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Ned Gulley
Ned Gulley
Last activity on 25 Jun 2024

What's your opinion of the Ans Hack?

The Ans Hack is a dubious way to shave a few points off your solution score. Instead of a standard answer like this
function y = times_two(x)
y = 2*x;
end
you would do this
function ans = times_two(x)
2*x;
end
The ans variable is automatically created when there is no left-hand side to an evaluated expression. But it makes for an ugly function. I don't think anyone actually defends it as a good practice. The question I would ask is: is it so offensive that it should be specifically disallowed by the rules? Or is it just one of many little hacks that you see in Cody, inelegant but tolerable in the context of the surrounding game?
Incidentally, I wrote about the Ans Hack long ago on the Community Blog. Dealing with user-unfriendly code is also one of the reasons we created the Head-to-Head voting feature. Some techniques are good for your score, and some are good for your code readability. You get to decide with you care about.
Many times when ploting, we not only need to set the color of the plot, but also its
transparency, Then how we set the alphaData of colorbar at the same time ?
It seems easy to do so :
data = rand(12,12);
% Transparency range 0-1, .3-1 for better appearance here
AData = rescale(- data, .3, 1);
% Draw an imagesc with numerical control over colormap and transparency
imagesc(data, 'AlphaData',AData);
colormap(jet);
ax = gca;
ax.DataAspectRatio = [1,1,1];
ax.TickDir = 'out';
ax.Box = 'off';
% get colorbar object
CBarHdl = colorbar;
pause(1e-16)
% Modify the transparency of the colorbar
CData = CBarHdl.Face.Texture.CData;
ALim = [min(min(AData)), max(max(AData))];
CData(4,:) = uint8(255.*rescale(1:size(CData, 2), ALim(1), ALim(2)));
CBarHdl.Face.Texture.ColorType = 'TrueColorAlpha';
CBarHdl.Face.Texture.CData = CData;
But !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We cannot preserve the changes when saving them as images ：
It seems that when saving plots, the `Texture` will be refresh, but the `Face` will not :
however, object Face only have 4 colors to change(The four corners of a quadrilateral), how
can we set more colors ??
`Face` is a quadrilateral object, and we can change the `VertexData` to draw more than one little quadrilaterals:
data = rand(12,12);
% Transparency range 0-1, .3-1 for better appearance here
AData = rescale(- data, .3, 1);
%Draw an imagesc with numerical control over colormap and transparency
imagesc(data, 'AlphaData',AData);
colormap(jet);
ax = gca;
ax.DataAspectRatio = [1,1,1];
ax.TickDir = 'out';
ax.Box = 'off';
% get colorbar object
CBarHdl = colorbar;
pause(1e-16)
% Modify the transparency of the colorbar
CData = CBarHdl.Face.Texture.CData;
ALim = [min(min(AData)), max(max(AData))];
CData(4,:) = uint8(255.*rescale(1:size(CData, 2), ALim(1), ALim(2)));
warning off
CBarHdl.Face.ColorType = 'TrueColorAlpha';
VertexData = CBarHdl.Face.VertexData;
tY = repmat((1:size(CData,2))./size(CData,2), [4,1]);
tY1 = tY(:).'; tY2 = tY - tY(1,1); tY2(3:4,:) = 0; tY2 = tY2(:).';
tM1 = [tY1.*0 + 1; tY1; tY1.*0 + 1];
tM2 = [tY1.*0; tY2; tY1.*0];
CBarHdl.Face.VertexData = repmat(VertexData, [1,size(CData,2)]).*tM1 + tM2;
CBarHdl.Face.ColorData = reshape(repmat(CData, [4,1]), 4, []);
The higher the value, the more transparent it becomes
data = rand(12,12);
AData = rescale(- data, .3, 1);
imagesc(data, 'AlphaData',AData);
colormap(jet);
ax = gca;
ax.DataAspectRatio = [1,1,1];
ax.TickDir = 'out';
ax.Box = 'off';
CBarHdl = colorbar;
pause(1e-16)
CData = CBarHdl.Face.Texture.CData;
ALim = [min(min(AData)), max(max(AData))];
CData(4,:) = uint8(255.*rescale(size(CData, 2):-1:1, ALim(1), ALim(2)));
warning off
CBarHdl.Face.ColorType = 'TrueColorAlpha';
VertexData = CBarHdl.Face.VertexData;
tY = repmat((1:size(CData,2))./size(CData,2), [4,1]);
tY1 = tY(:).'; tY2 = tY - tY(1,1); tY2(3:4,:) = 0; tY2 = tY2(:).';
tM1 = [tY1.*0 + 1; tY1; tY1.*0 + 1];
tM2 = [tY1.*0; tY2; tY1.*0];
CBarHdl.Face.VertexData = repmat(VertexData, [1,size(CData,2)]).*tM1 + tM2;
CBarHdl.Face.ColorData = reshape(repmat(CData, [4,1]), 4, []);
More transparent in the middle
data = rand(12,12) - .5;
AData = rescale(abs(data), .1, .9);
imagesc(data, 'AlphaData',AData);
colormap(jet);
ax = gca;
ax.DataAspectRatio = [1,1,1];
ax.TickDir = 'out';
ax.Box = 'off';
CBarHdl = colorbar;
pause(1e-16)
CData = CBarHdl.Face.Texture.CData;
ALim = [min(min(AData)), max(max(AData))];
CData(4,:) = uint8(255.*rescale(abs((1:size(CData, 2)) - (1 + size(CData, 2))/2), ALim(1), ALim(2)));
warning off
CBarHdl.Face.ColorType = 'TrueColorAlpha';
VertexData = CBarHdl.Face.VertexData;
tY = repmat((1:size(CData,2))./size(CData,2), [4,1]);
tY1 = tY(:).'; tY2 = tY - tY(1,1); tY2(3:4,:) = 0; tY2 = tY2(:).';
tM1 = [tY1.*0 + 1; tY1; tY1.*0 + 1];
tM2 = [tY1.*0; tY2; tY1.*0];
CBarHdl.Face.VertexData = repmat(VertexData, [1,size(CData,2)]).*tM1 + tM2;
CBarHdl.Face.ColorData = reshape(repmat(CData, [4,1]), 4, []);
The code will work if the plot have AlphaData property
data = peaks(30);
AData = rescale(data, .2, 1);
surface(data, 'FaceAlpha','flat','AlphaData',AData);
colormap(jet(100));
ax = gca;
ax.DataAspectRatio = [1,1,1];
ax.TickDir = 'out';
ax.Box = 'off';
view(3)
CBarHdl = colorbar;
pause(1e-16)
CData = CBarHdl.Face.Texture.CData;
ALim = [min(min(AData)), max(max(AData))];
CData(4,:) = uint8(255.*rescale(1:size(CData, 2), ALim(1), ALim(2)));
warning off
CBarHdl.Face.ColorType = 'TrueColorAlpha';
VertexData = CBarHdl.Face.VertexData;
tY = repmat((1:size(CData,2))./size(CData,2), [4,1]);
tY1 = tY(:).'; tY2 = tY - tY(1,1); tY2(3:4,:) = 0; tY2 = tY2(:).';
tM1 = [tY1.*0 + 1; tY1; tY1.*0 + 1];
tM2 = [tY1.*0; tY2; tY1.*0];
CBarHdl.Face.VertexData = repmat(VertexData, [1,size(CData,2)]).*tM1 + tM2;
CBarHdl.Face.ColorData = reshape(repmat(CData, [4,1]), 4, []);
Many MATLAB enthusiasts come Cody to sharpen their skills, face new challenges, and engage in friendly competition. We firmly believe that learning from peers is one of the most effective ways to grow.
With this in mind, the Cody team is thrilled to unveil a new feature aimed at enriching your learning journey: the Cody Discussion Channel. This space is designed for sharing expertise, acquiring new skills, and fostering connections within our community.
On the Cody homepage, you'll now notice a Discussions section, prominently displaying the four most recent posts. For those eager to contribute, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with our posting guidelines before creating a new post. This will help maintain a constructive and valuable exchange of ideas for everyone involved.
Together, let's create an environment where every member feels empowered to share, learn, and connect.
goc3
goc3
Last activity on 7 Jun 2024

Trick: Easy Digit Manipulation

There are a host of problems on Cody that require manipulation of the digits of a number. Examples include summing the digits of a number, separating the number into its powers, and adding very large numbers together.
If you haven't come across this trick yet, you might want to write it down (or save it electronically):
digits = num2str(4207) - '0'
That code results in the following:
digits =
4 2 0 7
Now, summing the digits of the number is easy:
sum(digits)
ans =
13
Hello and a warm welcome to everyone! We're excited to have you in the Cody Discussion Channel. To ensure the best possible experience for everyone, it's important to understand the types of content that are most suitable for this channel.
Content that belongs in the Cody Discussion Channel:
  • Tips & tricks: Discuss strategies for solving Cody problems that you've found effective.
  • Ideas or suggestions for improvement: Have thoughts on how to make Cody better? We'd love to hear them.
  • Issues: Encountering difficulties or bugs with Cody? Let us know so we can address them.
  • Requests for guidance: Stuck on a Cody problem? Ask for advice or hints, but make sure to show your efforts in attempting to solve the problem first.
  • General discussions: Anything else related to Cody that doesn't fit into the above categories.
Content that does not belong in the Cody Discussion Channel:
  • Comments on specific Cody problems: Examples include unclear problem descriptions or incorrect testing suites.
  • Comments on specific Cody solutions: For example, you find a solution creative or helpful.
Please direct such comments to the Comments section on the problem or solution page itself.
We hope the Cody discussion channel becomes a vibrant space for sharing expertise, learning new skills, and connecting with others.
How to leave feedback on a doc page
Leaving feedback is a two-step process. At the bottom of most pages in the MATLAB documentation is a star rating.
Start by selecting a star that best answers the question. After selecting a star rating, an edit box appears where you can offer specific feedback.
When you press "Submit" you'll see the confirmation dialog below. You cannot go back and edit your content, although you can refresh the page to go through that process again.
Tips on leaving feedback
  • Be productive. The reader should clearly understand what action you'd like to see, what was unclear, what you think needs work, or what areas were really helpful.
  • Positive feedback is also helpful. By nature, feedback often focuses on suggestions for changes but it also helps to know what was clear and what worked well.
  • Point to specific areas of the page. This helps the reader to narrow the focus of the page to the area described by your feedback.
What happens to that feedback?
Before working at MathWorks I often left feedback on documentation pages but I never knew what happens after that. One day in 2021 I shared my speculation on the process:
> That feedback is received by MathWorks Gnomes which are never seen nor heard but visit the MathWorks documentation team at night while they are sleeping and whisper selected suggestions into their ears to manipulate their dreams. Occassionally this causes them to wake up with a Eureka moment that leads to changes in the documentation.
I'd like to let you in on the secret which is much less fanciful. Feedback left in the star rating and edit box are collected and periodically reviewed by the doc writers who look for trends on highly trafficked pages and finer grain feedback on less visited pages. Your feedback is important and often results in improvements.
Hello MATLAB Community!
We've had an exciting few weeks filled with insightful discussions, innovative tools, and engaging blog posts from our vibrant community. Here's a highlight of some noteworthy contributions that have sparked interest and inspired us all. Let's dive in!

Interesting Questions

How i use break in continues data in couple differential? it is possible? by cindyawati cindyawati
Cindyawati explores the intriguing concept of interrupting continuous data in differential equations to study the effects of drug interventions in disease models. A thought-provoking question that bridges mathematics and medical research.
How to use LQR for setpoint tracking? by Pedro Carvalho
Pedro delves into the application of Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) for error dynamics and setpoint tracking, offering insights into control systems and their real-world implications.

Popular Discussions

Unveiling Creativity: An Interview with Zhaoxu Liu / slanderer by Chen Lin
Chen Lin shares an engaging interview with Zhaoxu Liu, shedding light on the creative processes behind some of the most innovative MATLAB contest entries of 2023. A must-read for anyone looking for inspiration!
Latest version of MATLAB-PLOT-CHEAT-SHEET by Zhaoxu Liu / slandarer
Zhaoxu Liu, also known as slanderer, updates the community with the latest version of the MATLAB Plot Cheat Sheet. This resource is invaluable for anyone looking to enhance their data visualization skills.

From File Exchange

Frequency estimation toolbox by Giorgio Matteo Vitetta
Giorgio introduces a toolbox for frequency estimation, making it simpler for users to import signals directly from the MATLAB workspace. A significant contribution for signal processing enthusiasts.

From the Blogs

A Sixty-Year Old Program for Predicting the Future by Cleve Moler
Cleve Moler revisits a classic program for predicting future trends based on census data, offering a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of computational forecasting.
Boost Your App Design Efficiency – Effortless Component Swapping & Labeling in App Designer by Adam Danz
With contributions from Dinesh Kavalakuntla, Adam presents an insightful guide on improving app design workflows in MATLAB App Designer, focusing on component swapping and labeling.
We're incredibly proud of the diverse and innovative contributions our community members make every day. Each post, discussion, and tool not only enriches our knowledge but also inspires others to explore and create. Let's continue to support and learn from each other as we advance in our MATLAB journey.
Happy Coding!
goc3
goc3
Last activity on 30 Sep 2024

My favorite type of Cody problem is:

quick / easy
21%
themed / in a group
20%
challenge (e.g., banned functions)
13%
puzzle / game
16%
educational
28%
other (comment below)
3%
117 votes
David
David
Last activity on 23 May 2024

Introduced in...

A colleague said that you can search the Help Center using the phrase 'Introduced in' followed by a release version. Such as, 'Introduced in R2022a'. Doing this yeilds search results specific for that release.
Seems pretty handy so I thought I'd share.
Chen Lin
Chen Lin
Last activity on 22 May 2024

Celebrating Spring: MATLAB Tulip

Bringing the beauty of MathWorks Natick's tulips to life through code!
Get the code from @Eric Ludlam.
Remix challenge: create and share with us your new breeds of MATLAB tulips!
RGB triplet [0,1]
9%
RGB triplet [0,255]
12%
Hexadecimal Color Code
13%
Indexed color
16%
Truecolor array
37%
Equally unfamiliar with all-above
13%
2784 votes
From Alpha Vantage's website: API Documentation | Alpha Vantage
Try using the built-in Matlab function webread(URL)... for example:
% copy a URL from the examples on the site
URL = 'https://www.alphavantage.co/query?function=TIME_SERIES_DAILY&symbol=IBM&apikey=demo'
% or use the pattern to create one
tickers = [{'IBM'} {'SPY'} {'DJI'} {'QQQ'}]; i = 1;
URL = ...
['https://www.alphavantage.co/query?function=TIME_SERIES_DAILY_ADJUSTED&outputsize=full&symbol=', ...
+ tickers{i}, ...
+ '&apikey=***Put Your API Key here***'];
X = webread(URL);
You can access any of the data available on the site as per the Alpha Vantage documentation using these two lines of code but with different designations for the requested data as per the documentation.
It's fun!
isstring
11%
ischar
7%
iscellstr
13%
isletter
21%
isspace
9%
ispunctuation
37%
2455 votes
Hey MATLAB Community! 🌟
In the vibrant landscape of our online community, the past few weeks have been particularly exciting. We've seen a plethora of contributions that not only enrich our collective knowledge but also foster a spirit of collaboration and innovation. Here are some of the noteworthy contributions from our members.

Interesting Questions

Error received while attempting to publish script by Victor
Victor encountered a puzzling error while trying to publish his script to PDF. His post sparked a helpful discussion on troubleshooting this issue, proving invaluable for anyone facing similar challenges.
How do I interpolate and smoothen ndvi time series? by Devendra
Devendra's inquiry into interpolating and smoothing NDVI time series using MATLAB has opened up a dialogue on various techniques to manage noisy data, benefiting researchers and enthusiasts in the field of remote sensing.

Popular Discussions

AMA: The secret of staff contributors in the Answers forum byAdam Danz
Adam Danz's AMA session has been a treasure trove of insights into the workings behind the MATLAB Answers forum, offering a unique perspective from a staff contributor's viewpoint.
Introducing the User Following Feature on MATLAB Central by Chen Lin
The User Following feature marks a significant enhancement in how community members can stay connected with the contributions of their peers, fostering a more interconnected MATLAB Central.

From File Exchange

Transient Diffusion-Reaction Model for CO2 Electrolysis by Robert Haaring
Robert Haaring's submission is a standout contribution, providing a sophisticated model for CO2 electrolysis, a topic of great relevance to researchers in environmental technology and chemical engineering.

From the Blogs

Verification and Validation for AI: From model implementation to requirements validation by Sivylla Paraskevopoulou
Sivylla's comprehensive post delves into the critical stages of AI model development, from implementation to validation, offering invaluable guidance for professionals navigating the complexities of AI verification.
Community Q&A – Zhaoxu Liu by Ned Gulley
In this engaging Q&A, Ned Gulley introduces us to Zhaoxu Liu, a remarkable community member whose innovative contributions and active engagement have left a significant impact on the MATLAB community.
Each of these contributions highlights the diverse and rich expertise within our community. From solving complex technical issues to introducing new features and sharing in-depth knowledge on specialized topics, our members continue to make MATLAB Central a vibrant and invaluable resource.
Let's continue to support, inspire, and learn from one another
Don't use / What are Projects?
26%
1–10
31%
11–20
15%
21–30
9%
31–50
7%
51+ (comment below)
12%
4070 votes
goc3
goc3
Last activity on 7 Oct 2024

How many spaces per tab do you prefer?

2
17%
3
12%
4
59%
6
4%
8
5%
Other (comment below)
3%
6419 votes
Welcome to MATLAB Central's first Ask Me Anything (AMA) session! Over the next few weeks, I look forward to addressing any questions or curiosities you might have about MATLAB, the forum, sasquatches, or whatever's on your mind. Having volunteered as a contributor to this community before joining MathWorks, I'm excited to act as a bridge between these two worlds. Let's kick things off by sharing a little-known fact about the forum’s staff contributors!
A couple of years ago, before I joined MathWorks as a developer on the Graphics and Charting team, I often wondered who were the MathWorkers with the [staff] moniker answering questions in the Answers forum. Is their MATLAB Central activity part of their day-to-day job expectations? Do they serve specific roles on some kind of community outreach team? Is their work in the forum voluntary in the same way that non-staff contributors volunteer their time?
Now that I'm on the inside, I'd like to share a secret with my fellow MATLAB users and MATLAB Central enthusiasts: with the exception of the MathWorks Support Team, staff participation in the Answers forum is completely voluntary! The staff contributions you see in the forum arise from pure intrinsic motivation to connect with users, help people out of ruts, and spread the word about our product!
For example, Steven Lord has contributed 20-150 answers per month for 9 years! Steven is a quality engineer for core MATLAB numerical functions. Cris LaPierre develops training material and has been a faithful contributor in the forum for almost 6 years! Kojiro Saito and Akira Agata have been tackling Japanese content for more than 7 years! There are many others who have inspired me as a user, and I am honored to now call colleagues: Peter Perkins, Michio, Joss Knight, Alan Weiss, Jiro Doke, Edric Ellis, and many others who deserve appreciation.
The forum's success hinges on the invaluable contributions from the majority of non-staff volunteers, whose dedication and expertise fuel our community. But I know I wasn't alone in wondering about these staff contributors, so now you're in on the secret!
I'm curious to know what other topics you're interested in learning about. Ask me anything!
Temporary print statements are often helpful during debugging but it's easy to forget to remove the statements or sometimes you may not have writing privileges for the file. This tip uses conditional breakpoints to add print statements without ever editing the file!
What are conditional breakpoints?
Conditional breakpoints allow you to write a conditional statement that is executed when the selected line is hit and if the condition returns true, MATLAB pauses at that line. Otherwise, it continues.
The Hack: use ~fprintf() as the condition
fprintf prints information to the command window and returns the size of the message in bytes. The message size will always be greater than 0 which will always evaluate as true when converted to logical. Therefore, by negating an fprintf statement within a conditional breakpoint, the fprintf command will execute, print to the command window, and evalute as false which means the execution will continue uninterupted!
How to set a conditional break point
1. Right click the line number where you want the condition to be evaluated and select "Set Conditional Breakpoint"
2. Enter a valid MATLAB expression that returns a logical scalar value in the editor dialog.
Handy one-liners
Check if a line is reached: Don't forget the negation (~) and the line break (\n)!
~fprintf('Entered callback function\n')
Display the call stack from the break point line: one of my favorites!
~fprintf('%s\n',formattedDisplayText(struct2table(dbstack)))
Inspect variable values: For scalar values,
~fprintf('v = %.5f\n', v)
Use formattedDisplayText to convert more complex data to a string
~fprintf('%s\n', formattedDisplayText(v)).
Make sense of frequent hits: In some situations such as responses to listeners or interactive callbacks, a line can be executed 100s of times per second. Incorporate a timestamp to differentiate messages during rapid execution.
~fprintf('WindowButtonDownFcn - %s\n', datetime('now'))
Closing
This tip not only keeps your code clean but also offers a dynamic way to monitor code execution and variable states without permanent modifications. Interested in digging deeper? @Steve Eddins takes this tip to the next level with his Code Trace for MATLAB tool available on the File Exchange (read more).
Summary animation
To reproduce the events in this animation:
% buttonDownFcnDemo.m
fig = figure();
tcl = tiledlayout(4,4,'TileSpacing','compact');
for i = 1:16
ax = nexttile(tcl);
title(ax,"#"+string(i))
ax.ButtonDownFcn = @axesButtonDownFcn;
xlim(ax,[-1 1])
ylim(ax,[-1,1])
hold(ax,'on')
end
function axesButtonDownFcn(obj,event)
colors = lines(16);
plot(obj,event.IntersectionPoint(1),event.IntersectionPoint(2),...
'ko','MarkerFaceColor',colors(obj.Layout.Tile,:))
end
numel(v)
6%
length(v)
13%
width(v)
14%
nnz(v)
8%
size(v, 1)
27%
sum(v > 0)
31%
2537 votes