How do you check if an inputed number is an array/vector or just 1 value?

Using function [a, b, c, d] = function_name(a,b,c,d)

I know that if it's an array, [] will be used in the input and the script will have to call a position of an array eg. y(1) or y(2)

If it's a discrete value it will just be y

Basically, instead of calling 1 value of a, i want to call 2 or more, etc

I don't know if that makes any sense, but it would be very helpful if someone could please just help me out.

Answer 1

[Andrew Newell]

You can use size to find the number of components in each variable, e.g.:

size(a)

Answer 2

[Star Strider]

If you want to check whether a particular argument is a scalar (single-value) or an array, use the size function:

[r,c] = size(x)
if (r > 1) | (c > 1)
    xscalar = 0;
else
    xscalar = 1;
end

Then you can treat it as a vector later in your code if xscalar = 0 or a scalar if xscalar = 1.

[Madeleine]

Thankyou very much :)

[Star Strider]

My pleasure!

[giannit]

You can do it in one line

xscalar = isscalar(x)

Answer 3

[Rik]

In my view using numel or isscalar (introduced somewhere between v6.5 and v7.1) would be a better solution.

xscalar = numel(x)~=1;
xscalar = isscalar(x);

That way you can avoid size. numel is useful if you have old releases to consider, but otherwise isscalar should work just fine.