MATLAB Object-Oriented Programming

Order in Path Folder and File File Defines

1 fldr1/Foo.m Class Foo

2 fldr2/Foo.m Function Foo

3 fldr3/@Foo/Foo.m Class Foo

4 fldr4/@Foo/bar.m Method bar

5 fldr5/Foo.m Class Foo

Here is the logic that MATLAB applies to determine which version of Foo to call:

Class fldr1/Foo.m takes precedence over the class fldr3/@Foo because:

• fldr1/Foo.m is before fldr3/@Foo on the path

Class fldr3/@Foo takes precedence over function fldr2/Foo.m because:

• fldr3/@Foo is a class in a class folder


• fldr2/Foo.m is not a class


• Classes in class folders take precedence over functions

Function fldr2/Foo.m takes precedence over class fldr5/Foo.m because:

• fldr2/Foo.m comes before class fldr5/Foo.m on the path


• fldr5/Foo.m is not in a class folder


• Classes that are not defined in class folders obey the path order with respect to
  functions.

Class fldr3/@Foo takes precedence over class fldr4/@Foo because:

• The method bar is not recognized as part of the Foo class defined in fldr3/@Foo.

If fldr3/@Foo/Foo.m does not contain a classdef keyword (that is, it is a MATLAB

class prior to Version 7.6), then fldr4/@Foo/bar.m becomes a method of the Foo class

defined in fldr3/@Foo

Previous Behavior of Classes Defined in Class Folders

In MATLAB Versions 5 through 7, class folders do not shadow other class folders having

the same name, but residing in later path folders. Instead, the class uses the combination

6 Defining and Organizing Classes