How to call functions from another m file

I have two scripts. In first script I have some functions.

script1.m:

function res = func1(a)
    res = a * 5;  
end
function res = func2(x)
    res = x .^ 2;  
end

In second script I call these functions. How to include script1.m in second script and call functions from script1.m?

Answer 1

[Adam]

You can't if the functions are defined as local functions in the script1 file.

Just put the functions in their own separate file (of the same name as the function and on your path) if they are being used by both script1 and script2.

[Suhail Najm Abdullah]

True. Thanks alot.

[Thi Huong Hoa Trinh]

Thanks so much

[Mathlabuser 29952]

So the functions must be part of the "main" file (say at the end), unless they are objectified like the second comment below suggests?

[DGM]

Functions can be local to a script, or they can be independent files themselves.

% this is a script
mynumbers = [1 2 3 4];

% call the external function file (attached)
A = numtimes2(mynumbers)

A = 1x4

2 4 6 8

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% call the local function (below)
B = numtimes3(mynumbers)

B = 1x4

3 6 9 12

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% this is a local function in a script
function output = numtimes3(input)
    output = input*3;
end

See also:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/create-functions-in-files.html

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/types-of-functions.html

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/local-functions-in-scripts.html

[Mathlabuser 29952]

Thanks! I'll try. The script can be saved as script.m as well and call the numtimes2.m?

[DGM]

Yes. A script can call its own local functions, or it can call a function file like numtimes2().

[Koen]

Can you also put all these (I have quite a few functions) new functions into some folder; for example workspace/functions/myFunction.m?

And how would you call that?

EDIT: I found that you can call

addpath("functions");

myFunction();

In this case.

[DGM]

You got it.

You can also edit the path using pathtool if you find it more convenient.

Answer 2

[Mahmoud Khaled]

You can add them to a MATLAB class. Then instantiate an object of this class and call any of the functions.

It should be something like this:

In a separate file (ex, functionsContainer.m)

classdef functionsContainer
   methods
      function res = func1(obj,a)
         res = a * 5; 
      end
      function res = func2(obj,x)
         res = x .^ 2;
      end
   end
end

Then, in your script create an object:

myObj = functionsContainer;

Finally, call whatever function you like:

res1 = myObj.func1(a);
res2 = myObj.func2(x);

[riki ragùa]

can you explaine more or give us example please ?

[Mahmoud Khaled]

@riki: i upadated my answer.

[Steven Lord]

If you wanted to do this I'd make those functions Static, since they don't need or use any state from the object itself.

classdef functionsContainer
   methods (Static)
      function res = func1(a)
         res = a * 5; 
      end
      function res = func2(x)
         res = x .^ 2;
      end
   end
end

Use:

y = functionsContainer.func1(2) % 10

Another way to make local functions available outside their file is to have the main function return function handles to those local functions.

function [fh1, fh2] = example328959
fh1 = @func1;
fh2 = @func2;
end

function y = func1(a)
y = 5*a;
end

function z = func2(b)
z = b.^2;
end

Use as:

[f1, f2] = example328959;
f1(2) % also 10

[Scott Shelton]

Is there a way for example328959 to be inputed from a string?

I have a variable that stores example328959 as "example328959" as I need to be able to change the file that is referenced. Is there someway to reference this string as the file name in my "Use as:" code?

[Stephen23]

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/ref/str2func.html

[Tomas]

if you define the methods as static, you dont even have to instantiate the class

E.g:

classdef Functions
    methods(Static)
        function y = func1(x)
            % body
        end
        function y = func2(x)
            % body
        end
    end
end

And then you can run from another script or cmd:

output = Functions.func1(input)