Vectorize class function over all objects

Hey,

I have a handle class and each of those classes has some properties that will be changed over time repeatedly.

classdef precipitates < handle
    properties
        radius=...;
        compositions    
    end
    
    function [radius]=growth(radius,composition)
        ...
    end
end    

the Growth funtion can be easily vectorized, but within the class, radius and composition is jst a scalar. So when i would cll this cunction for all objects, I would loop over them.

Is there a way tht the growth function is applied to all objects, where the input radius and composition is the vector of radius and composition from all objects?

The only other way would be to extract radius ad composition from all objects, apply the function externaly and then overwrite the properties...but that would make the class kind of unnecessary when I just use it as well arranged structure to store data...

Best regards

Answer 1

[Varun]

Hi Marc,

I understand that you want to implement “growth” function/ method in a class which can modify properties like “radius” and “composition” of multiple objects at a time.

So, first you have to declare this function “growth” as “Static”, then pass an input parameter “objArray” (array of objects) and then update the fields of multiple objects in vectorized manner as shown below. Please refer the following updated code:

classdef precipitates<handle
    properties
        radius
        compositions
    end
    methods (Static)
        function newRadius = growth(objArray, radiusVec, compositionVec)
            
            newRadius = radiusVec+compositionVec;
            x=num2cell(newRadius);
            [objArray.radius]=deal(x{:});
            
        end
    end
end

And you can use this function as below:

>> objArray = [precipitates(), precipitates(), precipitates()] % Create an array of precipitates objects
>> radius=[1 2 3];
>> composition=[4 5 6];
>> newRadius = precipitates.growth(objArray,radius,composition)
>> objArray.radius %updated radius of all objects.