Expert: George Moustris - 11/22/2005

Question
Hi George,

I don't know if you remember me, I just asked you last week about importing headers of an xls file into a m-file script. Now I have another question, I am trying to do something like the function GOTO would do on C++, I read on the internet that that can be done with functions, but since I am writing a script, i cannot create a function in it, at least that is the message I get from the Matlab compiler. Do you know how can I jump back to a previous part of my code in a script if some event happens?

Thanks

Jose

Answer
Hi Jose,

the use of GOTO statements is heavily discouraged since it is a bad way of writing code. That's why its use has been abandoned. You SHOULD use functions instead. While it is true that you cannot create a function in a matlab script, this does not mean that you cannot create your own functions in matalb.
Functions in Matlab are M files that start with the declaration of the function e.g.

function [output1,output2]=function_name(input1,input2,..inputn)
.
.
place your code here
variables with names output1,output2 will be returned when you call this function
.
.
.

The name of this m file should match the name of the function, so in this case the m file would be function_name.m.
Then i can use my function in my scripts by calling it, e.g. function_name(something, something).
I suggest you read matlab's documentation on functions since it is vital that you understand how functions are created.

Best
G.