Calling a function with no arguments
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Hi All,
In my program , I'm trying to call a function with some input arguments but no outputs as I'm using this function for the purpose of plotting.
How should its syntax look like?
[ ] = function_name( var1,var2,var3) // This line is giving me erorr : Assigning an output to an empty array is not supported.
Please suggest me a way to handle this error.
Thanks in advance!
4 Comments
Torsten
on 6 Aug 2024 at 14:33
John Wolter
on 6 Aug 2024 at 14:53
More or less, yes. My issue is that I am trying to code in Matlab with a head full of Python knowledge. Simple questions like, "If I have no input arguments, do I need the parentheses after the function?" often have different answers in Matlab.
I'm going to edit my comment because technically a function output is considered an "output argument" in Matlab, another difference from Python. :-)
Answers (2)
Steven Lord
on 6 Aug 2024 at 14:59
Outputs but no inputs
To call a function with outputs but no inputs, you can omit the parentheses or just include the parentheses with nothing inside them. If you were calling a function handle with outputs but no inputs, you would need to include the parentheses with nothing inside them. Otherwise MATLAB thinks you're trying to assign that variable to one or more variables and that may not work.
P = pi % one output, zero inputs to the pi function
P = pi() % one output, zero inputs
f = @pi;
P = f() % This works
P = f % P is not the value of pi but the function handle itself
try % Need to try/catch so I can run more code later in this answer
f = @computer;
[computerType, maxArraySize] = f % This does not work
catch ME
fprintf("This call threw error '%s'.\n", ME.message)
end
Inputs but no outputs
To call a function with inputs but no outputs, just don't specify the square brackets and the equals sign.
help('pi') % zero outputs, one input to the help function
Neither inputs nor outputs
To call a function with neither inputs nor outputs, just type its name. Or you could use the empty parentheses if necessary. Some functions may assign to ans while others will not.
clear all
whos % No variables in the workspace
pi % zero outputs, zero inputs, assigns to ans
whos % The pi call added ans to the workspace
clear ans % ans no longer exists
why() % zero outputs, zero inputs, displays but does not assign to ans
whos % And nothing shows up
0 Comments
Mario Malic
on 13 Nov 2020
Edited: Mario Malic
on 13 Nov 2020
You can achieve it this way.
function function_name( var1,var2,var3)
However, imagine a situation where you'd like to edit something on the plot that you've made, then you'd have to find the handles of it which is not a problem if you have only one figure/axes, but for multiples, you could return a figure handle.
function hFigure = function_name( var1,var2,var3)
hFigure = figure(1); % if you're using it
plot(hFigure, x, y);
end
2 Comments
Stephen23
on 13 Nov 2020
@Mario Malic: are you sure about that function definition syntax? The syntax given in the documentation is:
function hFigure = function_name(var1,var2,var3)
Mario Malic
on 13 Nov 2020
Edited: Mario Malic
on 13 Nov 2020
I haven't had my first coffee yet! I edited the answer, thanks Stephen.
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