MATLAB Programming Fundamentals - MathWorks

Add Help for Your Program

This example shows how to provide help for the programs you write. Help text appears in

the Command Window when you use the help function.

Create help text by inserting comments at the beginning of your program. If your

program includes a function, position the help text immediately below the function

definition line (the line with the function keyword).

For example, create a function in a file named addme.m that includes help text:

function c = addme(a,b)

% ADDME Add two values together.

% C = ADDME(A) adds A to itself.

%

% C = ADDME(A,B) adds A and B together.

%

% See also SUM, PLUS.

switch nargin

case 2

c = a + b;

case 1

c = a + a;

otherwise

c = 0;

end

When you type help addme at the command line, the help text displays in the Command

Window:

addme Add two values together.

C = addme(A) adds A to itself.

C = addme(A,B) adds A and B together.

See also sum, plus.

The first help text line, often called the H1 line, typically includes the program name and

a brief description. The Current Folder browser and the help and lookfor functions use

the H1 line to display information about the program.

Create See also links by including function names at the end of your help text on a line

that begins with % See also. If the function exists on the search path or in the current

20 Function Basics