For a function, how do I make the function take strings as input?

function [ ] = square( a ,b )

a is supposed to be a string value; and b is a number.

I've tried manipulating the value after this line by using num2str(a) & a couple of other methods, but nothing I've done works. I always get this error "Undefined function or variable 'whatever'."

Please help, thank you.

[Preethi]

can you elaborate?

[Manjeel Regmi]

How do I elaborate? That's everything I want - a function that takes in string values as input. My error is "Undefined function or variable 'whatever string I input'. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

a_value = num2str(a);

or, better,

a_value = str2double(a);

Note that the routine has to be run by a line of code, or by going to the command line and typing in the command, such as

square('341', 17.2)

[Walter Roberson]

In MATLAB, it is not possible to define a function that knows to automatically change a parameter to a string. You cannot, for example, define square such that

square(EFG, 17.2)

should be automatically interpreted as

square('EFG', 17.2)

In each case where you want to pass a string, you need to quote the string when you construct it, like the example I just showed, or like

square_arg = 'EFG';
square(square_arg, 17.2)