"Precision as Displayed"

[Jarvis]

I'm not sure where to post this question, so I thought I would put it here.

I am building a database for constructing kitchen cabinets.

I have fields that call out dimensions in Imperial Inches and additional fields that convert these inches to metric equivalencies.

In order to produce a document that is useful, I am rounding the metric number to whole numbers.

For example: The dimension (5.99) is displayed as (6) and the dimension (5.49) is displayed as 5.

Right now the summation of these numbers equals (11.48).

I would like, however, for the summation of these numbers to result in an even (11) .

MS Excel has an option that calculates actual values to to what is displayed. Does anyone know of a way to do this in Filemaker 6?

Thanks!

[LaRetta]

Hi Jarvis,

If it's just the display that you wish to limit to whole numbers, you can select field format, number. Select decimal, fixed number and enter a 0. You can also use:

Int(11.48) returns 11

There are several number functions which will help you control the resultant numbers.

LaRetta

[Ugo DI LUCA]

I'm quite annoyed with your logic Jarvis.

Wouldn't it be more effective to "round" the dimensions sum instead of each dimensions....

i.e. :

Dim 1 = 8.27---------> Your rounded num = 8

Dim 2 = 6.49---------> Your rounded num = 6

---------------------------> Your Total finally is 14

while 8.27+6.49 =14.76 which IMO should be rounded to 15

1cm is nothing in that World, I know, but it surely would make a difference when installing your kitchen cabinets....

[Fitch]

Round (number, precision)

A precision of 2 gives you 2 decimal places. You want no decimal places, so:

Round (numberA + numberA , 0)

[Ugo DI LUCA]

I like that better

[Jarvis]

Ugo,

You have a good point in theory but actual practice in cabinetland allows for rounding up or down at will. It is more important that we use numbers we can find on a tablesaw rip fence than that they add up on a spreadsheet. The cumulative effect of rounding up or down across a half dozen cabinets tends to average itself out to a margin of error of 3 or 4 millimeters.

This becomes moot when you realize that plaster buildups on sheetrock walls can be plus or minus 6 millimeters.

Whole numbers are easier to find on scales than fractional numbers.

But you are right in that we do try to make the sum of the individual parts equal a big number that has been vetted to be within acceptable tolerances.

Thanks!

[Ugo DI LUCA]

OK,

so you may also use (from the examples I gave) :

Int(Num1 + Num 2) which would round it to 14

or

Round(Num1+Num2,0) which would round it to 15....

[ernst]

Hi Jarvis,

Just to add my 2 cents...

If you want to be sure that adding all the numbers that are displayed gives a 'logical' result, like you describe from Excel, then you should use

Round(num1, 0 ) + Round(num2, 0)

Regards,

Ernst.