"Local function name must be different from the script name" error

Hi, I wrote a simple code but I can't get output of the function because of this error. Name of the file is "main.m".

And it also says that this is a local function. Should I/how can I make it main function? The code is:

clear;
function [any, tri, sqr, rect] = main(number_of_sticks)
%This function will be used for finding if we can construct 
%equilateral triangle/square/rectangle
    
    tri=(rem(number_of_sticks,3)==0);
    sqr=(rem(number_of_sticks,4)==0);
    rect=(rem(number_of_sticks,2)==0);
    any=(tri==1 || sqr==1 || rect==1);            
end

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

clear; % !!!!!!!!!! Delete this line !!!!!!!!!
function [any, tri, sqr, rect] = main(number_of_sticks) % first line of the file

Putting clear on the first line makes your file a script and causes that error (because you named the script file with the same name as the local function). Putting clear serves no purpose. Do not add things that serve no purpose.

I strongly recommend that you avoid using the variable name any.

[Emre Tuzcu]

It worked, thanks a lot

[轶文]

Why clear causes this situation?

[Stephen23]

"Why clear causes this situation?"

My answer already explains this: "Putting clear on the first line makes your file a script...".

It is not possible (nor does it make any sense) to give both the script and the local function exactly the same name.

Note that the documentation clearly states "Script files cannot have the same name as a function in the file":

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/create-functions-in-files.html#bvf7wa9

[Seth]

i dont have a "clear;" this is my code,

function[yPosition, ProjectileVelocity] = projectileMotion(xPosition)
    y0 = 2.0; % meters
    theta = 35; % degrees
    v0 = 25.0; % meters/second

    g = 9.81; % m/s^2
    
    theta = theta * pi / 180;

    yPosition = xPosition * tan(theta) - (1/2) * (xPosition^2 * g) / (v0 * cos(theta))^2 + y0;

   
    vx = v0 * cos(theta);

   
    vy = sqrt((v0 * sin(theta))^2 - 2 * g * yPosition);

    
    ProjectileVelocity = sqrt(vx^2 + vy^2);
end


xPosition = 25;
[yPosition, ProjectileVelocity] = projectileMotion(xPosition);


disp(['Projectile height at x = ', num2str(xPosition), ' meters: ', num2str(yPosition), ' meters']);
disp(['Projectile velocity at x = ', num2str(xPosition), ' meters: ', num2str(ProjectileVelocity), ' m/s']);

[Stephen23]

@Seth: the problem is the code after the function definition. Either:

• move it to a separate script, or
• move it to before the function definition.

"Before R2024a: Local functions in scripts must be defined at the end of the file, after the last line of script code."

Source: https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/local-functions-in-scripts.html