UsingandWritingProcedures.doc

AAE637 Workshop #2 Writing and Using Functions Within MATLAB Functions are a means of collecting a large number of commands such that the desired task can be undertaken using a single command line. I know that you have use STATA in AAE636. Believe it or not you have been using STATA defined functions when for example you want to obtain descriptive statistics or to undertake regression analysis. Similarly, a user-defined function in Matlab can be used as if it were an intrinsic part of the language. A function can be as small and simple or as large and complicated as necessary to perform a particular task. Functions allow you to build on your previous work and on the work of others, rather than starting over again and again to perform related tasks. Any native MATLAB command or function may be used in your user-defined function. Procedures can refer to any global variable. That is, any variable/matrix, array, etc. that appears in the Workspace window. An variable, matrix, array, etc created in a function is a local variable and cannot be accessed from other function or from the main level program code. For more information on functions refer to the MATLAB Users Guide. Four parts to a MATLAB function A function definition consists of four parts, three of which are denoted by explicit MATLAB commands: Part Commands 1. Function Declaration function % MATLAB Command 2. Global Variable Declaration global % MATLAB Command Used to % define global variables 3. Body of Procedure that contains commands % Any collection of native as if ther were submitted via a batch MATLAB % MATLAB Commands command file 4. End of Procedure Definition end /* MATLAB Command */ Below we provide an overview of each of these parts. 1. Function Declaration (function statement) There are a number of ways to define a function depending on the number of inputs and outputs. The following are four methods that can be used to defi