Working with Variables and Arrays in MATLAB

The structural unit of data in any MATLAB program is the array. An array is a
collection of record values organized into rows and columns and known by a
single name. Arrays can be allocated as either vectors or matrices. The
term "vector" is generally used to define an array with only one dimension,
while the term "matrix" is usually used to determine an array with two or
more dimensions.

The numbers of the row state the size of an array, and the numbers of the
column in the array, with the numbers of the row, mentioned first. The total
number of items in the array will be the product of the number of rows and
the number of the column.

For example, the size of the following arrays are:

Individual items in an array are addressed by the array name followed by the
row and column of the particular item. If the array is a row or column
vectors, then only one subscripts are needed. For example, in the preceding
array a(2,1) is 3 and c(2) = 2.

A MATLAB variable is an area of memory, including an array, which is called

by a customer-specified name. The content of the array may be used or
modified at any time by containing its name in an appropriate MATLAB
command.

MATLAB variables name must start with a letter, followed by any sequence of
letters, numbers, and the underscore (_) character. Only the first 63
characters are essential; if more than 63 are used, the remaining characters
will be ignored. If two variables are stated with names that only differ in the
64th character, MATLAB will treat them as the same variable.
Creating and Initializing Variables in MATLAB
MATLAB variables are automatically generated when they are initialized.

There are three methods to initialize a variable in MATLAB:

1. It assigns data to the variable in an assignment statement.

2. It input data into the variable from the keyboard.
3. It read data from a file.

Initializing Variables in Assignment Statement

The simplest method to initialize a variable is to assign it one or more value
in an assignment statement.

An assignment statement has the standard form

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var = expression;
where var is the name of the variables and expression is a scalar constant,
an array, or a combination of constants, other variables, and mathematical
operations (+, -, etc.). The value of the expression is computed using the
standard rules of mathematics, and the resulting values are saved in the
named variable. The semicolon at the last of the statement is optional. If the
semicolon is absent, the values assigned to var will be echoed in the
command window. If it is present, nothing will be shown in the Command
Window, even though the assignment has appeared.

Examples of initializing variables with assignment statements contain

var = 40i;
var2 = var/5;
x = 1; y = 2;
array = [1 2 3 4];

The first example generates a scalar variable of type double and saves the
imaginary number 40i in it.

The second example generates a scalar variable and saves the result of the
expression var/5 in it.

The third example shows that multiple assignment statements can be placed
on a single line, supported that they are divided by semicolons or commas.

The last example display that variables can also be initialized with arrays of
data. Such arrays are build up using brackets ([]) and semicolons. All of the
items of an array are listed in row order. In other words, the value in each
row are recorded from left to the right, with the top-most row first, and the
bottom-most row last. The single value within a row are separated by blank
spaces or commas, and the rows themselves are divided by semicolons or
newlines.

The following statements are all legal arrays that can be used to initialize a
variable:
The number of items in every row of an array must be the same, and the
number of items in every column must be the same. An expression such as

[1 2 3; 4 5];

is illegal because row 1 has three items, while row 2 has only two items.

Initializing with Built-In Functions

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Arrays can also be initialize using built-in MATLAB function. For example, the
function zero can be used to generate an all-zero array of any desired size.
There are a various form of the zeros function. If the function has an
individual scalar argument, it will develop a square array using the single
arguments as both the number of rows and the number of columns. If the
function has two scalar argument, the first arguments will be the number of
rows, and the second arguments will be the number of the columns. Since
the size function return two values including the number of row and column
in an array, it can be combined with the zero function to create an array of
zeros that is the same size of another array.
Some examples using the zeros function follow:

a = zeros(2);
b = zeros(2,3);
c = [1 2; 3 4];
d = zeros(size(c));

These statements generate the following arrays:

Similarly, the ones function can be used to generate array including all ones,
and the eye function can be used to generate arrays including identity
matrices, in which all on-diagonal items are one, while all off-diagonal items
are zero.

Following the tables containing a list of standard MATLAB functions useful for
initializing variables.

MATLAB Functions Useful for Initializing Variables

Functions Purpose

zeros(n) Creates a n x n matrix of zeros.

zeros(m,n) Creates a m x n matrix of zeros

zeros(size(arr)) Create a matrix of zeros of the same size as arr.

ones(n) Creates a n x n matrix of ones.

ones(m,n) Creates a m x n matrix of ones.

ones(size(arr)) Creates a matrix of ones of the same size as arr.

eye(n) Creates a n x n identity matrix.

eye(m,n) Creates an m x n identity matrix.

length(arr) Return the length of a vector, or the longest dimension of a 2-D array
size(arr) Return two values specifying the number of rows and columns in arr.

Initializing Variables with Keyboard Input

It is also possible to prompt a customer and initialize a variable with a record
that he or she type directly at the keyboard. This option enables a script file
to prompt a customer for input data value while it is executing. The input
function shows a prompt string in the Command Window and then waits for
the user to type in a response.

For example, consider the following statements:

my_val = input('Enter an input value:');

When this function is executed, MATLAB prints out the string 'Enter an input
value:,' and then waits for the client to respond. If the customer enters a
single number, it may just be typed in. If the customer enter an array, it
must be enclosed in brackets. In other case, whatever is typed will be stored
in variable my_val when the return key is entered. If only the return key is
entered, then an empty matrix will be generated and stored in the variable.

If the input function contains the character 's' as a second argument, then
the input data is returned to the customer as a character string. Thus, the
statement

» in1 = input('Enter data: ');

Enter data: 1.23
stores the value 1.23 into in1, while the statement
» in2 = input('Enter data: ','s');
Enter data: 1.23
save the character string '1.23' into in2.

Workspace, Variables, and Functions in

MATLAB
Workspace
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o The workspace contains all variables we create while working in

MATLAB.
 o Whenever we assign a value to a variable, it automatically gets space
in the workspace.
o Workspace variables lose their existence after the closing of the
environment, so save these variables in a file to use later on.
o We can import variables into MATLAB from data files.
o We can import variables into MATLAB from other programs also.
o The assignment operator (=) facilitates the creation of variables.
o To access the variable from the workspace, we need to enter its name
at the command line.
o To view all available variables in the workspace, enter the command-
'whos' at the command line.

Workspace Pane in MATLAB

o It is an area in the MATLAB environment with the name Workspace

written on its top bar.
o All variables currently being used or in the workspace, are displayed
here.
o Workspace pane can be maximized or minimized as per requirement.
o We can add or remove the fields of the contents, which describe
variables.
MAT-file in MATLAB

o The file saved with .mat extension is called a MAT-file in MATLAB.

o As variables in the workspace no longer exist after the closing of the
environment, so these variables are saved in MAT-file for later use.
o Use save command to save workspace contents in a file.
o Ensure the file name is different from the previous file. Otherwise, it
will overwrite the last existing file with the new one.
o It saves the current workspace in the current working folder and a
compressed file.

Current Folder Pane

o We can change the current working folder by using the Browse For
Folder button located above the current folder pane.
o After running the save command, the file saved with .mat extension
becomes visible in the Current Folder Pane.
 o After saving the workspace, we can clear all the contents of the
workspace by using the clear command at the command line.
o Syntax of the save command:

Using .mat files

o Any .mat file can be included in the current workspace.

o Use command load followed by filename with extension.
o Syntax:

o Before loading the file, ensure the parent folder is selected as the
current folder; otherwise, it will show error:

Workspace after saving the file, clearing the content of the workspace, and
before loading of the file:
Workspace after loading of the file, now we can use variables inside that file:

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Text and Characters in MATLAB

Text in String Arrays

o When text is enclosed in double quotes (" "), its data type or class is
declared as String.
 o Strings are also arrays, like all other MATLAB variables.
o Syntax:

Double quotes inside double quotes

o When the text of the String itself includes double quotes, then use
double quotes within the text, as:

Using whos command to View a single variable

o As 'whos' command shows all variables within the workspace, we can

use 'whos variable_name' command to view only the particular
variable.

Concatenation of String using plus (+) operator

o We can combine the value of other variables into a String.

Find the length of the String array in MATLAB

o We can find the length of a string by using the strlength function.

String array with multiple elements

o String array can also have multiple elements like number arrays.

Find the length of String array with multiple elements

o The same strlength function is used to find the length.

o It will display length in an array format with length calculated as an
individual element.
Character Arrays in MATLAB

o We use character array to store data that is not meaningful, or we can

say that it doesn't resemble a text, such as a key or a password
sequence, a DNA sequence.
o Character array has a char data type.
o Character array is declared in single quotes (' ').

Find a single character in character array

o In character array, each character is stored as a separate element.

o To find the character of an element, use the index number of that
element in parenthesis with the variable.

Concatenation of Character Array in MATLAB

 o As we concatenate numeric arrays, here also use square brackets to
concatenate character arrays.

Calling Functions in MATLAB

o In MATLAB, a large number of functions are available that perform

computational tasks.
o These functions are the same as subroutines or methods in other
programming languages.
o Functions are called providing input arguments in its parenthesis.
o Example:
o function-name....max()
o use.....finds the largest value in the array.

o If it is a matrix, it will find the maximum value column-wise.

 o Use a comma to separate multiple input arguments.
o Passing multiple arguments requires to agree on the matrix
dimensions, as per calculation.

disp function in MATLAB

o Used to display the input data as it is.

o It doesn't store the output to the default ans variable.
o Inputs for the function are provided in parenthesis.
clc function in MATLAB

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o It clears the command window by erasing all commands and outputs.

o But previously entered commands can be accessed by using keyboard
array keys on the command line.
o It doesn't take any input, so it doesn't output anything.