Cleaner Code in MATLAB Part 1

http://blogs.mathworks.com/videos First in a series of videos showing how to make code cleaner and more maintainable. This week describes the problem, shows the bad code, and improves the code by breaking a logical check into easier to understand steps.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• MATLAB
• MATLABDoug
• computers
• programming

[favoreto]

Although the modified code sure is more readable, it is not as efficient as the original one, from a processing perspective.

Using comentarys can also make the code more readable and yet keep it faster.

[MatlabDoug]

There is a trade-off between speed and clarity. Rarely are people so concerned with speed that the speed matters. When it does, you can go back and optimize. This code runs 'instantly' anyways. I do not care if it runs in 0.01 or 0.02 seconds. I do care if I can understand it three days later when I am rereading it!

Doug

[favoreto]

I´m sorry, but stating that "people are rarely concerned with speed" sounds a little bold to me.

Considering MATLAB is among the most popular softwares for research/simulation, and given its capabilities, speed happens to be an issue in more than a handful of cases.

Of course it is a matter of how you use the tool and with what purpose.

However, it is clear to me that solving simple problems, isnt exactly MATLAB´s purpose.

[navyboydjray]

good info. please keep them coming. I just got matlab and would like to learn more.

[mberryfarm]

Thanks very much, MD. This short tutorials go a very long way in helping others out. I wish you the best.

[MatlabDoug]

All these videos were made with Camtasia.

[TuttiNutti]

Good hints, Doug. I would like to have more on cleaning and optimizing Matlab codes.