Run a .mlapp script from a .m script with input variables and output variables

I have created an app using the app designer and the .mlapp script works as I want it when I run it from within the app designer specifying the input variable from the run icon. I am yet to work out how to get the app work similar to a function with it accepting input variables and outputting variables.

I have tried calling the mlapp script from within the .m script by script_name(input) but it doesn't accept the input variables in this way. I have tried specifying the input variable as a global variable and using the run function but neither of these seem to pass the input variable into the app's code. I have also tried some of the options for outputing variable from the app. I tried the assignin function but I can't tell if this is working without getting it to run properly in the .m script. I know I could get it to work with save and load functions but this seems clunky. Ideally I would like the app to run as a function with all the same functionality as the app designer.

I have read online that you could change the classdef to a function. If anyone has any documentation on how to do this or an example that would be helpful.

Answer 1

[Kojiro Saito]

You can call your .mlapp with input argtuments.

Here is a document: Startup Tasks and Input Arguments in App Designer

Please see "Define Input App Arguments" section. You need to change Code Options so that it allows input arguments.

[Adam Handley]

I have done this but how do I then run the app from a .m script with an input variable from the workspace?

[Kojiro Saito]

You just pass the input from workspace variable.

For example, if you have the following mlapp, with public property count and startupFcn with input argument in1,

app1.mlapp

properties (Access = public)
    count=0 
end 

% Code that executes after component creation
function startupFcn(app, in1)
    app.count = in1;
    %uialert(app.UIFigure, num2str(in1), 'Input', 'Icon', 'info')
end

% Button pushed function: Button
function ButtonPushed(app, event)
    app.count = app.count + 1;
end

You can call this mlapp in the following m script.

callMyApp.m

in1 = 5;
% Call app1.mlapp with input argument
myapp = app1(in1);

% Push the button twice
myapp.Button.ButtonPushedFcn(myapp, matlab.ui.eventdata.ButtonPushedData)
myapp.Button.ButtonPushedFcn(myapp, matlab.ui.eventdata.ButtonPushedData)

% Disp the counter the value would be 7
myapp.count

Result

[Adam Handley]

How do I ask my script to wait until some action has been completed in the app before returning myapp.count?

[Adam Handley]

I have worked out how to do it using the waitfor function.

myapp = CropControls(frame);

waitfor(myapp,'finished',true)

RectPosition = round(myapp.UIOutput);

myapp.delete

[Kojiro Saito]

Great!! I also thought of waitfor.