Is is necessary to use set/get functions?

Is it still necessary to use the set/get methods to set/get the properties of UI components?

fig = figure();
fig.Color = 'white';
% works the same as 
set(fig, 'Color', 'white');

So is it just for backwards compatibility or what?

Answer 1

[Guillaume]

It's not been required since R2014b, where all graphics handles became proper objects. Now, it is just an alternative way of settings the graphics property. set still has a few advantages over a plain property assignment:

• you can set several properties at once
• it can be used inside anonymous functions

[TADA]

I was confused by the documentation here where it says that in GUIDE you should use the get/set functions.

But now I see here that it says exactly what you said...

Thanks for clarifying!

[Guillaume]

GUIDE is very old technology, and the autogenerated code will indeed use set/get (I hate GUIDE autogenerated code, it's a mess that doesn't even have an end to terminate each function). For consistency, it makes sense to also use set/get for your additional code.

[TADA]

I don't use GUIDE nor AppDesigner. I don't trust anything that hides my code (autogenerated or not) in binary files. It is in my opinion the wors't possible design, it's bad for debugging, it's bad for maintainability, for development and for learning, it's the worst for refactoring.

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me...

[Adam]

GUIDE and programmatic GUIs (and even AppDesigner) all have their uses, it's just a case of deciding which tool is best for the job, like an artist deciding what type of pencil to use for a drawing. Programmatic GUIs are like a well and continually sharpened pencil, GUIDE GUIs are like a bit of a blunt pencil that can, nevertheless, get a simple job done faster, and AppDesigner is, well, still being developed and improved so won't always be like a child's crayon hopefully! In my own code I tend to only use set/get now for setting properties on an array of handles, as one of the cases Guillaume points out. I write most of my code in classes so the newer syntax for ui components matches that and is very intuitive for me.

[TADA]

didn't change my mind, but well said nonetheless...

+1 (if it was possible to vote for comments...)