Lecture on MATLAB fprintf Function

Introduction

• MATLAB's default behavior displays variables in default format.
• No control over display without specific commands.
• fprintf provides control over text and number display in the command window.

Basics of fprintf

• Purpose: A formatted print statement for text and/or numbers.
• Basic Usage:
  • Display text: fprintf('The poodle emitted a sudden boom')
  • Issue: Cursor position remains at the end of the printed text.
  • Solution: Use newline character \n to move to the next line.

Using Newline Character

• Example: fprintf('The poodle emitted a sudden boom\n')
• Moves command prompt to the next line after printing.

Inserting Variable Values

• Defining a Variable:
  • Example: numboofs = 7;
• Incorporating Variables into Text:
  • Use of % for insertion points:
    • % followed by format specifier indicates insertion point.
    • Example: fprintf('The poodle boofed %d times.\n', numboofs)

Format Specifiers

• Purpose: To specify how a variable is displayed in the text.
• Common Specifiers:
  • %d for integer.
  • %f for fixed-point notation.
• Behavior:
  • If not specifically set, %f defaults to six decimal places.

Semicolon Usage

• Effect on Output:
  • The semicolon suppresses output for assignment statements.
  • No effect on fprintf, as it is not an assignment.
  • Example: fprintf('Example text') vs fprintf('Example text'); – same outcome.

Summary

• fprintf allows for detailed control of text and variable output.
• Newline characters and format specifiers enhance display precision.
• Future topics will cover controlling decimal places in fprintf.