Cant find a Zero problem

I have a sketch that converts a input string from a program using Azimuth/Elevation to create X/Y numbers.
The sketch works fine except when the input equals zero degrees for both Azimuth and Elevation.
So a input like 0,0.0,0.0 gives only a X and nothing else.
A input like 0,1.0,1.0 gives a correct output.
Maybe someone could have a look at the sketch.

// Detect a Videre command that looks like 1,aaa.a,eee.e
// if e = negative where waiting for a satilite
#include <Wire.h> 
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>
#include <Streaming.h>
#include <Servo.h> 

#if defined(ARDUINO) && ARDUINO >= 100
#define printByte(args)  write(args);
#else
#define printByte(args)  print(args,BYTE);
#endif

String readString = "";

float x_axisTemp = 0;
float y_axisTemp = 0;

int videreIndex = 0;              // counter if a Videre command is to be decoded
int decimalPoint = 0;
int dataEastWest = 0;
int teller = 0;

//long _XX = 0L;
//long _YY = 0L;
float newXaxis = 0L;	// new azimuth for rotor move
float newYaxis = 0L;	// new azimuth for rotor move

static const double DegreeToRadian = PI/180. ;  // PI/180
static const double RadianToDegree = 1/DegreeToRadian;    // 1 / ( PI / 180 )

boolean videreCommand = false;    // Is set if the first character received is a 0 or 1
boolean videreEastWest = false;   // Set if the pass is on the QTH-West

// Create display instance
//  Arduino analog input 5 - I2C SCL
//  Arduino analog input 4 - I2C SDA
LiquidCrystal_I2C lcdSerial(0x20,20,4);  // set the LCD address to 0x20 for a 20 chars and 4 line display
Servo X_AXIS;  // create servo object to control a servo 

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(19200);
  Serial.println("Videre Command 0.0"); // so I can keep track of what is loaded
  lcdSerial.init();                      // initialize the lcd 
  lcdSerial.backlight();
  lcdSerial.print(" Videre Command 0.0"); // so I can keep track of what is loaded
  X_AXIS.attach(6);  // attaches the servo on pin 9 to the servo object 
  X_AXIS.write(90);    // And place it at the zero position
  delay(5);
}

void loop() {
  if (Serial.available())  {
    readCommand(Serial.read());
  } 
  else  {
    videreCommand = false;
  }
}

void readCommand(char character)  {
  if (character == ',' || character == '\n' || character == '\r') {
    if (readString.length() >0) {
      switch(videreIndex)  {
      case 0:  
        {
          if(readString == "0" && !videreCommand)   {
            Serial << "Pass on West so add 180 degrees (flip)" << endl;
            videreCommand = true;
            videreEastWest = true;
            videreIndex = 1;
          }
          else if(readString == "1" && !videreCommand)   {
            Serial << "Pass on East no adjustment needed" << endl;
            videreCommand = true;
            videreEastWest = false;
            videreIndex = 1;
          }
          break;
        }
      case 1:  
        {
          x_axisTemp = convertToFloat(readString);
          Serial << "Got X value = " << x_axisTemp << endl;
          if(x_axisTemp > 360)  {
            videreCommand = false;
            videreIndex = 0;
          } 
          else  {
            videreIndex = 2;
          }
          readString = ""; //clears variable for new input
          break;
        }
      case 2:  
        { 
          y_axisTemp = convertToFloat(readString);
          Serial << "Got Y value = " << x_axisTemp << endl;
          if(y_axisTemp <= 000.0)  { // Waiting for satelite to come in range
            y_axisTemp = 000.0;
            if(videreEastWest)  {
              y_axisTemp = 180.0; 
            } 
            else  { 
              y_axisTemp = 000.0;
            }
          }
          if(y_axisTemp <= 180.0)  {
            lcdSerial.setCursor(0,1);
            lcdSerial << "AZ/EL " << displayAxis(x_axisTemp);
            lcdSerial.setCursor(13,1);
            lcdSerial << displayAxis(y_axisTemp);
            xyConvert(x_axisTemp, y_axisTemp);
            lcdSerial.setCursor(0,2);
            lcdSerial << " X/Y  " << displayAxis(newXaxis);
            lcdSerial.setCursor(13,2);
            lcdSerial << displayAxis(newYaxis);
            lcdSerial.setCursor(0,3);
            lcdSerial << "Rotor " << "  0.00   0.00";
            X_AXIS.write(newXaxis);
          } 
          else { 
            Serial << "Wrong elevation, start over again " << endl;
          }
          videreIndex = 0;
          videreCommand = false;
          videreEastWest = false;
          break;
        }
      default:  
        {  
          Serial << "Some Error" << endl;
          break;
        }
      }
      readString = ""; //clears variable for new input
    }
  }  
  else {     
    readString += character; //makes the string readString
  } 
}

float convertToFloat(String readString)  {
  char carray[readString.length() + 1]; //determine size of the array
  readString.toCharArray(carray, sizeof(carray)); //put readStringinto an array
  float f = atof(carray); //convert the array into a float
}

String displayAxis(double axis)  {
  static char Buffer[7];
  String SString = "";
  if(axis < 10.0)   { 
    SString += " "; 
  }
  if(axis < 100.0)  { 
    SString += " "; 
  }
  dtostrf(axis,4, 2, Buffer);
  return SString += Buffer;
}

void xyConvert(float az, float el)  {

  double azFloat = az * DegreeToRadian;        // One can also use DEG_TO_RAD
  double elFloat = el * DegreeToRadian;
  double _XX = 0L;
  double _YY = 0L;

  _XX = asin(sin(azFloat)*cos(elFloat)) * RadianToDegree;        // One can also use RAD_TO_DEG

  if(el < 0.1) { 
    _YY = 000.1;
  } 
  if(el == 180)  {
    _YY = -090.0;
  }
  else {
    _YY = atan(cos(azFloat)/tan(elFloat)) * RadianToDegree;
  }
  newXaxis = 90 - _XX;
  newYaxis = 90 - _YY;
}

float RadiansToDegrees(float rads)
{
  float RTD = rads * 180/PI;
  return RTD;
}

I suggest you test for the value being non-zero before you do the calculation. Otherwise you're trying to do trig calculations for a triangle of zero size. It's not a useful thing to do; you're dividing by zero and the answer is meaningless.

PeterH:
I suggest you test for the value being non-zero before you do the calculation. Otherwise you're trying to do trig calculations for a triangle of zero size. It's not a useful thing to do; you're dividing by zero and the answer is meaningless.

The first thing i do is converting the dtring to a floaty_axisTemp = convertToFloat(readString);
And after that i check if its negative. But it seems that after i decoded a Azimuth with the value 0.0 there's no Elevation decoded.
But if both are > 0.0 the whole sketch works perfect.

But it seems that after i decoded a Azimuth with the value 0.0 there's no Elevation decoded.

So, things go wrong when you divide by zero. What a surprise.

Set _YY to 90 degrees if elFloat = 0.0, otherwise the expression inside the atan() will blow up.

PaulS:

But it seems that after i decoded a Azimuth with the value 0.0 there's no Elevation decoded.

So, things go wrong when you divide by zero. What a surprise.

Please tel me where i do a devide by 0, it never gets there.

KeithRB:
Set _YY to 90 degrees if elFloat = 0.0, otherwise the expression inside the atan() will blow up.

As say before, it never gets there.
case 2 is never reached soxyConvert(x_axisTemp, y_axisTemp);is called after the Y component is decoded.
Please read the code before... in the xyConvert there's some code

if(el < 0.1) { 
    _YY = 000.1;
  } 
  if(el == 180)  {
    _YY = -090.0;
  }
  else {

to make it never 0

I think it will get there.

You are missing the else after the first if.

I don't know if this is the problem, but you have to be careful with "equal" in floating point. Floating point numbers are stored in binary (like everything else in the computer). If there are any mathematical operations, there is rounding and very-high precision...

Just as a made-up example, a number that "shows-up" as 1.001 might actually be stored as 1.0010000000001 internally, and that's NOT equal to 1.001.

Or something that is truly-mathematically zero might be stored as a very-very small non-zero number.

So whenever possible, use less-than or greater-than. If you are looking for zero, you might be able to look for a value less than 0.0001, etc. (And if the value can be negative, take that into account.)

There are also numbers that can be accurately represented in decimal, that cannot be accurately represented in floating-point binary (similar to the way 1/3rd cannot be represented perfectly in decimal). I don't remember what those values are, but you can research it if you wish.

KeithRB:
I think it will get there.

You are missing the else after the first if.

It wont becourse the serial output in case 2

      case 2:  
        { 
          y_axisTemp = convertToFloat(readString);
          Serial << "Got Y value = " << x_axisTemp << endl;
          if(y_axisTemp <= 000.0)  { // Waiting for satelite to come in range
            y_axisTemp = 000.0;
            if(videreEastWest)  {
              y_axisTemp = 180.0; 
            } 
            else  { 
              y_axisTemp = 000.0;
            }
..........

Got Y value never shows a value at the terminal.

Got Y value never shows a value at the terminal.

Perhaps because the value is actually something like nan (not a number) that the streaming class doesn't know how to display.

Try:

Serial.print("Got Y value = [");
Serial.print(x_axisTemp);
Serial.println("]");

instead of

Serial << "Got Y value = " << x_axisTemp << endl;

DVDdoug:
I don't know if this is the problem, but you have to be careful with "equal" in floating point. Floating point numbers are stored in binary (like everything else in the computer). If there are any mathematical operations, there is rounding and very-high precision...

Taking your remarks in mind i added a other if in the case 1: section.

          if(x_axisTemp == 0.0)  {
            x_axisTemp = 360.0; 
          }

While Azimuth moves from 0-359.99 degrees so making things easyer 0.0 = 360 degrees.
Thanks for pointing out.

you have to be careful with "equal" in floating point.

 if(x_axisTemp == 0.0)

While it might not be the main problem, you could at least thank me for finding that missing else bug.

AWOL:

you have to be careful with "equal" in floating point.

 if(x_axisTemp == 0.0)

Then there is something to explaine. Why is this working and my previos code not.
Its the only thing i have changed.

KeithRB:
While it might not be the main problem, you could at least thank me for finding that missing else bug.

KeithRB:
I think it will get there.

You are missing the else after the first if.

If i know why the else is missing i could do so, but where in my code is the else missing?

In front of if (el == 180).

You now have two separate if clauses, not an if/else chain.