mustBeInRange with multiple conditions

Hi all,

I need to ensure a value is within a range. I understand there's a function called mustBeInRange, but I need to check for multiple conditions. I'd ideally like a message to spit out a specific error that says something like "error, value is not within the range for the third case." I wrote the following but it says that I have too many arguments in mustBeInRange, but it individually works when I put the mustBeInRange line in the command window.

    n_roof = 10;
    int_H = [10 13 6]; % Case 1, case 2, case 3
    n_floor = n_roof - int_H;
    n_ins = -1; %Setting it to test the mustBeInRange function

    if     mustBeInRange(n_ins,n_floor(1),n_roof)
    else disp('error, installation height is below floor or above roof elevation for case 1')
        if mustBeInRange(n_ins,n_floor(2),n_roof)
        else disp('error, installation height is below floor or above roof elevation for case 2')
             if mustBeInRange(n_ins,n_floor(3),n_roof)
             else disp('error, installation height is below floor or above roof elevation for case 3')
            
             end
        end 
    end 
 

Answer 1

[Dyuman Joshi]

The function mustBeInRange itself throws an error if the value is not inside the range

n_roof = 10;
int_H = [10 13 6]; % Case 1, case 2, case 3
n_floor = n_roof - int_H;
n_ins = -1; %Setting it to test the mustBeInRange function

mustBeInRange(n_ins,n_floor(1),n_roof)
%For some reason, I am unable to run the code in live editor here
%Edit - I have attached a ss of the code run on MATLAB App, where you can
%see the error mustBeInRange() throws

If you want to show a specific/particular message for each condition, you will have to use logical operators.

%Define a function handle to use for each case
fun = @(val, in1, in2) (val >= min(in1,in2)) && (val <= max(in1,in2)) ;
if  ~fun(n_ins,n_floor(1),n_roof)
    disp('error, installation height is below floor or above roof elevation for case 1')
    if ~fun(n_ins,n_floor(2),n_roof)
    disp('error, installation height is below floor or above roof elevation for case 2')
        if ~fun(n_ins,n_floor(3),n_roof)
            disp('error, installation height is below floor or above roof elevation for case 3')
        end
    end
end

[Les Beckham]

You are correct about using logical comparisons instead of the mustBeInRange function which is "designed to be used for property and function argument validation" (according to the documentation). However, I believe the OP wants no error message if the value matches any of the three conditions. This approach will display at least two error messages, even if one of the three conditions is met.

[Joy Shen]

What's the best way to turn n_ins to a NaN value so it cannot proceed for that specific case?

[Joy Shen]

@Les Beckham Hi Les, I'm fine with individual error messages popping up which will let me isolate which case the condition isn't being met with. I want to also be able to stop the code for the particular case if the conditions aren't met

[Dyuman Joshi]

You can directly use NaN as input to the function handle or assign n_ins as NaN. But note that the function handle will return 0 with NaN irrespective of the limits.

%Direct
if  ~fun(NaN,n_floor(1),n_roof)
%Assign n_ins
n_ins = NaN;
if  ~fun(n_ins,n_floor(1),n_roof)

"I want to also be able to stop the code for the particular case if the conditions aren't met"

So, if conditions for case 1 isn't met, what should the code do next? Display the error and don't check the rest of the conditions?

[Walter Roberson]

However you do not want to emit any message if it fits one of the cases. So

m(1) = fun(n_ins,n_floor(1),n_roof)
m(2) = etc

if ~any(m)
  use the m values to figure out the error message 
end