Nested functions in a class - Call the function without including the class name as filename.function

Hello MATLAB experts,

I defined a class with different functions that are called from external .m files but also call eachother reciprocally, that is the functions call other functions in the same class. As far as I could understand, I always have to use the call form classname.function to call a function from this class. However, I would rather avoid it for the function that are all in the same class in the same file (similarly to local functions), to make the code clearer.

For example:

classdef small_test
    properties
        PropertyName
    end
    
    methods (Static)
        
        function d = sum_scale_test(a,b)
            c = a+b;
            d = small_test.scale_test(c);
        end
        
        function b = scale_test(a)
            b=10*a;
        end
    end
end

Is there a way to skip the long call:

small_test.scale_test

and just use

scale_test

?

Maybe with some access option?

Thank you for the help!

Answer 1

[Mitch Lautigar]

You can put subfunctions/nested functions below the Class call (after the end for classdef) and therefore have local functions for the class to reference. This will look like the following:

classdef <namehere>
    properties
        %....
    end
    methods
        function obj = dosomething(obj)
        end
    end
    function function_callsub1
        %do stuff here
    end

[fr td]

Thank you. Can I still use the functions, that go below the class end, in external files?

[Mitch Lautigar]

No. They are local functions in this case. If you want regular functions, you need to create the functions outside of the class.

[fr td]

Thank you. I had to separate the functions that are only used within the class file from those that are used externally and in one case I had to copy the function both inside the class (for external use) and below the class end for local use. It works fine.