Matlab Snack Bar

Welcome to the Matlab Snack Bar

photo of coffee mug We offer a selection of nutritious Matlab^® M-files for Version-5+, some of which may be just the treats you have been seeking. These items were prepared from natural ingredients -- no Mex-files to build or toolboxes to buy. They have been tested extensively in our own software and data-processing kitchens.

Our aim is to provide convenient syntax and functionality that is not available in the basic Matlab distribution. In a few cases, existing Matlab "features" are corrected, circumvented, or augmented, as the case may be.

The M-files are written in a style that preserves their pedagogical value. In addition, many of them provide a self-demonstration when the corresponding function-name is executed with no argument or with 'demo' as a single argument. See "help ..." for each function.

Some of the offerings, mainly class-oriented libraries, have been encoded into self-expanding P-files. When executed as Matlab functions at the Matlab prompt, these will populate one or more folders with several M-files. A dialog is invoked automatically to help select the area.

So, have a seat, roll up your sleeves, and enjoy your meal. (Massachusetts State Law: Employees must first wash hands.)

New items are marked by: *** New ***

Downloading M-Files and P-Files

To download an M-file, click on the corresponding link. If the M-file becomes displayed in the browser window, use the "File/Save As ..." menu to save it as "Text". Alternatively, "Netscape" users can hold the mouse-button down on the link and choose "Save this Link as ..." in the popup menu to save it as "Text"
The M-files are plain TEXT, with lines terminated by carriage-returns. Use fixnl.p (see below) to change newlines to the style compatible with your editor.
To download a P-file, click on the corresponding link. If the P-file becomes displayed in the browser window, use the "File/Save As ..." menu to save it as "Source". Alternatively, "Netscape" users can hold the mouse-button down on the link and choose "Save this Link as ..." in the popup menu to save it as "Source". The P-files are pure BINARY. To expand a P-file, execute its name (excluding the ".p") at the Matlab prompt. NOTE: If you are replacing an earlier version, rename the old folder, restart Matlab, then execute the P-file. Requires Matlab 5.2+.
Adjust your Matlab path so Matlab can find the new files.

Todays Menu

House Specialties
NetCDF Toolbox
NetCDF Toolbox Home Page -- Complete NetCDF language/interface for Matlab. Full details and software at that site.
Generic Class Toolbox

generic_install.m -- Open the door to Matlab operators. This is a killer-class that makes Matlab do all the work. We demonstrate its value as a base-class in three toolboxes below. Requires Matlab 5.2+.
Interval Arithmetic Toolbox
interval_install.p -- Perform interval-arithmetic with all Matlab operators. Thanks to the "generic" base-class, very little had to be written here to make linear interval-arithmetic feasible in Matlab. Not a geeky industrial-strength package, but still pretty interesting nonetheless. Requires Matlab 5.2+, generic_install.m and bigint_install.m.
BigInt Toolbox
bigint_install.m Arithmetic with big integers. Requires Matlab 5.2+.
Matfile Toolbox
matfile_install.p -- Manipulate Mat-file variables as if they were regular Matlab workspace variables. Requires Matlab 5.2+ and generic_install.m.
Vivace Toolbox
vivace_install.p -- This toolbox contains two classes: 'viva" and "smart". The "viva" class manages "virtual variables" that are composites of other array-like variables that respond to "(...)" indexing in the usual way. The "smart" class encapsulates ordinary Matlab variables in a scope-free manner. Requires Matlab 5.2+ and generic_install.m.
SnackBar Blue Plate Special
For Matlab 5.2+ users who want all of the M-files that lie below this point, they are bundled together as snackbar_install.m. Download this installer as text, put it in your Matlab path, "cd" to where you want the "snackbar" folder to be created, then execute "snackbar_install" at the Matlab prompt. Adjust your Matlab path accordingly.
(Note: If the "snackbar" folder already exists, its M-files will be overwritten with the corresponding functions in the installer.)
Arithmetic
polyfitn.m -- Self-demonstrating ND polynomial fit. Also get polyvaln.m. *** New *** 30Apr2003.
qsum1.m -- Generalized multiply-and-sum, for any number of arrays and dimensions. *** Updated *** 26Feb2001.
tensor_mul.m -- Multiply tensors. Companion of tensor_sol.m.
tensor_sol.m -- Solve tensor system A*x = b for x. Companion of tensor_mul.m.
tensor_test.m -- Test tensor arithmetic. Requires tensor_mul.m and tensor_sol.m.
xabx.m -- Solve matrix system x*A + B*x = c for x.
Batch Processing
batch_install.m -- Batch processing toolbox. When batch-mode is active, procedures can retrieve data from the batch-script itself.
Class-Oriented Programming
describe.m -- Describe an object.
end.m -- Process "end" as an index.
inherit.m -- Execute super-class method.
numel.m -- NUMEL method for classes in Matlab 6.1.
super.m -- Super-object of an object.
Date/Time/Location
dateaxis.m -- Resizeable date-axis.
deg2dms.m -- Decimal-degree to deg-min-sec string or numbers.
dhms.m -- Decimal-day to/from '11d22h33m44s' day-hour-minute-second string.
datenum2julian.m -- Convert Matlab datenum to Julian day. Companion of julian2datenum.m.
julian2datenum.m -- Convert Julian day to Matlab datenum. Companion of datenum2julian.m.
yearday.m -- Year and day-of-year from date or vice-versa.
Directories
at.m -- Set default directory from M-File name. Same behavior as setdef.m.
setdef.m -- Set default directory from M-File name.
setdir.m -- Set working directory via dialog. Requires guido.m.
Files
calls.m -- M-files called by a function. Self-demo.
dirinfo.m -- Info on contents of directory.
fcat.m -- Concatenate files.
fcomment.m -- Convert non-data lines in ascii file to Matlab-like comments. Also see loadsafe.m.
fig2jpeg.m -- Save figure to file in JPEG format.
findstr1.m -- String-search with * wildcards. Self-demo.
fixnl.m -- Convert file newlines to current machine style. Also get fixnl.p.
fixnl.p -- P-code version of fixnl.m. Works on all machines. Requires Matlab 5.2+.
fsearch.m -- String-search with * wildcards in multiple files and directories. Self-demo.
lineno.m -- Display m-filename and line-number wherever this function is called. Self-demo.
ll.m -- Verbose listing of files. Self-demo.
loadsafe.m -- Load ascii file that may contain comments and non-rectangular data. Also see fcomment.m.
lsd.m -- LS with sub-directories marked. Self-demo.
vi.m -- Edit an m-file on the Matlab path using Unix "vi".
which1s.m -- "WHICH" for each component of the Matlab path, to isolate duplicate functions, if any. Self-demo.
Grid Generation
fps.m -- Fast Poisson solver. Uses fpt.m.
fpt.m -- Fast Poisson transform.
rect.m -- Conformal mapping of (x, y) contour to a rectangle.
rect2grid.m -- Grid generation for irregular perimeter. Uses rect.m and fps.m.
tsearchsafe.m -- Reliable TSEARCH for non-overlapping triangles, not necessarily produced by DELAUNAY.
GUI
again.m -- Places an "Again" pushbutton in the current window, which evaluates its string-argument(s) whenever the button is pressed. Execute "again('demo')" for a self-demonstration.
filepick_install.m -- Select one or more files via dialog. Syntax similar to "uigetfile". The installer will populate a new directory called "filepick". ** New Version 15Jun2001 **.
findobjs.m -- Find handles of GUI entities, using relational operators. Replaces "findobj". Execute "findobjs('demo')" for a self-demonstration.
getsafe.m -- Fault-tolerant "get" function. Self-demo.
guido.m -- Automatic dialog, patterned on the fields of a Matlab "struct". Execute "guido('demo')" for a self-demonstration. Note: "guido" uses setinfo.m and getinfo.m internally, but you may get them separately here.
hint.m -- Scrolling window for displaying a static message, such as help. Execute "hint('demo')" for a self-demonstration.
listpick_install.p -- GUI for selecting from a list of strings, with or without replacement. Download as pure-binary, then execute "listpick_install" at the Matlab prompt to install the "listpick" class. After adjusting your Matlab path, execute "listpick demo" for a self-demonstration.
setsafe.m -- Fault-tolerant, non-redundant "set" function, useful especially with X-Windows systems for overcoming excessive screen-updates. For example, instead of "figure(theFigureHandle)", use "setsafe(0, 'CurrentFigure', theFigureHandle) to avoid a screen-update when theFigureHandle is already the "gcf". Self-demo.
stext_install.m -- M-file installer for Doug Schwarz's STEXT Toolbox, as of 25Sep2001.
suspend.m -- Creates a "Suspend" button in a separate figure-window. It can be clicked and checked to determine whether to suspend execution. Execute "suspend('demo')" for a self-demonstration.
uidefaults.m -- Default settings for HandleGraphics types.
uilayout.m -- Layout a set of GUI items, using a matrix of indices as a template. Throw off the shackles of "GUIDE". Execute "uilayout('demo')" for a self-demonstration.
Interpolation.
sliceg.m -- Interpolate (x, y, z) surface or volume along an irregular track of arbitrary (x, y) points. Self-demo.
Line Simplification.
crossings.m -- Crossings of a polyline by a line. Self-demo.
geo_simplify.m -- Simplify a geographic polyline.
xy_simplify.m -- Simplify a Cartesian polyline.
Mat-Files
matfile_install.p -- Manipulate Mat-file variables as regular Matlab workspace variables. Requires Matlab 5.2+.
save4.m -- Versatile "save" for Matlab v4 Mat-file format. Self-demo. ** NEW 18Jan2002 **
Miscellaneous
ascii.m -- Display ascii character set.
assign.m -- Assign a value to an argument.
basic_english.m -- "Basic English" word-list of Charles Kay Ogden.
beep.m -- Beep N times.
begets.m -- Display function arguments and results.
demonstrate.m -- Evaluate and display a command.
genetic.m -- Simple genetic algorithm for optimization.
identical.m -- NaN-safe version of "isequal".
insidesafe.m -- Determine whether points are inside polygon.
int2english.m -- Convert integer to English text.
mailto.m -- Invoke "mailto" facility in web-browser.
mst.m -- Minimal spanning tree.
nefis_install.m -- NEFIS file classes -- very preliminary.
snowfall.m -- History of the first trace of snow in Boston, from 1891 to 1999.
spar.m -- Convert multidimensional array to "spar" form. The inverse is unspar.m, available below.
swap.m -- Swap two variables.
throw.m -- Throw an exception. Requires Matlab 5.2+.
undoc.m -- Undocumented graphics properties.
unspar.m -- Inverse of spar.m, available above.
vi.m -- Edit an m-file on the Matlab path using Unix "vi".
whov.m -- WHOS plus values.
Mouse
blinksafe.m -- Makes plotted lines clickable, enabling the visibility of individual points to be toggled. Execute "blinksafe('demo')" for a self-demonstration. Also see marksafe.m.
busy.m -- "Busy" mouse cursor. idle.m.
idle.m -- "Idle" mouse cursor. Companion of busy.m.
doubleclick.m -- Sensible double-click detection.
findpt.m -- Mouse-tracking along plotted lines.
marksafe.m -- Makes plotted lines clickable, allowing individual points to be marked. Execute "marksafe('demo')" for a self-demonstration. Also see blinksafe.m.
rbrect.m -- Drag-out a rectangle with the mouse.
ydrag.m -- Modify y positions of x-y line plot by hand. Self-demo. *** NEW 05Dec2001 ***
zoomsafe.m -- Reliable zooming. Requires rbrect.m.
Movies
movie1.m -- Smooth movie display. Self-demo.
Parts
parts.m -- Parts of a compound item. Requires partnames.m.
partnames.m -- Part-names of a compound item.
Plotting
arrowsafe.m -- Intelligent arrows. Execute "arrowsafe('demo')" for a self-demonstration. Also see "sticksafe.m".
bgtext.m -- Text on colored background patch.
label1.m -- Label first of two-layer plot.
label2.m -- Label second of two-layer plot.
labelsafe.m -- Safe label conversion.
nofigs.m -- Delete all figures.
plot1.m -- First of two-layer plot. Requires vargstr.m.
plot2.m -- Second of two-layer plot. Requires vargstr.m.
sortplot.m -- Plot by sorted chunks.
stackplot.m -- Non-overlapping plot of several curves.
starsafe.m -- Intelligent stars. Execute "starsafe('demo')" for a self-demonstration. Requires symbsafe.m.
sticksafe.m -- Intelligent sticks. Execute "sticksafe('demo')" for a self-demonstration. Also see "arrowsafe.m".
subplotsafe.m -- Versatile subplot layout. *** NEW 18Oct2001 ***
symbsafe.m -- Intelligent symbols.
vargstr.m -- Varargin/varargout "eval" string.
wigglex.m -- Wiggle-plot with swings in x-direction.
wiggley.m -- Wiggle-plot with swings in y-direction.
Spicy Noodles
fpeval.m -- FEVAL by full-path name. Use this routine to call procedures outside the Matlab path, including those in "private" areas, such as the bashful "toolbox/signal/private/chi2conf" function. Requires Matlab 5.2+.
uidelete.m -- Delete file(s) by dialog. Not for the faint-of-heart.
Triangulation
tri_install.m -- Triangulation utilities. Download this installer, then execute "tri_install" at the Matlab prompt. (Be sure that the current directory is writeable.) It will create and populate a sub-directory called "tri", containing several utilities for dealing with triangulations. Add "tri" to your Matlab path, then execute "tri_demo" at the Matlab prompt. Many of the functions are self-demonstrating. Try "trigui", for example. *** Updated *** 30Apr2003.