MATLAB Object-Oriented Programming

Representing Structured Data with Classes

In this section...

“Objects as Data Structures” on page 3-19

“Structure of the Data” on page 3-19

“The TensileData Class” on page 3-20

“Create an Instance and Assign Data” on page 3-20

“Restrict Properties to Specific Values” on page 3-21

“Simplifying the Interface with a Constructor” on page 3-22

“Calculate Data on Demand” on page 3-23

“Displaying TensileData Objects” on page 3-24

“Method to Plot Stress vs. Strain” on page 3-25

“TensileData Class Synopsis” on page 3-26

Objects as Data Structures

This example defines a class for storing data with a specific structure. Using a consistent

structure for data storage makes it easier to create functions that operate on the data. A

MATLAB struct with field names describing the particular data element is a useful way

to organize data. However, a class can define both the data storage (properties) and

operations that you can perform on that data (methods). This example illustrates these

advantages.

Background for the Example

For this example, the data represents tensile stress/strain measurements. These data are

used to calculate the elastic modulus of various materials. In simple terms, stress is the

force applied to a material and strain is the resulting deformation. Their ratio defines a

characteristic of the material. While this approach is an over simplification of the process,

it suffices for this example.

Structure of the Data

This table describes the structure of the data.

Representing Structured Data with Classes