how to use a function

i have a function that convert numbers to arabic letters called " num2wordsarabe" it works good,but when i try to use it directly in "strrep" or any other function ,it does not work ,also i tried to pose x=num2wordsarabe(n) and use "x" in "strrep",it didnt work neither here is the exampl:

for i=1:length(str)

    if  (abs(str(i))>=48)&&(abs(str(i))<=57)
        n=str2double(str(i));
        num2wordsarabe(n);
        str=strrep(str,str(i),num2wordsarabe(n)); 

    end
  end

result on workspace:

[ ??? Error using ==> num2wordsarabe
Too many output arguments.

Error in ==> test at 15
                  str=strrep(str,str(i),num2wordsarabe(n));]

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Sad Grad Student]

Can you paste the code of your function here?

[ben zekri raouf]

function num2wordsarabe(n)
%NUM2WORDS FUNCTION
%   num2words is a matlab function that converts number to words. Num2words
%   cannot convert four digit numbers and above.
%   To use num2words just enter your 3, 2 or 1-digit number. ie
%               
%               num2words(123)
%
%REQUIREMENTS
%   num2words require four other m-files to function.
%               aaand.m
%               hundred.m
%               tens.m
%               units.m
%   These function m-files must all be placed at the same matlab search path.
%   In num2words, information about each of the digits of the number, n,
%   entered is passed to the functions: hundred.m, tens.m and units.m for.
%   The resulting words is then printed neatly at command window
%
%   Author: Mr. Emeka Nwaobasi
%   Date : 6th April, 2014
%   Copyright 2014

% error(nargchk(1,1,nargin,'struct'))

if isnan(n)
    error('Input argument must be a number')
elseif n < 0
    error('Input argument must be a positive integer')
elseif ceil(n) ~= n
    error('Input argument must be an integer')
elseif ~isscalar(n)
    error('Input argument must be scalar')
elseif n == 0
    fprintf('\nZero\n\n')
    return
end

flag = 1000; flag1 = 10; flag2 = 100;

% check number of digit to know if limit has been violated
chkdgt = n/flag;
chkdgt = floor(chkdgt);

if chkdgt > 0
    error('Maximum number of digits, three(3), exceeded.')
end

%--- check for number of digits ---
if floor(n/flag2) > 0
    %fprintf('\nThree digit number\n')
    %fprintf('------------------\n')

%--- knowing what each digits of the now known 3 digit number is ---
    %--- for 1st digit ---
    z = floor(n/flag2);

      %--- for 2nd digit ---
      sdigit = n - 100*z;
      y = floor(sdigit/10);

      %--- for last digit ---
      ldigit = n - 100*z - 10*y;
      x = ldigit;

      if x == 0 && y == 0
          hundredarabe(z)%,fprintf('\n\n')
      elseif y == 1
          %--- to prevent reading, for example: 118 as one hundred
          %--- and eighteen eight ---
          hundredarabe(z),tensarabe(y,x)%,fprintf('\n\n')
      else
          hundredarabe(z),unitsarabe(x),tensarabe(y,x)%,fprintf('\n\n')
      end

%--- check for number of digits ---
elseif (floor(n/flag2) == 0) && ((9 - n) < 0)
    %fprintf('\nTwo digit number\n')
    %fprintf('----------------\n')

%--- knowing what each digits of the now known 2 digit number is ---
    %--- for 1st digit ---
    y = floor(n/flag1);

      %--- for 2nd digit ---
      x = n - 10*y;

      if y == 1
          %--- to prevent reading, for example 18 as eighteen eight ---
          tensarabe(y,x)%,fprintf('\n')
      else
          unitsarabe(x),tensarabe(y,x)%, fprintf('\n')
      end

%--- checking for single digit ---
elseif (9 - n) >= 0
    %fprintf('\nSingle digit number\n')
    %fprintf('-------------------\n')

      unitsarabe(n);%,fprintf('\n\n')

end

end

[John D'Errico]

Please use the code formatting button when you post code. I've fixed it for you.

[Andrew Newell]

I reformatted the original question. I assume that the curly brackets were an attempt to format it, not the code.

Answer 1

[Guillaume]

Your understanding of the syntax of functions is a bit wrong. As per Sad's answer, if you want to use the result of a function, that function needs to output something. Therefore your function needs to be at least:

function x = num2wordsarabe(n)

And actually, since x does not mean anything, I'd rather use a variable name with more meaning, e.g:

function arabewords  = num2wordsarabe(n)

Within your function, you then of course need to assign some value to the output. Therefore, at some point(s) in the function you should have:

arabewords = ....; %replace the ... by some expression

Most likely, the ... is the output of these hundredarabe, tensarabe and unitsarabe functions whose results you don't do anything with. E.g.:

arabewords = sprintf('%s %s %s', hundredarabe(z), unitsarabe(x), tensarabe(y,x));
%and so on for the other else and if

Possibly, these other function also don't have declared output in them, so you would have to modify them as well the same. e.g:

function hundredword = hundredarabe(digit)
    ...
    hundredword = ...;
end

[Sad Grad Student]

yes! that's exactly my concern as well! Guillaume explained it better! ;)

Answer 2

[Sad Grad Student]

Try making the first line of your function as:

function [x] = num2wordsarabe(n)

And now use it in strrep. I'm no expert in Matlab but give that a try!

[Andrew Newell]

Just

function x = num2wordsarabe(n)

will also work. And the line

num2wordsarabe(n);

isn't needed.

[ben zekri raouf]

thank you so much for your efforts,but unfortunately it didn't work,thnx any way :)