Learning to Program with MATLAB
Building GUI Tools
2. Edition September 2022
288 Pages, Softcover
Textbook
Learning to Program with MATLAB
Introductory text integrating science, mathematics, and engineering to give a basic understanding of the fundamentals of computer programming with MATLAB
Learning to Program with MATLAB: Building GUI Tools, Second Edition serves as a compact introduction to computer programming using the MATLAB language, covering elements of both program and graphical user interface (GUI) design to enable readers to create computer programs just like the ones they are accustomed to interacting with. Rather than being encyclopedic in scope, the goal of the text is to describe what users will find most useful and point to other features. Descriptions and examples of some of the most useful functions are included throughout, particularly with regards to engineering and science applications. The work also includes updated videos and problem solutions on an instructor companion website.
The first edition of Learning to Program with MATLAB employed the MATLAB graphical user interface design environment (GUIDE) to develop the GUI tools. The second edition is based on the new and improved App Designer program, which has supplanted GUIDE. This edition includes:
* Core concepts of computer programming using MATLAB, such as arrays, loops, functions, and basic data structures
* How to write your own MATLAB functions, covering topics such as local workspaces, multiple outputs, function files, and other functional forms
* The new string class and table class, some new features of function arguments, and re-written sections for building GUI tools with App Designer
* Syntax for graphics and App Designer features, plus examples demonstrating the new way to handle string information
Starting with the basics and building up to an emphasis on GUI tools, Learning to Program with MATLAB is a comprehensive introduction to programming in a robust and multipurpose language, making it an ideal classroom resource for both students and instructors in related programs of study.
About the Companion Website xvii
I MATLAB Programming 1
1 Getting Started 3
1.1 Running the MATLAB IDE 3
Manipulating windows 5
1.2 MATLAB variables 5
Variable assignment statements 6
Variable names 7
Variable workspace 8
1.3 Numbers and functions 8
1.4 Documentation 9
1.5 Writing simple MATLAB scripts 10
Block structure 11
Appropriate variable names 11
Useful comments 11
Units 11
Formatting for clarity 12
Basic display command 12
1.6 A few words about errors and debugging 12
Error messages are your friends 13
Sketch a plan on paper first 13
Start small and add slowly 13
1.7 Using the debugger 13
Looking ahead 14
Programming Problems 14
2 Vectors and Strings 19
2.1 Vector basics 20
2.2 Operations on vectors 21
Multiplication by a scalar 21
Addition with a scalar 21
Element-by-element operation with two vectors 21
Functions of vectors 22
Length of vectors 22
Subarrays 23
Concatenating vectors 23
2.3 Special vector functions 23
Statistical Functions 24
2.4 Using rand and randi 25
2.5 String basics 25
2.6 String operations 27
2.7 Character vectors 29
2.8 Getting information from the user 30
Looking ahead 31
Programming Problems 31
3 Plotting 35
3.1 The plot command 35
Axis scaling 38
Plot labeling 39
3.2 Tabulating and plotting a simple function 39
3.3 Bar graphs and histograms 43
Histograms 45
3.4 Drawing several plots on one graph 45
Multiple plots with a single plot command 46
Combining multiple plots with a hold command 48
Thickening plotted curves 49
3.5 Adding lines and text 50
3.6 Changing object properties 52
Looking ahead 54
Programming Problems 55
4 Matrices 57
4.1 Entering and manipulating matrices 57
Size of a matrix 59
Matrix transpose 60
4.2 Operations on matrices 60
Arithmetic operations with a scalar 60
Addition and subtraction of two matrices of the same size 61
Functions of matrices 61
Matrix multiplication 62
The identity matrix 62
The inverse of a matrix 63
The determinant of a matrix 64
Matrix-vector multiplication 64
4.3 Solving linear systems: the backslash operator 65
Extended example: solving circuit problems 65
Wire segments 66
Wire junctions 66
Voltage sources 66
Resistors 67
Ground 67
4.4 Special matrix functions 71
Looking ahead 72
Programming Problems 72
5 Control Flow Commands 75
5.1 Conditional execution: the if statement 75
5.2 Logical expressions 79
5.3 Logical variables 80
5.4 for loops 81
Good programming practice 84
5.5 while loops 84
5.6 Other control flow commands 86
Switch-case statement 86
Break statement 86
Programming Problems 87
6 Animation 93
6.1 Basic animation 94
6.2 Animating function plots 98
6.3 Kinematics of motion 101
One-dimensional motion: constant speed 101
Motion with constant acceleration 104
Time-marching dynamics: nonconstant force 106
6.4 Looking ahead 108
Programming Problems 108
7 Writing Your Own MATLAB Functions 114
7.1 MATLAB function files 115
Declaring MATLAB functions 115
7.2 Function inputs and outputs 116
7.3 Local workspaces 117
7.4 Multiple outputs 117
7.5 Function files 117
7.6 Other functional forms 118
Subfunctions 118
Nested functions 122
Anonymous functions 122
7.7 Optional arguments for functions 123
7.8 Looking forward 124
Programming Problems 125
8 More MATLAB Data Classes and Structures 132
8.1 Cell arrays 132
8.2 Structures 133
8.3 Complex numbers 134
8.4 Function handles 135
8.5 Tables 135
8.6 Other data classes and data structures 136
Programming Problems 137
II Building Gui Tools 139
9 Building GUI Tools with App Designer 141
9.1 The App Designer interface 142
9.2 Getting started: HelloTool 144
9.3 Components communicating: SliderTool 148
9.4 Transforming a MATLAB program into a GUI tool: DampedEfieldTool 150
Step0: Write and debug the program 151
Step1: Plan the GUI 152
Step 2: Create the GUI in App Designer 153
Step 3: Connect program inputs and outputs to the GUI components 155
Step 4: Add callbacks to invoke the primary model function 157
9.5 Test and improve 157
Many ways to do things 159
Key points from this chapter 159
Programming Problems 160
10 More GUI Techniques 168
10.1 Sharing data between callbacks 169
10.2 More GUI components 170
Text and Numeric Edit Fields 170
Drop Down 171
Check Box 171
Label 172
List Box 172
Radio Button Group 173
Image 173
Communicating user choices 173
Tab Group 174
Menu bar 174
Toolbar 176
Text Area 176
The uses of invisibility 176
10.3 Popups 176
Progress dialogue 176
Wait bar 178
Input dialogue 178
Confirm dialogue 179
10.4 Responding to keyboard input 181
10.5 Mouse events and object dragging 181
III Advanced Topics 187
11 More Graphics 189
11.1 Logarithmic plots 189
11.2 Plotting functions on two axes 192
11.3 Plotting surfaces 194
11.4 Plotting vector fields 199
11.5 Working with images 200
Importing and manipulating bit-mapped images 200
Placing images on surface objects 207
11.6 Rotating composite objects in three dimensions 209
12 More Mathematics 213
12.1 Derivatives 214
Derivatives of mathematical functions expressed as MATLAB functions 214
Derivatives of tabulated functions 215
12.2 Integration 218
Integrating tabulated functions 218
Integrating mathematical functions expressed as MATLAB functions 221
12.3 Zeros of a function of one variable 225
12.4 Function minimization 227
Finding a minimum of a function of one variable 227
Multidimensional minimization 229
Fitting to an arbitrary function by multidimensional minimization 229
Solving simultaneous nonlinear equations by multidimensional minimization 233
12.5 Solving ordinary differential equations 235
Plotting a slope field 238
12.6 Eigenvalues and eigenvectors 239
13 Reading and Writing Files 242
13.1 Saving and loading data in .mat files 242
13.2 Reading and writing spreadsheet files 244
13.3 Writing text files 245
The write matrix command 245
Writing formatted text files 246
Formatting a string using sprintf 249
13.4 Reading data from a text file 249
Reading into a cell array 250
Reading complicated text data files 250
13.5 A GUI interface to filenames using uiputfile and uigetfile 252
Appendix Using latex Commands 255
Index 261
