3600 # Define time (frames -> minutes)

cpm = distance / minutes            # Speed equals distance divided by time

# Split CPM into separate integers
cpm1 = cpm / 1000
cpm2 = (cpm / 100) % 10
cpm3 = (cpm / 10) % 10
cpm4 = cpm % 10

# Show Numbers as Pictures
  if cpm >= 1000
   screen.pictures[17].show("Word - C_#{cpm1}", 0, 416 + 15*0, 551, 100, 100, 255, 0)
   screen.pictures[18].show("Word - C_#{cpm2}", 0, 416 + 15*1, 551, 100, 100, 255, 0)
   screen.pictures[19].show("Word - C_#{cpm3}", 0, 416 + 15*2, 551, 100, 100, 255, 0)
   screen.pictures[20].show("Word - C_#{cpm4}", 0, 416 + 15*3, 551, 100, 100, 255, 0)
  elsif cpm < 1000 && cpm >= 100
   screen.pictures[17].show("Word - C_#{cpm2}", 0, 416 + 15*0, 551, 100, 100, 255, 0)
   screen.pictures[18].show("Word - C_#{cpm3}", 0, 416 + 15*1, 551, 100, 100, 255, 0)
   screen.pictures[19].show("Word - C_#{cpm4}", 0, 416 + 15*2, 551, 100, 100, 255, 0)
   screen.pictures[20].erase
  elsif cpm < 100 && cpm >= 10
   screen.pictures[17].show("Word - C_#{cpm3}", 0, 416 + 15*0, 551, 100, 100, 255, 0)
   screen.pictures[18].show("Word - C_#{cpm4}", 0, 416 + 15*1, 551, 100, 100, 255, 0)
   screen.pictures[19].erase
   screen.pictures[20].erase
  elsif cpm < 10
   screen.pictures[17].show("Word - C_#{cpm4}", 0, 416 + 15*0, 551, 100, 100, 255, 0)
   screen.pictures[18].erase
   screen.pictures[19].erase
end

As soon as the player presses a key, a timer starts adding 1 to the time variable every frame.

The problem is that when "time" is lesser than 3600, when you convert it to minutes it will return a decimal value that gets rounded up to zero.
Eg: time = (1 minute / 3600 frames) = 2,77*10^-4 minutes

I tried using different time units, but the result is always inaccurate because I basically can't use any decimals. Is there any way to fix this?

Thank you.

 

[Shaz]

It is not "rounding up" to 0. It is truncating to 0.

minutes = $game_variables[4] / 3600.0

will prevent that. But then you'll have to convert all the cpm calculates back to integers prior to showing the pictures.

 

[KK20]

But then you'll have to convert all the cpm calculates back to integers prior to showing the pictures.

cpm = (distance / minutes).round

 

[ZachyTemp]

cpm = (distance / minutes).round

Thank you! I used "cpm.to_i" and it seems to work fine too ^^

It is not "rounding up" to 0. It is truncating to 0.

minutes = $game_variables[4] / 3600.0

will prevent that. But then you'll have to convert all the cpm calculates back to integers prior to showing the pictures.

Works like a charm. Thank you!
I didn't know about truncation. From what I've been able to research, looks like you need to include a float value in your operation if you want a decimal number as a result.

You may close this thread now

 

[KK20]

I used "cpm.to_i" and it seems to work fine too

You should know the difference between them though.

to_i => drops everything after the decimal (1.9 becomes 1, -1.1 becomes -1)
ceil => always rounds up (1.1 becomes 2, -1.9 becomes -1)
floor => always rounds down (1.9 becomes 1, -1.1 becomes -2)
round => rounds to whatever is the closest integer

 

[Shaz]

You may close this thread now

You should report your first post and let the mods know your question is answered. Then they will close it for you.

 

[mlogan]

This thread is being closed, due to being solved. If for some reason you would like this thread re-opened, please report this post and leave a message why. Thank you.