MATLAB Function (*.m files) Editing, Executing and Displaying Help

Hint: Square brackets are used here to denote general items for the user as to type in actual names when actually used in MATLAB, such as "[function]", but in MATLAB square brackets are also used for marking arrays that are being initialized on assignment.

Hints : The percent sign "%" marks the beginning of a comment, so if a "%" appears in a line (except as a format specifier in a "fprintf" or "sprintf" argument, its other purpose), the rest of the line to the right is a comment, but the first set of lines marked at the beginning of the line before any MATLAB commands are Header lines that are listed when you use the MATLAB "help" command:

>> help [function]

>> lookfor [keyword]

Hints: The semicolon ";" at the end of a MATLAB command line suppressed MATLAB output for that command, but semicolon are also used for separating rows in array initialization forms.

>> circle

>> type circle.m

% Circle - Script file to draw unit circle
% modified from "Getting Started with MATLAB" by Rudra Pratap 9/14/94

format compact                    % tightens loose format
format long e                     % makes numerical output in double precision
theta = linspace(0,2*pi,100);     % create vector theta
x = cos(theta);                   % generate x-coordinate
y = sin(theta);                   % generate y-coordinate
plot(x,y);                        % plot circle
axis('equal');                    % set equal scale on axes per pixel
title('Circle of unit radius')    % put title
c=2*pi                            % prints out 2*pi value
disp('end circle.m')              % prints out literal string.
% End Circle