Can I supress an 'ans' output without making a void function?

function[ Hours Minutes Seconds Message ] = TimeConversion(TotalSeconds);

Hours = floor(TotalSeconds/3600);

Minutes = floor((TotalSeconds-(Hours*3600))/60);

Seconds = TotalSeconds-Hours*3600-Minutes*60;

Message = [num2str(TotalSeconds) ' Second(s) is equal to '... num2str(Hours) ' hour(s), ' ... num2str(Minutes) ' minute(s), and ' ... num2str(Seconds) ' second(s).'];

disp(Message);

end

When I Run this code:

>> TimeConversion(51624)

51624 Second(s) is equal to 14 hour(s), 20 minute(s), and 24 second(s).

ans =

    14

Is there a way to suppress the ans?(which is obviously referencing 'Hours'), but keep the array in the function output for things such as: "[out1, out3] = TimeConversion(82000)"

Answer 1

[Guillaume]

Yes, test to see if nargout is 0 and if it is don't assign anything to any of the outputs. You'll have to rejig your code to use temporary variables for hours, minute, seconds and message:

function [Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Message] = TimeConversion(TotalSeconds);
  h = floor(TotalSeconds/3600);
  m = floor((TotalSeconds-(Hours*3600))/60);
  s = TotalSeconds-Hours*3600-Minutes*60;
  msg = sprintf('%d Seconds is equal to %d hour(s), %d minute(s), and %d second(s).', TotalSeconds, h, m, s);
  disp(msg);
  if nargout > 0
    Hours = h;
    Minutes = m;
    Seconds = s;
    Message = msg;
  end
end

[Muthu Annamalai]

This is the standard way to do things, I would assume, to stop the pesky ans if you think of it.

[José-Luis]

Not so sure about that. The "standard" way, if there is such a thing, would be to use a semi-colon. Here, you are just introducing unnecessary overheads, IMO.

[Guillaume]

matlab does something similar in one of their function. Can't remember which one.

Personally, I would avoid changing the behaviour of the function based on the number of output, so I wouldn't use this construct.

Answer 2

[A Jenkins]

Use a semicolon.

TimeConversion(51624);

or

[out1, out3] = TimeConversion(82000);