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Digital Image Processing: Scripts, Functions & P-Codes in MATLAB

This document discusses M-files in MATLAB, including scripts and functions. It explains that scripts are files containing MATLAB commands that can be saved and rerun, while functions accept inputs and return outputs. The key parts of an M-file function are defined, including the function definition line, comment lines describing the purpose and example use, and the code lines performing the computation. P-codes are also introduced as a way to obscure the contents of an M-file function to protect intellectual property, while still allowing it to be executed.

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Hussein Shakir
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28 views14 pages

Digital Image Processing: Scripts, Functions & P-Codes in MATLAB

This document discusses M-files in MATLAB, including scripts and functions. It explains that scripts are files containing MATLAB commands that can be saved and rerun, while functions accept inputs and return outputs. The key parts of an M-file function are defined, including the function definition line, comment lines describing the purpose and example use, and the code lines performing the computation. P-codes are also introduced as a way to obscure the contents of an M-file function to protect intellectual property, while still allowing it to be executed.

Uploaded by

Hussein Shakir
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Digital Image Processing

Scripts, Functions & P-codes in MATLAB


Dr. Zohair Al-Ameen
M-File Scripts

• The problem with Command Window


commands is they cannot be saved and
executed again for several times.
• To execute commands repeatedly, do:
– Create a file with a list of commands.
– Save the file.
– Run the file.
• The files that are used for this purpose are
called script files or scripts for short.
M-File Scripts

• A script file is an external file that contains a


sequence of MATLAB statements.
• Script files have a filename extension .m
and are often called M-files.
• M-files can be scripts that simply execute a
series of MATLAB statements.
• M-files can be functions that can accept
arguments and can produce one or more
outputs.
Script side-effects

• All variables created in a script file are


added to the workspace.
• This may have undesirable effects,
because:
– Variables already existing in the
workspace may be overwritten.
Functions in Computer Programming

• A function is a block of organized, reusable code


that is used to perform a designated action.
• Its concept is simple. You write your function that
contains the desired code and then call it in the main
program.
• By doing so, you get the following benefits:
– Your will allow code reusability.
– Your code will become well-organized.
– You will easily detect errors.
– You will easily modify your code.
– You will have less code lines.
M-File functions

• functions are programs (or routines)


that accept input arguments and
return output arguments.
• Each M-file function (or function
or M-file for short) has its own area
of workspace, separated from the
MATLAB base workspace.
Input and output arguments

• The general form of a MATLAB function is:

function [outputs] = function_name(inputs)

• A function file can have one or several output


arguments.
Anatomy of a M-File function

• The basic parts of an M-file.


• function f = factorial(n) (1)
• % FACTORIAL(N) returns the factorial of N. (2)
• % Compute a factorial value. (3)
• f = prod(1:n); (4)

• As an example, for n = 5, the result is,


>> f = factorial(5)
f=
120
Anatomy of a M-File function

• Both functions and scripts can have all of these


parts, except for the function definition line which
applies to function only.
Anatomy of a M-File function

• The characteristics of a MATLAB


function name:
– Must begin with a letter
– Must be no longer than 63 characters.
– The name of the text file that you save will
consist of the function name with the
extension .m.
– The previous example file name would be
factorial.m.
Anatomy of a M-File function

• Summarizes the differences between:


Scripts and Functions
P-codes in Matlab

• Although an (.m) file is executable by itself, the


contents of the source files are easily accessed,
revealing design and implementation details.
• If you want other people to run your code but you
do not want them to see its contents, you can
convert your code as p-code.
• The way to do so is to create a function that has
the code and create another script that runs this
function.
• The function itself can then be converted to p-code.
P-codes in Matlab

• P-code means content-obscured format of the (.m) file.


• P-code file owns a (.p) file extension.
• When you convert your file to P-code format, the file contents
becomes obfuscated not encrypted.
• The P-code file also runs at the same speed as the source file.
• To generate a P-code file, enter the following command in the
MATLAB Command Window:
pcode file_name.m
• Your .m file should be in the active work directory (folder).
• Your newly created P-code file will be in the same directory
(folder).
• Remember: P-code files are always functions; just call them the
same way as you would any ordinary function.
THE END

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