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Module 5

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Programming in MATLAB

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Script Files
• A script file is an M-file with a set of valid MATLAB commands in it.
• A script file is executed by typing the name of the file (without the .m

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extension) on the command line.

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• It is equivalent to typing all the commands stored in the script file,
one by one , at the MATLAB prompt.

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• Naturally, script files work on global variables, that is, variables
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currently present in the workspace.
• Results obtained from executing script files are left in the workspace.
Example of script file

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MATLAB Code

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Function Files
• A function file is also an M-file, like a script file, except that the
variables in a function file are all local.

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• Function files are like programs or subroutines in Fortran, procedures

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in Pascal, and functions in C.
• Once you get to know MATLAB well, this is where you are likely to

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spend most of your time--writing and refining your own function files.

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• A function file begins with a function definition line, which has a well-
defined list of inputs and outputs. Without this line, the file becomes

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a script file. The syntax of the function definition line is as follows:

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• function[output variables]= function name(input variables);
• where the function_name must be the same as the file name

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(without the .m extension) in which the function is written. For

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example, if the name of the function is projecti le it must be written
and saved in a file with the name projectile.m
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Example of function file

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MATLAB Code

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Language Specific Features
• Use of comments to create on-line help
• Continuation

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• Global variables

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• Loops, branches, and control-flow

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• Interactive input

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Use of comments to create on-line help
• The comment lines at the beginning (before any executable
statement) of a script or a function file are used by MATLAB as the on-
line help on that file. This automatically creates the on-line help for
user-written functions.

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• Continuation:

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• An ellipsis (three consecutive periods) . at the end of a line denotes
continuation

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• Examples: A = [1 3 3 3; 5 10 -2 -20 ; 3 5 …
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10 2; 1 0 0 9] ;
• Global Variables:
• It is possible to declare a set of variables to be globally access.ible to

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all or some functions without passing the variables in the input list.

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This is done with the global command.
• Loops, Branches and Control flow:

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• For loop:
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• While loop:

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• If-elseif-else statement:

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• Switch-case-otherwise:

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• Interactive input:
• Input:

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• The command input ('string ' ), used in the previous example, displays

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the text in string on the screen and waits for the user to give
keyboard input.

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• Keyboard:
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• The command keyboard inside a script or a function file returns
control to the keyboard at the point where the command occurs. The
execution of the function or the script is not terminated.
• Menu:
• The command menu ( ‘Menu Name’, ‘option1’, ‘option2’, ••• ) creates

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an on-screen menu with the MenuName and lists the options in the

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menu. The user can select any of the options using the mouse or the
keyboard, depending on the computer

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• Pause:

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• The command pause temporarily halts the current process. It can be
used with or without an optional argument