diff --git a/src/Silkworm.c b/src/Silkworm.c
index 7598379..107ecd3 100644
--- a/src/Silkworm.c
+++ b/src/Silkworm.c
@@ -1232,18 +1232,104 @@ double Silkworm_RopeAddNode(double ropeId, double xPosition, double yPosition, d
 {
 	Silkworm_Rope *rope = LookupRope(ropeId);
 
-	double nodeId = Silkworm_CreateNode(xPosition, yPosition, rope->nodeMass, rope->friction, 1.0, rope->pushFactor);
+	if (rope != NULL)
+	{
+		double nodeId = Silkworm_CreateNode(xPosition, yPosition, rope->nodeMass, rope->friction, 1.0, rope->pushFactor);
 
-	rope->nodeIndices = realloc(rope->nodeIndices, sizeof(uint64_t) * (rope->nodeCount + 1));
-	rope->nodeIndices[rope->nodeCount] = nodeId;
-	rope->nodeCount += 1;
+		rope->nodeIndices = realloc(rope->nodeIndices, sizeof(uint64_t) * (rope->nodeCount + 1));
+		rope->nodeIndices[rope->nodeCount] = nodeId;
+		rope->nodeCount += 1;
 
-	Silkworm_Node* node = LookupNode((uint64_t)nodeId);
-	node->destroyable = false;
+		Silkworm_Node* node = LookupNode((uint64_t)nodeId);
+		node->destroyable = false;
 
-	Silkworm_CreateLink((double)rope->nodeIndices[rope->nodeCount - 2], (double)rope->nodeIndices[rope->nodeCount - 1], length, rope->tearThreshold);
+		Silkworm_CreateLink((double)rope->nodeIndices[rope->nodeCount - 2], (double)rope->nodeIndices[rope->nodeCount - 1], length, rope->tearThreshold);
 
-	return nodeId;
+		return nodeId;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		return -1;
+	}
+}
+
+double Silkworm_RopeVerticalLength(double ropeId)
+{
+	Silkworm_Rope* rope = LookupRope(ropeId);
+
+	if (rope != NULL)
+	{
+		/* return the distance between the end node Y and the start Y */
+		return LookupNode(rope->nodeIndices[rope->nodeCount - 1])->position.y - LookupNode(rope->nodeIndices[0])->position.y;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		return -1;
+	}
+}
+
+double Silkworm_NearestX(double ropeId, double xPosition, double yPosition)
+{
+	uint32_t i;
+	float nearestSqrDistance, nearestX;
+
+	nearestSqrDistance = 9999999999.0f;
+	nearestX = 9999999999.0f;
+
+	Silkworm_Rope* rope = LookupRope(ropeId);
+
+	if (rope != NULL)
+	{
+		for (i = 0; i < rope->nodeCount; i += 1)
+		{
+			Silkworm_Node* node = LookupNode(rope->nodeIndices[i]);
+
+			float yDistance = node->position.y - yPosition;
+			float xDistance = node->position.x - xPosition;
+
+			float sqrDistance = xDistance * xDistance + yDistance * yDistance;
+
+			if (sqrDistance < nearestSqrDistance)
+			{
+				nearestSqrDistance = sqrDistance;
+				nearestX = node->position.x;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nearestX;
+}
+
+double Silkworm_NearestY(double ropeId, double xPosition, double yPosition)
+{
+	uint32_t i;
+	float nearestSqrDistance, nearestY;
+
+	nearestSqrDistance = 9999999999.0f;
+	nearestY = 9999999999.0f;
+
+	Silkworm_Rope* rope = LookupRope(ropeId);
+
+	if (rope != NULL)
+	{
+		for (i = 0; i < rope->nodeCount; i += 1)
+		{
+			Silkworm_Node* node = LookupNode(rope->nodeIndices[i]);
+
+			float yDistance = node->position.y - yPosition;
+			float xDistance = node->position.x - xPosition;
+
+			float sqrDistance = xDistance * xDistance + yDistance * yDistance;
+
+			if (sqrDistance < nearestSqrDistance)
+			{
+				nearestSqrDistance = sqrDistance;
+				nearestY = node->position.y;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nearestY;
 }
 
 double Silkworm_RopeCreate(double xPosition, double yPosition, double mass, double friction, double windFactor, double pushFactor, double tearThreshold)
diff --git a/src/Silkworm.h b/src/Silkworm.h
index 898e5ce..0cb1c86 100644
--- a/src/Silkworm.h
+++ b/src/Silkworm.h
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ SILKWORMAPI double Silkworm_ClothFillTriangleBuffer(double clothId, double leftU
 
 SILKWORMAPI double Silkworm_RopeCreate(double xPosition, double yPosition, double mass, double friction, double windFactor, double pushFactor, double tearThreshold);
 SILKWORMAPI double Silkworm_RopeAddNode(double ropeId, double xPosition, double yPosition, double length);
+SILKWORMAPI double Silkworm_RopeVerticalLength(double ropeId);
+SILKWORMAPI double Silkworm_NearestX(double ropeId, double xPosition, double yPosition);
+SILKWORMAPI double Silkworm_NearestY(double ropeId, double xPosition, double yPosition);
 SILKWORMAPI void Silkworm_RopeDestroy(double ropeId);
 SILKWORMAPI double Silkworm_RopeRequiredBufferSize(double ropeId);
 SILKWORMAPI double Silkworm_RopeFillBuffer(double ropeId, double width, double leftUV, double widthUV, double topUV, double heightUV);